A/N: Happy New Year everyone :) Hope you all had spectacular celebrations. I've been so busy with work, I had 44 hours this week! /is exhausted. Anyway, here's the newest chapter :) Hope you all enjoy. Drop me a review or follow the story!

Disclaimer: Skyrim © Bethesda

She said what I was supposed to think

Thank God for freedom

Thank God for liberation

Blindside - Cute Boring Love

Chapter Nine - Delphine


"So, the little girl from Helgen is the fabled Dragonborn," Ulfric mused quietly, looking down at Ralof who had returned to the Palace of Kings with the news that the Dragonborn had declined his offer. Ulfric found it hard to believe; the girl wasn't even a Nord, and she certainly wasn't legend material.

Ralof waited in silence, watching Ulfric mull over the information. He was apprehensive about what his leader would have to say about Artemis. It wasn't hard to tell that Ulfric didn't think much of her in Helgen, and even now he seemed more than disappointed to learn that she was the Dragonborn.

"She owes you her life," Ulfric frowned, "And yet you still failed to bring her to Windhelm, brother."

Ralof bowed his head, feeling shamed by his leader.

"I have to wonder if you even tried?" Ulfric inquired.

Ralof looked back up at Ulfric, ready to defend himself, "Artemis doesn't-"

"Artemis?" Ulfric sneered, cutting Ralof off.

"That's her name," Ralof muttered.

Ulfric fell silent again and watched Ralof carefully. He knew the young Stormcloak was attracted to her, that much was obvious, but had that been enough to influence his efforts of obtaining her allegiance? Ralof was charming enough, Nord women swooned over him, but what about the Dragonborn? Had he applied his charm when he'd spoken to her? Ulfric felt sure that if he had the Dragonborn would be here now. She had seemed equally interested in the Stormcloak, after all.

"Find her," Ulfric said finally, deciding he wouldn't be taking no for an answer. Ralof would just have to try harder.

"Find her?" Ralof repeated, frowning, "And when I find her?"

"Convince her."


I set off for Riverwood as soon as I made it back to Lotte. I was half tempted to head to Whiterun, but my rage spurred me to ride straight to my destination. The sooner I confronted this, friend, the better.

I stopped for very little rest, and Lotte didn't seem overly impressed as I rode her late into the evenings, but we made it into Riverwood only two days later. It was late and pouring with icy rain when Lotte galloped across the bridge and into the small village. I didn't slow her until we were directly outside of the Inn, where I tied her to the fence before making my way inside.

The warmth from the fire didn't reach the chill in my bones from the rain as I walked towards the bar. I received a lot of odd stares as I passed people, whether or not it was the fact that I was covered in mud and soaked to the bone I didn't know or care. The man at the bar regarded me curiously as I approached.

"Can I help you?" he asked me in a deep voice.

"I want the attic room," I informed him curtly, chucking a handful of gold on the bar. It was such a rude gesture for me that I almost surprised myself. Almost.

"We don't have an attic room," he told me, looking perplexed.

"Please tell me you're joking," I cried, a touch of hysteria cutting through my tone.

"Is everything ok here?" a woman only a few inches taller than me asked, warning clear in her firm voice as she appeared next to the barman.

"This one says she wants the attic room," the barman told the small woman offhandedly. They both regarded me carefully, and I wondered briefly how crazy I looked soaked to the bone, eyes bulging out of my head as I demanded a room that didn't exist.

"Do you, now?" she murmured after a moment, "Well, we don't have an attic room, but I'll give you the one on the left." She indicated to a door.

"If you don't have an attic room, don't worry about it," I snapped, starting to scoop up my coin. If I ever found out who took that damn horn, I'd send them straight to Oblivion!

"That room is just as good, I assure you," the woman told me with a hard, pointed look. Her hand reached out to stop me picking up my gold. Apparently, I would have to take the room on the left whether I wanted it or not.

