Chapter 61
Through the Eyes of Wolves and into the Eyes of Dragons
(Recommended background music Banish Misfortune by Erutan)
Bishop looked at Karnwyr and firmly said, "Stay with the kid." He pointed at Nelkir and the wolf cocked his head, trying to understand. Then Bishop added, "Look after him for me will you?"
Karnwyr watched as the others left, then he turned and went over to sniff at the feet of the boy and sat down, looking up at him. Nelkir frowned at Karnwyr and he gave a low whine in reply.
Nelkir crossed his arms and grumbled, "I'm not just going to stay and wait around anymore... Come on Karnwyr." The wolf followed the boy along the path. He stopped every few steps to get a whiff of all the interesting smells among the bushes and the flowers but made sure to keep up with the small one.
Then they came into an open area where there was no shrubbery to smell but lots of soldiers hitting things with their weapons. The boy went over to a large archway and Karnwyr saw something flapping out of the corner of his eye. He barked, feeling the instinctive urge to chase and belted across the stone ground, hardly noticing Nelkir calling after him.
"Karnwyr! Wait! No!"
The wolf ran after the bird, vaulting up the stairs to get higher where he could reach it and skittered over the pavement, jumping to snap at the thing. It quickly flew over the low wall and he pulled himself up with his forelegs and watched and whimpered as it soared away through the trees.
He hopped down, whining at the loss of his prey and went back. He was supposed to watch the boy, that he remembered. It had been much easier to understand his brother when his blood bond was the same. It was difficult again with the loss of the beast blood, but he still understood the things his brother had taught him.
Karnwyr returned to the archway but the boy was missing. He padded along into the area which was full of shrubbery for him to sniff at and tried to find his scent. He found a particularly nice bush with the scent of something he didn't much care for and decided to erase it by relieving himself all over it. He lifted his leg and let go.
Then he heard someone yelling at him, "Hey! Damn dog! Stop that!" Karnwyr looked up to see an angry man in robes who was missing most of the hair on the top of his head, but had plenty of it on the sides. He and the man exchanged curious looks for a moment before the man said hesitantly, "Wait... you're not a dog," his eyes widened and he shouted,"WOLF! THERE'S A WOLF HERE!" Karnwyr sensed his fear and anger and raised hackle, growling defensively at the man. The man drew a dagger from his robes and pointed it at him.
"GUARDS!"
Karnwyr knew what that meant. His brother often had trouble with the ones called guards and knew it was time to go. He lunged forward, making the man leap back and rushed through the archway. Plenty of guards and soldiers were coming to see what all the commotion was about and Karnwyr barked at them and quickly ran along, weaving through their legs as they all scattered, terrified. He even leapt up and bound off the chest of one of them and ran as fast as his paws would carry him. He scurried along down the path with ten guards chasing after him.
Karnwyr ran towards the way where he remembered the forest being, but immediately came up to a large gate blocking him. He slid to a stop and turned, raising his shoulders and growling at all the men surrounding him, trying to make himself look bigger and more vicious, telling them to go away. They held their weapons out and they muttered to one another.
Then Karnwyr noticed some small ones in the distance. Two girls and a boy. The boy whispered to the others and he waved, calling the wolf over to them. Karnwyr suspected the one he was supposed to watch might be with them because the small ones liked to stay together.
He looked over all the slowly approaching guards and growled again, bearing his canines fiercely. Go away! He told them, but they kept coming. His brother had taught him a trick to throw them off though. So he stopped his snarling and spun in a circle, chasing his tail playfully. The soldiers all halted suddenly, looking perplexed by his new behavior.
There was an opening and he took it. With one more spin around he was facing the right way and belted off the ground again, skittering between two guards as they leapt back and yelled after him. He ran towards the small ones far across the way and stopped to sniff at them. They did not smell like the one he was supposed to watch.
He heard the guards yelling at his back again and the small ones said, "Hurry! Follow us!"
Karnwyr followed them through a gate and into a stone hall.
One of the girls asked, "Isn't this the Dragonborn's dog?"
"I think so," the boy said as they moved through the tunnel, "I've seen him with her and the Companions before."
"Why are the guards chasing him?" The other girl asked.
The boy shrugged his shoulders and muttered, "I 'unno."
"Let's sneak him outside," the first girl said.
"We'll take you to play with Blaise," the second girl said to the wolf.
Karnwyr cocked his head and whined not understanding her. They heard the guards calling behind them and shouting, "Wait you kids! That's dangerous! Get away from the wolf!"
"Go! Go!" The first girl shouted.
The boy pushed open a door and they all ran up the path, Karnwyr kept the pace up with them, though he could easily outsprint them if he wanted. They hurried along to the farm where they kept the horses.
