Chapter Fifty-Nine:

Caught Like a Mouse in a Trap

"We're ready, Dragonborn. Just say the word."

In the leather armour gifted to me by Cha'qim and Dragonbane at my side I stood before the throne of Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, my muscles aching and my bones feeling like they wanted to go off on their own to take a break from all the physical stress they'd been going through lately, but determined and too gods-damned ready for the end of my worst vacation to Skyrim ever.

Milos, as the other Thane of Whiterun, was already sprinting up the steps to the expansive Great Porch of the ancient keep. Cha'qim and Aldren followed, but Hiemdall, Javin and Eduard remained with me. The Dragon Priest had even become fascinated with the great Dragon skull above Balgruuf's throne. The skull of Numinex, I figured. The Dragon Olaf One-Eye imprisoned within the palace in the very place we were planning on capturing Odahviing.

After the peace council with Ulfric and Tullius, we practically sprinted down the Throat of the World to Whiterun. What was usually a day-and-a-half trip if we were going at a steady pace took all of three-quarters of the day. I wanted to sleep and rest, but a few stamina potions later I felt coherent enough to get the whole thing over with. And I had no intention to let Alduin get stronger while I lounged in a bed. It was hard enough to fight him with Paarthurnax, let alone now that he'd consumed the souls of the valiant dead over in Sovngarde. But, as promised by the two war generals, no further bloodshed would commence while I was busy with that. It spared the souls of hundreds of soldiers, so at the very least Alduin wouldn't be getting an all-you-can-eat buffet of idiot Nords hacking at each other over a cushioned seat that happened to enable the one sitting in it to rule Skyrim as High King.

I could only imagine how many more souls would be sent to Sovngarde if a Moot was going to convene.

"We're ready. Are you certain your men are?" I asked the jarl.

Balgruuf stood from his throne and gestured for me to follow him up the steps. "My men know what to do," he answered. "Make sure you do your part. I'm putting my city in your hands."

"Well, no pressure there then," I remarked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Clearly my attempt was futile. No one laughed. I couldn't even laugh nervously to make it seem like I was completely insane.

Guards clad in the yellow regalia of Whiterun opened the doors to the Great Porch for Balgruuf and I, as well as Hiemdall, Javin and Eduard. As per usual, they gave the priest wary glances, but he ignored them and set his sights on the large archway at the far end of the Great Porch.

"You do have a plan for luring a Dragon here, yeah?" Balgruuf asked a bit nervously.

"Call his name," I told him bluntly. "If all goes well, Odahviing will come. If not... I'll keep calling until he gets so annoyed he wants Dragonborn for dinner."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Irileth commented as she caught up with her charge. "I have no intention of letting Whiterun fall to an angered Dragon."

"It won't," I assured the Dunmer. "Odahviing will be defeated here, or my name isn't Taryn Greystone."

"For what it's worth..." Milos came up behind me. "Greystone doesn't happen to be your true surname."

"You know what I meant though, Milos," I replied. "Besides, you go by Milos more than you ever go by your own birth-name, Hides-His-Heart."

He shrugged. "Only because a certain Imperial would find a dark corner to weep in once I discard 'Milos'."

"Mhm. That'll be the day."

"Speaking of names..." Balgruuf looked over his shoulder at me. "I know you came up with that name to fool any Thalmor coming to the council, but I don't think you understand its significance."

I raised an eyebrow at the jarl. "And by that, you mean...?"

"Elana Victus was a very famous Imperial spy in her day," Balgruuf explained. "You wouldn't know. You're too young. But it wasn't until after her death the Thalmor got a hold of her records. Empire had to pay a king's ransom in fines to the elves just to keep the peace. After all, she was an Imperial agent primarily pitted against the Thalmor." Balgruuf stopped at the balcony of the Great Porch and ran his hand against the stone railing. "Well, at least the Empire thinks she's dead. Woman was good enough she could probably fake her own death. So, how'd you happen about the name?"

"How'd you?" I countered a bit defensively.

The jarl grinned. "Saw her at court a few times. It was common knowledge that she and Kodlak Whitemane fancied each other, but we were never sure if anything came of it... And she went by a different name then." He squinted. "I'll speak honestly: you resemble each other. I suppose the name is fitting."

I bit my lip and leaned over the stones to see the drop below. Don't get thrown off while fighting the Dragon, I told myself. I may not have the capacity to Shout and save myself.

"Go ahead and call this Dragon of yours," Balgruuf said, drawing his blade and falling back deeper into the Great Porch. "We're ready."

