A/N Two chapters within seven days of each other! You should be proud of me! This upcoming week, however, is fairly busy for me, though, so there may not be an update. I'll try to write as much as I can, of course, but I can't make any promises.
Vara raced up the stairs after Irileth, heart pounding. A dragon. Images of Helgen in flames flashed through her mind, but she pushed the memories down and tried to listen to what the young soldier across from the Jarl was saying.
"The dragon was circling the watchtower when I left," the soldier panted. It was obvious that the man was terrified, but he squared his shoulders as he continued. "I don't know what good we can do against a dragon, but those guys at the watchtower need backup."
Vara's attention turned to Jarl Balgruuf, who had listened to the soldier with the same grim expression the entire time. Now, he smiled comfortingly and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "And we will provide it," he said. "You, however, should get some rest. You have done your part, son."
For a moment, the soldier looked like he wanted to argue, but then he sighed and nodded. "Yes, my jarl," he said, bowing slightly, and Vara could read the slightest amount of relief in his movements. But then the young man turned towards where Vara and Irileth stood. "You send that thing back to the depths of Oblivion for me, housecarl."
Next to Vara, Irileth grinned ferally. "We will," she promised, her eyes glinting to match her smile. Vara was suddenly very grateful that she didn't have a reason to be on the dark elf's bad side, yet. She was a terror to behold.
"Irileth." Jarl Balgruuf's voice drew Vara from her thoughts. "Be careful. This is not some death and glory mission. I need you alive, and I need that dragon dead. Understand?"
For a moment, Irileth's ruby eyes softened. "Of course, Balgruuf. I will be the very soul of caution," the housecarl promised. The jarl held her gaze for a few moments before turning to Vara.
"I hate to ask more of you, Varaduilwe, but you survived Helgen, and we need every advantage that we can get against this dragon," he said grimly, and Vara nodded her understanding. Were she in his shoes, she would enlist all of the aid that she could. "Talos guide you," the jarl blessed, and Vara and Irileth both bowed before rushing back down the steps and out the door.
They met up with a small group of soldiers near the gates of the city. Irileth spoke to the men, rallying them for the fight to come, but Vara tuned the woman's words out, focusing instead on the men before her. They were terrified. She could see it in the way they gripped their swords just a little too tightly, in the way their feet shuffled as the housecarl spoke, in the lilt of their voices as they cheered just a bit too loud. Yes, they were afraid of the fight to come, but they were fighting it anyway.
With one final cheer, the group of soldiers with Irileth as their lead charged down the street and through the wide city gates. Vara followed at their heels, focusing on each step and trying in vain to drive the images of Helgen from her mind. Her attempts to smother the memories was unsuccessful, so she forced herself to draw strength from them instead.
She had been helpless at Helgen as the dragon had rained chaos from the skies. She had ran and hidden because it had been the only thing that she could do. Now, however, she had a choice. Now, she could fight back. Now, she could protect these people, protect her country, or die trying. It was a strangely satisfying thought. Vara shook her head vigorously, forcing her mind to focus on the present. She wouldn't be able to protect anyone if the dragon killed her because she was too lost in her own thoughts.
After a few more minutes of running across the rocky ground of the road that led to the western watchtower, Irileth stopped the group and gathered them behind a large rock in an attempt at a shelter. Vara had a feeling, however, that a rock wouldn't stop a dragon. Nevertheless, she joined the huddle around Irileth. Together, they looked over the still-smoldering ruins of what was once the watchtower.
Vara let out a hissing breath. They were too late. Irileth, however, seemed to disagree. "I know it looks bad, men, but you need to spread out and search for survivors. Keep your eyes on the sky; we don't know if that creature will come back to finish what it started." the men nodded grimly before splitting off and running towards the broken tower. Vara was about to follow them when Irileth put a staying hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you," she said, looking Vara in the eyes. "This isn't your home, and these aren't your people, and yet here you are, willing to face a creature straight from a nightmare."
Vara smiled slightly. "Skyrim is my home, and I am glad to do what I can to protect her people; all of them." Irileth nodded, and an understanding passed between the two women.
Irileth opened her mouth to speak, but at that moment an ear-splitting roar sounded, shaking the very ground with its power. Vara and Irileth shared a wide-eyed look before running out from behind the rock, magicka swirling in their palms.
This dragon did not have scales that seemed to be made of ebony the way the dragon at Helgen had had. Instead, the creature seemed to shimmer a red and bronze color that would have been mesmerizingly beautiful had the dragon not been blasting a stream of fire towards Vara and Irileth. The two women rolled away from the blast, and although she avoided the flames, Vara could still feel some of the searing heat as the flames charred the air.
She got her feet under her as quickly as she could and was ready to fire a bolt of electricity towards the dragon, but before she could, the creature pushed off of the ground and took to the air. Her magic wouldn't be able to reach the dragon when it was that high, Vara knew, and so she ran towards the ruined watchtower. Hopefully, she would be able to avoid the creature's flames there until the dragon landed again.
