Lydia and I took a moment to catch our breath.
"I am so sick of spiders," I huffed, watching four dragonesque statues rise out of the water on either side of a stone bridge that led to the other side of the chamber.
"And I, my Thane," she agreed, eying the room carefully.
"For Pete's sake! How many times do I have to tell you to just call me Dani?" I chuckled, readying my sword.
"Who is Pete?" she asked in a curious tone I couldn't help but shake my head at.
Slowly, we made our way across the bridge to a pedestal where I assumed the horn would be. Instead, there was a small scrap of parchment.
'Dragonborn - I need to speak to you. Urgently. Rent the attic room at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood, and I'll meet you. - A friend'
"Well, FUCK!" I yelled, kicking at the pedestal.
"My tha - Dani?" Lydia questioned with a tone of fear.
"Someone is fucking with me!" I yelled, feeling better as my voice echoed around the room and the note crumpled in my fist.
"Why doesn't anything go the way I would expect?" I asked in a calmer tone, turning to my companion.
"No horn?" Lydia confirmed, peeking around me at the pedestal.
"No… someone made off to Riverwood with it and wants me to meet them. Why they couldn't have left the damn note at the entrance of this cesspool is beyond me!"
"On a brighter note, at least you've made a decent profit in here," Lydia responded in a cheerful tone, patting her own large backpack where we had been tossing gold and gems along the way.
"We," I sighed, my frustration evaporating in the blink of an eye. "We made a profit. I'm splitting it with you, silly."
"I couldn't, my Thane!" she protested, eyes wide.
"Lydia, I'm not going to ask you to hike across Skyrim and put your neck on the line without compensating you. I don't even have a house you can chill in and eat all my food while I'm away like a proper Thane."
"I'm honor-bound to you," Lydia insisted, following me as I made for the exit to the crypt.
"Stop arguing with me, or I'll ask the Jarl for a new housecarl," I said in a serious tone, though I hadn't meant it at all. Lydia was a damn good fighter, and pretty good company.
"Yes, my Thane!" she responded quickly. I had to smother my smile.
"So affer killing another drag'n, trudging through the swamps to this damn place, then fighting zombies and spiders... we getta the end and there's jus' this scrap of paper," I slurred to Farkas.
After leaving Ustengrav, I had insisted we proceed to Solitude to resupply and take a carriage back to Whiterun. It was our first night back, and I planned on getting trashed before heading to Riverwood tomorrow. Lydia had invited Farkas and Ria, two of Whiterun's Companions, to drink with us.
"She wa' so angry," Lydia slurred to Ria.
"I could imashun," Ria responded before taking another long swig of mead.
"I've been travelling since Riffen!" I exclaimed. "I wen' aaaaalll that way for nuffin."
I pouted, glaring at my tall flagon of stout. I had to have had seven rounds already, and was nearly ready for an eighth.
"You're from Rif'en?" Ria asked, sloshing her drink a bit as she leaned on the table.
"Uh-huh," I nodded, closing my eyes as the world swayed a little bit. I leaned sideways against Farkas for balance.
"You wen' a long way," Farkas responded, patting my head. He'd had more to drink than any of us, but seemed to hold his alcohol much better.
"O'course she did, ya big oaf," Ria giggled. "The comple' other side-a Skyrim!"
"Aw, be nice to Farky," I said, swatting at her across the table.
"He's use't it."
"Farky?" said man asked, turning to give me a weird look. I simply giggled.
"My Thane," Lydia slurred, leaning over to spy the inside of my flagon. "Would you like more stout?"
"Yes, Lydia. I would," I replied, reaching into my pocket to fumble some coins out. "'ere you are. Anuvver roun' for us all!"
"Do you know a Brynjolf, there in Rif'en?" Ria asked, getting my attention again. I felt like I was doused with cold water at the mention of his name.
"Uhm, yes," I nodded, trying to focus on the Imperial woman's face. "Why'dya ask?"
"Spent a liddle time in tha' area of Skyrim, before comin' to Whiterun. Knew 'im real well, ifyaknowwhatImean," she giggled, taking another chug from her glass. "Sometimes, when 'e traffuls through, we 'ave a bit o' fun."
"I don't want to hear this," Farkas groaned, placing an arm around my shoulders as I swayed. I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or hearing about Brynjolf's sexual adventures. Either way, I felt like I was going to hurl.
"You men're always goin' on abou' the women you sleep wiv," Ria accused. "Why can' I talk abou' how good a shag sexy ol' Brynjolf is!?"
"I'm gunna barf," I managed, standing and racing outside, knocking into a few patrons along the way. Not wanting to spew on the main walking path, I raced north, fumbling a couple times for balance, and went behind the building to retch.
After emptying my stomach, I took a few refreshing breaths before stand upright and turning.
