Gerdur prepared a traveling bag for Asmara before her small journey to Whiterun. She made sure to place some food, a minor healing potion and an extra set of clothes for her. Asmara was overly grateful for the hospitality she received while staying with Gerdur and Hod. She almost felt solemn for leaving such nice people behind, but she had a life she needed to return to as did they. Ralof planned on staying with his sister for a few days before returning to Windhelm to meet with Ulfric. With all the commotion from the day before, it was likely Imperials would be patrolling the areas surrounding Helgen, so surely Whiterun and Falkreath Holds were under being secured by the legion.
Asmara slung the satchel over her right shoulder and double checked the supplies inside. She headed for the door and Gerdur escorted her out of the home. Asmara was greeted by blue skies and fresh crisp air from the looming mountain behind them. The small town was already up and lively, just as it had been the day before. Hod had already left for the lumber mill that morning, and Asmara could hear the crashing and sawing of logs coming from across the river. She turned to Gerdur, who grasped both her hands in her own and smiled.
"Just cross the river and head north. You'll see Whiterun on its hill when you pass the falls. It's impossible to miss. You might want to pick up some extra supplies and a weapon or two at the Riverwood Traders before you head out." Gerdur said motioning towards the large building across from their home. Asmara nodded and withdrew her hands from Gerdurs. "Just be careful, wolves are often found along the road and Imperial's are bound to be patrolling the area. You don't seem all to conspicuous but be on your guard."
"I will. Thank you so much Gerdur, you've done more than I could have asked for."
"Of course dear. Any friend of Ralof's is a friend of mine. Now hurry along, the Jarl needs to be alerted as soon as possible." Asmara nodded before she turned to head down the road towards the Traders. It was only a short distance and she turned onto the main road to see everyone alive in well in the village. Still no signs of dragons or death and it made Asmara feel a small sense of relief that things appeared normal.
Asmara walked through the door to the Riverwood Traders, but halted once she crossed the threshold to be greeted by some bickering between the owners. The first was an Imperial woman of about average height. Her nearly black hair was in two braids that were looped up into a bun at the back of her head. She looked no older than Asmara and her voice matched her age. The second appeared to have some relation to the woman. Asmara wasn't sure exactly what the relation was, but their similar looks were impossible to miss.
"Well one of us has to do something!" The woman said.
"I said no! No adventures, no theatrics, no thief-chasing!" The man yelled back from across the store counter.
"Well what are you going to do then, huh? Let's hear it!" The woman continued on with her side of the fight.
"We are done talking about this!" The man said firmly, ending the conversation. The door finally closed behind Asmara – who was still standing just inside the store – making a sound to bring the attention of the owners to her. "Oh, a customer. Sorry you had to hear that." Asmara stood there dumbstruck for a moment, before inching towards the counter.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt… I just need some supplies." Asmara said meekly.
"I don't know what you overheard, but the Riverwood Trader is still open. Feel free to shop." The man replied. Asmara nodded her head and took the few steps to stand directly in front of the counter.
"I just need a few minor healing potions and I am looking for a bow as well as some arrows. Any kind will do." Asmara said, taking out the small coin purse Gerdur had packed away in her satchel. The man motioned for the woman to fetch something from a chest behind her. She pulled out a simple hunting bow and a quiver filled with a few iron arrows. The merchant then walked to the stocked shelves along the wall behind the counter and grabbed a couple of bottles filled with red liquid Asmara assumed were just simple potions.
"Here we are. Just give me a moment while I write up an invoice for you." Asmara nodded at him in acknowledgement. After the woman, who Asmara was sure was his sister now, set the bow and quiver on the counter she huffed her way over to the table in front of the fireplace and began flipping through a book, all the while sending the occasional glare towards her brother. Asmara could feel the tension in the room, and her anxiety spiked from the awkward silence.
"Did something happen?" Asmara decided to ask, feeding her curiosity as well as breaking the silence. The merchant looked up from the small parchment of paper he was writing on and glanced at his sister before responding.
"Uh yeah, we had a bit of a… break-in. But we still have plenty to sell." He replied. Asmara took in the state of the store, and nothing seemed out of place. She never would have guessed the store was broken into. "Robbers were only after one thing." The merchant finished, handing Asmara the small parchment with the invoice of the products she bought. She looked at the total and started counting out the coin from her purse, having only few septims left.
