- Location
- Texas
Whit? One of mah Schrodingers has rin aff? Macavity again most likely. Dorn't fash yerself. He is baith thaur an' nae. He will fade awa' leavin' naethin' but a grin. Hae some cheese?
Dovah Queen, Dragonborn Rising (Game of Thrones x Skyrim)
- Thread starter Harper Potts
- Start date
- Crossover
Whit? One of mah Schrodingers has rin aff? Macavity again most likely. Dorn't fash yerself. He is baith thaur an' nae. He will fade awa' leavin' naethin' but a grin. Hae some cheese?
- Location
- Texas
What's wrong with diffident? It's a perfectly good adjective to someone speaking in a hesitant manner.
As for the rest, thank you. Taking a ship wasn't originally in the plan when Daenerys suggested ship-building. It evolved over time. At one point I was going to have Daenerys ask to borrow the Sea Dagger, but I decided to invert the trope of Jarls sending the Dragonborn on quests and have Jarl Kraldar invite her along instead.
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Marsyas
Surprisingly Jellicle
- Location
- Undimensioned and Unseen
Diffident is a perfectly cromulent word.
- Location
- Leeds
What if its Sheogorath?
What if its a cat pretending to be Sheogorath pretending to be a cat?
🤔
Neruz
Rogue Spiderbanana
- Location
- The Land of Fire and Poison
Then we have gone too far and nothing will ever be the same again.
Chapter 24
- Location
- Texas
Chapter 24
Tirdas, the 17th of First Seed, Year 202 of the 4th Era
Their second day of sailing started off easy compared to the first. The Sea Dagger had passed the most dangerous section of coastal waters. The sandbars, icebergs, and small islands grew fewer and farther between. The wind stayed steady out of the north and they were able to sail before the wind most of the time. Only twice did Daenerys have to row, and only for a short while each time. Their smooth sailing ended once they reached the mouth of the White River at a little past noon. The wind remained from the north and there wasn't enough room to tack upstream. They had no choice but to lower sails, put out oars, and row up the White River.Tirdas, the 17th of First Seed, Year 202 of the 4th Era
They were far from the only ship on the river. They rowed past several merchant ships rigged with triangular sails struggling to tack upstream. They also met ships and barges floating downstream on the current. A patrolling longship flying Windhold flags intercepted them before they had rowed very far upriver. The patrol ship was a much larger vessel, a skeid with forty seats, meaning it took eighty men minimum to man the oars. However, Daenerys counted three men per oar, six per seat, or two-hundred and forty men total – enough manpower for the much larger skied to either crush their ship by ramming or swarm them in a boarding action. At Jarl Kraldar's command the Sea Dagger shipped oars, threw out the anchor, and submitted to being boarded. The patrolling ship came alongside and they hailed them and demanded to come aboard and inspect the Sea Dagger. Although the demand was far from hostile. Apparently, longships crewed by Nords were assumed to be friendly. From her perspective the inspection was largely an excuse for the Nords to brag about their mighty ships. There were also congratulations offered to Jarl Kraldar on claiming the throne of Winterhold. She welcomed the opportunity to rest while the men crowed about their ships like a bunch of roosters. Eventually, the Nords had their fill of strutting, and the Sea Dagger was free to continue rowing upriver.
By the time they finally reached Yngol barrow, all Daenerys wanted to do was collapse. Grandfather, the Talos priest, had healed her once, but that had only gone so far. She was pleased to see that she wasn't the only one exhausted. Most of the crew collapsed on their oars once they finally halted. Thonjolf, the housecarl wasn't impressed. He berated the crew. "Useless the lot of you! If this was a real raid, we'd go straight into fighting as soon as we hit land. Not one of you look ready to swing an axe."
"Thonjolf's right," agreed Jarl Kraldar. "But that is why we train. We rest today and tomorrow morning we'll go into Ygnol Barrow."
.oOo.
