Chapter 10: Before the Storm

He had awoken early that morning; the sun was not yet up, and he was tempted to remain a while longer. His body was weary from long travel, and the excitement from the day prior had tired him a great deal. The comfort of the bed beckoned him to stay, but he reminded himself why he chose to wake that hour. With a sigh he got up, put on a normal set of clothes, and quickly packed his things.

He scanned the inn as soon as he left his room. The fire that had been roaring last night died down to a quiet flickering flame. The doors to his companions rooms were closed, and there was no sign telling him whether they had yet waken, or if they slept still; he guessed it would be the latter. The town drunk was sleeping on a fur pelt on the dusty wooden floor, and Delphine was behind the counter setting out a few choice drinks and ingredients to entice a purchase, but other than that the inn was empty. He approached her and sat on a stool.

"Morning," She said. "You're up earlier than expected. Can I get you anything?" He only answered with a grunt. "You look tired, why not rest awhile longer?"

Kriger looked back at her. "What about you?" He asked. "Don't sleep?" He handed her back the room key and glanced at the rooms the strangers were staying in.

Delphine pocketed the key with a smirk. "I don't see much action. You though, you look like something the cat dragged in." Kriger said nothing, and she continued. "I can only imagine what you must've been through. Why don't you tell me about it?" She leaned forward over the counter. "I can make it worth your while," She whispered, her voice sultry.

"I'm not interested in talking about it." He said coldly; he glanced to the doors again. "Have my companions woken yet?"

For a moment Delphine's eyes darkened, and her jaw tightened, but her sly smile returned as quickly as it left. "Those two foreigners right? No, you're the first." She poured a mug of ale, and slid it towards him. "Where did you find them anyway?"

Kriger frowned. "I didn't order this," He nearly growled.

"It's on the house, just don't tell Embry." Before he could ask she answered his next question. "He's that drunk oaf on the floor there."

Kriger smirked back. "If you think this'll get me to loosen my tongue you're crazy," He said; raising the ale to his lips. He asked her about rumors, but most of it didn't interest him. He didn't care much for love triangles and the like, however there was one bit that caught his attention.

"Word is Ulfric Stormcloak escaped Helgen. The war is only going to get worse now."

He rubbed his chin hoping that she didn't catch on to his surprise. 'Word traveled quick. Someone must've stopped by last night while we were sleeping.' He mused. 'I should warn Ralof and his family about this.' He looked Delphine in her eyes; they were sharp, and analytical. "Where did you hear this?" He asked.

Her sly smile widened. "Let's just say; I have my sources."

Before Kriger could ask more he heard a door open, and turned to see Arliss step out of his room. He noticed that the mage seemed a bit out of sorts. His eyes were glazed over, his brows furrowed, his lips parsed, and for some reason he was looking at his hand. Without a word he left a couple septims on the counter, gave Delphine a quick nod of 'thanks' and stepped towards the distracted mage. "Something wrong?"

Arliss nearly jumped. "Ah, Sir.Kriger!" The gruff nord winced at the sheer volume of his voice; for a moment he wondered how he could be so loud so early. "No, there is naught amiss," He said, but Kriger noticed that Arliss brought his hand closer, holding it protectively. He looked hard at his hand trying to see what might have him so worked up, but whatever it was he couldn't see it. He was just about to ask about it when Arliss beamed at him. "Good morning! Have you slept well?"

Kriger was taken back by the sudden change in the odd mage. He had known it from the beginning, but Arliss was very strange. Both of the strangers were different, but Arliss had shown himself to be the odder of the pair. There was just something about his looks and actions that screamed that something wasn't quite right.

His bright blue-green eyes were often blank and hard to read. His expressions felt a bit off. His voice seemed very controlled. His laughter was stiff. His speech stilted. What was most unnerving though was his unusual behavior. The way he could change his entire demeanor in the blink of an eye was unnatural. He acted naive and almost childlike, but in battle he was a different person. In battle his mask slipped and you could see him for the serious, and experienced combat mage he was; there were also other times where he seemed to show something else. One moment he seemed to be bumbling about like a fool, the next he was staring at something or someone with an unusually blank, intense gaze. It was eery.

Kriger got the feeling that the Arliss they knew was fake, that they had only seen brief glimpses of who he really was. That thought was unnerving. The way Arliss waved a hand in front of his face took him out of his thoughts; Kriger stepped back startled, his hand shot to the blade at his side.

"Did you sleep well Sir.Kriger?" Arliss asked innocently.

It took a moment for the nord to register what happened. "Uh, yeah." He quickly released his grip from his weapon hoping he hadn't noticed that he was just about to cleave his head off. "You? Wanna go sit down?"

Arliss nodded, and the two moved to sit by the dying flame. "Would that there were more kindling..." Arliss muttered. Kriger grunted something that sounded like agreement, as Arliss kept talking. "The inn is empty. Seems the bard is gone as well."

Kriger was silent awhile as the mage rambled on about nothing in particular, after a time he spoke. "You sure seem to like to say the obvious."

