So still unsure who the romance is for. Was going to go for Balgruuf but decided against it. Hope you enjoy the new chapter. Leave me a review and let me know what you think.
Jorik sat in his new house, going over messages that Lydia had collected from the couriers. He didn't know what to do, the presence within himself was always there now. If he was honest, it always had been there, but never this strong. It didn't seem to be waning.
His first option was to see the Greybeards, but he wasn't ready for that. The other option was to do these missions and forget about the Greybeards. He needed to clear his mind before he made any decisions.
He searched through the pile at the closest request. It was crumbling fort filled with bandits, it would do to occupy his mind for a bit. He glanced up when the doors open, Lydia walked in with the potions he had requested.
"Take five healing potions for yourself, we're heading in a few minutes," Jorik ordered. Over the past few weeks he had watched his housecarl intently, unsure of her. He had to admit she made his life easier, he would give an order and she would do it without hesitation. As for fighting, he hadn't tested her in that area yet. He wanted to get this house done and most missions he left on his own, not needing someone to cover his back. Now it was time to test her.
Within a few minutes they were on their way towards the gates. The burdens that had been plaguing him over the past few days burned away as the sun shone down on them.
He glanced over his shoulder to see if Lydia was following. He was surprised that she was keeping up with him. He didn't tell her where they were going, or why, neither did she ask. It was odd, having someone that trusted him that much or followed his lead that easily.
They reached the old fort by midday. He slowed and stopped just before a hill. Movement could be seen on the walls, he counted ten men. Faintly he could see movement near the open gates and that made it more dangerous. There were more people than he predicted.
"How are you with a bow?" Jorik asked.
"I know how to use one," Lydia answered automatically.
"Peg off as many as you can off the walls. When they are thinned out enough I'll go in," Jorik told her. He watched as she started pegging them off. He smirked, she wasn't the best with a bow, but good enough to get the job done. Quickly he moved without warning, the first guy he met at the gates he took out easily enough.
He moved to the center of what used to be a training yard and attacked the next mercenary. Jorik moved around, never staying in one spot long. There were still archers on the walls, and their attention was on him. He hissed when he found he had cornered himself and four men flanked him. Silently he cursed himself as he blocked the swipes. He thrust his blade deep within one. He didn't have a chance to block the incoming blade to his arm. He prepared himself for the pain, but none came. He glanced to where the man had been and found him lying on the ground eyes staring sightlessly.
He looked at the other that lay dead and looked to his housecarl. His brow raised and he grinned. "Excellent timing," Jorik said with a chuckle.
"Are you injured?" Lydia asked urgently. Her first day out protecting her Thane and it wouldn't look good if he got injured.
"No a scratch, you killed the ass before his sword could land," Jorik told her, nudging one of the mercenaries with his boot. "Let's go clear out the inside."
It took a while to clear out the fort. By the end they were moving as a team, able to read each other. Lydia was just finishing the last large room, he went to the smaller room to finish collecting items to be sold when they made it back to town. He hadn't thought anyone would be in there. He had been wrong and hadn't been prepared.
Lydia glanced over to her Thane as he moved to the smaller room. She had just finished killing the last of them. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed a shadow in the room. Quickly she moved, but she wasn't fast enough to stop the blade descending.
She stopped dead when Jorik's eyes turned pitch black. Her eyes widened as he shouted as a dragon would. One word and the other guy was stumbling back. Jorik's sword plunged home. Lydia couldn't take her eyes off of her Thane. His eyes were still black when he turned to her. She sheathed her sword and backed away slowly. She felt like a prey now, not a warrior who had helped clear out a fort filled with mercenaries.
She stood there waiting to see what her Thane would do. Even if that meant she took his blade and he took her life. She didn't like it, but she was his housecarl. She let out a breath slowly as his one eye turned back to bright green and the other was nearly white.
"My Thane?" Lydia questioned cautiously.
Jorik stood there trying to slow his racing heart. His thoughts slowly returned to normal, and not the blood lust he was just went through. He remembered everything, but then that part of him had rose, helping him. He couldn't deny it any more, he was dragonborn and he needed help. It was time to see the Greybeards.
"We're heading to Whiterun, spending the night and then we are going to see the Greybeards," Jorik told her before heading for the exit.
~ooooooooooo~
Lydia waited in the large hall for her Thane. He had just returned with the horn. She hoped he found the answers he was looking for. A few times now she had seen his eyes change, he would be a predator, deadly and dangerous. When his eyes were like that, many animals ran in fear. She didn't know what it was, but hopefully the Greybeards knew.
She had listed to them announce that he was the Dragonborn. She witnessed the ritual. She wasn't supposed to be up here, but Jorik had demanded that she stayed. They had conceded when his eyes turned. It seemed to only happen when he was upset or injured or in danger.
"Now can you answer some questions?" Jorik asked patiently.
"Of course, if we have the answer," One of the Greybeards answered.
"Why does it feel like there is something taking me over at times?" Jorik asked. This was the question that plagued him. He feared what was happening, this change to him. He fought that other part, trying to keep hold of himself.
"You fight who and what you are. You are Dragonborn, with the soul and blood of a dragon. This thing that takes you over doesn't. It is a part of you, not something different than you. You look at it as if it's another part of you, when it is not. If you would accept what you are, you would not have to fight with yourself. This is part of being Dragonborn," he answered.
