Zoor Se Dovahruth

by North I-75

Dragon Tongue is a sacred and ancient magic and Keeva's fate has sent her out of Skyrim and into the realm of Middle Earth to help an unlikely bunch of dwarves reclaim their homeland with her curse. But like any heroine in a story, she has to learn how to move on from the past and accept her future. Thankfully one dwarf is there to help her along the way. Fili/OC

2. Chapter 2

Zoor Se Dovahruth

Two

-Dinok Gestin-
Death's Release

"So she never found out about what the markings meant," the little girl asked with some concern. Her eyes illustrated that she was trying to figure out this tale without any help. But it was clear she wasn't sure what she was missing. The man smiled lightly and patted her golden hair back before teasing her about interrupting the tale, "Now, there was one clue that Monah knew where she needed to go. Do you not remember, Nathith? Thalin had found the answer a top the highest peak of Tamriel, at High Hrothgar. It is there she would find her answer."

"Then she went there after her parents were killed?" the little child asked with some more confidence. The man nodded before going back to his tale, "Monah knew that whatever her father knew was going to be on top of that mountain and so she began her long quest on the road south…

Keeva found herself standing before the steps of the mountain. They called them the Seven Thousand Steps to the Throat of the World. It was here that Keeva would begin her journey to find the Greybeards that resided within High Hrothgar and learn of the curse that was etched into her skin. The name of the dragon was a firm reminder that she would one day become something possibly dangerous.

They say the Seven Thousand Steps held a spiritual significance for many Nords due to the belief that men were created by Kyne, a Nordic goddess of the Storm, on this mountain when the sky breathed onto the land. But to Keeva, this pilgrimage was more of a quest to learn the truth, not to meditate upon the creation of life. Keeva's life was what it was. She couldn't change that but she did take it as she was given and what she was dealt was much harsher than that of any normal man. She was cursed and she wanted to know why and how to remove it.

The journey up took only a day, with period of rest to eat up before continuing onward. The higher she climbed the climate slowly began to grow colder, the snow began to fall and the ground was slowly turning to a thick white.

The setting sun was the last sight that Keeva saw before entering the iron doors of High Hrothgar. Keeva pushed the door shut behind her, turning on her heel and found a hall that led into a large and slightly lit room. Candles were lit in several parts of the fast stone build structure and there were two stair ways on either side of the room, leading down halls with various rooms. Keeva found her eyes leering up at the sky light above, the twilight's last glimmering light trying it's best to fill in through the gaps. On the walls hung tapestries with similar symbols that scared her skin, and with careful eyes Keeva read the sentence out loud to herself, "Lok Bo, Thuum Tuum."

"Sky above, voice within," came a voice from behind her, deep and elderly. Keeva whipped around, her eyes round as saucers. The elderly man, beard and all, dressed in ragged grey robes stood tall and proud before her, no secrets and no qualms. "It is our motto."

"It's almost poetic," Keeva noted with honest eyes. "Are you one of the Greybeards?"

"I am, Kiir," the Greybeard answered with a firm voice. Keeva smiled slightly; hope filling her heart as she gave a great sigh, "I have come to you in need of help. My father, Thalin, had come here before me. He is dead now, killed by a Daggerfall Covenant assassin. Before his death, he was about to tell me something very important. Something he learned here, from your people."

The man stared at her with dark eyes, taking in every word with a dedicated ear, "You're father was a brave man to come here. His questions were not for those who do not understand dangerous questions and dangerous answers. I will answer the same questions I know you are wondering… But first let me introduce myself. I'm Arngeir. I serve as the instructor and mentor in the Way of the Voice. I feel we may be getting more acquainted once the situation settles."

"I'm Keeva," the young woman greeted, feeling some sort of common ground as Arngeir had introduced himself. "Come, Keeva. We have much to teach you."

Arngeir gave Keeva a quick tour through the temple that the Greybeards called home. They had even given her a room to sleep in that night after they had shared dinner. But before all of that, Arngeir took Keeva into his study and had her set before the fire to show her cursed mark. "Show me, dear. Your father did the best he could to describe it. But I find it never seems to do it justice when seeing the real thing is much more useful."

