Day Twelve

The morning brought little relief since I had spent the worst night of sleeping ever. Lydia would not admit it but she still looked a little cold from the mage's spell so I insisted she take the one narrow bed. My problem was not just the floor, though. Just being in the mage's house gave me nightmares. All night long I half expected he would return as a draugr and kill us in our sleep. Add to that my lack of sweet skooma and I was in a mood to kill anything that moved.
I did not think I could keep much down so my breakfast was some plain bread, an apple, and two bottles of mead. Lydia looked healthier and was able to eat more than I dared. I moved the mage's cold body to his bed. Leaving him in a heap by his enchanter table seemed too callous, even for a mage. We left early, heading southeast.

We did not get far before we ran into a pack of three grey wolves. Before they could reach us, however, a fourth wolf appeared, this one glowing white. It reminded me of the wolf I saw outside of Anise's cabin. It leapt ahead of us and started attacking the other wolves. Between the three of us, we made short work of the wolves.

"Did you do that?" I asked Lydia, pointing at the ghostly wolf.

"With this," she said, holding up the staff she found in the house. "I thought you knew what a familiar was?"

"I had an idea, but I've..."

The wolf familiar lifted his head and howled. The sound was hollow and eerie, making me think maybe it was communing with its new spectral brothers. With a snarl, it disappeared. That would take some getting used to.

Later in the morning I finally saw Whiterun in the distance off to the left as well as the Western Watchtower. To the right I saw a large fort I did not notice the last time I was at the watchtower. Lydia claimed it was rundown and abandoned but I was pretty sure I could see smoke rising from the courtyard. It was not on our way so I forget about it. It is most likely bandits. They would have plenty of opportunity to feel the bite of my blade as I opened their throats as Ruler.

We reached Riverwood before midday and I was able to sell more stuff we had picked up. At Alvor's, I decided to sell my ancient sword and buy a new steel greatsword. It had no special properties to it but it was lighter and more flexible. I helped myself to his grindstone and sharpened the edge to my satisfaction. I would not have to worry about recharging it with crystals. I just had to find a way to recharge myself.

On my way to the Sleeping Giant Inn to see about this horn thief, I ran into the blonde Nord, Sven again. He told me he took my suggestion and showed me the letter he wrote. It was full of lies, which I did not recall telling him to write. He asked me to take a moment to give it to Camilla and tell her it was from Faendal. If he only knew how my head was aching and my mood was careening down a dark chasm, he never would have trusted me. Since he did not, however...

"Sure thing, friend," I told him, "Anything for you. Just leave it to me."

He seemed taken aback by my sudden mood shift but thanked me and walked off. I quickly found Camilla at the store and threw the letter down on the table in front of her.

"Here. This is from Sven. In case you needed to be told, he's a loser and a liar. He's jealous of someone named Faendal and wants you to think this letter is from him. I suggest you take that claw I found for you and give that bard an excuse for singing soprano."

"Wait," she interrupted, "What does the letter say?" She read it. "Oh my. Sven wrote this? Thank you for telling me. Could you tell Faendal for me, please? I've got a Nord to find."

I said I would, if it only took a minute. To her credit, she nodded then actually did take the claw with her.

Near the blacksmith's, an old lady was able to point me in the direction of Faendal who was chopping wood by the river.

"Are you Faendal?" I asked the elf.

"Why yes, I am, friend. How may I help you?"

"Actually, I'm here to help you. Do you know the bard, Sven? Word has it he's been planning on playing 'Hide the Honeynut Treat' with your woman, Camilla. He also said to stay away from her or he'll use your pointy ears as picks for his lute." So I embellished.

The elf was seething and his knuckles turned white on his axe handle. "I knew that prancing Nord was up to no good. Let's see how well he plays that lute with it sticking out his..oh, sorry, my lady. I didn't see you there."

Lydia held her hands out. "I want no part of this."

Faendal turned to me, "Thank you for telling me. Here's some gold I've been saving from the mill. If you'll excuse me..."

The elf jogged away towards the inn.

"Pleased with yourself?" Lydia said, "You know Sven will probably be floating face down past Whiterun within the hour."

I breathed deep and pocketed the twenty-five gold I had just earned. "You don't have to cheer me up. I already feel better. Let's go see if this ambitious thief has as much luck with trying my patience as our friend, Sven."