In the morning Jarl Kraldar selected a dozen men to come with them into the barrow. That was more than enough. The corridors were too narrow for more than two men to walk abreast. Dany and her party were delegated to the end of the column, which suited her just fine. There was a bit of a commotion at first about a small glowing green orb floating about in mid-air. The glowing orb seemed to either be taunting them or luring them into the barrow. Some of the men claimed it was a wisp, but none of them managed to harm it. Even when the Jarl's men attacked it, the small green orb did nothing except zip around and chime softly. As they went deeper into the barrow more of the green lights appeared. In addition to leading the way, the lights seemed to take a particular interest in Daenerys. They would zoom over to her, chime, and swirl about. Perhaps they were simply examining her. Perhaps they wanted her to do something, but what they truly wanted remained a mystery.
They passed through a puzzle room with little difficulty. In another room they found a chest behind a locked gate. Three Nords with crowbars popped the lock easily. The few draugr they found died quickly. Locked chests were easily bashed or pried open. In a surprisingly short time, they arrived at the door to the inner sanctum. Daenerys used the coral claw and it opened. Inside they were attacked by some kind of dark ghost that the Nords called a shade. Half a dozen Nords including Jarl Kraldar surrounded it and hacked it to pieces. Only one person was even injured. Daenerys healed him, glad that she was able to contribute something.
Thonjolf bent down to scoop up a helm that fell to the floor when the shade disintegrated. "My Jarl, this doesn't look like the crown we seek."
"No", agreed Jarl Kraldar. Spread out and search the alcoves. See if any of the dead were buried wearing a crown."
Daenerys looked to Sofija who shrugged, and they joined the search. She sought out the far end of the room searching for a Word Wall or corridors leading deeper into the barrow. However, all she found was a dead end.
A short while later one of the Jarl's warriors let out a shout. "I found a crown!" He held up a three-pointed crown in his hands.
Thonjolf pushed through. "Let me see it. Yes, this is it!" He grabbed it from the man's hand. "This is the long-lost Crown of Winterhold. The last man to wear it was a descendent of Ygnol, son of Ysgramor. He was entombed here after his death. Now at long last, it returns to Winterhold!" He knelt down and presented it to Jarl Kraldar. "My jarl, the Crown of Winterhold."
"Well, now we know why Jarl Kraldar was so interested in Yngol Barrow," remarked Faralda quietly as the jarl placed the crown upon his head.
"Yes, but I can't really complain. We arrived here in days instead of a week or more. While we could have managed the draugr on our own easily, that shade survived a long time considering it was fighting six men. We would likely have had a hard fight of it."
"True enough," agreed Faralda. "But Jarl Kraldar wouldn't have gotten past the locked door without your claw. That doesn't bother you?"
"I have no complaints," Daenerys said with a complete lack of concern. "I bought the claw for 30 gold at Brina's Oddments. I would have paid more to book passage for three on a ship this far, and I still own the claw. I thought clearing this barrow would be easy with all the manpower the jarl was bringing, and I was right. This is proof that what I plan to do will work. If we can recruit just a few warriors, we can clear barrows at little risk." Daenerys smiled. Jarl Kraldar could have his crown. He had promised her a few men. While this barrow had no Word Wall, she expected others would. They would also be likely to turn a handsome profit by clearing barrows. While gold was not an end that she aspired to, it was often a means to ends. In the short term she could use it to recruit more men. Perhaps she could also even outfit them with better weapons and armor. She would need them before long.
.oOo.
They left for Windhelm right after clearing the barrow. Unsurprisingly, sailing upriver again involved a lot of rowing. Daenerys wasn't too proud to sit out sometimes and rest near the mast. During one of her rests, she struck up a conversation with the priest of Talos. "Sir?" Calling him Grandfather didn't feel right, but she respected his age and abilities. "I was wondering about your healing. When I heal myself or others, I heal injuries, but I don't cure exhaustion like you do. Why is that?"
The old man chuckled. "If you paid more attention at that College of yours, they would call it an 'advanced healing technique'. They even have a name for it, Respite." He shrugged. "There are even some of the faith who think of it that way, but not me. I don't use techniques or Seemings. I don't focus on a desire for surcease or compassion. I put my faith in Talos, and he is strong enough to cure exhaustion, wounds, and disease. You could do with a bit more faith."
Daenerys should have expected that answer. She had hoped for details on the mechanics, not platitudes. Although in this world faith seemed a much greater force than on Planetos. "I find it hard to put my faith in gods," she admitted.
