Decisions Decisions ( pg 9)

 

  

   The trip to Markarth was uneventful, I mean what's a bandit or two compared to dragons? I talked to the Dwemer scholar as the priestess of Mara said and he managed to catch his Lady, with a little help in the form of a push... well maybe a shove.

     We took the carriage back to Whiterun and then rode to Riften, going through Riverwood, where a Dragon decided to attack, this one didn't really say much, but did spit a green poison at everyone. Once we all figured that out, we pretty much stayed undercover on the porches and took pot shot's at the dragon. I and another mage cast Flame Atronachs, who didn't fare well with the green poison, but they did do some damage and were worth the effort to cast.

   Tex stayed undercover for once, Signar darted out and used his bow to good effect. I used my bound bow, and it worked rather well, but I would have to watch my magic use during battles. This bow at least made the dragon flinch. I stopped shooting, was stunned for a moment when one of the Dawnguard Huskies attacked her handler, He was a little stunned also and but it took just a moment for him to re-aim his crossbow, then he shot his dog.

    Could the dragon have caused that, perhaps that was why Tex had decided to stay undercover for once? That would take a bit of investigation because it wasn't a good thing. The dragon wasn't an easy kill, even with the potions of poison resist that I kept drinking, which kept me from getting poisoned the few times I was hit. It was almost dark by the time we killed the dragon and I absorbed more energy from it.

    I went around town and checked on the people and discovered no one seriously hurt. Some cattle and other livestock had been killed and I helped slaughter the animals, making sure there was no poison in the meat. More than anyone liked was wasted, due to the green slime that coated most of it.

    I talked to Faendal and he showed me a few tricks to use with the bow to aim better. I gave him his share of the reward that the Jarl had given to me, even though I had sent some to him earlier, when I sold some of the items it came out I had more money than I had sent.

    From Riverwood, we rode up through the mountains and made for the pass by Helgen. The town was still a smoldering ruin, but I wondered how long that would last, the walls were still in fairly good condition and I knew some of the stone towers probably would be livable as well. The horses were a bit spooky as we rode through, that could have been the smell of death or dragon, either of which would be enough.

    Signar decided that his place was out front, with Tex darting from each side and often falling well behind. My horse followed along without much direction from me, which was a good thing, as I had many things I needed to think about. The Jarl said that I needed to go and speak with the Greybeards and find out what it is they had in mind.

     Was this something I needed to do? Was I really the Dragonborn, Martin had Dragon blood or that's what everyone said. He always seemed driven to help, and go beyond what normal people would do, but that could merely have been the Priest in him. Some people looking at my history might think I was driven in the same way, was I though? I did most of what I did because I was being subtly swayed in a certain direction, well ok not so subtle, cause dying and coming back isn't exactly subtle.

    Maybe it was, I told Signar to head for Iverstead, I would be going to see the Greybeards. We made it there by dark and instead of playing for a room and meal, I paid the barmaid to play and paid for our room. I walked out and sat on the bridge, overlooking the drop down onto the tundra and lowlands. My protectors weren't far away, and they never left me alone for long, I think Tex slept across the doorway at home just so that he would know if I was trying to leave. I sighed and got up heading into the Inn and our room.

    The next morning it wasn't even daylight when I woke Signar, Tex rising as soon as I got out of bed. We ate a hearty breakfast and then headed up to High Hrothgar. Not only was the climb itself arduous, but running into a bear family and another dragon didn't really help, the Reilkings were the real issue though. The battle with them was short but fierce. I conjured an atronach and then climbed to a point where the boar chargers could not reach me. I had to dodge spears once in a while, but when I got to the ledge I wanted, I conjured my bound bow and started sniping at them. Tex seemed to have an easier time of it than Signar darting in and nipping at the boar's heels, once the boar was down, the Rielking had no chance.

   I concentrated my shots on the Boars that were harassing  Signar because the Rielkings seemed to gather around him. After they were all dead, other than one frost troll it was clear all the way to the doors of the home of the Greybeards.

     I stood there on the steps looking up at the building. I can not say I was in deep thought, I wasn't really. I had always been the force behind whatever was going on, not the focus. I was not sure I wanted to be the center of attention, I didn't mind being the Divines errand girl, but why be their hero? No pun intended, but heroes tend to die young.

     I sighed and squared my shoulders and walked up to the doors. Signar broke the tension by asking what would happen if the doors were locked. I laughed and told him he could beat the doors down, they weren't going to summon me up here and then lock me out, Tex gave a sharp bark.

   The door was unlocked, so we walked in. I asked Signar and Tex to wait inside the entrance for me, as I didn't know how the Greybeards would take me bringing other people into their house. One of the Greybeards came forward and introduced himself.

      Arngeir as he named himself, welcomed me but wanted to do a test to see if I really was the Dragonborn that they had summoned. We spent the rest of the morning doing various exercises that showed them how powerful my Thu'um is, how fast I could learn both extensions of the Thu'ums I already knew, and a new one that they taught me. Those were the easy parts for me.

     When the others left to go about whatever it was they did, I asked Arngeir a lot of questions about both myself and what it meant to be Dragonborn and about their way of life. I was already a follower of Kyne and the Lady Kynareth, so their way of life wasn't a complete mystery. I did envy them their peace and tranquility.

    Perhaps that is why I more closely followed Kyne, Goddess of the Storm, my life was anything but tranquil. Arngeir left me with a final test, to retrieve the sacred horn of the founder of their order Jurgen Windcaller. As he walked away, I stood in the courtyard and contemplated the last few weeks of my life.

    I would follow the path that I was being set on, once again. I would make the most of everything that this time and place could teach me. I know there are blank spaces in my memory, where I learned things or I did things, that whichever Divine was leading me, didn't want me to remember in this time.

    I walked back in and the three of us headed down the mountain. When we got to Iverstead, there were two people waiting for us, one stopped me and asked if I thought I was the Dragonborn, I said yes, I am a Dragonborn.  I noticed the other one pull up a spell and ready it, Signar and Tex noticed this also. Before he called me a liar the other man directed his spell at me. I cast a mage armor spell and pulled my ax, at the same time, Signar pulled his sword and Tex went for the other man's throat.

  Mages often forget that it is faster to pull a physical weapon than to cast a powerful spell. Both of the men went down quickly after the town's guards decided to help. I went through their pockets and found a letter, I put it in my pouch and went into the Inn, meaning to read it later.

