The Dragonborn comes home

by Hossfeathers

Ragnthor of the Isles comes home to Skyrim after being gone for 8 years. He had come home to visit is family and maybe repair a romance that had been broken by the way he left. Little did he know that coming home was but a small step in his journey. (will go through story and all dlc with and ending set many years after Dragonborn.) M for violence

10. Chapter 10: The World Between And Love

Chapter 10

Lydia

When she got to him she was worried. He was losing a lot of blood, fast. As she knelt down near him she saw his eyes close and heard him sigh. She lost all the calm she had.

She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him over her shoulder but he was too heavy. She resorted to half carrying and half dragging him back to the fort. She did as much harm as good.

Every time she pulled his wounds ran with blood. She notice but kept going, thinking that getting him back fast would be better than leaving him. Suddenly he was torn away from he and she grabbed him and tried to pull him back.

Someone wrapped their arms around her and held her still. "Easy Lydia, easy. Ralof has him and is packing him back to the fort. The battles over, Ragnthor won."

Lydia heard the words but kept fighting. Brasella clung to her tightly, even though Lydia threw a few kicks her way. Soon Lydia was just shaking. As soon as Brasella loosened her grip she turned and hugged her, still fighting back tears.

"I wasn't there for him. If I had been there then he wouldn't be dying. I could have helped him."

She felt Brasella tighten her grip. "You did help him. You gave him a real reason to fight. He is a beast when he fights, I almost lost breakfast when I saw the damage he both gave and took. But a beast can only fight so hard on its own. He might not have known and I'm sure you didn't but he kept looking at you and every time he did he fought harder and more brutal."

She finally regained control over her sobbing but the tears still flowed. "But he is going to die. He has lost so much blood."

Brasella grabbed her shoulders. "You have seen how many times he has been left for dead?" Lydia wiped her eyes and nodded. "And he lived. On his own, without help. Here he has help. He has earned to respect of every man here for breaking the spine of the bandits in the area. And you too, for standing next to him. And we are going to do everything we can to save him."

The tears stopped and she looked up. "Thank you." Brasella nodded and they walked back to the fort.

And Lydia stayed by his bed. For 5 days. She sat there watching him. Changing his bandages and sheets and wiping his brow to keep him cool. Helping to wash out his wounds to stop the spread of infection. She watched as his body twitch, from lack of movement or pain she couldn't tell. She only ate when someone made her. On the 6th day his body relaxed.

Ralof was there. "Lydia, I would move back. He went down right after combat. He may come to fighting."

Lydia shook her head and stayed where she was, holding his hand. Suddenly all of his muscles clenched. Her hand was in pain but she didn't show it. His eyes flew open and they were wild and blood crazed. He tried to sit up and she stood and put a hand on his chest. His face shifted and it looked like he was going to attack. She slipped her hand free and laid it on his cheek.

She spoke to him in a soft voice. "Peace Ragnthor. It's me, Lydia. The battle is over, you won."

His eyes lost the crazy look and his body relaxed. "Then it's over and you're safe."

Lydia smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm safe. Now get some sleep."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Ragnthor smiled and lost control of the ability to stay wake.

Ragnthor

Ragnthor slept fitfully for the next 2 days. When he woke Lydia was asleep in a chair next to his bed. He pulled down the sheets and looked at his chest. There was a new web of scars over his chest. The only scary one was on his left side. It was where the axe he broken his armor.

It was long, wide and rough. And the edges looked like it been torn. He whistled and it woke Lydia. He smiled at her and she slammed him in the shoulder.

He saw tears in her eyes. "Never do that again. I almost lost you. Never do that again."

Ragnthor reach over and grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. He whispered in her ear.

"I will try. But if something like that happens again I will do anything I can to stop it. It is good to see that you care though. Was that kiss real or some kind of dream?" S

he pulled away and hit him again. He laughed as she walked out of the room. He stood and felt pain as his skin stretched. He saw a shirt over on a chair and painfully walked over and put it on. He pulled on his pants and boots and walked out of his room. He walked out into the court yard and saw Ralof sitting on a log by the fire.