For a moment he paused, and the smile he had faltered. "My Master once told me she liked the sound of my voice." Kriger raised a brow at that. "Twas long ago, most like she remembers not."

"I've been wondering about this for awhile." Kriger shifted forward in his seat. "What's your relationship with the Arisen? What does it all mean; to be an Arisen, or a pawn? Why do you call her master?"

Arliss thought for a bit, finally he spoke. "As a pawn I am duty bound to the Arisen."

"A duty? Why?"

"We share a bond. A unique, and special bond. Like as not, you cannot understand."

Kriger was irritated by his vague answers, but tried not to let it show. He knew being short with the self proclaimed 'pawn' wouldn't get him anywhere. He let out something akin to a hum, but before he could press for more information the door opened.

A chilly wind blew in from outside snuffing out the last remnants of the flame, and leaving only burnt embers in it's place. In walked a tall wood elf, with silver hair pulled tightly in a high ponytail. He wore a light armor with a green hood that draped upon his shoulders, and on his back was a bow and quiver full of arrows. Kriger also eyed a small dagger at his side. For a moment the bosmer's dark eyes lingered curiously on the two strangers, but he briskly walked past them.

Arliss eyed the strange creature, then turned to his nordic companion. "Is that a thalmor?" He asked almost innocently, but definitely unsubtly.

The elf turned and shot a nasty glare at the two, Delphine seemed almost amused, and Kriger resisted the urge to smack his oblivious companion. "No, he's a wood elf. They're called Bosmer." Kriger explained exasperatedly. The offended elf let out an annoyed huff and went up to the counter; he had more important things to deal with today.

"Mornin' Faendal," Greeted Delphine. "You going out hunting again today?"

"Good morning Delphine." Faendal spoke curtly, but politely. "That's right. I shot at a rather large bear the other day, but it managed to get away. I would've normally gone right after it, but it was late. I've prepared myself well, and I'm going to track it down." He lowered his voice to a mumble as his cheeks flushed. "Perhaps Camilla will be impressed by it's pelt."

"A bear?" Arliss turned to his nord companion. "Sir.Kriger could that be—"

"Quiet," Kriger hissed.

But Faendal had heard, and his interest was piqued. His long, pointed ears twitched, and his dark, piercing eyes focused on Arliss. "Have you seen it?"

Kriger spoke up before Arliss could. "We saw some tracks earlier that looked like they belonged to a bear. We were thinking of hunting it down ourselves."

Faendal let out an amused huff. "Sorry to inform you, but that bear is mine." He cracked a smile. "And just so you know, you're looking at the best marksman in Riverwood." He then turned to Delphine and ordered a light breakfast which he ate quickly.

"Why did you not tell him that we killed the bear?" Arliss asked once the elf had left. "Why did you lie?"

Kriger snorted. "What? Does your 'Master' never lie?"

Arliss said nothing; letting the furrow of his brow, and tight lips speak for him. The two sat in contempt silence.

It wasn't long before others began to pour into the inn for business, a morning drink, or even just the company of others. The mood felt lighter with a newly lit fire and lively townsfolk chatting away, but Kriger could do without the suspicious stares and curious looks people gave them. He couldn't fault them in these times, but it didn't make it any easier. It didn't help that Arliss drew a lot of attention. The odd mage still wore the same bright crimson, obviously foreign robes as before and anyone could tell just by looking that he was really out of place. He didn't doubt that the strangers would likely draw a lot of attention from bandits and thieves as well.

Kriger sighed irritably. He had woken early in the hopes that he might be able to catch the two strangers talking; unfortunately the arisen wasn't an early riser, and he regretted his lost hour of sleep. Another patron walked in and he glimpsed out the door, based on the light he guessed that they were in the mid 7th hour of the morning. He sighed again hoping that Silva would wake soon, or that Ralof would arrive quickly; luckily he got his wish.

"Hey! Kriger, Arliss! I'm glad to see you up!"

While Kriger was glad for his arrival; Ralof's greeting was like a war horn going off. A grumpy drunk Embry woke with a start. He muttered something about not being able to sleep and headed for the door; along the way he casually swiped a bottle of mead from a table. Delphine was too busy dealing with other customers to notice, so Kriger decided to step in.

He quickly snatched the bottle from the drunk's hands. "Hold on, I don't think you payed for that."

Embry irritably shot back. "That's between me, and Delphine! What's it to you anyway swash-buckler?"

'Swash-buckler?' Kriger scowled at the title. "She did me a good deed earlier. I'm just returning the favor, Milk Drinker."

"I don't have to take that from you!" Cried Embry as he took a swing at him; and that's how a brawl started.

It wasn't much of a fight. Embry was weaker than Kriger, and in no condition to fight. He was groggy, and drunk, and it showed. While Kriger wasn't the most swift footed man he practically danced around Embry as he staggered drunkenly. The drunk's blows were sluggish, and easy to avoid; for the most part. Embry finally managed a lucky hit to the gut that knocked the wind out of him, and followed up with a jab to his face. Kriger wiped the side of his mouth and seeing a bit of blood he smirked; resolving to return the favor. Now the two were really exchanging blows; after a bit of back and forth Kriger aimed a good hard uppercut to his jaw and knocked the drunk to the ground in a heap.

