It wasn't every day that High Hrothgar got visitors, leaving the elder men in mostly solitude, which was why the sound of the large stone doors opening up surprised all the Greybeards. Their silence for meditation was broken by the sound of the angry wind outside as well as the sound of metal boots hitting the stone floor.
Arngeir, the only one who spoke, was the one who went to seek out the intruders, though the rest of his curious brothers followed after him. Their eyes met with a large Nord man and a very familiar blonde, though she looked a little worse for wear.
"Well, Dragonborn, it's been a very long time since I've seen you here," Arngeir spoke, watching as Dominae approached him at the foot of the stairs. The blonde sent him an embarrassed smile and bowed her head low in apology.
"The life of the Dragonborn had gotten quite… busy."
"That I have no doubt of," the elder said, folding his covered hands in front of him, "but since you've finally taken the time to come back to us, I can only assume you have procured the horn?"
"Yes," Dominae said simply, digging into the pack at her side and revealing the worn horn that the Greybeard had asked for. With a knowing smile on his face, he took it without question and let his hands stroke across the smooth surface.
"You have done well, Dovahkiin. There are only a few more things we have to go through for your greetings to be met."
"After that, we must talk Arngeir."
The man cocked a grey brow at the young woman before him in question, but did not press on the matter further. "Yes, we will talk. For now, Wulfgar will teach you the next Word of Power."
Hearing his name, Wulfgar stepped forward, small smile on his face as he glanced at the Dovahkiin. She returned the favor and backed up, allowing him the room for the ritual. Her eyes watched the floor as the old man whispered his words of power. The orange glow of the Word of Power appeared on the floor, something that made Farkas jump, and Dominae's blue eyes stared at the scratched writing of the dovah. Words like this had been strange to her, but now she understood.
"Push," she whispered softly in English, "Dah."
As soon as the word of the dovah had left Dominae's mouth, the glowing word on the floor broke away, as if it had been made of fragile glass. The gathering Greybeards looked perplexed at what had just happened and stared at the Dragonborn.
"How did you know the word, if we have not taught you, child?"
"It-it had come to me before," Dominae stuttered, still looking at the floor where the word had been, "when I was in a difficult situation and needed its power."
"Maybe you stumbled across one of those stone walls with the strange writing," Farkas interjected, remembering their adventure so very long ago where that exact thing had happened.
"The words of this Shout have not been written down anywhere outside of High Hrothgar. It was left in the care of the Greybeards," Arngeir stated in awe, looking at Dominae as if she had grown another head, "Has this happened with any other shouts?"
"Yes, a couple actually. I had no previous knowledge of the Words beforehand."
"The dragon blood running through your veins can work in mysterious ways," the man mused, stroking his knotted beard, "but that can only help you at this point. For now, we must continue."
"There's more?"
"You still must go through one last test; the greetings of the Greybeards. We will call to you in the dragon tongue as a combined power and see if you can withstand the force that not many can."
Dominae turned her gaze to Farkas, who had been standing beside her loyally through the whole conversation. Without even a word passing between them, he knew what her simple look meant. He walked away, towards the wall out of the newly forming circle of men, but kept his icy eyes on his Harbinger. He, as well as the rest of the Greybeards, had settled into their positions.
Dominae's Ebony boots echoed around the entrance hall as she walked into the center of the Greybeards. She turned slowly, letting all their familiar faces meet hers until she was face to face with Arngeir again. She nodded at him, telling the Nord she was ready, and he nodded back. Taking in a breath, the Greybeards started their greeting.
Farkas, who was safe against the wall, grabbed the flat surface of the stone when the very ground under him started to shake. His blue eyes grew wide and turned to the circle of people not even twenty feet from him. The men were Shouting like Dominae could, their words strange to the man as they spoke. He hadn't a clue what they were saying, but the power behind them sent a chill down his spine. He'd seen strange things when it came to Dominae, strange and powerful things, but this was a whole new level. A new level of combined power.
Dominae stood tall and stoic, her face blank as she took in the words the Greybeards were speaking to her. Those words, things she had never heard before, should have been foreign to her. But Dominae understood what they were saying. As they were speaking in the Dragon tongue, she spoke back to them in English.