I looked at the people who, through all the good and the bad, had remained with me to fight. Javin, the Arch-Mage; Cha'qim, the Master Thief; Hiemdall, the Harbinger; Aldren, the Listener; Milos, the prisoner... I really wished I could say something to them to thank them, but at the time I felt it inappropriate that so many were watching us. So I resolved to thank them later, once Alduin was dealt with. I'd buy them all a hundred rounds and we'd toast and cheer...

And then what? Go our separate ways? It seemed the only logical thing to do.

And there was the issue with Eduard, who needed to get back to his own time. I hoped the find the answer in Sovngarde, and even though he was technically my enemy, I wanted to part with at least a bit of respect between fellow adventurers.

He caught me looking at him. He was at the far end of the Great Porch, clearly with no intentions to join in capturing a Dragon. I was the one who looked away in the end.

"Ready?" I asked my companions.

Hiemdall drew his greatsword and cracked his neck. "Let's kick some Dragon ass!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Milos agreed.

Aldren nodded solemnly. "Go ahead, Greystone. Get this over with. I look forward to fulfilling my debt."

I smirked and faced the north. I hoped with every fibre of my being that we'd be successful. A guard inched a bit closer to me, clearly wondering what the Dragonborn would do.

I inhaled. "OD AH VIING!"

The Shout thundered across the valley and bounced off the mountains, calling forth the Dragon. I drew Dragonbane and waited tensely, wondering if the Dragon would come.

Ten long minutes passed. My palms were wet with sweat from nervousness. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I preferred a Dragon randomly deciding to eat me rather than calling one and putting a massive target on my back.

And then the massive wingbeats of a Dragon echoed against the sky. Balgruuf looked upward in case the Dragon was coming from the north. The guard who'd come close to me inched outward onto the edge, sword and shield in hand. He peered over the side—.

"DRAGON!" came the shout from a guard on an upper-balcony.

I leapt backwards. Odahviing came from the east and scooped the terrified guard on the veranda up with his claws. The doomed guard dropped his weapon and shield and was tossed into the sky. Helplessly, we watched as he screamed and plummeted into the valley below, until his screams suddenly ceased. Odahviing circled, fire drooling from his maw and illuminating the shine on his red scales.

"Dovahkiin!" the Dragon called loudly, his voice shaking the Great Porch. "Here I am!"

"Gods... damn you!" a soldier cried, and loosed his arrows.

Odahviing effortlessly dodged the projectiles in the sky as all the guards began firing at him. He laughed in amusement at them.

"Stop!" I yelled at them. "Hold your fire until he comes close!"

"Do as the Dragonborn commands!" Balgruuf hollered. "Wait for my signal to rain fire upon this beast! But do not aim to kill!"

Odahviing came too close too fast, and we were forced into cover to avoid the flames spurting from his mouth. Then he beat his leathery wings and flew upward, out of the reach of our arrows. My grip tightened around Dragonbane, willing my fears of the flying lizard into the blade. I took a deep breath.

"Aim!" I pointed at the rounding Odahviing. "Aim your arrows at the Dragon!"

"Aye, Dragonborn!" The soldiers drew their bowstrings and followed the path of the Dragon. I nodded to Balgruuf then. A plan had finally formed in my head. We weren't going to wait for Odahviing to land; I was going to make him.

"Steady! Steady, now!" Balgruuf yelled at the bow-less troops. "Keep under cover until it's down!"

"Balgruuf! Now!" I screamed.

"FIRE!"

In the midst of the rain of arrows, Odahviing manoeuvred his head under a wing to shield himself from the onslaught. I drew myself up and plotted his path, hoping and praying to the Divines that I wasn't going to miss.

"Joor Zah Frul!" I Shouted, and the Thu'um (thankfully) struck the Dragon.

Odahviing cried out as the ethereal blue light enveloped him. His trajectory was changed in an instant and he came crashing onto the Great Porch. Irileth tackled Balgruuf out of the way of the massive red Dragon, but some soldiers weren't so lucky and were immediately flattened by the Dragon's superior weight.

I felt arms around me that instantly yanked me backward, out of the way of Odahviing. We crashed in a clump on the ground as Odahviing slid to a painful stop. I only barely managed to get to my feet by the time the Dragon lifted its head, fire slipping from its teeth.

