A DRAGON'S BEGINNING
THE MANY ADVENTURES OF ELSEBET KIND-HEART BOOK 1

CHAPTER 7
A SQUABBLE BETWEEN A HOUSECARL AND A STEWARD

When they got out of Bleak Falls Barrow, the sun was high in the sky, meaning they'd spent the last couple hours since around dawn in the dirty, filthy dungeon, re-killing dead things to get a dragon claw-shaped object made of solid gold for a merchant who couldn't even go the building over and hire a mercenary because he was too lazy.

The two of them trudged the short distance to Riverwood and entered the Riverwood Traders. Lucan Valerius looked up from a book he was reading and grinned when he saw who it was.

"You're back!" He shouted in greeting. "Did you get the claw?"

Honestly, she was ready to stab him with an arrow. She had just spent several hours in an old crypt and he didn't even have the decency to say hello.

"Yes," she spat. "I have the stupid claw."

She pulled it out of her pack and dropped it on the bench. The shopkeeper's eyes widened.

"Thank you, so much! Here," he ducked underneath the bench and when he stood up straight, he held out a fat coinpurse to her, "take this. You've earned it for bringing back the claw." She took it from him, weighed it in her hand for a second, then placed it in her pack. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

A sly grin appeared on her face as she opened her pack. "Well, now that you mention it…"

After selling most of the loot they had gathered in Bleak Falls Barrow, Elsebet and Risorallen headed for Whiterun. The sun beat down on them, and Elsebet had folded up her cloak and put it in her pack because there were too many holes in it to give her warmth. It was the end of summer, just a couple weeks before autumn set in, and it was getting colder and colder every day. She needed to get her cloak fixed before it got colder.

The duo walked in silence, like they always did, and soon enough they passed the stables and made their way up the path to Whiterun. As they approached the massive doors that would lead into the city, a guard stopped them.

"Halt!" He said, holding out a hand with his other resting on his sword. "City's closed with the dragons about. Official business only."

Elsebet straightened her back. "Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid."

The guard seemed taken aback. "Okay, then. Jarl's palace is at the top of the hill." He walked up to the gate and unlocked it with a key he took from a concealed pocket. He pushed the door open and nodded at the two as they passed. Elsebet nodded back.

They walked over a bridge and passed a blacksmith arguing with a customer, a man dressed in Imperial armour. They walked up between a couple buildings and into the main market square.

Risorallen still had the battleaxe he had taken from the draugr in the Barrow, and he wanted to disenchant it. He told Elsebet he dabbled in enchanting when she had asked why he didn't sell the ancient thing. If he couldn't disenchant it he would either sell it to the court mage or the blacksmith they passed.

They climbed a set of stairs after Elsebet sold a jewelled necklace Lucan hadn't had enough money for to the old lady outside what looked like an inn. She had eyed the meat stand as well, wanting some fresh venison as all she'd had to eat lately was stuff that could be preserved easily and packed for a long trip, except, of course, the dinner she'd had with Alvor, Sidgrid and Hadvar the day before.

They passed a dead tree and an upturned boat, which she recognised was the legendary hall of warriors, Jorrvaskr. Outside the front, halfway up the stairs, a teenaged boy, a couple years younger than Elsebet, was yelling at someone clad in wolf armour. She didn't hear what they were saying, except for when the boy turned on his foot and stomped away from the man.

"I'm going to the College and you can't stop me!"

A man appeared next to the other one, looking a lot like him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Risorallen nudged her, and she looked over at him. "You okay?"

She nodded, glancing back at where the two men were entering the hall. "Yeah. Let's go talk to the Jarl."

They trudged up the many stairs leading to Dragonsreach, and the guards nodded in greeting as they passed over the bridge, and Elsebet swore she saw a skeleton bobbing through the wooden boards that made the bridge.

Although the main room of Dragonsreach was massive, it had a warm, inviting feel to it. There were two kids arguing between two pillars, and a maid was trying to break them up, but they were ignoring her. Guards loitered around, lazily guarding the palace as no one would have the audacity to break in. The large fire in the centre of the hall, raised to oversee everything, roared, providing the much-needed warmth to warm Elsebet up. On either side of it was a table, as long as the fire, and the throne sat at the end of it, Jarl Balgruuf the Greater lounged on it as he spoke to what looked like his steward and housecarl.

