AN: Bleak Falls Barrow finally

Thoughts

Alauna's POV

"Oh there once was a hero named Ragnar the Red

Who came riding

To Whiterun

From old Rorikstead!"

My ears twitched at the grating voice and I folded them down. The pieces of fur rubbed against them and I shuddered at the sound, but it helped block some of the noise. Brianna's breathing sounded like a gong on the other side of the room, but it was bearable compared to the grating sound of Sven's singing. At least her breathing was steady, like a pattern.

I tapped my claws against the iron chest piece about a second after each breath. The resulting sound was like the forge and bellows, something I was learning to take comfort from. Wonder what Alvor's doing right now?

Taking care of Dick because we can't move him. My mind stated and I frowned slightly. My head throbbed and I turned my ears down further. Did Sven really have to make that noise? What the actual fuck even was that? He sounds like a dying rabbit…

Yeah. And what a fuck up that was. "Hey, sorry to bother you, but you were one of the few people in this ramshackle excuse of a town that doesn't think my friends and I are the spawn of Satan. Would you mind taking care of our dumbass friend who tried to fight a troll and spend money on medicine for him even though it's obvious he's gonna die without the proper equipment? Which, by the way, none of us have because you're a medieval civilization that hasn't had any sort of advancement in thousands of years.

Guilt ripped through me immediately but I shook it off. Dick is a dumbass. I reassured myself. Injured and… most likely dying doesn't matter. He should've ran we he saw the wolves run. It was his own stupidity that got him into this.

A pang ran through my head as the headache made itself known. I stopped tapping the iron chest piece and withdrew the claws into my hand. The feel of them slipping back inside was still strange to me. I never had need of my claws. They'd actually caused me many a hand… paw injury, as balling my hand… paw into a fist made them come out and stab my palms.

I brought my hands… paws… grabby appendages whatever! I brought them up to my face and flexed the muscles in them, making the claws slide in and out of my… You know what? Got five fingers so it's still a hand.

The claws slid in and out of my hands and I shuddered. Am I ever gonna get used to this? I mean, how am I ever gonna take over this country, let alone the world, if I can't even adapt to my own body?

"You okay?" Brianna's voice caught my attention and I rolled my head over to her. One of her thin eyebrows was arched up in question. I shook my head and waved my hand to the door in answer. She shrugged her shoulders and sat on the bed.

The straw crackled under her, making yet even more noise. I held my hands over my ears and glared at her. She rolled her eyes before leaning against the wall. I hissed at her.

"Stop throwing a fit. I'll get you something to drink. Will that make you feel better?" She said quietly. I nodded my head. She heaved herself up off the bed and exited the room. When she opened the door Sven's purposely horrid singing flooded in like the train whistles from home.

"By the fucking nine Sven shut the fuck up!" She shouted after the door closed.

"Get out of this town, elf! Take the damaged cat and orc with you!" Typical response from the douche lord.

"Unless you're gonna make me you better sit your little ass down before I beat it!"

"Is that a challenge?" I sighed and rubbed my temples. She was getting into a fight. She was getting into a god damn fight when we didn't have the money for potions and the healers were in anther fucking city.

"Yes it is limp dick!" Embry's drunken laughter echoed through the tavern, only slightly muffled by the door.

"What did you just say?" Sven growled out. I froze for a second before laughing silently. Was that an attempt at sounding intimidating?

"You heard me. H- Oblivion, Camilla probably left you cause you couldn't keep it up." My chuckles slipped through my lips and became outright laughs at that, my head pounding in time.

"Raaaagh!" I froze, and I'm guessing Brianna did too because I heard her let out a pain filled grunt as she hit something. Sounds like the fight had started. After a few minutes I lost interest. Brianna could take care of herself and Sven wouldn't kill her. Not unless he wanted the guards on his ass.

My head pounded with every slam against the tables they made, but I tried to pass the time. Rubbing my temples to ease the pain, I tried to do math in my head. Contrary to what the game said paper did have a cost. Anything extra was given up in the pursuit of a stable roof that didn't charge 10 coins a night.

