Chapter 38

Return to High Hrothgar

As morning came and the sunlight caressed their faces, they roused from their sleep, both turning and looking on tenderly at one another, finally free to express their love without holding anything back.

Rona kissed him and whispered her love for him again and again making him smile. He returned her affections and they made passionate love that morning. When they finished, they lay back enjoying the afterglow for a moment. Then Bishop sat up and stretched, "I'm going to go take dip in the river, care to join me?"

She leapt to her feet and took off shouting, "Race you there!"

He laughed at her back, "That's not fair! You know I can't keep up with you Lightfoot!" And he pushed himself up chasing after her. A newfound joy had infected their lives together and made all the terrible things they'd experienced fade into the background. When indulging in each other they could forget the outside world for once and just be happy together.

Freshly bathed and feeling revitalized Rona had a song bursting inside that she had to release to the world. As Bishop finished packing up their camp she grabbed her lute and said, "I'll be right back."

He raised his brows at her as she disappeared up into the tower. She sat at the edge of the wooden overhang and looked out over the sprawling landscape. Rays of sunlight peeked through a light cloud cover and passed through spots where it was raining in some places over Eastmarch and the Rift, creating soft, faded rainbows in the distance.

She pulled her mother's urn from her pouch, caressing the flowery symbols etched into the metal. She opened it and poured a handful of the ash in her hand and let it drift away, off the overhang. Though she'd never really gotten along with the woman she still thought of her from time to time, hoping that she was finally at peace now that she'd passed on. Rona smiled as she watched the ash float away on the wind and said, "Our most precious place. Where he confessed his love." Then she strummed her lute and sang her words of joy,

(The song is Melodies of Life by Erutan)

"Alone for a while I've been searching through the dark,
For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart,
To weave by picking up the pieces that remain,
Melodies of life - love's lost refrain.

Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why.
We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said goodbye.
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?
Let them ring out loud till they unfold.

In my dearest memories, I see you reaching out to me.
Now you're gone, I still believe that you can call out my name.

A voice from the past, joining yours and mine.
Adding up the layers of harmony.
And so it goes, on and on.
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying birds - forever and beyond.

So far and away, see the birds as it flies by.
Gliding on the shadows of the clouds up in the sky.
I've laid my memories and dreams upon those wings.
Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings.

In your dearest memories, do you remember loving me?
Was it fate that brought us close and now leave me behind?

A voice from the past, joining yours and mine.
Adding up the layers of harmony.
And so it goes, on and on.
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying bird - forever and on.

If I should leave this lonely world behind,
Your voice will still remember our melody.
Now I know we'll carry on.
Melodies of life,
Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts, as long as we remember."

Bishop chuckled behind her, she looked back at him as he leaned against the inner archway, "You just can't help yourself can you?"

She grinned and stood up, "I love to sing!"

He shook his head, "Never change Ladyship."

She walked over to him and he rest his hands on her hips. She asked him, "Did you ever think you'd fall in love with a bard?"

He scoffed, "Not in a million years, though I also never thought I'd meet a bard that could actually sing."

She smiled brightly at him and he pecked her on the cheek, caressing the spot with his thumb, "Well then, shall we continue our journey? I'm sure the old mutes and Master Talks-A-Lot are missing you up there."

"Not as much as they're missing your cooking," she laughed and walked by him.

"Damn, you're probably right. I better catch another elk or two to bring up with me."

The trip to Ivarstead was a short one, as they rode swiftly along, not wanting to waste any more time. Upon arriving they were quite surprised to find the place turned into a tourist trap with plenty of people from all over visiting. They looked up at the mountain and watched as people trekked up the Seven Thousand Steps, most of them ill equipped to do so.

"The hell?" Bishop looked around, "Why are all these people here?"

One of the guards noticed them and pulled her helmet off, "Oh! Lady Rona!" It was Risla, she came running over to them, "It's good to see you've returned to us."

"What's going on Risla? Why are all these people here?" Rona asked as she looked out at them all. People stopped to converse, others had opened up shop and started selling their wares and plenty of children ran around kicking up the farmer's crops, though the locals seemed to have given up on trying to stop them.