"TARYN!" Milos grabbed me for a second time and spun so his back faced the brutality of Odahviing's flames. I grabbed his armour, my eyes squeezed shut in terror, but it was clear neither of us felt the flames. I glanced past Milos to see the violet robes of the Dragon Priest, his arms raised and a spell shimmering from his fingers. Eduard was protecting us with a ward.

"We may not be trying to kill him, but he sure seems to be trying to kill us!" a guard called.

Cha'qim and Javin cranked the gears of the trap and sent the metal collar down. It smashed harshly against Odahviing's neck, twisted and locked. Immediately, the Dragon had become a prisoner as opposed to the powerful, terrifying thing he'd been seconds earlier. And he was humbled by that.

The ward Eduard had cast dissipated into thin air, and his arms drooped down to his sides. I don't think anyone was more surprised to see that act than Hiemdall, who stared at the priest with his mouth agape and eyes wide with disbelief. But Eduard didn't say a word, merely cast a glance back at Milos and I, then walked back to his spot by the door.

I realized that, for the first time, the light had been just right to see partly into his mask. Mine and Eduard's eyes had met, and I could gladly say that I was distracted from the Dragon for only a brief moment. I really felt that those dark, fathomless eyes had contained something beyond the front Eduard always portrayed.

But then the Dragon roared, and I was brought right back to the whole ordeal.

"Are you all right?" Milos asked me, concern lacing his tone.

I nodded slowly and gulped. "I-I'm fine. I forgot how that Shout works... Please, next time don't act recklessly like that though."

He grinned snidely. "What? I'm a lizard, too. I can take him."

"Not with your back burning, you can't."

"I think it's holding!" a guard knocked on the collared trap, but leapt back when Odahviing glared at him with his solid obsidian eyes.

"Nid! No!" Odahviing tested the trap briefly. He gave up when it was clearly futile. "Horvutah med kodaav. Caught like a bear in a trap... Zok frini grind ko grah drun viiki, Dovahkiin. My eagerness to meet you in battle was my undoing." He paused. "Ah... I forget. You do not have the dovah speech."

"Zu'u zin dovah vahrukt. I honour the Dragon memory," I replied carefully. "I know the Dragon Tongue. It comes naturally."

"I am... surprised, Dovahkiin. I salute your, hmm, low cunning in devising such a garhmindol—stratagem. Zu'u bonaar. I am humbled. You went to a great deal of trouble to put me in this... humiliating position. Hind siiv Alduin, hmm? No doubt you want to know where to find Alduin?"

"Well, I definitely didn't ask you to come for tea," I grumbled. "You know I'm after Alduin, but I want to know if you know where he is."

"Rinik vazah. Very true. An apt phrase. Alduin bovul. Alduin fled. One reason I came to your call was to test your Thu'um for myself."

A guard edged towards Odahviing again. He growled and fixed his eyes on him until the guard backed away.

"Many of us have begun to question Alduin's lordship," Odahviing admitted as he faced me again, "whether his Thu'um was truly the strongest. Among ourselves, of course. Mu ni meyye. We're not fools. None were yet ready to openly defy him."

"And when Alduin fled? Where did he go?"

Odahviing rolled his eyes. "Unslaad krosis. Innumerable pardons. I digress. He has travelled to Sovngarde to regain his strength, devouring the sillesejoor... the souls of the mortal dead. A privilege he jealously guards..." If it were possible for Dragons to scoff, Odahviing did. "His door to Sovngarde is at Skuldafn, one of his ancient fanes high in the eastern mountains. Mindoraan, pah ok middovahhe lahvraan til. I surely do not need to warn you that all his remaining strength is marshalled there.

"Zu'u lost ofan hin laan... I have given you what you wanted... Now that I have answered your question, you will allow me to go free?" Odahviing asked.

Aldren came up beside me and glared at the Dragon. "We cannot trust him. He could fly to Alduin and warn him!"

I nodded. "Then we'll have to keep you here until Alduin is defeated," I told the Dragon.

Odahviing adjusted himself, hoping for a more comfortable position within the trap. "Ah. Well. Hmm... krosis. Pardon. There is one... detail about Skuldafn I neglected to mention."

"And that is...?"

"Only this: you have the Thu'um of a dovah, but without the wings of one, you will never set foot in Skuldafn."

"He speaks the truth, Dovahkiin," Eduard put in from behind us. "Skuldafn was practically unreachable in my time. I cannot imagine much has changed in these thousands of years."

"Of course..." Odahviing grabbed my attention again. "I could fly you there. But not while imprisoned like this."