"You alrigh'?" Farkas asked, leaning heavily against the inn's wall.
"Am now," I sighed, blinking in an attempt to focus my vision. I staggered over to him and ended up hugging him to remain standing. "You're so nice, checkin' on me an' all."
"Some people don't think I'm smart. Those people get my fist," he said, raising one of his large fists into the air before looking down at me with a charming, lopsided smile. "But you, I like."
"Aw," I said, genuinely hugging him through his plate armor. Leaning back, I patted his cheek. In the bright moonlight, his silvery eyes almost glowed. "You 'ave pretty eyes."
He blushed at that, and I felt my own blood pick up its pace. My mind flashed to Brynjolf before I ignored the guilty feel wrenching my gut.
'He clearly wants nothing to do with you, Dani. He moved on to a new 'stray'. It's like Thadyn said, you're beholden to no one…'
The alcohol flowed through me, giving me a sense of bravery I didn't realize I had. Without warning, I grabbed Farkas' face, stood on my tiptoes, and planted my mouth against his. Belatedly, I thought of my barf-breath, but his response only encouraged me further. I felt his hands gently gripping my hips while his own mouth moved to my neck.
My whole body felt hyper-aware of every touch, my ears sensitive to each of his masculine growls as he groped at my body. I reached behind him to unfasten his plate chest piece, smiling as it clattered to the ground. Our kisses were sloppy and our hands fumbled due to intoxication, but my body felt alive. It had been so long since I'd been with a man…
'But those were false memories… maybe I'm actually a virgin,' I managed to reason through my hazy mind. Either way, Farkas' attentions left my body wanting more so I ground my hips against his.
Pulling my head back, I put in extra effort to focus on his face. I could see the alcohol finally catching up with him, if his drooping eyes were any indicator.
"I want you," I claimed in as articulate a voice as I could manage. I realized I was probably making a mistake, trying to have a drunken one-night stand, but worrying about consequences was for sober Dani to deal with.
"Oh yeah?" he growled again, grabbing my buttcheeks to firmly grind our groins while he renewed his attentions on my neck. One of his hands snaked up into my hair to assertively pull my head back and grant him more access.
"Uh-huh," I vocalized, grasping at his firm forearms.
"Faaarkaaaas!"
"My Thane!"
The two voices had called out, interrupting my carnal bliss.
"Whaaat?" I complained at Lydia and Ria, who had stopped at the corner of the building. I felt Farkas pull away to lean heavily on the wall.
"Faarrkaaas, tha's no way for a C'mpanion to behave in pub-lic," Ria whined, staggering over to us and glaring at his armor in the dirt.
"Shut up, pup," he groaned, his head rolling back against the wood siding.
"My Tha- Dani," Lydia said, changing her address at the glare I was giving her. "Rika said you ran out sick…"
My frustration vanished at her concern. I would probably even thank her in the morning for interrupting my whorish behavior.
"I'm fine now," I sighed, feeling a dizzy spell hit as I pointed to my puddle of vomit nearby.
"Farkas," Ria said, patting the man on his cheek to sober him up before bending to grab his chest piece . "We sh'd get bahck to Jorrvaskr 'fore you pass out. Or Vilkas will 'ave ta drag you home."
"Tha's no good," he groaned swaying away from the wall. I watched the two Companions lean on one another for balance as they walked away.
"Lydia, you have a home around here we can crash at?" I asked, feeling the tiniest bit sober.
"No, my Thane," she slurred, shaking her head. "I usually stay in the barracks in the Cloud District."
"Bah, alright. Can you make it up all those stairs?" I wondered, peering at her with one eye closed to prevent dizziness.
"I believe so," she nodded, followed by a rumbling burp. "...feels better."
"Meet me at the Gildergreen after breakfast. I'd feel safer in Riverwood with you there."
"My Thane," Lydia cried happily, wiping at an eye.
"Let's get our things, Lydia," I sighed, patting her arm.
"Where will you stay?" she cried out, staggering behind me as I felt my way along the wall.
"Lydia, I'm fucking loaded. I'm staying here at the inn."
"O' course," she replied, rushing around me to open the inn's door. Our things still sat on the floor at our table, only some sneaky brat was peeking into my backpack.
"Wha' the hell d'ya think you're doing?!" I hollered, unsheathing my sword and drunkenly pointing it at the terrified kid.
"I'm sorry!" she cried out, getting the attention of the remaining patrons.
"You wouldn' 'ave to be sorry if you weren't trying to take somefing that wasn' yours!" I shouted waving my sword around. It took me a moment, but I realized the irony of me preaching against thievery.
"My Thane, she didn't take anything. Jus' let her go," Lydia said in a hushed voice, hand on my sword arm. I continued to glare at the child.
