Chapter 36

A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews! C:

The last time the group had been in Riverwood was when they had traveled with Ahmon to meet his family. Jane did not see any of Ahmon's relatives when they entered the village. No nieces or nephews running around playing tag or the warm and welcoming face of Ahmon's mother or father. Without Ahmon, there was no need to seek them out; they had more pressing matters.

"Yeah, the Inn." Jane caught the sound of Bo's low voice as he talked with Nazgurat. The two Orsimer had been very deep in discussion for a little while now while Jane and Lynne hung at the back to give them some space.

"Remember, if something doesn't feel right…"

"Yes, yes." Bo waved his hand, "I will use Dragonrend so that you may hear it and then we'll leave."

"Good." Nazgurat clapped Bo on the back, and then turned around to reach out to Lynne, who took his hand.

Bo walked up the stairs and, ignoring the rude kids that sat on the bench, walked into the Inn. The others followed a few minutes after.

Jane watched Bo follow an older looking Nord as she led him into a side room, and she nervously chewed her fingernails while trying to appear indifferent as she, Naz, and Lynne all ordered drinks and sat down at a vacant bench. Jane already knew what was going on, but she liked to be present while it all played out, so that she could calm Bo's fears or worries once they surfaced. She knew Bo would be wary to trust Delphine, but she also knew he was a grown Orsimer and could handle himself; or so she tried to believe.

"Stop that," Lynne chided, pulling Jane's hand away from her, "Why are you so nervous?"

"I guess I have no reason to be," Jane sighed, looking down. She trailed her fingertips along the grains of the wood and then looked up at Lynne. "He can take care of himself, he has been for years."

"Yes," Lynne replied soothingly, squeezing the girl's hand. "I know you can't help but worry, so lets talk about something else to distract you."

The trio talked about as many things as they could until the candle on their table started to die down considerably, and it grew later and later. Finally, a grim faced Bo emerged from the side room and joined the group at the table. He accepted the mead with a small smile and took a long drink before setting the glass back down on the table.

"So?" Nazgurat asked, resting his elbows on the table. He leaned forward slightly, "How did it go?"

"I have the horn," Bo replied quietly. "But we have a dilemma."

"What kind of dilemma?" Lynne asked curiously.

"This woman…Delphine has particular interests in the Dragons, and suspicions of the Thalmor."

"I never liked that lot of elves," Nazgurat growled, and Lynne nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't be surprised if they're behind something."

"Well, Delphine planted the note as trickery against the Thalmor, and she took the horn to get the 'Dragonborn's' attention."

"Interesting," Lynne murmured. Jane was silent.

"Yes." Bo continued, "Delphine says that the dragons are not coming back, but being resurrected."

"How?" Naz and Lynne echoed, their eyes widening, and Jane feinted curiosity.

"They have burial mounds, and there are reports of the skeletons rising from the graves as though they are alive, being reanimated. However Delphine told me she's not ready to accept me as Dragonborn yet, she needs proof. Only a Dragonborn can permanently kill a Dragon, or so I've been told. So she wants me to meet her at Kynesgrove, where she thinks the next dragon will be resurrected from its burial mound."

"How did she know this?" Jane spoke up, unable to recall.

"Delphine was the person that we got the Dragonstone for. It holds information of some sort, and she may be wrong."

Right, Jane replied inwardly, I should have remembered that. If we go to Kynesgrove, Alduin will be there. A thrill ran up Jane's spine. And then I can….

"I don't know Bo," Lynne cut in, "This woman sounds sketchy."

"Believe me when I say there are far more sketchier people in Skyrim, mage."

The group jumped at the voice, and all eyes turned to the barmaid Delphine, who was now dressed in attire to fight. Leather armor clung to her body like a second skin, and a long sword hung at her hip, her blond hair pulled tightly back. She stared at Bo with a serious expression, and Bo nodded.

"I'll be there. Tomorrow morning we will leave for Kynesgrove."

"See you there."

Delphine turned and walked out of the Inn after calling out to the man behind the counter that she'd be gone for a couple days and to take charge of the Inn.

"Safe travels," the man called back, before turning away.

"We have the horn," Nazgurat said thoughtfully, "Why don't we just return to the Greybeards? What's that woman got to do with us?"

"I don't know yet," Bo replied quietly, running a hand through his tangled hair and sighing. "I am going to Kynesgrove. I wish to see if what she predicted is true. If the dragons really are being resurrected then I want to know why so it can be stopped."

