20th of Last Seed, 4E 201
The sun had just barely begun to peek over the horizon as Valkyrie, Irileth, and about six or seven city guards rode out from Whiterun's gates, heading west to the watchtower where the dragon had been sighted. Between the mysterious woman who had been questioning Farengar, visions of this Alduin, her eventual questioning of Arngeir and Ulfric, and trying to keep her status as Dragonborn hushed, Valkyrie was exhausted, wanting only to fall into a comfortable bed for a day or three, ideally next to her beloved vampire. She hoped Serana was alright, whatever it was her mother had needed of her. The journey took only a few short minutes, much to Valkyrie's surprise, and as soon as the watchtower was in sight, she stepped off of Ivory, giving her horse a smack on the bottom.
"Back to the stables, girl," said Valkyrie. "Yah!"
Irileth and the guards did the same, and the group cautiously moved towards the tower, or what was left of it. Fire and debris scattered the open field surrounding the structure, with no sign of any guards about. The tower itself was leaning, as though the dragon had crashed into it and turned it lopsided. "No signs of any dragon right now," said Irileth. "But it sure looks like he's been here."
"If he has," said Valkyrie. "There's a good chance he might come back."
"That's what I'm worried about," the Dunmer replied, now turning to her men. "Spread out and look for survivors. We need to know what we're dealing with."
The Nord drew her bow from its harness, stepping lightly towards the ruins. Her thoughts drifted back to Helgen, about how Ulfric had Shouted a dragon right out of the sky before killing it singlehandedly. If he was capable of such a feat, surely she was as well? The Dragonborn's path drew a jagged line, avoiding pieces of the tower that had fallen to the ground and the small fires that still littered the landscape. The dragon at Helgen had left the town in a similar state. Strangely enough, their were no bodies lying around. Surely the dragon hadn't carried them all off?
Valkyrie's pondering was cut short when a man suddenly emerged from the tower, clad in a guard's uniform, albeit a tattered one. "No! Get back!" The survivor said. "It's still here somewhere. Hroki and Tor just got grabbed when they tried to make a run for it!"
"Guardsman!" Irileth exclaimed as she and Valkyrie rushed towards him. "What happened here? Where's this dragon? Quickly now!"
"I don't know," said the guard, still clearly panicked. But his uncertainty was soon put to rest, as a bestial roar came from the sky. Valkyrie would recognize it anywhere, nearly identical to the roar that beckoned the destruction of Helgen. From the mountains in the distance then, soared none other than a dragon, its bronze scales shining brightly in the sunrise, even from such a distance. "Kynareth save us!" yelled the guard. "Here he comes again!"
Before this moment, Valkyrie had resigned herself to helping take the beast down, yet doing so without drawing attention to herself. But here and now, with the dragon soaring straight towards them, the Dragonborn felt something in her change. This was her fight, and she was ready. "Irileth," she said, aiming her bow. "Keep your men back. I've got this."
"Are you crazy?!" asked the Dunmer.
"Not at all," said the Dragonborn with a smirk. "Well, maybe a little."
Valkyrie leapt to the side, coming to a roll before stopping, perched on one knee, and let a single arrow fly. Her timing and aim were near perfect, the arrow lodging itself between the dragon's scales on its neck just as it came into range, although this attack did little more than anger the monster. It let out a furious roar, before coming to a stop just above where Valkyrie now stood, its wings beating the air around it to keep off the ground.
"That's right, you ugly bastard," Valkyrie yelled at the dragon. "You and me!"
"Bruniik joor!" the dragon's booming voice would most definitely have shaken the ground had he not been in flight. "Zu'u Mirmulnir. Dir nu ahst faaz!"
"Nope, still don't understand a word," said Valkyrie. "But I know a phrase even you can understand. FUS RO DAH!"
The familiar wall of force erupted from the Dragonborn's throat, knocking the dragon directly out of the sky just as Ulfric had done at Helgen. The beast's massive frame collided with the ground, causing a tremor that nearly threw Valkyrie off balance, but she quickly steadied herself, drew her sword, and rushed at the dragon, swinging wildly and landing a few good blows on its neck and head. But it appeared this dragon was stronger than the one at Helgen, as it suddenly raised itself back up, ramming its head into Valkyrie's body, hurling the Nord backward.