"What was it they took?" She asked, sliding the coin across the counter.
"An ornament, solid gold. In the shape of a dragon's claw." The merchant replied, sliding her coin into her hands to place underneath the counter.
"Solid gold? That would seem like a hefty trinket." Asmara said, slipping her new quiver and bow over her shoulder to line up with her satchel.
"Uh yeah, I suppose so." He replied.
"Well, thank you for the supplies. I'll be on my way then." Asmara said heading for the door. The woman was still glaring at the merchant as she left and she heard them bickering again the moment she was out the door.
Asmara head north on the main road, passing through Riverwood's gates and over the bridge that crossed the river. The road forked at the end of the bridge and she followed the signs pointing her to Whiterun. She heaved a breath as she looked down the road, then back towards the small town she had stayed the previous night. After today, everything would return to normal and she wouldn't have to worry about dragons, Imperials, Stormcloaks or any other miscellaneous hindrances. She would visit the Jarl to tell him the news, what he did with it was none of her concern. The minute she left Whiterun, she would be on her way towards the Rift. She planned on taking Ralof's advice and decided to head through Eastmarch. She didn't travel on the north side of the Throat of the World, but figured the road signs would be more than helpful in her journey.
The road to Whiterun twisted and turned with the landscape, following the river that flowed north. Various wildlife crossed her path and she could hear the birds singing in the trees. At least nature had stayed consistent and it gave her a small feeling of normality. Nature was something she was attuned with and if that had always remained the same, then so would she.
Whiterun Hold, did have a lovely landscape. It was not like the brightly colored trees of the Rift, or the dark green forestation of Falkreath, but it had an openness to it that no other hold had. It made everything around her seem so clean, crisp and lively. There were trees, but they were scarcely placed and the leaves were a perfect shade of green that matched the grass below. The animals roamed more freely, almost as if they weren't worried about the hunt. She even passed a small pack of wolves who did not even take notice of her. Everything seemed at peace in Whiterun and she wondered what made the place so special that it seemed disconnected in a way from the rest of Skyrim.
The cobblestone path began to twist downhill as the river descended in a series of waterfalls. As the road twisted past the raised landscape, Whiterun came into a view and Asmara admitted she was impressed by the view. Falkreath and Riften were nothing like what she saw before her now. Though each city had its charm, nothing looked like the towering city that was Whiterun. The city itself was stacked on what appeared to be large rock formation in the center of wide open, flat plains. The Jarls home towered over the rest of the city, which in any other circumstance would seem intimidating. However, Dragonsreach was more of a beautiful piece of architecture and its design was flawless. Its height and placement made it stand out among the flat plains around the city – she compared it to a beacon of light as she was sure it could be seen for a few miles from every angle around the city.
The road detoured behind a slew of farms and other buildings along the road below. She could smell the meadery and her nose wrinkled from the stink of it. She hated meaderies. They smelled of yeast and the other odd products used in churning mead and the ingredients were always left to sit so the mead could develop a better taste. She was never fond of the drink, preferring spiced wine herself, but Nords were hefty drinkers and mead was the appropriate ale for them. This meadery however smelled much worse than the Black-Briar meadery in Riften. Wood Elves had better hearing than most and even their sense of smell was slightly better but not strong enough for her to depict what was misplaced about this meadery. After giving up trying to figure out what it was she smelled within the building she just covered her nose with her tunic and picked up her pace as she passed the smelly building.
After she successfully passed the meadery while keeping her breakfast down, she stopped when a familiar feeling passed through the ground beneath her. At first she thought she imagined it, but felt it again when the ground rumbled. She could even hear it that time and she cautiously moved onward. She approached a small farm that was ahead of her to the left and saw the culprit for the ground shaking beneath her. Another tremor traveled beneath her feet as she saw the Giant slam his club on the ground. That was when she noticed the trio of fighters, trying to take the thing down.
The main fighter appeared to be a large man she could only assume was a Nord with his height and build. He had black shoulder length hair and black war paint was smeared over his eyes. He wore a fancy type of armor she had never seen before, made up of what appeared to be a special kind of steel, but she wasn't an expert black smith so she was unsure. A smaller woman fought alongside him, she had short dark hair and tan skin. She had on some simple studded armor and while the man fought with a large two handed great sword, the woman fought with a much smaller blade and a shield.