Karnwyr wandered around, sniffing at the ground, searching for his mark, but there was no sign of the boy he was supposed to watch anywhere. He did smell another small one though and followed the scent along behind a white horse that was chewing on some hay. She eyed him warily. He looked up at the mare and whined, perking his ears up and wagging his tail. I'm friendly, he assured her. The white horse shook her head and went back to picking at the hay in her trough.
Karnwyr continued to follow the scent around the horse stalls and sniffed at a bale of hay. He saw a small one's foot poking out and he dug into the hay and snagged a pant leg with his jaws, pulling a boy out from the hay pile.
"Hey!" The boy shouted.
The other three came around, giggling and the first girl said with her hands to her hips, "Blaise are you hiding again?"
He grumbled and yanked his leg free from Karnwyr's grasp and said, "Yeah I am! Don't tell Katla. She was going to make me clean out the chicken coops today," he smirked, "but if I'm not around then Knud has to do it."
"Are you two still fighting?" The other boy asked.
"Yeah, but only because he keeps making me play Soldier with him. I hate that game. He always pretends to be Ulfric and says he's going to gut me like the Stormcloaks did with my ma and pa. He's a jerk," he looked angry and somewhat upset and the others didn't seem to know what to say. Karnwyr knew what to do though, he pounced on the boy's chest and licked at his face and the boy pushed back and laughed, "Ah! Stop it! Whose dog is this?"
The second girl knelt down and said, "It's the Dragonborn's dog. We see him with her all the time. The guards were trying to get him so we saved him!"
Blaise pushed Karnwyr off of him and the wolf sat back, tongue lolling happily at the four of them. Maybe they would help him find the boy he was supposed to watch.
They heard a man speaking from around the stables, "Excuse me ma'am, we're looking for a wolf that came by here. It was chasing some children. You didn't happen to see anything did you?"
A woman's voice carried over, "No, I haven't seen any wolves around."
Blaise hissed, "Katla!" He crawled back into the hay pile and motioned for them all to go under. They did, stuffing themselves under the yellow straw. One of the girls pulled on Karnwyr and he scurried under with them.
The woman continued speaking, "And now that you mention it, I haven't seen any kids either, in fact my stable boy's been missing."
Another boy's voice carried along, he sounded quite snotty too, "Blaise is probably just hiding in the hay pile behind the stables again. I'll go get him."
Blaise groaned and shifted uncomfortably and the others tried to shush him. Karnwyr sensed his agitation and they heard the voices of the man and woman still speaking.
The man said, "Well ma'am, if you see anything be sure to let us know."
"Oh of course! I don't want any wolves around here lest I lose all my chickens."
They heard the snotty boy say, "Come on out Blaise, I know you're hiding in there. Ma says you have to go clean the coops out," then he spoke with a nasty tone, "And when you're done you can play Soldier with me again. This time I'll be General Tullius and you can be my Imperial soldier, that means you have to do whatever I say," he laughed derisively and shoved a hand into the hay pile searching for Blaise.
Blaise's agitation set Karnwyr off and he barked madly, bursting from the hay pile and pounced on the snotty boy knocking him flat on his back. The boy gave a high pitched scream as Karnwyr continued barking playfully in his face, then he cried, "MOMMY! MOMMY! WOLF!"
The woman came around, threw her hands up and screamed, then all the children burst from the hay pile and ran calling back, "Come on boy! Follow us! Come on! Come on!"
Karnwyr jumped off the horrified child and chased after the four children as they rounded right around the guard that had been looking for them. Karnwyr skittered through his legs sending him toppling flat on his ass and he started yelling at their backs but they ignored him all laughing and running along. They hurried down towards the lumber mill and jumped into the water and swam across a small streamlet to the forested area beyond.
They kept running through the trees and Blaise shouted with laughter, "Did you hear that!? Ahahaha! MOMMY! HAHAHA!"
"Knud's a milk drinking baby!" The first girl shouted through her own giggle fit.
The other boy cried, "And he screams like a girl!"
"Hey!" The second girl sounded offended.
The boy shrugged his shoulders at her, "Oh come on Svari! You heard it too!"
She laughed a little, "Okay, yeah he kind of does scream like a girl."
They all finally stopped by a large hollowed out tree.
"Hey Kayd," Blaise said to the other boy, breathless, "Think we lost 'em?"
Kayd looked back, holding a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun and said, "Yeah, probably."
They all sat down to catch their breaths and Karnwyr plopped down next to them. He sniffed at the air. There was still no sign of the boy he was supposed to be watching. The first girl started scratching him behind the ears and Karnwyr loved that as he leaned into her hand. She was getting that awful, gnawing itch he had back there that he could never reach. He appreciated it when the people would get it for him though.
"Careful Minette," Blaise said with a laugh, "didn't you hear them? He's a big, dangerous wolf."
They all giggled and the girl hugged Karnwyr around the neck suddenly and said, "He's so nice! Kind of smells though, I think he needs a bath."
