A/N: This is an information chapter. It being here will save lengthy explanations later on down the road. And that's it, just thought you should know. Enjoy reading. Many thanks to my beta reader (and sister) GrowlingPeanut. Reviews are appreciated.

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. It all belongs to Bethesda Softworks and George R. R. Martin.

Rating: T for minor language.

The city of Whiterun was even better than Daenerys had ever imagined. It was bigger, bolder, and grander than any city she had ever seen and yet, Drogo assured her that Solitude and Markarth were even more impressive than the city they were in.

Even after two days wandering through its streets, its splendor never seemed to fade and Dany was looking forward to the opportunity to visit the keep she spent so much of her time staring at. A few amused citizens had followed her gaze and told her the stories of Dragonsreach. Of Numinex and Jarl Olaf One-Eye. Of how the dragon still remained beneath the keep, driven mad by years of solitude.

When she had asked Drogo if there was any truth to their tales, he had merely shrugged and given her an amused smile. "I suppose so," he had said. "Why? Do you wish to meet a dragon?"

In all honesty, she did. She had heard about them only on occasion while listening to the various travelers that visited Riften or while speaking with Wylandriah, but all in all, she wished that she knew more about them than she did. For some reason, she found them fascinating.

And so it was with great, yet contained, excitement that she climbed the great stone steps to Dragonsreach at Drogo's side. Her husband had promised that he could gain her access if she wished and she wasted no time in having him do just that.

"Good day," said the guard beside the large wooden doors to the keep. "Do you have business with the Jarl?"

Drogo shook his head and placed his hand against Dany's lower back. "Farengar Secret-Fire is expecting my wife."

The guard raised his eyebrows and then opened the door for them. "Enjoy your visit then."

"Who is Farengar Secret-Fire?" Dany whispered as they walked through the great hall toward the throne room.

"Jarl Balgruuf's Court Wizard," Drogo replied, taking her hand when she absently reached out toward him. "And as far as I know, the one person in Skyrim who knows the most about dragons. I'm sure he'll appreciate meeting someone who will listen to all of his stories."

"Do most people not?"

Drogo shrugged. "He's a bit...umm..." He hesitated and then continued tactfully, "Eccentric, I suppose you could say."

Dany raised her eyebrows but their arrival in the throne room barred her from any response. Jarl Balgruuf the Greater looked up upon their entry and gave a gesture of greeting.

"Ah. Drogo. I heard you were here in the city. It's been too long since we've seen your caravan inside our walls."

Drogo bowed and then gave a slight nod as he straightened up again. "I agree. Whiterun has always proved to be both cooperative and generous with its coin."

Balgruuf chuckled and then looked over toward Dany. "And who is this? You haven't replaced Dar'Jazha have you?"

"No. Not yet. He's down in the town square, robbing all of your citizens of every last coin they own with that silver tongue of his. This is my wife, Daenerys Targaryen."

"Targaryen?" The Jarl raised his eyebrows. "Your brother and I have an agreement of mutual respect, being the only two Jarls that have yet to take sides in this gods damned war."

Although it was no longer true, Dany was relieved to hear him say that. It meant Drogo's news from Riverwood had been accurate. Any danger to the caravan on behalf of General Lannister's troops would at least be postponed until the news of Viserys' alliance with the Stormcloaks had spread throughout Skyrim.

"He never seemed like the type to give up something that he owned," Whiterun's Jarl continued, appraising Daenerys through slightly narrowed eyes. "How did you manage that, Drogo?"

"Viserys wanted to make an arrangement with my caravan. She was my reward upon accepting his terms." The fact that Drogo was comfortable with bluntly telling him about the way she'd been sold made her feel slightly more comfortable. If he had earned her husband's trust, then she had nothing to fear while inside the walls of his city.

"Ah...a man without morals is a dangerous friend to have," Balgruuf said gravely. "That's why neither Tywin Lannister nor Ulfric Stormcloak has his soldiers inside of my city. I don't trust either one of them."

"You're not wrong for that," Drogo replied honestly. "I'm not sure if either man has the best interests of Skyrim in mind."