He walked over and sat down. "So how have the last few days been?"

Ralof gave a start. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Ragnthor laughed and then grabbed his side. "If I am awake I am not going to sit around in bed. Even if walking still hurts. So how have things been?"

Ralof shrugged his shoulders. "Well in the week that you have slept all bandit activity has stopped. As soon as you are able we are going to Solitude to tell Tullius that the fort is clear. Birger and his men will stay and keep the fort until the Legion shows up. And they will sign up with the Legion. It seems that you might get a group of men to lead into battle."

Ragnthor nodded. "So I have been out a week. What happened? Most of the battle is a little hazy in my mind."

Ralof looked at him. "It was brutal. Most of the men here though you were some kind of devil. They had never seen anything like it. Hell, it was almost too much for me to handle. After we fired you charged like some kind of mad bull. You took out 3 in a minute but then something changed. You seemed to be able to, I don't know, sense all that was going on in the battle field, you turned and threw a sword without looking and it killed one who was trying to take Lydia from behind. But you looked out of control, without care for your body. Hence the massive wound in your side. You took an axe deep."

Ragnthor rubbed his side. "I remember that. That is one of the few things I remember."

Ralof nodded. "You were a force to see on the field. More than half the dead fell to your hand. Our side almost broke ranks when they saw you tearing into them with your hands. When the men retreated around the chief we could see the blood pool around your feet from the wall. And then your fight with the chief. I have never seen someone break a sword like that. And you broke him. When the men came back from clearing the field they said your fists had left dents in the man's armor. And when you threw him, you managed to crush most of the bones in his body."

Ragnthor nodded. "What about Lydia? How did she handle it?"

Ralof shook his head. "Bad, Ragnthor, real bad. When you dropped she lost it. She tried to drag you back herself but you were too big. She would have attacked me for touching you if Brasella hadn't held her arms. She cried for you. I have never seen her cry before. She sat by your side for 8 days, never moving. She kept you from moving too soon after you woke up. But I think she is still shaken up inside so tread careful."

Ragnthor nodded and stood. "Well I think it's time to go. We have sat still for 8 days. We leave at noon." He turned and walked back to his room.

Soon he was packed and waiting in the courtyard. He sat and pulled out his pipe. As he sat and rubbed his side he wondered what might have happened if he wasn't Dragonborn. He would have it easier, no new scars, and would be relaxing at home on the farm. But on the other hand he might not have gotten this far with Lydia.

And that was the real reason for him coming home. It was from his love of her that he drew his strength. As he blew out a puff of smoke he nodded.

"I wouldn't change it for the world." He saw the door open and stood, wincing. It was his friends, packed and ready to go. He slipped his pack on and walked over to Birger.

"Forces should be here within the week, if I can make it to Solitude that fast."

They shook hands. "Are you sure you should be walking so soon?"

Ragnthor laughed. "If I don't do something I will go mad. I would rather doing some productive the just sit around." Birger nodded and they parted ways.

Ragnthor walked out of the fort with short painful steps.

Ralof asked if he should be walking. "I should loosen up in a few miles."

They all walked close to him in case he fell. It was a few hours later the he stopped for a break. They were about half way to Solitude. He was dropping his pack when he heard a gasp.

It was Lydia. "Ragnthor look at your side!" He put his hand down and his side felt wet.

"Well shite" he said as he fell.

He reached into his pack and pulled out a long length of cloth. He lifted his shirt and looked at his wound. There was a line where the skin had parted but not too bad. He wrapped the cloth around his body and tired to get up.

He couldn't. "Well I think this is a good spot to camp for the night. I think I will take a little break and then try to help if that is ok."

Lydia looked worried but Ralof smiled. "Of course. You picked a good spot too. There is a stream not 15 yards away. With luck Slasher might get a deer before nightfall."

Ragnthor laughed and laid his back against a tree. He was tired but he fought of the urge to sleep. He sat there for about half an hour before he was able to stand. He wobbled over to the fire pit Ralof had made and built a fire. He pulled a pot out of his pack and filled it with water and put it by the fire. Soon it was boiling. He pulled a bottle of brandy of out his pack and sat back down. He pulled up his shirt, unwrapped the bandage and threw it in the pot. He noticed Lydia was watching him as he grabbed the bottle.

