"You want to do what?" I winced at the Jarls tone, I couldn't blame him, but I needed the trap on his great porch to snare a dragon. So I explained it to him again.
"My Lord, I would not even think of asking such a thing, but it is not just dragons that have returned," I paused and took a deep breath, " Alduin has returned My Lord, we had him, we had him down, but he escaped." No point in saying how, I really wasn't sure myself., "I need another dragon to get information".
"Alduin, the world eater himself. Doesn't that mean it's the end of times?" He sat up straight as he said that.
"I am Dragonborn My Lord, I can defeat him... I will not will not go down without a fight. I need your help though." I could only hope I did not sound as desperate as I felt.
"Huh... Whiterun will come to your aid Dragonborn, as you came to ours. Ours the sacrifices, ours the glory." he paused for just a moment, " How do you plan on getting a Dragon here?"
" I don't know actually." I admitted ruefully, " But I needed to know if I would have your aid, plus I figured you might need to test the trap, make sure it will still work. It would be a real mess if we got the dragon into the great porch and then the trap would not spring" That was an understatement.
"You are right about that. I will have the guards not only look at the trap but to make sure they are ready for the dragon to possibly attack the town. Let me know when you are ready Dragonborn, we will be. Now, I have preparations to make and a town to run." I knew that for the dismissal it was and left.
I had two choices as I saw it, The first was to ask Esbern if he knew of a way to call a dragon, but he and Delphine would not be happy with Paarthurnax and my association with him. The second was to go back to the Throat of the World and ask Paarthurnax himself. I leaned against one of the pillars and looked up at High Hrothgar, damn, but it was the better choice right now.
"Is something wrong Dragonborn?" one of the guards asked.
"No, friend, I am just contemplating going back to the top of that mountain?" I said pointing up at High Hrothgar.
"I don't envy you that climb, friend." He said as he continued on his rounds. For the first time, I felt a twinge of envy at the wings of my blood kin, I may have dragon blood, but I can not fly. I squashed that feeling, it could lead down a dark path, that I did not wish to take.
I headed back to the house and let the others know that another trip to High Hrothgar was in the offing. I asked Nelthas if he and Aranea would stay here, him to oversee the new additions, I wanted locks we didn't need to worry about, Aranea to brew up some potions, we would probably need them. Some of the staffs could use recharging also. They both agreed though neither looked happy about it.
The one thing I really wanted was a bath, so I headed up the stairs. I turned on the taps and then went back to the bedroom to get out of the armor. The under-clothing I threw in the small basket I kept for that, the armor itself I turned inside out so that the heavy silk lining could air out. I hung it on the odd hanger that kept all the pieces together, but open.
" Are you trying to drown or look like a wrinkled old lady?" My eye's popped open at the voice next to my ear. Signar was sitting on the bath step, with a towel thrown over his shoulder. He stood up and pulled the towel off his shoulder, wiggling his eyebrows he held the towel out by both ends. I laughed and stood up, the water was kinda cold, I must have fallen asleep.
"I wasn't very subtle was I?" I heard him chuckle behind me as we walked the couple steps into the bedroom. As his arms came around me I leaned back into his chest, I could feel his breath tickle my ear.
"As subtle as an avalanche. The good news is that Nelthas thinks you just want time alone, with me. Aranea, now, she might have other thoughts." Goosebumps replaced the towel, as it hit the floor, but it wasn't the chill I felt.
Nelthas and Aranea were already up when we came downstairs. Neither were in their travel armor, but both had packs by their feet.
"We got these ready for you last night. Figured you would want to get up and be off as early as possible. " Nelthas and Aranea walked us to the Stables to see us off. Thankfully the weather held all the way up High Hrothgar.
This time I left Signar in Iverstead and used my Thu'um to climb the mountain faster, Paarthurnax would know I was coming. He had already thought about who to call and had an answer for me, Odahviing. I went down the mountain as fast as I had climbed it.
Signar and I stayed the night in Iverstead and I related the news to him. We talked well into the night, both of us knew my time, in this time, might be coming to an end. I lay curled in his arm's in the wee hours of the morning, I knew he was asleep from the evenness of his breathing and the relaxed weight of his arm.