"Who said I meant the gods? You could start by finding some faith in yourself. I can't see ten feet away anymore, but I can see that you're holding yourself back. You'll never be the Dragonborn until you let go of your fear."
"I never claimed that title," she responded immediately.
"Exactly." He replied. "You should think about that." He turned and shuffled off.
Daenerys had thought about it. How could she not? All too often she dreamed of dragons: dragons of ice and fire roaming the land, the ancient dragon who waited for her atop a mountain, and even more powerful still – the dragon of Helgen. She knew that she would face them someday, and it scared her. While she had some ideas for fighting dragons, to dance with a dragon was to dance with death. If she claimed the title of Dragonborn, then everyone would expect her to deal with the dragons now. She wasn't ready yet, and it felt like time was running out.
.oOo.
They didn't quite reach Windhelm before darkness, but they could see the lights of the city off in the distance as they camped for the night. While the old priest had healed her twice more, she was still exhausted. However, the next morning she took her place on the seats as they rowed the rest of the way and moored at the docks.
The Sea Dagger was met by several armed guards. That was not a surprise. A longship filled with warriors docking should be a matter of concern for a city even if the river was patrolled. However, the dozen guards who appeared on the docks was an inadequate response as far as Daenerys was concerned. The gates to the city stood open, and the sixty-plus men that Jarl Kraldar brought with him could have plowed through the guards easily. Had they been an invasion force, they could likely have stormed the gates before they were secured. Daenerys filled the tactic away for possible use another day.
Even from the docks, it was clear that the city of Windhelm was much larger than Whiterun. She had expected as much. The past few days they had sailed up a fertile river valley dotted with farms. They had also passed a steady stream of vessels. Seeing the extensive walls and the docks merely confirmed her estimate. The docks were busy with multiple vessels docked. She counted three large trade ships, two longships, and more small ships than she could easily count. Two of the trade ships were being unloaded. Interestingly, many of the dockworkers were Argonians. Perhaps they made superior dockworkers because they were strong swimmers and could breathe underwater? While Captain Vitus divided the crew into shifts for shore leave, Daenerys, Faralda, and Sofija joined with Jarl Kraldar and his escorts and set off directly to the Palace of Kings to meet with Jarl Ulfric.
Winterhold was built more like Meereen than Whiterun. There were few broad avenues and little unused space. Houses and shops were built stacked up two or three high and shared common walls. It was also obvious that the city walls had been expanded multiple times over the centuries. They passed through multiple sections of wall that had no doubt been outer walls long ago before the city outgrew them. The internal walls naturally divided the city into districts. It was obvious to Daenerys that the districts were divided by race and social class. The poorest district seemed to be mostly inhabited by Dunmer. They passed through a gate in a wall into another section that was mostly Nords and not quite as poor. Daenerys wondered if the segregation was due to like seeking out like, or if it was enforced by law. The walls made it difficult to estimate the population, but at a guess she would say three hundred thousand called the city home.
The Palace of the Kings was impressive. It also reminded her a bit of Bleak Falls Barrow with its many stairs and levels each slightly higher than the one before it. Perhaps that was simply the Nord style of architecture. Although it was called a palace, it had clearly originated as a fortress. The inside was in keeping with Nord tradition for a longhouse. Long tables full of chairs for feasting filled the main hall. Even though the hall was almost empty, a few places were set with food. No doubt it was some kind of status signal that Jarl Ulfric always had food for any guests. As a means of displaying social status, it was at least practical. The food would probably all be eaten. If not by the jarl and his guests, then by the servants when they cleared it away.
Jarl Ulfric was not holding court. He was meeting with his military advisors about the war. His steward congratulated Jarl Kraldar on his ascension to the throne of Winterhold and then arranged rooms for them. Daenerys was pleased with that outcome as it gave her the chance to make herself more presentable for court. She was even happier to have a hot bath and the help of a servant that actually knew something about how to braid a lady's hair. While she had become more adept at braiding her own hair, for an audience with Jarl Ulfric she wanted to look her best. In the courts of power, appearance could be a weapon. Although as she talked with the servant braiding her hair, she learned that Jarl Ulfric cared little about such things. He was a warrior at heart.