He held it out to her. "Would you like to try some? It is the best brandy I could find in Cyrodiil. Was saving it for a special occasion but I need it now." Lydia took a sip and grimaced.

Ragnthor laughed. "It does that. Been saving it for 4 or 5 years, shame to waste it now."

And he poured it over his wound and slammed his fist into the ground. Lydia looked at him in shock.

"Needed it to clean the wound."

He pulled the pot out of the fire and took out the bandage and wrung it out. Then he wrapped it back around himself.

"Now don't be going out and buy some of this. It may have just saved my life." She nodded.

They heard something crashing in the underbrush. Soon Slasher came out dragging deer.

Ragnthor smiled. "Lydia, I don't think I should stand to clean that. Could you? If you don't want to I will holler for Ralof to do it."

She shook her head. "It's ok, I can do it."

Ragnthor looked up at her. "Thank you." He was watching her while he fell asleep.

His mind wandered far from his body as he slept, despite his efforts to avoid it. Soon he gave up and wandered to foggy mists of the land between. After a while he sensed someone walking behind him and he stopped.

"Am I really that far gone Arkay? I would have thought that we had this conversation after the battle."

A man walked up beside him. He was tall, for a Breton, and he had an air of peace surrounding him. His hair was long but tied back in a ponytail. He was well muscled but his strength was talking rather than his might. He walked up beside Ragnthor and just stood there.

"So you would think. But you are at more of a risk of letting go of life out here, in the wilds, than safe in bed at a fort."

He had a deep soothing voice, perfect for leading the lost home. He waved his hand and 2 chairs formed out of the mist. He motioned for them to sit. After they sat for a while he spoke.

"So Ragnthor, you are Dragonborn. I should have realized that it was more than just the love of a woman that kept you from following me before. Though my mother tells me it will be a good one."

He laughed as Ragnthor slugged him in the shoulder. "Alright, alright. I won't spoil it anymore. But really, Dragonborn. That's pretty good for a man left more dead more times than I care to recall. It has been a long time since father has seen fit to bless the world with one. It seems that times are dire indeed. Which brings me to why I am here. For the first time in hundreds of years I am here not to lead you to the afterlife but to kick you in the ass and send you back. A true second chance, not one of those you stole from me."

Ragnthor looked at him in shock. "So no fight, just a talk and then I'm free to go?"

Arkay laughed. "You seem shocked. Do you not believe the word of a god? And it's not that simple. The next time there will be a fight if you wish to live, we can't make it too easy, but the gods wish you to try and save Tamriel."

Ragnthor nodded. "I will try my best. And will try harder not to end up here, at least for a while. I might like to live long enough to see this love." They both laughed. "Well it is time for me to leave but one other wishes to talk to you." Arkay stood.

"Well who is it."

Arkay smiled. "You will see."

With that he walked into the mist. Ragnthor sat in silence for a while. Suddenly behind him there was a deep, gruff voice.

"So this is what passes for a Dragonborn these days. In my time you would have been chewed up and spit out. But then again the world was tougher in those days."

The man laughed. "May I sit down lad?"

Ragnthor stood and nodded. The man sat. "Well don't just stand there, sit boy."

Ragnthor sat. "You are a lucky man indeed. Not many get to meet even one god in their lives and here you are, meeting 2. You don't recognized me, do you lad?"

Ragnthor shook his head. "Well you are young. And the Thalmor make sure no one talks about me anymore. I'm Talos lad. And it appears I am one of the Nords favorite swear words." He started laughing.

He was a tall man with a big beard that was freckled with grey. He wore a full suit of armor apart from the helm. His eyes were filled with both mirth and sorrow and he had the air of a powerful warrior.

"Well let's get down to business. Why are you trying to save this dying husk of an empire? And don't say because I founded it. That will earn you no points."

Ragnthor looked him in the eyes. "Because only as a united empire can we hope to beat the elves and win back the freedom to worship who we choose. Skyrim alone cannot beat the elves and I wish Ulfric could see it. He would be a great help in that fight."

