"Never laugh at live dragons."
Eira stared at the stone door for what seemed like hours. She sat cross-legged on the floor wondering how she could possibly open it.
She knew the claw had something to do with it, but she wasn't sure what the animal symbols meant. She rubbed her eyes, groaning when they burned from exhaustion.
"I'm not even supposed to be here…" She muttered to herself, thinking back to the day the Imperials caught her crossing the border from Cyrodiil.
She had travelled all the way from Jorval, at the Southwest part of Elsweyr, to get to Skyrim. Her main mission had been set aside to do this confounded quest into the Barrow. She told herself that as soon as the Dragonstone was given to the wizard, she would go down to the marketplace and tear that man limb from limb…
Looking at the claw, she wondered if she could use it to tear out his eyes. Her eye caught animal symbols on the underside.
"For the love of Mara…" She sighed in annoyance, getting up to change the rotating locks on the door to the pattern on the claw, then put it back in her satchel.
She inserted the claw into the slot where the talons would fit and twisted it.
Eira took a step back when the large tumblers started turning, rock grinding against rock. She watched them align and then the door started lowering.
She drew her sword, warily stepping through. Ascending the uneven set of stone stairs, she almost dropped her weapon when she saw the large and open cavern that lay before her.
It was a sight to behold. The ceiling of rock was high up, Eira could barely make out the forms of stalactites. A stream ran right through the center, and Eira cleaned the blood from her face. She shook her hands to rid them of cold water droplets, and made her way to the main focus of the cavern.
A tomb sat upon a large rise and before it was a momentous wall.
Something whispered to her. It seemed to call to her. Eira felt like she was in a trance, climbing up to the wall. She ran her hand over the strange runes, the closer she got to the center, the louder the whispers became. They seemed to speak an ancient tongue, nothing that Eira could decipher.
One of the runes started to glow the closer she came to it. Now standing before it, Eira felt the overwhelming sensation of seemingly being lifted into the air, but her feet were still on the ground.
Ribbons of light burst forth from the rune. Eira felt a great energy rush into her. Her entire body felt like a large flame had been set around her, but she could feel no burn.
The light began to die away, and Eira was left standing and wondering what had just happened to her. A cold sweat broke out, her mind raced with images of a life she had never known. A great black dragon roared, the one she had seen when she escaped Helgen, but now she could understand something from its monstrous roar.
"Fus!" The dragon roared, naming something else that she could not understand.
She fell to the ground, the images disappeared and she breathed heavily.
"What the…"
There was a large boom from behind her. She spun around to see the tomb had burst open and the bony hands of a draugr with a horned helm began to sit up. The Dragonstone was clutched tightly in its rotting arms.
"Shit."
"And that's when I stole my first sweet roll." Lucia smiled, holding onto Boromir's arm while they walked a ways through the grass outside of Whiterun.
"Why have you taken to theft? Didn't your mother teach you that is not proper behavior?" Boromir asked.
Lucia shrugged, looking down at the ground.
Boromir felt a chill run over him. He knew he had stepped out of place and it was unfair to Lucia, "I am sorry." He got to his knees, "I did not mean...What I wanted to say..."
Lucia stopped him, thinking to herself that this man was a bumbling fool, "It's alright, I'm better off than I was before..." Then she added, "So that means you have to take me when you leave, right?" Lucia laughed.
Boromir gave way to a slight smirk, "We shall see." He mussed her hair.
The two went into the city, Boromir ended up striking a conversation with their blacksmith, Adrienne, and offered to help around the forge, for she was pressed to make new armor for the Imperial army.
While Boromir was busy conversing with Adrienne about the forging process, Lucia had been taken with the woman who had entered the city. She watched the woman, who was clearly annoyed. In her hand she held a large stone, and Lucia noticed they were bruised over as if she had been in an intense fight.
Lucia left Boromir, following the woman close behind. She could not explain it, but she was enchanted with the way this woman carried herself, like a proud Nordic woman who could kill with a glance. She was who Lucia felt like she should aspire to be.
She followed the woman up near Dragonsreach, where a guard kept her from following inside.
Lucia pouted, turning back. She found Boromir in the market looking for her.
"Where did you go off to?" He asked, bending down to check for wounds, "I turn around and you were gone. What were you thinking?"