As the two approached, the Dunmer talking to the Jarl, dressed in leather armour with a sword by her side, turned to them and drew her sword, stopping the talk between the Jarl and his steward.

She approached them. "What is the meaning of this interruption? The Jarl isn't seeing any visitors."

Elsebet's eyes widened as the firelight glinted off the sharp edge of the Dark Elf's sword, and she swallowed the saliva building in her mouth. "I, uh, have news about the dragon attack."

The sword lowered slightly as the Elf blinked her red eyes. "Well, that explains why the guards let you in." She sheathed her sword and gestured to Jarl Balgruuf. "The Jarl will want to speak to you personally."

She nodded at her before walking over to the Jarl, butterflies filling her stomach. Risorallen stood a couple steps behind her, arms crossed over his chest and a fierce look on his face. Just like a mercenary should.

"You have news of Helgen?"

His voice was deep, and had the familiar twang most Nords had.

She nodded. "Yes, my Jarl. I was there."

The Jarl's eyebrows raised, along with the steward's and housecarl's.

"Truly?"

She nodded again. "Yes. I was resting while heading to Falkreath when the dragon attacked. It was as black as night, and it's eyes were blood red." She shuddered at the memory of those eyes locking on her when she exited the inn. "I only escaped because of the help of an Imperial soldier named Hadvar, who helped me to Riverwood and asked for your aid. When we left Helgen, the dragon flew overhead and towards Bleak Falls Barrow."

Jarl Balgruuf's fist came down on the arm of the throne so fast it made Elsebet jump slightly. "By Ysmir, Irileth was right!" He turned to his steward, a balding Imperial man. "What do you say now, Proventus? Should we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?"

Irileth turned to the Jarl. "We should send some troops to Riverwood at once. It's in the most immediate danger-"

"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation! He'll assume we've joined Ulfric's side and attack him!" Proventus cut the Dunmer off, almost shouting. "We should not-"

"Enough!" Jarl Balgruuf shouted, cutting off both of them. "I will not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people. Irileth, send a detachment of troops to Riverwood at once."

Irileth nodded. "Of course, my Jarl."

"If you'll excuse me," Proventus said, "I'll return to my duties."

"That would be best." The Jarl looked at Elsebet with a kind smile. "Well done. You caught me out, on your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it." He snapped his fingers. "I do have a task for you, if you're willing to do it." He stood up, causing Elsebet to take a step back. "Come, we'll talk with Farengar, my court wizard."

Risorallen and Elsebet shared a look as the Jarl led the way down the raised dias and through the giant doorway on the right side of the palace. A man dressed in blue mages robes looked up from the desk he was writing on, putting down his quill.

"Can I help you?"

"I think these two can help with the… dragon project."

Farengar blinked at him for a second. "Ah, yes." He turned to Elsebet and Risorallen. "I need you two to fetch me something. Well, when I say fetch, I mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of a stone tablet that may or may not be there."

"Stone tablet?" Risorallen asked, glancing at Elsebet.

The wizard nodded. "Yes. It's in Bleak Falls Barrow, I think. Most likely in the main chamber."

"Uh, about that…" Elsebet said. She pulled the tablet out of her pack and held it up in front of her. "Is this it?"

"The dragonstone!" He almost laughed as he took it from the Nord girl. "When did you get this?"

"Earlier today," Risorallen said. "We had to go to Bleak Falls Barrow to get something back for a shopkeeper that a couple bandits stole. We figured it was important so we were bringing it to you to study it."

Farengar let out a laugh and placed the dragonstone on his desk. He turned back to them. "If you want a reward, I can talk to Jarl Balgruuf for you."

They were about to answer when Irileth ran into the room, panting slightly, hair and eyes wild. "Farengar, you need to come at once. A dragon's been sighted nearby." Elsebet and Risorallen exchanged a look as the Dunmer took in a couple breaths and turned to them. "You should come, too."

Elsebet, Risorallen and Farengar followed Irileth out of Farengar's chambers and up the steps beside the Jarl's throne. Said Jarl was standing in the middle of what looked like the war room, with a guard who was sitting on a chair, looking shell-shocked. His helmet was resting on his knees, pointed at him, and Elsebet thought he looked a lot like Risorallen.

The Jarl looked at the guard as Risorallen stared wide-eyed at him.

"What's your name, boy?" The Jarl asked him.

He looked up at him. "Cyres Belinius, sir."

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