While the bath and clean clothes were welcome, once Daenerys was clean and properly dressed, she did not take well to waiting. She did not plan to remain in Windhelm for long, and she wanted to use that time wisely. Instead, she was kept waiting for Jarl Kraldar to arrange her audience with Jarl Ulfric. She checked on Sofija and Faralda. Despite the fact that they were inside a castle surrounded by guards, Sofija was patiently standing guard outside her door. Faralda had departed on her own errand. She had left to consult with Jarl Ulfric's court-wizard, Wuunferth the Unliving. One of the duties of any mage who graduated from the College of Winterhold was to help locate new students. If Wuunferth had found any prospects, they could accompany the Sea Dagger back to Winterhold.
After speaking with Sofija for a bit, Daenerys chased out the maidservant assigned to her and spent the afternoon contemplating Iiz. The word was different from Fus or Yol. Those words were raw brute manifestations of Force and Fire. Iiz was more subtle. It was like the cold of winter sinking into you. It also didn't combine well with her other words. While she had managed to make a Fire Bolt spell based off Yol and Fus combined, Iiz and Fus simply wouldn't work to make Ice Spear. However, she felt she could make a spell based on Iiz alone that would freeze things. After a lot of contemplation and effort, she managed to make a metal goblet grow cooler in her hand – a good first start, but still a long way to go before she created an effective spell based on the Word. She was so involved in her meditation that a firm rap on the door startled her. A glance at the sky past her window showed that hours had gone by and it was growing dark.
She stood and arranged her dress before she responded. "You may enter."
Kraldar opened the door and walked in. He was wearing the newly recovered Crown of Winterhold. "We've been invited to join Jarl Ulfric for dinner with his court. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me?" He held out his hand.
Daenerys considered the offer of his hand. Was he flirting? Jarl Kraldar was single. Was he merely offering to escort her? Was he casually flirting? Or was this a more serious proposal? She had witnessed Nord commoners flirt with each other at the Sleeping Giant Inn. They were blunt about matters of the heart. However, she had no clue how Nord nobility acted. Regardless, she took his hand. Kraldar had done right by her so for.
She had to admit that he was also the kind of man who attracted her. In appearance Jarl Kraldar looked like the typical Nord: blonde hair, blue eyes, muscled with a well-trimmed beard. She found the mind that lurked behind that generic appearance to be more impressive. Kraldar was both dangerous and clever. He also possessed power which he used wisely, and he knew how to seize opportunities. However, it didn't matter if this was an expression of real interest, or if she was just another opportunity that Kraldar was trying to grasp. They would be parting ways within a few days. She didn't plan to linger around Windhelm for very long. While Kraldar did have an allure to him, she had no interest in having a fling. Had he made a move earlier… perhaps, but not now.
Kraldar took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his left arm. "Well now, shall we go?"
"Lead on," Daenerys found herself smiling. Whether it had romantic significance or not, arriving to dinner on his arm was certainly a sign that he supported her. Besides, she wasn't so calculating that she couldn't enjoy the simple pleasure of being escorted by a man she found attractive.
Sofija and Thonjolf fell in behind them, but Kraldar walked right past the room that had been assigned to Faralda. Surely, she was back by now. "What about Faralda?"
Kraldar shook his head. "I spoke to her already. Altmer are not exactly welcome at the High King's court. I know she is your mentor, and on the faculty of the College of Winterhold, but she is still an Altmer. As things stand now with the Thalmor she would not be well-received."
What he said was true, but Faralda wasn't just her mentor. She was her partner and friend. Daenerys wasn't going to exclude her because her race was politically inconvenient. Daenerys pulled away from Kraldar's arm. "Excuse me a moment."
She walked back and knocked on her mentor's door. "Faralda, it's me, Daenerys."
After a few moments, Faralda opened the door. "Yes?" she asked tersely.
"I have been invited to dine in Jarl Ulfric's hall. Jarl Kraldar just informed me that he recommended for you to stay behind. However, I am not so fond of parties where my friends aren't invited. Would you like me to join you for dinner?"
Faralda looked nonplussed for a moment, but then she smiled broadly. "No, I think that Jarl Kraldar is correct. It would be best for me to stay behind, but thank you, for asking me. Please, go on without me."
"If that's what you wish." But she didn't leave yet. "So, how did your talk with Wuunferth go? Did you find any new initiates?"
