"What did you say?" It came out just a little bit squeakier than I would have liked.
" I said get your tail out of bed.. of course, I was referring to the dog", came Signar's voice from behind me and I rolled back over to look in his direction. "But since your up, you might as well come down and have breakfast as well." He walked out of the bathing room and headed across my bedroom to the door. All I could think of was.. Holy mother of Mara, as ten acres of bronzed muscle that was barely covered by the towel draped around his middle, disappeared through my doorway.
I felt the bed shake and looked down at Tex, he was making the oddest sounds, if one didn't know better you would think he was laughing. "What do you think is so funny?" He whined and licked me on the side of the face again. "Ick... ok so the look on my face probably was funny, " I put my head down on his and ruffled his hair, " Don't tell him ok?" Tex snorted and I grimace and then said, "Yeah your probably right, he probably saw the silly look on my face."
I got up and went into the bathing room and washed the sleep out of my face. I looked at my reflection in the silvered mirror and laughed to myself, I was dammed either way. I stood there with my eyes closed for a moment and heard the sounds of Whiterun outside the balcony door. The children's laughter tore a hole in my heart but also gave me a new resolve. I could not knowingly abandon a family and with this damn curse, I might not have a choice, death being the equalizer. Their had to be some way of curing it or getting rid of it, perhaps the favor of one divine would override the curse of another.
At that moment, I knew what we would do next. Danica had said she needed a special knife to get some sap to help the tree here to grow again, so perhaps Kynareth would answer a question in return for such a favor. With that resolve in mind, I got dressed and went down to breakfast and let Singar and Tex know what our plans were, if not why.
I ate a very hearty breakfast and then gathered some items up that I knew I could sell so that we could buy our travel rations. With Riverwood along the way, we could stay there on our way to the Orphan Rock place that Danica had described and head to Iverstead from there. I gave the Items to Signar and told him to go to the general store, as Belethor would still not speak to me. I headed up to Dragonsreach and talked to the court wizard.
We talked a minute or so on dragons and I gave him my notes. I traded out some of the magical items that we had found in the barrow, buying some soul gems to recharge my staff with. I explained a couple thing's as he skimmed my notes, but told him I would be back in a few days, as I had things to do.
We left Whiterun mid-morning and made it to Riverwood before dark. I got us a room at the Inn and was speaking to Ognar when Signar walked in with Faendal. I walked over and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek. When I asked Faendal what's new's, he had much to tell.
It seemed Camilla had agreed to marry him as soon as he completed the house on his homestead. Oh, she would help him build it, as much as she could and start a garden and of course decorate it to her liking. I almost choked on the last part, but I kept a straight face. We chatted well into the night, Signar relaxing more and more as the evening wore on.
Signar put his tankard down and suggested that we get some sleep if I wanted to make an early start of it. I smiled and said fine and watched as he walked to his room. As I took the last sip of my mead, Faendal gave me an odd look and said, " You know you'd be much warmer of a night if you curled up in that Nord's bed and I'm sure he wouldn't object".
I choked on my mead as it went down the wrong way. When I could finally breathe again without coughing, I told him that Tex kept me warm enough. I looked around for the big hound and didn't see him, shrugging I told Faendal good night. I figured Tex was off chasing rabbits again and I would have a foot warmer by morning.
I was wrong though, It wasn't until we were back in Whiterun that I saw Tex again, I missed his warmth at night. Other than the Hargraven at Orphan's Rock, the trip was very uneventful. I gave the Horn to the Greybeards and they gave me a small ceremony to formally say I was Dragonborn. I'm not sure if it really mattered in the long run, having open access to High Hrothgar was very nice, but it wasn't like I could stay there the rest of my life.
I did appreciate that I could come and go as I pleased and they would give advice as I asked, but all of it would be slanted towards a peaceful solution, which was nice, but not always the best way. Danica thanked me, but then asked if I wouldn't go get the sap myself as she didn't wish to touch such a profane weapon. I understood that completely and said we would. I had not planned on going right away, but a pilgrim asked if he could travel with us and as he looked the type that could barely defend himself, I figured a trip straight there would be best. I did tell him if we ran into any dragons to run... hide, we would take care of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With the passing of the last blizzard, I sat outside and enjoyed my lunch in the cold crisp air. It would be a day or so before I had to worry overmuch about my fellow assassins getting up here. Any that had been caught out would be dead and it was a day or so from the nearest towns. I heard an unfamiliar roar and looked out over the pond towards the mountains and saw a large shape flying at an angle towards me.
As it got closer and closer, I realized just how massive the beast was. As it angled to the left I got a very good view of it's underbelly and talons, as it spit fire at something in the distance, I had a new appreciation for the woman that was fighting these beasts.
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