What is even with that? They use pure gold coins! If I wanted to I could take all the money gathered and go back to Earth a rich woman! Do they just not have anything else? Have they never thought of anything else? Ugh.

I shook my head and sighed. From what I'd seen this place was woefully unprepared for any kind of advancement. Then a shudder passed through me as I remembered where they put their crap. Where we'd had to put our crap. If people in town didn't just shit in the woods then they shit in buckets and put it in the water. They shit in their own water supply!

Okay… each of us usually made about 480 gold a day, but we each had at least a day off since there were so many workers. Minus 24 gold for dinner each night. Well, up until we started hunting anyway. I think. We usually keep the pelts from the animals we skin, and salt the excess meat. So… that's about 13,920 gold. That minus the 240 for dinner equals 13,680 coins. Plus there's all the arrows, steel, salt, and other bullshit we bought on the daily. So that's… 11,240 gold.

Well we have enough for the house but we need more. A lot more. We'll end up broke by the end of the month is we just have 1,240 coins left between the three of us. Not to mention that we won't have enough money to pursue any plans.

Brianna burst into the room making the door band on the wall. My head throbbed again and I glared at her before sighing. She let out an excited whoop before plopping back down onto the bed, a new purple bruise blooming on her left eye. Holding out her hand in a placating gesture I snatched at the alcohol she held. The wax top rubbed against my palm and I clawed it off. There were some uses for claws after all.

The burn of alcohol hitting my throat took my mind off my headache but I winced at the taste. All the alcohol here was either really strong or really weak.

Brianna's POV

Quiet settled in again. Alauna's ears twitched and she looked to the door. She opened her mouth to speak but a knock sounded, cutting her off. She looked back to me.

"It's Faendal." She said. I stood up and set my other bottle of mead down.

"How can you tell?" I asked. Alauna looked to the door again.

"His footsteps are light, like when a person walks on their toes. He's carrying something big." She responded, downing the rest of her mead and swaying slightly. "Uh. Wish I had some champagne or wine."

"Don't drink too much." I said. "You became quite the lightweight when we got here."

"Yeah yeah." Alauna waved her away. I went to the door and answered it.

Faendal stood on the other side, a large pack over his back. He was covered in fur coats and his bow was slung on top of the pack. I narrowed my eyes in confusion, and felt my ears tilt back a little. Alauna watched from the bed, her ears flopping when she raised an eyebrow.

"Sup Faendal. What's brought ya here?" I asked. I… didn't really remember making any plans with him. I didn't even talk to him really. Faendal shouldered the pack higher.

"You guys were going to Bleak Falls Barrow right?" He asked. I crossed arms and leaned against the door frame. Alauna rolled over to watch the exchange, laying on her stomach. Her tail swayed from one side of her body to the other.

"Yeah. But what's that to you?" I asked.

"I want to come with you and help." He said. My eyes narrowed.

"Why?" I asked. My tone was… a little sharper than I meant it to be. But sue me, I was stressed. Faendal stuttered, a small blush coming to his face. Alauna laughed in the background and I turned to her, giving her a look. She raised her bottle, pointing at the Bosmer.

"He," She began. "Wants to thank us for me helping him win Camilla." She stood up, stretching, and walked to the door. "Of course, I gave the letter to Dick because Camilla would've suspected me. You need to thank him too."

"If he wakes up?" Faendal asked. My mood plummeted even more. The last time we'd seen Dick, just yesterday, he'd been very pale. His breathing was shaky and loud, like that one time we hadn't hit one of the deer we were hunting in the head right.

"When." She responded. "When he wakes up." Faendal's face twisted in pity. Alauna rolled her eyes and walked back into the room. She started to put two packs together, gathering pelts, arrows, and potions.

"Alauna…" I began. I could see what was happening here. She was gonna try something stupid.

"Look." Alauna turned sharply, glaring at us. Her claws slipped out as her arms spread wide, opening to gesture. "I'm well aware the chances are not in our favor, all right? I'm the one that told that to you Brianna. But I know what he needs. I just need to make it. The potions are keeping his wounds closed so I have time!" She turned back to the supplies. "You can figure out anything given enough time."