"You homeless or some shit?" I asked, slightly calmer as I took in her tattered clothing and dirty face.
"Yes," she responded, her eyes still wide and focused on the tip of my blade. I quickly sheathed it and grabbed up my backpack. Reaching in, I pulled out a couple gems and clumsily handed them to her. I knew firsthand what it was like to have nowhere, no one, and nothing.
"Now fuck off," I slurred, swaying as I slipped my backpack on. I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on me.
"Oh, thank you!" the child cried out, staring at the sapphire and emerald in her hand. I swatted my hand at her and proceeded to the counter to rent a room. Those gems had to be worth around seven hundred septims… hopefully she would be smart with it.
"So why didn't you just join the Companions? You're clearly a skilled fighter and you're friendly with all of them it sounds like," I said, rubbing at my aching head. I'd purchased pain potions for both Lydia and myself, but I still had a small hangover.
"I had been considering it, before Jarl Balgruuf assigned me to you," she admitted, wincing as the clouds parted and bright sunlight hit our faces.
"I'll tell ya what," I began, smiling as the entrance to Riverwood came into view. It was just a short walk over the bridge and down the path, then we would arrive at our destination, just in time for lunch.
"I'm sorry, sometimes you use such strange phrases," Lydia said, pausing beside me.
"I'll make a deal with you," I rephrased, turning to the taller woman. "Feel free to join the Companions. I'd hate for you to just be sitting around doing nothing most of the time. Do your thing. When I need you, I'll go to Whiterun and grab you. They'd be cool with that, right?"
"You want me to be a Companion while also serving as your housecarl?" she asked, features twisted in confusion.
"I want you to be happy," I sighed, smiling at her. "Sitting around being bored won't make you happy. So yeah, I want you to join the Companions."
"Are you certain? What if I'm gone when you come to fetch me?" she asked, following me as we continued to walk.
"Then I'll wait for you to get back," I laughed. "If it's something super urgent, I'll just hire a mercenary."
"Then it's a deal," Lydia said, catching up to walk beside me over the bridge.
As we progressed into the town, I stopped again and looked at the blacksmith's shop, which was located directly across the path from the inn. Thadyn had encouraged me to embrace my new lease on life and forget the past - to not chase after it lest I wind up in my original circumstances. But, something in me felt the urge to investigate… to have verification. Perhaps the blacksmith himself would be able to provide some information.
"We're making a quick stop before we get to business," I said, walking with purpose toward the smith's house. Since I was in town, I figured I might as well get confirmation from someone other than Thadyn. I could hear a clanging coming from the side, and stepped carefully along the wooden planks.
"Excuse me," I said, peeking around a corner to see a filthy Nord hammering away at a sword, its body still red-hot from the fire.
"What can I do for you?" he asked, attention on his work.
"When you have a moment, I was hoping I could talk to you about something," I replied, watching sparks fly as his hammer met hot iron.
"Give me a moment," he called, continuing his task.
"I'll wait out front…"
Lydia and I sat on the stairs for a few minutes before I heard the hissing of hot metal being submerged into water.
"Name's Alvor, traveller. What can I do for you?" the Nord asked, wiping his hands on a rag as he walked toward us. I stood, unsure of what precisely to say.
"Do you remember me, at all?" I asked, observing him carefully. It took a moment, during which his eyes darted around my face. When he smiled and recognition lit up his eyes, I felt my heart pound against my chest in some unnameable emotion.
"Why, aren't you that girl who escaped Helgen with my nephew, Hadvar? Of course I remember you!" he boomed, turning to the door and opening it before calling for his wife - Sigrid. A pretty Nord woman soon joined him. Her recognition of me was instant.
"Gulisien! It's been so long! Oh, and you look so much better than when that mage carted you off!"
I found myself being enveloped in a fierce hug. Awkwardly, I patted the other woman on the back. After separating, she returned to her husband's side.
"What brings you back to Riverwood?" Alvor asked, slinging an arm around his wife's shoulders.
"It's sort of a long story," I chuckled, rubbing at the back of my neck. I could feel the sweat there from the heat and having my hair down. Deciding to hear the story from their viewpoint, I settled on leaving Thadyn out of the picture for now.
"You see, I sort of lost my memory of everything before I got to Riften. I was told I'd been at Helgen and managed to get here to Riverwood. I was sort of hoping you could tell me what you know," I said sheepishly, feeling even more awkward at their confused and empathetic expressions.
"Well, from the way Hadvar explained it when you both showed up, you were at Helgen when the dragon attacked and managed to escape together. You really don't remember a thing?" Alvor asked, looking to Sigrid with concern.
"No," I confirmed.
"Perhaps you best come in," Sigrid said, holding the door open for myself and Lydia. After we were sat at their table, Sigrid reached across and took one of my hands in hers.