Risla frowned, "Word spread about your deeds up in Solitude. Seems you're getting more and more famous. People from all over have come to see the Dragonborn and visit High Hrothgar themselves. It's been nothing but trouble to be honest. The Greybeards are not happy about it at all either," she pointed to the peak of the mountain where the path lead to their monastery. It was surrounded by violent whirling winds, "They cast that with the power of their voices to keep visitors from bothering them. People have been leaving their filth and waste all over the mountain too. It's just awful."

Rona was horrified. Was this really because of her? Another problem she'd inadvertently caused just by being Dragonborn?

Bishop scowled and crossed his arms, "Don't these idiots know how dangerous it is to trek up that mountain? Look at that," he barked, exasperated, waving a hand to a lightly dressed group heading up the path, "They're going to freeze to death!"

"Trust me," Risla grimaced, "we are all too aware. A few people have already died and we've had to bring several others down who got frostbite. But it's not enough to keep people off the mountain at all."

"They need to send more guards to block the path," Rona said desperately.

"We already tried, we made our case to Jarl Ulfric's Steward who relayed the message but he said he couldn't afford to send anymore guards," Risla's brows furrowed together.

Rona felt her face burn with anger. Of course Ulfric couldn't be bothered to aid a small village like theirs. Too busy concentrating on his damned war.

Rona looked at Risla and said, "I have to return to High Hrothgar, is there any chance you could look after our supplies and horses?" She did not trust any of these people as far as she could throw them.

"Yes, of course m'lady! I'll gladly take care of them for you," she turned and called to her brother who was looking out at the people a ways down, "Hamvak!"

He turned and yanked his helmet off. "What!?" he barked back and then he saw Rona and his face burned red and he promptly put the helmet back on. He slowly walked over to them, "What?"

"We're going to look after Lady Rona's horses and supplies for her while she makes her trip back up to High Hrothgar. Let's make sure we keep them secured, away from all these... visitors," she said the word with disdain.

"Yeah, sure," Hamvak agreed. Rona flashed him a friendly smile and he turned his head away, forgetting he had his helmet on, already covering his face.

The two of them dismounted and started to pull out the supplies they would need, Rona grabbed her white cloak and pulled it on, she also took Torygg's horn along with the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Bishop stuffed his pack with food and arrows and grabbed their swatch of meat from the day before, hoisting it over his shoulder. Rona started rummaging around her saddle bags looking for the two books she was going to bring to the Greybeards but couldn't find them anywhere.

Bishop stood by, tapping his foot waiting, "Coming Ladyship?"

"I can't find - where are they? I swear I had them right here..."

"What are you looking for?"

"Those two books the Greybeards wanted, I can't find them anywhere," she grumbled.

He raised his brows, "When did you have 'em last?"

"The other night before Kynesgrove... I was reading them over while you were hunting and..."She stopped rummaging and slowly lifted her head and whispered, "Delphine... I can't believe this! She stole my books!"

Bishop snickered, "They were probably missing from her vast collection of everything dragon and she just had to have them."

"That bitch!" Rona's eye twitched. She grabbed her lute and twisted her lips furiously.

"Well, no use worrying about it now!" Bishop called as he started to walk away, Karnwyr loping alongside him.

"Everything alright, m'lady?" Risla asked kindly.

Rona sighed, "No... it's fine. Thank you for looking after our horses Risla. Here, for you both," she handed her a small coin purse with the little bit of money they had left.

"Oh no, m'lady I can't accept this," Risla protested.

"It's fine, really," Rona wished people would stop objecting whenever she made to pay them for their services, "You're doing us a huge favor. I have to go though. We'll be back in a while, maybe another five days or so."

"Have a safe trip Lady Rona!" she called.

Rona waved and threw her hood up, weaving through the crowd of people and feeling relieved that no one had recognized her yet. Though after hearing a few people talking about 'the Dragonborn' and what she was like she realized that the rumors had spread like wildfire and twisted and turned so much so that nobody had even the slightest idea of what she looked like.