"Heh." Milos crossed his arms and shook his head. "An impasse. No pressure."

"Indeed. Orin brit ro. A completely beautiful balance. I cannot leave here until you defeat Alduin, which you cannot do without my help."

Aldren groaned loudly. "Sithis flay the stupidity of this..." he mumbled.

"Well then, I guess we'll have to free him," I said matter-of-factly while hoping quietly someone would bring me to my senses.

When that didn't happen, I shrugged and made my way up the steps of the right walkway, where the main mechanism was to free Odahviing.

"Incredible!" I heard Farengar, the court wizard, exclaim. "Uh... sir, you have no idea how long I have waited for such an opportunity! I would be most appreciative if you would permit me to perform some ah, tests on you. Purely in the interests of the advancement of knowledge."

Odahviing growled low at Farengar. "Begone, mage. Do not test my promise to the Dovahkiin."

I turned the corner and curiously watched the mage walk around the imprisoned Dragon. "I assure you, you will not even notice me. Most of them are hardly painful at all to a large Dragon such as yourself."

"Joor mey! Mortal fool!" Odahviing snarled as his head thrashed. "What are you doing back there?!" Farengar didn't answer. Odahviing's tail whirled and he spewed fire from his mouth. His deafening roar chased the mage back to the doors of the Great Porch, where he watched the Dragon from behind the safety of a stone pillar. Odahviing snarled at him, but did nothing more.

"I can't believe that worked!" the guard beside the mechanism gasped. "Something to tell the grandkids, eh?"

"Oh, definitely. Well, remember it, because I need you to open the trap now," I told him.

The guard's face turned ashen. "You sure about that? You want to let that Dragon loose after all the trouble to catch him in there?"

I frowned. "We need to."

He stretched his fingers nervously. "Your funeral. Someone else is gonna have to help you get him back in there again."

Well, with lucky, we won't need to.

"Get ready to open the trap!" the guard called, and then quietly added, "This seems like a really bad idea to me."

"Carry on, soldier!" Balgruuf called to the guard. "This is all part of the Dragonborn's plan."

The trap slowly lifted. Odahviing lifted his head and carefully moved it around to rid himself of whatever strain the trap had caused on his neck. I hurried back down to the Great Porch in the meantime.

"By all the gods..." Irileth whispered.

Odahviing stretched his wings and appeared to grin. "Faas nu, zini dein ruthi ahst vaal. Fear not, my honour holds my rage at bay."

"That's a relief..." I muttered.

Odahviing turned and lumbered to the edge of the Great Porch. I followed behind him slowly, hoping his words were truthful. I didn't want a tail to the face to teach me a lesson.

"Saraan uth—I await your command, as promised. Are you ready to see the world as only a dovah can?" he asked pointedly.

Suddenly, Balgruuf ran over to me. I looked at him in confusion.

"A messenger calls for you, Dragonborn," he explained to me and the equally confused Dragon. "If you really are to face Alduin, perhaps it's best to listen first and not risk an important message being lost if you perish."

I nodded. "Thank-you, Jarl Balgruuf. I'll look into it." I faced Odahviing. "I need you to wait here for a few minutes. I'll be quick."

"Kreh zini! Bend your word!" The Dragon huffed. "The freedom of the sky beckons! Yet I stay here, nau gol, as promised. On earth."

I absently patted his snout and ran off with a word of thanks towards the messenger. I recognized him from around Whiterun, which meant someone had either sent a messenger across the province and they tag-teamed with a second, or whomever left me the message was in Whiterun.

"Dragonborn!" The messenger quickly produced a piece of parchment from his pocket. "It's urgent. I was told to give you this."

I thanked him and took the paper from his outstretched hand.

"Dragonborn—

"We met at the peace council, although informally. I must speak with you urgently. Meet me near the Hall of the Dead in Whiterun. Come alone. I carry sensitive information. Please be prompt.

"E."

My brow furrowed, but I stowed the paper into my pockets. Hiemdall appeared curious and came over to me while I tried to think, but I waved him off.

"Sorry," I told him, "but I need to go alone." I pointed at Cha'qim. "Don't follow me."

Cha'qim's ears drooped, and she didn't appear in the least bit happy, but she nodded.

I practically sprinted out of Dragonsreach to reach the person who'd sent the note. I had to admit, I was tempted to go back and ask Aldren to watch whatever exchange there was, but I had a good idea who it was. Only two major figures I'd met there with an "E" as the first letter in their names were Elenwen and Elisif, and I had a feeling Elenwen wasn't exactly one for making house calls. Even if it was her, I'd see her before she'd see me, so I'd be able to hide my face if necessary. There wasn't much of a reason to keep my identity from Elisif. Not one I could think of, anyhow.