"You were a mess," Sigrid sighed. "Dirty, cut up, crying. Hadvar didn't look too bad despite you two having to fight your way through the keep, so we asked him what happened to you… he told us you were like when he first saw you, just before the dragon attack when they brought in Ulfric and them Stormcloaks."
"Whoa, Ulfric Stormcloak? Jarl of Windhelm?" I asked in shock. Ulfric was a name I had heard many times while sitting in the Bee and Barb. Thadyn had not mentioned that detail.
"Yes. Even still, you looked far more banged up than one would expect from being a simple bystander. Your clothes were all ripped up and you wouldn't stop crying."
"We let you stay the night, and finally got you to quiet down," Alvor injected, picking up the story. "We tried to ask you about yourself, but you'd just break down again."
"We managed to get a little out of you. Gathered you were a noble lady from Markarth, but then you'd start sobbing and muttering about being punished and fleeing to Riften."
Well, that didn't make sense. Thadyn had said I was on the run, but nothing about being punished.
"Did I say what I was being punished for?" I asked, curiosity piqued at the discrepancy.
"Something about a lover and an arranged marriage," Sigrid said, shaking her head. "That's all I know. You were quite inconsolable."
I looked to Lydia, who was listening in calm silence. I hadn't filled her in on any of my alleged past, but considered doing so later to bounce my thoughts off her.
"What happened after?" I asked, looking between the husband and wife.
"You were going to keep fleeing for Riften, mentioned trying to join some Guild there, when this mage showed up. You went hysterical again and tried to run for the river, but by the time Sigrid and I caught up, he was calming you down and claimed to be an uncle. You went with him quietly enough, so we didn't ask any questions."
My mind whirled. Why would I run from the man who was supposed to be helping me?
"That man didn't explain any of this to you, after losing your memory?" Sigrid asked in disbelief.
"Not exactly," I replied, rubbing at my forehead. Why weren't the two renditions of the tale adding up? Had Thadyn lied to me? It hadn't even occurred to me to question his version of events back in Riften. And he had listed calming spells as one of his 'tools', so to say.
"So he and I set off for Riften?" I asked, hunching over the table.
"No," Alvor said slowly, eyebrows furrowing. "He said he was taking you home to Markarth."
"But when I woke up, we were in Riften," I murmured, looking to Lydia.
"I can't explain that," Alvor responded, rising. "It's about noon… would you like to join us for a meal?"
"Oh - no thank you. We have some other business in Riverwood, so we'll leave you to it," I replied, also standing. "Thank you both again for your time."
"No thanks necessary," Sigrid smiled. "You are welcome any time. And I hope you regain your memory soon."
'Not likely,' I thought sarcastically.
After a quick goodbye, Lydia and I proceeded across the path to the Sleeping Giant. I figured we could have a meal there and scope the place out for anyone lurking about before renting the 'attic' room. Looking at the building from the outside, it didn't appear to have an attic at all.
We each ordered a hot meal and sat to eat, my mind still trying to process the conflicts in my alleged past. Aside from the proprietor, the barkeep, and us, the only other person in the building was a bard, and he certainly didn't seem the type to adventure into old crypts.
"I still need you to make a batch of those fried potatoes. We can serve them with the ale," the innkeeper, an older Breton woman, said to her barkeep.
"Yep," was his simple reply.
"And… you'll take care of it?"
"Don't I always?" he responded with a cheeky smile.
"I don't suppose I could convince you to take care of it now, could I?"
"No."
"Well. There's something to be said for honesty."
As we finished our meal, I looked pointedly at Lydia.
"You ready?" I asked, rising from the table.
"Yes, my Thane."
Approaching the innkeeper, I began to make my inquiry.
"We'd like to rent the attic room, please."
She gave me a funny look and reached down for something behind the barkeep's counter.
"Attic room, eh? Well… we don't have an attic room," she responded, walking toward us. I felt my stomach twist. What was the person who wrote the note playing at, then?
"But you can have the one on the left. Make yourself at home," leading us over to a small room.
"If you don't have an attic room, then there's no need," I said, but she continued walking.
"Have a look, then let me know," she said, indicating we should precede her into the room. Sighing, and despite knowing I would turn the room down anyway, I entered. I watched Lydia go further into the room, poking the bedframe with her boot. When I heard the door shut and latch behind us, I spun around, sword immediately drawn.
"So you're the Dragonborn I've been hearing so much about," she started, hands raised to show she wasn't armed. "I think you're looking for this."
From one of her smock's pockets, she withdrew an old horn and offered it to me. I carefully took it from her and passed it behind me to Lydia, my sword still trained on her.
"We need to talk. Follow me," she continued calmly, unlatching the door and heading back into the main room.