When the giant turned away from her, she saw a couple of arrows protruding from its back. It was then she noticed the female archer standing a short distance away from the main battle taking place. She had auburn hair that just barely passed her shoulders and she had three green strikes of paint that went across her face diagonally. Her armor was more than revealing and Asmara wondered if it could be considered armor at all. The leather tunic was cut into a V that reached her belly button but was connected by a few clips that kept it from opening too far. The tunic reached mid-thigh and her legs were bare above her knee length fur boots. She wore green sleeves that covered her hands, but left the fingers open and the sleeves only reached a little past her elbows. She was, however, wearing shoulder pads and Asmara found it humorous that her she shielded her shoulders but not the rest of her body.
Asmara looked upon the scene as she passed but it appeared the three were handling the giant with ease. Asmara almost paid them no more attention until a shield went flying past her. She looked at the shield then to the smaller woman who was fighting the giant and her eyes widened at the sight of the poor girl shieldless and on the ground, her one handed sword raised above her in a defensive position. The woman went to stand and the giant prepared its club, raising it high above his head. Asmara saw the large Nord man run for her and push her out of the way before the club came barreling down. The man just barely missed impact of the club but was knocked off balance as the ground trembled. He fell on his back, his sword falling from his hands and out of reach. The giant took advantage of his position and raised his foot to stomp down on the helpless Nord. The man was rather quick for his size though, and rolled out of the way. The giant's foot connected with the ground, and it trembled. The Nord, now on his stomach, reached for his great sword but the giant was not going to let up on his attack. He raised his large club again and Asmara was unsure if the man would survive this hit.
Asmara thought quickly and pulled her bow over her shoulder, grabbing an arrow in the process. She wasn't used to the new bow in her hands but she didn't have time to get acclimated and tried her best to compensate as she nocked an arrow and sent it flying. She smiled to herself when the arrow made contact with her target, piercing through the hand holding the giants club before it came smashing down on the Nord. The giant dropped the club and clutched its injured hand, howling in pain. The Nord took advantage of giant's lapse in attack and grabbed his great sword up from the ground and swung upwards, cutting the giant's abdomen.
The giant fell to his knees and the small woman finished him off, stabbing her sword through its heart and it fell forward on the ground, causing the ground to shake one last time. Asmara approached the three warriors as they all sheathed their weapons. She walked over to wear the giant's pierced hand lay and tugged at the arrow gently, trying to keep her quiver stocked. She heard one of the warriors speaking to her as she yanked the arrow out.
"You handle yourself well. That was an incredible shot." Asmara looked up to find the red headed archer standing before her. "You could make for a decent Shield-Sister."
"I'm sorry… what?" Asmara said in confusion as she placed the arrow in the quiver on her back. The red head chuckled before she responded and the large Nord man joined her at her side.
"An outsider, eh?" She started.
"No, not an outsider… just a traveler." Asmara corrected.
"Never heard of the Companions?" She inquired. Asmara had heard of the Companions. It was nearly impossible to live in Skyrim and not know who they were. The founder of the Companions basically ruled Skyrim thousands of years prior, though she couldn't remember his name for the life of her. She didn't reply to the archer and she continued to explain herself. "An order of warriors. We are brothers and sisters in honor and we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough." Asmara boiled it down to mercenary work, but she kept her opinion to herself. She just nodded in understanding and the Nord man spoke up.
"You should come to Jorrvaskr and be a Companion. You can speak to Kodlak and he'll decide." The man's voice was rather gruff but Asmara wasn't focused on that. No, she was more focused on the bright grey eyes she hadn't noticed on him before. The black war paint illuminated them further as well as his other dark features and she found his eyes to be quite the stunning feature.
"The old man's got a good sense for people. He can look in your eyes and tell all your worth." The archer spoke again, pulling Asmara's attention away from the grey eyes still staring at her. She gave a small, closed lipped smile at them both and slightly shook her head.
"Thank-you but I'm just going up to Dragonsreach to speak with the Jarl and then I'll just be on my way." She said simply.
"Well, let us walk you up there. Jorrvaskr is on the way and we can direct you through the city," The Nord man spoke, and Asmara nodded her head in thanks. Before her trip to Helgen, she had never found companionship easy, but these past two days it seemed people were more than willing to aid her.