Ralof put an arm around him. "Nice work! I had you figured for a brawler. You fight really well, you wouldn't happen to have been in the fighters guild back in Cyrodil were you?" He laughed. "If you were I wouldn't be surprised." He then handed him a small bit of gold, before Kriger could say a word Ralof beat him to it. "I made a bit of coin thanks to you."

Kriger smirked at the small pouch in his hand. "I'm surprised you even had time to make wagers."

Ralof shrugged. "Well it's a small peaceful town; people here don't get to see much action. With not much going on they're quick to a good show." He then grabbed a certain brown haired mage, pulling him into their conversation. "And speaking of not seeing much action; Arliss here nearly jumped into the fray. He pulled out his staff and was about to swing away, lucky thing I managed to stop him."

"Lucky indeed." Said Kriger. "Nords are warriors who like a good drink, and respect a good fight. Fair fist fights are seen as honorable ways to settle disputes without bloodshed. The rules are simple; no weapons, no magics, and you keep it strictly between two people." He looked hard at the mage. "Had you gotten involved it wouldn't have been a mere brawl anymore. We could've been charged with assault, and had a bounty put on our heads. You almost got us into a lot of trouble mage."

Arliss lowered his head. "Forgive me. I wasn't aware that such behavior was considered 'normal' among your people. I knew not of the trouble that would have been caused had I intervened."

"Don't worry about it," Said Ralof as he put a hand on his head and shook it; turning his head into a spiky mess in the process. "Just don't make that mistake again."

"Yes. It won't happen again," Said Arliss while smoothing his hair back to its usual look.

Kriger glanced around the room. Many of the patrons were eyeing them, and it made him uncomfortable. A few looked like they were planning to start something. Ralof was right; these people really were itching for a fight. "I think I've had enough of this place," He said to his companions. "Let's just grab Silva and go. We'll drag her out of there if we need to."

Arliss was reluctant to force her to do anything, but the two nords had no problem banging her door. Unfortunately this noise was the perfect excuse to attempt to start another brawl. "Hey, why don't you tone down that racket!" A large, dirt covered man yelled; fists raised.

Kriger scoffed. "I don't see none of you trying to sleep," He growled. "Just mind your own business!"

The man swung at Kriger, but Ralof caught his fist. "Hold on! We'll be out of here as soon as our companion wakes up. There's no need to fight."

Another man yelled at Ralof. "You're one to talk after taking my hard earned coin!"

Kriger turned to Ralof. "He's got a point."

"Ah, Master you're up!" Arliss' voice couldn't have come at a more perfect time, and Ralof made sure to take advantage of it.

"Well, there's our friend now; we'll best be going." He spoke and moved away quickly. The man weakly attempted to stop him, but Ralof was too quick. With an annoyed grunt he left to order a drink. "So you're finally awake!" Said Ralof to the Arisen with a wide grin.

Kriger walked over somewhat irritably. "What took you so long?" He nearly stopped when he noticed how pale she was. He noted that the smile she wore seemed full of relief. She politely apologized for her lateness, and Ralof jokingly made a pointed comment on Kriger's impatience which he defended.

Ralof only saw her smile; not noticing her ashen appearance, or registering her relief. "You seem to be in a good mood. Did you have a nice dream?" He wasn't the most observant man, but even he saw how her smile faltered at his innocent question. He apologized once she answered, but Kriger was curious.

"What kind of dream was it?" Something told him that her answer might be very telling. He watched the two strangers carefully, intent on not missing even the smallest detail. The slightest movement or change in facial expression could reveal something; and he was heavily invested in unraveling their secrets.

"I was trapped in a rather dreary place, and could not escape," She began. "I tried to escape, and reach out to someone, but twas in vain. I could not be seen, nor heard. I was as a ghost." She paused. "No, I was even less than a ghost. I did not exist at all."

Kriger watched as the color drained from her already pallid skin, and her face twisted in the pain of the memory. Her hazel eyes threatened to tear up as she fearfully gazed into nothing. Her voice dropped to a low shaky whisper. Her arms wrapped about herself protectively. She was trembling. She was terrified. He wondered if a mere dream could really garner such an intense reaction. Usually once you wake all fear you may have had vanishes, but for her it lingered. She was completely shaken.

His eyes moved to Arliss. The pawn wore a sorrowful expression with eyes full of concern. He didn't really understand the depth of their bond beyond knowing that the two were close, but even so he could see that there was an understanding between them. He didn't know what it was, but he knew it when he saw the depths of their emotions; there was something here far deeper than that of a mere dream. 'Was the dream symbolic of something the two experienced in their past?' He wondered. Memories of the sky, the light, and the dragon flashed in his mind. A strange feeling came over him then; a feeling that there were things that he couldn't even fathom, and this might just be one of them.