   I paid for a room and went and cleaned up then laid down on the bed, Signar said he would bring me in some dinner. Tex barked and Signar shook his head and said he would bring the dog a nice tasty bowl of something. I stared at the ceiling and just let my thoughts drift. If I was going to do this Dragonborn thing, fighting dragons all the time, I needed to think about getting more skill with enchanting, what I knew was ok against bandits and low-level mages, but if I continued to fight dragons, eventually I would find a more powerful one and would not be able to deflect all it's Thu'um with the simple enchants that I knew.


~~~~~~~~~~
      The ride back to the Inn was quiet and allowed me to think a great deal. I respected the Lady, but I was after all an assassin, I had been trained to be one, and I took assassin's jobs. I thought of the bounty on this woman's head, it was enough to retire on. I could literally buy a small kingdom on the amount being offered. Now of course I understood why one had to show her family necklace, not only was she never without it, but it would prove her head was no longer on her shoulders.

     What she had done for my people, really for all the people of Nirn, throughout time, did her other female relations do the same, or was she the only one left? I would need to do some research to know the answer to that before I could decide what course I wanted to take.
 
 
 

The Favor of a Jarl pg 8

    

 The next day dawned bright and clear and we headed out as the first rays of sun crested the distant mountains. I cast a light spell to help our way down the Dwemer steps. Signar had decided to loot some of the Dwemer items that he had found, giving me a couple that he figured might be magical in nature, they were.

     We made the hot spring area as the full light of day spread across the land, making it easy for me to find and pick herbs as we went along. Signar stayed on his horse, taking the reigns of mine and leading her along as I darted from plant to plant. We even stopped in at the Alchemists in Darkwater Crossing, I talked to her and got more of the herbs that grew in this area and asked her what she needed most for my next trip.  I kept track of time, as I wanted to be in Whiterun, by dark if not beforehand.  I was making my way along the outskirts of the hot spring, Tex darting off and fighting wolves once in a while, I cast a flame Atronach spell when they got to close, but kept going.

     We did make it to Whiterun a little after dark and I went and got a room at the Bannered Mare, it was too late to ask around the Inn's for a paying job, but I had enough gold to pay for a room. Signar said he would see me in the morning, as he had a bed in the Barracks, but would go with me to Dragonsreach. Signar and Tex were eating breakfast when I came down the stairs to the main room.

      Signar made a comment about my not being an early riser, I just glared at him over my mug and said if you went to bed after 3am, you wouldn't be a happy camper either. He laughed and said truer words were never spoken.  I finished my breakfast and went to the general store, only to have Belethor say I wasn't supposed to be there. I swear I have no idea what that man has against me. Then went and spoke to Arcadia and sold some of the potions and excess herbs that I had. I had not looted any armor or weapons, so didn't go by and see Adrienne, though I had left a pack with pelts and hides, they had my mark, so she would know who they came from.

    As we went to speak with Farengar, a guard ran past us at full speed, he was out of breath and wheezing as only someone that has run a very great distance does. I explained what we had seen at the two Dragon mounds on his map and showed him one that we added. In all of them, the ground was torn open, like something exploded up out of the ground, and neither a detect life nor detect dead spell produced any results. He nodded as he took notes and asked a few questions, which either I or Signar could answer.

   He was still asking questions when Irileth came in and said there was news of a dragon attacking the Western watchtower and the Jarl would like Farengar to come. She looked at Signar and I and said it would probably be good if we both came also. So we followed them up to where the Jarl was standing in front of a large map. The guard was still giving his report to the Jarl and breathing very heavily, so he must have just started speaking.

    He told Irileth and Signar to gather some guards and head to the watchtower and try to bring the dragon down. He asked me if I would help, as the only person who had escaped the dragon attack at Helgen, which was not exactly accurate, but I wasn't going to argue. Signar looked at me with that.. "and we have some things to discuss later look", well he could ask questions if he wanted, but I didn't really owe him an explanation.

    Tex decided to join us, even though I did tell him that there wasn't all that much he could do against something that flew around. He just glared at me and I shrugged my shoulders, I didn't know if he could really understand me or not, but he sure didn't like the idea of staying in Whiterun. Sometimes I did wonder about that dog.

     We left town with Irileth and several guards. I kept my eyes trained on the horizon and listened for the roar of a dragon.  I did not see or hear it, but when we got to the watchtower it was on fire, a few of the guards were carrying another into the tower and I hurried after them to see if I could heal him.  I heard one of the guards say it was coming back and Irileth say for everyone to ready their bows. I cast a summon towards the doorway and then turned back to the guard. He had some very nasty burns and I gave him a healing potion on top of the healing spell that I cast on him. He would not be back up for this fight, but he would walk back to Whiterun tonight if we defeated the dragon that is.

  My flame atronach was throwing fireballs at the fire-breathing dragon and I had to wonder if that was doing any good.  I summoned my bound bow and started firing arrows as fast as I could draw and aim. I pretty much stayed near the entrance to the tower, trying to cover any of the guards that were injured as they came up the ramp and then either giving them a potion or casting a healing spell on them.

   Tex was having a tough time of it, the dragon not wanting to land for long, but he darted from one place to the other and gave some vicious bites when the dragon did land. Signar was having an easier time of it, with his bow. I cast my Flame atronach spell, but when the dragon got close enough, I cast Ice spikes at it

    This dragon just like the one in Helgen was speaking, I understood the words and didn't realize that no one else did. It got to the point where I could tell what he was going to do, by what he was saying. He was arrogant in that he would say we mortals were fine sport and then land. It didn't take long to figure that out and I whistled and got Signar's attention and told him the dragon's pattern, I did not as it happens mention that I understood what it was saying. It did not take long after that to have him mortally wounded and on the ground.

   Once he was on the ground the end was quick in coming, Signar and some of the guards closed quickly with their swords, and Tex bit at its legs and wings with a vengeance. I checked again on the guardsman I had healed and then walked down the ramp so that I could check on everyone else.

   I had made it to the bottom of the ramp and the dragon was only a couple feet away when it started to burn up from the inside out. Then the glow spread out beyond the dragon,  the men had been yelling and moving away from it now they sprinted away. I stood and stared in fascination watching the light get closer to me, then it seemed to enter me and I felt a strengthening of a power I had never before paid attention to.

   At that moment, I knew what that word wall in Bleakfalls Barrow was whispering and more, I knew I could use that word. One of the guards came over to me and in an awed voice said Dragonborn. The guards got into a discussion about if it was true and what it would mean, I stared off across the tundra and wondered what it meant for me. I had always been the right hand or the left, but never the one. Tex came over and laid his head along my hip and I scratched his ears, he wouldn't care who I was, as long as he got a rabbit and a scratch.

    Signar came up from behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and asked if I was alright. I nodded and said I was fine, but we should head back to Whiterun to let the Jarl know the dragon had been defeated and that he might want to send a cart for the worst of the injured men. I patted the hand on my shoulder and then started off to town.

    I had almost come to terms with the power that killing the dragon had given me when we hit the outskirts of town, voices deep and loud...called to me, I knew not the word, but I knew they were speaking to me. I stopped and looked at the building I could see high on the mountain. I nodded to myself, I would go, but not today or tomorrow.

    Coming into town we stopped the guard captain, who was directing the wall guards and let him know that that dragon was no more. I explained some of the guards and their injuries and he said he would arrange a cart, but I should still tell the Jarl. I had planned to.

    I did speak with the Jarl about the dragon and his injured guards, but he seemed just as interested in the fact that I was Dragonborn and that the Greybeards as he called them wanted to see me. Greybeards, yes I had heard the name before, though not often, they were rather reclusive. He said he had climbed the steps to make the pilgrimage up the mountain but had never spoken to them.

    What surprised me was that he named me Thane and said I might buy a house in his hold if I so choose. Then I was absolutely amazed when he said I was to have a housecarl assigned to me and Signar cleared his throat...  the Jarl looked at him and said if that was what he wanted and I was agreeable then Signar could be my housecarl. He would also assign a permanent guard if I bought a home so that the riff-raff in town would not bother me or my belongings while I was out doing whatever a Dragonborn does.

    I talked to Adventus as he suggested and we came to an agreement on a small house here in town. I didn't really want a house in town, but if I was going to have people assigned to me then they needed a place to lay their heads. Well, truthfully there were times when I really wanted some privacy, more than one could get in a rented room at an Inn.

  So we moved the little I had into a small house next to the smithy, I was very happy that it had an alchemy lab and an enchanting table. Once everything I had was moved from the Inn's storage, I looked longingly at the bed, but I knew Signar wanted an explanation of some kind. With a guard coming I wanted to get this over as quickly as possible with as few people knowing about me as possible, bad enough Ainise knew some.

   So I sat down and motioned Signar to sit across from me in front of the fireplace.  I got two tankards and a bottle of strong ale and poured us both a bit.  I told him about the assassins and how anyone who knew too much about me or my family ended up dead. How a distant relative humiliated a member of our city's most prominent family and everything that meant to me. It almost explained why the hatred had been passed down over time, but he didn't need to know the actual length of time involved.

    I was lucky whatever mer blood I had, I aged slowly and that on top of not really living in any one time. I was much older than I looked, but I tried to look as young as I could, while still looking competent anyway.

    He wanted to know about the dragons and the first time I had seen one, I explained about waking up in the cart and putting my head on the block only to have a huge dragon save me from a very nasty fate. I just didn't tell him that I had gone through the same thing three times already.

    He remarked that there was more to it and I said yes, he nodded and said he understood, trust is earned and he would earn my trust. I said good nite and that we would head to Markarth tomorrow, via carriage as I had had enough excitement for a day or so at least. He laughed and said good nite.
 

