Chapter Four

Birthright

J'Zhargo unsheathed his claws; he would only use his magic unless it was absolutely necessary. Ivan stood up from his chair.

"Are you sure about this J'Zhargo?" Ivan asked

"Just because you climbed a mountain" J'Zhargo answered, "Does not make you King of the World. You think yourself a God among Men. You are nothing, in the end you will be nothing but bones and dust...I guess the Nords were wrong about you, you're not the hero they thought you were."

Ivan shook his head, "I saved Tamriel!"

"At what cost Dovahkiin?" Paarthurnax said from his perch, "Remember you did not devour Alduin's soul. It very well may be possible that the World Eater could return and what then? Your deeds will be for nothing, like the Heroes of Old who first cast him out, replaced by the next hero to put him down."

Ivan laughed at the possibility of such a thing happening.

"You stay out of this Paarthurnax" Ivan screamed, "I don't need-"

Odahviing and Ghorbash looked at each other and then at The Dragonborn, they all had the same idea. Odahviing gave a quick look towards Paarthurnax as if he were begging him to do something, Paarthurnax was already three steps ahead of him.

Before Ivan could finish him sentence, Paarthurnax grabbed Ivan by the shirt, pulled him outside and took to the air.

"What are you doing?" Ivan screamed as he looked down

"Teaching you a lesson you backwards hick" Paarthurnax answered

Ivan laughed, "Really? That's your comeback?"

Paarthurnax laughed in turn, it was devious and telling. Ivan though wasn't listening and simply continued with his insults despite the fact that he was several hundred feet above the ground.

Without a second thought Paarthurnax flung Ivan up in the air and opened up his mouth as if Ivan were a dog treat and he were a dog. Ivan in response pulled out his axe and saved himself from being eaten by wedging the axe between Paarthurnax's upper and lower jaw.

"I may be old" Paarthurnax answered, "But I am still Master of the Greybeards. I can kill you right now with a single word boy!"

Ivan was beginning to show fear, still he held his ground

"Do it then!" Ivan goaded, "Kill me and be done with it!"

Paarthurnax broke Ivan's axe with a quick snap of his mouth, for exactly five seconds Ivan was inside Paarthurnax's mouth. Paarthurnax then spat Ivan out like a spitball, catching him at the last second.

"You don't deserve to die by a dragon" Paarthurnax began, "We only fight those we know who stand a chance. You can shout down all you want, just know that eventually we get back up and take to the skies again."

Paarthurnax looked down at the house. He threw Ivan from where he was into the main hall, no one even so much as moved to try and catch or help him. Ivan could've died right there and no one would've shed a single tear.

Paarthurnax then turned his gaze towards the sky, he shouted a Thu'um, a personal creation that he created as a means of directly communicating with the gods themselves. A large portal opened up, from this portal Paarthurnax could see the realm of Aetherius in all of its glory.

The Eight Divines could be seen. Akatosh, the patron of dragons, was chief among them.

Paarthurnax hung his head low, afraid to look through the portal directly, at the same time Akatosh stared at the dragon, a small smile came across his face.

"What is it that you want?" Akatosh began, "Speak and I will make it so. You have nothing to fear with me Paarthurnax."

Paarthurnax, reassured by this, regained his courage and looked his father directly in the eyes. "Father" Paarthurnax said, "I have called to make a plea. The Dragonborn, although noble in his deeds by slaying Alduin and Miraak, has forsaken his honor. It is not how a true Dragonborn should be, Miraak, dare I say it, was more a Dragonborn than Ivan. He may have been cruel, but throughout his life, Miraak maintained his honor by matching his Voice and his deeds. Miraak followed The Way as I do."

"If I recall correctly Paarthurnax" Akatosh butted in, "The Way of the Voice was created by Jurgen Windcaller."

Paarthurnax nodded, "That is correct Your Grace. The Way of the Voice, a philosophy meant to praise you and the Divines."

"A noble and right thing" Akatosh continued, "But you fell to the Way as a means of reforming yourself Paarthurnax. You did not originally intend it, is that correct?"

Paarthurnax nodded

"And if my memory serves me right, your friend Odahviing is still theoretically in service to Alduin?"

Paarthurnax shook his head," All of these questions mean nothing! We're not talking about me and this isn't a trail. We're talking about the Dragonborn, Dovahkiin."

Akatosh nodded, waiting for Paarthurnax to continue, he did so.

"He is unworthy to have the Gift, strip him of it! Let him see through the eyes of a true mortal man again, let him prove himself three times over without the Voice and then, at the end of his life...have Arkay judge him accordingly."

Arkay, who was next to Akatosh, shook his head

"Do not drag me into this Paarthurnax!" he bellowed

"Apologies" Paarthurnax continued, "But what about the Dovahkiin? We need to come to a decision."