Karnwyr looked on at them all. He thought they were nice too and they gave good head scratches but he really needed to find the boy he was supposed to be watching. Then a scent in the air caught his nose. He stood up and sniffed some more. The smell was very familiar. He loped along through the trees searching for it.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Minette called. The four children all got up and followed him along through the trees.
Kayd was hesitant, "We shouldn't go out this way. My ma will throttle me if she finds out I went too far from the city."
"It'll be fine," Blaise waved him off, "We're with the Dragonborn's dog right? I bet he's strong."
"Maybe we'll even get to see her again!" Svari said hopping with excitement.
They continued through the forest, heading into a heavier wooded area. Karnwyr ignored the small ones as they chattered among themselves and stopped suddenly when he heard another voice grumbling and scoffing loudly in the distance.
"...Harbinger...can't believe Kodlak would want me to...I mean really?" Aela gave a frustrated sigh, "...what am I even supposed to do? Not like we're back in Jorrvaskr. It'd be easier there... more fire in the young bloods out that way... damned Imperials don't want to join up," she snorted, "can we blame them? Whiterun taken over by the Stormcloaks now... can't find any damn recruits out here."
She came into a clearing nearby and her words were heard more clearly, "It's so pointless. Just four of us now. Bishop and Rona won't stay, that's for damn sure. And why would they? After every awful thing you did woman and now she's hurt again, a million stitches in her shoulder and whose fault is that? Yours!" She sat down on an old tree stump and put her face in her hands grumbling miserably, "Gah... you're such an idiot Aela. Making stupid decisions, chasing everyone away, getting them all killed. Hell, trying to kill them yourself. Shit... she didn't deserve that. I don't know why I…"
She continued mumbling to herself and Karnwyr stepped through the clearing towards her. He remembered her. She was the one who tried to hurt his brother's mate and she hurt him too. But she also tried to help him after and seemed regretful for it. She didn't have the blood bond anymore but she still understood him well enough since she'd lived with it so long.
Karnwyr felt no animosity towards her, though his brother still did. He could sense her frustration and regret. He decided to cheer her up, he was good at that. Then maybe she would take him to the boy he was supposed to watch.
He padded up to her and put his head on her knee and whined. Aela pulled her hands from her face and looked down at him. She smiled and said, "Karnwyr? What're you doing out here you mangy rascal?"
She scratched behind his ears and the children all came into the clearing. Aela looked them over, "What're a bunch of pups like you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"
"Aren't you one of the Companions?" Minette asked.
Aela nodded, "That's right. I'm the," she hesitated and second guessed her words, "Yeah, I'm one of the Companions."
"Are you on a mission?" Blaise asked with interest.
"Yeah!" Svari squealed excitedly, "are you out here to kill some bandits or something?"
Aela smirked at them, "No. No missions now, just finished up a contract a little earlier. I'm uh, just taking a break."
Kayd asked her, "Do you let kids join the Companions?"
Aela scoffed and cocked a brow, "Definitely not. But when you're old enough to hold a sword come down to Jorrvaskr and we'll test your arm, see if you've got what it takes."
"But I've seen that boy training with you, the kid with the red hair," Kayd pointed out.
"Oh, the whelp, Nelkir," she shook her head, "He's a special case. Friend of a friend's kid and all that."
"Aw," Blaise whined, "I'd join up! It sounds like you need recruits, I can fight!"
Aela chuckled, "I appreciate the enthusiasm young blood, but I'm sure your parents would be missing you plenty if you left now."
Blaise turned away from her and looked sad again. Karnwyr whined and went over to him, nuzzling his nose in his hand. He had a lot of work to do, trying to cheer them all up.
Svari whispered to Aela, "His parents were in the Legion... they got killed in an ambush."
"Huh," Aela looked on at the boy and thought for a moment, "So, you've got nothing tying you down here then, eh? You know... that gives me an idea. What's your name kid?"
"Blaise," he said.
"Alright, Blaise," she stood up, "I'm Aela. I'm the Harbinger of the Companions and you're right, we've been struggling to get new recruits lately, but I'm thinking you'd do well. Wouldn't be able to send you off on any contracts any time soon, but if you're willing to put in the effort we could train you up right. Got plenty of open beds in Jorrvaskr.
His eyes widened and he practically shouted, "Really!?"
"There's a catch though."
"What? What is it?" He asked.
"Jorrvaskr is the home of the Companions, which is in Whiterun and right now, Whiterun is home to the Stormcloaks. As Companions we don't take sides in this war, we don't let the state of the country or our personal feelings about it surpass the needs of our clients," she gave him a serious look, "That means any desire for vengeance, for your parents - you leave that behind here."
Blaise twisted his brows together. He appeared to have some very mixed feelings about that. He thought for a moment, possibly weighing his options. Continue living as a stable boy in Solitude, sleeping in the hay piles with the horses or go off to Whiterun and live among the Stormcloaks, the very same people that killed his parents, while training as a warrior. But he'd get to sleep in a real bed too...
