Disclaimer: I do not own Skyrim. I do not make money from this.
A/N: This is my very first fanfic. Reviews are welcome. Hope you enjoy the story.
CHAPTER ONE
Greeta slumped down to the floor just inside the entryway. Leaning her heard back and closing her eyes, she whispered to herself, "Finally, the main chamber." She looked around for any obvious threats. Seeing nothing immediately alarming, she decided to rest herself for a few minutes. It seemed like days since she descended into the Barrow. She fought hundreds of drauger just to get here and she was exhausted. Before she knew it she fell asleep and was dreaming about her trek up the mountain to Bleak Falls Barrow.
The Jarl of Whiterun had sent her to recover the Dragonstone tablet for his court wizard Farengar Secret-Fire, in hopes it would help uncover the mystery of the dragons returning. Then while she was at the Riverwood Trader, Lucan the shop owner was arguing with his sister Camilla about some thieves who had stolen a golden claw from them. It just so happened the thieves headed to the same Bleak Falls Barrow. Greeta informed Lucan she was on an errand for the Jarl and was also on her way to the Barrow. If she ran across the claw while she was there, she would return it. Lucan then offered her a reward for its return.
Greeta headed out, slowly making her way up the steep and winding path to the Barrow. As she neared the watch tower, she crouched low in case the bandits were there. Sure enough she heard their loud and boisterous voices. Greeta scanned the area to see exactly where they were. An orc leaned against a tree and a female paced back and forth on the crosswalk and there was one at the top of the tower. Readying her bow, she aimed for the orc's head. She held her arrow until the female bandit was at the far end of the crosswalk, then released it, hitting her mark. AS the female ran to the orc, Greeta nocked another arrow and let it fly, hitting her target in the chest. The third bandit rushed out and was hit in the throat with another of Greeta's arrows. She waited. When no other bandits appeared, she checked the bodies. She didn't find the claw, but did find some gold coins and a few other valuables. She checked the tower, but didn't find anything else.
Continuing up the mountain, she got jumped by an ice wolf. She was knocked down and it bit her on her right calf. She kicked it in the head with her other foot, causing the wolf to let go. Grabbing her dagger, she plunged it into the wolf's chest when he pounced on her again. She felt the pain in her calf as she stood up. It was bleeding badly and she could tell it was deep. Limping to a nearby rock, she pulled a small vial of healing potion from the pouch at her waist. Pouring half the potion directly into the wound, she drank the rest for good measure. Her wound stopped bleeding and began sealing shut, but it was definitely going to scar. After testing the soundness of her leg, she continued up the mountain.
Greeta ducked into the heavy brush when she came in sight of the Barrow. Surveying the scene, she saw a bandit on the far left parapet and one on the right. A third appeared at the top of the stairs and then turned back, walking out of sight. She crept closer, getting in bow range of the bandit on the left. Firing her bow, she hit the bandit in the throat, cutting off any scream as they fell. She eased herself to the base of the wall going to the left and found another set of steps leading upwards. Making her way to the top, she spotted the third bandit walking back and forth. She sent him clattering to the ground, gaining the attention of the bandit on the other parapet. Dashing to the one she just killed, dodging arrows from the advancing one, she grabbed the round wooden shield of the dead bandit. Seeing an opening, she flung the shield like a discus at the archer, knocking the bow from his hands. Pulling her own sword, Greeta ran toward the archer who scrambled to get to his bow. She then lopped off his head. As before, she checked the bandits but found no claw.
Carefully and quietly, she slipped inside the Barrow. She paused when she got inside to let her eyes adjust to the dark, dank chamber. There were two more bandits ahead arguing. Not hearing her enter, she took those two out easily with her bow. Walking over to them, she checked their bodies for the claw and eyed a chest over on the corner. "It's got to be in there," she whispered to herself. She picked the lock and searched inside.
"Damn it, it's not here!"
She moved to sit by the campfire and catch her breath. Grabbing an unopened bottle of mead, she chugged it down, then began her way down into the depths of the Barrow. She came upon another chamber with another bandit. It looked like he was trying to solve a puzzle trap, so she waited to see what happened. When he pulled the lever to open the gate a volley of darts embedded themselves in his chest. When the darts ceased, she walked in and checked the body. Finding nothing she studied the room and laughed out loud.
"This is an easy one."
She turned the pedestals in the order of the reliefs on the wall and pulled the lever. The gate rose and she looked at the dead man.
"Dumbass."
Continuing on, she killed a few skeevers, and looted another chest. She came upon a frostbite spider with a dark elf caught in its web.
"Kill it, kill it!" he screamed.
Greeta fired an arrow, hitting the spider and getting its attention. She dodged a spray of venom, fired her bow and missed. The spider spit at her again, knocking her to the floor. The spider started crawling her way. Greeta rolled under it and barely missed getting hit by fangs. She pulled her sword and stabbed it in the abdomen, killing it. She managed to roll out of the way before it pinned her down.
"Cut me down, now!" ordered the dark elf.
Greeta walked to him and before cutting him down, she asked.
"Do you have the claw?"
"Yes, yes I have the claw, and I know how it works. Now cut me down and I'll share the treasure with you."
So she took her sword and stabbed him through the heart, then cut him down. Rifling through his pack, she found the claw and a journal. Strapping the claw to her waist, she sat down and read the journal. Shutting the book afterwards, she tossed it over to the body.
Jerking herself awake, Greeta realized she had fallen asleep.
"Damn, how long was I asleep?"
Judging by the light fading outside the opening in the ceiling, she had been asleep for a couple hours.
"This mission is taking more out of me than I thought."
Her sleep had been plagued with memories of the black dragon at Helgen, and that made for many sleepless nights. Greeta got up and walked toward the great ebony wall that stood at the back of the chamber. There was a large sarcophagus hewn out of rock in front of the wall. The closer she got, she began feeling a strange vibration in her chest. In her mind, she heard chanting in a language she didn't know. When she got in front of the wall, she reached out and touched it. Feeling her body flooded with a strange power, the word "FUS" popped into her head. Suddenly she heard a cracking of stone behind her. When she spun around, a large drauger was climbing out of the sarcophagus. Immediately, she lunged at it wither sword, hacking at it before it could climb completely out. When she had killed it she saw a tablet lying under the drauger.
"This must be the Dragonstone tablet Farengar wanted."
She bound it up and looked for a way out. After locating a secret passage in the back, she followed it out into the cool night air of Skyrim. Surveying her surroundings, she recognized the White River flowing below. Greeta followed the river back to Riverwood.