Keeva had removed her fur coat and rolled her linen green shirt up to her elbow so that she could turn her arm up and reveal the puckered skin, red, and always angry. Arngeir took hold of her arm gently, brushing his thumb over the letters with an odd curiosity. For a minute it seem the Greybeard was in a daze and then all of a sudden he hissed in pain and torn his hands away from the red and angry letters. Keeva's eyes were shocked to find that the tip of Arngeir's fingers were burnt, bleeding and blistered. Keeva quickly torn a small part of her shirt off and began to wrap the wounded fingers, apologizing if she had hurt him. The old man just hummed quietly, "It was not your fault, my dear. It was of course the dragon that is in you that wasn't quite happy with my presence."

Keeva paused while tying the cloth together, her gaze slowly rising to meet Arngeir's with some confusion. "What?"

"A dragon, my dear. Fokeinvokul. The name that is burned into your skin. It is that dragon's soul that is within you. That was his curse, to trap his soul within the first descendant of your father's ancestor that was born a girl. Fokeinvokul was notorious for eating women and children during the Dragon War. It was only natural that he would choose a female to enslave his soul, to torture and condemn to a living hell. Vokul isn't in his name for no reason."

"I have- I have a dragon's soul?" Keeva asked with disbelief. The corners of Arngeir's mouth turned down just a little, clearly frustrated with having to repeat himself, "No, Kiir. Not you. You just carry the soul. It's not your soul. If it was you'd be the Dovahkiin, but you're not. You are just the host for the dragon soul. You have your own soul but are carrying the weight of another because of the curse."

Keeva let her hands drop to her lap in shock. It was one thing to hear you were cursed and not knowing what that entailed but then to hear what the curse was… it was absolutely unbelievable. Fokeinvokul was actually within her, trapped and ready to cause havoc if the time was necessary. "What will he do to me?"

"Oh, I just imagine you will be caring him around like you always have but…" Arngeir looked to the red marks with a hum, "I could see something in his soul, a rage that is brewing, rage that may involve you. That is why you will stay here. Learn the Voice so that maybe one day, when the time comes, you may be able to take control of this curse."

Keeva couldn't pass up the offer. She was homeless, lost, very scared and even more shocked with the news than she should have been. Not only was the High King Emeric trying to have her killed, she was also in the clutches of a demon dragon. The Greybeards extended invitation was more than she could ask for. "I'll stay," she muttered with a nodded, more trying to convince herself that this was a good idea than to anyone else.

The first night was the hardest out of all of them. It was the first time she could grieve about her parent's deaths, the first time she could cry and let her emotions lose without worrying about someone coming to kill her or even having others worry about her. It wasn't like the Greybeards didn't care. In fact, they were very helpful in the years that she stayed on the mountain. They taught her all they knew, how to produce a Thu'um, learning the language of the dragons through studying and also letting her practice her archery later in the nights after their dinner.

Keeva could say that those years were possible the easiest she had considering what was in store for her. It was one day, five years later, that Keeva found herself in the court yard of the temple looking over the grey sky, fond of the snow that was about to fall that afternoon. The Greybeards had been quite busy; rumors were wandering up the mountain, causing a stir within. Keeva had noticed the small council meetings that were being held more often than she could even remember them happening. She knew something was going on down in the realm, someone had killed a dragon…

It was known throughout most of the world that dragons did not live amongst men anymore. Though Keeva knew that wasn't entirely true, it was an oddity to hear of dragons in Tamriel, Skyrim in particular. And then to be slain? That was almost unfathomable….

The Greybeards had joined Keeva in the court yard that morning. She had been invited by Arngeir himself for the event, which she wasn't quite sure what it was. But she wanted to find out. It was something nobody had heard in over a thousand years, at least. Arngeir and the others gathered in a circle at first facing one another, but then then turned, backs facing each other as they extended hands. "Keeva, my dear. We will perform the Thu'um. Watch and learn."

Keeva stepped back a bit, though she knew it would be no good, it was just an unconscious reaction to what she knew was coming. The Greybeard took a synced breath and then as they exhaled the Thu'um that Keeva was to watch and learn from became the most odd sensation she'd ever experienced. There was a crack of thunder, so powerful that Keeva had almost thought there was a storm brewing around them. But then the words in dragon tongue were shouted into the sky, "Dov-ah-kiin!"