Balgruuf nodded sadly and then managed to give Dany a small smile. "Lady Daenerys, please don't let your husband and I bore you with our talk of politics. I understand you're here to speak with Farengar. Go on; he's waiting for you."

When she glanced up toward Drogo, he nodded and squeezed her hand before releasing it. "Go ahead. I'll be here if you need me."

Leaving the two men to continue their conversation, Dany walked toward the small area off to the side of the throne room and knocked softly on the doorframe before entering. The Nord standing at the table in front of her looked up and blinked a few times before raising his eyebrows.

"You're the one who wanted to talk with me?"

She nodded shyly and took the offered chair when he gestured toward it. "Were you expecting someone else?"

Farengar shrugged. "I suppose you just don't quite look like the type of person who would be interested in my research."

"Oh, but I am, my lord," Dany replied eagerly, leaning forward in her chair. "Very much so."

The wizard looked pleased and he chuckled at her earnest honesty. "I'm not a lord, my lady. Just Farengar will do."

"Then call me Daenerys."

The Nord nodded in acceptance and then took the chair across from her. "What is it that you'd like to know exactly?"

She thought about it for a moment before replying. "Is Numinex truly still alive beneath this keep?"

Farengar's eyebrows rose slightly and his expression grew thoughtful. "I've always wondered that myself. If he is, I'm not sure how to reach him. I've spent all my years here as court wizard—and I assure you, that's been a good many years—searching for a way down to where he's said to be held, but to no avail. Somehow, I doubt that particular rumour is true, as much as I wish it was."

"Have you ever seen a dragon?"

"Seen one? Goodness no. The last living dragon was reported hundreds of years ago. Although..." He paused and then continued again a moment later. "Did you know that dragons are immortal?"

Dany shook her head. "You mean that...they can't be killed?"

Farengar considered his answer for a moment before replying. "Not exactly. They can be, but so long as their bones remain intact, their bodies can be reanimated. It's said that only Alduin, the World-Eater, the oldest and most fearsome dragon on Nirn, has the power to raise them again, but he's been gone just as long as all of the rest, so the likelihood of any dragons returning in either my lifetime or yours is next to impossible."

Dany noted absently that when he got passionate about what he spoke, his slight lisp became less noticeable.

"And yet, not impossible?" The possibility in and of itself with both frightening and intriguing.

Farengar shook his head. "Oh no. One sure mark of a fool is to dismiss anything that falls outside his experience as being impossible. And I am no fool."

"So, if they were to come back, there is no way to truly destroy them?"

The Nord thought about that for a moment before leaning forward and clasping his hands together between his knees. "It depends on which legends you believe in. There's an old Nord legend of a hero known as the Dragonborn, or 'Dovahkiin' in the Dragon Tongue. This hero is said to be a mortal born with the soul of a dragon, this honor bestowed upon him by the Divine Akatosh himself. The tales told say that not only can the Dragonborn kill dragons, but he can steal their powers upon their death."

He smiled slightly at the look of awe on Dany's face and then sighed. "But of course, those are only legends, and surely nothing more. If such a person did exist, I don't believe we would be ignorant of his presence."

"Have there been none in the past? None of these...Dragonborn?"

"Well...there are rumours, of course. Some say that the last Septim emperor, Martin Septim, was the last of the Dragonborn, but others say that his powers were only granted through the Amulet of Kings that was passed down to him by his father. If that's true, then he wouldn't truly be the same kind of being that the legends speak of. Besides," he added with an air of superiority. "He was an Imperial. If there was a Dragonborn sometime in the past, it would've been a Nord."

Dany couldn't help but think of her brother and all the times she had 'woken the dragon' and received the full benefit of his wrath. Viserys had seemed to think he had the blood of the dragons. She hoped to the gods that he was wrong.

"Since no such hero exists, I suppose it's a good thing that we won't live to see the dragons rise again." Dany replied.

