Lynne paced back and forth in the cramped bedroom at the Candlehearth Hall. It had been a day since their battle with Avicto, and Aera was still unconscious. Lynne's only reassurance that she still lived was the steady, shallow breathing coming from the cat. After Aera had shot Avicto, she had collapsed and Lynne had to muster all of her limited, Breton magic to heal the wound. She managed to stop the bleeding, and haul her friend back to Windhelm where the castle mage finished the job. Lynne had never learned the old wizards' name and didn't want to; he smelled of moth balls and burnt meat and always gave her funny looks.
She walked over to the bed and looked down at her friend. The Khajiit gave a stuttering cough and her head rolled to the other side. Lynne sighed and sat down on the nearby chair, burying her head in her hands. Despite not having much else to do, she hadn't slept a wink since they came back. She had wanted to be there when Aera woke so she could apologize. "I believe in second chances," Aera's words rolled through her mind. Lynne supposed she owed her that much, a second chance to … to what? She wondered. To beat me to a bloody pulp for almost killing her? But it was on Aera's order that Lynne shot her, and in any other situation, she would have refused. So why did she listen? What changed her mind? Would she have shot her anyway if they remained under his spell for any longer?
Lynne's train of thought was cut off when the bedroom door creaked open. Elda Early-Dawn, the Inn's owner, peeked her head in. The Nord woman had been very concerned when Lynne slammed open the Inn's door carrying a bleeding Khajiit early that morning, demanding she call for a healer. Elda had given Lynne a free room for until her friend was healed. She snuck in quietly bearing a tray laden with steaming soup and roasted vegetables. She set it down on the nightstand and handed a bowl to Lynne. "How is she doing?" Elda asked.
"She's breathing," Lynne muttered taking a spoonful of the hearty soup. It was warm, flavorful, and somehow seemed to make things a little bit brighter. The Nord woman laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, then left. Lynne set aside her bowl and ran a hand through her disheveled curls, attempting to tame them. Aera coughed again, and then made a gasping noise which drew Lynne's attention. She looked up just in time to see the Khajiit jolt upright, eyes wide with fear.
Aera's quick intake of breath as she woke from her dreamless sleep sent her into another coughing fit. Her breath came in gasps and every inch of her ached, so she slowly lay back on the pillow as Lynne came rushing up to tower over her. Her vision was blurry, but the Breton's unmistakable green eyes seemed to ground her to consciousness. Shock was written all across Lynne's face; hands hovering frantically over her, wanting to embrace Aera but afraid to injure her further. So she just stared, mouth agape, until finally Aera wiggled her arm over and laid her hand on Lynne's.
Lynne fell to her knees beside the bed, clutching Aera's furred hand. "You're alive," she said. "I can't believe it actually worked!"
Aera was confused; her thoughts still clouded. "What worked?"
Lynne then went into a breathless rant about how she had used what little magic she knew to heal her, and then brought her back to Windhelm.
"I'm so sorry for shooting you, by the way." She smiled shyly.
Aera reached out and patted her ginger hair. "It's fine. I probably wouldn't be here if you hadn't done what you did." She then wriggled herself into a sitting position. "I'm starving, what is there to eat in this rat hole?" She asked. Lynne laughed and handed her the other bowl of soup, while getting her own as well. They ate together in silence, Aera appreciating the fact that she had come back at all. Once they were done, Lynne left to take the bowls out, leaving Aera to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The next morning, Area and Lynne had mounted their horses outside Windhelm. The cold frosty air nipped at her fingers as a large gust of wind blew up a flurry of snow that swirled around them. Her wounds still hurt and every breath brought a dagger of pain to her chest, but Aera knew that they needed to get back and report to the Guild about what happened.
"Are you ready?" Lynne asked. Area nodded. "As soon as we get back, you own me a drink." Lynne let out a chuckle. "I supposed I do."