I stared into the shadows of the darkened room and wanted to cry and scream at the same time. Had I not paid enough for the ill deeds of an ancestor that I had never met? I did not sleep much that night and was blurry-eyed and cranky the next morning. I tried, I really did to not let my foul mood get the better of me, but a family of frost trolls that decided to attack paid the price.
I cast a spell that up until that time I had not been able to use since handing over my family necklace to Signar. The Firestorm spell pretty much made the frost trolls die in their tracks. Signar was standing there with his sword and Shield out and a look on his face that said I had taken all the fun out of his day. I laughed and said "Sorry Sweetie" and got back on my horse.
Temper tantrum or did I now have more magic at my disposal? I wasn't sure, but it was something to think about. We got into Whiterun late in the afternoon, I decided to go tell the Jarl I knew how to call a dragon to me, it wasn't guaranteed to work, but should. We would do it the next day.
Before I left the Jarl with many last-minute preparations, he asked me to hold on a moment.
"The people of Whiterun decided that you needed better armor, so here are two sets. Both are made by Adrinne, she designed one set, the other the Nobles of the town asked her to make. " He had the guards lay both sets out.
I looked at the gold plate set and coughed.. "Well that is rather nice, they put a lot into it." The Jarl chuckled and said that the Nobles would be upset were I not to fight this dragon in it. I sighed and looked at the other set. I gasped as I recognized some of the Dragon Scales that I had sold to Adrinne. "This, this is both beautifully crafted and well thought out. I can feel the enchantments on it. Farengar must have done some of them?"
"Yes, he said he thought about what would be most needed, it's got resists for fire, frost, and lightning on the different pieces along with a couple of other things that he could probably explain better." The Jarl had a twinkle in his eye, I knew that was just a way of saying that I should thank Farengar and ask him what all was put on it and I would before I left the Palace.
"Well as I can't carry both sets, I'll leave the Dragon Scale here and wear the Gold Plate tomorrow when we call the dragon, people will see me in it and the guards will let them know otherwise."
"That sound's like a plan Dragonborn, we will see you just after dawn tomorrow morning?" I nodded and thanked him.
I got back home and the others were sitting down at the table talking, I could smell that dinner was cooking. I looked at them and smiled, then a thought hit me, I was missing a pair of crystal blue eyes. Where had Tex gotten off to? Well, he would reappear when he felt like it but, when had I seen him last? Could he be hurt somewhere? No.. no...we were at the stables the last time I had seen him, he was probably just out hunting on the tundra.
"So.. Tomorrow. The idea is to lure the Dragon onto the great porch and trap the dragon, I'm the bait. When I get the Dragon to land, don't run up and attack him, dissolve into the stonework and let him back me down the porch, then one of the guards will spring the trap. The idea here is to not get anyone killed. "
"Muthsera, I made these enchanted items, you can't wear them all, but I think once the dragon attacks you will know which set to put on." Aranea handed me three silk packets and I opened the blue colored one. I smiled as I touched the amulet.
"Fire, frost, and Lightning?" I asked, when she nodded I thanked her. Signar was looking at the Gold plated armor that I had placed on a chest. He was frowning when he asked.
"You don't intend to wear this tomorrow, do you? Gold? Your fighting a dragon that may use fire, gold melts at a low temperature." I sighed, as angry as he would be, I could not afford the ill will of the Nobles of Whiterun, it didn't matter if he was correct or not.
"I do, I intend to wear it on my walk to the great porch, Adrinne created that armor, she would not make something so badly as that. It is not just gold, it is gold and steel melded together in a fashion I have not seen. More like Elven armor, but not the same materials. Besides their is a better set that the Jarl is holding, I can wear that once I get there, if I think it is a better choice." He nodded.
Our plan with Odahviing worked exactly as planned, even the armor worked with his fire breath. He even gave me the location of Alduin and how to get there, with a small hitch. Their was no way to get there except to fly. I cursed mentally and knew that made sense, Alduin would not want his main fortress to be something easy to get to.