"Calm down," Lucia scoffed, "I've lived here my whole life, I know where I'm going."
"Someone could have hurt you." Boromir frowned.
"I can handle myself, see?" She gave him a punch in the arm.
Boromir broke into a smile, "Oh yes, quite the fearsome shield maiden I see."
The two went back into the market, Boromir told Lucia that someday he would get her all the jewelry and daggers she wanted. All of the people in the marketplace fell into a hush when a large group of guards came down from Dragonsreach.
The woman who Lucia had been following was at the head, with Irileth, whom Lucia explained to Boromir she was the Jarl's housecarl.
Boromir was busy admiring the battalion that he hadn't noticed Lucia slipped away again to follow the woman.
"Confounded…" He groaned.
The group of guards had left the city, and so had Lucia. Boromir ran for her, finding her hiding behind a rock outside of the city, watching the guards head towards a burning watchtower.
"Have you learned nothing?" Boromir asked.
Lucia didn't look at him, her eyes widening. Boromir looked to see what she was looking at.
Coming from the mountains, a shadowy form was flying in the sky. As it got closer he could see it was a dragon. All breath left him, and he stared at it as it descended upon the group of guards. He and Lucia were close enough they could feel the heat from it's fire, guards screaming at they burned.
"Get out of here!" Boromir yelled to Lucia, running to one of the bodies and taking up a great sword and rushing into battle.
Lucia looked on as Boromir helped to fight off the dragon. She screamed when it swatted at him, sending him back. He laid on the ground, holding his hand to where the claw of the dragon had ripped open a part of his chest.
The woman she had followed stood between Boromir and the dragon, sword in hand, the other holding a bloody dagger.
She and the dragon seemed to be at a standstill. After a few moments of painful silence, the dragon roared, and the woman let out a vicious warcry, running for the dragon as it reared to breath a great inferno. As it's throat turned orange with fire, the woman ran up onto its head plunging her sword into its neck, driving her dagger into both of it's eyes.
The dragon seemed to scream the words, "Dovahkiin, no!"
The woman fell to the ground while the dragon withered and died. She was breathless, looking upon the corpse with disdain.
A great sparkling light rose out of the body of the dead dragon, it suspended into the air for a moment, then rushed into the woman's body. She screamed as it pulsed through her, her eyes went completely white, and her scream turned into the roar not unlike the dragon she had just slain.
Lucia came out from behind her rock, holding Boromir's bloody hand while they all watched in utter awe as the woman rose to her feet, eyes still burning with the light, her expression of pain changed to that of raw determination and a stoic power.
One of the guards fell to his knees, removing his helmet and said, "Dragonborn."
A few other of the Nord guards did the same, looking at the woman as she easily pulled her weapons from the dragon's corpse. Her eyes turned back into their imposing icy green color.
"I can't believe it," A guard stepped towards her, "It's just like the legends."
"I don't understand." She said, her voice hard, but to Lucia it was like honey.
"You are the Dragonborn. The first to slay a
dragon since Tiber Septim himself." Another guard said.
"I don't believe you." Another guard said.
"Idiot," The other guard rounded on him, "Did you not just see? She took the very soul of the dragon. Only the Dragonborn can do that," He turned back to the woman, "Try to shout." He said.
"What?" The woman was in disbelief, "I'm not the Dragonborn, I…"
"Just try." Another guard said.
The woman seemed to click something together in her head.
"The Barrow…" She whispered, turning to the corpse.
"Fus!" A great power burst forth from her throat, the shout was like a great force of wind, that set the body of the dragon back a few feet.
The woman stepped back, as if not quite knowing what to do with this newfound power.
"That was shouting!" the guard said, "Only those who study the thu'um can do that. The Dragonborn is said to be born with the power, not needing to teach themselves."
"I'm not the Dragonborn." The woman snarled, sheathing her sword and pushing past everyone and making her way to the city.
Everyone watched her go, Lucia held tightly onto Boromir when Irileth came over, her red eyes seemingly piercing into the two.
"You are not a guard." She said bluntly.
"No, I am not." Boromir said.
She nodded, "You fight well. Come see me back in Dragonsreach, I could use a man like you as part of the Jarl's personal guard."
"Thank you." Boromir seemed surprised.