I exhaled sharply. Alauna would deal with her problems herself. She always had. I turned to look at Faendal's pack. "What exactly do you have in there?" I asked. We seemed to be leaving now. Faendal seemed to be in a stupor, staring holes into Alauna's back. I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes. What was up with him lately?

"What? Uh… I have enough firewood to last for a couple of days in case of a snow storm, forty iron arrows in case of bandits, enough food for myself, and five potions in case we cut something." He stuttered. I nodded, considering what we would have total. A lot of the meat we'd hunted we'd stored by salting it, so we didn't have to worry about food.

"Alauna?" I asked.

"We've got enough pelts to shield us from the cold, about twenty potions left after the ones we gave to Alvor, a few water skins, seventy five steel arrows between the two of us as well as my sword, our fur and leather armor, and a lantern. I think we'll be okay. That and like… lots of jerky and salted meat.

Alauna shouldered one of the packs onto her back and attached her sword to her hip. Her bow laid on top of the pack along with the arrow quiver. She held the other pack out to me, and I took it, slinging it over my shoulders. The weight rested on my back reminding me of a backpack. I rolled my shoulders, letting it settle. At least some things don't change. The tavern was warm, except for the glares we were getting. Sven sat in the corner of the tavern with two black eyes and a broken loot. I smirked at him when he looked to us, and he looked away. Delphine was making potions at the alchemy lab, minding her own business like usual.

"Let's get going! The sooner we leave the sooner we get back." Faendal said. Me and Alauna shot him a look, but I shrugged and headed to the door, not without flipping off everyone in the tavern. Alauna followed me, but I stopped before I left the room. There's… a really good chance we can die on this trip.

"Hey Delphine!" Delphine turned to me, still grinding herbs together.

"Yes Brianna?" She replied.

"If we die on this trip you, Alvor, and Gerdur get our stuff okay? And please make sure Dick gets the help he needs. " Delphine nodded gravely and with that we were out the door.

Third Person

Birds chirped and wolves howled all along the mountain. The sun shone through the trees as the trio traveled along the dirt road. The bosmer had the lead, a large pack that clanged with every step he took on his shoulders, a khajit with a similar pack beside him. Behind the two an altmer with a bow dragged her feet.

"Guys can we take a break?" She questioned. Faendal sighed and shouldered his pack higher onto his shoulders. He turned to take in her pitiful state. Her hair clung to her dark skin and her eyes shone with fatigue. Her pack slipped off her shoulders as her back slouched from its weight. Small pants left her lips every few seconds and the khajit rolled her eyes at the scene.

"We're stopping." She spoke. Her legs moved over to the side of the road and she took her pack off her back. It slammed heavily onto the ground and she began to shift through it. Faendal's head whipped over to her and he let out a noise of protest. Brianna in turn wheezed out a noise of appreciation and thanks. Alauna's tail flicked over to a fallen log to their left. "We can sit there."

"Oh thank go- the nine." Brianna gasped. She stumbled over and collapsed onto the log. Her face was buried in her fur armor. Alauna started taking out a few water skins and handed one to Brianna. "Yaaasss!" The water disappeared down her throat.

"Slow down. You'll make yourself puke." Alauna chuckled. Brianna gave her the stink eye.

"And how do you know that?"

"Experience."

"Oh yeah…" Faendal looked on in disbelief as a small resting station was set up. Alauna dug through his bag and a simple meal of bread and cheese was put on wood plates, one for each of the along with a water skin. Another plate was set up with just meat on it. At his look Alauna explained.

"I'm not sure if you follow the Green Pact or not." Brianna snorted. Alauna glanced at her, her ears raising in attention. Something suspiciously sounding like 'Lorenut' was mumbled. "Go fuck yourself prep." Was playfully snipped back.

"But we've only been walking for three hours!" Faendal protested. Brianna raised her head from her log and fur pillow to glare at him.

"Exactly!" She stressed. "I'm not used to walking for hours at a time like this!"

