Chapter 15

Jane knew what Bo would have to do when he talked to Jarl Balgruuf, and she wanted to be prepared. Bleak Falls Barrow was not a place to be explored lightly, so she asked for some training during their travels. When they stopped to camp for the night, Bo would go over archery with her, setting up random targets to practice with whatever they could find. Nazgurat pushed her with sword fighting until she lay in the snow utterly exhausted, and after a while Ahmon would go over blocking techniques with her, using hide shields. Lastly, Lynne would teach her new spells, and they worked on building her magicka up, casting random spells until her head hurt. By the last night of camp, Jane was starting to get accustomed to everything, and was feeling good that she had asked for the help.

The last night of camp Jane sat beside Ahmon and struck up a conversation with him. He was a bright young man, and always seemed to be in good spirits.

"Do your family live in Whiterun?" She asked, taking a bite of her bread.

"No," Ahmon replied, accepting a bowl of stew from Lynne. "My parents live in Riverwood with my sister and her husband."

"Do you have other siblings?"

"Oh yeah, three brothers, all scattered across Skyrim somewhere. I'm the younger middle son."

"How old are they?"

"Hadrid is fourteen, he lives in Solitude with our Aunt and works on a ship every other week. Noth is twenty-four and a hired hand, so he travels as well, and Suthor is thirty. He is the only one of my brothers who married, besides my little sister, I think he is living in Riften right now."

"So the family business fell to you."

"I didn't mind," Ahmon smiled, looking over at her. "I had a knack for bargaining and enjoyed accompanying my father when I was younger."

"Ah, then all is well. Your family sounds wonderful."

"They are, I am lucky to have them. What of your family?"

Jane looked back at the fire, pulling her cloak closer to her body.

"I had an accident about a month or so ago, Bo found me lying somewhere in the Rift. I don't remember anything from before that." Jane had decided it was better to pretend she had lost her memory than try to explain that she had somehow appeared from a different universe.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Ahmon replied, sadness spreading across his young face. "Your parents must be worried sick."

"Probably," Jane's throat constricted, and tears swelled in her eyes. Now that she thought about it, she really did miss her parents, and wondered what was going on back home. Did they know she was gone? Was time passing the same speed on Nirn as on Earth? Jane thought about Narnia, and wondered if time passed like that. She wiped her tears away, trying to push those thoughts out of her mind. Ahmon reached over and squeezed her shoulder, and Jane smiled back, comforted by her friend. They talked for a while longer, and then Jane stood up, going to lay down with Bo.

Early the next morning the group reached the border of the Pale and entered into the Whiterun hold. The landscape was vastly different, rolling plains of grass in hues of orange and reds, a stark contrast to the cold and snow. Jane was able to remove her cloak and gloves by the afternoon, and could see the high walls of Whiterun in the distance. A light breeze played with her hair, and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Lynne and Nazgurat walked side by side, chatting about fighting techniques. Jane had been ecstatic when Lynne relayed her confession to the Orsimer, and could tell Lynne was glad she had told him, for Nazgurat appeared to return her affection. Beside her Bo walked in silence, assumable nervous about his meeting with the Jarl, and Jane reached out to grasp his hand and squeezed it softly. He looked down and smiled at her, though his eyes betrayed his worry. Ahmon walked a little ways ahead, occasionally running to chase a rabbit or fox, laughing, which was really entertaining.

"What has you so happy?" Nazgurat had called out, laughing at the Nord as he ran around.

"Used to be sweet with a girl from Whiterun," Ahmon had called back, "hopefully I haven't been gone for too long and she hasn't forgotten me!"

They traveled up the winding cobbled stoned hill that led to the gates, when a guard stopped them.

"Halt," he said, walking up to the group. "By order of the Jarl no one is to enter or leave the city. There is rumors of Dragons on the loose."

"We have business with the Jarl, it's about the Dragon attack at Helgen."

The guard eyed Bo suspiciously, but allowed them to go in, warning them he would be keeping on eye on the group. Jane noticed Breezehome, a property that could be purchased later, as they made their way up to Dragonsreach, feeling familiar with the place but awed to be seeing it in person.

"You do not have to come with us," Bo told Nazgurat, stopping at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Jarl's place.

"We went through shit together, and traveled here together," Nazgurat replied, and everyone nodded. "We're coming with you."

Bo clasped his shoulder, and then turned back and climbed the stairs. Once he reached the doors to Dragonsreach he stopped, and took a deep breath.

"You can do this Bo," Jane whispered, standing beside him. He nodded stiffly, and then pushed the double doors open and stepped inside.