Day Forty-four

The Greybeards were all asleep. How could they sleep through all that racket? Meteors and shouting and everything else? Guess they were used to it. We climbed back down the steps to Iverstead. When we got there it was early morning so we just hit the inn for some sleep. Lydia was even too tired to eat much more than a sandwich of horker loaf.

I woke later in the morning feeling like I had just tumbled down the side of a mountain. At first I wondered why but then remembered all the rocks falling from the sky and Alduin's wings and tail knocking me around and I wonder why I was not more sore. Instinctively I looked around for a bottle of skooma. It struck me as odd since I did not even think about it yesterday. That stuff must still have a bit of a hold on me. I substituted a bottle of warm ale from last night and got dressed for breakfast.

As usual, Lydia was already up and eating.

"You look like you something a draugr dug up," she said as I sat with my breakfast of ale, cheese, and ale. "Is it Day of the Dead already?"

"We can't all look as fresh as a plump tomato in the mornings, now can we?"

"Plump, huh? I'll let that pass, since it almost makes sense. Are you going to be able to make it to Whiterun?"

I chugged half my bottle, "Of course, it's just over the mountain through that cold, boring pass. We'll be there in no time."

"Let me know when you're ready," she said as she sopped up the last of her gravy with the heel of bread.

I chugged the last of my ale and belched out, "Ready!"

Lydia, as well as everyone else in the inn, gave me a look of disgust.

"I know...Piiiig," I belched out as long as it would go.

Lydia shook her head, "So long as you know."

We left the inn and headed back for the pass to Whiterun.

The mountain pass proved just as boring going to Whiterun as it was coming from the city. At the end of the pass, however, a skeever crept along the road. I put an arrow through its grey, filth-ridden body. It felt good to actually fight something and have it die the way it's supposed to. Too bad it was not a goat. I was starting to get my appetite back. We picked up our pace to Whiterun and stopped at Breezehome so we can get a snack.

We went straight to Dragonsreach to speak with Jarl Balgruuf and found him out on the great porch speaking adamantly to Avenicci.

"I'm not accusing my wife of anything," he said, "I am just curious why my children bear such little semblance to me, especially their hair."

Balgruuf's advisor smiled nervously and ran a hand over his bald head. He saw us approach and immediately called the Jarl's attention to us.

"I can tell you have much to speak with the Jarl about," Avenicci said, "I'll just return to my duties."

"Yes, perhaps that would be for the best," Balgruuf said, then turned to us. "Thane Dragonborn, you honor us with your visit. I trust Lydia has been a capable housecarl for you."

"Oh, I've no complaints," I said, "But I will be sending you a bill for the expense of her meals."

I could almost feel her eyes burning a hole into the back of my head and I knew she wanted to slug me but she would not dare in front of the Jarl. I turned to her and smiled knowingly.

Balgruuf laughed, "Yes, I remember Farengar often commenting on her insatiable appetite."

I was still looking at her when her mouth dropped open slightly. Her expression hardened and I took a step back, trying to keep the humor off my face.

"So what can I do for you, Dragonborn?"

"Actually, I'm here to do something for you. I'm here to bring an end to these pesky dragon attacks."

"You... you are? That's wonderful news. But why are you here for that? Is there something you need from me?"

"Well, yes, but... oh, nevermind. It is asking too much, even if it will end this terrible scourge of your lands."

"No, Thane Ravenclaw, please. These dragons are the worst kind of pest. Why just yesterday they burned a whole crop of royal, eh... plants, that my personal healer says are necessary for my cataracts. My wife has also developed cataracts and is quite disagreeable without her nightly pipe. So please, ask anything."

"Okay. I need to lure a dragon into the castle and trap it."

"Anything but that."

"But you just said..."

"I know what I said but what you ask is impossible. I've always known of the secret workings of this castle but I can't do it right now, not with Tullius and Ulfric chomping at the bit to get troops in here. One dragon attack and our defenses would be too weak to resist either. They would rename it Redrun from the blood pooling in the streets."

"A truce, my Lord," Lydia said. "What if they agreed to a truce so that we my deal with these dragons that are harassing all of us?"

"Hmm, a truce, you say? That would be possible then. But only the Greybeards have enough clout to oversee such a meeting. If you can get them to host it, I will consider it."

"That's the only way?" I asked.

"Unless you can end this war yourself, I see no other alternative. Get them to stop fighting, at least for now, and you may try your dragon trap. Now go, I have matters of state to ruminate over."

Balgruuf promptly sauntered off, probably to ruminate over a pipe.

I left him there and Lydia followed me out of the porch.

"What was that about?" she asked, "Why didn't you want to try for the truce?"

"I don't care about the truce part," I said, "I just don't want to walk all the way back to High Hrothgar. Maybe I'll just rent a horse or something."

"Oh no you don't. You'll be going by yourself then. I'm not walking up those steps while you ride, especially behind a horse. I'll be stepping and slipping on horse droppings all the way there."

