Chapter Seventeen:

Planning a Heist

Within the next two hours, we were in the wagon and on the road. Having another companion along somehow made me really happy... and talkative. Very talkative. I guess, when new kids would come to the orphanage in Anvil, I'd talk as much as I could with them to make them feel welcome. Except Javin wasn't a kid and we weren't in an orphanage.

I'd told him about the Dragon attack at Helgen (refraining from telling about my own experience to get to Skyrim) and our journey to Whiterun, and then Milos took it from there and told about the Greybeards, our wild goose chase for the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, and our return to High Hrothgar after finally retrieving it. Needless to say, we had Javin's full attention whenever we mentioned anything to do with Dragons.

"So tell me, Taryn, do you feel any different when you devour a Dragon's soul?" Javin asked.

I blinked. "Look, I don't eat the damn things. I absorb them. Not devour. And yeah, sometimes I feel different. I mean, when it goes inside me, I feel like I'm on fire, and then it just disappears. But when I absorb a soul, I get their knowledge of Shouts, and I can use new ones."

"Didn't we find one you could use in Ustengrav?" Milos asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess we did."

"Would you please demonstrate this new Shout?" Javin asked, leaning forward in his seat.

By the Nine, this guy makes me feel like I'm a sideshow attraction. I bit my lip. "I can try."

The word I'd found on the Word Wall was "Fade", and if I remembered correctly, its word for the Dragons was "Feim". I wondered what it'd do.

"Feim!" I whispered, hoping I wouldn't do any damage. It felt like nothing happened, so I sighed.

And fell through the wagon.

I hit my back against the jagged cobblestones encased in ice, but I didn't feel a thing. Hell, I'd even braced myself for the pain to come, but nothing had happened. Confused, I sat up. Firstly, I shouldn't even have fallen through the wagon. Secondly, I definitely should've felt something from the fall. I didn't really think there was a "thirdly".

"Hey! Taryn!" Milos was beckoning me quickly, since the wagon was still going. "Hurry up!"

I got to my feet and sprinted after the wagon, slipping on the ice but managing to keep myself on my feet. I quickly climbed into the wagon and took my seat back, frowning.

"What happened?" I asked.

"It was fascinating!" Javin exclaimed before Milos could say anything. "For a moment, you almost disappeared! I could see the outlines of your armour and your face, but you had mostly disappeared! And then you fell through the wagon!"

"Yeah, I remember that part." I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "I think I was... etheral..."

"That'd make sense." Milos grinned. "That means if any Dragons try to attack us again, you just have to become etheral and they can't touch you."

"But it may work both ways," I reasoned. "No one would touch me, and I can't touch anyone."

Javin shrugged. "That's plausable. Now, I promised to tell you what I knew about being Dragonborn, yes?" When I nodded, Javin reached into his robe. I cringed. "Oh, don't look at me like that! I have pockets!" He pulled out a book with Akatosh on its cover, in the exact way he was on the Empire's banners, only it was silver with a black background. The book itself looked older than Javin.

"And how in Oblivion did you just happen to bring this book?" I asked as I examined its cover. It was called, "The Book of the Dragonborn".

"I hoped to run into you, honestly." Javin pointed to the book. "Skyrim legends are fascinating, but none so much as that of the Dragonborn. Surely you know the tale of St. Alessia and Akatosh? The Dragon God of Time took pity on the plight of men and drew precious blood from his own heart, bestowing it upon St. Alessia. As long as she and her heirs wore the Amulet of Kings (the artifact that was created upon Akatosh drawing his own blood) and remained true to the blood of Dragons, Akatosh would keep sealed the gates of Oblivion and deny the Ayleids their armies.

"Of course, that meant that those with the blood and soul of Dragons would only be allowed to wear the Amulet of Kings. However, the amulet was lost during the Interregnum, but it was reclaimed by Tiber Septim. Some say that Tiber Septim was not, in fact, related to St. Alessia at all, and only because he was Dragonborn was he able to wear the Amulet of Kings. While it is possible, I find that Akatosh mentioning that if she and her heirs wore the amulet is evidence of his ancestry. But that's just my opinion." Javin rubbed his chin. "Dragonborns are rarely in the same century as others, and even then only slaying a Dragon will awaken their dormant abilities. Dragonborns can master Shouts faster than those who don't have the soul of a Dragon, making them superior warriors and Dragonslayers."

