Astaria had worried herself greatly by the time she reached Riverwood. She didn't know whether this person was going to be friend or foe, the only logical reasoning she could behind friend was that they weren't waiting in ambush.
She enters the inn, a little worn, but still ready should anything happen. She talks to the owner about renting the attic room, the owner looks a bit surprised and tells her they don't have an attic room, but she was more than welcome to one of the others.
Figuring that the person in the note simply made a mistake, Astaria goes and sinks into one of the chairs in her room. She mightn't have been exhausted, but her feet were killing her.
To her surprise, the owner, a blonde, stern looking Breton, approached her.
"So you're the Dragonborn I've been hearing so much about. I believe you are looking for this." She hands over the horn, much to Astaria's surprised. "Come with me, we need to talk." She walks off without another word, Astaria, still stunned, hurriedly follows.
They enter another room, where she tells Astaria to close the door behind her. When she does, the Breton opens up a hidden door in the cupboard.
"Now we can talk." She enters and walks down a set of stairs to a small room below. "The Greybeards seem to think your Dragonborn, I hope they're right." She leans against a table, staring intently at her.
Astaria blinks at her. "I'm sorry, but, who are you? And how did you get the horn?"
Surprisingly, the woman gives a small smile. "I guess I'm getting pretty good at the harmless innkeeper act. I've gone to all this trouble because I needed to make sure that this wasn't a Thalmor trap. I assure you that I am not your enemy, I gave you the horn so as you could trust me, all I'm trying to do is help." She sighs. "I'm Delphine. I'm part of a group that's been looking for you…or someone like you for a very long time."
Astaria was frowning now. "How did you know I would go after the horn?"
"Because the Greybeards are predictable, I knew that they would send you there. That's how I know that this isn't some Thalmor trap. We need to Dragonborn now more than ever."
Astaria was thinking quickly, the tone with which Delphine spoke about the Thalmor told her that there was no love loss between the two groups, and apart from recent developments, there was only one group they hated more.
"You're part of the Blades."
Delphine nods slowly. "Yes, and if my suspicions are correct then the Thalmor have something to do with the dragons returning."
Astaria frowned at this. While the Thalmor had some powerful mages at their disposal, she highly doubted that any of them were powerful enough to start bringing dragons back to life. She did not voice this opinion.
"So why are you looking for a Dragonborn?" Astaria asked calmly, she didn't entirely trust the woman.
"Because we remember what most don't, that the Dragonborn is the ultimate dragon slayer. You're the only one that can kill a dragon permanently by devouring it's soul." Astaria shuddered at the memory. "Can you do it?"
Astaria nods slowly. "It was how I first discovered I was Dragonborn."
"Good, then you can prove it to me."
Thoroughly confused now, Astaria stared at the woman. "Why should I have to prove anything to you?"
Delphine looked at her. "Look, I am trying to help, but for me to do that I need to know that I can properly trust you, and the only way that that is going to happen is if I see you kill a dragon." She points to a map on the table. "This is a map of dragon burial sites, we managed to get this off the stone you found for Farengar."
"That was you?" Astaria asked.
Delphine nods. "Yes, and according to this information, Kynesgrove is the next site where a dragon should be resurrected."
An icy chill shot down Astaria's spine. That was just a little too close to home for comfort.
"Alright, I'll go with you, but only because I want to save those people."
Delphine gives her a funny look but nods and moves to collect her gear. Once ready to go, she asked. "We can go together or meet there, the choice is yours."
Astaria hesitates, if she went with the woman, she could at least learn a bit more about her, on the other hand, she could meet her there, returning the horn to the Greybeards in the meantime and completing her task, and then after that was dealt with she could return straight back to report to Ulfric, after all, she'd already been gone three days.
But then the horrible thought of not making it back in time and the dragon was resurrected without her there entered her mind and she made her decision.
"I'll go with you."
The journey to Kynesgrove proved to be a quiet one. Delphine seemed reluctant to talk about herself until she knew that she could trust Astaria, and Astaria refused to give anything away about herself as she knew being Dragonborn put a huge target on her head as it was, she didn't need people finding more information about her to make her easier to get to.
They reached Kynesgrove relatively unharmed, they'd met some bandits along the way, where Astaria got to witness Delphine's mastery with a sword. As they approached however, a woman come running towards them.
"Run! You don't want to go up there! There's a dragon! Just circling overhead, the Jarl must be warned!" She took off before either Delphine or Astaria could say anything.
Not wasting time, Astaria and Delphine climbed the steep hill leading to the burial site. Sure enough, a large black dragon was hovering overhead, staring at the mound. Astaria recognised it as the one she had seen flying away from Helgen.
"Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!" The dragon rumbled above them, stirring something in the back of Astaria's mind, she felt she should understand these words. "Slen tiid vo!"
Astaria jumped as the shout rocked the ground, next thing she knew, a dragon skeleton ws rising from the dirt. She had to hold back a cry of alarm as it seemed to be growing it flesh and skin as she watched. Delphine looked equally as startled next to her.
The dragon on the ground looked up at the black dragon.
"Alduin, thuri! Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik?"
A trickle of fear found its way into Astaria's stomach. Alduin? Every Nord knew that name.
"Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir." Then the black dragon turned it's flaming red eyes to Astaria and she could almost feel herself wanting to flee in terror. "Ful, losei Dovhakiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi." When Astaria doesn't respond, the dragon laughs. "You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah." His attention returned to the dragon on the ground. "Sahloknir, krii daar joorre."