Akatosh closed his eyes and sighed, "Very well" he said solemnly, "I grant you Paarthurnax, Master of the Greybeards, authority in this matter. Do as you see fit. But be warned, if The Dragonborn is unworthy of the Gift, you must bestow it upon someone else. They must come before this court and be reborn as Dovahkiin."

Paarthurnax nodded and the portal closed.

While this conversation between the Paarthurnax and the gods was going on, Ivan and the others were having dinner.

"What is this?" Ivan asked, insulted, "You call this food!"

Tsavani and Samuel nodded

"It's Elsweyr Fondue" Tsavani replied, "Very popular with the political officials in both Solitude and the Imperial City."

"I don't care" Ivan whined, "I want some nice...fresh...Nord...Steak. Can you handle that Tsavani?"

Samuel, at this point, was done being nice. It was time to tell Ivan how it was.

"I'm sorry but who do you think you are?"

At this the room fell silent. Samuel continued

"Everyone else here is being so nice to me. They've offered me a home and a family. Meanwhile you've done is whine and complain about things. I was born in Riften in the Honorhall Orphanage. One of the worst cities in Skyrim, in one of the worst places under one of the meanest people who ever walked the earth-Grelod the Kind."

Samuel moved over to Ghorbash and J'Zhargo, as a means of protecting himself should Ivan blow his lid.

"I grew up alone. I barely had any friends. Day in and day out was hell. I would get beatings for staring in one place for too long. I would get those small burns with the soldering iron if I talked too much or said the wrong thing. And you have the audacity to sit here, dressed like you are in those nice clothes that a Jarl you met three weeks ago gave you, and complain about how you don't have enough?"

J'Zhargo, upon hearing this, found a sense of respect for Samuel, for he said what they were all thinking and what they said to each other when Ivan wasn't around. Samuel, without so much as picking up a blade, became a hero to everyone within earshot.

Ivan stood up and rolled his neck.

"You should respect your Elders boy" Ivan sneered

"He is" Ghorbash, Hadvar and J'Zhargo said in unison

"You too Hadvar" Ivan exclaimed, "Since when did you become a traitor?"

Hadvar huffed, "I'm not the one who turned his back on his friends. You are."

Ivan drew his axe, causing Ghorbash, J'Zhargo, Hadvar and Tsavani to draw their weapons in response. Malborn remained seated, recording the events in his journal. Odahviing, who didn't want to risk injuring Samuel and his protectors, could only watch in helpless silence, seeing that the time had passed for reason.

Just as Ivan was about to shout them out of the house, Paarthurnax stepped in.

"By the name of Akatosh, by the name of Shor and by the name of Tiber Septim I, Paarthurnax, with all of my authority and power strip you of your birthright!"

With that Paarthurnax released a concentrated Thu'um on Ivan, knocking him down and rendering him unconscious. Ghorbash, J'Zhargo, Hadvar, Tsavani and Samuel looked towards Paarthurnax. Odahviing sighed deeply and flew off, to where is unknown. The others looked after him, the dragon was flying high but he didn't seem happy, as if for a minute or two a bit of himself went away.

Later that night, Paarthurnax gathered the household on the deck, next to the platform that served as the dragon landing pad.

"Now a choice must be made" Paarthurnax began, "Who will be the next Dragonborn?"

Silence. Paarthurnax continued

"It is a difficult choice for me. In my eyes you are all worthy and I wish that Akatosh would let me give it to all of you. But I cannot..."

Paarthurnax turned to Samuel

"There is only one choice worth making" the dragon said, "You my boy. I choose you."

Paarthurnax looked up at the sky and roared, signifying that he had made his decision. Paarthurnax then gave Samuel a gift. A halo of light appeared around him and transferred over to Samuel.

"A piece of my soul Dovahkiin" Paarthurnax explained," With this you shall become great."

At this Ghorbash and Hadvar instinctively pulled their weapons and got down on one knee as if they were standing before a King. J'Zhargo and Tsavani followed suit. Malborn remained standing. Paarthurnax gave him a glaring look causing the elf to nervously take a knee. They all looked to Paarthurnax.

Paarthurnax took his claw and cut his own hand, he then swiped all of them in one fluid motion on the forehead, creating a rather large cut. Paarthurnax then took his hand and touched them.

"Take your hand and touch the forehead of those around you" Paarthurnax commanded

All expect J'Zhargo, Tsavani and Malborn complied.

"Now" Paarthurnax exclaimed happily, "we're a family."

Samuel instantly thought about Scouts and Odahviing, who were not present.

"What about them?" Samuel asked, "They're part of this as much as anybody."

Paarthurnax smiled, "They don't need it. They already love you as if you were their own...especially Odahviing."

With that they all went inside and continued with their dinner.