Once inside, Vara was met with several guards who seemed to be thinking the same thing she had. A few were holding their arms or legs where they had been burned or cut by the dragon, and Vara did what she could to heal them, although she had to be careful how much magicka she used. All too soon, though, she heard the heavy sound of the dragon landing on the ground at the base of the tower. For a moment, none of the guards moved, then, almost as one, they seemed to shake off their fear and charged out from the meager shelter that the broken tower provided.
In the clearing, Irileth and another guard were fighting the dragon alone. The housecarl was firing bolts of electricity into the creature's hide with one hand and wielding her sword with the other. The dragon snapped its huge maw at her, and the dark elf deftly leaped to the side. The other guard, however, was not so lucky. In a single bite, the dragon practically cleaved the man in two.
The guards around Vara roared in anger and crashed into the side of the dragon, hacking and slashing at everything that they could reach. Vara ran around to the other side and began blasting the creature with carefully placed bolts of electricity. The magic was able to find into the chinks of the dragon's armor. The creature threw back his head and roared. The sound shook Vara to her very bones, but instead of terrifying her, it made her smile grimly. That roar had been one of pain.
For the next several minutes, Vara, Irileth, and the guards threw everything they had against the dragon while trying to avoid being killed themselves. And finally, the creature's movements began to slow. Vara fired a few more bolts in between the dragon's scales, and as the creature tried to bite Irileth, the housecarl instead jumped onto its head and plunged her sword into its skull. For a few seconds, the dragon thrashed around before finally laying still.
Vara watched as Irileth jumped down from the head and turned to her men. Before the housecarl could catch her breath enough to say anything, though, the dragon behind her burst into flames. She and the men jumped back and quickly drew their weapons again.
Vara, however, found herself drawn to the flames, and as she stretched out her hand, she heard chanting again. The same kind of sound she had heard in Bleak Falls Barrow. Then, ribbons of gold and white began to stream away from the dragon towards her. All at once, the ribbons of light seemed to crash into her, entering her very soul. Vara gasped, staggering backward as the chanting reached a crescendo before abruptly halting.
One of the guards shook off his stupor enough to rush forward as she faltered and fell back. He caught her and helped her steady herself. As she stood, he whispered a single, awe-filled word, "Dragonborn."
All around Vara, the other guards echoed the word, louder and louder until they were practically yelling. Vara could only look at them, her mind still numb and confused by whatever it was that had just happened to her. Finally, Irileth quieted the guards with a sharp command.
"Hush, all of you!" she ordered. "What in Tamriel is this Dragonborn nonsense?"
One of the men, the same one who had caught Vara, stepped forward. "You wouldn't understand, housecarl. It's an ancient nord prophecy told to young nords when we dreamed of glory and adventure. A hero in the body of a nord but with the soul of a dragon; someone who can slay dragons and absorb their souls," the man's voice grew more excited as he continued. "The Dragonborn can use the souls of dragons to Shout, even without practice, according to the legends." The man turned toward Vara. "Can you? Can you Shout?"
Vara opened her mouth to say no, but something stopped her. Something deep within her soul, primal and powerful. Instead, Vara turned back to the corpse of the dragon, now nothing more than a pile of bones. In the pit of her stomach that primal force seemed to build until it clawed its way into her throat and exploded from her in a single powerful word. "Fus!"
The dragon bones quivered under the force of her Shout. She stumbled backward as well, surprised by the power that she had. She turned back to the guards, uncertain. What did any of this mean?
Another man spoke, his voice soft, "You are Dragonborn, miss." The statement felt heavy on the air and on her soul. She was the Dragonborn. What in the name of Talos did that mean? She was not some great nordic dragonslayer! She wasn't even a full-blooded nord!
Thankfully, Irileth seemed to sense her confused frustration. "You should head to Dragonsreach, Varaduilwe. The jarl will be able to help you," she promised. Vara nodded gratefully and turned away. She began walking back to Whiterun in a daze, her mind numb.
Vara didn't truly notice the stone of the walls or the wood of the gates as she walked into Whiterun. She didn't hear the people of the city as they whispered to one another, wondering if a beast as great as a dragon could truly be dead. She didn't see the way that the statue of Talos seemed to shine with an inner light as she passed. She did, however, feel the dusty stone underneath her hands when the force of the word threw her to the ground. "Dovahkiin!" several voices seemed to shout, although no one around her had spoken. And this word was different from the chanting she had heard, as it seemed that everyone around her heard the word. Immediately, the people began to whisper that a Dragonborn had been summoned.
Suddenly, Vara was exhausted. She had already cleared out Bleak Falls Barrow today and fought and apparently absorbed the soul of a dragon today. She really didn't need any of this Dragonborn business on her shoulders right now. And yet there it was. With a sigh, she pushed the great oaken doors of Dragonsreach open just enough for her to slip through and began to make her way to where Jarl Balgruuf sat on his throne.
Vara knelt in front of the throne, and when Balgruuf motioned for her to rise she almost couldn't find the strength. Finally, when she was standing with her feet planted firmly under her, she said, "The dragon that attacked the watchtower is dead, my jarl. The watchtower is in ruins, however, and we lost several good men in the fight."