~~~~~~~
     I stood reeling in front of the Statue of Azura, she had given me all the answers I sought and more, many more. My answers were not in words, but in looking at the woman's whole life. How as a young child she had been raised by male cousins because her mother had been slain, In the one way that they did not come back at a specific time from. How when she came of age they told her of the contract out on the female line and that if she wanted to live, she would hide who she was. Told her of the curse that would keep her going back to the same point in history, until such a time as she did whatever it was that was supposed to be done. I saw her history and understood who she was, and what she was to the people. I asked one more question, and while I still felt the Lady's presence, she did not answer. Whichever Deadra or Aedra was pulling this woman's strings, Lady Azura had respect for, at the very least.

     I was walking down the steps to my horse, when it hit me, I knew how to kill this woman, not just now, but so that she would never come back and I had the means to find all her female relatives. Azura was testing me, there was no doubt in my mind.

   

Men, Women & Divines ( pg 7)

  

    I knew I had to change a couple things in order not to die, but I couldn't just kill Obren, not when he hadn't yet done anything wrong. In this time frame he might not, but I could not take the chance. I started with trying to save the Witch again, Anise was hard to convince that she should not try and take on the bandits by herself. I did manage to convince her after I sent Faendal out to chop wood, by telling her part of who I am, but mostly it was what I knew about her that convinced her. So After Faendal and I got through getting the Dragonstone from Bleakfalls Barrow and came by her cabin, she was inside, until we passed.

   When the bandits attacked us, she was behind lending much-needed support, but not in the direct line of fire. We stayed the night with her and as it was raining Faendal and Tex stayed upstairs, while Anise and I made up pallets in the basement area. We talked well into the night about some of my problems and between the two of us came up with a good plan for Obren, he would make a decent amount of money and Faendal could not hire him to watch my back.

     I had already changed a bit, as I had not left for Whiterun immediately after Bleakfalls, but It seemed the Bandits killed the assassin before we got there, so I had no reason to. Which worked very well for the plan that Anise and I had concocted.

   The next morning dawned crisp and clear, the way it often does after a good rain, but I knew it was only a squall before a major storm. I hurried Faendal to town, as he wanted to do some hunting, but I needed to intercept a group of traveling merchants. We got to town right as they were packing up to go, so I asked them what they had to sell and we set down to dickering about some of the loot that I had gotten from Bleakfalls. When Faendal saw what I was doing he asked me to sell his stuff also as Hod asked him to help him catch up with the wood cutting, Sven still sulking about Camilla.

   I talked to the merchant and when we were almost finished with our trading, I warned him about the storm to come. Saying that Anise, had told me that by listening to the Wind, Lady Kynareth had warned her about a large storm that would blow through before mid-afternoon. If they were not going to be where they were going by then, perhaps they should stay here another day.

   The merchant was slightly reluctant, but then he did admit he was one guard short and that meant one person short to help set up tents. I was silent for just a moment like I was thinking, then I told him about Obren, saying that mayhap the mercenary would be willing to work for him, at least until they could get to a larger town and find more people if that was he didn't want a permanent spot with the caravan.

   The next couple of days went almost exactly as they had before, but it helped that for a full day, Sven and I played at the Inn to keep Traders and Guards alike amused while the storm rolled over our heads. The Storm let up on the third day and after some much-needed armor improvement and getting a couple lessons from Faendal on the bow, I managed to talk him into staying in Riverwood and doing some much-needed hunting, while I went and gave the Dragonstone to the court Wizard.

   Anise would be helping me keep him in the area, by pretending to have a chest ailment that she didn't have, but would need some help with food and firewood for a little while due to her illness. Tex and I made our way to Whiterun, I stopped by and talked to Adrienne, I did not really have anything for her, but I asked if she had any bows that would suit me. She shook her head no and said she was concentrating on the arms and armor that the Imperial army needed, as they were paying her well. I shrugged and said I would go ask the Bosmers at the Drunken Huntsman, as they usually had good quality bows and could probably make me one if they didn't have it, she said that was true, they were excellent at making bows.

    As I walked through the door, I looked around for the large Nord that had been in the last time, but as that was two days ago for everyone else, it stood to reason he might not be here in the middle of the day. I talked to Elrindir about a bow that would have a good draw for me. Though I am strong for my size, I am rather small, smaller than some female Bosmer as it happens. I thought for a minute about asking about the Nord, but really I didn't want to be teased right now. Elrindir said he did not have a bow ready that would be suitable for me, he did have a child's bow, that would do in a pinch, till he could make one for me and If I would play and sing tonight, he would let me have the child's bow, for now, and take it back at cost in trade as long as nothing happened to it. I said that was fine, but I would need a place to sleep. Which turned out to be the storeroom again.

