Chapter 4: Retribution

I awoke a while later on a puffed up bed with an actual mattress. It was my first time ever laying on something other than animal hides and bare rock. The freezing sensation had numbed, but I knew that it was still there. I remembered seeing the College of Winterhold before my falling asleep. My eyes drifted around the room which had comforting furniture and a soft glow of light from a beam of blue light outside the room in the center of the chamber. I lay there for a few minutes pondering what had happened to me.

A female High Elf came into the room. She had blonde hair, as most High Elves do, with two ponytails and a robe. She said nothing and checked my body over. I looked at my arms and noticed my scales were not the frozen color they once were. Some parts were still of that color, but the rest had turned back to their original shade of black. The frostbitten blisters that littered my scales had started to dissipate. In between the cracks of my scales lay hardened blood from my frozen scales. The blood from Derkeethus that splattered onto me was now washed off of my hands and face. They had washed me and healed me somehow. I made an attempt to talk to this stranger of a woman.

"Who are you", I croaked out. My voice had healed from it's hoarse state and was almost normal. It contained a raspy tone that one would get the next day after a night of drinking ale.

"I am Foralda, I work here at the College.", she responded in a professional fashion. "Can you bend your appendages for me?" I followed and lifted my arm which immediately cramped up and wouldn't move.

"You have Rockjoint.", she told me. I didn't know how it was that I got it. I thought back and remembered that those bandits had wolf carcasses in their cave we stayed in. Either we caught the airborne disease or they dipped their arrows in diseased wolf blood. Foralda gave me a simple potion to drink. It helped me regain the mobility in my arms and legs after some time. I was instructed to try to sit up. I did as told.

"You seem to be healing fine. The frostbite will go away within a few days. You can walk around if you'd like, that is, if you can walk. Just don't touch anything.", she walked out of the room and down the stairs in a hallway to the right. My current apparel was torn up rags and trousers. An outfit had been laid out for me on the chair beside the bed. A hole had been cut out for my tail. It seemed like an expensive garment and it must've been a shame to ruin it. I donned the robe and shoes set out and walked to the center of the tower. I stared down through the upper balcony to a pool of a blue liquid-like substance. I knew not if Magicka could take a physical form, but if this is the College then it could be so. The other rooms were empty of any students, but full of books and papers scattered amongst the floors. I believed they were off learning magic or whatever it is that they do. I walked down the stairs to be greeted by a short older woman. She told me her name was Mirabelle and explained what had happened.

"Normally, we would've charged septims to heal you. You will be ok to leave by midday and can go free of charge.", she said.

"Why was I treated for free?", I asked puzzled at the reason why.

"Some time ago we had an Argonian study here for a time. You don't see many of your kind around here in Skyrim. Something about you reminded us of her.", she explained.

Normally, I'd have taken that as her calling me reminiscent of a female Argonian, but I knew what she meant. I thanked her for her hospitality and gathered my things from a table they had out. It had my dagger, some of my armor which was dented and cut, my journal that I kept records of my days in, Derkeethus' bloodied bow and some scattered pieces of meats and cheese. I checked the last page in the book to find the scetching of my love, Juukravia, that I had drawn one night when I could not sleep.

I opened the double doors to the frozen courtyard of the College. A statue of what appeared to be a mage stood in the center with snow hitting it from all angles. I was notified that a carriage awaited at the end of town to take me wherever I pleased. I thanked them again and was on my way, the particles of snow bashing my face at every turn. I reached the end of town in a couple minutes. The snow made it tough for me to travel by foot. The phrase "Slower than an Argonian in a blizzard" finally clicked in to me. I climbed in back and ordered the man to take me to Darkwater Crossing. I had to honor Derkeethus' death before anything else.

A few hours passed and we came up to the mine. The man dropped me off and headed for Whiterun. A Stormcloak soldier scorned at me when I passed by. I never cared for the Stormcloaks and same to the Imperials. I was neutral in this land of worship and bloodshed. Annekke Crag-Jumper greeted me upon entering. I had gotten to known her well after saving Derkeethus' behind from a Falmer cave. She hugged me and asked of Derkeethus. My facial expression must've been grim, for she frowned as well. She asked again in a stern voice what had happened. I couldn't find the words myself, so I handed her his blood covered Hunting Bow.

"I always knew that buffoon would get himself killed someday", she said. I felt like tearing her apart then and there. Who was she to comment on his death in such a tone! My friend, my scale brother, died and you scorn his soul in such a way? I would've killed her had it not been for my knowing her and my moral code. She announced the others gathered around the fire that Derkeethus was no longer with us. Sondas Drenim was the most affected of the group. He had known Derkeethus long before I had and was the person that first mentioned to me that he had gone missing. He showed no weakening emotion, but was clearly distressed. He turned to me, the fires of Morrowind burning within his very eyes.

"How could you! How could you let him die! He was undeserving of this fate! Why did you ever have to get him into your shit anyway!", he shouted at me. I responded in the same tone,

"He was my friend too! Don't you think I feel bad? If I could've saved him I would've! I did what I could. It's just that… my best wasn't enough", my voice faded out in sadness and empathy. Sondas seemed to understand my predicament. He ordered the others to gather around in the woods. We found the biggest tree and laid his bow at it's trunk. Sondas said something below his breath, something religious, and wished him eternal rest in his afterlife. I did so too and waited for them to disperse. I was alone at the makeshift grave. I knelt down and spoke to the bow as if it was Derkeethus himself,

"Well old pal, this is how it ends. I know you wouldn't have it any other way, you defending me and all. I still can't help but blame this on myself. I hope that the Hist guides you in your death and that you find peace…" My voice was starting to crack. "How could I have been so inattentive! I could've saved you but…. I wasn't able to. I remember how you talked about getting a house back in Black Marsh after enough gold was made from mining. I promise you, I will buy that house for you. It shall house my family, should I ever find them again. I know that's how you'd want it, defending my kin even in death. May the Hist strengthen you, my scale brother." I felt the tears drip down my face, but I did not bother to wipe them away. I sat there at that grave for hours, remembering all the good times. All those times however, all ended up to the same event. My fist clenched and I stood up. Without bidding farewell, I walked off down the path to pummel the living crap out of the first bandit I encountered.