The mid-day forest was calm, and peaceful until an arrow whizzed through the leaves. It embedded itself into the neck of it's prey; a large male deer gave out a pained cry before it fell dead. Silvana stepped out of the brush towards the poor creature, and quickly got to work. She tried not to think about distressing things like the bloody work she was doing, or the awful dream she had last night. Instead she allowed her mind to wander back to the breakfast they had with their nordic friends that morning.

The meal was simple, but pleasant. Their food consisted of lightly salted eggs, bread, cheese, mead of course, and most importantly; good company. Sure Ralof's family could be a bit much, but they meant well and were lively people. Their lighthearted chatter lifted her spirits, and their generosity was a most welcome boon. However it wasn't the food or jovial prattle that her mind dwelled on, but the more serious topics that came up that morning.

"I've been thinking," began Gerdur as she set down her fork. The others looked on curiously, their once bright faces sombered as the mood shifted. "about that dragon." A heavy weight fell over the table; they all knew how grave the danger was. "I don't mean to push this on you; new as some of you are to this land, but I need to ask a favor of you."

"What do you need?" Asked Kriger.

"I'd like to ask that you warn the Jarl in Whiterun about what you saw." She said. "He needs to know about this; Riverwood is defenseless."

"Of course, we'll let him know." Said Ralof. "I couldn't sleep at night if I left you without aid; especially not after seeing what happened to Helgen."

Silva swallowed a lump in her throat. She didn't dare say it, but she didn't trust that would do a thing. She knew Helgen only a short while, but it left a strong impression on her. Twas once an imposing city, large and proud; it's heavily fortified walls likely were thought to hold against any enemy, but they were wrong. She had seen with her own eyes how the towers toppled, and the thick stone walls crumbled. She had seen how the multitude of soldiers fell to the beast; burnt to ash. Compared to Helgen; Riverwood would be an easy target. It wouldn't hold a quarter of the amount of soldiers that Helgen had, nor would it's simple wooden entrances offer any protection. It would take years to fortify it to the same extent as Helgen, but even that wouldn't be enough if a dragon chose to destroy it. She had seen the destructive power that a dragon could bring, and it wasn't the first time. Memories of Grigori's attack on Cassardis came flooding back to her.

Back then she was just a poor fisher girl, but she lived happily in their close knit village. When the Wyrm appeared no one was ready; twas utter chaos. People ran to and fro, others froze in fear, and the soldiers proved themselves to be just as craven as the rest. His fiery breath turned to ash those she knew before her very eyes. The mere beat of his massive wings wrought destruction. She stood no chance against the beast, but she picked up sword and rushed forward. Twas a fools choice, and while it proved to be the village's merit twas also her own undoing. The village was spared because he had found what he was looking for. With a flick of his wrist he sent her flying. She skidded painfully against the coarse, rough sand. The dragon moved slowly towards her with renewed purpose. His eyes once blank and full of madness, now focused his slitted pupils intently on her. She saw in their red glow a terrifying intelligence. He uttered words in a language she couldn't understand, but were no doubt full of meaning. Slowly he moved his clawed hand over her and almost gently he stabbed her, tore out her still beating heart, and ate it. She should have died then, but she was cursed to another fate. She was Arisen.

"Slow down, friend. I heard something you should beware of." Kriger's voice pulled her out of her memories and she turned to see what the stoic nord was saying. "I asked the innkeep about rumors earlier, word got out about Helgen." The news made everyone stop. Gerdur dropped her fork, and even Frodnar stilled when he realized how heavy the air was. "I don't know how much they know, or who could've told them, but they know Ulfric escaped. I'm guessing that 'someone' stopped by last night." No one had to say it; they all knew that whoever it was had to have been from Helgen.

Ralof let out a sigh. "Thank the gods he made it out. Can't say the same about how quick word travels though."

"We should assume others made it out as well; both friend, and foe alike." Said Arliss.

Ralof paused lost in thought. His mind no doubt wondering how many of his comrades escaped, and the safety of those he was close to. The number of imperials who escaped was another thing to consider; one in particular weighed heavily on his mind.

Silva put a hand on his. "You aught be cautious. I know not the full extent of this war, but you're a friend. I'd hate to lose anymore."

Ralof gave her a warm smile. "Thanks lass. That's good to hear. You don't need to worry about me; I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

"We aught gather supplies afore we head out," said Arliss abruptly. "We know not the lay of the land, nor what dangers await us," He paused. "Should we part ways we should be well prepared for any situation."

Ralof nodded. "That would be best."

"Maybe you should travel in another set of armor if you're traveling alone or in a small group," suggested Hod. "Balgruuf hasn't chosen a side yet, but that don't make it safe."

"What are you saying?!" Ralof slammed his hands on the table. "I'm proud to wear my Stormcloak armor! I'm not going to cower from any imperials!"

"Don't be foolish," Said the Arisen. "Tis not a matter of pride, tis survival, and I'll not hear aught of your recklessness."

Ralof was about to retort, but Kriger stopped him. "They might have a point. Remember that ambush?" The rebel paused recalling the hopeless battle that led to their capture and nearly gotten them killed. "It can happen again if you're not careful."

