Chapter Five

Making an Entrance

Scouts returned the following morning, in the carriage sitting across from him was Brelyna Maryon. They looked different; their heads were held a little higher.

"Do you think he'll do it?" Brelyna asked, her voice unsure but brave

"I don't know" Scouts replied, "But it's not Ivan that's I'm worried about. I'm wondering how the others will take it. What we're doing isn't exactly smiled upon yet."

Brelyna shook her head, "Forget about what's favorable. Let's just do it already."

Scouts extended his hand which Brelyna took and stepped out of the carriage, Scouts then followed her. Gunjar said nothing.

Walking up to house, Scouts noticed that everything was extremely quiet, as if it were abandoned. He tried the door but found it locked, Scouts searched his pockets for his key but then he remembered that he left it inside following Ivan's rule. The strange thing was that Scouts had full intention of resuming his job and returning to the manor, he wasn't leaving and even if he wasn't the cook he would find other means of working.

Brelyna looked around and saw Odahviing sitting on the landing pad looking as if his soul were taken.

"What's wrong Odahviing?" Brelyna asked as she walked up, "You're never like this."

Odahviing shook himself, bringing him out of a self induced trance and turned towards Brelyna.

"Ah, the lovely Brelyna returns to us at last!" Odahviing exclaimed, "Perhaps now she will grant Odahviing's request?"

Brelyna shook her head, "You'll have to ask J'Zhargo about that Odahviing. I'm not that powerful."

Odahviing sighed, "I already did though. It seems that even he isn't powerful enough. Some Master Wizard he is then!"

Brelyna looked around the porch and saw no one but Odahviing

"J'Zhargo is an excellent Master Wizard. I'd say he's the best one the College has had in a long time" Brelyna defended, still looking around for any sign of anyone.

Odahviing rolled his eyes annoyingly, "The others are down at the lake."

Brelyna raised her eyebrows curiously, "And why aren't you there with them? You love the lake."

Odahviing laughed, "True, I do love the lake. I was here waiting for you actually. Now that that is done, I can return."

Scouts came up the stairs to the porch.

"Any sign of them?" he asked

"They're at the lake" Brelyna replied

"Prefect" Scouts exclaimed happily, "We can tell them there!"

Scouts turned quickly to Odahviing, rather nervously, "Is-is Ivan there, at the lake?"

Odahviing nodded, for Ivan was at the lake, just on the other side of it being antisocial. Paarthurnax was secretly watching him from the mountain range that was against the lake, Ivan would not escape him, everything that he did, the dragon would know about.

Odahviing then had an idea; it was a rather good idea.

"Hey" he said to them, "Wanna make an entrance?"

Scouts and Brelyna looked at each other and then at Odahviing in extreme confusion, Odahviing laughed and leaned his head down, begging that they get on. Scouts got on first, Brelyna was understandably hesitant but a wink from Odahviing slowly reassured her.

"Come on, come on" Odahviing encouraged, Brelyna still remained where she was.

Odahviing shook himself playfully and purred as if he were a cat, trying to get Brelyna to laugh, it didn't work. Scouts was about to say something but Odahviing stopped him by lifting his wing and covered Scouts' mouth.

"Let me handle this" Odahviing said to Scouts, after which he turned towards Brelyna, "Don't you trust me Brelyna? It's me remember? Odahviing...I would never do anything to hurt you, any of you. I love you too much for that. Now please, get on."

Brelyna looked at Odahviing and then at Scouts, who was trying to push Odahviing's wing out of the way, when he did so, he was smiling or at least as best as an Argonian could smile. Brelyna, confident by Scouts' smile, climbed up on Odahviing's back. Odahviing took to the sky and headed for the lake.

Hadvar, Ghorbash, J'Zhargo and Samuel were swimming and diving in the lake, it was one of those rare warm days that sometimes happened during Skyrim winter.

"Ghorbash" Hadvar said, "What do you think about Ivan? How is he handling this?"

Ghorbash shrugged, "Hard to say. Mostly he keeps to himself, doesn't talk to anybody anymore. Not like he had much to say anyway."

"Why is he like that?" Samuel asked curiously, "From the stories I've heard the Dragonborn was supposed to be a hero. Ivan's just a jerk."

J'Zhargo laughed, "Ivan isn't the Dragonborn anymore. You are. You must use your gift for good."

Odahviing reached the lake.

"He must go to the Greybeards in High Hrothgar" the dragon exclaimed, "Learn from him as Ivan did, as Ulfric did, as all Dragonborn did."

Hadvar moved towards the bank and retrieved his clothes

"But that journey takes days!" Hadvar replied, "No journey for a boy!"

Odahviing huffed; to say that he was offended was an understatement.

"I can fly him there" Odahviing replied, "Quicker, easier..."

"But safer?" J'Zhargo added

Odahviing snorted, getting more annoyed with them.

"Of course he'll be safe!" Odahviing shouted, "He's my nephew goddamn it!"

Ghorbash and the others stared at Odahviing; they could tell that out of all of them he was the one who take the meaning of family to a whole new level. Ghorbash and Hadvar only thought of it as fulfilling a role, they never planned on calling themselves the title of uncle or cousin respectively, seeing it as more a game between them that Scouts started.