"Fine, but I'm not going today, it's too late. We'll start early tomorrow. It'll give me a chance to practice with my sword, anyway. I'm sure we can find some more wolves or mudcrabs to hack at."

We just got to the dining hall and Lydia stopped.

"You go on ahead," she said, her voice low and steely, "I've got something to discuss with Farengar."

She left me there but I did not leave. Instead I took a seat at a table with a view of Farengar in his little office. I called a couple of the guards and the big brute, Hrongar, and Irilith over to watch as well.

"What is going on?" Irilith asked, "I thought they were broken up long ago."

"That's what Lydia said," replied Hrongar, "Turns out Farengar is merely a wet noodle in human form, if you know what I mean."

"I can't hear what it's about," I said, "But apparently Lydia took offense to Farengar's liberal use of discussing their brief time together. Uh oh, whatever he said, she didn't care for it... Ow!" Everyone present moaned and flinched. "He should have been minding her armored knee instead of her pointing finger."

Irilith laughed, "Right in the juniper berries!"

"He'll not be unsheathing anything any time soon," Hrongar joked.

Lydia left the crumpled form of the mage and ignored everyone watching and clapping as she headed for the door outside. I caught up to her, still laughing and holding my sides.

"I guess it's too late for a codpiece to be an appropriate nameday gift for our little wizard?" I said.

"Little is the word for it," she said, "A clamshell half should suffice. Now lets go find some practice for your sword. I still feel like killing something."

True to her word, Lydia did indeed want to kill things. In fact she wanted to so much that I asked her to go back to Breezehome. I needed the practice but she was killing all the mudcrabs before I got in more than one shot.

On my own now, I managed to learn a few helpful techniques with my sword and my shield, even found an amethyst in one of the mudcrabs' claws. It was starting to get towards evening so I decided to head back. Within sight of Whiterun's walls, I spotted a shadow moving furtively among the rocks. I thought it was a thief so I get my sword and shield ready and limbered up my shouting voice. Sure enough, a Khajiit had his sights set on me and came running towards me. Instead of demanding money, however, he immediately started attacking. It appeared another assassin had found me.

I had no time for further thought as the cat's attacks were fierce and swift. My shield proved ineffective at blocking both his daggers and he kept moving, preventing me from connecting solidly with a bash. I inhaled and released a force shout, but he was too swift and my aim was off. It blew past him leaving him unscathed.

So far my success with a sword had relied on me being able to strike and retreat following a quick bash with my shield. This Khajiit was too nimble for that, however. Every time I tried to get some space, he quickly closed and lashed out with a flurry of furry handed daggers. One blade would strike high, the other low. I could not keep track of which hand would do which and one inevitably connected. My health was waning so I held him off for a second to chug a bottle of healing potion. I had barely done any damage to him so far. I needed an equalizer to his speed and skill.

I quickly scanned the landscape. My answer was not far off. I sprinted towards a large rock outcropping. I hoped my timing worked out as he was right behind me. I leapt over the edge of the rock. He did not follow. Perhaps he sensed a trap, but he ran down one side after me. Just as well. Once he was in front of me, I felt my Voice return and I unleashed my full shout at him.

"FUS RO DAH!"

There was no way for him to avoid it this time and his body was flung into the rocks were he bounced several times, yet miraculously held onto both his daggers. He must have been born holding those things. I laced my sword with a bottle of frostbite venom and started attacking him before he could fully stand. He amazingly did not die and tried to move but my idea about the rocks works perfectly and he could not get around me. He tried to swing at me but I bashed him with my spiked shield twice then chopped down on his helmet with all my strength. He was stunned, leaving himself exposed. I took a step back then charged in with a slash across his throat from my sword followed by a crack to his skull from the edge of my steel shield. He fell to the ground, leaving furry bits of brain clinging to the sharp rocks.

I used my healing magic before helping myself to the corpse's belongings. I emptied his pockets of valuables and found the note I expected to see. I sat on a rock and read it. Same as before. I needed to find out who this Astrid was and have a word with her. Did I say word, because I meant sword. This bitch needed to die. I cleaned my sword on the cat's fur and headed back to Whiterun. I had had enough practice for the day.

I returned to Breezehome for dinner and Lydia was appalled to see what condition my armor was in. I recounted the attack by the assassin and Lydia was ashamed of herself that she left me unprotected.

"I can take care of myself, Lydia," I said defensively, "I am the Dragonborn, you know."

"Don't get your corset in a bunch. I know what you're capable of. I was just speaking of my responsibilities. Next time, I'll be there for you."

"All right, I get it. So, housecarl, speaking of responsibilities, where's dinner?"

"I will give my life to protect you and all you own. Cook your own damn dinner, though. I already ate since you took so long to come back. See you in the morning, Thane."

I mumbled to myself, apparently too loud.

"What was that?" Lydia stopped and asked.

"Oh, I said, 'Which' did you have, the rabbit or the pheasant?"

"Yes."

"Of course. Good night, housecarl."