Ralof sighed defeated. "Alright, I get it. I'll wear another set of armor while I travel. Happy?" He sighed again. "Too bad the only blacksmith here is Alvor."

"Alvor?" Asked Silva; wondering what was wrong with him.

"He's the blacksmith in Riverwood," Answered Hod in between forkfuls of egg. "His family are good folk, but they're supporters of the empire."

Gerdur caught sight of her guests faces and laughed. "You don't have to worry about them," She said. "We get along well enough even if we don't agree about the war."

"Even so, I'm not looking forward to asking for armor from him," Said Ralof.

Kriger eyed the others deep in thought awhile afore speaking. "You reckon he'll let a stranger use his forge?" He asked.

"Don't see why not," Said Hod. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm no legendary smith, but I know a thing or two about working a forge," Said Kriger. "Maybe I can convince him to let me help out a bit. I could get paid, and use the forge to make some things we might need."

Ralof's eyes lit up. "Like a new set of armor?"

"Yeah, nothing too fancy though," He said; trying to curb his enthusiasm. "I can also make travel packs with the pelts from the wolves and bear we killed." He then turned to the Arisen. "You mentioned that you hunted plenty of dangerous beasts before right?" She nodded. "Good." He smiled; his icy blue eyes glinting. "This shouldn't be too hard for you then."

That was how she came to be here. Kriger had asked that she collect the pelts of deer in the nearby woods so he could use them to make tents for them. Gerdur added that the venison would also be good to cook with or sell, and that the antlers were oft used as alchemy ingredients. She looked down at the bloody carcass before her; she wasn't new to skinning and harvesting, but she would have preferred if it wasn't such a peaceful creature she had to hunt. 'How many more will I need?' She wondered somewhat somberly.

The quiet sound of the crunch of leaves hit her ears, and in one swift motion she readied her bow. Twigs and leaves swayed heavily; warning that something was approaching. Silva loosened the grip on her arrow when a black boot stepped out of the brush followed by a streak of red. She managed to adjust her aim at the last moment, missing the man before her by a hair. "Tis only me, Master." Said the red clad mage.

The Arisen lowered her weapon with a sigh "Arliss, I nearly shot you." She said exasperated.

He gave her a downcast expression. "Forgive me Master, I only wished to inform you that I acquired another pelt."

"Good work." She smiled. "We are nearly done. Mayhaps two or three more will suffice."

Arliss smiled back. "We are making good pace."

Silva agreed, then silently gazed at the forest about them. She had to admit; while the foreign land of Skyrim was cold, and harsh it was also beautiful. The frosty blades of grass sparkled in the sunlight that shone through the trees, and all about them the green foliage was sprinkled with fluffy, white snow. Beyond the woods lay a river flowing with clear water, and grand mountain ranges overlooking the vast land. She stood there admiring the splendor of it all; for a moment it almost felt like she was back to hunting rabbits in the outskirts of Cassardis. Skyrim was as winter, and if she tried hard enough the the river's running water sounded almost similar to lapping waves on the shore.

"Arisen?" Arliss' voice brought her back to the present, and she turned to him. "Should we not continue the hunt?"

She looked back at the foreign land once more. It no longer held a hint of familiarity. No matter how much she wished it this land was not Gransys. "You're right." Her voice was almost a whisper; her words meant more for herself. This was no time for reverie. "Let's go."

The two continued deeper into the cold, yet lush woodlands. Neither spoke as they walked; only the sounds of the forest could be heard. This didn't bother her until she realised that they hadn't gotten a chance to really talk about their plans yet, at least not privately. Last night she had retired early, and this morning they had only briefly gone over their inventory together afore joining the others.

That morning they had counted what they managed to collect on their way to Riverwood as well as what they were given by Ralof's family. They also had a small amount of supplies from Gransys. Silva had been surprised that they could still be used after all those years, but figured that it was because like her they had been untouched by time; in that place. She got chills recalling her prison and quickly pushed it to the back of her mind. As they counted inventory she found that an item was missing. Arliss informed her then of a strange phenomenon.

He had taken the book given him by Sir.Kriger, opened it, and as he lay his eyes upon the words something strange happened. At once he was hit with information, new knowledge seeped into his mind, and suddenly he knew it. The book was destroyed in the process, but he had learned the spell contained within the tome. When they were outside he demonstrated his new power enthusiastically. Much to her chagrin they received a complaint from an elderly woman about magic; she apologized on his behalf and they quickly left on their way.

That had been the extent of what was spoken between them, and there was much that she felt still needed to be said. She knew that she'd have to make some serious decisions soon.

Loath as she was to part with her new friends she knew that it was only a matter of time before they might have to. As much as she enjoyed the companionship; sticking with Ralof would mean joining the Stormcloaks, and after what happened the first time she wasn't so eager to get involved in the war.