I knew there must be a way. Unless he made his dragons fly his priests and their attendants and all food supplies in, their had to be a water or land route in. That of course did not mean it was accessible from Skyrim. So I made a deal with Odahviing to fly me there for his release. After he was released he walked to the end of the porch and rested.
I walked back to the others, including the Jarl, and told them what Odahviing had told me. Signar said not a word the whole time, but I could see his hands balled into fists, his lips thinned, his jaw hard as a rock and his eyes, the look in them was enough to break my heart.
"Aranea, could you please get the Dragon scale armor that Adrinne made me, I think in a prolonged battle it will be more sturdy." She nodded yes and the Jarl said he would show her where it was. Nelthas trailed behind him. I walked off to one of the side alcoves to wait, talk to Signar, and change.
" So, you are going where I cannot follow? How am I to protect you?" I had stripped down to the thin gambeson that that come with Armors. He pulled me up against the hard plate of his armor and I thought I might end up with some bruised ribs from the strength of his hold. " I can not lose you."
I looked up at him and I almost choked at the look on his face, his blue eyes glittering with un-shed tears. There was nothing I could really say that was truthful that would take the look off his face. So I said the only things I could.
" I Love you, you are my heart, my soul. What I can do to return, I will, that I promise you. I will live, the Divines willing or allowing, I will come back to you". He held me until Nelthas came with the other armor, then helped me into it. Nelthas told me to wait as Aranea was running to the house with one of the guards to get my staff's and some other supplies I would probably need and not be able to get.
When she came back I gave each one of them a hug and a kiss and told Nelthas and Aranea to take care of Signar for me. I looked around one last time, but Tex was nowhere to be found. Then I put the pack on my back, along with the staff's I wanted to take, and told Ohdaviing I was ready to go. I looked back at my friends and my heart and then with a determined set of my shoulders climbed onto Ohdaviing's neck.
Just before we took off, he said to hold tight...I would see how the dovah saw the world, I would truly know envy then. I looked down at the world after we took off and yes, it was a beautiful sight, but nowhere as beautiful as the light in Signar's eye's when I entered a room.
"My Lord, I would not even think of asking such a thing, but it is not just dragons that have returned," I paused and took a deep breath, " Alduin has returned My Lord, we had him, we had him down, but he escaped." No point in saying how, I really wasn't sure myself., "I need another dragon to get information".
"Alduin, the world eater himself. Doesn't that mean it's the end of times?" He sat up straight as he said that.
"I am Dragonborn My Lord, I can defeat him... I will not will not go down without a fight. I need your help though." I could only hope I did not sound as desperate as I felt.
"Huh... Whiterun will come to your aid Dragonborn, as you came to ours. Ours the sacrifices, ours the glory." he paused for just a moment, " How do you plan on getting a Dragon here?"
" I don't know actually." I admitted ruefully, " But I needed to know if I would have your aid, plus I figured you might need to test the trap, make sure it will still work. It would be a real mess if we got the dragon into the great porch and then the trap would not spring" That was an understatement.
"You are right about that. I will have the guards not only look at the trap but to make sure they are ready for the dragon to possibly attack the town. Let me know when you are ready Dragonborn, we will be. Now, I have preparations to make and a town to run." I knew that for the dismissal it was and left.
I had two choices as I saw it, The first was to ask Esbern if he knew of a way to call a dragon, but he and Delphine would not be happy with Paarthurnax and my association with him. The second was to go back to the Throat of the World and ask Paarthurnax himself. I leaned against one of the pillars and looked up at High Hrothgar, damn, but it was the better choice right now.
"Is something wrong Dragonborn?" one of the guards asked.
"No, friend, I am just contemplating going back to the top of that mountain?" I said pointing up at High Hrothgar.
"I don't envy you that climb, friend." He said as he continued on his rounds. For the first time, I felt a twinge of envy at the wings of my blood kin, I may have dragon blood, but I can not fly. I squashed that feeling, it could lead down a dark path, that I did not wish to take.