Talos nodded. "Right you are lad, but I don't think he will help. The elves broke something deep inside of him. But your logic is sound and well reasoned, like any commanders should be."

He stood and started walking and Ragnthor followed. "You should prepare for war. And not just of a mortal kind. Soon god will fight god. This war has the heavens in confusion and the Aedra and Daedra are trying to find peace by sticking to their roles. Well apart from the Mad God but his name says it all. Me, I am trying to gather the gods to unite and bring either peace to all or war to the elves before I either fade from lack of worship or pass through to the realm of Shor. But trying to get them to work together is like herding cats. Almost more trouble than it is worth."

Talos stopped and looked at him. "You are a true Nord. Follow what every path you choose. But know that I will use you to convince the gods so chose your path well."

He reached into a pouch at his belt and pulled out a powder and blew it on him shouting "NU KOS VAHRAAN!" The powder swirled around him.

"By the time you find your way back to your body it will be healed. But don't expect this gift ever again." And with that Talos walked out into the mist.

Lydia

She stayed up and watched him through the night, feeling it was her fault that he went to sleep. But the strain of the last week caught up to her. She woke when the morning sun shone in her eyes. As she slowly regained her senses she realized that Ragnthor had his arm around her.

She looked at him and he looked asleep but when she started to slide out from under his arm he said "That's a shame. I could have spent all day like this." She threw his arm off and stood.

She glared at him. "Why of all the dirty tricks to…"

He stood, without looking like he was in pain, and put a finger over her mouth. "There were no tricks. I finally came too about 10 minutes ago. You were lying near me and you looked so peaceful. I touched your arm and it cold so I put my arm around you. I am sorry if I offended you."

She blushed and glared at the same time. "I'm not offended but never again," Her face softened, "unless you are saving my life."

Ragnthor nodded and lifted his shirt and started to unwrapped the bandage. Fear flew through Lydia as she rushed forward to stop him. She stopped when she saw that the wound had been healed. In fact all his wounds had been healed. Not erased but healed. The scars were thick but looked old. She looked up at him.

"How? Just last night you fell down and then passed out and we thought you were dying. Now you look like that fight was over a year ago."

Ragnthor ran his hand through his hair and looked at her. "Um, let's just say that some strange things happened while my soul was wandering. I will say this, for a time my soul was almost gone from my body. And I wandered the realm between here and gone." Lydia shuddered as she thought about it.

"But it's alright Lydia. The gods have given me strength." She resisted the urge to walk up and hug him. But she did smile.

He laughed. "Well let's get camp taken down before those 2 lazy bones wake up."

Lydia laughed as Ralof's voice drifted over. "Who are you calling lazy. Didn't you let us take care of setting up camp last night?" They all laughed. As she and Ragnthor were working together a question entered her mind and refused the leave.

Finally she gave in and asked. "Why didn't you want me to join the Legion with you?"

Ragnthor was quiet for a long time and she thought she had said something wrong. "Because I don't want to lose you." She was stunned.

She must have looked angry because he hurried to continue. "Not in that way. I mean I would like you to stay, to like being here, with me." He stopped and looked frustrated.

He shook his head and continued. "I like you, well more than like you, a lot. And if you join the Legion then you give up your rank as Housecarl and they can send you anywhere. Away from me. And if that happens then I don't know what I will do. I have spent 8 years of my life regretting one thing and it's you. Well leaving you. I would like us to start again. I would say from scratch but there are a lot of bad feelings from…" She leaned over and kissed him.

It was sweet, it was heartfelt, which surprised even her, and was quick. She looked at him even as she pulled away and blushed as red as a mountain flower.

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Well that just happened."

She nodded. "Yes, yes it did. So what do we do now?"

Ragnthor looked at her and she went a deeper shade of red. "Well it did and we can't say it didn't. But we shouldn't jump in too fast. There is too much going on."

She nodded. "Let's say we take it slow, like a glacier, until at least the civil war is over with."

She nodded again. "That sounds smart, sensible."