"But you go hunting every other day! How is that possible?" Faendal stared at her in disbelief and Alauna sighed. She patted the portion of log between them, and Faendal, with a frustrated roll of his head and grit of his teeth, sat down.

"Most of the deer and goat we found was nearby. We never had to walk very far for anything we hunted." She explained. Faendal nodded and picked up the slab of deer meat along with the bread. Alauna raised a single black eyebrow and glanced at the bread meaningfully.

"All Bosmer follow the Green Pact. Because I didn't grow up there I can bend it a bit." She nodded and began to tuck into her bread and cheese. Brianna didn't move from her sprawled position on the log. The water skin clutched in her hand eventually fell to the ground and emptied. Small snores let the other two know their companion was asleep. Alauna chuckled.

"Wow, she really was exhausted." She took a long drain of her water skin before closing it and standing up. She stretched her arms up into the air and yawned before sitting on the ground with her legs crossed.

"To tell the truth, Brianna being a wimp about exercise wasn't the only reason I stopped. My lungs were starting to stutter so I stopped to let them adjust." She explained. "We've been getting pretty high up and the air's getting thin." Her tail fluffed up slightly and her lips raised in a slight snarl. Go through a portal and your eyes get fixed, but something important like lung function doesn't. What the hell kind of logic is that? Why was there a portal in my house in the first place?

"Oh." Faendal muttered awkwardly. While he did defend Alauna from Sven about the asthma on a regular basis that didn't mean he knew what to do about it. Sure, he had shaky hands, but lots of people got shaky hands from time to time. It wasn't anything a potion or healing spell couldn't fix, even if it was temporary. But something serious, something life threatening, like asthma? Well, not many children born with it would live past their fifth birthday. Most, mainly in places like Skyrim and Valenwood, didn't survive. The tiny bodies of those born with the condition suffocated.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. He didn't know what to say. Alauna's tail flicked and she began to hum. It was a tune he'd never heard before. Maybe it was from her home? Speaking of home, where was she from? Where were either of them from? Ralof had simply said that they'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time when anyone in town asked him.

Alauna murmured the lyrics and her tail flicked to an unheard tune. What was she singing? It wasn't a language he'd ever heard.

"Hey Alauna." Faendal began. Alauna hummed to show she was listening. "If you don't mind my asking, where did you all come from? And why do you all look so strange? I've never seen an altmer with dark skin or a khajit with curled hair. Or an orc with blue skin for that matter!" Alauna tensed and Faendal frowned. Had he stepped over a line? "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Alauna swallowed and sighed inwardly in relief. He didn't suspect anything. Good. But what to tell him now. Thoughts and ideas began to rush through her head. She couldn't tell him the truth. It was too surreal. It would backfire horribly if she lied completely and he somehow found out.

Maybe she could just tell some of the truth? A half lie? But how? Their world was already mapped out. There was no way she could say she was from some unknown contine- Yokuda. Yokuda was an island that sank into the sea. She could say that. Not that she was from an island that sank, but that she was from an island near what used to be Yokuda. It would explain the differences in their appearances too.

"We were all from a little island to the far south west of here. The differences are due to the separation, like what happened to the snow elves or your species."

"How did you find yourself in Skyrim?" He asked. Maybe they could tell stories about each other to pass the time. It'd certainly help with his boredom and sate his curiosity. Alauna's face grimaced into an ugly mixture of pain and fear.

"It's… a long story. There was a lot going on. More than one country was on the island and the smaller ones were causing a lot of bullshit to happen, attacking the larger ones. All of the wars got to be too much so we left. Can't say we miss it too much. They've all probably killed each other by now. I'd rather not go further into it." She said honestly, closing her eyes. The fact that she'd never see the tall city buildings of her home and the quiet of the town still got to her, but at least here she wouldn't be in debt her entire life. Even if that life might be shorter than she imagined.

"Okay then. No need to, just like I said."

Faendal turned his head to the sky to check the time after a little while. Dark grey clouds concealed the sun and an icy gust of wind blew past them. He jumped to his feet and quickly started putting everything that'd been taken out back into the packs. Grabbing one of the packs he roughly shook Brianna awake. It was shoved into her hands as a yawn split her lips.

