Ch. 6 When Hearts Collide
Chapter 6 as promised and I am sure by the title that you all know what is to come. This chapter will mainly consist of the fight but I will do some cutaways to show other events during it and please keep in mind that I am still not good a fighting scenes, especially ones of this magnitude but I will try my hardest and I hope you all appreciate it.
In response to numerous requests, I have decided to grant the action of giving Alduin an anthro form as opposed to a human form. Her anthro form will not be shown yet but I do have a description that is pretty much set and credit for it goes to PyroSolracIII.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of Bethesda.
Marius was thinking but that was only a defense mechanism. He was actually beginning to worry about Alduin's state of mind and that was only the tip of the iceberg. 'She sends dragons to protect my kids but wants to threaten me to fight her or lose my friend? What has got into her that made her like this when she was fine a couple days ago?' Marius thought with a small sigh. Trying to figure out a dragons mind was too complicated and right now his head was seriously aching from events of the last day.
"Papa, can you give us an allowance?" Lucia said as her and Sofie stood in front of him with bright smiles.
Marius sighed before giving a small smile in return. "Just don't spend it all at once ok?" He asked as he handed them 50 septims each.
They both nodded and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before running out the door. "A father at only 23, what would my mother think?" He muttered as he stood up and went out the door. The afternoon sun hit him as he looked towards the Throat of the World and knew that he had to answer her challenge. With a shake of his head he went back inside to gather his things, the quicker this was over then the better.
Five dragons stood vigil over Whiterun when he departed and all five knew that he would be coming back but the winner of the fight was unknown to them but for now they would keep their orders but they did wish for a happy conclusion in this dark chapter of their kind.
-Scene Change-
The wind was biting at Marius as he walked the slopes of the Throat of the World. He only paused for a brief stop in High Hrothgar to rest and speak to Arngeir before he continued his voyage to meet his polar opposite. The talk with Arngeir had been the usual but upon learning of the events of the last few days Arngeir showed little surprise but he did provide a warning.
Flashback-
Arngeir regarded the Dragonborn with a worried look. "If you wish to pursue this then I will provide you with some advice."
"And that is?" Marius asked as Arngeir sighed.
"Dragons can be deceiving and Alduin is certainly the most cunning of them. She might be playing the part of temptress but keep yourself guarded lest you find yourself unable to wake up in the morning. You are still her rival and you shouldn't put it past her to one day decide you have done enough for her." He said as he walked away, leaving Marius to ponder his words.
Flashback end-
"Alduin a temptress?" Marius snorted. "I doubt she could even tempt a kid with a cartful of candy. Who in their right mind would get tempted by a dragon?"
"You were if I recall." A voice said from above him and Marius jumped about 10 feet in the air.
Alduin gave a victorious huff as the Dragonborn jumped up and landed in the snow face first. 'My soon-to-be mate is extremely oblivious sometimes and that could work out well in my favor.' She thought with a content mental sigh before adding. 'If he survives today that is…..I will not be seen with a weak mate!'
"When was I tempted by you then?" Marius asked as he got to his feet. She could've killed him then and there and yet she didn't.
"I believe it was a day after I took you. You were eyeing me like a piece of meat every now and then." Alduin said as she smirked.
"I really wasn't." Marius denied though he knew that was a lie. His dragon side was really tempted and by proxy so was he and he was forced every now and then to look at her in a different way is if judging her.
"Hin sahlon grut hi. You say no but your own being says otherwise, you cannot fool me Dovahkiin." She said as she fanned her wings and roared to the sky. "Tiid fah tinvaak los avok! Face me as a Dovah and should you win, I will allow you to see what none other has ever laid their eyes on but should you fall then the world dies! Yol Toor Shul!" With that final roar, Marius had a split second to dodge as she let loose a blast of flame from her maw.
-Scene Change-
"It has begun again." Zilfviinritir said as she looked at the Throat of the World. "Let us hope that everything works out as it should." Around her, five dragons gave varying grunts of agreement before one of the guards took a cautious step forward, causing them to look at him.
"Just so you all are aware…there was someone in the tavern asking very weird questions about the Dragonborn." The guard said as the dragons narrowed their eyes at him.
"How weird, joor?" Vulhilved said with an edge in his tone.
