Chapter 9: The Watchtower

Uthgerd woke the next morning before Marz did, withdrawing from his muscular arms to clean herself off. She wasn't sure what had come over her the night before, but she remembered that at a certain point, Marz had just looked so…enticing. She had no regrets about their coupling, but she did feel the consequences all the same. Her hips were slightly bruised where the orc had grabbed her waist, and she was so sore from having him inside her that it hurt slightly to walk. Yet the most significant consequence was one she was kicking herself for not foreseeing. The underside of her breasts sported thin cuts from where they had connected with the orc's tusks, a contact that she didn't quite remember just yet.

She had no time to dwell on it though because by the time she had cleaned herself off, and dressed, Marz was awake and began doing the same. Making a mental note to ask the orc about the significance of her injuries, she began the process of breaking camp.

*

"You should forget the cloak when we get back, Chief." The last word fell from Uthgerd's mouth much easier now, but it still seemed to take the orc by surprise, possibly since the two had been riding in silence since departing the Barrow earlier that morning. She was pleasantly surprised to see that Marz treated her no differently than he had before. He was still quiet, but the quiet that she was already accustomed to. She had been worried that her lapse in discipline might have pushed the orc away.

His only response to her statement was a slight grunt of acknowledgement which she took as an invitation to continue. "Assuming you intend to petition the Companions after we collect the reward for the Dragonstone, you can't wear a cloak the entire time we're there. Besides you should–" Uthgerd proceeded to spend the next hour giving various reasons for why Marz should discard his cloak all the way to the Whiterun stables until a group of Whiterun guards rushed past them both so quickly that they almost didn't see– "Irileth?"

The Dunmer housecarl did a double-take at the sound of the orc's voice. She briefly eyed him and his traveling companion before answering, and Uthgerd could swear she saw a hint of–jealousy? "A dragon is attacking the western watchtower! Both of you get inside the town while we try to drive it off! The Companions should be here momentarily." Before either Uthgerd or Marz could ask anything further, Irileth ran off to rejoin her men who were already congregating near the tower.

Marz turned to look at Uthgerd. "Are you afraid of dragons?" He asked in his deep voice. She had only been traveling with him for a few days, but Uthgerd had already discovered that she loved to watch the orc fight. Something about his ferocity in battle made her ache for him, so when he asked her, she knew there was only one answer she could give. "Let's go," She grinned.

They tethered their horses and Marz retrieved his spear before they ran for the broken tower. They scanned the skies, but there was still no sign of the dragon. However, just as they approached the tower a panicked guard ran out of the tower yelling, "No! Get back! It's still around here somewhere!" Uthgerd heard the guard continue stammering to the Jarl's housecarl, but something else had drawn her eye. Far in the distance against the clouds of the mountains, she saw it. A dragon was hurtling straight for them. She pointed in its direction and yelled, "Dragon!"

Irileth quickly got her men into ranks, but Marz pulled Uthgerd closer to the tower and told her to wait. He disappeared inside briefly before running back out with a bow in his hands. He tossed it to her, "Stay out here and try to draw the beast as close to the tower as you can," he said. "Do NOT try to use your sword." Before Uthgerd could protest the orc disappeared back into the tower. She cursed but grabbed some fallen arrows from the ground and took a position near the guards, just as Irileth shouted, "Make every arrow count!"

The dragon was much closer now. Uthgerd could see Marz at the top of the broken tower firing arrow after arrow from his massive dragonbone bow. The dragon opened its mouth and doused the tower in flames and Uthgerd could no longer see the Chief, but before she could worry about him any further, the dragon turned its fury on the rest of the assembled. The guards opened fire on the beast, and Uthgerd did the same. When she saw the dragon open its mouth to shoot fire again, she tossed herself to the side as far as she could. The flames missed her by inches, but not everyone was so lucky. Three of the guards were aflame and Irileth was desperately trying to get her men back under control.

Remembering Marz' orders, she circled the tower firing arrows at the dragon from every possible angle. She was a brawler, and didn't have a lot of experience with the bow, but it still didn't take long for the dragon to single her out for its next victim. It shot another blast of fire at her, but the tower took the brunt of it. Realizing that it couldn't reach her with fire, the beast circled one more time before landing right in front of her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the Companions and the remainder of the Whiterun guard running towards her, but there was no way they would reach her in time. There was no escape.

