A/N: Hey all! I hope that everyone is doing well! Thank you for continuing to read this story and as always, your feedback is greatly appreciated! Random question, are you guys excited for the next generation of gaming? I'm really interested in what Bethesda has in store for Starfield and the Elder Scrolls VI. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it!

*Disclaimer*

*As always, I own only my OCs. The main plots and recognizable characters are from the brilliant minds of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls franchise writers.*

Chapter II- If I Had a Septim for Every Time Someone Called Me Crazy

"Weynon Priory? Just follow the Black Road and you should be there in a day or so. Be careful though, scouts have reported more bandits than usual." The Imperial cavalryman looked concerned for her and she supposed that given her current state of dress, he had every right to be. Lumi had washed off the grime of the sewers as best as possible in the waters of Lake Rumare but hadn't had any opportunities to replace her completely tattered clothing. Pair that with her rudimentary supplies and she probably looked worse than she had coming out of Helgen. At least then I had some damn armor. She felt extremely vulnerable without her trusty leather armor. It had seen her through more battles than Lumi could possibly count.

"I will, thank you sir." She replied, not having to fake her sincerity in the slightest. Maybe I can convince one of those bandits to part with their armor. Still concerned but seemingly accepting that she would not be asking for help, the legionnaire nodded and continued on his way in the opposite direction. The sun was still shining bright and by her estimates, would probably be in the sky for a couple of hours still. Plenty enough time to make some headway on the Black Road. Lumi set out, determined to walk as much as possible before the sun went down and she had to wait until dawn. Off the side of the road was the ruin of an old Ayleid settlement. The smooth white stone radiated malice and she quickly walked past it, trying to ignore the prickling sensation on the back of her neck. Ayleid ruins had always terrified her. Those glowing halls had seen so much human suffering, the very worst that could be done to people. All of that anger and hate left a mark on a place and every instinct in Lumi screamed to stay away from it. So, she listened.

With nothing better to do, Lumi tried to sort through what had happened in the last twenty-four hours. She woke up in Whiterun and had said goodbye to her family and friends before flying off on Odahviing to reach Skuldafn. She remembered how eerily quiet the Nordic ruin was, despite the large number of dragons there. They had watched her, not leaving their posts to try and fight. It had been as though they were waiting for her to get there. Like it was expected. Only a dragonpriest had moved to fight her and he was easily dispatched. The portal to Sovngarde had left Lumi lightheaded and shaky but there had been little time to spare so she pushed the weariness aside. The walk to the Hall of Valor had been nothing short of terrifying. Alduin had created a fog to hide himself in and in the moments that she was least expecting, swept through and grabbed wayward souls. She knew that the memory of her time in that fog would haunt her to the end of her days.

Reaching Tsun at the whalebone bridge had been a moment of respite, despite having to fight the Nord guardian to reach the hall. Inside she had been overjoyed to see Kodlak. The knowledge that his spirit had found its way to Sovngarde brought new strength to her weary limbs. For all the buildup, the fight against Alduin was over surprisingly quickly. With help from Gormlaith and the rest of her companions, Alduin had been brought low and the kalpa was preserved. She was sent back down with a new shout to call on Kodlak and the others when help was needed and years' worth of trauma to begin working through. Only she hadn't been able to start working through it. She had somehow fallen through the Time Wound and into the last years of the Third Era, right before the inevitable Oblivion Crisis.

Meeting the Emperor had been as incredible as it was horrible. The man hadn't deserved to be killed by assassins. But then again, how many people really did? He had been so calm, knowing and accepting the looming presence of his death. The only time he had been visibly upset was when Captain Renault was killed. Hers and Glenroy's katanas felt impossibly heavy upon her back. Both the Emperor and the Blade had died around the same time. She didn't want to think about what Baurus must be feeling, having to guard their bodies until help arrived. Too late to really help. Paarthurnax was right, it was far too easy for those with dragons' blood to fall into melancholy. Lumi had always been on the sardonic side with her humor and with everything that had happened, it would be all too easy to simply become bitter and sad. She grimaced and looked at her scarred hands. Maybe trying to process everything right now wasn't the best idea.

Trying to keep her mind off of the strange turns that her life had taken, Lumi wondered what the last Septim was like. All she remembered of him in the history books was that he had been raised not knowing his identity and had joined a monastic group devoted to Akatosh in Kvatch before becoming Emperor and saving everyone. Not much was said on his appearance or personality, so she decided to try and guess what he would look like. Having only met his father, she thought he might have similar eyes to the man. With how much presence Uriel had she figured his son might have gotten some of the same leadership traits. Although Jarl Balgruuf's children were absolutely nothing like the man. Where he was a calm mediator, his children were spoilt and selfish. Hopefully, they would grow out of it. I swear if I have to hear how one of those brats likes their steak one more time I might just sneak a cow into their rooms. Forcing herself to focus on the original subject of her musing, Lumi sincerely hoped that Martin liked jokes because those were known to happen at the most inopportune times when she was stressed. Vilkas had found that out the hard way. She remembered the look of fond exasperation on his face with a sad smile. That was a good job.