Valkyrie hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of her. As she stood up slowly, she heard the dragon let out a low growl. "Hi lost fin Thu'um. Nuz hi los sahlo. YOL TOOR SHUL!"
A wave of fire blasted from the dragon's maw. Valkyrie was unable to jump out of the way in time, so instead retaliated with a Shout of her own. "TIID!" The slowing of time itself allowed the Dragonborn to just barely escape the heat of the dragon's fire, and so she rushed right back to where she had been, slicing away at the beast's head, hoping for a fast kill. No such luck, as her Shout wore off just as she reached the dragon, and it began to beat its wings, flying into the air and out of her reach. Valkyrie responded by switching once more to her bow, aiming, loosing, but ultimately missing as the dragon now began to circle the tower.
"Get back down here and fight me, you fucking coward!" Valkyrie screamed at the beast, taking aim yet again. This time her arrow found its mark, planting itself in the dragon's belly, one of the few spots on its body not covered in scales. The monster let out another roar, this one borne of pain rather than anger, and landed on the very top of the tower. Valkyrie let another arrow fly, but a "FUS!" from the dragon stopped it before it could reach him. "I said get down, you son of a bitch!" She screamed before taking aim once more. The dragon seemingly complied, leaping into the air, yet its wings didn't move. It had launched itself from the top of the watchtower, and as the Dragonborn suddenly realized, was now coming down fast to crush her under its weight.
"TIID!" Valkyrie Shouted to slow time once more, before spinning on her heel and running as fast as she could out of the dragon's shadow. She managed to get clear of the beast, if only barely, but even with time slowed to a crawl, the impact the dragon made as its body collided with the ground sent Valkyrie's legs out from under her. The effects of her Shout wore off barely a moment after her face hit the dirt. She struggled to get to her feet, greeted when she finally stood up by the sight of Irileth and the guards completely awestruck at her taking on the dragon by herself.
"By the Gods," she heard one of the guards mutter. "She's actually doin' it."
The Dragonborn couldn't help but smirk as she turned back around to finish off the beast. Just in time for its tail to crash into her ribcage, sending her flying once again. She came to a roll on the ground, and clutched at her midsection. "Yup," she managed to groan. "That's a broken rib. Maybe three."
"Valkyrie!"
The Nord managed to raise her head just in time to see Irileth toss her a small red vial. She held out her arm to catch it, only to miss and the bottle, which had some surprising weight to it for its size, to land right on her ribcage, sending jolts of pain through her entire midsection. Valkyrie could only wheeze as she removed the cap from the bottle and quickly downed its contents, before finally returning to her feet, the pain of her injuries now dulled significantly. With one hand the Dragonborn still clutched at her ribs, with another she managed to draw her sword. The dragon had still not resumed its attack, seemingly dazed by its impact with the ground, the blow from its tail only a lucky strike.
"Alright," Valkyrie called to Irileth. "On second thought, I think I could use some help."
The Dunmer smirked. "I thought you'd never ask. Men!" She motioned to her guards. "The beast is getting back up! Find cover, and make every arrow count!"
The guards did as they were told, scattering behind various debris from the fallen tower, their bows drawn and aimed, just in time for the dragon to let out another roar and launch itself into flight yet again. It circled around its attackers below, still unfairly fast for its size, managing to steer clear of most of the guards' arrows, only a few bouncing off its scales. Valkyrie could only watch in frustration, despite the pain in her torso minimized, she was still very much injured and knew she couldn't pull a bowstring. It also hurt simply to breathe, so Shouting was out of the question.
Suddenly, the Dragonborn had an idea. "Aim for its wings!" She managed to command through labored breath to the guards. If they and Irileth could ground the beast, Valkyrie knew she could deliver the final blow. Before the guards could do as instructed, the dragon flew close to the ground, a deafening "YOL TOOR SHUL!" followed by a swath of flames scorching the ground as it soared, two unlucky guardsmen caught in its path and roasted alive. Valkyrie moved slower than she liked, only escaping the path of the dragon's fire by less than an inch. It was then that the great beast began to laugh.
"Bahlaan hokoran. I had forgotten what fine sport you joor made!"