She turned back towards the road and the two warriors followed her. She saw the third warrior across the road, gathering her shield before she joined them. Asmara looked back to the large giant still lying dead in the farmer's crops, and then spoke to the two warriors walking alongside her. "What of the giant?"
"The guards will clean him up; we were just hired to kill him." The archer replied and Asmara just nodded her head again.
"So where are you traveling from stranger?" The Nord asked her.
"Riverwood." Asmara replied, not elaborating any further.
"Nice little town that is." He commented and she just nodded her head once again, not saying anything more. "The name's Farkas." He said, holding his hand out for her to shake. She took it and his palm engulfed hers. The man was nearly twice her size. The top of her head reached didn't even reach his neck. He towered over her, and though she was rather small, she was sure he was still large even for a Nord.
"Asmara." She replied as they shook hands. He smiled at her, his grey eyes lighting up from the interaction.
"This is Aela," he said motioning towards the archer, who gave a salute at her introduction. "And that's Ria." Ria turned and gave her a large smile as well and Asmara wondered if there was something in the water here that made people seem so happy and friendly.
"And you're all Companions?" Asmara asked.
"Sure are. Ria hasn't been with us all that long though, but she's gotten a lot better since she's been here." Farkas said and Asmara thought she saw Ria blush a little.
"It's all thanks to your brother. He's an amazing trainer, I've learned so much." Ria said happily.
"Yeah, well I'm glad you think so. He can get a bit harsh with the whelps sometimes." Farkas replied, running a gloved hand through his hair.
"Oh I know." She turned towards Asmara as she continued. "One of my first training sessions, he knocked me on the ground and I fell so hard I thought I broke my tailbone. I couldn't sit down for almost a week." Asmara gave a small wince at the thought. Farkas gave a sympathetic smile that also seemed to mix with a wince of his own.
"Uh yeah… he did feel a bit bad about that one though." Farkas said.
"I know, he brought a sweetroll every day that week." Ria said with a chuckle and then Farkas began to laugh.
"Tilma made him make them himself too. You should have seen him, it was a sight to behold." Farkas said through his laughter.
"There's nothing quite like seeing your grumpy ole' brother covered in flour while still in his armor. He got it everywhere and then Tilma made him clean up that mess too." Aela piped in. They all laughed and Asmara felt a bit out of place, knowing nothing of the person they spoke of. "It took him an hour to clean himself off."
"Even longer to get his armor clean, but you know how he is about that." Farkas said, rolling his eyes.
The Companions continued their idle chatter and Asmara remained quiet unless she was addressed directly. They passed Whiterun's stables and made their way through the small fortified area before reaching the city gates. Asmara took note of the crumbled walls outside the city and though their walls looked strong, they still looked like they needed a bit of reinforcement. They crossed over a draw bridge and approached the wooden doors to the city and a guard dressed in a yellow cuirass approached them.
"Hail the Companions! Who is this stranger you bring with you? The city's closed with the dragons about. Official business only." The guard spoke to them, his hand on the hilt of his weapon.
"Calm down Gerard, I don't see any dragons around right now and she's here to speak with the Jarl." Aela spoke up for her. The guard looked Asmara over, eyeing her suspiciously. Asmara decided to speak up to help her case.
"Riverwood calls for the Jarls aid." She said simply. The guard relaxed a bit and nodded in understanding.
"Riverwood's in danger too? Well then, you'd better go on in. Aela I'm sure you can point her towards Dragonsreach?" He asked.
"Yes, though it's kind of hard to miss." Aela said with a bit of sarcasm in her tone.
The guards opened the gates for them and they all walked through. Asmara took in the city before her and was more than impressed. It was a clean city and the area matched the plains surrounding the walls of the city. Green trees and various wild flowers grew along the cobblestone roads and the buildings all look well kept. The first thing she noticed was the blacksmith's shop at the entrance of the city where an Imperial soldier and what appeared to be the smith in a slightly heated conversation. Asmara felt nervous passing the Imperial but he paid her no attention.
They passed a few buildings before coming to an open square with a well at its center and various shops and stalls surrounding the area. The place bustled with children running around and people shopping at the various stores. An inn sat at the end of the circle and she could hear music coming from the inside.