I looked to Lydia while she packed the horn into my backpack.
"Should we follow?" Lydia asked, glancing out to the dining area.
"Be alert," I warned after considering it for a moment. "We don't know what her intentions are."
Following her, the innkeeper led us across to a large room - her own, by the look of it - and stood by a large wardrobe.
"Close the door," she directed, waiting until Lydia had closed and latched the door before opening unlocking the wardrobe. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the use of yet another false back panel leading to a secret room.
"People in Skyrim really need more unique ways of hiding things," I mumbled, followed the Breton down to her secret basement. I stood for a moment, observe the table in the middle of the room with various scrolls laid across it. A few chests and weapon racks lined the walls.
"The Greybeards seem to think you're the Dragonborn. I hope they're right," she said, leaning over the table and looking at some sort of map.
"Well, I've absorbed four dragon souls and can Shout, so yeah, pretty sure they've hit the bulls eye on that one," I replied sarcastically.
"I hope so. But you'll forgive me if I don't assume that something's true just because you or the Greybeards say so. I just handed you the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller; does that make me Dragonborn, too?"
I rolled my eyes at her and stood with my arms cross, waiting for her to get to her point. Why did she care if I was Dragonborn?
"Look, are you the one who left the note in Ustengrav?"
"I am."
"Not quite who I was expecting," I mentioned, trying to catch a glimpse of the map on the table.
"Good. The whole point of being in hiding is to appear to be someone you're not."
"Okay," I said, throwing my hands up in frustration. "What's with this whole cloak and dagger business?"
"You can't be too careful. Thalmor spies are everywhere."
I moved closer to the table, sensing Lydia following closely.
"Well, anyway, all I wanted was the horn, so here I am. What do you want?" I asked, leaning over the table as well, my gaze fixed on hers.
"Look, I didn't go to all this trouble on a whim," she said, sounding slightly apologetic. "I needed to make sure it wasn't a Thalmor trap. I'm not your enemy. I already gave you the horn. I'm actually trying to help you. I just need you to hear me out."
With a huff, I let some of the tension leave my body.
"You'd better have a good reason for dragging me here," I said softly, looking down to the map. It had to do with dragon burial mounds.
"I'm part of a group that's been looking for you - or well, someone like you - for a very long time. If you really are Dragonborn, that is. Before I tell you any more, I need to make sure I can trust you."
"And you're to automatically be trusted?" I laughed, standing straight and glaring at her incredulously.
"You were a fool to walk in here in the first place, if you don't trust me," she quipped back, standing with arms akimbo.
"This is ridiculous," I said, turning around to leave.
"I knew the Greybeards would send you there if they thought you were Dragonborn," the woman said quickly, halting my progress. I kept my back to her as I listened, watching Lydia's reaction.
"They're nothing, if not predictable. When you showed up here, I knew you were the one the Greybeards sent, and not some Thalmor plant."
"And why are you so worried about the Thalmor, huh?" I asked, turning to face her again.
"We're very old enemies," she said shortly, taking a deep breath. "And if my suspicions are correct, they might have something to do with the dragons returning. But that isn't important right now. What is important is that you might be Dragonborn, and I need to know for myself if it's true before I can reveal any more to you."
"And why are you looking for a Dragonborn?" I asked simply, eyebrows raised.
"We remember what most don't - that the Dragonborn is the ultimate dragonslayer. You're the only one that can kill a dragon permanently by devouring its soul. You said earlier that you've absorbed four already, correct?"
"Yes, that's how I first learned I was Dragonborn."
"Good. And you'll have a chance to prove it to me soon enough."
"Why should I have to prove anything to you - and don't tell me you can't say until after the fact!"
"Because dragons aren't just coming back… they're coming back to life. They weren't gone somewhere for all these years. They were dead, killed off centuries ago by my predecessors! Now something's happening to bring them back to life, and I need a Dragonborn to help me stop it!"
I could see the urgency in her eyes, and her frustration with me in the tremble of her hand when she pointed to the map.
"I know they're coming back to life because I've visited their ancient burial mounds and found them empty. And I've figured out where the next one will come back to life."
She looked back up at me with a flinty expression, her lips a hard line.
"We're going to go there, and you're going to kill that dragon. If we succeed, I'll tell you anything you want to know."
I looked to Lydia.
"The pattern is pretty clear. It seems to be spreading from the southeast, down in the Jeralls near Riften. The one at Kynesgrove is next, if the pattern holds," the Breton murmured, finger following a series of circled areas.
"I killed a dragon southwest of Kynesgrove over a month ago. This might be the same one," I mentioned, remembering my slaying of the sleeping dragon on the rock formation out in the hot springs.
"I just visited the mound a week or so ago, and it was still intact," the woman insisted. I nodded.
