Tale of Two Dovah
AN: Hello, dear Readers! I am alive, yes, sorry for not updating in so long, I've been… okay, I have no excuse or awesome tale to explain my lack of activity. I am merely lazy and am a creature of whim, I write when I want to write and I only recently got the urge to write. Soooo… yeah. _
Chapter 9
Sito was having a nice day! Paarthurnax had deemed to give her and Drake a few select tasks for them to accomplish to ensure the Dragonborn could do his job and kick Alduin's scaly behind and she and Drake could go home! Lately however he'd been rather distant towards her and even Paarthurnax, she tried bringing it up but all he said was he needed time to think about certain things and to piece together their situation a bit better. She wasn't sure about that but she didn't push it harder, Drake was someone who would talk eventually on his own.
She was instead focusing on her own task. She was to find a Word Wall to the East that had been frozen over by time, to make it accessible to the Dragonborn so he could learn its secrets. Who would have thought these things froze over? Then again, the game didn't cover much about what happened while the Dragonborn was wondering Skyrim doing everything under the sun so it was possible that Paarthurnax could have unfrozen some of those Word Walls for the Dragonborn while he was off solving Skyrim's 9999 or so problems.
It was a scary thought of what could have been happening around the world now. The Golden scaled dovah flew along the sky and she opened her maw to yawn, when she closed it however there was a curious sight on her snout. A single crow was nestled on her nose, staring at her with a tilted head. Sito stared back and it returned the favor two fold. This staring contest continued until Sito broke the silence. "…Your feathers are tickling my snout."
The crow cawed and shifted from one foot to the other. She shook her head to try and shake it off, it hopped onto her forehead now, she blinked and wondered if perhaps this crow was going to try and stay on her as long as it could. She gave her large head a more vigorous shaking, the crow was steadfast on her head.
She huffed and growled, "Fine. You wanna play that game? Lets play that game!"
The golden scaled dovah went into a dive bomb, passing through the clouds as she descended, if she were human she was sure her mouth would be flapping open like a cartoon with how fast she was going. The crow? It was still on her head?! The golden missile continued downwards. The black feather speck on her forehead finally spread its wings and flew off… in time for Sito to realise she couldn't pull up in time and then… BAM! Right into a lake.
Lets rewind five minutes prior, shall we? And instead of Sito lets focus on two fishermen from the town of Falkreath who had been following the river for some good game in the center of the lake, these two men are Hroki, a common name, I assure you. And Salil, not an Argonian. They were brothers, hunters and fishermen to the bone, lived an easy go happy life and had a decent future ahead of them.
"Hroki, its good to be alive, aye?" Salil said through his hood, shielding him from the sun, voice full of life.
"Yeah, Salil. Nothing like it," Hroki agreed. They dangled their lines in the water, hoping for a bite to take back, prep and eat with their equally beautiful girlfriends. Finally… a bite. "Hey! I got something!"
"Reel 'er in!"
They caught a glint in the water and looked up to catch sight of a golden scaled dragon coming right at them. And then, their perfect happy lives were snuffed out with a splash so big it created a tidal wave! And all were sad…
Sito surfaced, gasping for air as she looked around the lake she had crashed inside of, she was soak to… whatever it was that dragons had under their scales. And she sighed, least Drake wasn't around to see this embarrassing moment.
"Oi, Hroki, I think you should throw your catch back…" A voice whispered on her head, making the golden dragon blink and looked upwards slightly with her eyes, over head of her brows was a face, staring down at her with wide curiosity. "Oi, Hroki… I think it sees us."
"Yeah," the one on the left said. "I think it does. Should we run?"
"We're on the water," the one who wasn't Hroki replied. "Don't think we'd get very far."
Sito stared at them still, they stared back. She blinked, they blinked. Finally, one of the them, the one who wasn't Hroki, reached down and… poked her right in the eye! "OW!" Sito cried as she shook her head, knocking the two young men off her head and trying to clear the vision in her violated right eye. She snapped her head around and glared at the two floating heads, who upon seeing her looking back at them, stared right back without blinking.
Sito stared back, apparently on OCD to meet their staring contest before she rip them a new hole for jabbing her right in the eye. She noted their features. Both were blonde, had brown eyes and fair skin. Both dressed in simple clothing and had packs on their backs. They stared, and she stared back.
Finally, they blinked. She shouted, "I win!" She whooped, then looked back to them, finding them gone, She blinked, then dove her head under the water to see them swimming away, she rumbled and swam after them, her wings acting as huge ass flippers, she caught up to them, and they reached shore.
