As they entered the city, they took a moment to survey their surroundings. To their right was a blacksmith, trapped in a conversation with a man donning Imperial armor, and she did a poor job of hiding her disinterest in the conversation. To their left was a path that led to what seemed to be the residential section of the city, and straight ahead was a bustling market square.

Deciding to walk past the debacle to their right, they passed through the market, not stopping to consider any of the stand owners vying for their attention.

They traveled higher up into the city, coming to a massive tree, round benches placed around it's trunk. Shai'ira's stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn't eaten since before Helgen. She signaled to Torval for the two to use one of the benches, and the duo took the opportunity to rest. Torval placed the bag he'd been carrying between himself and Shai'ira and opened it, retrieving its contents. He broke off a piece of the loaf of bread, handing it to Shai'ira, who used a knife to cut the bread in half. Torval also produced the wheel of cheese, and a slab of cooked meat. After Shai'ira took several moments to cut the pieces of cheese and meat into appropriately sandwich sized slices, Torval stuffed the excess back into their bag.

Shai'ira took the opportunity to drink in the sights, sounds, and smells of the city as she ate. A preacher extolling the virtues of Talos, the smell of baked bread wafting through the air, the cries of merchants trying to garner attention for their wares, the sound of hammers striking anvils. She was glad they took this opportunity to rest, the sounds of life having reinvigorated her spirit, her fatigue evaporating.

Their respite over, Shai'ira reluctantly stood, stretching her body as far as it would go with a satisfied groan. Torval appraised her approvingly, "You look refreshed."

"I feel refreshed." She replied. The two then proceeded to Dragons Reach without further interruption.

They reached the highest district of Whiterun, Cloud district, and Shai'ira marveled at the sight before her as she walked to the keeps entrance. Torval opened the door as she approached, and shut it behind them. They traversed the stairs, and faced the hall, two long tables that, for the moment, lay empty. Straight in front of them, sitting in his throne, was Jarl Balgruuf. He hadn't seen them however, his attention focused squarely on a man in front of him. But they had been noticed by a Dark elf woman, who'd begun approaching them, staring them down as she did so. Once she came within earshot, she drew her sword. "What is the meaning of your intrusion?" She demanded. "The Jarl isn't receiving visitors."

Torval spoke up. "We were sent by Alvor of Riverwood to beseech Jarl Balgruuf for protection, we must speak with him." The woman considered his words, her sword not dropping even so much as an inch, before she spoke.

"Very well, I will allow you to address the Jarl. But if you try anything, you'll live just long enough to regret it." She gestured for the two to proceed, taking up position behind Shai'ira, not sheathing her sword. As Shai'ira and Torval drew closer, Balgruuf finally deigned to notice them, silencing the man speaking to him with a swift swipe of his hand.

"Irileth, I said I wasn't receiving visitors." He said, his eyes narrowing. "State your business?"

Torval approached, and bowed as he addressed the Jarl. "My Jarl, we were sent by Alvor of Riverwood. He requests that you send a detachment of guards to help defend Riverwood from a dragon attack." Jarl Balgruuf crossed his arms. He'd received reports of citizens of his hold spotting a flying beast, but he found their claims almost too outrageous to believe.

"Are you residents of Riverwood?" He asked.

Shai'ira spoke up. "No my lord, we were merchants passing through Helgen when it was destroyed by a dragon."

Balgruuf nodded, and Irileth addressed him. "My Jarl, if the reports we've been receiving are true, we must send soldiers to Riverwood at once. It is in the most immediate danger."

The man Balgruuf had been speaking to when Shai'ira and Torval entered spoke up. Shai'ira took an immediate disliking to him. "The Jarl of Falkreath will take that as an act of war! He'll assume we've joined the stormcloaks and are preparing to attack him. We shouldn't-"

"Enough!" The Jarl roared, silencing him. "I will not leave my people defenseless while a dragon burns my hold, and my people." He turned to face Irileth. "Send a detachment to Riverwood at once." Irileth nodded, and left to carry out her orders. Balgruuf turned his attention back to the two. "The two of you have shown great initiative by seeking me out, and done the people of my hold a great service." He paused, contemplating something, before he regarded the two. "There is… something else the two of you could help me with. Come, we must speak to my court wizard Farengar." He motioned for them to follow him, and they walked a short distance, passing through an archway, spotting a man in hooded blue robes. "Farengar," Balgruuf said, causing the man to look up from the book he'd been reading. "These two should be able to help with your project, go on and fill them in with all the details." As Balgruuf turned to leave, Farengar stood, appraising the duo.