"Lydia, are you with me?" I asked, not willing to demand her assistance. Just as with Vipir, I would completely understand her sitting this adventure out. The last time, less than a week prior on our way to Ustengrav, the one had happened upon us without warning, so she hadn't exactly had a choice.
But if dragons were about to come back in an explosive number, then I would need all the help I could get in facing them, and this innkeeper seemed to be more than willing. It was a path I would need to travel down, and could only hope Lydia would be willing to go with me.
"Of course, my Thane!" she exclaimed, standing taller.
"We're going to face a dragon again," I warned, remembering her terrified reaction the last time.
"I understand," she replied, meeting my eye.
"We should get moving, there's no time to waste," the Breton said, moving to grab some armor and a sword from a rack.
"What is your name, by the way?" I asked, watching her.
"Delphine," she replied, fastening some plate armor to her thighs. "And you?"
"I'm Dani, and this is my housecarl, Lydia."
For a moment, I stood and watched the older woman change her gear.
"Delphine, you never said exactly why you and these 'Thalmor' are at odds. Care to explain?"
"Never heard of the Thalmor, huh?" she asked, picking up on my ignorance. "They're the faction that rules the Aldmeri Dominion and almost destroyed the Empire during the Great War, about thirty years ago. There's no worse enemy to humankind in Tamriel," she explained. "The Empire barely survived the last war, and the Thalmor don't intend to lose the next one. We hurt them in the past, and they have long memories."
We proceeded up the stairs and back into the main area.
"Orgnar, I'm travelling. You've got the inn 'til I get back."
"Right," he responded, eyeing our group. "Happy trails."
I had anticipated a happy reunion with the owners of Brainwood Inn. Instead, when we drew closer to town around dusk, Delphine got more and more anxious.
"Wait. Something's wrong," she said, searching the skies. She started leading us up a hill on the west side of the road.
"No, you don't want to up there," Iddra hollered, running out a short ways from the inn. "A dragon… it's attacking!"
I met Delphine's eye.
"Come on, hurry! We might be too late," she ushered Lydia and me to follow her up a steep hill.
Upon reaching the crest, I felt my blood run cold. An enormous, ominous-looking dragon hovered over a mound nearby. I don't know why, but he seemed familiar, and caused my heart to pound harder than any other dragon I'd encountered.
"Lorkhan's eyes! Look at that big bastard! Keep your heads down and let's see what it does," Delphine said, crouching into the high grass and progressing in a sneaking posture. Lydia and I followed as quietly as possible. I tripped over a few rocks in the dim light. Delphine headed for a large boulder.
"Steady. I don't know what's happening. Let's watch and wait. This is worse than I thought," Delphine said in a hushed tone as we all peeked around the boulder. The black dragon spoke in a voice that seemed to pierce straight into my very soul.
"Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!"
He cast some shout that blew the top off the mound.
"Slen tiid vo!"
The dragon's skeleton within the mound began to move while a shimmering light flourished all around it. Muscles, tendons, and flesh began to appear where the light had been
"I can't understand what they're saying," Lydia muttered, watching in amazement.
"He said, 'Sahloknir, ever-bound dragon spirit, regain your flesh'," I translated, feeling Delphine turn to look at me. I watched as the resurrected dragon, Sahloknir, began to reply.
"Alduin, thuri! Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik?"
"Alduin, my overlord. Has the time come again for the rise of our ancient dominion?"
"Alduin? Why does that ring a bell?" Delphine whispered.
"Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir," Alduin responded.
"Yes, Sahloknir, my trusted champion."
"Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi," Alduin continued, large black wings flapping loudly to keep his massive body hovering in the sky as his head turned toward the boulder we all hid behind.
"He's spotted us," I whispered.
"What did he say?" Delphine urged.
"So, is this the Dragonborn? Yet you bare no resemblance to any dragon."
"You do not even know our tongue, do you?" Alduin laughed.
"Wrong there, buddy," I muttered, hearing Lydia snicker.
"Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah. Sahloknir, krii daar joorre."
"He's commanded Sahloknir to kill us," I said urgently, unsheathing my Nightingale blade. If I'd known I'd be fighting dragons on this trip, I'd have bore the extra weight of Karliah's bow and arrows.
"Hiding will not save you! I am Sahloknir! Hear my Voice and despair!" the revived dragon exclaimed, taking to the sky as Alduin soared into the distance. The three of us jumped from behind the boulder as he Shouted and breathed a vortex of fire at it. I was wearing my mage tunic under my Guild armor, should the need for ranged battle occur, and began to channel my magicka into a frost bolt.
Lydia raised her shield and made to move under the creature while Delphine sheathed her blade and readied her bow.
"We've got to ground that bastard!" Delphine called out.