People argued that she was a full blooded bosmer girl with flowing brown locks, others said her hair was white as snow, like Eira of White Fire, which was totally inaccurate considering Eira's hair was fiery red. Others scoffed at the very notion that she was an elf at all and insisted she was a full blooded nord with flowing golden locks and blue eyes, because how could the Dragonborn be anything other than a nord?

She smirked and laughed inwardly at the fact that she was slipping by them all, completely unrecognized. The Dragonborn was right in their midst and they had no clue.

Bishop was waiting by the first few steps and scowling at the crowd. As she approached he muttered, "You hearing this shit? They have no clue who you are."

"Yeah, I heard," she laughed.

He smirked at her, "Guess that's better for us then. At least no one will bother us. Still, there's too many people around and I was hoping to, you know," he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, his words dripping sensually, "fool around a bit. Show you what I meant before about keeping you warm even with our clothes on."

She blushed lightly and said, "Guess we'll just have to find other ways to entertain each other."

He smirked at her and she kissed him. She loved it, being affectionate and flirting with him, doing it freely even in front of all these people. No one bat an eye at them, all too consumed in their own wild conversations.

The two of them began their hike up the mountain, Karnwyr stayed close by, not liking the fact that there were so many people clustered around and little kids reaching out to touch him. He growled a few times and Rona had to cast a pacify on him several times because she was worried he'd bite one of them.

"Poor old boy," Bishop muttered and pat the wolf on the back, "We'll be up and out of the crowd soon enough buddy."

They came around a pass and saw some kids getting precariously close to the edge of the mountain while their parents were too distracted looking over the emblems and chattering amongst themselves. Rona and Bishop both grabbed the children and yanked them back. "Please be careful!" Rona pleaded with them. Then their nord parents intervened and angrily told her off, saying to keep away from their children. She got a few 'Thalmor scum' remarks and had to stop Bishop from unleashing his fury on them.

"Fuck these ungrateful nords! Ladyship, you should just shout them to pieces next time they open their damned mouths!" he barked, "Show them exactly who you are. I'd love to see the looks on their stupid faces when they realize they just insulted the Dragonborn."

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "It's fine. I just want to get through this mess and up to High Hrothgar as soon as possible."

They weaved their way around many groups of people, the higher they got up the mountain the thinner the crowds had become as some people seemed to have given up the hike in the freezing cold. The snow was thinner on the ground however, as it appeared several mages had taken to melting the ice and snow along the steps.

They walked for hours and Rona cast several resist frost spells over herself to try and stop her teeth from chattering. The spell was very weak, which was her own fault for not practicing that particular aspect of restoration as much as she should have. Even with the weak spell she still couldn't stand the bitter winds whipping over her. Bishop noticed, "I can hear your teeth rattling from here," and he wrapped a gentle arm around her shoulders pulling her closer to him as he said, "Come here, I'll hold yah. Get you warm so I don't have to put up with the noise."

He teased her but she loved it and appreciated the warmth he provided. Being a full blooded nord himself he could easily hike the steep cliffs, treading higher and higher up into the cold without even thinking about pulling his cloak on. She couldn't understand how he could still be so warm when it was far below freezing. Her own nord half was so pathetic compared to his. Perhaps she did take more after her father, at least when it came to the elements.

After hours of walking, when the sun started setting, they finally arrived at the overhanging cliff they'd rested under once before. It was heavily occupied by multiple people taking cover from the freezing cold already though. Bishop grumbled, "Guess we'll have to find another spot to rest."

They walked on by and found a quiet corner nestled near the mountainside. Bishop rolled out their bedrolls while Rona was quick to collect some brush and start a fire. She sat cross-legged very close to it, drawing her cloak tighter around her and Karnwyr found a spot next to her, laying his head on her leg. She smiled down at the wolf and gently scratched behind his ears.

"How old is Karnwyr?" She asked as Bishop slid some meat onto skewers to roast over the fire.

"He's about ten years old. Been with him since I was seventeen."

"How long do wolves live for?"

Bishop shrugged, "Usually for around fifteen to sixteen years, still, he's well fed and cared for. I think he's got another ten left in him."