The other three looked on at him curiously, wondering if he'd accept the offer, but then a low roar caught their ears and they looked up. A huge black dragon was soaring through the skies, flying over them all and heading for a burial mound off in the distance.
Bishop searched for an hour or so looking for Karnwyr with no luck. When he finally stopped and asked around, a guard said, "Yeah, we saw that wolf earlier! It chased after some kids - it was trying to kill them! What were you thinking bringing a wild animal in here!? I should have you arrested just for admitting to that!"
Bishop replied in kind sneering, "Yeah, you do that. Then you'll not only have the Jarl and the Companions crawling up your ass, but the Dragonborn herself. You really want to take that risk by locking up her closest traveling companion?"
The guard looked him over skeptically but the other nudged him and said, "Don't fuck with this one Holund. I've seen him coming and going with her nearly every day."
Bishop smirked, "I'd listen to your friend if I were you. Now, if you see my wolf again, don't even think about touching him because I will find you and I will gut you myself if there's so much as a hair missing from his furry hide. Make sure you spread the word." He thumbed his blade and gave them a dirty look before turning and heading back to the homestead.
It gave him a certain satisfaction having more pull over the holds guards these days when not that long ago they'd been nothing but a pain in his ass. Granted, he was a pain in theirs too what with all the drunken bar fighting and other lecherous trouble he'd gotten himself into wherever he went. He'd really mellowed out since then. Now he just wanted to enjoy a pint with his woman and his wolf and have a quiet evening alone with her most nights. They always had trouble at their heels, he didn't want to be the cause of more of it.
(The song is Immortal Avenger by Two Steps From Hell)
When he arrived home, the second he stepped inside he heard her screaming and it made his pulse quicken. Bishop rushed upstairs and found her, trapped in a nightmare, writhing madly on the bed. Her stitches must have torn because she'd soaked through her bandages and straight into the sheets. He hurried to her side and wrapped his arms around her, trying to still her wild movements.
"Rona!" He shouted at her, "Rona! Wake up!"
It was useless though. He'd never wake her. He'd tried everything before, shouting in her ears, shaking her, throwing water on her, even slapping her pretty hard across the face.
He whispered helplessly, "Just hold on Ladyship. It'll be over soon... gods please let it be over soon."
Aela, Karnwyr and the children all watched as the black dragon hovered over the burial mound in the distance and started speaking loudly in dragon's tongue as he swooped over it.
Karnwyr started to growl low, the hairs on his back stood on end as the dragon performed his ritual.
"You four," Aela said in hushed tones pointing at them, "Get back to Solitude right now. Stay low and move slowly. Keep cover under the trees."
All of them were trembling with fear. Three of them started to move but one poor girl was so scared she couldn't move her legs it seemed. Blaise grasped her arm, tugging on her and whispered, "Svari, come on. Let's leave."
She trembled with absolute terror, her eyes glued to the enormous beast which was far too close for comfort. Aela looked around. There was a large tree, big enough to give them cover. She lifted the girl right up off her feet and set her down behind the tree, out of sight of the dragon and said, "Stay here." The other four stayed with her, not wanting to leave her alone it seemed.
Aela knew she'd have to draw the dragon away to keep them all safe. But would she be able to beat it? She was so weak without the gift. She couldn't even stand up against Potema. She'd gone into the catacombs, all on her own, seeking vengeance against the ancient queen for her mother. But it was the vampires that took her down and dragged her along to the woman. Potema saw right through her, pointing out all her fears and weaknesses and then took her body for her own. And even then the witch had rebuked her, telling her that her body was pathetic, but that she'd hold onto it until she could regain her own strength back and find a new vessel worthy of her powerful soul. Rona was strong enough, stronger than her. She was the Dragonborn. Aela was nothing now, not without Hircine's Gift…
And now, here she was, staring off at an enormous dragon, she being the only thing standing between the vicious creature and four small children. Karnwyr stood by her side. She looked down at him as he raised hackle, growling fiercely at the beast.
"You'll fight with me?" She asked him.
He looked up at her, his face softening and gave a low whine as if to say yes.
"Even after what I did to you, to her and to him? You'd fight with me?"
He wagged his tail and opened his jaws into a wide smile, tongue lolling out and barked in the affirmative.
She smirked at him and set her gaze back onto the black dragon. She shook her head, drew her bow and said, "Eyes on the prey, not on the horizon."
(The song is Fearless by Thomas Bergersen)
She ran forward, nocking an arrow to her bow, taking cover behind the trees as she crept forward. She watched as the black dragon roared at the ground, "SLEN TIID VO!"
