Inheritance of Skyrim
Chapter 6
Through the Dragon's Eye.

by. R. Reichelderfer

Waking up Thorn blinked and yawned the young dragon opened his jaws showing off his pearl white teeth. Thorn snapped his jaws shut, the sound echoed softly on the stone walls. To say the guards in Dragonsreach since his arrive had been uneasy was almost an understatement. Their concern and worry almost amused the young red dragon. Stretching out he began to stand up moving away from Murtagh who was still very much asleep. Careful not to wake his rider Thorn carefully moved away from Murtagh as he slept. Coming into the open air, Murtagh stood on the porch and then lifted up on his hind legs and rested as he spread his wings, looking to the west as the light from the first sun began to come across the sky and from behind the Throat of the World.

Holding his position as he just cleared his mind. He could feel the urge to leave, to try and find a way to return to Galbatorix. And it made his blood boil. The false King had held him for over a century, held in his egg, and then when he felt Murtagh. Finally he hatched. Despite his desire not to, he could not fight the spell that was laid over his egg by the riders of old.

He regretted it, he regretted with every bone how much pain he had caused his rider. Through out all the torture he kept pleading for Murtagh to resist, to fight. It was unavoidable that Murtagh gave in. He recalled how the King invaded Murtagh's mind, learned his true name, and used it to force oaths of loyalty and fealty from him. Then the Same was done with him. Due to the King's influence over the last hundred years, he was more mature when he hatched. Thorn recalled having the King touch his mind while he was still in his egg, he felt violated, dirty. And then came the attack on his mind, he couldn't resist it any more than Murtagh had, and was forced To give his True name to the False King. And then with it forced to repeat the oaths. Despite how binding they were instinctively Thorn rebelled, fought against, and wanted to defy Galbatorix with every shred of his being. Something important about it.

Thorn thought back to the night he arrived, how in their dreams the flaming dragon carried them away. Thorn felt safe, protected by the dragon. despite the fact that it had plunged it's claws into his Rider's chest. Thorn felt his rider's invigoration, and felt with in himself a new power, something undefined was there and he could not figure it out yet. With his rider able to absorb the souls of a dragon, it made him extremely uneasy. Still the first two weeks had been what he needed, he felt safe in Dragonsreach. And with the food brought to him by the Jarl's servants gave Thorn food enough to regain his strength. And with in two weeks he had grown strong. When he arrived, he had been the size of a small to medium dog. But now he stood with his shoulder to Murtagh's waist. His scales as hard a chainmail armor, His teeth and claws as sharp as daggers, and strong enough he could bite through steel armor.

Despite Murtagh's reluctance, Thorn persuaded his rider to allow Farengar to actually examine him. Through that examination, Farengar had concluded that Thorn while a dragon, was a different Species of Dragon than the one that had attacked Whiterun. One of the main differences was that The dragons of Skyrim could speak, and when they used their fire breath, it was actually words they were speaking. Thorn, couldn't speak. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't form words. The other being his mind touch on how he did speak. Farengar had wanted to ask questions. But Thorn said that his race was all but extinct. And that there was nothing he could ask that Thorn could answer. Now that Thorn was large enough and strong enough. He disliked being cooped up in Dragonsreach. Prefering to hunt for himself, which also made cleaning up after him much easier. Remaining at great height Thorn was able to spot plenty of prey, Deer mainly that sated his hunger. It also allowed him to get to areas where few people could reach in time.

As a Result, Thorn began to grow, almost explosively. By his second month, Thorn was the size of one of the largest horses in Skyrim. And many times stronger. He could not yet carry Murtagh, but he was more than able to protect himself against most threats on the ground. Thorn also chose random areas to hunt, almost never the same place twice. Still he had to approach Dragonsreach from the Throat of the World, he had learned the hard way that some guards were very nervous and a couple had shot arrows at him. Thankfully Thorn was able to evade them. But the Jarl made sure his men knew not to do it again. With Murtagh exploring the Country side. He and Murtagh could not exactly explore together. Thorn's ruby red scales would give him away, and he could not get into the warrens that Murtagh was exploring. Murtagh like Thorn was getting the lay of the Land, trying to deceive themselves they are working for Galbatorix, gathering information, but they were feeling the itch, the urge to return to their master. They would need to leave soon. Perhaps sooner than they intended.