I accepted the fact and stalked into the room in a huff, slamming the wooden door behind me. Whoever had taken that horn had sent me on a wild goose chase, and they were bound to be laughing about it now. What if someone was waiting to ambush the Dragonborn when they left this Inn, and the attic room had been their way to identify the Dragonborn? Well, why wouldn't they have just waited at Ivarstead like the Legion or the Stormcloaks?

I kicked the end table and hurt my foot before letting out a snarl and sitting on the edge of the bed. My head fell into my hands as I took deep, calming breaths to keep the tears that were threatening to spill at bay.

"So, you're the one the Greybeards are so interested in," a voice carried. I had been so involved in my own anger I hadn't heard my door open at all, but now the woman from the bar stood before me, looking down her nose at me. "I think you're looking for this."

She held something out to me, and I snatched it out of her hand. A horn. The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller.

"You took it?" I asked incredulously. My brain nagged that I sounded like Vilkas when he spoke to me, but I couldn't help it. This woman was only inches taller than me, and wearing a plain peasant woman's dress. Not to mention she looked to be in her late forties or early fifties. She didn't look capable of wielding more than a sharp tongue.

"I did," she sneered, giving a slight incline of her head, "We need to talk. Come with me."

The woman led me back across the Inn, into what seemed like her personal room. She instructed me to close the door, and I did so reluctantly. When I turned back to face her she was opening the wardrobe and I watched with interest as she pushed a false panel out of the back, revealing a set of stone steps. I warily followed her down these steps into a small room spare of much but weapon racks and a desk dominating the centre space. The woman moved to stand behind the desk, placing her palms upon its hard surface and leaning forward to survey me closely.

"The Greybeards seem to think you're the Dragonborn," she stated, frowning at me. It reminded me of the way the female Legionnaire had looked at me back at Ivarstead.

"Why did you take the horn?" I demanded, crossing my arms defensively, "Why did you bring me down here?"

"I can't be too careful," she sighed heavily, closing her eyes for a moment, "Thalmor spies are everywhere. I didn't go through all this trouble on a whim; I needed to make sure it wasn't a Thalmor trap."

"You didn't go through all this trouble on a whim?" I echoed in disbelief, gaping at the woman before my mouth started up again angrily, "You didn't? Do you know how much trouble Iwent through to find out that horn was gone and instead there was just a stupid note waiting for me?"

"I am not your enemy," the woman told me firmly, her eyes intense, "I gave you the horn, didn't I?"

"What do you want with me?" I questioned sharply, my eyes narrowing as I wondered what in Oblivion she was planning.

"I'm part of a group that's been looking for you or someone like you, at least," she explained quickly. "If you really are the Dragonborn, that is. But before I can tell you any more, I need to make sure I can trust you."

"How do I know I can trust you?" I countered, glaring at the woman. Her lips quirked at my question.

"You were a fool to come here in the first place if you weren't going to trust me," she told me.

"Well, why are you looking for a Dragonborn?" I asked in annoyance, my anger receding as I realised she had a point. I didn't come all this way for nothing.

"We remember what most don't. A Dragonborn is the only one who can permanently kill a dragon by devouring its soul. If you are a Dragonborn, then I need your help," she told me intensely.

"Why?" I asked her incredulously.

"You'll find out soon enough," she informed me, looking down at a map that was stretched across her table and studying it.

"What are you saying, exactly?" I asked hesitantly, unsure if I even really wanted to know where this conversation was going.

"Dragons aren't just coming back, they're coming back to life," she said, still looking at her map intently, "They weren't just gone somewhere for all these years, they were dead. Killed off centuries ago by my predecessors. Now something is happening and it's bringing them back to life. I intend to put a stop to it."

"What are you going to do?" I asked faintly. I hoped she wasn't really expecting me to help her.

"Haven't you been listening?" she snapped, "You have to help me stop this, by killing the dragons that are already back in Skyrim."

"Look..." I trailed off, realising I didn't know her name.

"Delphine," she informed me.

"Delphine, what makes you think the dragons are coming back? Because this sounds crazy," I told her, shaking my head.

"I know they are. I've visited some of their burial mounds and found them empty, and I have a theory about where the next one will be coming back to life. I'm going to go there, and I'm going to try and kill that dragon," she informed me casually, as if she intended to do nothing more go shopping in the market.

