Beginning of the end 2
After promising Alvor and his wife to let Jarl Balgruuf know about the dragon running amok in Whiterun Hold and getting some supplies and better armor, I walked off towards Whiterun. I stopped on a rocky outcropping and could see below me at the Pelegia Farm, three other Companions fighting a giant. I ran down the hill drawing my imperial bow and nocking an arrow to it as I went. I stopped a few yards away and took aim and let the arrow fly with a loud twang. I watched as the arrow met its mark in the giant's knee and it went on one knee and let another arrow fly as Farkas hit it with his greatsword. As soon as my arrow met its mark yet again and Farkas hit it the giant fell dead. I ran up to them to see if my fellow Companions were okay and they were quite shocked to see me.
"Vladimir, what're you doing comin' from Riverwood?" Farkas asked "your job was nowhere near Riverwood" I sighed and told the three Companions of how I got caught in an Imperial ambush near Darkwater Crossing while on my way back from the job Vilkas had given me. I looked at all three of them, "I promised Alvor, the blacksmith down in Riverwood, that I'd tell Jarl Balgruuf about the dragon running amok in the Hold. Hopefully it doesn't strike again…" I trailed off as we started walking towards Whiterun. Aela snapped me out of my thoughts "What did you have to deal with in Eastmarch, Vlad?" I laughed and looked at her as we walked through the gates "Just some damn skooma-addicted bandits that thought they'd try and kill a Khajiit caravan for not stocking that poison." I said "Are you okay, Ria? You've been oddly quiet and you're always trying to one-up me on things we've killed" I laughed, she looked at me and nodded "I'm fine, Vlad. Just thinking. It must have been horrible to see Helgen like that…" she trailed off. I sighed and nodded "It was. The damn thing was nigh invincible. Nothing the imperials threw at it harmed it."
We stopped outside the ancient mead hall of Jorrvaskr and headed in after a few minutes. I sighed and went down into the living quarters and heard the Harbinger, Kodlak Whitemane, talking with Vilkas and some new blood. Shrugging it off I went to the room I shared with the other members, outside of the Circle of course, and fell into my bed and into a deep dreamless sleep after deciding I'd go speak to the Jarl tomorrow as I haven't slept right in three days.
I woke up to Ria standing above me, with the others nearby looking worried. I sat up and looked at them "what're you all doing staring at me?" I snapped, "Vladimir," Ria began "you were thrashing about and sweating all over. We were worried is all" sighing I nodded and got up slowly "Sorry I snapped. Had a long few days" I yawned and pulled on my tunic and then steel armor minus a steel helm. Strapping on my Skyforge steel sword and my shield, I went up into the dining area where I found Vilkas. Sitting by him I grabbed a bottle of mead and a sweetroll as my breakfast I gulped them down before turning in the job for the coin. I got up to leave, however, Vilkas stopped me "Vlad, Farkas told me you were at Helgen. Are you fine after that, brother?" he asked slowly, I looked at him and nodded curtly "I'm fine, Vilkas." I muttered and he nodded and I walked out the door.
I looked around the city of Whiterun, from where I was, and could see the Gildergreen blooming once more and people walking around doing their daily business. Heimskr, the annoying priest of Talos, was busy preaching to a non-existent audience and encouraging people to take part in the petty civil war. Don't get me wrong, I worship Talos, always have and always will. But I didn't agree with the Stormcloaks and I took a cue from both Kodlak and Jarl Balgruuf and stay pointedly neutral in this conflict. I walked down the worn and weathered stone steps and walked by Heimskr, ignoring him for good reason and walked up the large flight of stairs to Dragonreach, the palace of the Jarl. I pushed open the doors and grinned at the sight of the main hall of the keep.