    I told him I would be back in a while, as I had a delivery to make up at Dragonsreach. I stopped in and gave Arcadia the herb's that she wanted and got a pretty bit of coin for them. I then walked up to the Jarls palace and into the room the wizard used. Farengar was there talking to the woman again. I pretty much figured out who she was, but as she wanted to keep her identity a secret I wouldn't say a word.

   I waited until a good point in their conversation and then let Farengar know I was there. I smiled at him and then handed him the tablet, telling him that I had a bit of help from Faendal in Riverwood and half the reward should be his. Tex gave a sharp bark and I told him I would pay him out of my half, the woman laughed, Farengar just looked confused. She told me I was rather brave and that she would come back in a couple days and they could collaborate on the Stone again then, but he really should send out some guards or something to some of the Dragon mounds to check them out.

    Farengar thanked me for getting the stone and said that the Jarl wanted to thank me also, but right at the moment he was busy with a delegation. I said that was fine and we started talking about some of the artifacts that I had pulled out of the Barrow, he was interested in a few and traded me some spell tomes for them. We talked for a good bit more and then I asked him about the Dragon mounds and where there  any on the way To Riften, as I had business there. He looked at the stone and then the map on the stand and started drawing on a hand-sketched map. As he was explaining exactly where the mounds were in regards to some of the other places, I heard the thunk of metal boots on wood and the slight tinkling sound heavy armor makes as the person in it moves.

   The deep gravelly voice of the large Nord from the other day asked Farengar if he could also go out and check some of the mounds. Farengar said that with dragons and the Civil War and all, it was getting dangerous and the two of us should go together. He introduce the man as Signar an unassigned housecarl, who at the moment was doing special jobs for the Jarl.

     I would have protested, but the truth is I did need someone to watch my back and while he might not be my housecarl, he would still be honor-bound to do me no harm and to protect me as long as I was with him doing work for the Jarl. He asked me if I had a horse and I said no, I had not thought about getting one.            

      Truthfully I hadn't, it's an expense that I didn't really need and might not even remember that I had.  Sometimes it got hard enough to remember that I didn't know someone 2 days ago, even though I knew their whole life story. What I mean is, even though I really have not known Faendal long, I knew more about him than he probably thought, as each time I have come back I asked different questions, so while he might only think he's talked about his life here in Skyrim, one life ago he talked about why he came to Skyrim in the 1st place.

    He asked did I know how to ride and care for a horse. I smile and said yes, I do, I just really had not thought about buying a horse right now. I had money on hold at the Temple of Mara in Riften, they took out a percentage for charity but it should be enough for me to buy a horse, among other things I actually needed, but I didn't say that. We took the carriage, with his horse tied up behind. Tex sat up with the carriage driver, I'm sure it was for the view, but could have been that he was giving the big dog cookies.

     Once in Riften, we went to the Temple and I retrieved some of the money that they held for me, I gave them a generous donation and somehow ended up with the task of helping out two young lovers in Iverstead. I went and talked to the vendors in the market and found out that one was a light arms trainer, so I paid for a couple of lessons and did the same with the smith. We then went and talked to the stableman, about my purchasing a horse. We settled on a price and some tack and feed and then we headed back into Riten and I talked to the barmaid about playing for a room and tips.

   The Trip to Iverstead and back was just a series of fighting bears, wolves, and giant spiders, so in the scheme of things lately, quiet. I learned a little about my traveling companion, he had once been a mercenary and then was a soldier, but came to Whiterun and was going to continue being a mercenary to make money. He happened to talk to one of the housecarls and it seemed like a good job, solid and honorable so he swore himself into service with the Jarl, who said that he was welcome to stay in his household or if a position with one of his Thane's came open, he might want to take that if he wanted to.

   I nodded it made a lot of sense to become a housecarl from being a mercenary, the pay might not be as good, but it was steady and you had a place to live, food, which were not always bad points. We went back to the Temple and I talked to the Priestess about the young couple, who no doubt would be on their way to visit the temple for the bonds of matrimony. She told me about another love-crossed couple in Markarth.

   I played and sang that night at the Inn and we left early the next morning. We probably should have taken the quicker way, but I wanted to stop in at Darkwater Crossing, as the Alchemist might have some herbs that I could not get easily in other areas. My very quick trip to the Alchemist in Riften wasn't a bust, but instead of getting a lesson or two, I ended up seeing if I could get a sample of ore. By the time all the delays were taken care of, I knew we would not reach Darkwater crossing before the sun had set.

    This would have been fine had I not spied a storm brewing in the distance, it already looked very menacing. By the time we could see the hot springs area, the storm was almost overhead. The clouds had a reddish cast that reminded me of another time and place... only the lightning there was leaving the ground, not heading towards it. Before the Thunder was a loud booming in our ears I slipped my packs off the saddle and onto my back and I suggested to Signar that he do the same. I repeatedly cast calm spells on both horses, but they did not last long. Up ahead I spied steps and some columns and knew they belonged to Dwemer ruins, I could only hope that enough of them were left to give us shelter.

   As it turned out, there were two different buildings, I chose the smaller of the two, it would still house us all and probably had fewer occupants.  Signar took Tex in with him to see if anything else had decided to take up residence, while I tried to keep both horses from bolting. He popped back out to say that all was clear and to take his horse. Neither wished to go in, but a simple spell pushed them both into the Dwemer building.

   I told Signar that I would quickly gather up some wood for a fire. I ran back out and started gathering up some of the fallen wood from close by. It seemed that all Oblivion was breaking out, lighting was striking treetops and some of the Dwemer ruins that I could see. The smell of Ozone and sulfur was strong in the air, I froze with the memories it brought back, but the ear-splitting clap of thunder shook me out of it and I ran into the Building.

   Signar had lit a torch that he jammed into an open work table and was gathering up what appeared to be ink pots, but I soon found out were in fact some kind of oil that burned brightly. He said they worked for light, but would give any food cooked on them a nasty flavor. This was a good thing to know. So I made a small fire and cooked some stew, with the ever-gifted rabbit from Tex. Signar prowled around and disappeared into the other room.

    After a minute or two, I got up and looked into the other room. Signar was taking some heavy-looking metal and putting it into the door handles, which would keep anyone from entering this room. He grabbed two more of the large pieces of metal. and jammed one in the door we entered through.

    I wandered around the room until the smell of stew took me back to the first room. I scooped out some stew and gave a bowl to Signar and another to Tex, who it happened liked stew. I took the third bowl and sat down on the bedroll I had placed earlier. I ate the stew and my thoughts turned back, they were not all that pleasant.

     I went about the normal camping chores and kept my thoughts to myself. I told Signar I would take the 1st watch and then wake him up, he could wake Tex and he would do the last watch. Signar gave me a dubious look, but I said that truly Tex would stand watch, but the last watch was best for him.

   I took up a position where I would see both sets of doors and let the cookfire burn down. The Dwemer pots left the room with a reddish cast, that reminded me of those days long ago.

   I could hear the sounds of lightning crackling, some from memory, some from outside. The red sky, the smoke, the sulfur and ozone smell, all helped to bring back memories that I truly did not want to relive. I tried to think of other things and managed it, until I woke Signar for his watch and my eye's closed, then I saw his beloved face.

