Chapter #10: The Embershard Threat
I never realized how much my heart craved adventure. I always thought that all I wanted was to find a small home and live in peace. But it is in moments like one which I experienced in Riverwood, a few months after I came there, that make me realize that I want both. My selfish heart is discontent with one or the other. I want a peaceful life, but I also want the thrill of defending it.
The sun had been just starting to rise over the mountains where Bleak Falls Barrow resided. According to the calculations I had been keeping, that sign clocked the hour somewhere in the mid-morning. I had already been working at the mill with Faendal for about two hours when three dark and wild looking figures walked into town.
The figures' walks were statements, they wanted the attention of everyone. On one side, there was a muscular Orc with a chipped tooth. On the other hand, an angry looking Khajiit with scar-adorned fur. Both were terrifying sights. However, somehow, the middle figure outdid them both. She was a Nord with hair too pale for her age. She had red warpaint on her cheeks and she wore a set of plate armor. I did not want to know whether or not the paint was actual paint, or fresh blood.
I nodded to Faendal as they entered the village and as we stepped onto the road in order to block their path. We were not well equipped for a fight. I merely had my woodcutter's axe in my hand and was wearing hide armor. Although, that term 'armor' is generous. Faendal did not even wear armor, yet he did have an iron arrow nocked and ready to fire.
There we were, five figures standing in the middle of a village. We soon became six when the Blacksmith, Alvor, stepped beside us with a great battle-axe in his hand. "What brings you to Riverwood, friends?" Alvor asked, intimidation dripping within his strong, Skyrim-Nord accent.
They approached us slowly, weapons undrawn. The pale-haired Nord considered Alvor for a moment before her sharp gaze turned to me. She nodded in greeting, but it was the Orc who spoke first. "We bring you greetings from Embershard Mine. This is Chieftess Kjolhild," he gestured to the woman in the center as he spoke in a gruff voice. "She rules these woods. That means she rules you too. She s'pects you to be willing contributors to our cause."
"And if we're not so willing?" Faendal broke in with audible spite, drawing back on his bow as far as his arm would pull. The wood of the weapon creaked from the immense strain.
"Then you will be contributors nonetheless," the Nord, Kjolhild, replied in a sharp tone. She had a deep and monotone voice, cold as the winds atop the mountains. "We will cleave through this town, leaving nothing but corpses and muts to eat them."
"What are your demands?" I responded in the calmest voice I could muster. A small crowd had formed around the town, watching us all with held breaths and stopped heartbeats.
"Twenty-Thousand gold pieces, three hauls of fish, and every weapon you have. You are under our protection now, won't have any need of those. You have a week." After her words were spoken, out of the brushes surrounding the town came a dozen more bandits, all with arrows trained on the three of us. "The big brute," she pointed to Alvor. "He looks like he could cause some damage with that battle-axe. We'll take him with us as insurance."
"No!" a voice from the crowd cried. It came from Alvor's wife, Sigrid. The young woman's pretty face was covered in dirt and soot from helping her husband with the forge. Tears had began to trail paths down her cheeks. "You can't take him away!"
She began to run towards them as two of the bandits grabbed Alvor by the arms. By the will of Talos, Hod was able to catch forcefully halt Sigrid. She screamed and kicked in his arms as the bandits left the town with her husband, but Hod held her firm. "Not now, woman!" he said. "We'll get him back. You count on that."
Dear Reader,
It has been quite a while! College life is crazy but good. I have certainly been writing a lot, but next to none of it has been for enjoyment. So it's really good to get back to having some fun writing this story. This chapter is super short. I really wanted to put something out there and leave it on a cliff-hanger so I have no excuses not to finish it. As usual, I hope you all enjoy. If you liked it? I would really appreciate it if you left a positive review! That would really help. If you have any other thoughts? Always feel free to PM me! Thanks again for reading, friends.
~Kovecs