Chapter 8

Alright, so this chapter is from a new character's point of view. You'll find out a lot more of him later in the story, but right now this is only a set up for him. Mikael will be back in the next chapter. This will be in first person view, sorry if this confuses anyone.

I lay on the soft bed, healing magic enveloping once more. I stare at the older lady in confusion, uncertain how I came to be here. It was night, her face in shadows, but there was a calmness about her that was soothing.

With a groan I tried to sit up, the worst mistake of my life. Pain lanced through my whole body, mainly my rids. I could feel the grind of bones and cringed. Whenever hearing that sound was not good. I still couldn't believe I was a live

"Don't move," the woman's deep voice ordered.

'That so wasn't happening, I needed to move. I needed to find someone,' instead of saying that out loud I glare at her. "Something tells me as soon as my back is turned you'll make a run for it," she muttered, I didn't bother correcting her with a lie.

Logic told me that I would make it far, but logic didn't play in this. I needed to go back and bury the dead. I needed to search for my brother, hoping he was alive, my gut said he was...

I hissed in pain as she pressed on my ribs, her eyes distant while I tried to think through the pain, plan my next step. "With another healing you should be good to go," the old lady said as kindly as her voice allowed.

"How long have I been here?" I dreaded asking this question. The ache in my body said too long, but I was hoping it was days at most, or hours.

"About a month, you were nearly dead," She answered, with those words dread spread through me. A month? I was here for a month. I couldn't wrap my mind around it, I couldn't believe it. "You came here with only the faintest heartbeat. The people who found you brought you here to be buried."

"Was there any one else alive?" I asked her.

"No, we already buried your family."

Then why was I so positive my brother was alive? I knew he was alive, but how? It made no sense. Its been a month, he would have been here if he was alive. Maybe I am wrong and he is dead, maybe it was wishful thinking.

~oooooooooooooooooooo~

A week later and most of my money I found out where my brother was. I closed my eyes, despair hitting me hard. I didn't want to go there but had to.

I stared at the remainder of my life, burnt houses, dark patches on the ground. It was time to move, to leave, but could I? Was I strong enough to go where I should?

With a resolute nod I made up my mind and started walking. I needed to do this, to find him. To find out why he left, why he abandon me.

~oooooooooooooooooooo~

The trek was long and arduous, the winds were cold, blustery, everything I expected and yet still wasn't prepared. These lands, were not for the faint of heart, not for those who were weak. These lands were for the strong willed, those who knew how to fight and yet here I was walking these lands. Not one of my brightest ideas.

Did I know how to fight? Nope, my brother was taught, but I never had training. Did I have a strong will? Most would say no, my brother would have laughed at that question and shook his head. And was I faint of heart? Oh yes. The sight of blood always made me tremble like a babe, always made my stomach turn. Usually I awoke after passing out with my foster mother telling me that it was all over. It was humiliating though soothing at the same time, though I would never admit to any of this out loud to anyone. I would have to put on a brave face. If that was at all possible.

Yes I was weak, I knew it, my family knew it, but now I was in this land and if I wasn't careful it would eat me alive. Someone should have kicked my ass the first time the thought of this adventure popped into my head.

Nearby a wolf howled and I cringed. The real story would go – I hide up in the tree until it was safe. The story that I would tell everyone? I killed the wolf and didn't whimper at all. It sounded really good, lets just hope there was no witnesses to my cowardliness.

Up on my branch I looked around, searching for that wolf. In the far distance I saw it with others. It looked like I was sitting up here until they disappeared…. No, I'm not a coward at all….

~oooooooooooooooooooooooooo~

An inn, the gods loved me. Warmth, food, no wolves, bandits, or those large cats with those long teeth. I was cold to the bone, the fire helped a lot, the food helped even more. The mead? Well that was going down really good, almost too good.

Riverwood, was a small village, what he wanted was large walls, very thick walls with lots of guards. Right now there was talk of dragons and a dragonborn. So there was some nord, running around out there killing dragons. The guy is a fool, he couldn't be right in the head doing that.

A few times, he asked around for his brother and no one would say a word. It seemed they didn't trust him enough to answer. As soon as he said his brother name, people would go silent and glare at him. He hated to admit it, but it was time for him to go to the next town. This town didn't seem as welcoming anymore. He really didn't want to leave this fire, or the food.

Hopefully the next town would be better. Now he just needed to figure out what the next town was.

~oooooooooooooooooooooo~

Three days passed and I was someplace I only heard about in stories. There had been lots of stories about this place as I grew up. The real surprising thing, I shouldn't feel comfortable here, and yet I do. The people were nice, but I didn't dare ask about my brother.

Someone had commented that I should go to the Companions have them teach me how to fight. Truthfully I think it's a really good idea. I plan on going there in the morning, hopefully they can teach me.