"It's to be a real fight, then. Good!" he laughed, swooping around while blowing more fire down upon us. One of my sleeves caught on fire at the wrist and I promptly put it out. Seeing the other two women focusing more on defense rather than offense, I began to wonder how well my Shout would work against an actual dragon. When he swooped toward me again, I gave it a shot.
"FUS RO!"
The dragon seemed taken aback and promptly landed, giving Lydia and Delphine the opportunity to actually attack it. As I had with all the previous dragons I fought, I planned to disable it from any further flying.
"Your Voice is strong… for a mortal," he said, not sounding as sure of himself as he had before.
Lydia moved in for the attack on one side, and his attention was soon diverted her way. I ran to his other side, intending to stick my blade into his shoulder joint. I was nearly at my goal when he appeared to be taking flight again.
"FO!" I Shouted, an icy cloud hurling at him and slowing his movement, preventing him from proper takeoff. Unfortunately, it had also been directed at Lydia, and the volume caused her to shield her ears rather than attacking. Sliding under his wing, I took the hilt of my Nightingale blade in both hands before ramming the blade upwards into Sahloknir's shoulder. As expected, blood began to gush out of the wound as he thrashed around and screeched his indignation.
"Thurri du hin sille ko Sovngarde!" he bellowed. I could feel the anger from his words in my very bones. As he twisted his head toward me, I tried to slide farther under his body. An icy blast to the face would have been unfortunate, but a hot blast of fire would have been a tragedy.
"My Lord Alduin requires your death. I am glad to oblige him," he hissed, leaping forward at Lydia. I watched in horror as she tumbled back, feeling relief only when his jaws snapped at the open air where her head had once been. With my blade, I stabbed into his left haunch. Again, he twisted around with a bellow. I could feel his serpentine smile when we both realized he had a clear shot at me. As he took in a breath for his Shout, I looked to Lydia, who was beginning to stand and ready her shield again. I hoped she would get the hint when I nodded at her.
"WULD!"
I felt myself transplanted to within a foot of my companion. In an instant, she moved around me and was shielding us both from Sahloknir's fiery breath. When it stopped and I peered at him, I took note of his heavy breathing while Delphine continued to fire arrows at his face.
"I see that mortals have become arrogant while I slept," he boomed, turning to the older Breton.
"Now it's my turn, you son of a bitch!" she swore passionately, continuing to knock back arrows.
"Lydia, we need to go for its head, like the other one," I instructed softly.
"How are we both going to get so close?"
"He can't fly, and his ground movement is slower thanks to that leg wound," I thought aloud. "If I stun him again, maybe we can rush him."
"I'm ready when you are, my Thane," Lydia proclaimed, sword and shield ready.
"Stay behind me," I directed, focusing on putting as much power behind my Thu'um as possible while we ran at the dragon.
"FUS RO!"
Sahloknir had stumbled onto his injured side, causing him to fall into the ground. Lydia and I both went for his head, driving our blades in as deep as we could. He tried to claw at me with his good arm, and managed to rake a claw down my sleeve. I hissed in pain as my skin was ripped open. Removing my sword, I plunged it in again through his eye socket.
After a moment, the only sound was mine and Lydia's heavy breathing.
"Is it dead?" she asked in a slightly hysterical tone, her adrenaline clearly waning.
"I'll be damned, you did it! That was well done. Budge over. I've been wanting a closer look at one of these buggers," Delphine called, walking toward us.
His soul began to swirl in a bright white light, enveloping me. I felt that familiar tingling, accompanied by an onslaught of Sahloknir's memories.
"Gods above!" Delphine cried. "You really are...I...it's true, you really are Dragonborn."
When the lightshow died down, I turned to her with a somber expression, blood coating my armor and dripping down from the fingertips of my injured arm.
We sat around a table near the entrance of Braidwood Inn, Iddra fawning over my blood-soaked visage and my soot-covered housecarl. I was sure once the blood was cleaned off, I would find similar singes and burns on my own clothing and skin from Sahloknir's swooping attacks.
"It's so hard to believe such a sweet girl is the Dragonborn!" Iddra, fretted, bringing us pails of water and cloths to clean off with. Kjeld was fending off people trying to get in for a peek at their saviors.
"Iddra, really, I'm fine," I said tiredly, gently swatting at her hand as she tried to wipe my face.
"Well," she huffed. "Let me at least make you all some supper. It's the least we can do for saving our town. Kjeld, just bar the door shut and come help me."
In a moment, we were alone in the long room. I sat staring at Delphine expectantly.
"I owe you some answers, don't I?" she laughed. "Go ahead. Whatever you want to know. Nothing held back."
"So who are you, exactly, and what do you want from me?" I asked, dipping a rag into the bucket and washing off my arm wound. The cut was shallow, but traversed the length of my arm.