Rona smiled at the sleepy wolf and leaned over to kiss him on the head, "He's a sweetheart."

Bishop smirked at her, "He likes you, you know."

She stroked her fingers through his dirty fur, gently pulling on the nape of his neck and getting those itchy spots he could never reach. The wolf leaned into her hand and gave a pleased whine. "Whatever makes you say that?" She said sarcastically.

"Well aside from the fact that you spoil him too much, its 'cause you're not afraid of him like the others," he pulled out an apple and took a bite, rolling her one through the snow.

"What others?" She laughed, rolling the apple between her hands.

He leaned back and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, averting his gaze to the fire, "You know, the other wenches I've been with, before you," he gave her a quick glance, "They were always afraid of him. Buncha frilly, girly, types. The kind of women that never experienced anything outside their simple farm lives, never experienced fear, or danger, never held a sword in their hands -"

"Oh? Never held a sword in their hands?" Rona smirked at him.

He chuckled, "Well, except for... my sword... sometimes." He actually blushed slightly and said, "Damn woman, you're almost as bad as me."

She laughed harder at him and their smiles were nearly ear to ear and he went on, "Point is, that you're not like them," she raised her brows at him and cocked her head and he corrected himself, "I mean, you're incredibly beautiful Ladyship, don't get me wrong, and very girly when you want to be. But you're also," he scoffed shaking his head, "so damn powerful. The way you wield your weapons and fight with the fury of a warrior, facing off against dragon after dragon. It's - well completely insane - but it's also..."

She waited for him to find the words, enjoying all of his compliments as he explained his attraction to her.

"So fucking sexy," he finally said, "I've never met anyone like you before. Knowing you can defend yourself... it just... Mmhm," he gave a low groan as his eyes traveled over the curves of her body, though she was mostly hidden under her cloak.

She leaned forward and took a small bite of her apple before saying, "I never met anyone like you before either. At first all the sexual comments, they were kind of obnoxious." He laughed and shook his head slightly. She continued, "But the more time we spent together, the more I," she felt her cheeks running red, "kind of... started to like it. It was thrilling, having a man look at me the way you look at me. I've never had that before."

He furrowed his brows and scoffed, "You're kidding right? Not a single man ever wanted you? I mean I know Casavir was too much of a pussy to go after what he really wanted, but no one, really?"

"Well, I had plenty of suitors. Men who properly courted me in an effort to gain my affections and favor, but that was mostly politics," she sighed, "Being the Arch-Mage's only daughter, it puts you in a position where men see you as an object, a thing to have so that they might raise their station in life. Any man that married me would suddenly be very near to the Emperor's right hand, because of my Ata's position in the Elder Council and the Imperial Court."

He pressed his lips together, "So you had plenty of men chasing you for all the wrong reasons then?"

She chewed on another piece of apple and nodded, then swallowed and said, "Then I met you," she looked up at him, "Someone who knew nothing about me, who didn't care about my relationship to the Emperor or how you could use me to rise to the top. You just wanted... me."

A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips. He stood up, tossing his finished apple into the fire and sat down behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder, "You know I don't care about that stuff, right?"

She laughed, "Bishop, you have made it exceedingly clear how much you hate high society," she turned her head slightly to meet his gaze and whispered, "and that's one of the things I love most about you."

"You know what I love about you?" He asked her, his warm breath against her face.

"Hm?"

"That you understand me and accept me for what I am, just like you do with Karnwyr," his golden eyes flickered in the firelight, studying hers, "You understand what I am, what I do. But most importantly and this is the most important, you understand what I'm capable of doing."

He gave her a salacious grin and ran his arm under her legs, at the base of her knees and pulled her up, turning her into his lap, holding her sideways against him. She laughed slightly and looked up into his face, biting her lower lip, waiting for whatever he had planned for her.

He glanced around, they were mostly alone on the mountain, though some firelight from a campfire down below the ridge could be seen and some quiet chattering could be heard from afar.

He looked back to her and leaned in close to her face and whispered, "You ever fucked in public, Ladyship?" Her eyes widened and her face burned absolutely crimson and he laughed, "Well of course not, since I'm the only man you've ever fucked. I'd like to keep it that way too."