Humming 'Ragnar the Red' to herself, Lumi kept on the Black Road until the last of the sun's rays were peaking over the tree line. With an annoyed sigh, the Nord woman moved off to the cover of the forest to find a suitable spot to camp for the night. No fire, the risk of being noticed was too high and until she had some proper armor, being noticed was the last thing she wanted. Lumi eventually settled on a small thicket that was fairly well-hidden but just off the main road. She rummaged through her pack, smiling when her hand wrapped around the hardtack that Baurus had given her. A feast fit for kings! She thought sarcastically. Still, she was grateful to have food at all, even if hardtack had to be just about the worst food ever made.

Once she was finished with her meal, Lumi carefully wrapped herself in her cloak, keeping one hand on her blade. She was definitely sleeping light tonight. If she kept at her current pace, she should reach Weynon Priory by tomorrow evening at the latest. Hopefully Jauffre will know where Martin is. The Amulet of Kings pulsed in her pocket, as if agreeing with her. Taking it out gently, Lumi couldn't help but marvel at the jewel. It really felt alive. There was no other way to describe it. Looking at the deep red of the necklace that seemed to sparkle and glow even in the darkness, Lumi was overcome by curiosity. She was a dragonborn. Only the dragonborn were supposed to be able to wear the amulet. The Septims were the latest line of dragonblood emperors but they weren't the first. Would the amulet let her wear it? Is that a question I even truly want the answer to? The Nord woman pondered for a minute, weighing the risks.

"Oh well, I've done stupider things." She muttered. With shaking hands, Lumi took off her Amulet of Akatosh, gently settling it on the ground beside her and carefully set the chain of the Amulet of Kings around her neck, fixing the latch in place. She removed her hands. One minute, then two. Nothing happened. The amulet continued to pulse, only now she could feel it in her chest, resonating with her own heartbeat. Unbidden, tears burned against her eyes, and she clasped a hand around her mouth to smother the cry that was trying to rip out of her throat. The amulet felt like home. Like all of her warmest memories. Her mother's smile, her father's firm hugs. The way her siblings would constantly joke around with one another. The pride in Kodlak's eyes when he saw her in Sovngarde. Farkas and Vilkas helping her to train. Aela's teasing glares. Uthgerd and Athis' witty remarks. The trust she felt in them to have her back. The first time she completed a shout. The warmth in Paarthurnax's fiery greetings. A golden dragon. It was too much.

Without hesitating, Lumi removed the amulet and quickly put it back in her pocket. The moment the amulet left her neck she felt cold, like it had taken her warmth to fuel its own. I am not putting that back on. The Septims can keep it. The tears still silently streamed down her face as Lumi forced her eyes shut, fighting back the overwhelming tide of loneliness and homesickness that threatened to destroy her. She needed to sleep.

Lumi had loved traveling growing up. Her family didn't stay in one place for too long and it meant that she got to meet lots of interesting people. Her siblings preferred to stay in one place and after she grew older, she could tell her parents would have preferred to as well, but for whatever reason she just couldn't stay in one town or hold. Eventually her parents had purchased a home in Whiterun and settled there to help teach the hold's young ones. The years that she spent with her family in that home were simultaneously the best and worst of her life. They were filled with many wonderful memories and time spent together. She could see how happy the rest of her kin were to finally have a place of their own and be able to set down roots. But she couldn't help the restlessness she felt in her heart. It grew larger and larger, until even her parents noticed. They were the ones that suggested she travel and record the plants that she came across. Her family knew how much alchemy and botany interested the youngest of them and encouraged her to pursue those interests. So, she did. Lumi had traveled through most of Cyrodiil and all of Skyrim before she unknowingly broke the law and almost got killed. She'd been studying the alchemical properties of moon sugar and hadn't realized that carrying it over the border on her way back to Skyrim was illegal. The Imperial soldiers had her in the back of the cart to Falkreath Hold before she could say a word.