As for Sir.Kriger she wasn't entirely sure what to think. There was a possibility that he'd join Ralof, or go off on his own; she might join him depending on his plans, but in truth she was uncomfortable around him. She knew it to be a foolish thought, but he seemed perceptive; too perceptive for her liking. The longer they stuck together the greater the chance was that the truth could come out; that was something she couldn't afford to risk. She knew then that they should part ways soon, but the timing was yet to be decided. Her mind turned to their destination. She was told that the city was large and a central location; surely they could find work there. "Whiterun," Without realizing it she mumbled to herself.

"Hm?" Arliss stopped in his tracks; halting the both of them and turned to her curiously. "Did you say something, Arisen?"

She hadn't intended for him to hear her, but was grateful for his attentiveness. "I was thinking," She began. "We'll most like part ways with our nordic friends in Whiterun."

Arliss blinked; for a moment he was quiet, but he quickly replied. "Yes, Arisen." His delayed response was a result of the unexpected decision; he pondered it, but didn't ask; he did not care enough to. 'She must have her reasons for it.' He surmised; that was enough for him. She had always made all the important decisions, and he never questioned her orders; that was the way it was, the way it was always to be; he didn't intend to change it. 'Why should I? Tis' not of any import to me, and I feel neither bond or kinship with them.' He cared not for their traveling companions, but his thoughts turned to his Arisen.

Arliss was a pawn; pawns were without wills of their own, and lived a hollow existence. They cared for nothing, and no one, not even themselves. The only outlier was the existence of Arisen; humans with exceptionally strong wills, chosen by and bound to a great dragon. By some strange turn of fate these will-less beings known as pawns were drawn like moths to a flame to the strong willed Arisen, and a unique bond of unyielding fealty was formed. Beyond this strange occurrence pawns held no kin-ship with anyone, and they felt no need for it; however the Arisen was a human.

Within the Seneschal's chamber Arliss had seen with his own eyes how humans needed each other. Deprived of human interaction his Arisen broke down many times in anguish; lamenting what was lost. As a pawn he couldn't fathom it; not truly, but he offered what little consolation he could. She was ever grateful and clung tightly to her last remaining bond, but he was not human; he could not truly understand her, and she sometimes lashed out because of this. He did not fault her for it. Why should he? He took no offence, and she always apologized besides. Afterwords she would pull herself together; or at least try to, but no matter how desperately or how tightly she clung to her sanity it always seemed to slip through her fingers, shattering into a thousand pieces never again to be the same. She was a weak, cracked, empty shell destined to be shattered again and again, before being haphazardly thrown together like mosaic glass waiting for the cycle to repeat.

Arliss had neither need or desire for the companionship of their so called 'friends', but could the same be said for her? Arliss stopped still in his tracks, causing her to do the same. "Arisen," His voice rang clear before he even realised he had opened his mouth to speak. Ne'er had he ever dared to question her judgement, but this time for her sake he felt he had to ask, "Will that truly be alright?" He turned around to face her; the look on her face told that she was just as surprised as he at the words that had just come from his mouth. "Will you truly be alright?"

Silva's breath caught in her throat. She knew not if she was more surprised by the question or the worry in his eyes, but she knew the cause; memories of 'that place' plagued her mind. Suddenly her heart began to race, her legs felt wobbly, and her body began to tremble. Though she was free she was in shatters, and the witness stood before her. He had seen her fall apart over and over, and was worried it would happen again. Under his gaze she felt naked, shameful, and weak; she found she could not bear to meet his eyes. "Er, yes? That would be...fine." She did not believe her own words, and didn't doubt he wouldn't either. Her only consolation was that as her pawn he'd find no fault with her, but that thought did little to calm her. Despite not looking at him she could still feel his lingering gaze upon her; it was heavy, so heavy she didn't think she could take it, and so she snapped. "Yes, I'll be fine!" She didn't completely believe her own words, but the edge to her voice hid it well. She fixed him with a glare, and her voice took on a dark tone. "Don't question my judgement."

Arliss was appalled. "Forgive me, I was only worried for your sake."

Silva felt guilty for her harshness; she knew he only acted with her best interests in mind. Knowing she was in the wrong she softened. "I know, I'm sorry." She put her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for worrying about me, but I'm fine." She gave him a reassuring smile, but it was weak one. "All I need is you. So long as you remain by my side I'll be alright." It was a bold faced lie, they both knew it; even still they clung to those words as truth.

"Of course, this pawn would be lost without you as well." His words were more honest than hers, but his own faltering smile hid just as much.

The two quickly put the conversation behind them; unacknowledged, but not forgotten. As quickly and easily as they were brushed aside the questions lingered still in the depths of their minds. The Arisen's fragile sanity and need for companionship felt like a shameful weakness to her. Arliss' worry over her stung like brontide, and her previous breakdowns only reinforced her feelings of worthlessness. In the hopes of gaining back any dignity she put on the strongest front she could in the hopes that her weakness might disappear. Arliss followed her lead quietly; lightly running his fingers over the scar on his hand while his mind wandered.