The ground rumbled and Karnwyr stepped back and forth trying to stay upright and Aela clung to a tree as the burial mound burst open and the bones of a dragon crawled out and its flesh burned back onto its body. She took a sharp breath watching this madness and remembered what Rona had told them all over a month ago. She looked back at the black dragon and realized she'd seen him before. It was Alduin, the World Eater resurrecting another dragon right before her very eyes.
She waited as the two spoke deeply in dragon's tongue to one another, though she couldn't understand a word. When they finished their conversation the one on the ground took off into the skies and made to follow the World Eater. They were headed straight for Solitude. She had to do something.
She sprint across the ground and started shouting, "Hey! Lizard brain!" Then lined up a shot and fired it into the hide of the one following Alduin. He roared with pain and Alduin halted, soaring back around. He saw Aela and gave a low laugh, then looked to the other as they hovered there. The newly resurrected one snapped at the arrow in its side, hissing furiously.
Alduin looked displeased and spoke again in dragon's tongue to his fellow, "Krii fin joor, Uleignaar. Fod hi lahney ruz hi ros balaan… Rul ni zu'u fen krii hi."
The other looked warily at Alduin before setting his sights on Aela. He swooped down quickly roaring, "YOL TOOR SHUL!" setting the trees and grass alight with fire. Aela managed to leap out of the way, though one of her boots was smoldering. She quickly kicked at it with her other foot and put out the flame. The beast was already coming back around and she rolled out of the way again.
Karnwyr took a brave leap however and jumped right onto the face of the creature and started biting viciously into its snout. It hissed with pain and shook its face, throwing Karnwyr off at a low height, thankfully. The wolf rolled across the ground and quickly got up again, barking and growling menacingly.
The dragon landed and shook its head while Alduin hovered nearby, watching intently, cocking his head back and forth. Aela looked back at him, not understanding why he wasn't helping his comrade. Then she realized, he was testing him. It was rather cruel the way he flew in that spot, laughing in a strange guttural dragon voice, almost sneering at the other.
She couldn't worry about that now though, she realized the four children were all too close to where the other dragon was as it started walking on all fours, gripping at the ground with the claws on its wings, heading straight for her. She ducked behind another tree as it roared, "FO KRAH DIIN!" A blast of ice peppered the tree behind her and she felt the cool frost caressing her arms.
She nocked an arrow and waited a moment until the spray stopped then leaned around, aiming for its eye and fired just as it made to shout again. Her arrow missed its mark by an inch and shunted just above its yellow eyeball. It hissed again, scratching furiously at the arrow.
Karnwyr raced to her side and she looked down at the wolf and said, "I'll distract it, I need you to protect the little ones." She spotted the tree where the children were hiding, it was only a few paces away from the dragon who was already on the move again, coming towards her it sounded like. She pointed to the tree and shouted at the wolf, "GO!" Karnwyr sprang forward racing for the children and she ran in the opposite direction, keeping her eyes on the dragon as it looked between the two targets splitting up.
He seemed to settle on Aela though and slithered swiftly across the ground after her. She scurried through the trees and jumped up off the ground just as its jaws lunged and snapped at her from the side. She was no Rona, she couldn't jump too high or far, but it was enough to save her feet from being snapped right off. Unfortunately, because she couldn't jump very high she landed again very quickly, right on its snout. She took the opportunity to scramble up its face and grabbed its horn, holding on as it attempted to shake her off, roaring flames angrily as her foot kicked it in the eye. She laughed loudly out of fear and a pure rush of adrenaline, "HAH! OH SHIIIT! How does she do this!? WHOA!"
There was no way to use her bow with one hand so she cast it aside and yanked her dagger from its sheath and leaned forward, aiming for the creature's desperately swiveling and searching eye. In a second she slammed it straight into the dragon's eyeball with a resounding squelch and blood burst over her hand. She yanked it free and quickly leapt off the creature before it took off into the sky again.
Aela grabbed her bow and ran for cover behind another tree and looked back. She saw Alduin watching his fellow shaking its head fiercely. Despite being a dragon, Alduin's eyes and the way he held his jowls showed how absolutely disgusted he was with the beast.
"Grik sahlo," Alduin muttered with a low growl.
The other dragon stopped its painful writhing and looked him over with its one good eye, cowering its head fearfully. Alduin lunged at the poor dragon and it flapped backwards trying to escape its new enemy. It crashed into the ground, throwing its back legs out against Alduin, trying to push him off as it hissed with terror. The World Eater was not harmed or bothered by his fighting in the slightest, his hide was far too thick for that it seemed. He cocked his head back and forth, looking at the pathetic creature under him.
Then to Aela's horror she saw two other dragons flying along, coming near. They hovered and spoke to Alduin, "Thur Alduin. Zu'u halvuut fin Dovahkiin. Rek los sahlo."
Alduin looked back to them and a wicked smile curled at his jowls while he easily held the other underneath him with his talons. He turned his head, looking right at the spot Aela was hiding. Her heart pound in her chest as her eyes met his vicious red ones. She felt lucky to be alive after facing one of them alone, especially with the World Eater watching so close by. But when he spoke directly to her she felt sick with fear.