Something about his taunting sent unbridled rage through Valkyrie's mind. With a stabbing pain ripping through her chest, and her throat burning ferociously, she Shouted once more,
"FUS RO DAH!"
Once more the dragon was knocked off balance, but managed to stay midair. That was, until his brief stop allowed his wings to be targeted by a hail of arrows from the guardsmen. The beast fell out of the sky for a final time, its impact knocking all but Valkyrie and Irileth to the ground. Hobbling forward, her blade firmly in hand, and a righteous fury never before felt, Valkyrie reached the dragon just before it reconstituted itself, and climbed onto the top of its head. "Fine sport, huh?" She practically snarled. "How's this for sport, you overgrown reptilian piece of shit?!" She plunged her blade directly into the top of the dragon's skull, the tip of the sword just barely coming out the bottom of its maw. Another roar fueled by agony escaped the dragon as its body went limp. Valkyrie lost her balance and fell to the ground, yet another wave of pain shooting through her upper body. Before she could savor her victory, she heard the dragon speak once more.
"Dovahkiin? No!"
Valkyrie struggled, hobbling to her feet as her body screamed in protest. The fight was over, the dragon was dead, and she the victor. But then, something happened that the Dragonborn wasn't sure to be entranced or horrified by. The dragon's corpse began to immolate, catching fire all by itself, the flames spread over its body in mere moments. As if such a sight couldn't be even more extraordinary, the flames began to change, as though they had suddenly become purer than light itself, and left the dragon's body, leaving only its skeleton and a few patches of scales behind. The energy rushed towards Valkyrie, ensnaring her within its glow, and within her head she heard the dragon speak.
Zu'u Mirmulnir. Hi grah Pruzah.
The rage was gone. The desire for battle, to prove herself superior had vanished in an instant. Valkyrie could only look on, dumbfounded by the skeleton of the dragon she had been fighting mere moments ago. Oh Gods, she thought as she backed away slowly. What have I done? Not only had she blown her cover as Dragonborn, which was sure to draw unwanted attention from the entire province, she felt something within her that was different. As though there were a new piece of her that she had only just discovered its existence. Unsure, how to feel, and the pain in her ribs now agitated by her insistence on continuing to fight, Valkyrie turned away, only to be greeted by the remaining guards and Irileth, every last one of their mouths agape.
There was a long silence before one of the men stepped forward. "By the Gods," he said quietly. "You took its very soul."
"I... I, um..." Valkyrie stammered, her head a swirling torrent of mixed emotions.
"Are you Dragonborn? Like Ulfric Stormcloak?" Another guard asked.
"Bah!" Yet another of the men interjected. "Ulfric is nothing more than a pretender, and we all know it!"
"Listen," the Dragonborn sheathed her blade slowly. "I would... appreciate it if you would all keep this to yourselves."
"Why?!" One of them was bewildered. "If you're the one the Greybeards summoned and not Ulfric..."
"Enough!" Irileth commanded at her men. "This woman just took down a dragon almost singlehandedly. She's clearly not in the mood to be interrogated." The Dunmer stepped forward, placing a hand on Valkyrie's shoulder. "I don't know about this Dragonborn business, but the city of Whiterun owes you a great debt."
"My-" Valkyrie let out a grunt of pain. "My pleasure."
"We should get you to a healer," said Irileth. "I think I overheard you say something about broken ribs."
The Dragonborn stubbornly held up a hand, now attempting to walk away on her own. "I'll be fine," she said, hobbling a few steps before her vision started to blur. "No I won't," she added before collapsing, blacking out before she hit the ground.
9th of Hearthfire, 4E 201
The Dragonborn's opened her eyes slowly, her surroundings quite unfamiliar. She immediately recognized the feeling of a bed underneath her, and an incredibly comfortable one at that. Her armor was also gone, instead she found herself dressed in what could almost be considered pajamas. She raised her head slightly, if she hadn't known better she could have sworn this was a room at an inn, but was much nicer than any she had stayed at. The walls were decorated with artwork that looked to be dedicated to the goddess Kynareth, and there was a bookshelf just next to her bed with various religious texts. Despite not knowing where on Nirn she was, Valkyrie sensed no danger, and called out.
"Hello?"