Alduin flew away and the dragon on the ground attention turned to them.
"I hope you're up for a fight." Astaria breathed, drawing her sword.
Before she could even think, the dragon had shouted words of fire at them, and she had to tackle Delphine out of the way so that neither of them would get burnt by the blast.
Astaria was on her feet quickly and rushing around the dragon, fast and light on her feet, the dragon had barely started turning when her sword came and swung hard into its leg. However, this dragon was not as weak as the first she face, it was almost as if it didn't feel the blow, despite it leaving a deep gash. It snapped it jaws at her, forcing her to leap back.
Delphine was up now, swinging at the dragon, but the dragon did not seem to want to pay much attention to her, he was focused entirely on Astaria.
Astaria spent a lot of time dodging the dragon's attacks, hardly getting any chance at all to attack. She managed to get a blow across its jaw but all that seemed to achieve was making it angrier.
It wasn't until Delphine fully sunk her blade into one of its hind legs that the dragon roared and turned on her. Astaria took her advantage, sinking her own blade into its other leg. It roared again and turned back to her, sinking on its hind legs.
The fire built up in her chest.
"Fus Ro!"
The dragon staggered and Astaria rushed forward with her knives, digging them heavily into its neck and slicing along.
It collapsed with a final struggle before lying motionless. Astaria stared at it breathing heavily, it started to glow, like the first one had, and this time she braced herself.
The light hit her harder this time and seemed to burn for longer and she felt her hands clutching her chest. The word Fiem burned before her and she staggered slightly, breathing deeply.
Delphine approached, having collected her sword. "I…You really are Dragonborn, that was unlike anything I have ever seen, or even expected. I'm sorry I put you through, I'll tell you anything you want to know."
Astaria just nods, still trying to get her breath. "It will…have to wait. I need to…see the Greybeards."
Delphine just nods, watching Astaria with awe. "Very well. Meet me back at the Inn in Riverwood as soon as you are able."
Letting out a sigh, Astaria struggled over and collected her sword. Again, all that was left was the dragon skeleton, she frowns at it, wondering what on earth they were going to do with them.
Running footfalls approached and she looked up at three Stormcloaks approaching. They stopped and stared.
"Hello." She said, half waving. "Don't mind me. Just killing dragons."
They looked at each other.
"We almost didn't believe it." One of them said. "But Jarl Ulfric insisted we check it out."
Astaria walked towards them, noticing them flinch slightly. "Well, tell Ulfric I've dealt with it. I'll be back tomorrow, I need to return something to the Greybeards." She starts to walk away, back down the hillside.
"But…we attack Whiterun soon Dragonborn…are you going to-"
"Leave time management to me." She said. "I'll be there."
Astaria reached High Hrothgar after a long journey this time. She hadn't managed to avoid the Frost Troll and had spent a long time slowly working the beast down before it fled back into the wilds. She could feel exhaustion setting in again and knew that she would have to rest for at least a little bit before heading out again.
Arngeir was most pleased when she returned with the horn and as a final indoctrination, they taught her the final part of Unrelenting Force, then, they spoke to her in dragon tongue, causing the very ground to shake around her. Once over, she suddenly felt like she could breathe.
"You are now Dovahkiin." Arngeir says, bowing slightly to her.
"Thank you Master Arngeir." Astaria says, bowing back. "What exactly did you say to me?"
"Ah, I forget that you are not yet versed in Dragon speech as we are. It was just a few words. 'Long has the Storm Crown Languished with no worthy brow to sit upon. By our breath we bestow it now to you in the name of Kyne, in the name of Shor, and in the name of Atmora of old. You are Ysmir now, the Dragon of the North. Hearken to it."
Astaria smiled, not entirely understanding what all that meant, but at least she knew they officially recognised her as Dragonborn now. His words of not understanding however, made her think of Alduin.
"Would there be an err…easy way that I would be able to learn Dragon speech?" She asked.
He nods slowly. "It is possible, as Dragonborn you have a natural ability to understand the words anyway. Come." She follows him through the halls to a small room. He gives a small book. "We have been completing this over the years, it has been difficult, as Dragon speech is very rarely written in common tongue, but this should give you enough understanding to be able to speak it. I'm sure you will learn more with more dragons that you slay."
She hesitates taking the book. "Arngeir, it, well, before coming here, I faced another dragon. It was being resurrected and-"
"Resurrected?" He asked. "You saw this dragon rise?"
Astaria nods slowly. "Yes. It was Alduin."
Arngeir's face suddenly became well hidden by his cloak as he thought. "Hmmm, this is grave news indeed Dragonborn. Alduin, the World Eater. If this is indeed the path set before you, then I need not tell of the dangers that may lie ahead." He looks at her, his face grave. "We will do all that we can to help you Dragonborn, this we vow, all other cautions must be taken by yourself."
The feeling of fear in the pit of her stomach grew and she had to swallow before she could speak.
"Thank you, Master Arngeir, I will…learn all that I can."
He nods, and bows slightly. "Please, stay and rest Dragonborn, for as long as you like. Your path is not easy. Feel free to use this room as you see fit."
Astaria thanks him again and he leaves. She sinks onto the small bed in the room and before she knew it, was fast asleep.