I put the book down beside me. "Have they ever appeared in the same century?" I asked.

"Yes, of course! The Septims!" Javin was gesturing excitedly. "They shared the Dragon Blood. Each heir did! Even Uriel Septim VII and Martin Septim! How else could Martin have used the Amulet of Kings to become an avatar of Akatosh to banish Mehrunes Dagon back to Oblivion?"

I picked the book up again and flipped through the pages, stopping on a random one to read. It detailed what the author said was, "The Prophecy of the Dragonborn".

"When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world; When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped; When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower Trembles; When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls; When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding; The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn."

A few seemed familiar, but I hoped I wasn't the "last Dragonborn" mentioned at the end. At the very least, I had something to look at. I mean, I'd really just prefer a book where I could read and not be reminded about everything (a.k.a. my current life).

Luckily, we were in Riverwood sooner than I'd expected. When we dismounted the wagon, I saw Alvor and waved to him. He waved back, but I think he was surprised by our new companions.

Delphine was waiting outside of the Sleeping Giant Inn, sitting on the bench next to Dorthe, Alvor's daughter. I said "Hello" to her, and then Delphine led us inside.

"I don't think you were followed," she said. "Come on. I have a plan."

We followed her into her secret room, taking care that no one would notice us all go inside. Delphine frowned when we all managed to file into the tiny room, and then she regarded me plainly.

"I've figured out how we're going to get you intothe Thalmor Embassy," she told me.

I blinked. "That didn't take long."

"I've been doing this a long time, remember? While the Thalmor's been looking for me, I've been watching them."

"So what's your plan?" I persisted. "How do we infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy?"

Delphine frowned and narrowed her eyes. "I said I'd figured out a way for you to get in. My plan isn't going to work at all if everyone goes. You'll have to do this by yourself."

"No she isn't!" Milos interjected. "She's not going if she has to go alone!"

I sighed. "I can't bring anyone?"

"Let me tell my plan first," she reasoned, "and then we can argue. The Thalmor ambassador, Elenwen, regularily throws parties where the rich and connected cozy up to the Thalmor. I can get you into one of those parties. Once you're inside the Embassy, you get away and find Elenwen's secret files. I have a contact inside the Embassy. He's not up for this kind of high-risk mission, but he can help you. His name is Malborn. Wood Elf, plenty of reason to hate the Thalmor. You can trust him." Delphine crossed her arms. "I'll get word for him to meet you in Solitude, at the Winking Skeever—you know it?" I shook my head, but Delphine continued. "While you're doing that, I'll work on getting you an invitation to Elenwen's little party. Meet me at the Solitude stables after you've arranged things with Malborn. Any questions?"

I didn't really have any. She'd covered most of my concerns, and I was sure she'd tell me more later in Solitude... If I got there in one piece, considering I didn't know where it was.

"I'll see you in Solitude after I meet Malborn," I replied.

"Sounds good." Delphine went up to the steps of the secret room and looked back at me. "Be careful," she added, and then ascended the steps.

"You're not going alone," Milos declared, crossing his arms. "You're not."

"I have to," I muttered. "This is the only way the plan's going to work. If the Thalmor are behind the Dragons, then I'll get more of a reason to hate them and not feel guilty if I kill one of them. Besides," I said, smirking, "there may be something there that I can check... But I'll need to be alone to try finding it."

Milos' brow furrowed. "Taryn, what happened in Cyrodiil? What happened with Arnand Beinne and the Thalmor?"

I avoided Milos' stare and looked at the wall. "I... don't want to talk about it."

"You'll have to eventually, Taryn. Whatever happened, it's going to catch up with you." Milos frowned. "And when it does, someone's gonna get hurt. Maybe it'll be someone innocent. How'd you feel if that happened?"