"It started with asking about what he did and the like but it went wrong when they asked about specific people he was seen with. No one was stupid enough to mention "certain" people with him but some people that are after him have been getting closer to home." He said as he backed away when they growled.
"They will soon be dead." Nahlonvriiah growled out.
"Drem, zeymah." Zilfviinritir said calmly. "It will serve us no good to lose our heads now." She turned her attention to the guard. "I thank you for bringing this to us, do you know what they look like?"
The guard shrugged. "Most people say a khajiit with black fur but he did have a strange robe on. Completely black but if you looked closely enough you could make out a faint red stitching on the back."
Faalsahqonangaar shifted very angrily. "Those ones then."
The guard nodded before bowing slightly and hurriedly walking away leaving the five dragons around the house. It was nightfall and the Dragonborn's children were safely inside and they would stay that way till morning if they had anything to say about it.
Vulhilved smirked when he saw a shadow poking around the houses. His subtle shift brought the dragon's attention to the interloper and they made ready to pounce. Five dragons would be near impossible to miss but the intruder never looked up and would never even look at anything again.
-Scene Change-
Marius avoided a swipe by Alduin's wing and lunged with his sword but missed as she retracted it. He had suffered some cuts and a few burns and part of his armor was completed gone but Marius held firm and he wouldn't deny that he was having an exhilarating fight. The dragon in him was roaring in agreement as Marius shot at Alduin and finally his sword struck her in the side and left a deep but narrow gash.
Alduin roared in pain but internally she was feeling very excited. 'This is the battle I have been waiting on!' She thought in exclamation. She turned to face him and struck out with her head and was able to catch him with a sharp bump that knocked the wind out of him but Marius shook it off and glared at her but she could see the fire in his eyes and that grin that was forming at his mouth. 'He is definitely a fine mate.'
Marius couldn't help but grin as he stood up again and faced her. He had never had this much excitement from a dragon battle and he couldn't wish for anything more at the moment. He avoided her charge and let his thu'um surge in his body. "Yol toor shul!" He shouted as a blast of fire erupted from his mouth and impacted on her form but it did little but feed her own excitement. "Wuld nah kest!" He shouted and in an instant he was already slashing at her wing and she had no warning as the blade cut into the membrane and she screeched.
Alduin felt her wing being cut and couldn't stop the screech of pain from escaping her. On instinct, she struck out with that same wing cut him on his exposed chin and he was pushed away. She sniffed at her wing and saw the blood dripping from it and turned her menacing glare on him and snarled. "You will pay for that Dovahkiin." She said with malice in her voice.
-Scene Change-
Delphine was looking out at the overlook of a forsworn camp at Sky Haven Temple. "Has there been any news?" She asked as Esbern approached her.
"Nothing but I think we can assume that the Dragonborn either failed or he has been swayed by "her"." Esbern replied as Delphine's face hardened into a scowl.
"And Paarthurnax still lives as well….we might need to take matters into our own hands." She replied as Esbern sighed.
"If we do then that means we can't return here. If we fail we will die but if we succeed then the Dragonborn will hunt us like animals." Esbern said warily as Delphine clenched her fists.
"He should have just listened to us and killed him. The dragon's didn't deserve to live among us back then and they sure as hell don't deserve to now." Delphine replied angrily. "They thought themselves equal to us but they are nothing more than animals and like any other animal they should be hunted."
"But no one else will believe it and I have a feeling that we will be the ones shunted when Tamriel learns of why the Akaviri wanted the dragons overthrown." Esbern said as he went back inside to prepare for their journey.
"They will never understand why it happened but that is the price for power." Delphine said to herself as she too went inside.
-Scene Change-
"The assassin failed then." Astrid said as she narrowed her eyes at Mercer.
"Your so-called assassin was found mutilated and ripped apart behind the Dragonborn's house. Apparently, he forgot about the dragons guarding his house and his kids." Mercer said with a bit of disdain. "They are under 24/7 watch from the dragons and not even I could sneak past them with being caught."
Astrid smirked at his bitter tone. "The great Mercer Frey has just admitted something is impossible for him."
Mercer narrowed his eyes. "Watch it Astrid, it was your assassin that failed and I am sure that the dragons know just who is after him and his children now."
"If you think I am afraid of them then you are sorely mistaken. The Dragonborn can't get in through the door and no dragon could get in here either. The Dragonborn will be dead, even if I have to do the deed myself." Astrid said as Mercer smirked.
