A/N: Thanks so much for all your reviews! You make a writer so happy. Many happy returns in your own writing!

Elana did her best to ignore the flames. She stood strong in the middle of the plume, head up and sword lifted as if it could deflect some of the fire.

At least this meant she was close to the beast.

The soldiers had managed to ground the creature using their bows, and Elana's lay somewhere on the ground, likely broken. She hadn't paid attention to where she had dropped it in the rush to draw her blade and attack.

Elana kept herself from thinking on the pull of the fire by remembering the headache that had started shortly before the dragon attack. A good drink of water-

The dragon ceased spitting fire to draw breath and Elana sprung forward instinctively, slashing as the creature's throat. She slid past its snapping jaws and cut at the beast, noting the different techniques the city guards were using.

Her sword slipped between the scales and the dragon's movement twisted the blade around. Elana sprung out from under the dragon and behind a stone.

She mentally cursed as she downed a healing potion. She liked that sword and if being embedded in a dragon damaged it beyond repair she was not going to be happy.

Reluctantly grabbing a simple steel sword some guard had dropped, Elana approached the dragon again.

Cutting at a few scales, she slipped back to where her other sword was stuck. The dragon's movements jostled the greatsword, and Elana gladly shoved the borrowed sword in next to it before scrambling back out. She narrowly missed being snapped up in the dragon's jaws in its final attempt to destroy its attackers.

But the dragon was overwhelmed and it succumbed to its wounds, murmuring something incoherent as it fell.

Everyone stared at the dead dragon for a moment, before a cheer went up. It quickly turned to confused horror, as the dragon began to disintegrate.

Arrows and swords dropped to the ground as the dragon's flesh flaked off and burned in the air.

Then, to everyone's surprise, the golden aura that had been building with the flames began to swirl and converge on Elana, and finally bury itself within her.

No, no, I don't want to die. Forgive me, Master, but I should not have obeyed you! You should have let me sleep! Anything but this-

After ages of thinking, it was nice to sleep once in a while-

The earth was damp and cool in his cave, the place the mortals could never reach-

Flight, glorious flight on his own wings to see what mortals never could and appreciate it in ways the birds didn't know-

A glowing city built for dragons-

His first kill-

His first fire-

His first flight-

His first sight of the world, his mother, with that incomparable look of a mother seeing her child for the first time; and it was the first time he knew love-

His world was nothing but his shell, his egg, but that was enough. He could still imagine what it would be like when he hatched, when he crawled his way out-

FUS-

Many other words of unknown meaning slammed past her, but the one she had read on the wall stuck out to her.

The dragon, Mirmulnir she had learned from the onslaught of memories, had such a wealth of knowledge as to that one little syllable. Elana never knew it could do so much. A pressure began to build inside.

She wondered if his memories would tell her what that last murmur was.

"Dovahkiin, no!"

The word was unfamiliar to her, but seemed like it should be known.

"'Dovahkiin' means 'dragonborn,'little one."

Mirmulnir?

"Who else? Now, I think there is a desire growing in you, is there not? Let it flow, little one. You'll soon discover no more headaches shall plague you when dragons are near."

How did you know that happened?

"A door, once opened, can be passed through both ways. But remember FUS?"

His question made that growing itch a burning taste. Before Elana could process that all this internal discovery had taken only a few seconds, she roared, no, Shouted, "FUS!"

A concussive aura of blue exploded from her lips at the word.

"You," came the awed whisper of a nearby soldier. "You're the Dragonborn!"

"Elana!" All the Companions in the common area of Jorrvaskr sprung to their feet at her entrance. Aela alone approached.

"Sister, you look like hell. What happened? What was that yell?"

"When I went to finish my errand for the Jarl, a dragon attacked. I went to help fight. I'm a Thane now, housecarl and everything. I can buy a house, too. But more importantly-" She paused. "The Dragonborn was revealed. When the dragon was dead, the Dragonborn absorbed its soul. The shout, it was the Greybeards calling the Dragonborn to High Hrothgar."

Farkas was awestruck. "You fought next to the Dragonborn?"

"I didn't know it at the time."

"What's he like?" Elana shot a glare at the man, and he blushed. "Right. Already answered that question. Sorry."

Aela touched the other woman's arm. "What's next for you?"

"A bath." And she slipped away downstairs.

"Elana?"

"What is it, Vilkas? I'm exhausted. I went up against a dragon today; all I want is to rest."

He seemed slightly hurt. "Do you know the Dragonborn's name?"

She winced, as if a painful thought shot through her head. "No, I didn't catch it amidst the excitement and weariness."

"I understand. Take care of yourself now."

Elana merely walked away.

"You are a curious hatchling. Most would boast of their power. Surely it would endear him to you. It would be quite interesting to see what pups he would produce."

"Can't I at least have peace within my own mind?" she cried aloud.

"Not until you learn, little one."

Will you teach me?

"Perhaps."

But there will be peace when I learn.

"Yes. Peace for you. But if I leave before you learn to make me leave, well then you may end up with a far crueler dragon in your mind that you cannot dispel."

So I could get rid of you.

"You naturally push at me even now." Elana smiled. "But you are not strong enough to push me out." She growled. "Such is the way of life. You were not strong enough to best Vilkas when you arrived. Yet now, now you could make him sweat."

Pervert.

The sound of a disembodied dragon laughing inside her head was the strangest thing Elana had ever heard.

Elana had just polished off dinner provided by Tilma, when Skjor caught her eye. Wary, she approached. She felt Mirmulnir stir, but he blissfully kept silent.

"You wanted to see me? Is there a job?"

"Yes, I have something a little different planned this time. But it's not for everyone to hear. Let's meet in the Underforge tonight. We will speak more."

"Where is it?"

His stoic gaze betrayed brief annoyance. "I forget that you've never seen it. It's beneath Skyforge, where Eorland works. The door is hidden, but I will show you the way."

As brief and sudden as the conversation was, it ended decisively with Skjor simply walking away.

Elana turned to see Farkas grinning, though he stifled it when he noticed her glance. Aela had a distinct smirk as well. Vilkas, however, could not be seen.

She growled and stalked outside to practice, drawing her greatsword on the unsuspecting dummies.