    The wrench to my heart was enough to make me cry and I felt some tears leaking from under my eyelashes. He was my best friend, in a couple of my lives his lover, friendship was enough for the most part. The night's we sat in the Library and talked the night away.. only to realize we had not discussed the matter at hand at all. I was his right-hand woman, doing all those things that he did not have the time or in some instances the skills to do.

    It wasn't until after I had relived that last day.. the day he was lost forever except in my heart - had experienced that soul-rending sense of loss after his great sacrifice, that I got any restful sleep. I am not sure that I did not cry out in my sleep, I know I have done so before. I died in that time shortly after and was not reborn for at least a hundred years, then the only thing I did was help some Dunmer find a new home. Now here.


~~~~~~
     I woke to look quickly around to make sure I was still in the room at the Inn in Winterhold. The sense of being elsewhere, of reliving a past that I never saw, was very great and all I could wonder at was who this woman was. I could feel her emotions, the terror and conviction as she walked through that first Oblivion gate and the love for the man she spent so much time talking to, the helplessness as she watched him transform on that day. I knew who he was, who would not, but I only had a clue as to who she might be.

   Why I was seeing her, why I was reliving some of her life, those were the things that I asked the Priestess of Azura to ask of the Lady. She had told me to come back in a day or so, as the lady often did not answer her right back.

   I would wait, I needed to know.

Dragons, Nords and the harsh reality of life ( pg 6)

     

 I woke with a splitting headache, nothing new right? And there across from me sat Ralof, giving me that goofy grin and going through the whole spiel about thinking I would never wake. This time I almost wish I hadn't, almost. I gave him the same stupid responses again, but I was thinking very hard..

      Why had I went to my restart point, I know I didn't die, not unless some massive spell took everyone in the Inn. So what is it I was doing...Oh drinking contest, but why would that cause me to be put back to my resurrect point? I have gotten drunk before, so it wasn't just that. The man looked pretty normal, but was he? Could it have been the man, I really don't see how... So maybe timing, If I got drunk at that time, with that man, something else I was supposed to do would not get done in the time it was supposed to get done.

       Yes, that had to be it, so I guess next time I saw...Sam, yes that was his name, I would have to pass on the drinking contest... well at least for a while. So follow the well-remembered path to the same point in time playing at the Inn in Whiterun. I groaned, really this would get tedious if I had to go through watching the ax swing down to take off my head... of course, seeing the dragon land and use his voice magic was almost worth it, It was long ago, the last time dragons freely flew across the land.

    Little things changed, some because I tried to change them, I really did try and keep the Witch from being killed by the bandits, but that wasn't to be. Some because, that is the way of the world, random events happen. I was disappointed that we did not get to fight the Winged Twilight, it meant I would not get the staff from the mage.

      I went through all the motions till that last day, then I thought things through. I told Sam no, that I wasn't interested in a drinking contest at this time, maybe later, he really was a good looking man. The next morning I went to the Drunken Huntsman and asked after a good bow. As we went over the draw on a couple that would suit my smaller size, I heard a deep gravely voice and turned to see a very tall and Handsome Nord man, he made Ralof look plain in comparison. We settled on a price then I headed up to speak with the court wizard, but he had nothing, said that he had sent out sets of guards to check out two of the mounds that were close by, but that they would not be back for a couple days.

     I told him I planned on a trip to Riften, but I should be back about the same time, if he had the directions to a Dragon Mound along the way, I would check it out for him. He smiled and handed me a hand-drawn map with some marks on it and said I could check out any or all of them along the way and any observations I made would valuable to him.

     So it being early in the day we headed out. We made it as far as Valtheim Towers where we were stopped by a bandit asking for money for a toll... I refused to pay the toll and we had to fight not only her but a half dozen of her fellows, had I known that I might have paid the toll... maybe. We dispatched the bandits with a running battle, Tex was a very good tank. It was a very awkward angle to slice down at him, his only trouble was mages and archers and he tended to close in before they even knew he was there. Obren uses his bow to good effect and then closed in with his sword, though he seemed reluctant to do so. It didn't take long to deal with the last of the bandits, which my Flame Atronach took care of.  We spent the night in the Tower, after looting the bandits and hiding the bulkier items in some rocks under the tower.

     It wasn't even dawn yet when we left the tower and started for Darkwater Crossing, I knew the area would have some herbs that I couldn't find in other places. I picked herbs along the way and didn't rush, I really felt that the court wizard was the key to my needing to be in Whiterun. We were near Darkwater crossing, I could see the smoke from their fires from the curve in the road and I was sure I was seeing thatch from their roof's.  At the last bridge, I paused to take in the view and it was a grand one, then Tex started growling and I looked to the other side of the bridge.

      Wolves and a rather large pack of them. I cast a mage armor spell and then a Flame Atronach. Then grabbing my new bow, I started shooting arrows into the wolf pack, taking out the largest of the wolves first. As the wolves got closer, I switched to my ax and buckler... knowing I would need to summon again soon. I heard the sound of a roar that I had just recently heard, Dragon... I looked up but saw nothing, so I knew it had to be behind me, not where I wanted it. I dropped my buckler and started casting a flame spell, hoping that the wolves would back away.

       As I drew even with the end of the bridge, I felt the stinging pain of an arrow hit my shoulder.  I was stunned for half a second and then I really was stunned as the paralytic on the arrow took effect, I could not move. I looked within the area that I could see and only saw shadows, no person, but I felt the ground shake and the gust of air and sting of sand as the dragon landed behind me, I felt helpless as I saw the shadow of the creature. I saw and heard more than felt as the dragon grabbed me in his maw and clamped his mouth shut around my body, the world blurred by as he shook me like a dog with a bone. He tossed me aside as he went after something else, I knew it wasn't Tex as I could hear him barking in the distance. 

      For a minute I thought it was Obren that the dragon was after, but then I saw him in the tree's, drawing his bow and aiming... but not at the dragon... as the arrow hit me I knew no more....

      This time when I woke to Ralof's smiling face, I didn't have quite the headache, my chest hurt as if it had been crushed, which rightly it had. I made the same remarks, but instead of looking around again, I looked down at my feet. So, betrayal... that wasn't a first either, but I would have to do something about it, getting killed by someone that you expected to watch your back, is never a pretty thing. I had an idea, but it would take some maneuvering, I had a little bit of time to plan.


~~~~~
     Pain exploded inside my chest and caused me to wake with a start. For one brief second, I thought someone had stabbed me with a knife. There was no one in the room and with the door shut, I was not hit with an arrow or dart.  I laid back down and thought for a second and realized I had been dreaming about a dragon again, only this time it had tried to take a bit out of me. I closed my eyes and slowed my breath till I fell back into a restless sleep.

   When I dressed the next morning I noticed bruising along my ribs, If I didn't know better I would say that a dragon had tried to take a chunk out of my hide. I sat back down and had to do some serious thinking. After a bit of contemplation, I decided to make a visit to the shrine of Azura, perhaps she would answer my questions if she had an answer.