"And where exactly do I come into this?" I asked carefully.

"I brought you here because I needed the Dragonborn to help me," she told me, giving me a hard look, "I wasn't expecting the Dragonborn to be a child, though."

I frowned at her insult, and looked down at my boots. Was this going to be so commonplace? I wasn't a big, strong Nord, so I couldn't possibly be capable of being a hero? Did I think I was honestly capable of being a hero? Yes, a small voice in my mind whispered. And I believed it. So what if I didn't look the part, I had come a long way since I'd arrived in Skyrim. I'd show everyone that looked down on me that I was just as strong as Farkas, or Vilkas, or even Ulfric Stormcloak.

"I'm coming with you," I told Delphine bluntly, looking back up into her sneering face.

"Good," she nodded.

"Where are we going to find this dragon?"

"Kynesgrove." She pointed to a mark on her map that was South of Windhelm, "If we can get there before it happens, we might be able to figure out how to stop it."

"Well, let's not waste any time then," I said grimly.

It took us three days to get to Kynesgrove on horseback. Delphine proved to be businesslike in every aspect, but I didn't really feel like I wanted to know her on a personal level. Between ranting about Thalmor and ranting about dragons, I was sure I'd had enough of the older woman to last a lifetime. I hoped that when we were done with this dragon, and she had the information she needed, I could part ways with her and never see her again.

As we rode into Kynesgrove, a hysterical woman ran out to meet us. "Don't go up there!" she warned us, looking panicked, "There's a dragon attacking!" and she kept running.

I exchanged a look with Delphine before jumping down from my saddle. I would not take Lotte somewhere she might get injured. Delphine followed suit with a quizzical look, but I ignored the silent question.

"Looks like we might be too late," Delphine told me, as we set off at a jog into the town.

As I followed Delphine, I heard it. That awful roaring I'd heard in Helgen. The cry of that fearsome black dragon whose voice cut through me like a fire burning through ice. Fear gripped my heart in a way I had only experienced once before, and I stopped in my tracks as it threatened to overwhelm me. Delphine stopped a few paces ahead of me and looked at me expectantly. It took everything I had to force my legs back into action, fighting the chills running the length of my spine.

When we made it to the place the black dragon was circling, Delphine yanked me behind some large rocks and we watched in awe as the ground below the dragon started to shift. As the dirt and rocks rose, a spiral of white light shot towards the heavens. It could have been beautiful if there hadn't been a huge, skeletal dragon clawing its way out of the mound.

Instead, the effect was horrifying. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and if Delphine hadn't had a vice grip on my arm I would have torn out of there as fast as my legs could have carried me. I chanced a glance at Delphine, and her ordinarily hard features were marred with shock. I was relieved to see she was just as shaken by the situation as I was.

When the beast had clawed its way out of the ground it turned its ugly face skyward, watching the black dragon as it circled once more, then stopped in mid air above it. The dragons started to speak to one another in their own tongue, and as they spoke scales and flesh started to regenerate on the skeletal form. I watched, frozen as the black dragon turned his deadly orange gaze upon me and spoke directly to me.

"Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi." I had no idea what it had said to me, but at his words I felt something akin to indignation stir within me. I knew I was offended by whatever he had uttered to me. I glared up into those orange eyes and stood from my position behind the rock, feeling compelled to face this dragon directly, "You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah. Sahloknir, krii daar joorre."

Both dragons rose into the air at this, circling above me. I was only half aware of Delphine at my side as the newly resurrected dragon dove at us. I heard it shout, "YOL!" as it flew at us. Thinking quick, I pushed Delphine to the side and rolled with her as a torrent of flames burned the ground where we had been standing moments ago. When we got our feet again, the dragon had landed and the black dragon was gone.

I didn't think about my next action, I just committed to it. Charging at the dragon wasn't the best idea, but I didn't operate with the best ideas very often. The dragon seemed to sneer at me, as I closed the distance with my blades in my hands. As I struck out with one sword, it was apparent why. The dragon's sharp teeth snapped at the blade, crushing the steel in its teeth and wrenching the weapon from my hand.

