Many apologies for the delay in the next chapter. Might've lost inspiration for a bit? Maybe?
Today, I opened up my files and saw I had close to 75 percent of this wrote already, so I just finished it up real quick.
I do believe that it's going in a different direction that I originally planned, but hey- that's okay!
Note: I've got another Skyrim fanfiction in the works- already typing chapter 3 and I just started it last week. So, keep an eye out for that!
Disclaimers: No, don't own Skyrim- but what I would do for a night alone with some of the characters . (yum) I do own Jovita (Tavi) and Larunda (Lara)
As Jovita snaked her way up the mountainside, she fumed.
"That court wizard has guts. The gall to talk to me like that! If only he knew… Oh man, if only. Maybe I can sneak into his room one night… No one would be any the wiser. Doubt anyone would really care either."
Soon, Jovita came to a stop at the fork by Riverwood. She had the money— she had heard them out. There was no need to even do what they asked of her.
So why was she drawn to the old place? It was like it was calling out to her—mocking her. Narrowing her eyes as she looked towards the top of the mountain, Jovita shook her head emphatically.
"No reason. None at all. Just pass it up, Tavi." The blonde wasn't sure why, but deep down a part of her wanted to follow through with the quest that was given to her. Exhaling deeply, Jovita turned left- deciding to cross the bridge and just forget about the damn stone thing they needed.
"It isn't my problem," she reasoned with herself.
0o0o
Lara watched, frowning as the blonde walked across the bridge. The Companion knew better—she wasn't going to get the tablet. Irritation welled within her, as she knew exactly how much coin her Jarl had given up already.
"I'll be damned if he wasted it on nothing. If she won't get the Dragonstone-" Lara huffed, looking up the mountainside towards Bleak Falls," Then I will!"
With new found confidence—and rising irritation at the blonde—Lara marched past the bridge and began the winding path up the mountain.
0o0o
Jovita stood across the river, watching the brunette closely. "At least she tried to listen to my advice. Barely knew she followed me this time." She watched as Lara made her way up the mountain, disappearing around the second curve.
"It's not my problem. So why do I feel so… drawn to this damned barrow?" Jovita scowled, crossing her arms. With an exasperated sigh, she placed the newly bought bow and arrows on her back, and pocketed the two daggers. Her new outfit—which she had acquired before leaving Whiterun—would have to suffice for now. After crossing the bridge once more, Jovita leisurely followed the trail.
After the first curve, she came across a wolf. "Clean cut. No suffering. Hmm…" She continued, and after a few more bends the dirt path began to turn white as the cold air slowly intensified. Up ahead, Jovita saw a tower, and instantly crouched low. Sneaking closer, she realized that the occupants were already dealt with. Cautiously, Jovita stood back up and continued on her way. Looking towards the path, she saw Lara walking along, her swords at the ready. Curiosity was growing, the longer Jovita followed the brunette; who exactly was she?
As she rounded a mountain, the blonde peered cautiously- taking in the sights around her. The barrow stood tall, her attention continuously drawn to it. That's when she saw the shadow of movement. Squinting, Jovita watched closely as the scene unfolded in front of her.
Lara took on two other bandits; swords clashing with echoes ringing throughout the mountain.
The third, unseen by the brunette, crouching low.
He reached behind him, drew a bow from his quiver- and readied the shot.
Then let it fly.
0o0o
Lara kept a close eye on her surroundings at all times. She had heard stories of mercenaries that were sent here—none ever returned with the Dragonstone. Some didn't return at all.
They were all more trained than her. So why did she bother attempting something they failed?
"Because I have the Gods on my side," Lara thought, feeling at ease as she swung at her opponents. One fell, blood gushing from the long wound in his abdomen. The woman soon followed, as Lara's sword went clean through her chest. She fell to the ground with a sickening thump; closing her eyes, Lara gave a quick prayer to their spirits.
Opening the charcoal colored eyes, she noticed movement to her left- and turned slightly, before more movement caused her to spin around even quicker. Sound of impact came from her left—and twenty feet ahead, a bandit fell down the short stairs. The bow he had been holding was still gripped tightly in his hand. Looking to her left, Lara saw an arrow against the side of a stone pillar- as though it were stuck in time or a painting.
Then she saw it.
Another arrow was lodged into the wall; the arrowhead stuck within the other arrow, splitting it in two.
"But… who could have-?" Lara wondered in amazement.
"You really need to be more careful. I won't always be around to save your ass, ya know?"
The brunette spun around, surprised to find Jovita standing atop the stairs- her hand resting on her hip.
"What?" She questioned, returning the bow to her back. Lara watched as the blonde crouched beside the dead archer and checked his belongings. Pocketing a coin pouch, Jovita stood back up and saw Lara was still watching her.
"We gonna get a move on- or just stand here staring at each other all night?"
"Why are you suddenly so interested in helping?"
"None of your business—"
"If it has to do with Whiterun, it is my business."
"Well it doesn't, so it's not. Now, if you aren't going in there- I'll just take my leave."
"Fine. Besides, I'm not above admitting I may need help in there," Lara frowned, averting her gaze from the smug blonde.
"After you," Jovita smirked, gesturing towards the double iron doors.
0o0o0o
"I still say you didn't have to kill him," Lara frowned, sheathing her sword after finishing off a draugr.
"Drop it already, would you? You and I both know that dunmer would never have given us the damn claw."