"Two," replied Faralda still smiling. "Both Dunmer. There was a young Nord, but his family was opposed to him learning magic. We can talk about it later. You should go to dinner. I know that is important, and jarls don't like to be kept waiting."
"If you're certain." Faralda had made her choice clear, and Daenerys had made her displeasure clear by keeping Kraldar waiting. "I will come talk to you afterward and fill you in."
"I would like that," agreed Faralda. Then she closed her door.
Daenerys turned back to Kraldar. "Thank you for waiting."
He let out a sigh. "You show her great loyalty, but it is better that she's not coming."
"She hates the Thalmor as much as any Nord. I would say she hates them even more than most."
Kraldar nodded. "I know that, and you know that, but the thanes and nobles of Jarl Ulfric's court do not know that." He offered his arm to her again.
She took his arm and let him escort her. Despite being on his arm, it felt like they were more distant now. While she understood the politics behind Kraldar's reasoning, she still didn't like it. She especially didn't like him trying to make decisions for her by going to Faralda directly. She folded her distaste away inside. This would be far from the first time she had to do something that was necessary that she disliked. She did not want her first impression to Jarl Ulfric's court to be that of a cross woman.
Dinner was a large affair. More than thirty people sat at the table. Most of the guests were warriors and most of them were men, but there were a few warrior maids, courtiers, and ladies in fine dresses mixed in. Kraldar guided her to the head of the table where two spots were noticeably empty beside Jarl Ulfric.
The High King was a bear of a man. He had a presence about him that many men aspired to, but few managed. He was powerful, dangerous, and competent. He wore a metal breastplate and curious bracers that resembled gauntlets but left his hands bare. Over his armor he wore a coat lined with gray fur, most likely wolf. His face was showed signs of age, but he still had the build of a powerful warrior. When he spoke, he had a deep powerful voice. "Welcome to my table, Jarl Kraldar of Winterhold. Please, sit, eat, and introduce me to your companion."
Kraldar bowed deeply. "Thank you for sharing your bounty, my king. My companion is the Lady Daenerys Targaryen, the Unburnt, and a Thane of Winterhold."
Daenerys curtsied and then smiled. "We've met before - at Helgen. It might help if you imagine me naked."
Jarl Ulfric threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Indeed, we did. I never forget… a face." He laughed again and everyone at the table laughed at his joke.
Daenerys accepted the innuendo with good grace. She had all but invited it. Nords loved bawdy humor and the ability to make fun of oneself. "Indeed, I have a good memory for faces as well. I will never forget the ones that would have ended our lives that day."
"Well said! There will be a reckoning with General Tullius someday soon. Welcome to my table." Jarl Ulfric waved a hand. "Please, sit. Eat." He paused for a moment while his guests sat. "All jesting aside, I do remember you. I have seen many a wonder in my day, but seeing you roasted in dragonflame and standing up afterward as if nothing had happened – that is a sight that I will never forget. How did you survive?"
"I'm a Targaryen. We're born with an affinity for fire. At least those of us who breed true to our bloodline. Just as many Nords are resistant to cold and frost."
"As simple as that. Resistance to fire is usually a Dunmer gift, not a human one." He grabbed a haunch by the leg and took a large bite out of it.
"I can assure you that I am human." Daenerys took advantage of the pause in conversation to eat herself. Unlike most of the Nords around her, she used a knife and fork to cut her food into bite-sized pieces. Watching Ulfric, she wondered how much was authentic and how much was an act. As Khaleesi and Queen of Meereen she had learned to act differently to fit her station. Ulfric claimed to be High King of the Nords, which came with its own expectations. Was his lack of manners his authentic self? Or was it merely the role he had to play?
While they ate, Jarl Ulfric inquired about Kraldar's duel with Jarl Korir. "To tell that tale properly, I must first tell of the honor duel between Daenerys and Thaena, the wife and housecarl of Jarl Korir. It started with Daenerys being sentenced to the Chill for defending herself…" He continued on spinning out the story. Being a Nord, he embellished everything a great deal.
Daenerys continued to eat while Kraldar told of her duel, but she made of point of making eye contact with the listeners. Kraldar was doing her a major favor here. She only wished that she had known it was coming. She would have worn her leather armor instead of a fancy dress, but it was too late for that. Instead, she nodded along to his telling and raised her glass in response to those cheering her story. Men leaped to their feet and cheered when he reached the end of the duel where she Shouted Thaena's head off her body.