Uthgerd discarded the bow and drew her greatsword. I refuse to die with a bow in my hand! She thought furiously. Let me die like a true nord! With a sword in my hand, and fire in my heart! The dragon reared its head back almost like it was trying to decide between eating her, or burning her and then eating her. It must have made its decision though, for Uthgerd could swear the damn thing smiled maliciously. She raised her sword and charged at the beast at the same time that it thrusted its head forward with open jaws, but before either could make contact with the other, the end of a large spear sprouted from the creature's mouth.

The dragon loosed a shrill scream, and Uthgerd looked up. Marz was atop the dragon, having leaped from the top of the tower to impale the creature through the head. The beast stumbled around clumsily, as blood poured from its head and mouth. Marz wasn't done though. He had drawn his axe and was in a frenzy, hacking at the creature's neck behind its skull, while everyone else continued to fire arrows. Uthgerd rushed forward with her sword to join the fight, but it was already over. The dragon collapsed and Marz leapt free of the beast. The guards and Companions swung their weapons in his direction uncertaintly, but Irileth waved them all off. "Stop! Can't you see this orc saved the town?" Uthgerd could see why they were frightened though. The orsimer was a terrible sight to behold. His eyes were wide, and he breathed heavily. Blood was splattered across his face and bare chest, and dripped heavily from his axe. He looked to the sky and roared his victory loudly.

*

"Marzuum Gro Narzul, you have only been our guest for a week, yet in that time you have delivered us Legate Rikke, retrieved the Dragonstone, and slain a dragon that threatened our town." Marz stood before the jarl, still drenched in the blood of the dragon he had slain. Everyone who had been present at the Watchtower had gathered in Dragonsreach to see how the jarl would reward the orc who had brought the beast down. Uthgerd too, was eager to see what honors would be bestowed on her Chief.

"First let it be known, when the dragon's body disappeared I had its bones dragged back here where our very own Adrienne is busy forging new instruments of war for Whiterun's greatest defender, paid for from my own coffers." A great roar of approval went up from the spectators. "Secondly, in addition to your gold, I wish to offer you a home here in town for you to use whenever you see it," Another great cheer went up. "Lastly, I wish to offer you the title of 'Thane' along with your own housecarl–Lydia!"

To Uthgerd's chagrin, a beautiful dark-haired woman in steel armor similar to her own, strode forward to stand next to the jarl where she drew her sword and banged it against her shield. "It would be my honor to serve such a mighty warrior!" She declared. Great, a professional housecarl, now he'll really have no use for me, the nord thought gloomily. When the cheers had died down, Jarl Balgruuf spoke again.

"I would now hear from you, Marzuum Gro Narzul. If there is anything else you wish, speak and it shall be yours." The Companions and guards assembled thumped their feet against the ground in agreement, but as Marz' began to speak, the room was silent as the Hall of the Dead.

"I thank you for your generosity, jarl." The orc rumbled. "I accept all of your rewards with one exception." There was a brief babble of confusion among the crowd that quickly died away. "I do not wish for the title of Thane, nor have I need of a housecarl. An orc chief cannot serve his stronghold, if he is already beholden to another town as thane. As for the housecarl, I have a loyal traveling companion already, but have no fear, for I accept everything else."

Uthgerd felt her stomach flutter. Lydia bowed her head in respect, but Uthgerd could see that the housecarl was disappointed at the rejection. The Jarl however, inclined his head.

"Very well Marzuum. So it shall be! If there is nothing else–"

"Wait!"

Every head turned to look at Aela the Huntress. "The Companions wish to publicly extend to Marzuum the Dragonslayer, the chance to join our ranks if he would be willing." There were murmurs of agreement and nodding among the crowd now. Marz appeared to stand taller as his eyes swept over the row of renowned warriors. "I accept," he rumbled. There was another roar of approval from the crowd, but the flutter in Uthgerd's stomach had now turned to a deep pit.