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I skidded to the side as it directed its next snap at me. Suddenly Delphine was with me, her own sword drawn as she slashed at the dragon, getting its attention off of me. It worked, if only briefly, and gave me enough time to get up closer to its head. It turned a fraction too early, and instead of piercing the side of its head, my second blade sunk into its eye.

The dragon reeled back, spewing fire at random as it scrambled away from us, taking my second blade with it.

"Give me your sword," I shouted over the furious roaring of the beast, holding my hand out expectantly.

Delphine hesitated, but passed me the blade. As soon as my hand closed around the hilt I ran after the dragon, my adrenaline carrying me. As I closed the gap the beast reared back in panic, and I saw my opportunity. I struck quickly, putting all my strength behind my arm as I forced the blade upwards into the chest of the massive dragon. As the blade sunk into the softer scales I was showered in thick, warm blood. I closed my eyes and turned my head against the spatter as the dragon shuddered against the blade. Then I realised in a moment of sheer panic the precariousness of my situation and started to scramble backwards as the weight of the dragon began to fall forward.

I just cleared out of its path as the dragon hit the ground, completely still in its death.

I knew it wasn't over, though. That insatiable pull was beckoning me to the dragon's side. Once again, I stood before the dragon as its body was encased in that eerie glow. The scales peeled away in tiny wisps of flame and danced towards me, covering every free piece of flesh they could find. The feeling of completion overwhelmed me again as the wisps of flame seeped into my very being, fulfilling some hunger within me that I didn't even know I had, giving me the life and knowledge of the dragon that I had slain. And, just like that, it was done. The dragon was nothing more than a pile of bones and I became aware of the world around me again. My eyes met Delphine's, and she looked back at me approvingly.

Delphine and I headed back into Kynesgrove, renting a room in the Braidwood Inn so we could talk privately. We sat on the edges of our beds, speaking directly now that she was certain I was the Dragonborn she had been looking for. She told me about the faction she was part of, the Blades, and how they had tried to defeat the dragons of old while helping the Dragonborn of the past. When she had filled me in on the Blades, the topic changed to one I knew very little about. The Civil War.

"The Empire had Ulfric Stormcloak, the war was almost done with, then a dragon attacks, Ulfric escapes, and the war is back on. With dragons attacking indiscriminately Skyrim is weakened. The Empire is weakened. Who else gains from that but the Thalmor?"

"So, you think the Thalmor are bringing the dragons back?" I asked slowly. It was hard to process everything she was saying. My mind was buzzing with the knowledge of the dragon I had slain, and it was sluggish at best to pick up anything else as the information scrambled around. This left me mentally exhausted, as well as physically exhausted from the battle.

I hadn't come off too bad, only minor cuts and bruises, but my bones and muscles ached from the days spent riding and then the immediate battle with the dragon. As soon as we had entered the room I had shucked my armour for some relief, and now I sat hunched over in just my smalls, modesty be damned.

"If they aren't, I'm certain they'll know who is," Delphine mused, "If only..."

"If only?" I repeated quirking a brow, looking at the older woman and willing my eyes to stay open.

"If only we could get into their Embassy, then we could find out what they know," Delphine sighed, "We're going to need to try, at least."

"That sounds like it'll be easy," I scoffed, assuming she was kidding. I lay on my side, unable to maintain the conversation for much longer, "Let's head out tomorrow morning."

"No," Delphine shook her head, "It'll take planning." That was the last thing I heard before I slipped into the pleasant world of sleep. When I awoke sometime the next afternoon, Delphine's bed was empty, her sword gone, and a note lay on her pillow.

A-

Meet me in Riverwood on the 1st of First Seed.

Keep an eye on the sky.

-D

The first of First Seed was a little over a month away. I frowned at the note, wondering what she would have in store for me when I next saw her. In the meantime, however, I had to return the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, and after that, I thought happily, I could return home to Jorrvaskr and see my family.