Keeva let the roll of the thunder reverberate in her mind just a bit longer as she tried to roll the words on her tongue. Dovahkiin. The name was one she was not unfamiliar with. It was actually part of her lessons every day. Dovahkiin, or Dragonborn, was the one true Man born with a dragon soul, where I was the opposite. Dovahkiin was prophesized to be the one person to save the world from destruction… the destruction of Alduin. The most terrible and evil Dragon-god of all. Had Alduin returned?

There was a hum, almost a chuckle that Keeva had heard from within her mind, something that shouldn't be there. Keeva shook it off, the thought of Alduin was more exciting and tantalizing than anything else.

Arngeir walked over to his student and smiled lightly, something that was hard to get out of him. Keeva was always trying her best to crack a smile out of him, "What did you think, my dear?"

Keeva smiled back and bounced on the balls of her feet with excitement, "It was absolutely breathtaking. Is it true? Has the Dovahkiin returned?"

"We believe he has," Arngeir nodded grimly. "But only because of the resurfacing of the dragons. It is unusual…"

Keeva had left Arngeir and the rest of the Greybeards to contemplate the rumors that had been going around. Instead of returning to her studies, she turned her gaze up to the tip of the mountain, much higher up in the clouds. There was someone she wanted to pay a visit…

The young woman, dressed warmly in her fur armor and green linens, stood before the Dragon stone, the air clearer up on top of the mountain that day. Keeva took a deep breath, realizing the one person she was looking for seemed to be missing. A humble growl of a beast from above caught her attention and she smiled warmly as the winged beast descended from the air and landed on the ground next to her.

The grey dragon, withered, old, and wise, hummed with a particular happy note. "Drem Yol Lok. What brings you, Kiir?"

Keeva bowed politely before removing her mask to let the dragon see her face. "Paarthurnax, is it true? Hass the Dovahkiin returned?"

"I do not have the answer for you, Kiir. But there will be an answer soon," Paarthurnax hummed contently. He tilted his head slightly, to get a better view of the young girl before him, a mere child in his eyes, "But there is something else... isn't there?"

Keeva blinked astounded with the dragon's keen sight. She had thought she'd hid her actions much better this time. Paarthurnax continued to amaze her. "You said, only a few years ago, when I first met you, that the only way to rid myself of my curse was to find Alduin… but he is dead or was… with the prophecy, with the Dovahkiin, would that mean Alduin has returned? Should I search him out?"

Paarthurnax stared the young girl down with pity, nothing more than sad feelings. Paarthurnax had grown on Keeva as had Keeva on Paarthurnax but this was a quest he had no say in. He could only give answers even though he disagreed with her desires. "If the Dovahkiin has returned and only if this has occurred, then the prophecy has been fulfilled and the truth of Alduin's return will become fact. But it is not my decision, Kiir. That is yours to make."

Needless to say, the conversation with Paarthurnax had left quite a lot of thinking for Keeva to do. In fact she secluded herself for three days, the Greybeards weren't exactly a chatty bunch at the time, planning over what would happen if the Dovahkiin did show up at High Hrothgar and even planned on what would happen if they didn't. It was plausible that the first would happen though. The rumors were spreading like wild fire, more and more messages were being sent to the Throat of the World, questions wanting to be answered – it was Keeva's job to answer them too…

At the beginning of the fourth day, after Keeva had decided that if the Dovahkiin did show, she would hunt down Alduin and she would ask him for his help, even if it would end badly for her. She desperately would either live without Fokeinvokul or die knowing that he would be killed with her.

Later that afternoon, the iron doors opened, letting in the cold draft from the winter climate. Keeva had been meditating in the common room when the figure had come in. A tall and strong looking man, a Nord none the less, stood at the entrance to the great hall, clad in iron forged armor and a long broad sword at his side. His eyes were a deep blue and his hair was of an auburn shade. She knew immediately that he was the Dovahkiin. You could feel it, just in the air, the way he breathed in and out, and the fire upon the candles would flicker with each exhale. It was him. There was no doubt about it.