Balgruuf nodded gravely. "We will rebuild," he declared, voice reverent. "Lives lost, however, are not so easily replaced. But thanks to you, Irileth, and her men, fewer died than would have had the dragon attacked the city." Vara nodded solemnly; the jarl was right, of course.
For a moment, Balgruuf was silent. His gaze seemed to pierce into Vara's soul, reading the things he found there. Finally, he gently asked, "What happened at the watchtower, Varaduilwe?"
Vara sighed. "If I'm being honest, my jarl, I don't know." Vara rubbed her temples slowly, exhaustion washing over her. "Irileth had just delivered the final blow and jumped down from the dragon when the creature's remains burst into flames. Then, I felt this...power rush into me." Vara shook her head. It was a difficult feeling to explain. "The men called me Dragonborn and then, well, I Shouted. I don't know how and I don't know why, but it felt natural." Vara shrugged.
For a moment, Balgruuf was silent. Then he turned to the large man who stood by the side of his throne where Irileth typically was. "What do you think, brother?" the jarl asked. "Is she the one who the Greybeards were calling."
"Aye," the man answered before turning to Vara. "The Greybeards have summoned you and named you Dovahkiin, Dragonborn in the ancient language of the dragons. It is a great honor. They haven't done this since they called Tiber Septim when he was still Talos or Atmora," the man explained, his eyes bright. "They are masters in the Voice. They will be able to teach you."
Vara didn't have a response to that. She had read about the Greybeards before, but that was years ago, and the book hadn't exactly been a manual on what to do if you were called as Dragonborn. Balgruuf seemed to understand the way she felt.
"The journey to High Hrothgar will be long, you should rest first. You are welcome in Whiterun for as long as you need to stay, Varaduilwe," he offered in a kindly voice. Vara appreciated the gesture and told the man as much, but he waved away her thanks.
"There's no need to thank me, in fact, I should be thanking you," Jarl Balgruuf insisted. He then looked over at his steward, and some silent conversation passed between them as the steward nodded. Balgruuf turned back to Vara and continued, "I spoke to Proventius before you returned, and he has informed me that there is room in my court for a new thane. I would like to offer this title and the benefits that come with it, to you, Varaduilwe Oaken-Song. You came into my city only a day ago, but you have done more to help my people than many of my citizens have in years. I would be honored to number you among my court."
For a moment, Vara was too surprised to react. Finally, she said, "You honor me, my jarl, but I feel that I would be doing your hold a disservice by accepting the title. If I have truly been called as a Dragonborn, I don't know what will happen. I may have very little time to devote to anything else. I also have my duties as an officer in the Stormcloak army as well."
To her surprise, Balgruuf smiled. "I know. The title is mostly honorary, and I wouldn't expect you to spend much time with my court. Instead, I offer the title as a tie to my city." He looked Vara in the eyes. "I am not gifted with foresight as some are, but I can tell that your path as Dragonborn will not be an easy one. I offer Whiterun as another home to you, when your journeys take you across Skyrim."
Somehow, Vara could tell that this man meant what he said. Although she had only spoken to the jarl a few times, Vara felt a connection to the man, in a fatherly sort of way. And so she nodded. "Very well. I accept the title, and I will do my best to remain worthy of it," she promised solemnly.
Balgruuf smiled. "I doubt that will be a problem," he said with a chuckle before growing serious again. "By my right as Jarl I name you, Varaduilwe Oaken-Song, Thane of Skyrim and bestow upon you all of the rights and privileges that the station affords."
Vara bowed deeply. "Thank you, my Jarl. If you have no further need of me tonight, I believe there is a bed in the Bannered Mare that is calling my name."
The jarl chuckled. "Of course. In the morning, drop your armor off at the forge and I will see to it that it is repaired."
Vara thought about protesting, but her exhaustion was beginning to overwhelm her, and so she simply nodded and bid the jarl and his court a good night before heading down to the Bannered Mare for some hard-earned sleep.
Ulfric Stormcloak was standing on the roof of the Palace of Kings looking over Windhelm when the Shout broke the still air of the night. He recognized the voices of his old mentors, just as he recognized the name they called. A Dragonborn had been summoned to High Hrothgar.
Part of Ulfric was glad that a hero had risen to deal with the problem of the dragons, but mostly, he worried. Who was this hero? Were they a true son or daughter of Skyrim, or would they betray their Nordic blood and join the Empire? Or would they remain neutral?
Ulfric sighed deeply. He didn't want to make an enemy of the prophesied savior of the world, but if this Dragonborn sided with the Empire, he wouldn't have much of a choice. It would be far better, however, to make an ally of the hero. Far better indeed. With that thought in mind, Ulfric stepped away from the edge of the roof and turned to reenter the Palace. He had to find his steward; they had a Dragonborn to locate.
A/N Vara is Dragonborn! Finally, after 37 (has it really been that long?) chapters, she has realized her destiny! The question is, however, how will she respond? After all, it isn't every day that you're called to be the savior of the world! As always, I love hearing from all of you, so please take a moment to send me a comment if you can! Thank you for reading!