I headed back to the house and let the others know that another trip to High Hrothgar was in the offing. I asked Nelthas if he and Aranea would stay here, him to oversee the new additions, I wanted locks we didn't need to worry about, Aranea to brew up some potions, we would probably need them. Some of the staffs could use recharging also. They both agreed though neither looked happy about it.
The one thing I really wanted was a bath, so I headed up the stairs. I turned on the taps and then went back to the bedroom to get out of the armor. The under-clothing I threw in the small basket I kept for that, the armor itself I turned inside out so that the heavy silk lining could air out. I hung it on the odd hanger that kept all the pieces together, but open.
" Are you trying to drown or look like a wrinkled old lady?" My eye's popped open at the voice next to my ear. Signar was sitting on the bath step, with a towel thrown over his shoulder. He stood up and pulled the towel off his shoulder, wiggling his eyebrows he held the towel out by both ends. I laughed and stood up, the water was kinda cold, I must have fallen asleep.
"I wasn't very subtle was I?" I heard him chuckle behind me as we walked the couple steps into the bedroom. As his arms came around me I leaned back into his chest, I could feel his breath tickle my ear.
"As subtle as an avalanche. The good news is that Nelthas thinks you just want time alone, with me. Aranea, now, she might have other thoughts." Goosebumps replaced the towel, as it hit the floor, but it wasn't the chill I felt.
Nelthas and Aranea were already up when we came downstairs. Neither were in their travel armor, but both had packs by their feet.
"We got these ready for you last night. Figured you would want to get up and be off as early as possible. " Nelthas and Aranea walked us to the Stables to see us off. Thankfully the weather held all the way up High Hrothgar.
This time I left Signar in Iverstead and used my Thu'um to climb the mountain faster, Paarthurnax would know I was coming. He had already thought about who to call and had an answer for me, Odahviing. I went down the mountain as fast as I had climbed it.
Signar and I stayed the night in Iverstead and I related the news to him. We talked well into the night, both of us knew my time, in this time, might be coming to an end. I lay curled in his arm's in the wee hours of the morning, I knew he was asleep from the evenness of his breathing and the relaxed weight of his arm.
I stared into the shadows of the darkened room and wanted to cry and scream at the same time. Had I not paid enough for the ill deeds of an ancestor that I had never met? I did not sleep much that night and was blurry-eyed and cranky the next morning. I tried, I really did to not let my foul mood get the better of me, but a family of frost trolls that decided to attack paid the price.
I cast a spell that up until that time I had not been able to use since handing over my family necklace to Signar. The Firestorm spell pretty much made the frost trolls die in their tracks. Signar was standing there with his sword and Shield out and a look on his face that said I had taken all the fun out of his day. I laughed and said "Sorry Sweetie" and got back on my horse.
Temper tantrum or did I now have more magic at my disposal? I wasn't sure, but it was something to think about. We got into Whiterun late in the afternoon, I decided to go tell the Jarl I knew how to call a dragon to me, it wasn't guaranteed to work, but should. We would do it the next day.
Before I left the Jarl with many last-minute preparations, he asked me to hold on a moment.
"The people of Whiterun decided that you needed better armor, so here are two sets. Both are made by Adrinne, she designed one set, the other the Nobles of the town asked her to make. " He had the guards lay both sets out.
I looked at the gold plate set and coughed.. "Well that is rather nice, they put a lot into it." The Jarl chuckled and said that the Nobles would be upset were I not to fight this dragon in it. I sighed and looked at the other set. I gasped as I recognized some of the Dragon Scales that I had sold to Adrinne. "This, this is both beautifully crafted and well thought out. I can feel the enchantments on it. Farengar must have done some of them?"
"Yes, he said he thought about what would be most needed, it's got resists for fire, frost, and lightning on the different pieces along with a couple of other things that he could probably explain better." The Jarl had a twinkle in his eye, I knew that was just a way of saying that I should thank Farengar and ask him what all was put on it and I would before I left the Palace.
"Well as I can't carry both sets, I'll leave the Dragon Scale here and wear the Gold Plate tomorrow when we call the dragon, people will see me in it and the guards will let them know otherwise."
