Ah, another tale from the chronicles of my life in Winterhold awaits you, dear reader. I hope you enjoy it.
Hey! I wrote it!
Yes, but I lived it.
Touche. Let's move on, shall we?
Warm Hearts in Winterhold
Here, atop the mountains of Skyrim, it seemed like the snowing was endless. Almost everyday, at every evening, gales would blow great torrents of snow across the rim of the mountain. The cold would bite into your skin, the wind would blow at your robes and it seemed like living anywhere other than a peak settlement would be preferable.
Yet, despite this, I felt more at home here than anywhere else in Skyrim. Wearing mage robes, having fire dancing in my hands and merely being Dunmer earned me some wary looks in most places I went and my ears, keen as they were, did pick up the occasional snide remark. But here, at the Mage's College in Winterhold, I was among his fellows, other mages that is. No-one judged me for choosing to wield magic or for my race. They just accepted that I was here to learn. The fact that Winterhold also once was a home for my kind made me feel a little more at home, if a little dismayed that they weren't here anymore.
I looked out at the village, or as best I could through the snow, from my window in his room in the college. I wondered what life must have been like for the Dark elves that had once called the hamlet home. Did they mind the snow? Did they ever complain? Were they just happy to have so many of their own in one place? I smiled thoughtfully. The songs of the past fall on the deaf ears of those in the present, I thought to myself. Then, I stood up from my chair, resolved as to what to do.
After my second lesson with Tolfdir, showing how well we could do the ward spell, he had given us some free time to practice and research more before our next lecture. With some free time, I decided to take a walk, have a look around Winterhold and perhaps the surrounding area. As long as my exploring didn't get me in a fight with an Ice-Wraith. Or worse, a Frost Troll. I was just walking out of my room, when a sweet, tender voice fell on my ears.
"And where are you off to?"
Brelyna Marylon looked up from a book she was reading in her own quarters. She was another Dunmer, studying the Conjuraiton school of magic at the college, apparently descended from a long line of powerful Telvanni mages. We had talked breifly after Tolfdir's first lesson and I had comforted her after making a mistake in his second. While she was not fond talking about herself, wehad hit it off well and become good friends.
"I was just off for a little meander around Winterhold, out of curiosity and some minor boredom." She giggled a little a that. "Do you want to come along? Might be nice to have a little company."
She smiled a little. "Sure, this book is rather dull anyway. I already know the Firebolt spell and I don't think it's very effective at breaking through wards." She placed it back on the shelf and walked by my side, making our way out of the Hall of Attainment and out into the courtyard. There, J'zargo, another of the apprentice mages at the college was looking at the statue of the robed mage, his robes flapping in a non-existent breeze, a beam of magical energy emerging from the central basin in front of the stone man.
His ears twitched a little in our direction and he looked up. "Off to have a little fun, are you?" He asked slyly.
I caught the meaning of his words. Cocky and rude, a potent combination and certainly not a desirable one. "That's none of your business, J'zargo."
His cat-grin widened. "Hey, J'zargo didn't say it was. He was merely asking. No need to be so touchy, my friend."
"Don't ask then," Brelyna retorted. I noticed that her cheeks were flushed pink, ever so slightly. I too felt a little hot in the face from the Khajiit's comment. Must be the cold, I told myself, just my body reacting to the temperature. Bandied words from a fool wouldn't get to him that easily.
"Come on Brelyna, we don't need to listen to this," I told her and we both made our way to the bridge out of the college. Even though our backs were turned to him, I could still see his sly grin in my mind. Where did he get that idea from? Brelyna and I had only just met.
"Well, working with him is certainly going to be... interesting," She commented, when they were out of earshot.
"That's hardly the word I would use." She gave a small laugh.
"At least you're good company, Sauron."
"Thanks, you too." She gave me a small smile, that added to her beauty, that I felt even a flower in full bloom could not pale in comparison. I felt a small jolt in my stomach. Again, I dismissed it. How could she have that kind of effect on me when we barely knew each other?
She certianly was attractive, that could be said. Her skin wasn't so much grey, but blue like river in the forest, was smooth and flawless, as if a carver wished to capture the very essence of Dunmer beauty. Her figure was slender and graceful, curved in just the right places. Whenever she spoke, I felt as if I could listen to that sweet, honeyed voice forever and if it stopped, terrible things would come to pass. Her red eyes compared roses in the middle of Sun's Height, gittering like rubies, so new and so full of life, so wonderful...
Wait, where did all that come from? Get a hold of yourself, I told myself firmly. Focus, or she'll think you're rude for staring. Hold on, what did it matter to me what she thought?