"Bloody dragon, can't believe it fell for our old staring game distraction!" Hroki laughed, slapping his soaked thigh as his brother laughed with him. "And it won? We're still ali-"
A grumbled "Ahem" was behind them. And they both turned to see Sito standing there, getting out of the water behind them.
"Oh divines! Run brother!" they turned away and were about to start running when her snout moved forward, knocking them down. Then, her tail came around and laid atop their legs, trapping them as she peered over her own tail. Then, she head Hroki yell, "Gnaw, my brother! Gnaw!"
She paused, feeling an odd sensation on the underside of her tail. She peered over down at the brothers to find them biting her tail, as if really trying to gnaw their way to freedom, she laughed as the sensation continued, "S-Stop!" she said, giggling as she removed her tail. "That tickles!"
Now freed, the two brothers watched the large dragon laugh as it rolled over to laugh more, they stared. Before finally, "Well, Hroki. This feels kinda awkward."
"Yeah, Salil. It does." A pause. "Tickle it more?"
"Tickle it more!"
Sito continued to laugh as they found her sides and with both hands they tickled.
Meanwhile, with the black Dovah of semi-evil!
Drake was displeased, very displeased. He had learned to shout fire and what had Paarthurnax done? Ordered him and Sito to go out and thaw word walls for the great Dovahkiin! I mean, not even a "good job!" or "That is good."! from the old dovah, and now Drake was feeling a little annoyed with it. That said, he had found the word wall of Shearpoint easily enough and with some flames, thawed it quite easily. Now he was on his way back towards the Throat of the World.
But, that was when he saw a most curious sight. A horse leaving Riverwood, he dove from the clouds and went lower, his dovah eyesight aiding him in identifying the rider… leather armor, hood… Delphine! So, where was she riding to? It wasn't Whiterun. The Greybeards had called the Dovahkiin to High Hrothgar a day ago, so that meant she was off to retrieve the horn of Jurgan Windcaller and get the stage set for the main quest line!
A terrible gear began to turn in Drake's mind as he watched the horse speed along, unaware of the black dovah overhead. This could be how he got his own plans into motion, over the course of the game, he hated the rebellion, Ulfric was a fool to want to expel the Empire, it was the empire keeping the Aldmeri out of Skyrim. And if Skyrim split from the empire then both would be weak and easy prey, since neither would leap in to help the other when the Dominion struck.
And Drake knew those pompous high elven bastards would strike. But this was good, he had knowledge of most events, characters in this conflict, oh yes. He could manipulate some strings, possibly even control Skyrim if he played his cards right. And what better way to start than ensuring Delphine understood exactly what she was in this little story he would shape. An expendable pawn.
The black dovah went down further, roaring out a breath of fire across the horses path, stopping it in surprise, knocking the surprised rider off the saddle and onto the ground. The black dovah contained his amusement, seeing her stand and stare at him with wide, only slightly fearful eyes. He rumbled in his throat, staring at her.
"Calm yourself," He said, tone a deep rumble he knew as his dovah voice. "Blade."
She seemed more surprised, but now she draw her sword, the iconic Blade Katana. It glinted, sharp as a razor and he knew it would cut the soft skin of his neck quite easily, it was likely as well crafted as the katana of his modern age. He spread his wings and tensed a bit. She stepped back at his display.
"I said!" He roared. "Calm yourself! I am not your enemy, blade." He lowered himself, bringing his snout closer to her, breathing his hot breath against her. She raised her blade, eyes glaring now.
"I find that hard to believe." She muttered, "You know I'm a blade and you're a dragon. I think we're pretty clear enemies."
"And you are a fool to think you can slay me," Drake muttered dryly. "Should you, Alduin would just raise me again. For you are now Dovahkiin, Dragonborn." he sniffed a moment, relishing the look of surprise on her features, he was striking the cords. "But, you seek his aid, do you not? Let me ask you. Do you believe in the saying… The enemy of my enemy is my friend?"
"What of it?" she growled, regaining her composure and ferocity.
Drake raised his head back a bit and rumbled a thoughtful sound in his throat. "Alduin is not my friend, I seek his destruction and the continuation of this world." He explained like a teacher lecturing their classroom. He had to play the part of a dovah discontent with Alduin's plans, afterall. "He has grown most arrogant and I wish to see him gone. And as you well know, only the Dovahkiin can ensure such a thing."
He learned back down to her, huffing a breath. "And you know where the Dovahkiin is, as do I. He will go to Ustengav, ordered to retrieve the Greybeards a certain horn. And when he does, you intend to contact him. Don't you?"