"Lydia, reach into my backpack and grab a healing potion, please?"
"I'm one of the last members of the Blades," she began, nodding when neither Lydia nor I had any reaction to the organization's name. "A very long time ago, the Blades were dragonslayers, and we served the Dragonborn, the greatest dragonslayer. For the last two hundred years, since the last Dragonborn emperor, the Blades have been searching for a purpose. Now that dragons are coming back, our purpose is clear again. We need to stop them."
I accepted the phial of healing potion and downed it, watching my wound stitch itself back together seamlessly. The new alchemist in the Guild was really something. After Delphine's explanation, I felt like I might have heard the name before, but couldn't be certain.
"I've not heard of the Blades, what about you Lydia?" I asked, dunking the bloody towel into the water and then attempting to clean my face.
"Nor I, my Thane," she responded, washing the soot from her neck.
"Exactly," Delphine huffed. "Nobody even remembers our name these days. We used to be known across Tamriel as the protectors of the Septim Emperors. Those days are long gone, though. For the last two hundred years, we've been searching for the next Dragonborn to guide and guard, as we are sworn to do. But we never found one. Until now."
"I see. How many of you are there?"
There was a tense pause.
"I'm all that's left of the Blades. The Thalmor have been hunting down every Blade they can find for the past thirty years. Thanks to the White-Gold Concordat, they've been able to operate throughout the Empire with impunity."
I saw Lydia nodding her head, but I knew nothing about this Concordat.
"What's this White-Gold Concordat thing?" I heard my own confusion in my voice.
"The fancy name they put on the peace treaty between the Empire and the Thalmor. It ended the war and saved the Empire to fight another day. But it also trampled on the sacred name of Talos, and gave the Thalmor free reign to stamp out Talos worship throughout the empire."
So that was why Talos worship was banned.
"But why did they hunt the Blades?" I still didn't quite understand.
"To ensure chaos continued… When I was young, our leaders became obsessed with the Thalmor threat. They believed that if and when we found a Dragonborn, we would need to protect him or her against the Thalmor. But we fatally underestimated them."
"So what do you gather from that dragon's resurrection?" I continued with my interrogation.
"Not a damn thing. I was just as surprised as you to find that big black dragon here."
"He felt so familiar… like I've seen him before. But I've only faced four dragons - well, five now - and he wasn't one of the previous ones."
"Damn it, we're blundering around in the dark here," she sighed. "We need to figure out who's behind it all!"
"Well then, what's our next move?"
"The first thing we need to do is figure out who's behind the dragons. The Thalmor are our best lead. If they aren't involved, they'll know who is."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her mention of the Thalmor. It was clearly Alduin who had brought Sahloknir back, not some Thalmor. Given my inherited dragon memories, I failed to see how any group of people could control such powerful creatures.
"What makes you think the Thalmor are bringing dragons back?" Lydia asked for me, looking to Delphine.
"Nothing solid. Yet. But my gut tells me it can't be anybody else. The Empire had captured Ulfric near Helgen. The war was basically over. Then a dragon attacks, Ulfric escapes, and the war is back on. And now the dragons are attacking everywhere, indiscriminately. Skyrim is weakened, the Empire is weakened. Who else gains from that but the Thalmor?"
"Well, we should probably start by finding out what the Thalmor know about the dragons. Any ideas?" I asked, peeling off my leather armor.
"If we could get into the Thalmor Embassy… it's the center of their operations in Skyrim," Delphine said softly, leaning conspiratorially over the table. "Problem is, that place is locked up tighter than a miser's purse. They could teach me a few things about paranoia…"
"Then how do you propose we infiltrate their embassy?"
"I'm not sure yet. I have a few ideas, but I'll need some time to pull things together…" she said, standing up. "Take a rest, then meet me back in Riverwood. If I'm not back when you get there, wait for me. I shouldn't be long. Keep an eye on the sky. This is only going to get worse."
With that, she unbarred the door, opened it, and walked out. Lydia quickly stood to re-lock the door against the crowd outside.
"Well, hopefully, by the time I get there after visiting the Greybeards, she will have made it back to Riverwood," I sighed, stretching my back. "What do want to do Lydia? Do you even want any part in this?"
Lydia sat back down and looked at me for a long time.
"You are my Thane, so I am honor bound to serve you," she began, raising a hand to stop me when I went to interrupt. "But I also like and respect you. So I will gladly - willingly - fight by your side if you need me."
"I don't know where this road will take us, or how long it will be," I warned. "And do you really want to hike up to High Hrothgar in all that plate armor?"
I laughed, watching her smile in return.
"I appreciate your dedication, Lydia. And Jesus Christ, call me Dani, won't you? How many times must I remind you?!"
"Yes, my Thane," she teased, taking a long drink of water.