"We're going with you of course, I don't doubt your judgment, I just wondered." Nazgurat finished the last of mead and burped quietly. He excused himself from the table and went to order rooms for the night. Bo looked expectantly at Jane, but did not speak. Lynne seemed to catch on, and she too excused herself and went over to Nazgurat so the couple could talk in private.

"Is something wrong Bo?" Jane asked, scooting her chair closer to him. Bo reached out and squeezed her hand, shaking his head.

"I don't know. Do you think I made the right decision?"

"What does your gut tell you?"

"I think…" Bo was silent for a moment. "To go to Kynesgrove."

"Then that's all the confirmation you need." Jane squeezed his fingers encouragingly, and Bo grinned at her.

"You are amazing," he whispered huskily, leaning forward to kiss her cheek, and Jane blushed.

"You are the amazing Dragonborn," she replied sweetly.

Despite the current longings between Jane and Bo, the group had pressed harder than usual to get to Riverwood the last couple days, and Jane wanted nothing more than to sit in a tub of steaming water and then curl up next to her Orc. Bo would have joined her in her bath, but he was far too tall and big for both of them to fit in the tiny tub, so instead he lay on the bed and idly watched his woman as she sighed happily in the water. Once she was finished, Bo quickly bathed as well so he could be rid of the grime that had accumulated on his skin and relax his tight muscle. After he was dry and in a clean set of clothes he clambered into the bed and nuzzled Jane's neck with a growl, his arms wrapping tightly around her so he could pull Jane close.

"So, Kynesgrove hunh?" Jane whispered, and Bo nodded.

"What about it?" He mumbled sleepily, closing his eyes.

"Silly Bo, that's where we first met. When you found me in the Rift I was unconscious, so I don't think that really counts."

Bo chuckled against her skin, and Jane smiled, fondly stroking his stubbly cheek.

"That's right. You still can't remember anything before your fall, can you?"

"No," Jane replied slowly, swallowing hard. She blinked back tears, unnoticed by the sleepy Orsimer.

I have no idea what is going on back home, she thought, her eyes watering even more at the thought of her family.

The sad thing is, I don't know if I want to go home. What if when this is all over I get sent back?

"Jane?"

Bo was looking up at her, and Jane realized tears fell freely down her face.

"Jane what's wrong," he asked, cupping her cheek.

"I…I just…" Jane sobbed, allowing herself to cry for once about her situation. "I don't remember my family. They probably think I'm dead." She hated lying to him, she really did. But he wouldn't understand, how could he? Skyrim was a game in her world. It would only complicate things.

"I'm sorry," Bo whispered, holding her close. For once, as much as Jane wished she could be comforted by him; his words and touch could not sooth her that night.

Jane shifted away from him, rolling onto her side with her back towards Bo.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, hiccuping softly while continuing to cry. "I-I just need to… to be alone."

"I understand," Bo replied quietly, moving away from her. He watched Jane as she curled up, and her body wracked slightly as she tried to stifle her sobbing. Bo did not say anymore, but it was a long time until he slept, he felt an overwhelming sense of grief that he could not make her happy.

Kynesgrove. Bo didn't expect to be going back to the little village any time soon, with his Dragonborn duties starting to fall fast into his hands; but apparently there was a Dragon burial mound with his name on it. The moment they reached the little Inn, however, he spotted a woman running towards them, her arms flailing wildly while she shouted at the group. But the wind was picking up as well as the snow, and he did not hear her.

"What?" He called out, and the woman drew nearer.

"Run! There's a Dragon up the hill! I'm not sticking around to find out what's going on!" The Nord was hysteric, and Bo nearly laughed at how she was acting but quickly sobered up when he heard the familiar roar of a Dragon echo all around.

"Come on!" Nazgurat growled, bringing Bo out of his frozen state. A shudder ran up his spine, but he shook his head and followed after the others as they sprinted up the winding hill. Snow fell fast and swirled all around, blurring their vision, but another roar was issued and Bo looked up, barely able to make out the shape of a Dragon hovering in the sky. Then it started to speak.

"Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!"

He knew that Dragon. As they neared the top of the hill Bo could clearly make out the steel black beast that had woken the Dragonblood in him and then burned Helgen to the ground. He thought he would be terrified to see it again, but a flurry of anger bubbled inside of him, and Bo quickly drew his bow; taking aim at the scaled armor of the Dragon's body. It was because of that Dragon his life had been turned upside down.