"You are brave," he said almost with a sneer, "One of Ysgramor's Companions, I remember you. Tell me mortal, where do you hide the puny Dovahkiin? The one who calls herself Rona of Dragon Fangs?"
She couldn't speak. It was wild enough that this creature praised her, sort of, but he knew Rona was there? The girl definitely couldn't face him now, not with her shoulder ripped to shreds. Then he addressed her again.
"If you speak I will allow you and your young to live. But if you do not, I will gladly make you watch as we tear them limb from limb," he laughed and then motioned to one of his others. It flew over and stomped down in front of the tree where the four children were hiding. She heard all of them let out shrill screams as Karnwyr barked madly. The beast hissed at them but made no move against them, he only waited for his master to give him commands.
"So, what will it be mortal?" Alduin didn't seem like the patient sort. Aela would have to do something and soon. She sincerely doubted she could trust this monster in the slightest though and wasn't about to go sending him off to kill the Dragonborn.
The dragon underneath him was still frantically trying to get away and Alduin continued to speak in Cyrodillic, as though it were too much of a bother to switch between the languages, or maybe he was just demonstrating his cruelty for her benefit.
He hissed, sharp and low to the dragon under him, "Uleignaar… you were once one of my strongest. A dov worthy enough to fly by my side. Your time in the ground has made you weak," he snarled the word low and viciously, "I will not tolerate such frailty among my commanding force. Feel my wrath." He gave a deep, quavering growl before lashing into the dragon, tearing its flesh from its body as it screeched and roared ice and fire in vain.
Finally, Alduin killed the thing with a loud CRUNCH! to its throat. Aela had enough nerve to peak around the tree again and watched as the dead dragon's body burned up suddenly. Alduin looked pleased and said to the one nearest him, "Drogaavlok, follow his soul. Use your sense to find her."
Drogaavlok, a deep red colored dragon with white horns, flew high into the sky as the soul of the dead creature whisked quickly away from its body, shooting across the mouth of the river and through the walls into Solitude.
Then Alduin spoke to her again, "It seems I will not need your service mortal," he looked to the other, a dark blue dragon with black horns and said, "Nosvaat. Kill them."
Alduin took off, following the other while Nosvaat growled murderously at the children, making them scream again and he made to snap at them. Aela ran forward, holding her bow aloft, when Nosvaat suddenly hissed madly and rolled over in pain. He scrambled across the ground and took off away from them all, flying into the sky. Farkas, Vilkas and Athis stood by, their weapons at the ready. Farkas' broadsword was dripping with blood, he'd bravely swept in and struck the creature. Karnwyr happily ran over to them all, running circles around them and wagging his tail wildly. Vilkas motioned to the children calling, "Quickly! You kids! Over here!"
Nosvaat eyed them all from the safety of the skies and second guessed facing off against three new foes. He took off after his master heading straight for Solitude.
"Aela!" Vilkas cried when he spotted her.
She held a hand up to stop him from reprimanding her, as she ran to them, "Trust me! If I knew I was going to be facing off against four goddamn dragons, I would have told you! I was just as surprised as you!"
Vilkas sighed and just nodded.
Then Athis pointed over at the ones headed for Solitude, "That doesn't look good."
"Shit," Aela muttered, "They're going after Rona! They know she's hurt. We have to go right now!"
Farkas looked over at all the children and said, "What about these kids?"
"Bring them with!" Aela shouted, leading the way.
Bishop managed to tie Rona down, using their bondage rope. It was all he had nearby that he could use to try and keep her still. After he got her to stop squirming so much he ran downstairs, sweating heavily, both from struggling with her and out of his own anxiety. He rifled through their traveling pack, yanking out all of their medical supplies. She was bleeding too heavily and he worried she was going to go into shock. He ran back upstairs, tripping on a step as he went and swearing under his breath, scrambled back onto his feet.
He hurried over to her and undid her dress quickly and yanked it down, exposing her shoulders and bra. He had an old salve that he quickly applied to the gash in her shoulder, covering over all the torn stitches and the entirety of the wound to make the bleeding stop.
He never wanted to be a magic user more in his life, just to heal her. She was so pale and her face was red with a fever covered in beads of sweat. She kept whimpering and crying out in her nightmare. He'd never seen it last so long before and they were only ever this horrible when Alduin was nearby. For once in his life he found himself desperately praying. He thought of Talos and begged the nord hero, the protector of warriors himself, to save her, to wake her from this horrific dream. He thought about leaving and getting that damn nurse or anyone, but he was so afraid to leave her alone again and he didn't want to try and move her lest he tear more of her stitches.