"That sound's like a plan Dragonborn, we will see you just after dawn tomorrow morning?" I nodded and thanked him.
I got back home and the others were sitting down at the table talking, I could smell that dinner was cooking. I looked at them and smiled, then a thought hit me, I was missing a pair of crystal blue eyes. Where had Tex gotten off to? Well, he would reappear when he felt like it but, when had I seen him last? Could he be hurt somewhere? No.. no...we were at the stables the last time I had seen him, he was probably just out hunting on the tundra.
"So.. Tomorrow. The idea is to lure the Dragon onto the great porch and trap the dragon, I'm the bait. When I get the Dragon to land, don't run up and attack him, dissolve into the stonework and let him back me down the porch, then one of the guards will spring the trap. The idea here is to not get anyone killed. "
"Muthsera, I made these enchanted items, you can't wear them all, but I think once the dragon attacks you will know which set to put on." Aranea handed me three silk packets and I opened the blue colored one. I smiled as I touched the amulet.
"Fire, frost, and Lightning?" I asked, when she nodded I thanked her. Signar was looking at the Gold plated armor that I had placed on a chest. He was frowning when he asked.
"You don't intend to wear this tomorrow, do you? Gold? Your fighting a dragon that may use fire, gold melts at a low temperature." I sighed, as angry as he would be, I could not afford the ill will of the Nobles of Whiterun, it didn't matter if he was correct or not.
"I do, I intend to wear it on my walk to the great porch, Adrinne created that armor, she would not make something so badly as that. It is not just gold, it is gold and steel melded together in a fashion I have not seen. More like Elven armor, but not the same materials. Besides their is a better set that the Jarl is holding, I can wear that once I get there, if I think it is a better choice." He nodded.
Our plan with Odahviing worked exactly as planned, even the armor worked with his fire breath. He even gave me the location of Alduin and how to get there, with a small hitch. Their was no way to get there except to fly. I cursed mentally and knew that made sense, Alduin would not want his main fortress to be something easy to get to.
I knew there must be a way. Unless he made his dragons fly his priests and their attendants and all food supplies in, their had to be a water or land route in. That of course did not mean it was accessible from Skyrim. So I made a deal with Odahviing to fly me there for his release. After he was released he walked to the end of the porch and rested.
I walked back to the others, including the Jarl, and told them what Odahviing had told me. Signar said not a word the whole time, but I could see his hands balled into fists, his lips thinned, his jaw hard as a rock and his eyes, the look in them was enough to break my heart.
"Aranea, could you please get the Dragon scale armor that Adrinne made me, I think in a prolonged battle it will be more sturdy." She nodded yes and the Jarl said he would show her where it was. Nelthas trailed behind him. I walked off to one of the side alcoves to wait, talk to Signar, and change.
" So, you are going where I cannot follow? How am I to protect you?" I had stripped down to the thin gambeson that that come with Armors. He pulled me up against the hard plate of his armor and I thought I might end up with some bruised ribs from the strength of his hold. " I can not lose you."
I looked up at him and I almost choked at the look on his face, his blue eyes glittering with un-shed tears. There was nothing I could really say that was truthful that would take the look off his face. So I said the only things I could.
" I Love you, you are my heart, my soul. What I can do to return, I will, that I promise you. I will live, the Divines willing or allowing, I will come back to you". He held me until Nelthas came with the other armor, then helped me into it. Nelthas told me to wait as Aranea was running to the house with one of the guards to get my staff's and some other supplies I would probably need and not be able to get.
When she came back I gave each one of them a hug and a kiss and told Nelthas and Aranea to take care of Signar for me. I looked around one last time, but Tex was nowhere to be found. Then I put the pack on my back, along with the staff's I wanted to take, and told Ohdaviing I was ready to go. I looked back at my friends and my heart and then with a determined set of my shoulders climbed onto Ohdaviing's neck.
Just before we took off, he said to hold tight...I would see how the dovah saw the world, I would truly know envy then. I looked down at the world after we took off and yes, it was a beautiful sight, but nowhere as beautiful as the light in Signar's eye's when I entered a room.
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