Back at the road, Sven raced past me being chased by Camilla and Faendal, both waving weapons and calling for his head.

"You're nothing but trouble!" Sven yelled at me breathlessly as he broke for the woods.
Inside the inn, I found Delphine sweeping the floor.

"So, you're here this time," I said, "I guess it's too early to be off galavanting the Nine knows where and leaving the inn unattended so no one can even rent a stinking room."

Delphine calmly turned to the barkeep, "Orgnar, no more mead for this one."

"What? I'm not drunk."

"Well, it's not a full moon."

"I'll show you a full moon," I said and turned around.

Lydia turned me back around. "We are just here to rent the attic room," she said.

"Oh, well we don't have an attic room..."

"Ha!" I said.

"...but you can have the room on the left."

"We don't need a r..." I started to say before Lydia grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the room.

"Just go," she said, "Something about her doesn't seem right. Most women would have called Orgnar over to deal with you, especially someone who is just an innkeeper. She wasn't worried about you at all."

"That's true," I said as I took a seat in the tiny room. "Women are usually either terrified or turned on by me. She did not react to me at all. Hey, you don't suppose she's one of those women do you?"

"What? Smart?"

"No, I mean a le..."

Delphine stood in the doorway, "So you're the one who found the note? I believe you're looking for this?" she handed me a decorative horn, "I'm impressed, but we can't talk here. Follow me."

I stepped ahead of Lydia and followed the innkeeper. I had to say, she walked like she wanted my attention. We followed her to another room with a large bed where she stopped and told me to close the door. This could be getting interesting. I did as she asked, grinning knowingly. Instead of talking, she opened a tall wardrobe, revealing a hidden passage leading down to a basement. My grin vanished. I began to wonder how far I should trust this thief who obviously was merely posing as an innkeeper. I followed her down the stairs, loosening my sword in its scabbard as I went.

I was suspicious but the dimness of the basement eased my headache and my anger faded a little. Delphine stood on the other side of a table as if to keep something between us. That was not very trusting of her.

"So you're the one who went in there and took the horn all by yourself?" I asked.

"I had to," she said, "I knew the Greybeards would send you there as a test. They are too predictable. But just because they think so, that doesn't mean you are the Dragonborn."

"Of course I am," I said, "I have dragon blood coursing through my veins and I consume their souls like normal people swill mead. The forces of nature quake..."

"All right, all right. I had to make sure you weren't some Thalmor trap."

Lydia spoke up, "Why are you looking for the Dragonborn?"

"Because the Dragons are not just returning, they are coming back to life. I've visited the dragon mounds and found them empty. We need your help to stop it."

I laughed, "Stop it? I welcome the dragons. I plan on taming them for my own use. They will not only listen, but obey."

"Really?" Now it was her turn to laugh, "I happen to know where we can find one. Let's go see if you can 'tame' this one. I would like to see that."

"You're on, innkeeper. I have to make one stop first to deliver this horn. Destiny will not wait for a single dragon. Tell me where to meet you."

"Fine. Meet me in Kynesgrove, no later than Sundas. I have some things to do anyway."

"I'll bet you do," I said, winking. "What's her name?"

"What?"

Lydia grabbed my arm, "Never mind him," she told Delphine, "He's suffering from a case of rotbrain and runningmouth. Let's go, Ralos."

I was too weak from my cravings to stop her from pulling me back up the stairs. "I just wanted to find out.."

"Yeah, yeah, I know where your mind's at. Pig."

We had a quick bite to eat, some salmon and leeks, then headed for Whiterun. For once, there were no encounters on the short walk except for a farmer on his way to join the Imperial Legion. I wanted to stop at the meadery to drown my headache, now that I could afford their exorbitant prices. Lydia suggested it would be better if I talked to the priestess Danica sober, perhaps she would be more willing to help. I was about to remind her this whole skooma-less world was her idea but a wave of nausea preceded my angry retort and I swallowed them both back. Standing with my hands on my knees and my arms shaking, I was willing to humor the idea that perhaps skooma would be better in more moderation. That was unless that Khajiit caravan was waiting up ahead. A little further and I gave up hope when their usual place is empty. We headed into Whiterun.

We stopped in front of Breezehome.