For the Love of Mara ( pg 5)

 

 I was almost to Whiterun when I heard the sound of running behind me, as Tex as not growling, just sitting there thumping his tail, I knew it was someone we knew. As the man drew closer I recognized him, the Dunmer mercenary that hung out at The Sleeping Giant Inn. He slowed down when he realized that I had stopped, so he wasn't completely out of breath when he got to me.

    I laughed and told him to take a seat and explain what he was doing once he caught his breath. He took off his pack and sat down, opening it and pulling out a very familiar shape. He handed me my lute case and told me that Faendal had asked him if he wanted a job, a long term job. It wouldn't pay overmuch, only the original 500 gold and half of whatever loot we found, which was what Faendal and I had discussed.  He said he accepted the job because the only other things to be had were guard duty for rich folk that were traveling and joining one side or the other in the war. He wished to do neither.

    I asked him if Faendal had explained who he would be protecting me from? He said yes, more or less the Dark Brotherhood. I said yes that was true, but also the Morag Tong and another group of assassins that used Crimson  Raven Jewelry as a calling card. He said one group was just as deadly as another and he would do his best to watch my back. I nodded and got up and we walked to Whiterun.

     As we walked along I asked him, if he knew why Faendal, had spent the money to hire him instead of putting it towards a homestead. Obren said that all Faendal would say, was "For the Love of Mara". I thought about that for a while, it really wasn't the hardest thing to figure out. He was a true friend and I had done the best thing I could, keeping him safe by staying away from me. Not that hunting was the safest occupation, but it beat fugitives from assassins.

   When we got to Whiterun, Adrianne stopped me and asked if I had any pelts or ore that I would be willing to sell to her, the Imperials along with the Jarl,  wanted more armor and weapons and she was having some problems getting the supplies that she needed. So I traded her a much better steel sword and a bow with some arrows, for the pot metal one that I had, along with the ore and pelts I had gotten from clearing some bandits from a mine. I stopped by the general store, but Belethor would still not talk to me. One of these days I would have to investigate why.

    So I headed over to Arcadia's store and she asked me again if I had fresh herbs, I told her that I did and I would trade her some lessons and coin for what I had. She was more than happy to teach me a couple more potions using the ingredients that I had found, plus perfect the potions that I already knew. She told me that the Jarls guards were running into more and more bandit's, with the imperials fighting the Stormcloak's, their were fewer patrols going out. So she was selling a great many healing potions to them, along with some others. She gave me a list of ingredients that she needed the most and I told her I would try and get some.

    As we passed The Bannered Mare, we lost Tex, who I was sure was going to go beg Hulda for some meat and a bone.... plus I really think he liked ale. So it was just Obren and I that went up to speak with Farengar and give him the Dragonstone. He was talking to a woman about the dragons and books and I paid attention to it all. When she was about to leave I gave Farengar the Tablet, but paid much attention to the way she reacted. ,.. so.. she was his source.

    Farengar and I traded and sold some items that I picked up in the Barrow, but I also asked to use his enchanter, for some reason, every time I "died", I lost all knowledge of the spells to enchant items. It was odd, I understood why I couldn't cast some of the spells I knew, I just wasn't strong enough, death or rebirth took away all the magic that I had at that time and seemed to leave me drained. Why the lack of enchanting knowledge though, that made little sense to me. I dis-enchanted some of the items that I had found not only in the barrow but in other places as well.. each item adding to my knowledge base.

    The court wizard asked me to stay around town, as he might have another task for me, if I was willing, the gold would be good, that he promised. I decided to stay, if only because I thought this issue with the dragons might be why I had been placed here, right now.

     I told Obren that I would see if I could trade a bit of singing in one of the Inn's for a place to sleep and meals for the two of us, that way we would not have to spend our gold on it. Hulda said that she had already rented out her spare room, but as Mikial was going to be playing at a tasting at the meadery the following night, I could have the room, a meal, and tips for playing, but as many of her regulars were going to the taste testing, she could not promise gold in payment. That was fine, Orben followed me out to the Drunken Huntsman and I talked to the owner, he said that I could play for tips and use the storeroom to sleep in, as I had my bedroll that was fine with me, it would be dry, warm and safer than camping on the outskirts of town.

    I awoke to the sound of heavy breathing in my ear and the foul smell of rotting meat in the puffs of air that brushed by my nose. I rolled over on my back and looked into the blue eyes of Tex. I closed my eyes and warned him that if he drooled on me I would not be responsible for my actions. A deep male chuckle made me look to my right, where Obren was sitting up on his bedroll, fully dressed, eating breakfast.

   I grimaced at the two and grumbled " For the Love of Mara, please tell me you are not a morning person also?" He looked right at me with too blank of an expression, shrugged his wide shoulders, and continued eating, to which I groaned and flopped over on my stomach, burying my head in my pillow. The Lady have mercy, I closed my eyes and would have gone right back to sleep if Tex hadn't started nudging me with his nose and whining.

   I flopped back over and looked at the big hound, " I suppose you want to go out to the tundra and chase rabbits?"  The thump of his tail and the happy shine in his eyes said it all. "Ok.. let me get up and wash my face and eat, then we can get going." After dropping our things off in the room Hulda had promised and with an almost empty backpack, there are things I will not leave behind if I can help it, we headed out the gates of Whiterun.

    Adrianne and Arcadia would both be happy with the ore, pelts, and the herb's that we had gathered. By late afternoon, we were headed back to Whiterun. We noticed the tel-tale streaks of light that meant two wizards were fighting, so edging closer, we watched two bands of goblin-like creatures fighting each other, Rieklings, I think they are called. I had never run into them before, so I was interested in watching how they fought. the clashing of metal on wood or metal filled the air. Crows and other carrion birds waited with the patience of those who knew, for the battle to end and their feasting to begin. We watched the battle for over an hour, with many of the warriors badly wounded or dead, the wizards were still casting spells at each other. A few of the warriors were shooting arrows at whatever target presented itself, which as it turns out, was us when they noticed we were standing there.

    I would have been more than happy to pass on this battle, by sprinting to the nearest guard tower, but Tex had other ideas and Obren decided to follow him. Not to be completely left out, I cast a mage armor spell and then summoned a Flame Atronach, as I had little magic in reserve after that and I thought to keep that for any healing spells that might be needed, I drew my bow and started shooting at the nearest targets.

   It was a long hard fight, with only the wizards and a couple of archers left. The Flame Atronach decided to go after one archer, I picked another, while Tex and Obren decided that the wizards would be their first targets. I got some help with my archer, from a wolf that decided to take a bit of Riekling. I hung back far enough that I would be able to take on the winner, but not become a target of both of them at once. As it happened the wolf won and before he noticed me crouched not far away, I cast a firebolt that put him to rest, but with a sigh, I realized his pelt might not be good for making anything but leather strips from.