For a moment there was silence, but she soon heard footsteps just outside her door, and a moment later entered a young man dressed in plain robes, a small bit of scruff adorning his chin. "Gods be praised," the boy said with a genuine smile. "You're awake."
"Where am I?" asked Valkyrie. "And who are you?"
"You're in the temple of Kynareth in Whiterun," he answered. "And I am Jenssen, an acolyte studying here under mother Danica."
"How did I get here?"
"The Jarl's housecarl and her men brought you here after you collapsed," said Jenssen. "I don't mean to pry, but... they told us you killed a dragon."
Valkyrie fell back down onto her pillow, hands covering her face. "I specifically asked them not to say anything."
"Well..." Jenssen's face suddenly bore a sheepish look. "That may be a problem, because the entire city knows."
"Which means the entire province will know soon enough," said Valkyrie. "One more thing to add to my plate." The Nord sat up slowly, throwing her legs over the side of the bed. "Thank you for all you've done, but I need to be on my way." She attempted to stand, only for her legs to shake for a moment and give way. Luckily, Jenssen rushed to catch her, and threw one of her arms over his shoulder. "Fuck," the Dragonborn said. "How long have I been out?"
"A few weeks," the young man answered honestly, and Valkyrie's eyes widened. "Mother Danica has been doing her best to stave off any muscle entropy from so much inactivity. Your body should be back to full strength after a few hours on your feet." They began to walk, leaving Valkyrie's room and entering the main hall of the temple. It was a temple alright, with various pews arranged neatly in rows, and a small podium in front where the mother likely gave her sermons. The walls were decorated just the same as the Nord's room, with various artworks dedicated to Kynareth, and a few people were milling about, some dressed in monk's robes, some not.
After only a few moments, the pair of them came to a pew in near the back, where an elderly woman sat reading a book. She noticed them and immediately stood. "Ah good, you're finally back with us," she said. "My name is Danica Pure-Spring, and I am the resident mother of this temple."
"I assumed so," said Valkyrie. "Thank you for looking after me while I was out."
"It is the least I could do after you saved our city from a dragon," said Danica.
"Those guards are awfully talkative," said the Dragonborn with a twinge of annoyance.
"It was mostly Irileth, believe it or not," the priestess replied. "Which reminds me, the Jarl has requested your presence as soon as you feel fit to leave."
"Again?" Valkyrie groaned. "Like I said, I'm very grateful for all you've done, but I have something very important that I've been putting off for too long."
"Well, it seems gratitude is just going all around today," Danica smirked. "From what I understand, lord Balgruuf means to reward you generously for what you did at the watchtower."
"I mean," the Nord sighed. "I could always use the extra coin. I just hope he doesn't have another favor to ask of me."
"I suppose you'll have to speak with him to find out. I'll have Jenssen fetch your things while you get used to being back on your feet, but..." the priestess paused, suddenly nervous.
"Yes?" Valkyrie had a feeling she knew where this conversation was going.
"Is it true?" Danica asked. "Are you truly Dragonborn?"
The Nord sighed. It seemed there was no point trying to hide it any longer. "Yes," she said quietly. "I'm the one the Greybeards summoned last year."
"I knew it," said the mother affirmatively. "I knew Ulfric's bluster was just that. He claims it was the Greybeards' counsel that pushed him to start this war in the first place."
"That's news to me," Valkyrie's eyebrow raised. "I supposed that's just another question I need him to answer. For now though, how do I get to Dragonsreach from here?"
A standing round of applause had been the last thing Valkyrie expected upon entering the main hall of the Jarl's palace. Nobles, servants, visitors alike all dropped everything they had been doing to cheer and kneel before her. In truth, it made the Dragonborn quite uncomfortable, not the least bit because her armor was in tatters after the duel with the dragon, and she clearly was not fit for a public display like this. Eventually, the applause died down, and Valkyrie was able to approach the Jarl, sitting on his throne and smiling proudly. Irileth stood at his side, leaned against the wall, along with another Imperial man who Valkyrie remembered to be Proventus, his steward, and another elderly Nord with long white hair and built like a mammoth.
Balgruuf rose from his seat, extending his arms forward. "At last, we've been awaiting your presence for weeks!"