This was Jane's first encounter with Alduin, and she was terrified.

The game doesn't show you just how terrifying it is to be a stone throw away from Alduin the World-Eater, she thought with a jolt panic, her feet rooted in place. Jane watched as Bo drew his bow and began shooting arrows at Alduin, and she nearly chuckled at the effort, for she had done the same thing when she first played.

But that was not the issue, and Alduin, completely unfazed by the arrows, continued to resurrect the Dragon Sahloknir. Magic, similar in appearance to the Northern lights but more muted, shimmered in the air between Alduin and the mound.

"Slen tiid vo!"

Bo roared at Alduin, frustrated that his efforts were going to waste, while Nazgurat tried to focus his attention on the Dragon skeleton that suddenly burst from the burial mound and began crawling towards them. Jane screamed, scrambling away from the falling rocks.

Now or never Jane, make your self known!

"Alduin, World-Eater!" Jane cried, her voice barely heard over the whistling of the wind that whipped her hair around her face, and the snow had completely covered them all in big white flakes.

For a moment she thought Alduin hadn't heard, or had decided to ignore her, his great wings also a source of wind as he gracefully flew around in a half circle above their heads.

Graceful...and yet deadly.

But of course he had heard. Bo watched helplessly as Alduin circled back around and hovered above Jane, and she reached up to block some of the snow that assaulted her exposed face.

"What is this?"

"I think you have overlooked some things, Alduin." Jane's voice was steady, but inside she was shaking like a leaf. The group looked on with a mixture of shock, worry, and pride, as she conversed with a dragon. Sahloknir continued to come to life, waiting patiently for orders from his master while his flesh, muscles, and scales began to regenerate. The whole scene was quite spectacular to watch, as Delphine did just that from her spot down the hill a little ways and under cover.

"I sense…Dragonblood. But how?"

"You think you are unstoppable," Jane continued, ignoring his question. "You think one mortal Dragonborn could never best you, but what if there is more than one? You know it to be true."

"And you think that two mortals with the Dragonblood will defeat me? Hahaha!"

His laugh was one of the scariest things Jane had ever heard, and her eyes widened. Something was stirring. A force she could not describe was beginning to make itself known, and she felt the world shift. But She was in serious danger, it hadn't settled in until just now. If Alduin wanted to end her and Bo's life, he could do so this very instant. She briefly wondered why he didn't try.

Then there wouldn't be a game…

But this is no game Jane, this is as real as it can get.

Alduin was now addressing Bo, who stood nearby with his mouth gaping open, a sword clutched in his hand. Nazgurat's red eyes darted between the two Dragons, completely confused, and Lynne's eyebrows were scrunched as she tried to make sense of it all.

"Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi."

Bo was silent, though he gripped his sword tighter and scowled.

"You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah."

"You and your female shall perish in the coming days of the end of the world."

"I'll kill you!" Bo shouted back, which only made Alduin laugh even more. He turned to face his servant.

"Sahloknir, krii daar joorre."

Alduin's wings beat even harder and he climbed high into the sky, the dark form of the beast fast disappearing until they could no longer see it in the blizzard.

"Jane!" Bo called just in time, for Sahloknir was ready to fight, now a fully resurrected Dragon.

Something pulsed in Jane's stomach, and she pitched forward, her vision blurring. Lynne rushed forward to grab a hold of the girl and half dragged her back while the two Orsimer battled the Dragon. He was stronger than the other ones, but Bo, fueled by his rage, was a force to be reckoned with. He once again slammed his sword into Sahloknir's head and then climbed on top, thrusting the blade through the beast's skull, and it fell to the ground with a crash.

The storm was beginning to clear, and Bo jogged over to where Lynne and Jane crouched.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, brushing back Jane's hair.

"Y…yes. Just dizzy."

There was a burst of flames, and Sahloknir's flesh began to burn away, leaving the skeleton. Delphine eagerly stepped forward. Then everyone witnessed as the soul of Sahloknir rushed towards Bo. Jane nearly groaned in disappointment, but then the tendrils suddenly jerked, as though sensing a new presence, and passed the Orsimer; and with a small whoosh it was absorbed by Jane.

"I can't believe it!" Delphine exclaimed. "Two Dragonborns."