Ragnthor kept running his hand through his hair. "And, you know, I would like to make a little more progress on this whole stop the evil dragon thing too. Make the world a little safer, that kind of thing. Also means once that's done I can spend more time with you." She shook her head and slammed her fist into his arm.

Ragnthor laughed. "I will take that as a yes." She smiled and shook her head as he turned into a flurry of motion.

Ragnthor

They had the camp broken down and were ready to go in an hour. And it was a long walk back to Solitude. Because while his body had been healed, his strength and stamina were slow to recover. It took them the rest of the day to reach Solitude. It was nearing dark when they walked into Solitude.

They stopped by the inn and Ragnthor gave Lydia a money pouch.

"Go and get yourself a room. We need to report in." Lydia nodded and asked "Do you want me to get you a room as well?"

Ragnthor thought for a moment. "No lass. I don't need to sleep and I'm not sure if I want to. Last night is still stuck in my mind." Lydia nodded and walked into the in.

Ralof walked beside him. "What happened last night that make you want to avoid sleep?" Ragnthor looked to make sure Lydia was gone.

"I had a visit from Arkay while I was asleep. Apparently I was letting go and it called to him. But he sent me back. I just don't want to risk it again for a while."

Ralof nodded. "Just make sure you don't kill yourself from lack of sleep." Ragnthor laughed and nodded.

They continued on their way to Castle Dour. As soon as they entered Tullius was on them.

"Report Auxiliary. You are 7 days late. What news do you bring of the fort."

Ragnthor stood tall. "The fort has been cleared. When we got there the local farmers had driven out the bandits. We stayed the night. The next morning all the bandits in area amassed outside of the gates. With the farmers help we managed to defeat them and broke the bandits' hold over the whole region. During the fight I sustained heavy injuries and was unable to move for several days. We moved out as soon as I could walk. That is all."

Tullius looked impressed. "Walking so soon after a fight like that isn't like most men. And you look like you weren't hurt at all. Good work. I promote you all to Praefect for outstanding work. You will now report to Legate Rikke for future assignments unless she orders you different. You are all dismissed."

They nodded and walked out to find Rikke. They found her outside fighting a practice dummy. As they approached she sheathed her sword.

"So you must be the new recruits who impressed the good General so much he let you skip a rank. I am Legate Rikke. I am not your friend but I will expect the best from you. And you will give me your best or I will send you home crying to your mothers." They stood at attention as she walked in front of them. She stopped in front of Ragnthor.

"What is your name?"

Ragnthor smile and replied. "Ragnthor of the Isles ma'am. Son of Freynar the Vast."

Rikke's eyebrows shot up. "One of Freynar's sons. How is the old man?"

Ragnthor looked down at her. "He is dead ma'am. Has been for the last 8 years."

She nodded. "He was a good man. We fought together in the war. Well I say fought together but I was a fresh faced girl and he was my Legate. I hope you live up to his standard." Ragnthor nodded.

Rikke resumed pacing. "In 3 weeks I am launching a mission to get something that will help the wife of our late High King in getting the throne. That should give you all time to go home and rest. I will need you to be at a tomb in the Pale by then. I will mark it on your map."

Soon they were on their way back to the inn. Lydia was sitting by the fire when they got there.

"So where are we going next?"

Ragnthor ordered some mead. "Well we have a 3 week leave. So we can either go home and sit around for 2 days or make a trip to Dawnstar. I vote Dawnstar, I have never been there before."

They all raised their bottles. "Aye!"

The next morning almost all of them had a hangover, except Ragnthor. He was laughing as they groaned as they put on their packs and walked out the door.

-Author's note:Round 10 and yet another original Author's note. Apparently there were only a few that I had been quiet. So who totally hates that I just proved that Talos is real? And Arkay for that matter, and that I made him the son of Akatosh and Mara? Well haters are going to hate. And so go ahead. I have a turtle shell of an ego. And if I don't, that's what the block button is for XD. And if you think my writing needs more proofreading then offer up. Maybe it's time to stop relying on my now 11 year old sister(She doesn't get to read the fight scenes, those are just a little too brutal for her.)