Helgen had been terrifying. She hadn't realized until that point just how easy it was to die. If Alduin had been only a second later in his attack, she would have lost her head, just like the mouthy Stormcloak man before her. As it was, she had almost died more times than she could count on her way out of the keep with Hadvar and Ralof. She had known both of them from growing up together in Whiterun Hold and refused to leave either behind in her escape. They had complained constantly but she remained firm, either all of them were escaping, or none of them. They had each gone their separate ways after reaching Riverwood but she thought she saw a flash of relief in their eyes when the other wasn't looking. Whether they would say so or not, both men were glad that the other was still alive.

After she got back to Whiterun she had joined the Companions. Despite getting arrested and almost burnt to a crisp, that itch she had to wander was still there. And it felt like it was growing stronger. Working jobs had helped. She was basically paid to travel. Sure, she had to fight bandits or kill dangerous creatures but it was still worth it. And the company had been pretty good too. Vilkas had quickly become her best friend. She'd been planning on setting him up with one of the newer whelps, a Breton woman named Marwin. It was hilarious watching the two drift around one another. Now she didn't know if she'd ever see them again. Ever see her family again. No. She couldn't focus on the what-ifs. She had to keep moving forward. She was over halfway to Weynon Priory. The outline of Chorrol was faint on the horizon and kept beckoning to her like a beacon. Only a few more hours. Soon she would see Jauffre and figure where to go from there.

Now that she was nearing Chorrol the Black Road was busier. There were people making their way to and from the surrounding countryside, some carrying carts, others on foot like herself, and a few riding horses. No one tried to talk to her and for that, Lumi was grateful. What would she even say? Hi, I fell through a hole in time and had to watch the Emperor get murdered without being able to do anything! Sell any vegetables lately? In any case, the increase in foot traffic meant that there were more legionnaires watching the road, which meant in turn that there weren't bandits stupid enough to try anything. It also meant that she had gotten more than one concerned look. Her clothing really needed to be burnt and replaced. It was looking worse than a draugr's loincloth, though thankfully it lacked the mustiness of the dead.

The Amulet of Kings occasionally pulsed in her pocket, drawing Lumi out of her thoughts and making her focus on the task at hand. Get the amulet to Jauffre. Find out from Jauffre where Martin is. Protect him. And hopefully not die. Yeah, not dying would be pretty great. She knew exactly what was at stake. If the amulet wasn't kept safe until Martin could light the Dragonfires, the jaws of Oblivion would be opened and a fate worse than death would come for Tamriel. Luckily the foot traffic was moving fairly quickly. No one wanted to be caught out at night. She heard a number of people talking about the Emperor's death. Some whispered about assassinations and the Dark Brotherhood. Others wondered about the line of succession. Some didn't care and scoffed at the concerns of their peers. She hated those people. Lumi didn't understand how they thought everything was fine when their Emperor and his heirs were dead, murdered by an unknown party. How were they not shivering in fear now that the dragonfires had been extinguished and Oblivion was closer than it had been in eras? They seemed hell bent on ignoring the reality of the situation. At least she wasn't the only one with that opinion. Throughout the day she saw more than a few travelers give those people some rather nasty looks. If they had children, they would usually grip the child's hand a little more and walk past the offender. Lumi simply tried to ignore them and move on.

A few hours later, Lumi let out a sigh of relief when she finally saw the sign for Weynon Priory. She was almost there. The tops of the stone structures peered out from the tree line like curious children from behind their mother's skirts. She forced herself to walk faster, eager to reach her destination. By the time she made her way to the monastery the sun was just starting to set. Ignoring the looks of the priories residents, Lumi knocked upon the door. A man in dark robes opened the door, smiling gently at the woman.

"May I help you, child?" He asked kindly, hands tucked into his plain robes.

"I'm looking for Jauffre, I have a delivery for him." She tried to remain subtle. Who knew who else could be listening to their conversation. The monk's eyes sharpened as he looked at her, taking in the ragged clothing and blades.

"Very well, come in and I will take you to him." The man opened the door just enough for her to walk through before closing it firmly behind them. She tried not to notice how he locked the door. The monk led the way through the monastery, past more robed men and women who watched them with sharp eyes. All the way up a flight of stairs and to the right until they reached an office where an old Breton man with balding blond hair sat behind a desk.

"Grandmaster Jauffre, this woman claims to have a delivery for you." The monk gestured at Lumi, who smiled sheepishly. Jauffre looked at her, his serious expression broken only by the slightest quirk of his lips at the awkward smile still on her face before nodding his assent at the other monk.

"Thank you Brother Piner, I believe that Prior Maborel was looking for you earlier." He said in a quiet, but firm voice.