He ran his warm hands under her dress, feeling for her now dripping nethers. She practically rolled her eyes at herself. Was she really that lewd? And as his fingers found their prize he chuckled, "Seems as though you like that idea."

She sucked her breath in, both at his comment and the fact that his thick fingers slid in so easily. She moaned as he started moving them and she threw her hands to her mouth, glancing off to the side where the firelight could be seen, dancing on an icy wall and some shadows of people could be seen moving. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Were they really going to do this? It seemed the answer was yes because Bishop starting moving more eagerly, massaging her slick and tightening muscles.

He had a look of absolute pleasure all over his face, enjoying everything he was doing to her. The way he made her blush and made her whimper in ecstasy as she tried to hold back her noisy mewling.

"Let me help you stay quiet," he leaned into her, making his warm lips meet her cold ones and coiled his tongue around hers. She moaned under him and let him do as he pleased. It felt too good to stop.

He was a master with his fingers and hands. Every pull and twist, every thrust and slip over her hardened nub were calculated and intentional. He had no skill with an instrument, but his hands played her like she was one, doing everything he could to make her voice cry out against her will.

When he pulled away from her mouth, allowing for her to take in air she whispered, "Wait..."

He gave her a sulking look, but immediately paused everything.

"I want you in my mouth," her words made his eyebrows shoot up and put a very wide grin on his face.

"Whatever you want, Sweetness," he said with anticipation. He drew his fingers from her and again looked around. They at least had a small tent blocking their view, but he still grabbed their blanket for extra cover if needed.

He leaned back on his hand pushing the snow into small ridges behind him and undid the buckle on his trousers with the other, loosening them to free his throbbing member. It sprang to attention with its newfound freedom and she leaned over him, admiring it. She didn't exactly have a frame of reference for penis sizes, but she knew Bishop's was definitely above average. She grasped him with her cold hands and felt him shiver, she looked up at him and he said, "Don't worry about it, don't stop now."

She hadn't done this much, as he often focused his attention on her needs, seeming to prefer vaginal penetration more than anything, though she enjoyed pleasuring him too and intended to do it more often. She wanted to get better at it and make him squirm the way he did with her.

She grinned up at him and said, "Tell me what you want."

He groaned, "Oh Princess, I've waited to hear those words my whole life... Stroke it," he commanded and she did so, wrapping her delicate hands tightly around his shaft, noticing he'd sprung a leak at the top, she ran her palm over it and rubbed it into the tip, coating her hand. She did this for a while, grasping and tenderly moving his skin up and down in a gentle rhythm and then he said, "Harder," so she gripped him tighter and made him gasp as she moved more swiftly.

She placed her lips to the tip of his cock and licked him ever so slightly and he said, "You're too gentle, be more forceful." He ran a hand through her hair, and urged her to move onward, pressing her head slightly downward. She did so, sliding half his length into her wet mouth making him moan heavily. She used her tongue to stroke the sides of his shaft inside her mouth and sucked on the tip as she moved upwards, making it flare outward, growing bigger in her mouth. She started to pick up the pace, forcing more of his length into her mouth. When she felt him hit the back of her throat though, she pulled back and gagged slightly.

He sighed, smirking at her, "Too big to take Ladyship?"

She paused for a moment trying to remember the incantation for a certain spell she'd learned years ago in Restoration school. It was a spell for numbing. She placed a finger to her lips and whispered the words in Aldmeri, making her finger go alight, then she touched her tongue and felt it run up the back of her throat. Bishop looked at her curiously, his cock twitching slightly, "What was that?"

She grinned at him, "A numbing spell."

His eyes widened and she was positive his penis swelled even more, he grasped the back of her hair again and she leaned over once more, taking all of him in her mouth with ease. He groaned loudly as he slipped into her throat, all the way to the base, "Oh gods, no one's ever been able to take the whole thing..."