Irileth gave a curt goodbye, calling the others to follow her back to the city. As they walked, the ground began to shake, and a great thunder descended from the mountains. Boromir held onto Lucia as a roaring echo hit the cool air. He couldn't understand what was being said, and he didn't really want to know. It was over in an instant. He released Lucia, not sure what to think of what had happened in the last hour.
Lucia looked up at Boromir, "Well that was new."
"The dragons can be killed, that's good enough for me." Irileth said to the Jarl.
He looked at Eira, who was clearly uncomfortable with this newfound attention.
"You heard the call of the Greybeards," His brother said, "She is the Dragonborn."
Jarl Balgruuf nodded slowly, "It seems they summon you to their place up in the mountains, High Hrothgar." He told her, "It is a great honor to be called. Never before have they meddled with our day-to-day life."
"I didn't ask for this." Eira said.
"No one does, I think." The Jarl said, watching Irileth going to the hall doors to greet a man and girl, "At any rate. Allow me to thank you, Eira. You have done me a great service time and time again. You helped our court wizard, and yet again went out to save a city you are not part of from a dragon. As a reward, I grant you title of Thane. And I assign Lydia to be your personal housecarl."
Eira shifted her position, "You would do that for a woman you barely know?"
"A woman who took it upon herself to save innocent people. I think that deserves reward." The Jarl smiled, "And hopefully I can have the chance to know the Dragonborn a little more." He then added, "But I will leave you to rest. If I might make a friendly suggestion, you should go to High hrothgar, the Greybeards do not call upon just anyone."
"Thank you, Jarl Balgruuf." Eira bowed, turning to leave.
Another Nord woman greeted her, she was dressed in clean steel armor, her brown hair cut to her shoulders and braided back.
"I am Lydia," She introduced herself, "I am to be your housecarl."
"Eira, I am pleased to make your acquaintance," Eira took Lydia's arm in greeting, "I must confess I am not the type of woman who has a housecarl."
"I am sworn to you," Lydia said unenthusiastically, "To protect you. Even guard you with my life." She said.
"Well, I hope it doesn't have to come to that."
"As do I." Lydia sighed.
Eira looked to a bench that sat along the back wall, where a small girl in a green dress sat, dangling her feet. She walked over to her and squatted down.
"Hello." She said, her normally harsh tone softening when she looked at the girl, "What is your name?"
"Lucia." The girl said happily.
"That's very pretty," Eira smiled, "I am Eira."
Lucia smiled, "I saw you fight that dragon."
Eira cocked her head to the side, "A battlefield is no place for a little girl."
"I'm not a little girl," Lucia pouted, "I can fight just as well as a grown woman, even better."
Eira chuckled, "I'm sure you can. You know, I have a sister who is just like you."
"She must be very pretty then."
"Incredibly," Eria laughed, "And if I know my sister, she would want to have this." She took her steel dagger and sheath from her belt, handing it to Lucia, "Maybe?" She asked coyly.
Lucia felt like her breath had been taken from her, she took the dagger and sheath, admiring it's fine craftsmanship, "Thank you."
"Be sure to keep it sharpened," Eira said, "You never know when you'll have to kill a dragon." She stood up, "I am pleased to have met you, Lucia."
Lucia saw Boromir come over to her, holding new armor. His chest was bandaged up, and he looked almost angry.
"Lucia, what is that?" He asked.
Eira turned to him, "It is a gift."
"Now I can properly kill those skeevers by my den." Lucia stabbed the air.
Boromir seemed flustered, "She is quite young to have such a weapon, I think."
"Nonsense," Eira said, "I was her age when I killed my first bear."
"She is not you." Boromir said.
"Do you have a problem?" Eira said, Lydia stood behind her, hand reaching for her axe.
Lucia got between them, "It's no problem, really. C'mon, Boromir. I can give it back if you want."
"It was a gift, pup." Eira said, not taking her gaze away from Boromir's, "Keep it."
Boromir glared at her, "Come on, Lucia, I have enough gold to get us a room for the night."
"Really?" Lucia said excitedly, "Let's go!" She pulled him, she looked at Eira, "Thank you again!"
Eira watched them go, still glaring when they left.
"I have a feeling being your housecarl is going to be very interesting." Lydia laughed.
Eira looked at her, amused, "Let's go get a drink."