Alauna opened her eyes to see the commotion only to have her pack shoved into her hands too. She regarded him for a moment before he spoke.

"A snow storm is coming in. We need to leave. Now." She jumped to her feet and pulled Brianna to hers. Faendal scanned the horizon for any place that could offer suitable shelter from the coming storm. They'd all freeze to death if he couldn't find a place. Even an outcropping of rock would do.

Far from them on the road he saw the tip of a stone building. He frowned before setting off. Buildings by roads often meant bandits. He turned to gaze at his two companions. Brianna glared back at him and raised an eyebrow. He swallowed nervously. Maybe they could find a compromise with them? Greenhorns weren't that good against many opponents, and he didn't feel like eating anyone.

He set off toward the building and the two followed him. As the building came into better view he heard Brianna speak.

"Uh oh." She muttered softly. He chuckled. Guess bandits are a constant everywhere.

Alauna elbowed Brianna softly. 'Watch what you say!' she mouthed. Brianna nodded. A harsh gust of wind made the group shudder. Brianna rubbed the tips of her ears while Alauna laid hers flat against her head.

"Okay, let's haul ass to the bandit coup!" Brianna rushed ahead of the group and they followed quickly. A nord man with a war hammer stood in front of the tiny bridge leading inside. When the group came in to his line of sight the steel weapon was drawn. The group stopped a few meters away.

"That's close enough." The bandit warned. "Any closer and you'll lose your lives."

Brianna smiled openly and took a step forward. I can probably talk us through this. She thought. After all, it's not like we have anything they want. The beginnings of a word left Brianna's mouth before the hammer missed her head by an inch. Faendal pushed her out of the way and drew his bow. Brianna fell to the ground, stunned.

Alauna was too shocked to move. She stared as Faendal and the bandit dodged each other's hits, back stepping and circling around each other. It almost looked like a dance. An arrow whizzed past her ear and her eyes turned to the stone building.

Another bandit was just inside nocking another arrow to their bow. As the bow lined up to her she zipped out of the way. The bandit followed the khajit's movements but couldn't hit her. She was running around in random patterns.

"Run like a rabbit! A rabbit!" She screamed. She advanced toward the bridge moving in faster zig zags. "Serpentine! Serpentine!" The bandit lowered his bow slightly. His eyes watched the girl run around in circles and lines staring in shock and awe. Was that one blessed by Sheogorath?

"What in Oblivi-ACK!" He didn't get to finish his sentence as his throat was crushed. Alauna had rushed across the bridge and elbowed him in the throat when they were distracted. He fell to the ground after a second and began thrashing and grabbing his throat.

"Oh god oh god oh no!" Alauna panicked and reached down to the man. He thrashed violently on the ground holding his throat and she tried to move his hands. When she pulled his hands away his Adam's apple was crooked. Before she could do anything else the bandit laid still. "Oh god…"

She hadn't meant to kill him.

A scream sounded and a burning pain laced throughout her arm. She turned to it to see a large cut crossing down it. Blood poured out of it over her armor. Her eyes flashed behind her to see another bandit with an iron sword.

The bandit raised her sword high to strike a killing blow and Alauna's eyes widened. I don't have time to get away!

Brianna distantly heard the sounds of fighting and the motions of Faendal and the bandit stood out in clear contrast to the white of the snow. Around and around the two moved. She couldn't tear her eyes away. Distantly she wondered why Faendal wouldn't kill him. He'd had plenty of chances already.

An arrow hit the bandit in the knee and he fell. Faendal moved away from him and nocked another arrow, taking aim at a different target. The bandit shot her a glance and she flinched away. That man almost killed me. Everything was muted as she watched. The bandit rose to his feet shakily and his knee almost gave out under him. He slowly got behind Faendal and raised his hammer high. Faendal's going to die…

Before she knew it she was on her feet and moving. The bandit noticed her a second too late. Faendal turned with a gasp as he heard a squelch and grunt behind him. The bandit laid in the snow in two pieces. His arm and part of his head hand been separated from his body. Brianna shook next to the corpse and rubbed a spot on her shoulder.