She would have smiled if she could have, but instead she took all of him, running her tongue over his aching member, swallowing him into the back of her throat and making a complete mess of his crotch with her saliva. She started moaning as his hips pushed into her slightly, spurring him on more. She moved up and down faster, taking his lead as he pushed and pulled her head with the hand he had buried in her hair. He grunted and bucked his hips and then she looked up at him, her eyes meeting his and he muttered, "Oh shit - Rona, you're going to make me! Mmnn!"

She felt his cock pulsing and the bitter warmth flooding her mouth as he coated the back of her throat. He sighed heavily, content and fell back. She considered spitting it out, as it tasted quite bitter, but as he looked at her from where he lay she decided to tease him some more and swallowed it instead and wipe at her mouth with a hand.

He groaned again and laughed, "Damned temptress. You swallowed it all?"

She laughed and curled up next to him, resting her head against his chest, while his arm draped around her shoulders. He looked at her with complete satisfaction and said, "That was amazing. Wenches everywhere could learn a thing or two from you with that spell."

"Maybe we can do it again?" she said sweetly.

"Mmm, any time you want Princess," he traced a finger to her lips and kissed her forehead. Guess he didn't care to taste his own nectar.

They sat up and he put himself away and buckled his trousers. He looked over at the two charred meat skewers on the fire. "Shit! Forgot about the food."

Rona laughed and said, "I'm tired anyways."

They both crawled under the small tent and snuggled up on the bedroll, Bishop drawing his cloak and the blanket over them both to keep her warm. As she slowly drifted off to sleep he muttered, "Don't think you're off the hook yet. I'll have you in public one of these days."

She smirked and buried her face into his side. Gods she loved this man.

The next morning they were woken up to people stomping along through the snow. A light snowfall had gone on overnight and was still slowly drifting down, coating everything in a fresh white powder.

They tore down their camp, collected their things and joined the lively procession of mostly nords, though a few elves and even an orc, up the mountain. When they reached the open overlook they caught sight of a familiar Imperial man singing and playing his lute loudly while a few people looked on.

Alec looked wholly unprepared for the weather, just wearing his simple bard's uniform and nothing else to cover himself. His voice shook slightly as he sang his usual rendition of The Dragonborn Comes.

Bishop rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "Great, this tart again."

Rona laughed and approached the bard, "Alec!"

He stopped singing abruptly and said with a bright smile and through chattering teeth, "L-L-Lady R-R-Rona!"

She noticed that his fingers had started to turn very blue and she grasped them, horrified, "Your hands! Alec you have frostbite! You have to go back and get out of this weather!"

"Oh-oh! I-is th-that what that is?"

She used her healing hands on him and quickly cast her weak resist frost spell on him then turned to Bishop, "Give me your cloak!"

He frowned, "I'm not giving him my cloak."

"Bishop!" she snapped at him.

"Fiiine," he relented and pulled it from his pack, throwing it to her.

She handed it to Alec and he pulled it over himself and sighed, "Ah, that is much better. Thank you kindly my lady," he nodded courteously to Bishop as well.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked.

"I was so inspired when I heard of your deeds in Solitude, Lady Dragonborn, that I just had to come to this place and see for myself and sing the songs of the Great Dragonborn of yore! Your song in Windhelm resonated with me so much, the power that coursed through your voice, the images it wove. I had to return to my true purpose, to follow my path as a traveling minstrel and create historic eddas all my own!"

She smiled awkwardly, "Well that's very noble of you, but you really shouldn't be up here, at least not dressed like that."

"Ah yes, I suppose it hadn't occurred to me that I should dress warmer for the occasion," he grasped her hands suddenly and leaned in very close to her as she leaned back. Bishop grumbled loudly in the background, though Alec didn't seem to hear as he said, "My lady! Would you sing something!? Show us your power! I must hear another song! Something glorious and amazing!"

"Er... I uh... well," she stammered.

"We're trying to stay incognito here," Bishop said as he yanked her back and stepped in front of her, fully separating her from the eager bard.

"Whatever do you mean?" Alec asked confounded and leaned around Bishop to speak to her, "Surely people have been clamoring to hear your voice my lady, have they not?"

"Actually, no one seems to recognize me, which is fine," she threw her hands up, "I'd rather people don't bother me. I need to get up to High Hrothgar sooner than later."