As the midday sun bared upon the land Kriger had already grown used to the constant sound of clanking metal, and the heat of the forge. Beads of sweat dripped from his face onto the red hot bar he was working on, sizzling as they evaporated. His arms ached as he hammered away; shaping the softened metal into a weapon. Clang after clang resounded over and over with each strike, until it began to take the form he desired. Feeling it was ready he quickly submerged it into water as giant bouts of steam pricked his blistering skin. As he pulled out the newly formed blade he couldn't help but admire his handy-work. It was still a work in progress, but he could tell this one would win many a battle in the future. After a bit of grinding and sharpening he ran his finger along the edge and grinned. It was the finest blade he's ever made, and he was proud of a job well done. "How much for this one?" He asked as he handed it to a man tanning leather.

Alvor whistled at the sight. "I'm impressed!" He ran his finger along the blade. "At the rate you're improving... you wouldn't happen to be considering doing this full time would you?"

"Well, I admit it's tempting..." Kriger shook his head. "But I like adventure, and the rush of battle too much to give it up for good."

Alvor let out a slightly amused hum. "I can respect that."

The two then quickly got to bartering; there was a bit of back and forth before they came to a trade they were both happy with. Kriger was glad he had taken so many extra weapons from Helgen; while the extra weight was nothing to sneeze at they had proved invaluable in helping him procure materials he needed. He looked down at the pile he accumulated pridefully, he felt he was making great pace. A good portion of the things he set out to make that morning were ready; he had quickly turned the wolf pelts into makeshift backpacks, and after procuring some linen and goat fur from Alvor he had successfully been able to make hooded cloaks and bedrolls. Unfortunately he still had yet to make the armor or the tents. 'Hope the strangers get here soon with those pelts...' No sooner than he had those thoughts did he hear her voice.

"How's the day find you?" Silva wore a smug smile as she held out a small bundle of freshly cut deer pelts towards him. "I trust this will suffice?"

Kriger was about to retort when Arliss came from behind her and practically threw the pelts he was carrying at him. "We've done it!" He cried enthusiastically.

"Hey, Watch it!" Kriger scolded. "What were you going to do if those landed in the fire?" Arliss hurriedly apologized, but Kriger stopped him. "Nevermind, that. Forget about it." He picked up a couple of the backpacks and handed it to each of them. "Here, these are for you. They should help you carry more stuff." Arliss happily thanked him, and put his on immediately.

Silva ran her hand over the black fur. "This was from that wolf pack yesterday." She couldn't hide the awe in her voice as she admired the craftsmanship. "You did this?"

"Yeah, don't see why you're so surprised." Kriger scratched the back of his head somewhat sheepishly. "It's just a makeshift bag, nothing special."

"No, you're too modest Sir." She gave him a kind smile as she slung her new pack over her shoulder. "Tis well made. I see you're a man of many skills."

Kriger didn't respond, instead opting to let his eyes linger on her. Whatever thoughts he had, his face didn't betray him; this made Silva nervous. She felt her face flush and was grateful for the cold. After a long drawn moment Kriger shook his head, and let out a sigh. She wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or not, but before she could excuse herself he tossed more gear her way.

"This is for you too." He said as he gave the two another item.

Silva looked down at the dark cloth in her hands, she realized it was a hooded cloak. "Thank you. Tis well made, but you did not have to go this far."

"Don't mention it. I figured those skimpy scarves of yours don't offer much protection from the cold."

Silva wanted to retort, but held her tongue. It would be rude after he went to such trouble to make them, so she offered a simple thanks instead.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" Alvor's voice nearly made them jump; in the midst of their conversation they forgot he was even there.

"Forgive me Sir," Silva spoke up quickly. "I did not see you. My name is Silvana." She curtsied as she introduced herself, then she gestured to the mage next to her. "This is Arliss." As she said his name he did a light bow, and raised his scarred hand in greeting, but his palm remained closed.

Alvor laughed. "Don't usually meet such polite folks these days." He smiled at them, but the smile he gave didn't quite reach his eyes. The gaze he levied on them seemed to be studying them. It lingered first on her face, then rolled down her armor, before stopping an uncomfortably long time on the daggers at her hips. "You have an unusual accent, and I can't help but notice your armor, and weapons. Never seen anything like it. Where are you from?"

She was taken back by the questions, and the suspicious gleam in his eyes. She inwardly cursed her luck, it seemed everyone in this land was curious, suspicious, extremely observant, or all of the above. It became incredibly apparent to her then that she really did stick out like a sore thumb. 'I really aught try to blend in more.' She thought bitterly. Her eyes darted to Kriger's, but she quickly realized that he wasn't going to step in. "We hail from Gransys." She opted for honesty, but she caught a look in Kriger's eye that she guessed was something akin to worry or possibly disappointment. 'If you were that worried about my answer you should have said aught.'

She hadn't realized it yet, but her answer lit a spark in Alvor. "Gransys, eh? You wouldn't happened to have come through Helgen have you?" If the last question had taken her by surprise, this one nearly made her heart stop.

"Er? What? N-No, I have not," She stammered.

It was then that they were interrupted by Kriger's voice.

"Shor's Bones! I nearly forgot!" He quickly grabbed another set of gear, and tossed it to Silva, and Arliss. "I need you to take these to our friend at the mill. I'd do it myself, but I've still got a lot to do here."