Jorik stood there thinking on what he had said. Could he accept this change? He must have been quiet for too long. "Remember this, you've always been Dragonborn, the only difference now, is your abilities have just awoken."
Jorik stood there, thinking of his past. In a way it wasn't that different than before. Only now it was noticeable. His anger used to be something to be feared, as it was now. He had always loved being outdoors more than inside. The only difference now, was he knew things. Sights, sounds, smells, were more acute than before. When that part of him took over, he could still think somewhat, but it was in its most basic form.
"I think I understand what you are saying," Jorik murmured before taking his leave.
~oooooooooooooo~
A month passed by quickly. So many people wanted his attention, now that it was known he was the Dragonborn. He was surprised at how fast word spread about his new title.
It had taken a while for him to accept his nature. He was a man, but with a soul of a dragon. He was hunter, not the prey. His eyes changed quite often now, but now he didn't fight it.
Lydia was pretty sure Lydia was used to the changes, she knew how to read him very well. She never once complained, or commented when he'd do something that wasn't normal. Most had looked at him in fear when he spoke the dragon language, but not her.
Jorik sat in his house, it was small, but suited his needs. He smirked as Lydia came down the stairs, if it wasn't for her, his life would be chaos. She kept the requests in order, made sure he had plenty of potions always ready.
He glanced at the stack of requests, some he wouldn't do, and those were at the bottom of the pile. Lydia knew his preferences of what was important. "Kodlak sent another request that you join the Companions," Lydia told him as she took a seat across from him.
"And the answer is still the same," Jorik muttered. "I don't have time to join the Companions."
"That's what I told him, but your missions are becoming slimmer now. Soon, you might have a chance," Lydia told him.
"Maybe, my father would have wanted me to join them," Jorik murmured.
"The Jarl of Solitude wants to speak with you. Jarl of Windhelm is asking for you, as is General Tullius. Both of them want you to choose a side in the war," Lydia told him holding her breath. Her Thane didn't want to be involved in the war, he didn't want to turn against the Imperial's but he didn't want to turn against men who had offered respite and helped him out of Helgen when the dragon attack.
"Anything else?" Jorik asked calmly. He needed to choose soon, he knew this. But he needed to know where Balgruuf stood in the war.
"There are a few missions in the Reach that require your attention," Lydia said as he glanced over the other papers. She smirked, being Jorik's housecarl wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be. When the Jarl had told her she would be taking on so much, she thought she wouldn't be able to appease her Thane, but that wasn't the case. He didn't expect her to run his baths, or clean his clothes. He didn't expect her clean his house unless she made the mess. She was to take care of missives, money, and purchasing, also protecting him and his house.
"Is there anything else?" Jorik asked as he read over the latest missives.
"Jarl Bulfruuf wishes to speak with you," Lydia told him. She waited for any reaction to let her know why her Thane hadn't been up to Dragonsreach much over the past year. She knew missions have kept him busy, but it wasn't like her Thane. He may go up there once a month, yet before he found out he was dragonborn he had been up there quite a few times within a week, sometimes everyday.
"I'll go there shortly," Jorik murmured with a sad smile. Lydia looked at him in confusion why he would have a sad look. As far as she knew, him and the Jarl were good friends. She kept silent knowing she shouldn't involve herself.
~oooooooooo~
Jorik walked up the steps leading to Bulgruuf's room. He wasn't sure what the Jarl wanted to talk to him about. He had avoided the man as much as possible without it looking like he was shunning in.
He smiled sadly as the guards bowed him and opened the doors to the Jarl's personal suites.
"Jorik, I didn't think you'd come," Bulgruuf murmured when he saw his friend at the door. "How did the training with the Greybeards go?"
"I learnt a lot. Understand things better now and accepted changes that I will have to do in my life just for the safety for people," Jorik answered sadly as he met Bulgruuf's eyes. He knew what he felt for the Jarl was wrong and knew the man could never return it. But it didn't matter, with his dragon blood, it would be insane to fall for someone, or to have any type of romantic relationship where strong feels could be involved. One night stands were fine, there was no emotion, just relief. But even then he had to be careful that he didn't lose himself to the passions. If that happened, the chances were high that he would let loose a shout without realizing it.
With Balgruuf, there was emotions involved, at least for him. More emotions made control his dragon side so much harder. He didn't know how many times Lydia had mentioned his eyes changing.
Lydia understood now, but the Jarl in front of him may never understand and it wasn't even safe to try. So distance between the two of them was the answer.
Balgruuf stared at him, trying to figure out what he was not saying. It almost sounded like Jorik wouldn't be coming for his visits. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.
They talked for a few more minutes before Jorik left. He couldn't ask the questions that he had wanted to ask, Jorik seemed so distant. He had thought they had become very close friends over the year, but it seems like he was wrong, but that didn't seem right either.
~ooooooooooooooo~
Jorik stayed up late into the night. Lydia was already in bed and he stared at the message Kodlak had sent him. He knew it would be what his father would want. He also knew he needed to take care of the dragon problem, but he didn't trust that woman. He was positive that she had alterative motive that involved him somehow and didn't pertain to the dragons. He needed more information on the Blades before he made any decisions where she was concerned.
With a slow nod he left the note on the table, well away from the others. He decided, he would join the Companions. It would help him out in the process, he needed more work on his sword work.
With a slight smile, something he hadn't done in days he headed to his bed.