"Sauron? Did you hear me?" Damn! I must have been so lost in my thoughts, I didn't hear her. I felt my face grow hot again.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "My mind was elsewhere. What were you saying?"
She gave an exasperated sigh. "I asked how you came to be in Skyrim? Was it to study here, like me?"
"Not exactly." My story of how I came to be here was not the finest or most proud. Though maybe, if I told her, it might make her be more open, tell me more about herself.
So I told her; that I'd been travelling near the border of Skyrim, when I became mixed up in a conflict between the Imperial Garrison and Stormcloak rebels. I had been mistaken as a rebel and taken to be executed with them at Helgen. Even though I wasn't on the list, I was sent to the block. As the executioner raised his axe to end my life, we had an unlikely savior...
"A dragon!" Brelyna gasped in disbelief. "You've seen one?"
"Indeed, and almost didn't live to tell the tale. I escaped though," I told her, she clearly being riveted by my tale. "Made it out into Skyrim and proceeded to the village of Riverwood. I was sent to warn Whiterun about the dragon attack and that the village I heard about the college from the Jarl's mage and decided to have a look."
"What happened to the dragon?" She asked, a hint of dread in her voice. "Did it attack?"
"It did. I fought it at a watchtower with a contingent of guards. We killed it, so it won't be attacking anyone anymore," I assured her. I neglected to mention that I had then absorbed the dragon's very soul and been recognized as the legendary Dragonborn. I didn't like the attention that came with that knowledge and I didn't want any special treatment. Luckily, she didn't ask any further on the aftermath.
"Well, that's certainly a relief. I'm just glad you came here," she said sincerely.
"Yes, if a dragon attacks, you'll have a brave dragonslayer ready and waiting," I joked, with a smile.
"That's not what I meant..." she murmured quietly. What did she mean by that, I wondered.
"What?" She stammered, looking startled. Apparently, I wasn't supposed to hear that or it just slipped out.
"I mean uh... well..." She sighed, looking down. "Nothing..." She maintained this uncomfortable silence for the duration of our travel over College's bridge and into Winterhold itself.
There wasn't exactly a lot see in the village: there was only one house, at least not private homes. At least three, as their remains were still present, had been destroyed, on the Great Collapse, when the cliff overlooking the Sea of Ghosts 80 years ago. The rest had fallen into the sea. From what I had learned, going from prosperity to poverty, the once-great city had never really recovered. Most of the Dunmer returned to their native land in Morrowind, due to the eruption of Vvardenfell in the Red Year and the destruction it caused and the growing hatred and tension from local Nords after the Oblivion Crisis 200 years ago,
A few had stayed, because of connections or to continue training at the College, one of the few notable places left. Among them were the inn, the Winter Hearth, the local store, Birna's Oddments and the Jarl's Longhouse. The Jarl himself, Korir, had lost political favor with the other Jarls, as they didn't really listen to his opinions or views. He also had a dislike of the College, as did many others. It had remained largely undamaged after the Collapse and the residents blamed the mages their for the incident, despite the Arch-Mage's assurances.
I'd heard that the city had enjoyed years of prosperity, in economics and politics and new cultural ideas from the refugees travelling in from Morrowind had helped it thrive. It was the main reason of these past dreams that Korir was far more cynical of the village's future. I myself hoped that the city would recover with time and flourish once again. But after 200 years, still with bad feeling towards the mages, it seemed rather unlikely. I voiced my thoughts to Brelyna, who gave an understanding smile.
"It is sad, isn't it? That something great has fallen," She commented, as we passed the Jarl's Longhouse. "At least there's still the College, that's something."
"And the Shrine of Azura," Put in Kralder, a resident of Winterhold, who was standing nearby and had obviously been eavesdropping. He was one of those who didn't blame the mages for the Collapse and one who had told me most of the city's history. I liked and respected him for that. "Bit of a climb but worth a look."
"Shrine of Azura?" I asked him. He looked at me like I had just yelled an oath in his face.
"You're kidding? A dark elf like you must have heard of the Shrine! What about you?" He turned to Brelyna. She shook her head in response. At this, he grinned.
"Well, you two are in for a great sight." He told us how to get up to the Shrine and marked it on my map. We set off soon after, making our climb up the mountain, the snowy gales blowing at our robes.
The old man was right; the climb was a difficult one at that and not just because of the weather. Like the lands below, Skyrim's mountains were home to a wide variety of wildlife and some were just as dangerous, perhaps even more so, as their counterparts below: ice wolves, snow bears, snowy sabre cats, they were tougher and more resilient than the 'regular' kind. On top of those, there were frost trolls and ice wraiths, the latter rather terrifying to mountain travellers and the former had many accounts of being strong enough to tear a head clean from its' shoulders.