Relief washed over her, and she quickly excused herself. Alvor called out to her once more. "If you ever need to talk weapons and armor, feel free to stop by! I promise to give you a good deal!"

As she was leaving she passed a woman who stopped her cold in her tracks. The woman's gaze was hard as her eyes slid up and down; analyzing her. After a moment she spoke. "You're pretty, I'll give you that," The woman stepped closer, leaning in until her lips were but a few inches from Silva's ear, and her voice dropping dangerously low. "But, stay away from my husband Alvor." Silva felt a chill run down her spine as the words spoken so venomously brushed against her neck. The woman gave Silva one last dark look before moving on past her. As she watched the woman leave she had half a mind to say that she had no interest in her husband, but ultimately decided against it.

"What was that about?" Asked Arliss.

"Naught of import," Said Silva; she wouldn't say it, but she was grateful that it was nothing more than unfounded jealousy that drew the woman's ire. With all that had happened her mind leapt to the worst possible outcomes when she was confronted. The possibilities of being seen as a criminal for having helped the rebels and escaping Helgen, or worse if her identity were to somehow be revealed and the dragon's return blamed on her...; next to that a petty squabble over a man was the least of her concerns. "Let's just get these to Ralof."

"Yes, Master," Said Arliss, they had not walked long before he spoke again. "Arisen?"

"What is it?"

He hesitated a moment, his eyes looked about cautiously scanning for anyone who might be listening before speaking again in a quiet tone. "When we were by the forge, I saw blood."

This revelation made her breath catch in her chest, and she turned on her heel. Her hazel eyes met his head on in apprehension; when next she spoke it was as a whisper. "Are you certain?"

Arliss' face was austere, his eyes and voice unwavering, he nodded. "Yes."

"Where?"

"By the door; it appeared to have been freshly dried."

At first Silva wanted to think that the blood could have been from some game that had been recently killed, but recalling Kriger's words led her to think of another theory. Word of what happened at Helgen had already spread, someone else had to have escaped in order to spread them, Alvor and his family were supporters of the Empire, and now there was freshly dried blood on his doorstep. The pieces seemed to weave so perfectly together; she felt she could see the tapestry form. Others had indeed escaped Helgen; Imperials had followed them into Riverwood, some had likely passed through the inn as they slept, while others could have paid the blacksmith's family a visit knowing they'd have their support. She recalled the gleam that appeared in Alvor's eye as she mentioned Gransys and the question that followed with a shiver. He had to have already heard of them, he surely knew that they had escaped Helgen.

"Arisen, are you alright?" Arliss asked somewhat worried. She had neither moved or said a word for an uncomfortably long time, and her face seemed to grow darker by the moment. He waved a hand in front of her face just as she came to.

"We aught to speak with Sir.Ralof right away!" She ordered. Arliss answered an affirmative, and the two set off at once.

Chapter 10: Before the Storm End

Author's Notes; I'm back! Sorry for the long wait...again. I really do write at a snails pace don't I? Sorry about that... At least this time the chapter is a lot longer. This chapter is the longest at around 8k words! I originally wanted this chapter to end only after they depart for Whiterun, but it was getting long, and I figured I probably shouldn't keep you waiting forever. ; - ;

I also did a bunch of editing on all the previous chapters. For the most part it's me trying to improve the spag, and slight improvements to sentence structure, and dialogue, etc. Feel free to give concrit I'll likely end up editing the old chapters again at some point and will be very thankful for the help.

I also changed a few chapter titles. Chapter one which was originally "Arisen in Skyrim" is now "Rebirth", Chapter three's title was shortened, Chapter four went from Unbound (part one) to "Harbinger of Destruction", and Chapter five is still Unbound but without the (part two).

I'm not sure if I addressed this yet, but I'm writing Skyrim to be a bit larger than what we see in the vanilla game. The inns have more room than we usually see, and the cities have more people and are large enough to hold them. I'm also adding things from mods that make sense to me. Don't get me wrong I'm pretty sure I won't be adding things like Jutsu (from a naruto mod XD), but there are some things that I think fit well. One example is the backpacks and tents that Kriger is making. It makes sense for the characters to set up camp and rest, and to actually have something to hold their things. Faendal's green cloaked light armor is another one that once I saw him walking around in I just thought it was so cool, and fit him so perfectly that it feels wrong if he's not wearing it. That includes characters too, there's one modded follower in particular that I'm planning on adding, and a few others that I'm considering.

Thanks for reading; I hope you enjoyed! Special Thanks to all the people who commented both here and over on ao3!

Thank you; Wildebunny the Eternal, RavenNox, Primrose 14, Chasing After Time, all the guests who've shown interest, and especially to annjames who's given a lot of encouragement! I'm very grateful to all of you!

And a shout out for the people who've commented over on Ao3!

Thank you; Ironheart98, Yotsubadancesintherain5, BleepBloopBotz, planet_p, sweetspire, and especially the MVP Osaka_no_Kotatsu. From the bottom of my heart; you're all awesome!