He sat with her nestled between his legs on the bed just holding her, his arms wrapped around her chest, trying to keep her still and waited for her to wake. Then the most unusual thing happened. Something came rushing at her through the wall. It looked just like when a dragon soul washed over her. In fact, he was positive that's exactly what it was.
(The song is Moving Mountains by Two Steps From Hell)
This made him very uneasy. It meant a dragon had been nearby, though someone had managed to kill it. He really wished the soul had done more than just enter her body, that it would heal her or even wake her, but it changed nothing about her condition.
It was quiet for a moment, yet he felt overcome with a deep dread, almost like he was waiting for something and then he heard it. The low roars of dragons, definitely more than one, nearby. Then the roof shuddered and cracked, like something with a great weight had landed on it. He felt frozen there and only his eyes traveled up to the ceiling as he watched a single crack inching its way along as whatever was above slowly stomped over the roof. His lip trembled and his breath caught in his throat as he pulled the squirming woman closer to him, placing a hand over her mouth on the off chance she let out more shrill screams and gave away their position.
The low growl of dragon tongue drifted in from a slightly ajar window. He didn't understand it, but it definitely sounded like the beast was looking for her when it growled, "Fin dovahkiin los het. Ek laas fus lost sahlo, Thur Alduin."
Bishop sucked in a breath at the name of the World Eater. And then he heard the black beast's voice next. He could never forget it.
"Ag ni."
It was short and to the point and then he heard, "YOL TOOR SHUL!" and watched in horror as the roof was suddenly enveloped in flames. Rona reacted very badly to this as well, her writhing began anew and she screamed into his hand. No point stifling it now, he thought. He quickly lifted her off the bed, praying her stitches wouldn't tear anymore and that the salve would hold as he hurried down the stairs with her. He heard people outside screaming as they finally noticed the dragons. Bishop looked at the front door and decided against going through it. He hurried down the stairs with her into the cellar and scrambled towards the side door.
He gently laid her down. Thankfully her screaming had ceased and he carefully opened the door inward and peered out. Up above he saw a bright red dragon blasting more flames at the roof of their home and clawing madly at the blue tiles, throwing them off. A few landed in front of him, breaking into pieces. Around the way he saw Alduin, watching and waiting for his fellow to open the way, to find their prey.
They couldn't leave with two of the worst dragons imaginable right there, but they couldn't very well stay inside the burning building either. Bishop stepped back in and closed the door partway. It was time to do something incredibly brave and stupid. He needed to get her to the crenellations. Tullius promised them he'd have the Legion at their backs and he needed an army.
Bishop lifted her into his arms again and looked down at her restless face, his own brows knit together fearfully for her. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "We'll make it. We'll survive this. I promise you. I'll protect you with my life. I love you Rona."
He burst through the door and ran for their lives.
Karnwyr ran as fast as his legs would carry him, leaving the others behind. He could sense the threat. His brother's mate, the nice female who always snuck him table scraps and scratched him in all the right spots, she was in danger again. He forgot all about the boy he was supposed to be watching and belted up the path. He stopped at the closed gate, pacing back and forth, scratching at it and howling loudly telling them to let him in, she was in danger!
The two guards on either side of the gate drew their weapons and stepped towards him.
"STOP!" Aela cried, "Don't hurt our wolf! He's a Companion!" They glanced at her and she shouted again, "There are dragons in Solitude! Take these four down to the farm! Get to safety!"
"Right, of course Harbinger," one of the guards said laughing slightly. Then they all heard the shout boom loudly over the walls, "YOL TOOR SHUL!"
"We have to hurry!" Vilkas cried. The two guards were moving a lot faster now that they realized she was serious, hurrying the children and themselves off to safety.
The second they drew the doors open they were overwhelmed by townsfolk fleeing the city. Karnwyr wove his way through them all and skittered across the path leaving the Companions behind.
Vilkas and Farkas pushed the gates open allowing the civilians to flee quickly and safely. Aela and the others would not retreat though, their friends were in danger. They ran along the path and saw General Tullius gathering his men and shouting loudly, "THIS IS IT MEN! TIME TO TEST OUR STRENGTH! BRING THOSE BLASTED DRAGONS DOWN!"
(The song is Never Back Down by Two Steps From Hell)
The soldiers yelled together and marched forward through the streets. Aela shouted to the others giving direction, "Vilkas! Farkas! You two join the Legionnaires! Athis, you got your bow?"
"Got it!" He confirmed drawing it from his back.
"You're with me," she said, "We're going up high!" She ran with Athis, heading for the walls above the crenellations. Vilkas and Farkas rushed in, joining the foot soldiers with their weapons drawn, ready to fight.
Karnwyr dashed on ahead of all the soldiers and saw the two dragons tearing apart his brother's home. He stopped suddenly when he caught a whiff of two very familiar scents. Then he saw the black dragon move suddenly, as something caught his eye.