Delphine was sweating beneath her now too tight leather armor, not because of the dragon's breath or the sun. But because she was worried and frightened. This dragon spoke of secrets as if it knew all things about her and it had even pointed out what was raising the dragons, the World Eater. Alduin.
She gathered her courage, asking. "And if I do? What? Can't you just talk to the Dragonborn yourself?" And hopefully he would try, then get killed and be done with that. The black dragon jut laughed and replied to her like she was a child who said something funny.
"I could, but he would not be ready. No, I must act from the shadows for now, I need your help, joor." Joor, mortal in dragon speak. She hated that word. "You will contact the Dovahkiin and direct him to a mountaintop call Shearpoint. Then a cave known as Sunderstone Gorge, there he will find two words of power to further increase the abilities of his Thu'um."
Delphine didn't like how this dragon assumed she would do what he said, even if it was what she originally planned to do, lead him to certain walls that she found and help him along. But she didn't know if the person they sent really was Dragonborn, so she'd need a test for tha-
"I can see the gears in your head turning, joor." It rumbled in amusement. "He is Dovahkiin. You need not lead him to Sahlokniir's grave." Those words sent Delphine into a confused stare, she had planned to lead the Dragonborn to a grave sight in Kynesgrove, as it was the next sight to be revived, but she wasn't aware the dragon in front of her knew the dragon that may be buried there. But he didn't say- "In Kynesgrove. I will contend with Sahlokniir. You just ensure the Dovahkiin learns as much words of power as he can before he faces Alduin."
She glared at him. This dragon knew too much, something wasn't right about it. It had to have spies in Skyrim, people willing to help the ancient enemy of all mortal kinds, despicable traitors to their own! She opened her mouth, "You can go to Obli-"
"Silence! Joor, I am offering you friendship and aid to a mutual goal of continued existence." The black dragon sounded angry now, irritated. "And all I ask in return is that you ensure the Dovahkiin becomes powerful enough to fell Alduin, so that we may both continue to live in this world, untouched by Alduin's hunger. And then, when Alduin is gone. We can focus on the more… worldly situation." He leaned down to her level again. And again she fought the urge to go for his throat. "We can save the Empire. And destroy the Aldmeri Dominion for their arrogance."
That caught her by surprise. She lowered her sword a bit, just a bit and asked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, when the Dovahkiin has defeated Alduin, he will become a beacon of hope and strength for all Nords, for all of Skyrim! And once I… convince, Ulfric to end his little rebellion, Skyrim will be under the Empire's rule again. United, but with one advantage over the Dominion." He leaned closer, his brown eyes glowing as they stared into her own. "Whatever Dovah I can gather to my cause will be the Dovahkiin's to command. When we march upon the Summerset Isles. The Mer will quake in fear. Your kind, man, can rule as the great Talos once did."
He paused, then leaned up and looked to the sky. "I must return to my master."
"You mean Alduin?"
"No," The black dovah rumbled what sounded like a laugh. "Not that arrogant brat. Delphine," She stared in shock, the dragon knew her. He looked to her, growling out his next words. "If you betray me. If you lead the Dovahkiin astray, even so much as hint him in my direction under what guise you may use. I will find you before he finds me. I will burn Riverwood, and your underground haven, to ashes. Then the rest of the town. Do I make myself clear?"
This dragon. Knew it all, who she was, where she lived and where she hid. He knew a lot… and the look in his eye told her he knew so much more. Delphine felt cold fear racing in her blood as the dragon took flight. Turning it moved to the Throat of the World, the very peak. She stared after it. Silenced by surprise and fear.
Drake laughed when he was out of earshot, he could feel the fear wafting beautifully off her body like a stench so rich and sweet he could almost taste it upon his tongue. Good, she was invested, he knew where she would go, he knew the location of the great Sky haven temple. She could not run, and if she tried, a town would suffer for it. He had won her "friendship" and in turn, her servitude.
He would lead this world down a path of stability, he would shape it to his liking, unify it under one banner. His own! He would make the Empire his puppet and in turn ensure the empire was supreme. And if Sito and Paarthurnax stood in his way, then he would tell them stand aside and watch as he brought a world to its knees.
"Yol…Toor shul!" He roared a jet of flames in victory. This would be good.
End of chapter 9
There it is! The plot thickens! What is the purpose of Hroki and Salil? Why is Drake semi-evil? Does Delphine need clean underwear?! Find out later!