"Long has the Stormcrown languished," she whispered, feeling power run through her bones, "with no worthy brow to sit upon. By our Shout we bestow it now to you in the name of Kyne, in the name of Shor, and in the name of Atmora of Old. You are Yismir now, the Dragon of the North, hearken to it."
And just like that, the ancient words died on the men's lips. Arngeir stared at her, his wrinkled eyes locked on her blue ones, and he saw their change. The way the pupil slimmed down into a serpent's eye. He should have been scared at the change, but all he saw was something familiar. He was confused, but understood.
"The dragon has gained some control over you, Dovahkiin."
"I told you my life had become busy."
"Busier than I ever thought it would," the old man mused, stroking his knotted beard.
"Before you ask, yes, this had happened before," the blonde admitted, glancing over at her large companion as he made his way to her side. He gave her a questioning glance, asking if she was okay. Dominae nodded her head and turned back to her teacher.
"I have never heard of such a thing happening to a Dragonborn before, gaining traits from the dov other than the Voice. Something has disturbed the peace that was once inside your body for this to have gone so wrong."
"She manages to keep it under control," Farkas defended, not sure if Dominae would be willing to tell her teachers that her blood had been tainted with a different beast.
"But for how long, son of Talos? That is the most pressing question," the elder said, shaking his head, "But you have other things to speak of. What has bothered your mind that you need to come to the Greybeards for help?"
"I need to know of the Shout used to defeat Alduin back in the Dragon War."
Arngeir narrowed his eyes at that, his brow furrowing. "Where did you learn of that? Who have you been talking to?"
"It was recorded on Alduin's wall," Dominae said, hoping she could avoid telling the old man she was working with the Greybeards' sworn enemy. By the anger on his face, she could tell her tactic hadn't worked.
"The Blades!" he hissed, "Of course. They specialize in meddling in matters they barely understand. Their reckless arrogance knows no bounds. They have always sought to turn the Dragonborn from the path of wisdom."
"They haven't deterred me from my path, Arngeir."
"Haven't they, Dovahkiin? They are using you. Have you learned nothing from us? Would you simply be a tool in the hands of the Blades, to be used for their own purposes?"
"I am not a tool," Dominae growled, fists clenched, "I know they have used me in more ways than one, but what they seek is the death of Alduin, as do I. Don't you want that as well?"
"What I want is irrelevant," the grey haired man dismissed, feeling himself growing angry, "Their Shout was used once before, was it not? And here we are again. Have you considered that Alduin was not meant to be defeated? If the world is meant to end, so be it. Let it end and be reborn."
"So you won't help me, after everything I've done?"
"No," he said simply, "Not now. Not until you return to the path of wisdom."
"The path of wisdom leads to the end of this world," Dominae spat.
Farkas placed a calming hand on the blonde's shoulder, trying to keep her in check. Dominae wanted to shake it off, but knew that the man beside her was right. She needed to be calm. Becoming enraged by the Greybeards would not help her in her quest.
"Arngeir," Einarth spoke, his tongue rolling with the words of the dragon tongue, "Rek los Dovahkiin, Strundu'ul. Rek fen tinvaak Paarthurnax."
"What is he saying?" Farkas whispered.
"She is Dragonborn, Stormcrown," Dominae translated, "She will talk to… Paarthurnax." The last word had been said hesitantly, as if the blue eyed woman had been afraid to use the word. Before the brunette could question her fear, Arngeir turned back to them.
"Dragonborn, wait," he sighed, head down, "Forgive me, I was… intemperate. I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgment. Master Einarth reminded me of my duty to you."
"So you will help?"
"I wish that I could, but I cannot. The Shout you wish to learn is not within my grasp; I do not know it. It is called 'Dragonrend', but its Words of Power are unknown to us."
"Einarth said she must speak with Paarthurnax," Farkas interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Paarthurnax, the master of our order, can answer the question of the shout if he so chooses."
"That name," Dominae mumbled, pressing a hand against her forehead. It sounded so familiar to her, but she couldn't place it, or the man behind the name. Just trying to think about it made her head ache.
"Come, Dragonborn," Arngeir said, starting his walk towards the doors to the court yard, "If you wish to speak with him, there are things we must teach you."
A/N: So, um, I can't wait for the next chapter :D I love it so much, even if it's a little short. It just gives away so much :'D But I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, too!