Chapter 4

The sun was setting now and Lylaia still hadn't seen any sign of Rorikstead. "You said this town was a day's walk from Whiterun, right?"

Leon nodded, "Yes. If you're walking. On Horseback it should only take half that."

Lylaia nodded, "Well we need to get there now, how do you suggest we do that?"

Leon shrugged, "We could always find a horse?"

Lylaia grinned, "Are you suggesting theft, Mr. Stryde?"

Leon rolled his eyes, "This once. All I know is that I'm not dying alone in the woods."

Lylaia chuckled, "That seems appropriate, but where exactly would we find an unsuspecting rider out in the middle of Skyrim?"

Leon shook his head, "Therein lies the problem. There won't be anyone out tonight except for the night patrols from the Legion."

Lylaia nodded, "Legion soldiers, eh? I think we could take them. But you might have to be bait for a while."

Leon's eyebrows shot up, "What are you thinking of doing, exactly?"

Lylaia smiled and stopped by where three roads intersected. There was a small cluster of rocks where she sat Leon down, "Now you stay here and wait for the Imperial soldiers to come. When they do, tell them you have been attacked by a bear and need help right away. I'll take care of the rest, just remember to grab their horse quickly."

Leon sighed, "I don't like this. I'm an honest Skyrim citizen."

Lylaia groaned, "Leon, if you want to live another day of being an honest Skyrim citizen, you will do what I tell you to do."

Leon rolled his eyes, "Fine. Just make sure you leave me out of the blame."

Lylaia nodded and walked off down one road for a little while. She found the tallest nearby tree and quickly climbed to a fairly high, fairly steady branch. She perched herself there and drew her bow and a single arrow. Lylaia looked up and down each of the roads to see if anyone was coming. So far nothing all three ways. After about three minutes of sitting and waiting, the faint glow from a torch came around the bend in one of the roads. A single horseman came walking down the road accompanied by a man walking and holding the torch.

Lylaia drew back the arrow and followed the men to where they saw Leon laying on the rocks. She heard the scrambled sound of distant conversations and saw the man get off of his horse. He stood next to the man with the torch and as soon as their heads lined up she shot the arrow, killing them both with one shot. The horse reared a little and took a couple of steps back. Leon rose up quickly and grabbed the reins before trying to calm it down. Lylaia climbed down the tree after slinging her bow back over her back. She ran down the path and came upon the intersection.

"Good work Leon! It worked perfectly" Lylaia smiled.

Leon glared at her, "Except for the fact that you killed them!"

Lylaia nodded, "I know your concern, but if we just take them into the bushes no one will find out!" She picked up both dead bodied by the collars of their armor and dragged them slowly into forest around the path. She panted a little and nodded, "See? No one will ever find them and the animals will eat them by tomorrow."

Leon shook his head, "That's not the problem. They had done nothing wrong, how could you just kill them like that?"

Lylaia cocked an eyebrow, "Oh. So now you want to point fingers because you couldn't do it yourself? You agreed to this plan, its better they died instead of you, right?"

Leon burned with anger, "We could have asked them for their help! Instead of killing them!"

Lylaia glared at him, "I'm going on to Rorikstead, and if you aren't then that is your problem." She walked over to the large bay horse and hopped onto it quickly.

Leon shook his head, "I'm going to walk there and tell the people what's happened here."

Lylaia smirked, "Fine. You'll never make it there alive without my help and no one will believe a delirious traveler who says he's been attacked by a dragon."

Suddenly there was a loud shout in Lylaia's mind, 'No! Lylaia he must live. The Dragonborn must restore peace to Nirn. You can't leave him here.'

Lylaia groaned, "Are you sure?" Leon cocked an eyebrow like she was crazy.

Hircine grumbled, 'Of course I'm right. Not only will he join my hunting grounds as a werewolf but also save the rest of my followers by saving Skyrim from the dragons.'

Lylaia sighed, "Leon, get on." She dismounted the horse and walked back over to him, "Hircine says I am not allowed to leave you here.

Leon nodded, "Riiiight. I don't think I believe you so, no, I'm going to stay right here."

Lylaia glared at him but heard Hircine's voice again, 'Place the mark on him, he will be able to hear me and he will believe soon enough.' Lylaia cocked an eyebrow but nodded and grabbed Leon by the arm. She grabbed the small dagger from her left thigh and pulled it out.

"Whoa! Wait, what are you doing?!" Leo gasped trying to throw her off.

Lylaia carved a small triangle into his skin and cut her own finger, dripping her blood onto his own wound. The triangle suddenly closed and the black tribal markings seemed to slowly appeared and glow a faint red. When they had settled into the familiar shape of the wolf's head, they stopped glowing and there was a faint hiss before Leon touched the skin normally. "What did you just do to me?" he asked angrily.

Hircine called to him, 'Be still boy.' Leon jumped a little and looked around.

Lylaia glared, "He said be still, so be still Leon."

'You have been granted the ability to communicate with me, just like Lylaia. If you so choose, I offer you the ability to serve me the same way she does.' Hircine asked simply.

Leon could barely speak but shook his head, "No. I would never serve a Daedra."

'So be it. I have sent Lylaia here to help you return peace to Nirn, by destroying the leader of the dragon race.' Hircine explained.

"You sent her here to kill me!" Leon snorted derisively.

'Initially, but now that I've taken a deeper look into further events, I see now that you are an important pawn for fate to make use of. Because you will be joining me in my hunting grounds I can not kill you, and because you will be the savior of Skyrim, I can't just let you die. Therefore, Lylaia will guide and protect you on your journey under my will.' Hircine said slowly.

"I don't care if you aren't ready to accept this Leon, you will do as you are told or I will catalyze your suffering." Lylaia narrowed her eyes. "Now get on this horse and follow me to Rorikstead."

Leon shook his head, "You just expect me to go with you? To be a part of this sick wizardry? Just because I don't understand this doesn't mean I believe you."

Lylaia glared at him, "That doesn't matter. You don't have to believe me or Hircine, you just have to listen to what we say. If you do so, you will live a long and prosperous life."

Leon seemed skeptical but slowly pulled himself onto the horse and slumped over, still applying pressure on his wound, though it had healed slightly.

"Now, now Mr. Stryde. Don't be bitter just because your stubbornness couldn't overcome my logic." Lylaia chuckled with a smirk.

"How did you start serving Hircine? Why would you ever think of that?" Leon asked bluntly.

Lylaia sighed and turned to him pointing to her right eye, "You see this right?" Leon nodded curiously. She pulled out a jug and poured water over that half of her face. A pale paint-like substance rolled down her neck and off of her face, exposing a huge red scar slicing vertically downward, cutting her eyelid in half. "I was a hunter in my village in Valenwood. It was everything to me. But I was attacked by a Saber-tooth and lost vision in this eye. I could never hunt again. Luckily, Hircine offered me vision if I would serve him. I agreed and left home to travel the world in his name."

Leon's eyes were wide, "Why? Why would you give up your life for something like that?"

Lylaia glared at him, "You love your family, right Mr. Stryde?"- he nodded- "Well in Kindlight Village, if you didn't hunt you were disowned. You were exiled into the forest and forced to live alone. I could never think of doing that." Her eyes softened, "Unfortunately it seems I have fallen irrevocably into the same pit I had tried to desperately to climb back out of."