Jarl Ulfric stood himself at the end and lifted a goblet. "To Daenerys Targaryen, Thane of Winterhold, a brave warrior maid and a Tongue."
"To Daenerys!" chorused the assembled guests surging to their feet.
Daenerys curtsied to the table. "Thank you, High King Ulfric, thank you everyone, and thank you Jarl Kraldar for the telling. I would like to repay the favor. Let me tell you now of how Karldar fought with Jarl Korir for the Throne of Winterhold!"
Her suggestion was met with cheers, but she looked to Jarl Ulfric who waved her on. Only then did she tell the story of the duel. She didn't have the eyes of a warrior to have noted every move of the duel, so she stuck to what she knew. She recited the grievances, how Jarl Korir had ignored the clear will of the gods, how he hid behind his wife, and even disputed the priest of Talos. She talked about how the duel played out as a battle between brute strength and armor against skill and agility. Maybe she didn't recount the actual battle as well as a bard could, but she still got plenty of cheers from the crowd.
When she was done, the gathered nobles and Jarl Ulfric toasted Kraldar as the new Jarl of Winterhold. She was quite pleased as she sat back down. While she wasn't sworn to Kraldar, he was still an ally. She was pretty sure that she had raised both of their statures by sharing the duel.
After her story there were more speeches and a lot more drinking. Nords being Nords many of the guests grew loud and drunk. Daenerys sipped her wine, preferring to keep a clear head about her. Eventually, Jarl Ulfric stood and took his leave. Before he departed Ulfric quietly invited the two of them to a more private meeting.
A short while later they gathered in a room with a large blazing fire and several comfortable chairs around a large round table. Whoever had decorated the room had taken the Nord custom of mounting dead and stuffed animal heads to the extreme. Dead elk, wolves, cats, and even a mammoth stared down at them from the walls. The centerpiece was an entire bear fully stuffed and posed rearing up on its hind legs as if it was about to attack. While the room was no doubt impressive to Nords, she found the display lacking in taste and subtlety.
A maidservant poured four huge tankards of mead from a cask in the corner, set them on the table, and then quickly exited the room. The remaining occupants of the room consisted of herself, Jarl Kraldar, Jarl Ulfric, and his housecarl Galmar Stone-Fist. Sofija and Thonjolf were both left standing guard outside in the hallway. Galmar Stone-Fist was a tough old Nord. He wore a bearskin cloak – which wasn't that uncommon among Nord nobles. Galmar took it a step further. The upper portion of the bear's skull was still attached and worn as the hood of the cloak. The thing still had its teeth, and he wore it inside the palace despite it being comfortably warm. She wondered if he had overseen the decoration of the room. He did seem to have a fascination for dead animals. Then again Daenerys didn't particularly like him. He spoke with an angry growl that most men only brought out when they were picking a fight, but that was his normal speaking voice. He was also well into his cups which did not impress her.
Once they were alone in the room, Jarl Ulfric turned to Kraldar and her. "Let's go ahead and get the formalities out of the way. I'll take your oaths now."
Daenerys wondered if she was being called upon to swear to Ulfric or not. Tamrelic, like Westerosi, used the same word for you-singular as you-plural. If they insisted on an oath, she'd have little choice, but she preferred to avoid it. She took a step back.
Kraldar knelt down and recite an oath. "I do swear my blood and honor to the service of Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm, and true King of Skyrim. As Talos is my witness, may this oath bind me to death and beyond."
As Kraldar rose Galmar Stone-Fist growled. "Kraldar, is there a reason your mistress isn't swearing? You said she was one of your thanes."
"Mistress?!" She had been aware that arriving on his arm might have some implications of romantic interest, but she hadn't expected that everyone would assume they were lovers. She turned on Kraldar. "You planned this! Offering your arm, escorting me. And I walked right into it!" In fact she'd made it worse by spinning the tale of his duel. "You… You…" She searched for an appropriate Nord insult. "You milk-drinker!" She punched him in the arm.