I felt my anger rise up. I clenched my fists tightly and looked at Milos. "How do you think I'd feel, Milos? You know me best! How do you think I'd react to someone getting hurt because of me?" My voice was rising with my temper, but I didn't know it. It just felt like someone had opened a jar, and everything was spilling out. "I can't protect everyone! I tried my best, Milos! I did the best I could! But that made me see only the small frame of the big picture! It got someone hurt! So yeah, I've already gone through that, thanks!"

Hiemdall put his arm in-between Milos and I. "Erm, maybe you guys should just—."

"Shut up!" Milos and I snapped.

Hiemdall backed-off quickly. I didn't know why, but my vision was blurring, and that feeling I'd gotten back in the Jorrvaskr was returning. I ignored it, refusing to show a weakness in an argument. Especially to Milos.

"And so you ran away!" Milos accused. "You ran away! You gave up!"

"What the hell was I supposed to do? You were nowhere! In the last five years, you weren't there! For me to go to the Thalmor Embassy alone would make no difference! And the letters you sent... do you know how few of them there really were? I couldn't even talk to my best friend properly!" My nails were drawing blood in my hand. I wondered if anyone else had noticed, and hoped they didn't. "Where were you, who always acted as my conscience, when I really needed you?"

"I only ever voiced my opinion! You were the one who always made the decisions! I always followed you, because you were someone worth following!"

"So why are you following me now?" I roared. "If I was so great back then, why... why even bother? I screwed up, Milos. I know I did. But... I didn't know what to do. I do my best, but that doesn't mean I'm the greatest." I hung my head, letting my fists relax. I could practically taste the metallic blood rising up in my throat, but I forced it down. Not now! Not right now!

Milos looked at the ground. I wanted him to say something—anything—that'd help. I admit, if I hadn't been tied up back in Helgen and we weren't in a bad situation, I would have strangled him then and there. I understood that he needed to find out about his parents, but why did he have to leave without a good-bye? Would it have hurt any less when I found his empty bed the next morning? Looking at him now, it was like he'd grown up without me. Where'd he get those scars on his face? How'd he get so big, as opposed to the scrawny little lizard I'd known five years ago?

"But did you do the right thing?" Milos finally asked. "Whatever happened, did you do the right thing?"

"I thought I did," I admitted quietly. "Now... I'm not so sure."

He looked like he was going to say something. Maybe something conclusive. Whatever it was, he didn't get it out of his mouth fast enough. The blood came up too quickly.

My hand covered my mouth as soon as I realized it was going to happen, just like back in the Jorrvaskr. The next thing I knew, I was doubled-up on the floor, retching blood like no tomorrow. The amount coming out... I didn't think there was going to be a "tomorrow".

Everything happened so fast then. Aldren fled the secret room, covering his mouth. Javin was swiftly ordering Milos around, telling him to lay me on my side and hold me there. I guess I was thrashing around, as if my muscles were spazzing. Hiemdall quickly sprinted out of the secret room, closing the door behind him. I think Milos had asked him to go to Whiterun.

My vision was a blur of red, and that wasn't just because of the blood. I could feel myself fading out, but I hadn't Shouted. I felt so detatched, so weak. I'd never felt more alone since Milos had left. Strange though. Milos was there with me, and so was Javin, who was looking at the bookshelf laden with alchemical ingredients.

"Just a quick tonic for now," I heard Javin say. "It should give Hiemdall enough time."

Time? I wondered. Time for what? Whiterun... Maybe he was going to ask Kodlak for that medicine he used before?

"Get her onto her back and tip her head forward," Javin ordered. "Blood comes out of her mouth every ten-to-thirteen seconds. I need to get her to swallow this when she isn't drowning in blood, so be careful."

Javin timed it and managed to get the tonic in at a good time. Milos shut my mouth and tipped my head back, forcing me to swallow. It was good, and it helped.

At first.

Perhaps I was allergic to something inside of the tonic, because the next thing I knew I was screaming in pain. It hurt so much! It felt like my throat was being scraped from the inside as it was going down. And when it was in my stomach... Well, it wasn't in my stomach for long.

"Well, that didn't work." Milos laid me on my side again. "Any other ideas?"

"Keep her alive," Javin answered simply. "Keep her breathing until Hiemdall returns. Two hours, at most."

It was going to be a long two hours.