Murtagh had spent his time also learning of Magic in Skyrim, and learning to cast spells with some significant skill, he was also learning more of these Dragon Words, and he could feel the power when he absorbed them, a natural power and strength. For once in his life Murtagh felt good, and safe. He didn't want to leave Skyrim. Even so, the Oaths were compelling them both. But something was telling Thorn to keep fighting. As the had risen over the mountain Murtagh had gotten up and was eating, before he went out on his own trips. Thorn how ever spread his wings to Fly, preferring to hunt for his food rather than have it brought.

As he soared through the Air returning from his hunting excursion. Thorn's sharp eyes turned to Whiterun, as he could see smoke rising. And then in the distance to his shock and horror, Thorn saw a Dragon lifting off the ground. Bronze Scales flashing in the distance as Thorn was not going to hide from a fight. He knew Murtagh was leagues away. But this city had sheltered them, the Jarl had offered him and Murtagh protection.

Thorn was not about to flee and hide as the guards fought and died. Yet... The oath. The Oath held him as he maintained his distance to face that dragon would be certian death wouldn't it?. It was maddening for Thorn. He was a dragon, a Rider's dragon. They were to protect people. Every fiber of his being wanted to attack. Yet the chains of the oath, and it only made his rage build and build. The King would use him to conquer and destroy, while as a Rider's Dragon his duty was to protect and defend. Then finally as he gave a massive roar at the sheer frustration, something happened. His desire to protect these people. Even at cost of his own life did something. In his mind he could feel it, Something changed. And in that one instant, the oaths. They weighed upon him before as a mountain, and in his mind he could feel the weight and strength vanish. They no longer bound him, and unleashing his frustration, Thorn dove into battle. Flapping his wings as hard as he could the young dragon knew Murtagh would be angry with him. But as he barreled at the enemy dragon. His only concern was aiding the Soldiers.

In Whiterun the guards fired volley of arrows at the Beast in the air. Irileth came and gave her commands. The Dragon Laughed and roared. "Today Alduin's Lordship will be restored!" He laughed and then lifted his head up and then turned to see a small dragon a third his size as barrel out of the sky from the cover of the sun and impact him in the back. Claws out stretched Thorn brought up his front and hind legs as he impacted the back of the dragon. Digging his razor sharp claws into the scales to anchor himself as the impact rocked the older and larger dragon forward making him stumble, Flapping his wings Thorn used them to try and keep the older dragon off balance as he stumbled through the streets. roaring out Thorn snapped his neck forward and bit the base of the dragon's neck. The dragon shouted something as the guards took advantage of Thorn's distraction.

The guards ran up with spears and Pikes as Irileth yelled for Bowmen to stop firing. The spears and pikes pushed deeply into the scaled beast. The dragon Bucked and lashed about stumbling as he tried to get Thorn dislodged from his back. Streams of blood poured from his back scales. He had not been expecting an attack by another dragon. He roared in anger as Irileth lunged forward with her sword and with all of her might sliced through the middle of the Dragon's wing slicing through grounding the dragon. The dragon realized he was doomed began thrashing around madly. With Thorn's claws tearing large amounts of scales and flesh. The elder dragon managed to turn his long neck and head around as he got hold of Thorn around the body with his massive jaws. Thorn could feel the Teeth and jaws clench around his torso, teeth penetrating his scales as Ribs cracked and broke.

The with a jerk of his head, Thorn's form was tore from the dragons back as he threw his head as hard as he could hurling Thorn through a store front. He had been tossed as easy as a human would throw a child's doll. Wood and Stone gave way as Thorn roared in pain feeling more of his bones breaking as he impacted the building crashing and rolling through the building. As the Bronze Dragon was about to breath fire in the direction of Thorn's impact Irileth had garbed hold of a pike and lunged. "NO YOU DON'T!" And with all of her strength jammed the piled of the pike into the underside of the dragon's jaws, the point penetrated the scales and hit an artery as Irileth pushed the dragon's head up as a gout of blood erupted from his mouth. The Dragon began to go slack as his vital life blood spilled and ran down the Pike. As the Dragon died. The Scales of the dragon began to glow and ignite. As with Murtagh the Dragon's body began to be consumed in mystic fire. the energy flowed into the building that Thorn had been thrown through. The most severe injuries he had sustained were healed, as the energy flowed through him. But Thorn still laid in a twisted heap.

The young dragon opened his eyes as he saw Irileth standing over him holding the bloody spear she used to kill the dragon, shouting instructions and directions. Thorn could feel the embrace of fatigue and pain over take him as he closed his eyes, as he did he could hear in his mind Murtagh screaming in anger and despair.