Kraldar didn't react much at all to her punch. He had an insufferably smug look on his face. "Peace, it was for your own good. It raised your status above that of a thane."
"Yes, because everyone assumes that you're bedding me."
Jarl Ulfric put a stop to the fight by laughing loudly. "So, you two aren't together then?"
"No!" insisted Daenerys. She had known that Kraldar was scheming, but not how merely being escorted would be taken. While it may have raised her standing some, the rumors would raise Kraldar's standing as well. After that show that she had unwittingly performed at dinner, the rumors that she and Kraldar were a couple would never go away. Mostly she was annoyed at herself for not heeding the warning signs.
"We are not now, nor have we ever been lovers," clarified Kraldar. "Daenerys is also an honor Thane. She is unsworn, free to swear to you or not as she wills. Although I expect she will not. She has a bad case of horizon feet."
Daenerys crossed her arms. "And what, pray tell, are horizon feet?"
"Wanderlust," clarified Kraldar. "It's common enough among Nords, the desire to get out and see more than the one place we were born, to experience all of Tamriel."
Daenerys was about to dispute that she had 'horizon feet', but then she realized that Kraldar had given her a way to avoid swearing to Ulfric without being thought a coward. Ulfric was already nodding along. Damn Kraldar. If she argued with him, she might argue herself into swearing to Ulfric. So, she swallowed her pride and accepted the excuse he gave her. "I have, in fact, already made plans to depart Windhelm in the morning."
Galmar Stone-Fist gave a disgruntled grunt but didn't voice any objections.
"Very well," agreed Jarl Ulfric. "I'm not forcing people to join who don't want to swear to me. However, we're about to discuss the war. You should leave now."
"My king," said Kraldar. "I believe you should listen to what she has to say about Jarl Balgruuf and about why the Empire isn't fighting harder. She has good insights that make a lot of sense to me."
"If she doesn't have the stomach to pick a side, why should we listen to her?" complained Galmar.
Jarl Ulfric nodded to Galmar. "Peace, old friend, I'll listen to these insights." He snagged one of the tankards of mead before sitting down at one of the chairs. Childishly he leaned back balancing the chair on two legs. "I'm listening. Speak quickly."
Daenerys dipped her head a bit, acknowledging the command, even as she hated it. "Very well, I will make this brief." This was not a fair hearing. Still, it was an opportunity. Despite her promise to be brief, she did not rush her words and come across as a babbling child. She spoke with deliberation choosing her words carefully. "Think of what the Empire is doing. They could be pressing this war. They are not. They merely hold to their territories and protect what is theirs. They could be fighting much harder, but they do not. Why?"
"Because the Empire is weak," growled Galmar.
"Not quite," said Ulfric. "They hold back because they aren't willing to pay the blood price. They have grown too fat and rich, too accustomed to measuring success by gold, treasures, and luxuries. War is a fight to the death, and they aren't willing to fight with everything they have. We're in a fight for survival. They're more worried about Colovian Brandy and burgundy doublets. War is only profitable when you win decisively. They know this war will be costly. So, they surrender bit by bit so they can hold on to what they have left even as it slips through their fingers."
She didn't believe that was true, or at least not entirely true. There probably were some short-sighted nobles, but if she could recognize that the Aldmeri Dominion was the true enemy, then so could the rulers of the Empire. "Say that it is true. Give them what they want. Give them a way where they can keep holding onto the little they have without having to pay the blood cost."
"And how would I do that? I'm not giving up on a free Skyrim with the right to worship Talos. I'm not turning my back on those who have died."
"I'm not suggesting you do. Make the Empire an offer that lets them avoid war but still gives you the freedom you want. Offer to return Skyrim to the Empire - under the same rights and privileges as Morrowind. The Empire acknowledges you as High King and accepts that Skyrim has the right of religious freedom."
"We tried that at Markarth!" bellowed Galmar Stone-fist. "They betrayed us! We were promised the right to worship Talos and they went back on their word!"
Daenerys would not be shouted down by a drunk. She simply ignored the outburst and kept laying out her proposal calmly. "Then don't take them at their word. Demand a signed treaty. Have them acknowledge Skyrim's right of religious independence in writing. Only then does Skyrim rejoin the Empire. The Thalmor will hate it, but you are asking for nothing more than what Morrowind has already been granted." She met Ulfric's gaze. "If they are cowards as you say who will not pay the blood price, they'll take that offer. Yes, it will cause them trouble with Aldmeri Dominion down the line, but it is not a price they have to pay today."