"You won't even get close to him to think of sticking a knife in his back." Mercer said as Astrid leaned off the table and fully faced him.
"There are other ways to get close to a target besides sneaking." She said with a smirk.
-Scene Change-
Marius was on his last legs and he knew it but he wouldn't stop. His entire being was on fire and it wasn't from pain; he was extremely excited and dare he say a little turned on by her ferocity. His dragon side was taking over his senses and he was hit with a faint smell of spice and honey and his dragon side knew what it was instantly.
Alduin was smirking as Marius barely held himself together and she fared no better. She was exhausted and in pain but she wouldn't call it quits when she was so close to winning their fight. She couldn't help but admire his iron will and his strong heart to continue and she wouldn't lie when she said she was turned on by it. She knew that she was releasing a small amount of pheromones and by the look of the Dragonborn, he was inhaling them due to his dragon side. 'You have no idea how much I want to ravage you right now, Dovahkiin….I must withhold myself for now but eventually you will give in to me!' She mentally exclaimed as she shot forward for one more attack just as Marius ran forward as well.
-Scene Change-
Marius awoke in the snow on his back with his sword getting buried in the blistering storm that was hammering the mountain. He sat up and shook himself before he looked around at the blackened snow and deep gouges where Alduin almost tore him apart many times before his eyes fell on a sleeping Alduin and Paarthurnax looking at them.
"I was watching the fight Dovahkiin, I do not think anyone else could've fought Alduin like that and to a draw no less." He praised as Marius raised an eyebrow.
"We tied?" He asked as Paarthurnax nodded his head.
"She hit you with a full head-butt but you swung your shield and struck her right below the ear and that is one of a dov's more tender parts." He explained as Marius sighed and walked to his sword. "She collapsed a moment after you landed on the snow and I declared the match a draw."
It was at that point that Marius noticed a crowd of dragons either on the mountain or circling it. "We drew quite a crowd then." He said to himself and Paarthurnax huffed in agreement.
"Alduin has chosen her mate well." Odahviing said as he landed next to Marius. "You may not have won in Sovngarde but you have more than earned the right to call me after that display. Call me and I will come if I can." Odahviing said as Marius nodded before walking to Alduin and collapsing beside her.
Alduin subconsciously curled around him and placed a wing over him to shelter him from the snow.
-Scene Change-
"We won't tell you hunter's again, the dragon is off-limits." An Imperial guard said as a group of hunters protested.
"He is an animal and we have the right to hunt it!" One of them said but a growl from above them made them pause.
Vulizusven looked at the gathered hunters with a snarl on his lips as the guard backed away a few hundred feet. "Waan hi laan dii iliis ruz krif fah nii!" He shouted before leaping at them and the guard turned away and counted to ten before turning around to see a black dragon stained red in blood and numerous bodies around him.
"They were starting to annoy the townsfolk." The guard said as Vulizusven looked at him. "You saved us quite a few headaches friend."
"This town has been beset enough by tragedy. Nid fent aax dii hofkiin." Vullizusven said as he took off to his cliff over the town before he settled on the rock. "Even should the Dragonborn fail, I will succeed like I have been doing for over a millennia. I remember the old days and I will not forsake my oath to the people of Winterhold."
And I will close the book on this chapter. We saw a fight and some other events going on at the same time and we learned a new player in the game for the Dragonborn's life. Astrid is planning what you all think but remember she has a husband and she is doing it to get close enough to kill our DB but everyone is unaware of Alduin still being a player in the game so expect her plan to backfire horribly for her.
I will do some of the Companions questline in this story so if you are looking for them then don't worry.
Read and review please and look forward to Were It So Easy next week!
Till next my fellow dragon lovers!
Translations Courtesy of Thuum . org:
Hin sahlon grut hi – Your scent betrays you (she means that she can smell that his other side and, by default, himself eyeing her like a prize)
Tiid fah tinvaak los avok – The time for talk is over!
Drem, zeymah – Peace, Brother (meaning calm down)
Waan hi laan dii iliis ruz krif fah nii! – If you want my hide then fight for it! (literally he is challenge them to fight him)
Nid fent aax dii fonaar – None shall harm my home (he considers Winterhold his home)