   By the time we finished looting the Rieklings of good items, it was getting to be early evening and I was starting to wonder if we would make it in before dark. I had started to hear rumors about vampires getting bolder and attacking small towns and villages. With our pack's straining to the point of bursting, we did make it into town before dark.  We left both our pack's near the forge, I knew Adrianne would not mind and I didn't want to take the stinky pelts into the Inn.

   The guards were in a surly mood that evening when they came in at dinner time, muttering about how lucky their fellows were to have the night off to be able to go to the taste testing. Around 8 pm it got very packed and I wondered where all the people had come from until I saw Mikal and asked him what was up during a short break. He told me that they had found a rat infestation at the meadery so, called off the taste testing, but as he had already been paid, he was going to sit back and enjoy the music, and then he winked at me and went to flirt with the ladies.

    I looked around and saw Tex with his head on the knee's of one of the local merc's, getting his ear's scratched. Obren was playing a card game with an older woman in plate steel. I looked around as I started playing a Nordic tune, I caught the eye of a dark-haired mage, he raised his tankard in salute and then talked to the man next to him. When all the guards started filing out I knew it was very late. Hulda nodded letting me know that I could stop playing now if I chose to. I played one more song, one about the long road home.

   One of the barmaids brought me a tray with food and a drink on it. I looked in the tankard and was happy that she had brought me some watered down wine, it's not that I didn't drink, it's just that patrons tended to buy me drinks. The mage came over and sat down, he really was good looking, but by his slurred speech, he'd had a bit too much to drink. When he asked me if I wanted to have a drinking contest, with the winner getting a staff, I had to wonder if that wasn't some kind of innuendo, he was obviously too drunk to win a drinking contest. I decided to take him up on his offer, so we ordered up a couple rounds of ale. He took the first drink and  I raised my tankard to lips and downed my first round... He smiled and picked up his second tankard and downed that. After the third round, I was going to give it a pass and let him win, but he said one more round and if I downed the tankard I won... so I lifted it to my lips and started drinking......

~~~~~~
     Heat, the crackle of flames, the smell of burnt flesh the roar of a winged..Dragon? I could hear the terror in the voices of many people, panic confusion, many voices yelling over each other giving differing orders. For a moment it seemed that I was following an Imperial officer through burning buildings, that I was seeing through the eyes of another.

     I woke from nightmare, not knowing where the town was, not even knowing if it was a real town. I got up and washed my face and went through the scenes from my nightmare... thought of the feelings, the sense of panic and realized that it wasn't coming from the woman? who's eyes I had seen out of. I feel curiosity and a sense of urgency, but no panic or terror. It was not the first time I have had nightmares of true events that I had no prior knowledge of. Was this a real seeing or just a regular nightmare based around one of the Nordic sages told by the Bard who had been through a couple days ago.

    As I laid down, I thought about going into Windhelm and staying that the Inn a couple days to listen for any rumors. Yes, it might be the most prudent thing to do, knowledge is never a bad thing and I need to know current events.
 

Bleakfalls and a parting of ways (pg 4)

 

 I stuck around Riverwood for a few days dividing my time between making some potions and smithing up some better gear. Faendal said he would like to go with me when I entered Bleakfalls Barrow to find the Dragonstone for the Jarls wizard. His hunting gear would never work though if it is as dangerous as they were hinting at neither one of our gear would be suitable really. I have always hated the stiffer armors, but their is something to be said for a piece of metal that dents and doesn't allow a sword to slice cleanly through.

    I had seen some Bosmer armor that I felt would work for Faendal's style of fighting, layered hardened leather over a cloth base that would allow for a full range of movement. As he was hunting more to prepare for the winter, there was more hide and leather to work with. He said he felt a little silly in armor, having always just worn hunting leathers. I told him that this was based on a ranger armor out of Valenwood, so hush.

   I decided to give up some of my freedom of movement for protection, even though I used a sword it was generally as a last resort, but it never hurts to be over-prepared. But only some, I would only be doing the chest piece, the grieves were more restrictive to my legs than I wanted. I never could stand helmets so those were out also, I much preferred a mage-hood anyway... helped to keep the rain out of your eyes.

   I'm afraid though that I am not that much of a smith, I don't like the sweltering heat of the forge. So I decided to go take a walk down the river and maybe catch some fish or something. I would be looking for herbs and any other ingredients that I could find. Find them I did, along with much in the way of trouble and no one to help, Tex had decided to make like a rug and lay about all day.

    When I spied a Spriggan Matriarch, I gave her a very wide berth. Which would have been fine had I not run smack into a bear with her two cubs. I did the only thing I could think of, I backed up and when she followed, I dove off the ledge into the river. It wasn't deep, but I knew I would never make it to the other shore, so I planned to float a bit down and then climb out. That was a sound plan, except the Slaughter fish, that decided to start taking bites out of me. I then did the only thing I could, I climbed up on a rock that wasn't very far offshore and started sniping at both the bear and the slaughter fish, with my bow.

     I got lucky when the slaughter fish bit one of the bear cubs and momma bear and both cubs went after it. I then climbed down from the rock and ran as fast as I could to a shallow point in the river, where I crossed over and walked up the other side of the bank. I stayed that night with a hunter, she was more than happy to share her dinner with me, in exchange for a bit of gossip.

    The next morning I made my way back to Riverwood, Faendal found me entering the town and asked what had happened. He asked if we were going to go to Bleakfalls Barrow today, I explained that I had a little more work on both of our armor. His needed a little more re-enforcement in a couple area's and mine needed to be lace together and then fitted and maybe reshaped.

     As it happened it was two more days before we started out for Bleakfalls, vampires had attacked the town in the middle of the night and Faendal help the guards fight, while I summoned a familiar and then set about healing the wounded. While I was not actually hurt in the attack, I did strain my wrist helping to pull a crossbow bolt out of a citizen that had gotten between one of the Dawnguard and a Master vampire.

    It was a cool morning with the wind blowing out of the north, Faendal said that meant it would probably snow in the mountains. So we hurried up and left before the sun had more than cast gold streaks across the sky. We snuck past some bandits that were holed up in the watchtower, Faendal said we would have to come back at a later date and take care of them, or they would end up raiding the town, but for now, they were fighting with each other, so we went on our way.

    What to say about Bleakfalls, well we encountered bandit's as we approached, but that was expected. Tex, who had decided to join us for this trip ran right up the steps and started attacking the nearest bandit. Faendal took out his bow and fired away at the most distant bandit, which left me to summon a flame atronach, having finally built up enough magic reserves and cast a couple fire bolts at the middle bandit and hit him with my shield and ax. It would be quiet sometime before I would be able to just use summoned weapons and shield, along with other magics.

    We sneaked in through the huge door, which was very surprising until we realized that the bandits were arguing. We sneaked closer to the bandits and then Faendal and I both drew our bows and with a soft countdown, we loosed our arrows when Faendal said three. This did not kill the bandits, so I cast a quick summon spell and then notched another arrow as the bandits drew closer. Tex intercepted the male bandit and chewed on him pretty good, while my familiar when after the archer, harassing her while our arrows zipped across the room.

   With those two down, we quietly made our way further into the barrow. A few rodents and a giant spider later and I was talking to a man who was caught up her web. He begged us to let him down and promised to share the treasure and power that was awaiting behind a door that he had the key to, as he babbled this, the only thing I really had a care about was that there was a locked door and he had a key. I could pick simple locks, but a key was always a good thing. So I cut him down and he ran, saying that we were stupid and he wasn't going to share.

   Faendal asked if we weren't going to run after him, I shook my head no and told him that we didn't need to run into a trap of some kind by hurrying through. Sure enough, we ran into draugr that he had awoken and after we sent them back to sleep...hopefully permanently this time, we found the Dunmer, impaled on a door trap. I used the haft of a battle-ax to pull him off the trap and then into clear space. I then went through his pockets and pouch, laying out the items as I found them.

    Faendal picked up the journal and started reading it and then he read a couple passages out loud that told us what we needed to know about the Nordic puzzle door and the Golden Claw I had found in his pouch. We made our way through more draugr and traps to stand in front of the puzzle door. As I moved the rings around on it, to match the pictures on the claw, Faendal pulled his bow and notched an arrow to be ready in case something was on the other side, even Tex was crouched ready to spring.

    When I had the last of the rings turned and put the claw in the right spot and twisted it... at first nothing happened. Then deep within the rock, I could hear groaning and rock sliding against the rock. Then little by little the huge door slid into the floor. I had spells ready to cast, but nothing was there. We cautiously made our way into the main chamber, which was a huge underground cavern, with streams flowing through.

   We made our way to the ancient wall that was there, neither of us could read it, but it started to glow and it almost seemed like I understood the chanted whispering, and then it was gone. Before I could ask Faendal if he had felt the same thing a draugr burst out of a crypt and stared at us, he used some kind of vocal magic, the words...it felt like I should understand them.... they knocked me off my feet. Tex was there jumping at the creature's face, which gave Faendal and I time enough to get to our feet. I cast a summon for my Flame atronach and then drew my bow. Faendal had already drawn his bow and was making a wide circle around the Draugr so I did the same thing, so that we were shooting at the creature from different directions, but not exactly opposite each other.

   It was not a quick fight and Tex was wounded very badly, enough so that we lit a fire and set up camp and I placed my best healing spell on him. He was still weak, but given some food and rest, he would be fine. Faendal and I checked out the Draugr and found the Stone tablet that the court wizard wanted, along with several other items that would be of use. We then checked out the huge chest and both our eyes lit up at the loot inside.

   While I set about cooking our dinner and placing our bedrolls around our fire, Faendal went back a ways and used my ax to break up some furniture for firewood, so that there would be enough to last the night. He then looked around the big cavern and found two more chests and brought the items back.

   When we woke up, we put out the fire and then followed the steps upwards to the hidden door, which leads us to a natural cleft in the rock. Faendal and I climbed down, but Tex hopped around on the rocks for a good bit until he found a spot that he could manage, he would not let me make a harness and lower him.

    Faendal said that as long as we were over on this side of the river there was an elderly lady that he wished to check on. When we got near her cabin, Tex took off, so the two of us dropped our packs and ran after him. We were just in time to see the Elderly mage freeze one bandit, but another hit her from behind and she dropped in a puddle of blue fabric. Tex with one long leap hit that bandit and drug him to the ground, where he never got up. The other bandit was slowly trying to move, but two arrows through the skull pretty much put him to rest also.

   We went to the mage's cabin and found a letter to her sister, Faendal was surprised to learn she was a witch, not just a mage, and was actively recruiting for a coven. It didn't really matter, we packed up some of the items and made a package out of them and would use a coin or two we found to pay a courier to take it to her sister.
   We had almost made it back to Riverwood when Tex let out a sharp bark and darted into the brush. At the thwap sound of a bowstring Faendal and I both dove in opposite directions, then rush forward as we recognized the sound of Tex's deep " I have something in my mouth" growl.

   It didn't take a genius to figure out the uniform that the Argonian was wearing... assassin. Faendal drew his bow and started shooting arrows at him, I took the time to pull out a little flask and dipped an arrowhead into a very potent paralytic poison. I got close enough that I was in no doubt of my aim, I did not wish to hit Tex and fired...It took just a second and then the Argonian was frozen in place, while the poison did its work. Because I knew that it wasn't a painless death, I walked up to the Argonian and slit his throat. I then went through his pouch and handed the letter I found within to Faendal, without even opening it.

   I heaved a sigh and ruffled Tex's ear's as he leaned his head against my hip. When Faendal finished reading the letter, for the second time.. he looked up at me with shock on his face. I nodded and told him I was aware that their was a contract out to have me assassinated, it was pretty long-standing. I told him I would be heading for Whiterun, to give the Stone to the Jarl's wizard, but that it would be best if we parted company now. I shook my head when he started to speak.. with great sadness I explained that if he were a known associate of mine, they would use torture to get any information he might have about me, he would never be able to live a normal life again. Any hope of marrying Camilla would end, as that would put her in danger also. That I think is what decided him and we opened our packs and he took the bulkier items and some of the gems that would fetch more gold, but it evened out to where we each would have a good sum. He would be able to afford a homestead if he really wanted one.

   I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek and headed for Whiterun.