Beside the Hall of the Dead was a cloaked figure, although their hood remained on their shoulders rather than on their head to obscure their features. And I was right: it was Elisif, although I wondered what "sensitive information" she had for me. I briefly wondered if the Empire was going to go back on its word. That meant I'd have to stop the entire war before I could even explain the situation to Odahviing and why he'd have to stay at Dragonsreach until I could knock Ulfric and Tullius' heads together.

"Jarl Elisif?"

The ruler of Solitude took a moment to recognize me, but a glimpse at the sword on my hip told her everything. Besides, even in that armour my height hadn't changed much. And she appeared to let her guard down when I came up. There was something in her eyes that told me she was a friend. I couldn't explain it, but there wasn't any awe or fear or interest she held for me. It was just like it had been before I'd come to Skyrim: from one person to another, no title included. And may I say it was a welcome change.

Elisif sheepishly put a finger up to her lips. "Please, at least while I'm here, don't call me 'Jarl'," she requested. "I doubt Jarl Balgruuf will take so kindly to me visiting his hold unannounced."

"You'd probably be a more welcome sight than Ulfric Stormcloak," I offered slyly. "Now, I was just about to jump on a Dragon to get to Sovngarde. What's so important that I need to speak with you for?"

"It's... about the name you used at the council." Elisif brushed her hair behind her ear. A nervous habit?

I crossed my arms. "Even Balgruuf brought it up with me."

Elisif drew herself up. Back to "noble-mode". "What does that name mean to you?" she asked cautiously.

Reaching down to my right boot, I unsheathed the ebony dagger with Elana Victus' name etched on the grip and showed it to Elisif. She took it in her hands and examined it, her eyes slowly taking the blade in.

And then, she suddenly grinned. "It's just like it was all those years ago..."

"Hm?"

Elisif held the blade up. "I knew her when I was still young through the father of my current steward, Falk Firebeard. His father was very entwined within matters of the Empire and a good friend of General Tullius at the time. Tullius introduced Elana to him later on, and I got to meet her later. During the times she would be waiting for an audience with Torygg's father, I would visit with her." She handed it back to me, a forlorn look on her face. "My mother was always so busy with her duties. I... I guess you could say, even for the few years I knew her, she acted like a mother for me." I shoved the dagger back into the sheathe on my boot and sighed. But Elisif continued, "We may have met before, you know. You and I."

That caught my attention, but I snorted and shook my head. "Not unless you ever went to Anvil, we didn't. "

"Falk's father brought you there. To the orphanage in Anvil."

My brow furrowed. "Explain," I insisted.

"A Greybeard of all things came to Solitude years ago," Elisif began. "I was up past my bedtime then, so I was able to spy on the exchange between Master Arngeir and Firebeard. Arngeir told him that the baby he was carrying was found on the mountain with a dead woman, frozen from the cold. Her body was going to be taken care of at High Hrothgar, but the Greybeards were monks and not fit to raise a child."

I felt like my heart was going to plummet in my chest. "... You think the woman was Elana Victus?"

"I do. You see, during one of the days I'd spent with her, we got onto the topic of why she didn't have children yet. She didn't talk much about herself, but she told me that she wanted to have at least four children. Her first boy, no matter what her husband said, would be named Lucius, and her first girl would be Taryn." Elisif cocked her eyebrow at me. "And unless I'm mistaken, your name happens to be Taryn."

"The woman at the orphanage gave it to me."

"No, your mother did. Arngeir told Falk's father that you had a note in your bundle; your mother had written it before she died. Your name was Taryn, and the only reason you weren't kept in Skyrim was because the Thalmor were still searching for your mother." She grabbed my hands. "You were in great danger, so Falk's father brought you to Anvil himself to the woman there. And that is the information I wanted to give you. I was sure it would be important for you, so I waited until I knew you had come to Whiterun. I didn't want to chance Elenwen overhearing."

I took my hands away from Elisif and clenched them into fists. Elisif made sense of course, but...

That meant I'd just burned my father.

"Thank-you, Elisif," I mumbled quietly, "but now there's something I have to do. When I come back I'll find a way to repay you for this."

Elisif grinned and put her hands on my shoulders. "I look forward to speaking with you in the future, Taryn."