"We could have reasoned with him-"
"No, we couldn't have. Stop arguing with me or I swear to the gods I will turn back and leave you here alone."
Jovita and Lara glared at one another for several minutes. The odd sounds resonating from the tomb the only thing to be heard.
"Whatever- let's just keep going. Who knows what other surprises this place has," Lara said, turning and walking further in to the old tombs. The skeletons lay dormant; a few rats scampered about and clouds of dust floated about. Jovita followed along, keeping a wary eye on every sleeping form they passed- and up ahead on ones they had yet to come to.
"Be at the ready," Jovita warned," Any of these dusty old bones could wake up at any given moment."
"I am fully aware of that, thanks."
"Don't give me attitude."
"Don't treat me like an amateur then! I know what I am doing- this isn't my first tomb."
0o0o
Dozens of draugr, lots of sweat and blood later, the two breathed sighs of relief when they opened yet another wooden door- only to be met with a long hall with the stone walls filled with etched pictures.
"This must be the Hall of Stories," Lara murmured, mostly to herself, as she walked over to the wall and lightly touched the jagged surface," Wish I knew what it all said."
"What- you mean you don't? Wow, something you don't know," Tavi sassed, seemingly unimpressed by the Hall. Lara glared over her shoulder at the blonde as she walked towards the stone door at the other end. With one last look to the etchings, Lara followed along behind Tavi and they came to a stop- eying the mysterious door.
"Symbols look like what's on the claw," Lara thought aloud, as Tavi brought the golden dragons claw out of her bag.
"Bear… moth… owl—they don't line up though," Tavi frowned.
"Maybe… if we—" Lara suggested, stepping up to the door and touching one of the symbols. Instantly, it started moving- causing both girls to jump (though Tavi would never admit to it). After a few seconds, the previous image of a owl was replaced by a bear.
"Guess we just gotta…" Lara said, touching the second image—a owl. First it rolled to a bear but with a second touch, it turned to a moth. Touching the third image, a moth, it turned to the owl. "There—bear, moth, owl. Now…"
"Put the claw in the holes?" Tavi guessed, walking up and placing the sharp talons in the small holes. They heard a click- and almost hesitantly, Tavi turned the claw slightly. The stone door shuddered, all three images turning to an owl, and then began disappearing into the ground. The two stood there in silence, watching in awe.
"Wow," they breathed in unison- looking at the other in surprise, before looking away from one another. Tavi put the claw back in her bag and instantly walked through the opening. Walking up some steps and down a small hall, they came to a small cave, which opened up into a huge clearing, beams of sunlight shining down from small holes in the stone ceiling.
"Tablets gotta be up there," Tavi gestured to the top of the clearing, where a wall stood at the top of a small set of stairs.
"Then let's get up there. Sooner we get that—the sooner you can… go… wherever you were going to go," Lara bit, walking past her and up the steps. The closer she got to the wall, the funnier she felt. It was like an echo was traveling under her skin, a tingling feeling that held no rhythm. It was a warm, pleasant feeling though- and as she stopped at the top of the steps, she turned back to her traveling companion.
"Do you… do you feel that?"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Tavi frowned, looking off to the side.
"Liar! You feel that too—don't you?!"
"Fine! Yes! I feel it, happy?!"
"It's… it's something over here…" Lara mused, walking over to the huge wall. Her fingers traced the many etchings on it, her eyes skimming the entirety of the wall," It looks like… like ancient Dragon tongue. I've only seen few pieces of it in other tombs and in books."
"Any idea what it says?" Tavi asked, walking over to her- her gaze running over the expansive wall in curiosity.
"No—not really… except… this part here," Lara said, her fingers brushing over one of the words," This here—says 'Unrelenting Force'."
No sooner had the words left her mouth, did the word in question start to glow and the tingling feeling seemed to double, if not triple in intensity. Looking at one another, they shared wide-eyed glances as they saw the glow from the word seemed to encase the other, before it dimmed out, leaving them standing there in eerie silence. The tingling buzz disappeared, leaving them equally cold- but before either had a chance to comment on what happened, a loud thump sounded from behind them. Tavi and Lara jumped- looking at the source of the sound- only to find a draugr getting up from his stone resting place.
"If he's in a place like this- he should be stronger," Tavi said to Lara, who nodded as she took her sword out of its sheath. Tavi pulled out her daggers and readied herself for a fight, still wondering what in oblivion just happened to her.
0o0o
After finally defeating the draugr, taking the stone from his corpse and finding a secret passage out of the cavern, the two let the silence encompass them for a few moments. Lara sat on the edge of the mountain, looking out over Lake Ilinalta and Tavi leaned back against the stone mountainside, her eyes closed.
"Look," Lara said, breaking the silence," I don't know you—I don't trust you."
"Feelings mutual."
"However," Lara continued," I think we can agree that something weird just happened. Some sort of old magic. I think—we should return to Whiterun and talk to Jarl Balgruuf, maybe even Farengar. One of them might know what that was."
"Whiterun isn't a part of my plans."
"You don't have to stay there forever—just, until we know what that was. Wouldn't you rather know instead of traveling around without knowing?"
Tavi scowled, crossing her arms, as she realized the brunette had a point.
"Fine- but the second we figure out what that was," Tavi said, pointing back towards the cavern they were just in—towards the wall-," Then I'm leaving."
"Fine by me."