They cut through the town square and headed to the left where a set of stone stairs with running water on each side, led them to another area that encircled a large dead tree with a garden of wild flowers surrounding it. The water flowed all around the paths that circled around the tree and there were paths that headed in opposite directions from the circle. Benches were all placed along the outside of the tree and decorative garden fences surrounded the path. There was a statue of Talos as well as his shrine that sat northeast to the tree. A priest in the traditional yellow and orange robes stood shouting and preaching of Talos. Asmara was rather surprised to see such open worship of the God, seeing his worship was banned.
They walked to the right to go around the tree but the Companions took off on another set of stairs that headed up to a large building that appeared to have a ship's hull as the roof with shields and similar décor around the building. Aela turned back towards Asmara before following Farkas and Ria up the stairs. "Dragonsreach is just up there." She said pointing to the towering castle that overlooked the city. "Good luck on the rest of your journey." Asmara waved a goodbye and headed towards the multitude of stairs that led up to the Jarl's home. A moat surrounded the building and she crossed a wooden bridge after she finally reached the top of the stairs.
She pushed open the large, ornate wooden doors. She walked into the main hall of Dragonsreach and the doors closed behind her with a loud thud. She stared up in awe of the palace that was quite the sight to behold. Yellow rugs and banners decorated the floor and balconies. Large cylindrical wooden supports held up the arched roof and the balconies sat on each side of the hall. The yellow banners held the crest of Whiterun and guards in the familiar yellow cuirasses stood watch in various points around the hall. She climbed a small set of wooden stairs and was greeted by a large rectangular fire pit with two long tables on each side with matching yellow runners. The tables were littered with food and fancy silver dishes. The walls were made up of a similar stone that was used on the cities surrounding walls and above the Jarls throne was a large dragon skull. Where the skull had come from and whether it was authentic or not, Asmara was unsure.
She was too busy taking in the impressive hall that she hadn't noticed the Dunmer approach her with her sword drawn. "What is the meaning of his interruption?" She demanded and Asmara startled out of her daze and nearly tripped over a rug as she turned. "Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors."
"My apologies, but Riverwood sends for troops with news from Helgen, about the dragon attack." Asmara said meekly to the intimidating Dark Elf. The Dunmer stood straight as she sheathed her weapon, a look of understanding crossing her features.
"Well, that explains why the guards let you in." She eyes Asmara, trying to see if she was of any threat, but must not have seen one as she began to guide her towards the throne. "Come on then, the Jarl will want to speak to you personally." Asmara followed her up another set of steps and stopped in front of the Jarl who was conversing with a balding Imperial man. She stood patiently waiting and the Dunmer took her place near the Jarl's side. Jarl Balgruuf appeared to be about fifty or so with blonde hair and light blue eyes. He sat lazed back in his throne, one arm resting on the chair as it stroked his long blonde goatee. The Dunmer whispered something to him and he nodded when she finished and he turned his attention to Asmara.
"So, you were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?" He asked her. Asmara nodded as she replied.
"Yes. The dragon destroyed Helgen and last I saw it headed this way but that was yesterday afternoon." She replied, only stating the facts needed.
"By Ysmir, Irileth was right!" He sat straighter in his chair and turned a cocky grin to the Imperial standing next to him. "What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?" He asked the man.
"My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. It is in the most immediate danger, if that dragon is lurking in the mountains…"
"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation!" Proventus interrupted her. "He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him."
"Actually…" Asmara started with a low voice and they all looked to her expectantly. She met their eyes and continued after clearing her throat. "I'm sorry but Ulfric was actually there as well." She said.
"So the rumors were true then? Ulfric was captured?" Irileth asked her.
"I do not know what became of him but yes the Imperials had captured Ulfric with a handful of Stormcloaks. I'm sure the Jarl of Falkreath was more than aware of this as Ulfric was to be executed in Helgen." Asmara explained. "It may not be my place Jarl Balgruuf, but Riverwood is open and defenseless. They sent me here specifically so that you might send soldiers to their defense."
"You are right. I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people!" He turned his frustration towards Proventus as he spoke. "Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once."
"Yes my Jarl" The Dunmer replied and bowed slightly before heading for the entrance to the palace.
"If you'll excuse me, I'll return to my duties." Proventus said with a small scorn of defeat in his tone.
"That would be best." The Jarl replied, obviously still upset with the man. The Jarl motioned a soldier over and whispered something in his ear before the soldier nodded and left to carry out whatever order it was the Jarl gave him. Jarl Balgruuf turned back towards Asmara who stood there fidgeting and staring up at the large dragon skull looming above them. "Well done. You sought me out, on your own initiative."