Alduin roared a purplish power at the ground just as Bishop rounded the corner and ran forward as it narrowly missed them. He saw the wolf and looked at him astounded, "Karnwyr!?" Then he ran by and shouted back, "Come on boy!" Karnwyr twisted on the spot and ran after his brother glad to be back in his company.
They rushed into the crowd of Legionnaires who parted, making way for the ranger and the injured Dragonborn as they all looked on at her disheveled appearance horrified. Alduin was already soaring over them all, looking to kill. Bishop took refuge under the archway leading into the crenellations where General Tullius stood, directing his men, "STEADY! AIM! FIRE!"
The Legionnaires began launching arrows against Alduin, uselessly, as they simply bounced off of his thick hide and he laughed wickedly at them. The other dragon followed along and was joined by another suddenly. Alduin stomped down heavily into the open pavilion with the other two at his side, their combined weight made the ground shudder, nearly knocking everyone standing over.
Bishop stepped back, still holding Rona tightly to his chest as Tullius looked at her, shock etched all over his face, "She's? Is she?"
"Sleeping," Bishop insisted, his teeth grit, "Trapped in a nightmare because of that thing."
Tullius looked back to Alduin and held his hand out, motioning for his men to stop firing as Alduin and his two Commanders were not fighting back.
Alduin spoke low, his voice rumbling deeply, "You are wise mortal, to cease your attacks."
General Tullius said, "Leave this city... dragon." There were few things that could break Tullius' stone faced stare. But it seemed one of those things was speaking directly to a dragon as his brows twisted between fear, anger and astonishment.
Alduin cocked his head and growled, "Give me the Dragonborn and I will allow you to keep your lives."
Bishop backed up again, holding her even closer to his body. He'd never let that creature touch her. Never.
It seemed General Tullius felt the same as he stepped bravely forward and said, "I can't do that. You see, I have a friend I owe a great debt to and keeping the Dragonborn alive is my top priority. Aside from that, however, it seems that we have the upper hand. You're hardly in any position to be making demands... dragon."
The red dragon snarled at him, "HE IS LORD ALDUIN! Know your place mortal filth!"
General Tullius did not waver and Bishop held a newfound respect for the man. Rona cried out again in her nightmare, her hands moved, trying to claw at something but with her arms tied she couldn't move much.
Alduin raised his body up, standing taller and spreading his wings and with a dragonish laugh he spat, "She dreams. Lost in the nightmares of old. I sense it now. Give her to me mortal. I see you try to protect her, to save her. She cannot escape her fate. So give her to me and I will end her suffering... quickly... painlessly," he laughed again and snapped his jaws loudly.
"You stay the FUCK AWAY FROM HER!" Bishop roared back at the World Eater.
Alduin's pupils twisted into thin slits and he said, "Watch her pain. See her suffering. DRUN HAHNU BEX!"
He shouted something at them then and they held their hands out, trying to block it. Bishop turned with her in his arms, intending to block whatever it was with his body. It washed over them and nothing seemed to happen. Everyone looked over themselves, but no harm was done.
Rona on the other hand started shrieking louder than ever. Then visions and images appeared all around them, a scene from another time and place. A horrible, awful scene straight from her nightmares.
Jillian stood there, right before Alduin watching as her lover Ronin went in fighting him wildly before Alduin crushed him and tore him in half right before her eyes. The woman fell to her knees, giving up. It happened over and over again until that woman became Rona and she watched as Alduin crushed Bishop.
His faced cringed in agony as he looked over her wanting nothing more than to wake her from this horrible nightmare.
Alduin laughed, "Do you see now? Her suffering? I would end it eternally and restore the world to its right order. We dov were made to rule over mortalkind! It is by Bormahu - by Akatosh that you should lay beneath us, worshipping us," Alduin flapped and flew upwards roaring loudly, "THE DOV SHALL RULE AGAIN!"
Then an arrow spiraled through the air and shunted right into his eye socket and he roared furiously. Aela shouted from atop the landing with the widest grin on her face as she held her bow out, "FUCK YOU!"
The blue dragon swept up and took off, heading straight for her and Athis. The two of them booked it down the path and ran as the beast clambered over the walls roaring fire at them.
The other red one immediately made to roar its own shout at the Legionnaires when General Tullius pointed his sword forward and shouted, "ATTACK!"
He and all the Legionnaires bravely swept into the pavilion, launching arrows and swinging blades. Farkas and Vilkas shouted with them, "For the Dragonborn! For freedom!" Even Karnwyr ran in with a newfound fearlessness.
Bishop watched as this procession of men and women all fought bravely for her, risking their lives to protect her. He felt a tear stream down his cheek as he looked down at her, smiling and laughing, "I wish you could see it Ladyship. They're fighting for you."
Alduin took off, calling for the other two in dragon's tongue. They followed quickly, leaving behind their prey. Defeated once again in Solitude, only this time the living had saved her.