Scouts tapped Odahviing on his shoulder and he obediently lowered his head bringing Scouts and Brelyna in view.

"Brelyna" J'Zhargo said in greeting, "How are we-?"

J'Zhargo noticed that Scouts led Brelyna down Odahviing's back with the gracefulness of a bird, which caused him to stop speaking, not out of jealousy for he did not see Brelyna in that way, but rather in amazement. Never before had he thought that such a thing could happen, J'Zhargo already knew before anyone else what was going on, he just kept it to himself.

Scouts and Brelyna stood on the bank and looked at everyone as they came out. Ghorbash, Samuel and J'Zhargo wrapped towels around themselves, having left their clothes in trees nearby, for there were no suitable swim wear in Skyrim that had been invented yet so they skinny dipped. This was not unusual for everyone, even the women when they swam in rivers or lakes such as Ilinalta did this, it was just another part of the culture.

Brelyna had the decency to look away, Scouts was unashamed. Scouts tapped Brelyna on the shoulder reassuringly, causing her to turn around; he whispered something in her ear, renewing her strength that she was known for. Brelyna, over the past few days, had become increasingly fatigued, draining her confidence and wounding her esteem, the reason for this is unknown.

Scouts wrapped an arm around Brelyna and made the announcement, the announcement that J'Zhargo already knew. Odahviing too, guessed the announcement and what it was as soon as he saw them step out of the carriage and walked with their heads up high as if for a moment all of Skyrim were knelling before them.

"We're getting married" Scouts said happily, "You're all invited as guests of honor."

Samuel ran up Scouts and embraced him.

"What does this mean?" Samuel asked, "Are you going to leave?"

Scouts shook his head, "Are you serious? Me, leave my little brother? Nonsense! I'm not going anywhere."

Brelyna smiled and gently brushed Samuel's wet hair away from his eyes. Scouts had told her of the situation and she happily agreed to it, she saw no other way to raise Samuel and even if she did she wouldn't have protested.

"Brother" she said lovingly, "I never had a brother before."

Ghorbash laughed, "I suppose you never had an Orc for an uncle either."

"Or a dragon" Odahviing added

"And who could forget your cousin?" Hadvar said, playing along

Brelyna and Scouts looked at all of them and laughed. Ivan made his way from the other side of the lake; he was wearing Ahzidal's Boots of Waterwalking, for a moment Scouts thought that Ivan was walking on water from his own merit.

"What the hell is going on here?" Ivan asked annoyingly, "Did I miss something?"

"Yes" they all replied in unison

Ivan raised his eyebrows curiously and saw Scouts smiling ear to ear.

"What are you smiling about?" Ivan continued as he walked over, "Where have you been?"

Scouts laughed, "Wait till you hear the news-"

Before Scouts could continue Ivan slapped him as hard as he could, Scouts immediately recovered.

"Now see here" Scouts began, "Just because I was gone for a few days doesn't give you a right to-"

Ivan slapped him again, Scouts straightened himself

"You will not do that again" Scouts threatened, "I do not want to hurt you. But you risk my honor if you slap me again. Don't do it."

Ivan flashed his teeth, "You dare give me an order you filthy lizard!"

Brelyna raised her hand, fully prepared to summon a flaming familiar to deal with Ivan; J'Zhargo in response conjured a sword in one hand and had a firestorm spell in the other. Odahviing shouted to the sky, immediately bringing Paarthurnax, who in turn called upon Durnehviir from the Soul Cairn.

"You shall not touch him!" Paarthurnax shouted, "Durnehviir, renounce your oath."

Durnehviir shook his head, "I cannot Paarthurnax. I owe him my service, my life."

"He does not have the Blood" Paarthurnax explained, "Ivan is useless to you. Useless to everyone..."

Ivan growled in response, Scouts in turn, punched him in the gut.

"Funny" Scouts said, "to think that I was going to ask for your blessing. I would rather get blessings from the Daedra than from you. You are not a hero, you're just a sad old man with nothing better to do than think he has power."

Ivan growled again, "I do have power!" he screamed, "I am the savior of Skyrim! Of Nirn! Doesn't that mean anything?"

Samuel, J'Zhargo and Ghorbash went to retrieve their clothes; Hadvar looked at Ivan with a sad and pitiful look.

"It's not the power" Hadvar said as he walked away, "it's how you use it."

Durnehviir silently renounced his oath and disappeared. Ivan walked back across the lake, furious and secretly thinking of devouring Odahviing and Paarthurnax's souls, until he remembered that he couldn't do that anymore, which only made him angrier. Odahviing and Paarthurnax looked after Hadvar with deep found respect. Odahviing then turned back to Scouts and Brelyna.

"I'm sorry" Odahviing said, "This was your moment. Not ours and not his."

"It's alright Odahviing" Scouts replied, "We did what we wanted to do and that was it. Nothing more needed to be said."

Paarthurnax shook his head, "That is where you are wrong friend. Today is a day for celebration, in honor of your union. The first of its kind in all of history...it shall be one for the ages."

Brelyna gently wrapped herself around Scouts' arm and walked up towards the house. Odahviing and Paarthurnax couldn't help but admire the scene.