Piner spared one last look at the Nord woman before he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Lumi eyed the man in front of her warily. This was who the emperor had entrusted the location of his last son to. She could understand why. The man looked tough as nails. His eyes were hard and his face lined with both wrinkles and scars. He was watching her carefully, methodically. Nothing seemed to escape his gaze. After what felt like a miniature eternity, the man cleared his throat.

"Why have you come here wearing rags and carrying the swords of my kin?" Straight to the point. He wasn't wasting words, she could respect that.

"It's a long story, sir. May I sit down?" Lumi asked, thankful when the older man nodded and gestured to one of the seats in front of his desk.

Lumi undid the straps securing the dai-katanas to her back and placed them on the desk, along with the Amulet of Kings. She sat down in the proffered chair and had to fight back a groan at how nice it felt to be able to just sit on a chair after walking and fighting for so long.

"As you have probably heard, Emperor Uriel was assassinated yesterday. I was there when it happened. His Blades had been overrun in the escape tunnels under the Imperial Prison and he was stabbed in the back by an assassin before I could do anything.' She rubbed her arms, shuddering as she remembered the way all of the air had been pushed from Uriel's lungs in a choked gasp. 'Before he died, he tasked me with delivering the Amulet of Kings to you. Since I was already supposed to find you, Blades knight Baurus asked me to carry the katanas of his fellow agents, Glenroy and Captain Renault, with me so that they could be stored properly."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop as she told her tale, and Lumi could only watch as Jauffre processed everything she was saying, looking between her and the items on his desk.

"And why did the Emperor and his Blades trust you? Why were you, a civilian, with the Emperor at all?" If looks could kill, Lumi would be dead a thousand times over. The Grandmaster's eyes were cold and dangerous as he stared her down.

"You have little reason to believe me and far more to distrust me but as I understand the situation, I was sent by Bormahu to aid in the events to come." Lumi opted for the honest route. Lying here would not help her.

"Bormahu?" Jauffre appeared confused at the name and she remembered that only the dovah still referred to Akatosh as such at this point.

"The Father of all Dragons and the god of Time, Akatosh. He sent me back roughly two hundred years and into the cell that the Emperor and his guards would have to travel through to reach their escape tunnel." She explained, nearly wincing at how crazy she must sound.

"Some would call that a coincidence." The Breton intoned suspiciously.

"There is no such thing." She replied evenly. Everything happened at precisely the right moment. It was as Bormahu, Akatosh, had ordained it. Only dragons could defy time and there were always consequences, even for his children. Alduin learned that.

"You never answered my question. Why did the Emperor and his Blades trust you? Even if you were from the future, why would that make you trustworthy?" And here was where she would either get killed or be locked away and labeled criminally insane.

"I am Dragonborn."

"Impossible. Only the Septims have the Dragonblood." Jauffre glared at her, the disbelief in his eyes obvious. She didn't even blame him, she could hear how crazy she sounded but she had to make him believe her.

"In this time, that is true. However, as I stated earlier, I am from two hundred years into the future. Akatosh blessed me with his blood and thu'um so that I could defeat his firstborn, Alduin. Now that that task has been seen to, I believe that I have been sent back to help protect the last Septim, Uriel's illegitimate son Martin."

"Prove this. If you are truly Dragonborn then shout, and I will give you all of the aid that I can in your mission." The Breton had one hand on his sword but he had appeared startled when she mentioned Martin by name. She remembered something that Esbern once told her.

Delphine was out looking for potential recruits and information on the Thalmor, leaving Esbern and Lumi to continue straightening out Sky Haven Temple. The two had decided to look through the old library and see if any information was salvageable. She had found the tattered remains of what looked like a journal on a possible dragonborn and gave it to the elderly Nord. Esbern's face had been one of pleasant surprise when he saw the title page.

"Ah, this is very good.' He thumbed through the pages gently. 'The Blades have kept detailed record of the various confirmed Dragonborns for centuries, since Tiber Septim took the throne and the thu'um still rang throughout the skies of Tamriel."

Jauffre was the current Grandmaster of the Blades. He would undoubtedly have had access to some of the journals and while he might not be able to completely recognize any shout that she did, he would be able to confirm that she was a Dragonborn through the methods described in his books. His request for her to shout as proof and overall lack of surprise at the phrase 'thu'um' made much more sense through this lens.

Lumi wondered for a moment which shout to use. It needed to be something that was not exceedingly loud or explosive. She was trying to prove herself as a Dragonborn, not draw the eye of every Mythic Dawn agent in Cyrodiil. Just enough to prove she was telling the truth… The Become Ethereal shout should work nicely, I suspect. Bracing herself, Lumi reached inside where she knew her voice was. Breathing deeply, she channeled all of her energy into the shout.

"FEIM ZII GRON!"