Then, of course, there was one other danger, that paled all others. There were times that I glanced to the sky, my ears listening for that wing-beat or deafening roar, any sign that one of them might be close by. I had enough experience with them to know how to fight one, but Brelyna was another matter. Though their return was well known by now, she had most likely never even seen one, let alone killed one. If anything happened to her, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself...
"Wolves!" Brelyna yelled. My head snapped up and I locked eyes on the bloodthirsty beast.
There were two of them, blocking our progress and coming straight at us, eager for the kill. I held out my hands and clenched them into part-fists, creating firebolts in in my palms. I felt the heat increase as they were ready and let loose. The first hit it's target, giving a puppy-like yelp as it was blown backwards. The second, unfortunately and embarrassingly missed entirely. The wolf was too close, I didn't have time to prepare another volley I stumbled back, falling into the snow and waited for the pressure of sharp teeth on my arm.
Suddenly, two more firebolts from my right struck dead-on and the wolf went down. I turned to see Brelyna, with one of her hands outstretched and the dancing, graceful form of a Flame Atronach next to her, a form of daedra and commonly used by Conjuration mages in combat. Satisfied, she extinguished her hand and, with a wave of the other, the Atronach vanished, sending it back to its realm in Oblivion.
"Are you alright?" she asked, an ebb of concern in her voice, holding out her hand to help.
"Undamaged," I replied, taking it and dusting off my robes. "Slight loss of dignity, but no changes there. I thought you studied Conjuration, yet you know how to cast a firebolt?"
"You never know when you might need to know a little Destruction magic, like when a clumsy, short-sighted mage misses his target." She smiled and I immediately felt better. Then she blushed. "You can let go of my hand anytime, by the way." I looked to realize that her hand was still in mine. I let go, feeling the heat in my face again.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled.
"No problem," she muttered, looking at her shoes.
"Shall we go on?"
"Yes, yes. Hope there's no more wolves, right?" She laughed uncomfortably, then abruptly started walking again.
We continued on up the mountain and I was thankful the gales ruled out the need for conversation to fill an awkward silence. I looked down at my hand. When it had met hers, I had felt as if someone hit me there with a lightning bolt, something from the contact. But I knew it was no such thing. Looking for something to do, I recalled the directions and realised we were close.
"It should be just over this ridge!" I yelled to Brelyna, who had trekked onwards ahead.
"I think I see it!" she shouted back, jogging slightly and coming to a sudden halt when she reached the top. I ran to catch up and soon saw why. I had seen many wonders in Skyrim, but none like the one that stood before me.
To say that the Shrine was enormous would be a grave understatement. The daedric princess of dusk and dawn towered above us at over two-hundred feet tall, placed at the very peak of the mountain, as if the Dunmer who placed her there did it so the entire land of Tamriel stretched out before her, gazing out at all the sun and moon shone upon. She herself was staring straight ahead, looking out across the land. Dressed in a long, flowing robe with her arms outstretched cupping the sun in one hand and the moon in the other, it was clear that those who worshipped her showed how much she meant to them.
As we walked closer, I had to strain my neck just to look at her face. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride, partly because we had taken the time to make the climb, but also for my kind. Even though they had been driven out of this land, they had stayed long enough to leave this great achievement on the land for all time, so that all who gazed upon her would know that they had contributed.
"It's... incredible." Brelyna looked almost at a loss for words. "Remarkable, isn't it?"
"Yes, that it is."
"This was worth the climb." She turned to look at me. "Being here, with you, just completes it..."
I moved my sight from the Shrine to her, finding myself lost in the red pools of her eyes. I felt the same: we had made the climb, together, to the peak of the mountain. Here, on top of the world, a great dedication to Azura and our kind, watching over us, the wind and snow wailing around us, it was just us. I felt that I should do something, say something... anything...
It was then I noticed that the wind sounded rather odd, deeper and more rhythmic Regrettably, I turned to listen... and felt my stomach contract. For that wasn't the wind that I could hear, but the steady rhythm of a wing-beat. There was only one such creature that could be that loud when flying. Then, I heard, even over the gales of the wind, a roar and a large form silhouetted against the snow.
"Dragon! Get behind me" I held out my hands to summon a Firebolt, moving forward. With an earth-shaking thud, the dragon landed on front of me.