~~~~

   Something about the woman, something that wasn't quite right. I watched her as she ordered her dinner and a bath. As she came abreast of my seat it struck me what was wrong and I dove to the side and threw a dagger as she tossed one at me underhanded. Both missed their targets by a hair, I knew mine was not poisoned, I would not place a bet that hers wasn't.

   I took stock of the woman, not young not too old... Bosmer. So probably excellent with a bow, but too impatient to wait out the blizzard to see if I would go outside. We circled each other, watching, waiting to see who would make the 1st move. I had all the time in the world, this was my home ground, though I had no real friends, their were those that I had done favors for, who would take my side. I glanced at the daggers in her hands and saw the tel-tale staining on the metal that meant she used poisons. I snorted as I recognized what had tipped me off, even if subconsciously, her gloves, they were thin of no use in the harsh winter cold. She jumped at the sound and decided to dart in and make a go of it. I stepped to the side and as she went past, knocked the blade out of her near hand. She twirled around and slashed at me, but I was already to far away for it to meet more than air.

    I pulled a small chain out from around my waist and twirled it in small circles when next she darted in, I tangled her wrist, dagger, and all in the chain and then using my height and longer reach, threw a loop over her and yanked...hard. Someone should have taught her to counter that move, because as the chain tightened, instead of letting go of the dagger, she tightened her grip, which caused her hand and the dagger to twist, enough so that she caught herself with the edge of the blade... and thus the poison she meant for me, caused her own death.

   The Inn Keeper handed me the letter that the woman had and offered me the coin, which I told him to keep... After reading this letter, I thought I might take the contract and end my own life, the bounty would be worth it.... chuckling I threw the paper into the fire.