"So," Lydia said, "Is this where we part ways, Thane?"

I had to pause as I considered my words carefully. I had never had to say something like this before. "Perhaps, in some small way, I was not exactly right in what I said earlier. I would like you to accompany me to the Temple."

"You mean to say you were wrong?"

"That's kind of what I said. You know what I meant, right?"

"I know what you meant. You were wrong." She smiled.

"You know, it's not too late for me to be right and leave you here."

"Then who would get to enjoy your witty barbs and complement you on your fashion sense?"

"That's true. And who would carry all the extra stuff I wanted to sell later?"

"I am sworn to carry your burdens. Ready?"

"I suppose. Wait. You never complemented me on my fashion sense."

"I didn't? Huh. Well, your clothes are very pretty."

"Pretty in a 'manly' sense or pretty in a 'you'd like to borrow that some time' sense?"

"I'm sure your manliness will be evident through whatever clothes your wearing. Let's go."

"You're saying you can see my manliness through my clothes? No wonder you want to hang around."

"I wonder myself sometimes," she said, pulling me along. "Pig."

As soon as we entered the Temple of Kynareth, my confidence in their ability to help was shaken by the number of people lying around moaning. If that was what I would have to do, it might not be worth it. I saw the priestess on the other side of the temple and got her attention.

"Some people believe I may be suffering from an overuse of a substance," I suggested to Danica. "That is, my enjoyment of something may be interfering a little with..."

"He's addicted to skooma," Lydia said.

The priestess nodded, "You have the look of someone dying from desire. You wish to rid yourself of this demon, for that is what is tormenting you."

"I merely wish to not be so controlled by it," I said. "It has the upper hand on my mind and body and for what I have planned, there is only room at the top for one."

"Domination of this land?" she asked.

"Perhaps. How did you know?"

"Like I said, you look to be dying of desire, you are the one who thought of the skooma. You are not the first to have such plans and you will not be the last. But that is not for me to judge. You seek healing?"

"Yes. I have a small bit of money I could part with."

"My Temple lacks not for money. What we lack is faith. Our sacred tree out front is a symbol of our faith. As it withers and dies, so does the belief people have in Kynareth and what she stands for. If I could restore the Gildergreen, perhaps I could restore people's faith."

"I'm no tree doctor," I admitted, "What can I do to help with that?"

"I can revive the tree," she said, "but only with sap from the Eldergleam Sanctuary. But you can not pierce the tree with any normal blade. Only a blade called Nettlebane can do it, but it is being held by the hagraven at Orphan Rock. If you can reclaim the blade, and bring me some sap from the sanctuary, I will cure you of your demonic cravings."

"So, get a blade from an old crone, drain a sack of sap from a tree, then bring it back here? I can do that. I just have to claim my title as Dragonborn then go tame a dragon to impress an innkeeper and I'll be right back. I don't suppose there's anything you can do for me in the meantime? This all may take a day or two and I'm already kind of out of sorts."

"Come closer, I will do what I can, but until the tree is restored, my powers may be limited."

Danica put her hands to my head and a wave of soothing warmness swept over me. She dropped her hands and looked weary.

"I do not know how long it will last," she said, "Your sickness is deep and will return, perhaps worse than before. I suggest you hurry."

I left the priestess and wanted to just get going to High Rothgar now that I had my energy back. While we were inside, however, night had descended and Lydia suggested we have dinner and start early in the morning. I realized I was famished and took her idea to heart. We went to the Bannered Mare and in my improved mood I bought everyone inside a round of ale. A cheer went up from the six or seven people inside, except for one redguard woman who just peeked nervously around the corner.

After dinner we retired to Breezehome and I was not quite tired enough to sleep so after Lydia went upstairs to her room, I sat and read the Book of the Dragonborn that I had kept from Helgen. In it, there was a group called the Blades that were always looking for the Dragonborn who were not Emperors. That sounded a lot like Delphine, though she did not say so. Perhaps the Blades were not welcome. I knew once I was Emperor, I would not stand for any upstart thinking they had a right to claim a throne that I conquered. Such was the way of power - you either had it, or you are trying to get it, and those who had it would do whatever they had to to keep it. Finally sleep, and four more ales, had caught up to me and I climbed upstairs to bed.