"You're the Dovahkiin," Keeva began, standing from her spot of meditation to greet the young Nord. "I'm Keeva."

"Kalthar," the young Nord bowed slightly, awkwardly at first, but after Keeva gave him an honest smile the man loosened up a bit.

"I'll go call for Master Arngeir. I suppose you would like to speak with him," Keeva said while backing away toward one of the stair cases, "Just wait here."

Keeva went and retrieved Arngeir and brought him back along with the other Greybeards. They all gathered around, talking with the young man about going through a set of trials to prove that he was the Dovahkiin. It was a spectacular moment that Keeva got the chance to witness. This was a once in a life time and she wasn't going to miss it.

The first test involved Kalthar in using his voice to push Arngeir and the other Greybeards back after he had learned the first word in the Dragon language; Fus which means force. It took me quite some time to learn that word correctly but here was Kalthar showing the rest of us his amazing power, he'd immediately picked up the word and was using it as if he'd been practicing for years.

The group moved out to the courtyard after Kalthar passed the first test. The next was to learn the Whirlwind Sprint, which Keeva still had more trouble producing than anything else. But there was Kalthar using his voice to produce the most amazing spectacle of dragon magic. Keeva was sure at that point the Greybeards knew Kalthar was the Dovahkiin.

For a week, Keeva stayed. She watched and learned, asked questions on how Kalthar would go about using his Thu'um. Kalthar did his best to explain, that it was like a rage, a strong urge to shout out the feeling. Keeva kept those words of wise close to her as she began to pack her things later that week.

During the last dinner, Keeva sat with Kalthar. There was one thing on her mind, Alduin. "Kalthar, I-"

"You're leaving," Kalthar noted with a slight frown. His blue eyes faded in the candle light. "I was beginning to get used to having you around. Learning along with you…"

Keeva's lips curved up just a little, her eyes full of hope as she ran a hand through her fire color hair, "I am… but there is a reason."

Kalthar set his loaf of bread down, curious now after hearing her explain, "What reason would that be?"

"I'm not sure if Arngeir has told you, but… well you see… I'm cursed. And there is only one way for me to break the curse… You're the prophecy I have been waiting for. You will appear when Alduin has returned and now that he has, that you have appeared, I have to find him, to break my curse."

Kalthar's face fell. He knew more about Alduin than anyone combined. It wasn't a coincidence that Kalthar had run into the demon dragon when almost losing his head back in Helgen. Alduin was crafty, manipulative, and born again evil. The fact that his new friend was taking on the quest to hunt Alduin was beyond mad. "Keeva this quest is insane. I don't think you should go."

"I have to Kalthar. This is my quest. This is what I want," Keeva told him pointedly. Her blue eyes were serious and he could see her determination within. "Where did you last see Alduin?"

Kalthar's eyes darkened and lowered to his hands. It was hard to admit that this was something he had no right or say in. "The last I saw of Alduin, he was flying North East when I was in Helgen."

"Thank you, Kalthar," Keeva replied, placing a warm and gentle hand upon his scared ones. "Thank you so much."

Keeva left the next morning, with a slightly more emotional goodbye shared with Arngeir. Keeva couldn't have helped to let one or two tears to shed when giving the one Greybeard a hug. He told her to stay safe, true, and honest in her journey, "Remember what we taught you, Dovahruth. Lok Bo, Thu'um Tuum."

There was only one place Keeva knew of to begin her search for the dragon. A dragon liar called Shearpoint near her home of Windhelm. Keeva had actually heard rumors while leaving the small town of Ivarstead that lied at the base of the mountain near the Seven Thousand Steps. "There was a dragon, black as night that flew further up north. I'd be watching the skies if I were you."

Keeva was sure that Alduin was heading for Shearpoint. There was only one reason for him to head up that way. The other rumor that Alduin was going around and reawakening the old bones of long passed dragons was not an easy rumor to take in. But Keeva knew Alduin was waiting… She could feel it in her bones.

Keeva had worked her way through the dungeons at Shearpoint before finally climbing the final stairs to the high point of the ruins. On the ledge of the mountain, carved from the stone with skilled hands, was the Dragon stone. Keeva stepped closer to read the word she knew she was looking for: Zul Mey Gut.