Aera crawled up onto her horse. She was lucky that her mare was one of the shorter ones; otherwise she would have problems getting anywhere. Then again, she could see herself perched on a towering black war horse like the ones they bred in Whiterun. Perhaps she could invest in that fantasy someday. Aera nudged her horse into a trot and started down the cold stone path with Lynne on her heels.
By the time they reached the hot springs, the sun was high above their heads and warming their bones. She slowed to a walk as Lynne trotted up beside her and took a deep breath, releasing it with a smile on her face. "Already it's much nicer out. Surprising what a little sun can do. I don't understand how those bloody Nords can stand the cold all year. I'm much more of a southern girl." Lynne said to her. Aera began to respond, but a thunderous roar cut her off. She looked up just in time to see the dragon's silhouette pass over the sun and descend towards them.
"Shit!" Lynne yelled, drawing her sword and charging off down the path. Aera dug her heels into her steed and rushed off after.
There was another roar, followed by a massive spray of fire that preceded the dragon diving through her path. Her startled horse reared up and Aera tumbled off, rolling through the brush and landing on her injured shoulder with a cry. She law Lynne in the distance and the shadow of the beast overhead, but her horse was nowhere to be found.
Aera stood back up, gaining her footing again on the soft dirt. Something crashed to the ground behind her, shaking the earth and everything on it. Aera drew her bow and turned to come less than twenty feet to the nose of the dragon. The best was covered in scales of molten gold with ebony spikes adorning its back and head, which it reared up to meet her eye. She found no compassion there, no mercy. This was an animal out for blood.
She quickly fired an arrow at the beast which bounced right off the steel-hard scales and served to only further anger it. It roared out its discontent and lunged forward to snap at her. Area rolled out of the way and took cover behind a boulder and only just in time. The dragon spit another bought of flame at her hiding place, heating the rock so it was almost too hot for her to lean against. Over her shoulder she heard a slightly less terrifying, but equally intimidating roar. Her head snapped around and saw Lynne charging down the beast and looking positively livid.
Just before she reached Area's hiding place, she skidded to a halt, took a deep breath, and bellowed out deafening, "Fus… Ro DAH!" A blue ring of power flew from her mouth and slammed into the dragon which stumbled back, growling. Aera watched in awe as Lynne ran again at the monster and launched into the air, landing on its head. With a fearsome battle cry she began plunging her sword into its head over and over again. The dragon roared and thrashed, but could not throw her. Finally it collapsed to the ground and Lynne clambered off. Area slowly came out from behind her rock and whispered, "Dragonborn…", as if saying it to loud would bring the dragon back to life.
Lynne was breathing heavy and a layer of blood splatter coated most of her like scarlet freckles that blended so easily with her own. She jammed her sword into the ground and knelt at it. Is this some Dragonborn ritual I don't know about? Aera wondered. But after a second, her suspicions were confirmed as the fabled golden light that was the dragon's soul swirled out and embraced Lynne as gentle as the breath of a lover. She watched the dragon melt away to nothing but a pile of broken bones. Lynne stood, sheathed her sword, and turned to face Aera.
"Sorry, I forgot to mention the whole Dragonborn business. Just isn't something that comes up in casual conversation much." She said nonchalantly.
Aera raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. She shook her head and collected herself before she spoke. "You've got some blood on your face," she said pointing to her cheek. "Right here."
Lynne just laughed. And touched her cheek; her fingers came away red. "Well at least it isn't mine," she said with a shrug. "We can't have two injured people now can we. You're trouble enough as it is." Aera gave her a warning look.
"Now our only problem is getting to Riften. You don't supposed there's room on your horse for two?"
A/N: Sorry for the longest wait on an update. Its almost finals, and I have been super bogged down with homework, so I figured I would get in an update before then, and try to write more during Winter Break.
So turns out Lynne is the big DB. What a surprise! Okay maybe not, it was bound to be someone...
Also a HUGE thank you to Isillis for following the story, and being my first follower! Thanks so much! I really would love to get feedback from you, if you feel the need. It always helps! :)
The next chapter might take awhile and be kind of short because I don't have much planned out after this point. Oops.