"So the Jarl thinks you can be of help? He must be referring to my… archeological project." Torval waved his hand dismissively.

"Just tell us where we're going and what we're looking for."

"Straight to the point eh? Good. Go to Bleak Falls Barrow, and proceed through the ruins to the main chamber, there you will find a stone tablet. Bring that back to me so I can do my part of the job." Torval huffed and nodded, he and Shai'ira turned to leave.

Their journey to Bleak Falls Barrow was uneventful, and the two arrived at the bridge leading to Riverwood, before turning right and climbing the mountain. They stopped just as Bleak Falls Barrow came into view, in front of them stood a small tower, and they could see figures patrolling the vicinity of the tower. Unable to determine the identity of the individuals (and because Shai'ira refused to cast offensive spells at someone just because they could be a threat) the two cautiously advanced, weapons and spells drawn. The lack of rocks or trees prevented them from approaching steathfully, something Torval despised. Their approach was halted when they were spotted by one of the individuals standing guard outside the tower. The man yelled an alarm, and drew an axe from his belt, charging the pair. He hadn't made it even halfway to them before Shai'ira unleashed a bolt of lightning, striking him in the chest, burning a hole through his torso, killing him instantly. A second and third bandit stepped out of the tower, and as they moved to draw their bows to engage, were also struck by searing bolts of plasma.

Torval appraised the fallen bandits. They were too few to be a credible group of bandits, which led him to believe they were merely sentries for the main camp. The two proceeded to Bleak Falls Barrow, and were halfway up the steps when Shai'ira stuck her arm in front of Torval and placed a finger against her lips, stopping him. "I can hear people talking, at least two, but there could be more." She warned. Torval nodded, and unsheathed his Warhammer. As they reached the apex of the stairs, they could see two bandits to their right, and two more on to the left. Torval rushed to engage the two on the left, and Shai'ira engaged the remaining bandits. Lightning surged from her hands, and she felled the first bandit, but the other had managed to raise her wooden shield just in time to block the bolt that had been aimed at her, leaving a smoldering scorch mark where it impacted. The bandit rushed towards Shai'ira, her shield raised to block any subsequent blasts. Thinking quickly, Shai'ira cast a wall of flame aimed at the bandits legs. The sudden appearance of fire surrounding her feet caused the bandit to panic for a split second, giving shai'ira an opening. She concentrated, focusing the flames in her palms into a ball of fire, before unleashing it, striking the woman in the chest, knocking her to the ground. Shai'ira drew her mace and stood above the downed bandit.

She hesitated for a moment, her hands shaking, and her breath panting. Just as the woman's brown eyes refocused, looking at Shai'ira, the Khajiit raised her mace, and brought it crashing down, burying the weapon in the woman's skull. She tried to pull it out, but the mace stubbornly refused, forcing Shai'ira to wrap her free hand around the mace's handle and pull. She managed to free the weapon, bits of blood and gore still clinging to the metal.

While Shai'ira was preoccupied, Torval had already engaged one of the two bandits. He was armed with a greatsword, and chose to engage Torval rather than wait for his comrade to aid him. He stepped forward, swinging the weapon in a wide arc, but Torval stepped backwards, just out of the weapon's reach and countered, swinging for the man's leg. The man shrieked in pain as his leg broke, knocking him to the ground.

Torval didn't have the time to finish him off however, as the second bandit had arrived, swinging their mace. Torval stepped backwards, while simultaneously "stabbing" with the head of the hammer, striking the bandit in the gut. Torval grabbed the man by the throat, lifted his head, and hammered his skull into the bandit's nose, shattering it. The bandit fell backwards, and Torval brought his hammer down on the man's skull. With the second slain, Torval turned his attention back to the first, who was desperately trying to crawl away with his leg broken. He looked down on the man dismissively, before turning around seeing Shai'ira watching him as she leaned on one of the pillars for support looking ill. He decided to ignore the wounded man, and approached her. He spared a glance at the two bandits she'd killed. "Don't worry girl, you'll get used to this." That must not have been the right thing to say, as her face contorted in disgust.

"I'm not sure I want to." She said weakly.

"Nobody wants to." Torval said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

He gestured to the massive black doors leading into Bleak Falls Barrow, and took the lead, Shai'ira reluctantly following behind him.