"So I was told," said Valkyrie nervously. "Is there... anything else I can help with?"
"It would be cruel of me to ask more of you after all you've done," said the Jarl. "No, you've done a great service to my city, Dragonborn. And a bit of coin hardly seems like enough for a reward."
"Oh?," said the Dragonborn, still very unnerved by all the eyes upon her.
"First," said the Jarl, motioning now to the old man next to him. "I would like to introduce you to Eorlund Gray-Mane, the finest blacksmith Skyrim has ever known. He has a gift for you."
Valkyrie only stood motionless as Eorlund approached her, before handing her what looked to be an ordinary satchel. Ordinary that was, until she inspected it just a bit closer. "The wizard fashioned this for you," said the old Nord. "And if you look inside, I believe you'll find something very interesting." The Dragonborn did as she was asked, the length of her entire arm disappearing into the pouch. She fiddled around for a moment, before her palm felt the familiar grip of a sword. Upon removing it from the satchel, several other garments came out with it, falling on the floor. Valkyrie was certain they looked like armor, but the material that composed them was one she had never laid eyes on. At least, until she took a closer look.
"Wait," said the Dragonborn, picking up the cuirass. "Are these...?"
"Scales from the dragon you slew," said Eorlund proudly. "And your blade, forged from its bones. All reinforced with the highest quality ebony I had available." Valkyrie was truly astonished. She gave the blade a few swings as well, trying to get a feel for it. It was distinctively longer and thinner than she was used to seeing, there were no crossguards at its hilt, only the grip.
"I've never seen this style of blade before," she noted.
"Ah yes," the old man said. "It's Akaviri in origin. I believe they called it a katana. I've longed for a suitable opportunity to try my hand at forging one, and I could think of no worthier recipient than a Dragonborn."
"Thank you."
"If you're going to be slaying more dragons, I believe my equipment will serve you better than what you had before," Eorlund said with a smirk.
"And why would I be slaying more dragons?" asked Valkyrie with a cocked eyebrow.
"Well, they've returned, of course," said the man. "Word finally reached us of the one that destroyed Helgen, then the one you slew at the watchtower, and in the past few weeks... well..."
"What is it?"
"There have been more dragon attacks," Eorlund explained. "Two, to be exact. We can only guess your path will cross them eventually."
"Alright, Gray-Mane, that's enough," said Balgruuf before Valkyrie could ask about details of these attacks. "We have more to present to the Dragonborn now."
"Wait, there's more?" Valkyrie asked, dumbfounded. What on Nirn could they possibly have to offer her further
"Yes," said the Jarl, drawing a sword from his hip and rising from his seat. "If you'll step forward." Valkyrie did as she was asked, and the Jarl's blade made gentle contact with each of her shoulders. "It is my honor and privilege to name you Thane of our city, Dragonborn." As if the day could not get anymore strange, now Valkyrie was a noble. At a complete loss for words, she could only stand there overwhelmed as Proventus and Irileth now approached, standing on either side of the Jarl.
Proventus spoke first, handing Valkyrie a simple key. "There is a fully furnished manor just inside the city gates. As Thane of Whiterun, you will need a permanent residence within the city, so the house is yours. Congratulations."
"You're giving me a house?!" The Dragonborn blurted out, unable to believe it. True, she had grown up mostly in a palace, but only in the mangy quarters of the blacksmiths. Having her own home was something the Nord had never even thought as a possibility. But even this was not all, as Irileth suddenly let out a whistle, and seemingly out of nowhere, another woman appeared at her side, a fellow Nord, maybe a few years older than Valkyrie, clad head to toe in steel, with long dark hair flowing down past her shoulder.
"This," said the Dunmer. "Is Lydia. One of my finest guards, she is to serve as your personal housecarl."
"Housecarl?" Valkyrie question. "You mean... like a bodyguard?"
"That is correct, my lady," said Lydia, now bowing dramatically. "It is an honor to serve you."
"Wow. I..." The Dragonborn was overwhelmed, and she couldn't decide if it was in a positive way or not. "I don't know what to say."
"No need to say anything," said Balgruuf. "I'm not a fool, I can tell you're uneasy standing on ceremony like this," he sat back down on his throne. "We've kept you long enough, Dragonborn. May the Gods protect you, wherever your path leads."