"Actually, Gerdur sent me. I don't live in Riverwood." Asmara corrected and his brows rose slightly at her comment.
"Regardless, you've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it." The guard returned with a piece of folded up armor and handed it to Asmara. She took it with her brows knitted together in confusion. "Take this as a small token of my esteem." Asmara looked down at the armor and noticed it was a studded Imperial piece. She began to shake her head and looked at the Jarl who was staring at her expectantly.
"Um, I'm grateful honestly, but I cannot accept this." She said, hoping she didn't sound standoffish.
"Are you a Stormcloak supporter?" He asked and she immediately started shaking her head.
"No, I do not support either side." She said hastily. He nodded at her, and it appeared he was contemplating something as he stroked his goatee. "Well then, how about this. There is something I need done for me and it may be suitable for someone of your particular talents, perhaps?" He stood from his chair and she handed the guard back the Imperial uniform.
"And what talents would those be?" She asked. She only just met the Jarl, he couldn't possibly know what talents she possessed.
"An adventurer's talents." He said smiling down at her. He motioned her to follow and she did with the confusion still on her face. "Come, let's go find Farengar, my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and… rumors of dragons." She followed him as they made their way to the side of the hall where a small room sat that appeared to be a study of sorts.
"Well, I assure you these are no rumors. It may be hard to believe but if you saw Helgen right now, it would not take much convincing."
They entered the room and Asmara saw that it was a typical wizard's study. And enchanting and alchemy station were settled against the far wall and a large desk took up the space in the center of the room. The court wizard was hunched over the enchantment table, wearing dark blue-grey robes.
"Farengar, I think I've found someone who can help you with your dragon project." Balgruuf spoke to the court wizard and he turned from what he was doing and a clasped his hands together. He took Asmara in and his brow furrowed.
"Hm, so the Jarl thinks you can be of use to me?" He said to her and she just looked to the Jarl for approval. He just nodded his head and the court wizard continued. "He must be referring to my research into the dragons."
"The dragon only appeared yesterday. Were you researching them prior?" Asmara inquired.
"Whiterun has quite the collection of books on dragons and legend. It wasn't hard to find the information I needed. Now, I just need someone to fetch something for me." He paused and then elaborated. "Well… when I say fetch, I really mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not actually be there." Asmara stared at him almost dumbstruck. She looked to the Jarl who was looking at her expectantly vigilantly. She shook her head slightly and replied.
"I'm sorry but, what does this have to do with dragons and what exactly am I 'fetching'?" She asked, putting emphasis on the last word.
"You're quite the thinker aren't you. You see, when the stories of dragons began to circulate, many dismissed them as mere fantasies, rumors. Impossibilities. One sure mark of a fool is to dismiss anything that falls outside his experience as being impossible."
"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." Asmara stated and he cocked his head at her reply.
"So, I began to search for information about dragons - where had they gone all those years ago? And where were they coming from?" He continued.
"I thought it was common knowledge they had all died off after the Dragon War."
"Then why have they returned? I, ah, learned of a certain stone tablet said to be housed in Bleak Falls Barrow – a 'Dragonstone', said to contain a map of dragon burial sites."
"And you want me to go to Bleak Falls Barrow to retrieve it." Asmara stated.
"Yes. Find this tablet - no doubt interred in the main chamber - and bring it to me. Simplicity itself."
"If it was so simple, why haven't you done it yourself?" Asmara asked, crossing her arms. "I only came here to warn the Jarl and get protection sent to Riverwood. And how do you even know the tablet is there? Ancient Nord ruins aren't exactly the safest place to wander." She protested.
"Well. Must preserve some professional secrets mustn't we? I have my sources… reliable sources." He replied vaguely only furthering her frustration.
"This is a priority now. Anything we can use to fight this dragon, or dragons. We need it, quickly. Before it's too late." The Jarl spoke up and Asmara found them both looking towards her with apprehensive looks.
"Of course, Jarl Balgruuf. She does seem to be an able assistant." Asmara went to protest again but the Jarl spoke.
"If you succeed at this, you'll be rewarded. Whiterun will be in your debt." He said, trying to convince her to go. Asmara sighed and looked to the court wizard.
"How do I get to the barrow?"