"Oh, as much as I would love to be able to see one with my own eyes, it would a bad thing for the dragons to rise even if there was such a hero. Alduin was called the World-Eater for a reason. They aren't benevolent beings, as a whole."

"I suppose we do have more than enough trouble with the civil war already," Daenerys said in agreement, steering the conversation toward the politics of the war. "Do you owe your allegiance to either side?"

"No. Not while I remain in this city and not while Jarl Balgruuf sits upon its throne. He's made sure to stay out of it and as his court wizard, so have I."

"But, as a Nord, don't you naturally wish to side with Ulfric Stormcloak?" When Farengar's expression changed to a look of haughty derision, she quickly spoke again. "I mean no offense, it's just...as a Breton, I don't know how you see this war. It is your homeland after all."

His features softened slightly and he nodded in understanding. "Yes. Your homeland has long since been conquered. As for mine..." He sighed and then frowned. "Ulfric Stormcloak is an ass if I've ever met one. True, his army is for the Nords, but as for anyone else, he couldn't care less. It's not that I have any particular fondness for the other races that inhabit our lands, but I certainly don't despise them as he does. I fear that his bigotry is clouding his judgment."

Dany looked at him in surprise. She had heard arguments against both Ulfric Stormcloak and Tywin Lannister, but none so honest and degrading. She was beginning to wonder if Viserys had been wrong in his decision to side with the rebel Jarl.

"And General Lannister?"

"No better," Farengar replied, absently rearranging the soul gems he had on a display rack in front of him. "You would know better than most of just how much of Tamriel the Imperial Legion has conquered. Cyrodiil wasn't enough, High Rock wasn't enough, and now...they want to see all of Tamriel under Imperial control, and this war is the way they aim to conquer Skyrim."

"Are you boring my wife with your tales of dragons and ancient Nordic ruins?" Drogo's voice interrupted from the doorway.

"Boring?" Farengar gave a haughty sniff. "I should think not. She was the one who sought me out after all." He frowned slightly and then looked back toward Daenerys. "Gods, I didn't even think to ask about Nordic ruins. Are you interested in those as well?"

Dany laughed. "I'm sure I would be, but our caravan is set to leave at first light so I really should return to the inn and rest before our journey."

Drogo nodded in agreement. Dany could tell that by an unspoken tension that he and Farengar weren't on the best of terms.

"I very much enjoyed hearing of your research, Farengar," she added politely, resting her hand lightly atop his and smiling. "And if I ever return to Whiterun, I would be more than happy to listen to what you have to say about Nordic ruins as well."

The court wizard nodded and then passed her off to Drogo with a frosty look before smiling at Daenerys. "I eagerly await your return, my lady."

With that, he gave a shallow bow and returned to his work, leaving Drogo to lead his wife back out through the throne room to the streets of Whiterun.

"What is it that you and Farengar have against each other?" Dany asked, looking up at her husband.

Drogo frowned slightly and furrowed his brow. "The first time my caravan came through Whiterun, he and I got into a bit of a disagreement at the inn after a few too many tankards of mead. We both said things we didn't really mean and..." He sighed. "I ended up breaking his nose."

Dany's eyes went wide and she looked up at him in disbelief. "How many years ago was this?"

He thought about it for a moment and then shrugged. "Maybe ten. I was young and stupid, and I apologized years later, but...that Nord holds a grudge like no one else I know."

Dany laughed quietly and took hold of his hand when he offered it, walking alongside him in silence as they made their way back down through the Cloud District before reaching the marketplace.

"There was something that Farengar said," she mused quietly as they approached the Bannered Mare. "He said that it's possible that dragons may return in our lifetime." She looked up at Drogo. "Do you think that's true?"

"No," he replied. "Despite what Farengar might say, that's impossible."

"But he said that—"

"'One sure mark of a fool is to dismiss anything that falls outside his experience as being impossible.'" Drogo finished sardonically. "Yes. He's quite fond of that one."

"So then, you don't think it's possible?"

He sighed and stopped walking to turn toward her. "No, I don't. The last dragons were seen hundreds of years ago and, believe me, Dany, it will be at least another century before they return again."