Valkyrie simply couldn't leave fast enough.
To call the house a manor was a bit of an overstatement. There was a fire pit in the center of the main room just upon entry, a few empty bookshelves along the walls, a table on the opposite side of the room with chairs underneath, and a few other seats scattered around the room. In the corner there was a closed door, she would have to see what was in that room later, and just next to it a staircase, no doubt a master bedroom waiting for her upstairs. It was small perhaps, but something about the place eased Valkyrie's anxiety about what in Oblivion had just happened to her. She sat down at the dining table, resting her head in her hands, trying to make sense of anything.
"May I prepare you a meal, my Thane?"
Not that it was an easy task with Lydia constantly trying to serve her. "No thank you, Lydia."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Perhaps a massage then, my Thane? You must be quite sore after fighting the dragon."
"Lydia, I'm fine," Valkyrie said sternly.
"Very well," said the dark haired Nord. "I will be here should you require anything of me, my Thane."
"Will you stop with the my Thane shit?!" The Dragonborn banged her fist against the table. "I have a name! I've only been conscious for a few hours, but I've heard the words Dragonborn and Thane enough times to last me the rest of my life!" Lydia bore a look of genuine fear from Valkyrie's outburst, and she immediately regretted it. "Fuck," she said. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I just... a lot of things happened very quickly and I'm overwhelmed."
"I understand," said Lydia, who was clearly trying to act sympathetic, but was unable to hide that she was just a tad annoyed.
"No, really," said Valkyrie. "It wasn't okay for me to yell like that. I get the sense you didn't ask for this, so I shouldn't be making your life harder than it needs to be." She laughed. "Oddly enough, that's something we have in common."
"What is?" asked Lydia.
"The whole Dragonborn thing," Valkyrie explained. "It just kind of happened, and now every time I think I'm starting to get the hang of things..." she trailed off, and there was a lengthy silence that followed.
"So," Lydia finally broke it, taking a seat opposite her Thane. "They didn't even tell me your name."
"You're joking."
"I wish I was," she said. "I reported for duty this morning and Irileth tells me I'm going to be a housecarl for the new Thane."
"Is that why you were putting on the whole charade?" asked Valkyrie.
"Yup," Lydia nodded. "I'm used to the nobles being... well..."
"You're used to them being fucking assholes," the Dragonborn finished for her, and her housecarl's chuckle was all the answer she needed. "Well, you don't have to worry about being all prim and proper with me. If you're honest and can hold your own in a fight, I think we can come to be good friends." She held out her palm, which Lydia gladly accepted. "My name is Valkyrie, by the way."
"Pleased to meet you," said Lydia. "And don't worry, I can do more than hold my own."
"I hope so, for your sake," Valkyrie smirked. "I don't know how much you overheard of my conversation with Eorlund, but it's pretty likely I'm going to be fighting more dragons."
"I'm a true Nord," said Lydia in an exaggerated tone. "I relish the challenge."
"Is that so?" said the Dragonborn. "Not just dragons, either. Vampires, undead, trolls, bandits, necromancers, every kind of terror you could imagine."
"Sounds like they assigned me to quite an interesting Thane."
"That they did," said Valkyrie. "I may be young, but I have some stories to tell."
"And I'll be glad to hear them," said Lydia, now rising from her seat. "But first, I'm starving. What do you say we eat, get some sleep, and head out in the morning?"
"Already going against your Thane's wishes?" Valkyrie joked. "What will the Jarl say about this?"
"Somehow I think you won't say anything to the Jarl," the housecarl smirked.
"And you'd be correct," the Dragonborn fired back.
A/N: What's this? Another upload without a year long wait in between? Unfathomable! Nah, but seriously. Bad relationships have a tendency to suck all the creative juices out of you. I'm now gonna try and bang out as many chapters of this forsaken series as I possibly can before I crash again lol. Also, Valkyrie's new sword is modeled after the Dragonsteel Katana, from the Immersive Weapons mod by Hothtrooper. Her armor in turn is based on the Dragonscale Ebonsteel set with the Grand Helm, from Immersive Armors also by Hothtrooper. Check them out if you haven't. Until next time...