Though I had seen many more since that first one in Helgen, the beasts still unsettled me. It was crouching low to the ground it's head held high above mine. Part of it's scales were grey as ash, some white like the snow it walked upon and blue as the sky above. The wicked spikes that lined its back and the horns atop it's head were as black as night. The wings looked almost paper-thin, as if they could rip from the slightest gust of wind, yet they bore it all the way here. Teeth as large as a Nord's fist exposed as it curled it's mouth in a low, feral-sounding growl and pale eyes with a single black pupil, that shone with arrogance and supremacy, bore into me, right to my very core.
Truly, it was a terrifying, awe-inspiring sight to look upon. I glanced back at Brelyna and saw that she was both terrified and fascinated at the deadly marvel before us. Her hands started to glow as well, in readiness for a fight, with a Conjuration spell, her legs tensed. Suddenly, I felt some great feeling of defiance stir inside me. For her, to make sure she stayed safe, I would fight this dragon and fifty more before they could even scratch her.
It spoke, it's voice reverberating as it, or rather he, voiced the Dragontongue. "Dovahkiin." I felt his voice shake my very bones. It was a statement, not a question. He had come for me.
"I am Dovahkiin," I answered, keeping my eyes on his. I would not show fear.
"Such arrogance, that you would give yourself the name of dova." He snorted in derisiveness. "You shall die, cowering before my Thu'um as you take your last breath."
"One of us shall die this day and it will not be me," I stated. "I will fight you and you will not see me cower."
"Die now, pathetic elf!" He opened his mouth to shout, but I beat him to it.
"Fus, RO DAH!" Unrelenting Force erupted from within me, causing the dragon to stagger a little. With a roar, he took off into the sky, flying as swift as the wind.
I turned to Brelyna, who looked completely stunned. "Go! Get out of here!"
She seemed to consider, before a determined, hard look came to her face. "No. I stay and fight. You and me, together."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Most would have taken off for the hills at the sight of a dragon, flee rather than fight what could be closely compared to a force of nature. Yet she, this wonderful woman whom I had barely known for a day, chose to stand with me, in the face of such a terror. For once, being the Dragonborn, destined to stop the dragon's return, didn't feel like a lonely fight.
I smiled a genuine smile. "Then, we fight!" I turned my attention to the sky to see the dragon swooping low, coming in to attack.
"FO..."
"Dive!" I leaped out of the way, tucking and rolling as I felt a great wave of frost pass by. So, this was a Frost Dragon, one that shouted the frost against his foes. Well, I thought, the best way to counteract ice was fire. I charged up two firebolts, waited and let them off, streaking to the sky. They hit their target, one on the belly, the other it's wing.
The dragon roared in anger and frustration. He turned his head and I saw it look to my companion. He came down for another dive, opening his mouth to shout once more. I saw fear in her eyes, but she stood tensed and ready. Just as he shouted, she dived forward, raised her hand as he passed over and let off a stream of flames that streaked across his belly, turned around and sent off a firebolt after him, getting the dragon right in the back. His roar echoed across the mountain as he soared off again.
My surprise must have shown on my face, because Brelyna raised an eyebrow when she saw me. "I can hold my own, you know," she said, giving a small smile. Her eyes fixed on something behind me. I turned. He was coming in again, fury blazing like a forest-fire, letting off more frost.
It hit me. Chill swept through me. I knew it would slow me down, but I had to move. I leaped towards Brelyna as I felt his claws on my back. Pain shot through me, coupled with the biting cold of the frost. I heard Brelyna scream. I could still stand, still fight. I moved to my fellow Dunmer, so we were back-to-back.
"Are you alright?" Her voice was full of concern.
"I'll live, but we need to end this now."
"Right. What do we do?" I thought hard. There had to be something. I could see him, still see those eyes... wait, that was it!
"It's eyes! Go for the eyes! Blind him!"
"I hope you're right. Here he comes!" I placed a hand on her shoulder and turned my body to face him, ignoring the pain from my back.
"Ready..." He was swooping low. I felt the flames lick my hands. "Hold..." I saw met his cold gaze. Now or never. "GO!" I let off my bolts, as she did hers. Some missed, but the rest hit his head. One near the snout, mouth and two in both his eyes. A screeching roar sounded from his scorched mouth, careering out of control.
We ducked down as he smacked into a rock, landing on his left wing, illiciting another roar. He writhed and shrieked crippled, unable to take off. He roared and shouted, streams of frost going off in every direction his neck could swivel. His bloodied wing flapped uselessly, the other crushed under his heavy body.
I staggered over to him, my feet crunching in the snow. His head snapped in my direction. He could hear me. I prepared a shout, to end this.
"Dovahkiin... NO!" His mouth streched open, but he was too late.
"Fus... ro... DAH!" The Force moved his head away and, using my last amount of strength, I ran up, fire crackling and let a stream of flames enter his mouth. He screamed and writhed, gave one last roar... then no more.