"Oh," he said and looked over across the way, "Well that may be a problem, as no one has been able to pass through here for a while now."

Bishop and Rona both looked in the same direction as him and saw the violently swirling wall, made of wind itself. People stood back looking curiously at it and a goat ambled mindlessly forward and immediately got sucked up into the cyclone and thrown off the mountain. They watched as the groups' heads comically followed the sight of the thing flying off the cliff.

"Holy shit," Bishop muttered.

Rona didn't know what to do. High Hrothgar was still a ways up and as far as she knew she didn't have any kind of power to stop something like that.

Bishop looked at her, "Maybe if you shout then the Greybeards will hear and open up the path?"

She frowned, "Yeah and then everyone will know who I am."

"True," he laughed, "Just shout 'em off the cliff if they bother you, or I can gut 'em if you prefer."

She looked at him with half lidded eyes. But he looked behind her, an eyebrow raised and she froze, praying it wasn't another dragon. She slowly turned and saw a beautiful maiden with hair like fire and skin like snow. Her form fitted green tunic gently caressing her tan toned trousers at her waist and her shining rapier strapped to her side. Her green eyes sparkled and she flashed a sweet smile at Rona as she walked by them, not a ghost, but a full blooded woman.

"It's her," Alec whispered, "Ever since I saw her... she's so beautiful. The most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on, with a voice that just..." He sighed.

Bishop and Rona looked at each other and snickered. Bishop thumbed at Alec, twirling a hand to his head and muttered, "This guy's nuts."

Eira slowly walked forward towards the crowd and threw her hands out, her fingers began playing an invisible piano, the tinkling sound caught the attention of everyone ahead of them and the people turned to look on at her as the tune picked up and then drums pound all around them, making the mountain shudder. White flames flew around her body as she sang,

(The song is Star Sky by Two Steps From Hell)

"Here we are
Riding the sky
Painting the night with sun
You and I, Mirrors of light
Twin flames of fire
Lit in another time and place

I knew your name
I knew your face
Your love and grace
Past and present now embrace
Worlds collide in inner space
Unstoppable, the song we play"

A dragon's roar echoed in the distance and the crowd ran back, away from the windy wall. Ancient Dragonborn of old sprang forth, ethereal in appearance as they sang loudly.

"Burn the page for me
I cannot erase the time of sleep
I cannot be loved so set me free
I cannot deliver your love
Or caress your soul so
turn that page for me
I cannot embrace the touch that you give
I cannot find solace in your words
I cannot deliver you your love
or caress your soul"

The grey dragon Rona met twice before appeared, shouting down the swirling barrier. Bishop drew his bow as the crowd fled in terror. Though a few people were brave enough to stay, enthralled by the sight of the beast. Rona touched Bishop's hand and shook her head. He looked warily from her to the dragon before stowing his bow back.

Eira greeted the grey dragon as an old friend and Rona was sure she could see the love between them as he pressed his nose into her pale hands and she smiled sweetly at him, whispering something only he could hear. Then he lowered his head and she clutched his horn and climbed upon his shoulders. The dragon looked to Rona and said in his deep baritone voice, "Drem Yol Lok. [Peace Fire Sky]. Welcome back Dovahkiin. The Greybeards have been expecting you. I will restore the barrier when you pass through. Only you and your companions are allowed."

He took off into the skies, roaring loudly over the music and the chorus of Dragonborn singing. He hovered in circles around the area and Alec stared awestruck. He started walking along with them when Bishop shoved him back, "The fuck you think you're going?"

"B-but, I-this," he stammered, waving his arms, "I must know the story! I must write the edda!"

"Go write it somewhere else. You've got no business up in High Hrothgar unless you're the Dragonborn," he barked.

Alec scowled at him and tutted, "And what business does the savage have up there then?"

"My business is with the Dragonborn, so run along and go drone some wench to sleep with your screeching will you?"

"Bishop! Hurry up!" Rona called, while Karnwyr padded alongside her.

Bishop snatched his cloak from the bard and gave him a triumphant smirk before leaving him behind to press on after her.