Voice, fool, far. A Thu'um is heard, but its source unknown, fooling those into seeking it out. Keeva would have to remember that, it would take some time to practice but it would be useful to her later down the road.

A burst of thunder boomed over head of the young woman. Then the sun's rays were blocked by a black shadow hovering above her. Keeva's eyes squinted as she watched the form descend and land on the ground behind her. When her eyes could focus she found herself staring at the ruby red eyes of the demon himself. "Alduin…"

The dragon was pure black, jagged, pointed, and devilish. He hummed darkly, as if he was chuckling at a very cryptic thought, "I've been waiting for you, Dovahruth."

"You know me?" Keeva asked suspiciously, her eyes leering at the dragon. Alduin hummed again, "Do you think I would not know about the ruth, the curse, that Fokeinvokul left on your kin? Mey!"

"That is why I have come," Keeva interrupted. The dragon glared down at her, tilting his head as if he was urging her to go on, finish what she was saying. "How do I get rid of Fokeinvokul?"

Alduin was no longer humored after Keeva had divulged her quest. In fact, the dragon roared with a fierce anger and had Keeva wince, "Nahlot! Neh fent aan Dovah sil oblaan! Nivahriin Vahdin!"

Alduin's words were harsh, not that it mattered to him. But they were threatening, mean, and dangerous. Alduin's head dipped down further, his body almost hugging the ground so that he could see the girl. His teeth were baring and eyes piercing, "Kiir… you want me to give you the freedom you crave? It comes with a price…"

"I will take it, whatever the price," Keeva insisted, her eyes stinging with tears. The dragon hummed that malicious sound, "My kindness will be the death of you!"

Keeva watched as the dragon took a deep breath and then exhaled, "Fus Ro Dah!"

Keeva was pushed back by the force of the Thu'um, falling on her back, slammed up against the dragon stone and finding her vision clouded. Shaking the murkiness from her eyes, she sat up and found Alduin taking another breath and then this time another Thu'um came forth, one she'd never heard of, one that was so foreign, she wasn't sure what she was hearing, "Alok Fokeinvokul, Slen Tiid Voh, ahrk govey hin joor slen! Staadnau Kopraan Sil!"

Keeva could remember seeing the dragon's teeth and then the blue light that surrounded her being as everything then began to turn white and fade into nothing. There was a terrible feeling of something tearing out from within her, like something was trying to escape… something that did escape. It tore apart her very core and left her feeling half empty, a hole so deep that nothing could ever fill it. But something about the white light that was surrounding her was comforting during that very painful experience. It cradled her with love and assurance, insisting that she let it take her. "Fall asleep, Keeva…"

…

Glossary:

Monah – in Dragon tongue means 'Mother'

Nathith – in Khuzdul (Dwarvish) means 'Daughter'

Kiir – in Dragon tongue means 'Child'

Vokul – in Dragon tongue means 'Evil'

Dovahkiin – in Dragon tongue means 'Dragonborn'

Drem Yol Lok – in Dragon tongue is a greeting; literally translates to 'Peace Fire Sky'

Mey – in Dragon tongue means 'Fool'

Nahlot! Neh fent aan Dovah sil oblaan! Nivahriin Vahdin! – translates to 'Silence! Never shall a Dragon soul end! Cowardly Maiden!'

Alok Fokeinvokul, Slen Tiid Voh, ahrk govey hin joor slen! Staadnau Kopraan Sil! – translates to 'Arise Fokeinvokul, Flesh Time Undo, and remove your mortal flesh! Unbound Body Soul!'

A/N: I wanted to get this out before the first day of my final semester as a college student starts. I'll try my best to keep this going but I find it hard to do that when my thesis is eating away at my soul. If I haven't been around in a while, you might just want to send me a message to make sure I'm still alive.

Anyway, I really enjoyed writing these past two chapters, mainly because I'm very fond of the adventures, magic, lore, and the land of Skyrim. It's such a beautiful place to explore and I know our little Keeva is going to miss it as well. But trust me, she'll be so busy she won't be able to stop and smell the flowers. The next chapter will finally have dwarves! My favorite race in Tolkien's world.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit or Elder Scrolls. Any character that is not familiar is of my own creation.