I collapsed to the ground, completely spent. I watched as his body started to decay, scale and skin melting away. I felt some great force enter my body as I took his soul into my own form. It was done. Then, a gentle wind blew across my back, soothing the pain that spread from it.
"Feel better?" Brelyna was casting a healing spell, helping me up to my feet.
"Yes... thank you." If she hadn't been here...
"Well, someone had to do it." She trailed off, setting me on a rock, next to the skeleton of our fallen foe. "So... the Nord legends are true. You're the Dragonborn." Like with the dragon, it was not a question.
I sighed. "It's true."
"Why didn't you say anything?" She asked indignantly. "Are you ashamed? Embarrassed?"
"No, I..." So, I would have to tell her. "I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want any special treatment. While I'm at the College, I want to have the same chances as everyone else and not be viewed as anyone other than one of the students."
"Well..." She seemed to consider. Then, her expression lightened. "I suppose I can hardly berate you for not mentioning it, can I?"
"No, I suppose not. No offense," I added.
"None taken."
"Besides, I doubt you would have believed me if I told you."
"Yes, there's that too," she laughed. "Come on, let's head back and rest before the next lecture starts. I think we've both earned it."
"Brelyna? You will... keep this to yourself, won't you? I'd rather that no-one knew who I am."
"Of course," she smiled in that way she did. It made me feel warm, despite the cold. "I can keep a secret and yours is safe with me."
"Thank you. I'm glad I can trust you with it."
"What are friends for, right?"
I gave a chuckle. "Yes, nothing like a death-defying fight with a dragon to grow closer as friends." Her laughter, melodious and wonderful as music played from a master of the lute, sung in my ears as we started to make our descent.
"You do like to keep a sense of humor, don't you?"
"Well," I said with a grin. "If you can't laugh, what can you do?"
"Go into politics, perhaps? Oh gods, it's rubbing off on me now," she realised, with a giggle.
As we laughed and joked our way back down from the peak, leaving the skeletal carcass of our fallen foe, I noticed that what I had said may have had some truth to it. With such a unique experience shared between us, we really had grown closer as friends. I found it easy to talk to her, sharing my battles and adventures as the Dragonborn with her, from the time we had climbing down at least and not in great detail, but it was something.
She seemed to be more comfortable with me and was more than content to listen to whatever I had to share, however lacking in great detail it was. It was certainly good to share them with someone, for a change.
I certainly felt closer to her. Apart from Delphine and Esburn, she was the only one who knew I was the Dragonborn and understood what that meant. However, unlike them, telling me it was my destiny to destroy the dragons or the Greybeards, who would no doubt want me to meditate on a mountain my whole life, she expected nothing of me, wanted nothing from me, but was happy to let me share my experiences.
Maybe it was because she had lived most of her life with high expectations from those around her and she understood me in that way by comparing me to herself. Perhaps something else that we had in common: born with destinies to be great but neither of us wanted them or asked for them.
"... and when the dragon was beaten, I felt some great energy surge into my body," I was saying, telling her what happened with the dragon in Whiterun as we neared Winterhold, "I didn't know what had happened, but a soldier told me I was the Dragonborn."
"Incredible!" she said, "That must have been something of a shock to you. And you've told practically nobody since?"
"Yes, it was," I answered, "And no, I haven't. It feels good to tell someone about it and that they're not pressuring me about my destiny."
"It's fine. Believe me, I understand..." So, I thought to myself, I was right about that then. As we arrived back at the College, J'zargo thankfully not being present, she said: "I suppose we'd better get back to our research. Or..."
"Or what?"
"We could... do it together..." she trailed off and looked down at the ground. Her suggestion caught me a little of guard, but I felt pleased at the same time. This meant that actually enjoyed spending time with me, as much as I did with her.
"That sounds like a great idea," I agreed, feeling a smile grow on my face. She was smiling too.
"Really? Great!" She seemed to think she sounded a little too enthusiastic, as she coughed and spoke more controlled, but still barely suppressing her excitement. "Let's go to the Arcanium then."
I knew, from then on, that there was something more than friendship in store for us. She didn't care I was the Dragonborn, or at least wasn't scared by it; she had stayed to fight a dragon by my side when most would have fled and I felt that I could trust her with anything. I wasn't sure, not yet, if she felt the same way. But I knew, as we searched the library for the relevant books we needed and sat pouring over them together, that this was the beginning of something special. For the both of us.
You two certainly seem to have hit it off.
Now, nothing has happened yet...
Sauron, is that a blush I see?
My friend, is that a shout I feel building up?
... Point taken. See ya next time! Please review!