When she looked him over he swallowed his tongue in shock and fear. Her eyes were blank, as if no one was there. He'd never seen a look like that before. A scream caught their attention and their heads whipped to the source. Inside the building Alauna knelt over a body and another bandit was raising her sword for a killing blow.

Faendal nocked an arrow and loosed it on instinct. His arrow hit the bandit chief's hand, just like he planned. Before he could knock another and take out the bandit's legs a sword pierced her side. The body slid down the wall and Alauna rose to her feet. Faendal shot his eyes to Brianna.

Her arm was outstretched as if she'd just thrown something. The light in her eyes slowly returned and she brought her hands to her chest.

"Did… Did you just throw that sword?" Alauna called out.

"I… I think so." Brianna shouted back. It honestly sounded more like a question that a statement. Alauna's fur fluffed up and her teeth bared.

"Why the hell did you do that?!" She screamed.

"It fucking worked didn't it!" Brianna screamed right back.

"You dumbass! You coulda ki- OW!" The girl clutched her arm to her chest. The two noticed the blood for the first time. They ran forward to help her. "You could have killed… Oh my god I killed."

Alauna collapsed into the snow.

Brianna's POV

We sat in piles of pelts to try to stay warm. I couldn't really feel if they did anything or not. A small fire blazed in front of us lighting the room with dancing shadows. The howling of the snow storm outside seemed to give the shadows life. Wish this damn storm would stop already. I thought to myself. My hands shivered from the cold so I brought them to my lips to blow on them but fumbled for a moment.

The long fingers confused me before I ignored it. It's been a month. Get used to it already. My ears twitched.

Alauna laid on a pile of pelts a little to my right. She'd been asleep for a while now. I looked down at my hands. I'd killed someone today. I'd killed two people today. Alauna had killed someone too… How… How do I feel about this? Do I feel anything about this? I thought for a moment, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth. No. I didn't feel anything. That can't be good.

Wish Alauna was awake. She'd give some psychological spiel.

Wish Dick were here. He'd mess with me till I calmed down.

…Wish my brothers were here. They'd know what to say.

A gust of wind made the fire ripple. Faendal put his pack in front of the entry. He caught my look and explained.

"Block some of the wind." I nodded. He sat back down beside me, covering himself in pelts. Did we make the right choice, staying here? I mean, the chances of us actually finding a portal home are small, but that doesn't we couldn't have looked. Dick's idea and Alauna's plan rushed to the forefront of my mind and I scoffed. World domination? We can't even dominate a town. Oh my god we'd said all of our plans out loud in a tavern.

What were we thinking? It'd be much better for us if we just lay low, and let things happen. Wait for the dragon born to show up and sort things out. Live the rest of our lives in a little cave somewhere until we died from some disease. Okay, wow. Getting a little dark there. Let's step back from that for a little while, think of something positive.

Well, at least we won't be corporate slaves while living in that cave. And we can eat whatever we want. The food here does taste better that the food from home. Even if most of it is boiled.

"God…" I sighed to myself. "We're gonna fucking die." There were still the like, what, twenty bandits outside Bleak Falls before we even got inside?... And there was a giant spider. Giant spiders were always nice.

"Brianna." Faendal said. I rubbed my eyes with my overly long fingers and felt my ears tilt down a bit and why was our species change when we got here I don't even like elves?!

"Yes?" I managed to say.

"What language are you speaking? Is it the one from your home?" Wait what? I whipped my head to face him. He went on to explain. "The one you were speaking in a little earlier? And when you corrected yourself before we took a break?"

"…English. What language have I been speaking? Just out of curiosity."

"Cyrodilic. Your pronunciation is pretty good for someone from across the sea." Across the sea? What?

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

So we've been switching between two languages without even knowing it. Great. That's… That's just great.

AN: I got a new keyboard! Its wireless! Anyway, this chapter was supposed to be longer, but I'm uploading it to let you all know I'm not dead.