"You would have us bow down to the Empire for a temporary peace." Ulfric stood up. "I say no. The Empire had its chance, but its day is done. The right to worship Talos is only part of why we fight. The Emperor is weak. The Elder Council makes most of the decisions now. They betrayed the very founder of the Empire when they signed the White-Gold Concordat. War is never cheap. Men died in thousands to overthrow the Ayleid Empire. Those who rule the Empire today are but shadows of those men. I say no. No more compromises. No more half-measures."
"Peace is a pipedream for the young. War is the way of this world. This war is too far gone for what you suggest. It was too far gone once they let Thalmor justiciars roam our lands and kill our people for worshiping Talos. It was too far gone when they betrayed us after Markarth. It was too far gone when they gave away half of Hammerfell to the Aldmeri Dominion! When they sold out the Blades and Talos for peace! It was too far gone when the Empire signed the White-Gold Concordat. Have you forgotten that the Empire tried to cut off your head?! And still you would make peace with them? Begone. You may have won a duel, and you're a Tongue, but you have a soft woman's heart. You could never make the hard decisions that war requires. Go see what's over the horizon and leave war to the warriors."
How dare he?! She had made hard decisions. King's Landing burned in her memories. She had killed more people in an hour than he had in his entire life. She had been wrong then. He was wrong now. Sometimes there was no choice, but peace still had a chance. At least it could if someone other than Ulfric Stormcloak were in charge. However, there was nothing she could do to change his mind this day. "When you look upon the corpses of the Nords who die in this war of yours, High King Ulfric, I hope you remember this day when you were offered another path and you didn't even try. You will find that there is no greater burden upon the soul than the blood of the innocent. Have fun playing at war."
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- Location
- West Michigan
- Location
- Texas
Idiot? Hmm, did I go too far and hand him the idiot ball and he's out-of-character? Or was that the right amount of in character idiocy?
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Blinktwice13
Underpaid Struggle Bus Attendant
- Location
- Eastern US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Me: Hopes Ulfric might actually pull his head out of his ass and listen.
Also Me: Wait, it's Ulfric. -ugly laugh-
Good work as per usual. Excited to see what happens when Dany stops running, hopeful it's appropriately badass and aimed at someone who deserves it.
Also Me: Wait, it's Ulfric. -ugly laugh-
Good work as per usual. Excited to see what happens when Dany stops running, hopeful it's appropriately badass and aimed at someone who deserves it.
- Location
- West Michigan
"Useful" idiocy is a separate thing from regular idiocy. Ulfric isn't a traitor to Talos or Skyrim; a traitor to the Empire, yes by default of leading a rebellion against it, but he doesn't have any secret communications with a Thalmor handler or anything like that. He just does what he does, and his success coincidentally makes the Thalmor's efforts easier.
The Thalmor letter in-game considers him an "asset" in a combination of the above and smug Mer supremacism taking the credit for other races' works.
Neruz
Rogue Spiderbanana
- Location
- The Land of Fire and Poison
Yeah, that dude is literally raising ghosts so he can have a ghost harem. He's a prime example of a batshit insane mage; I mean, he must have invented at least one entirely new spell so that he could actually touch his sex slaves, much less everything else. Total whackjob.
- Location
- West Michigan
...OH, that wasn't very clear. The second line of my post was a reaction to Ulfric, not the guy in Yngvild.
- Location
- Texas
Ah, I feel a little foolish now. I should have remembered that. I'm pretty sure that I've heard it used numerous times before. Yes, I'll agree that Ulfric is a useful idiot from the Thalmor's perspective.
- Location
- Texas
Thank you. I'm sure that Daenerys will respond with appropriate measures.
Chapter 25
- Location
- Texas
Chapter 25
Turdas, the 19th of First Seed, Year 202 of the 4th Era
Daenerys didn't regret her words to Ulfric Stormcloak. She stormed out slamming the door behind her. While she could have been more patient and persuasive, it was clear that Ulfric was set upon war. That he hadn't yet escalated just meant that he wanted to fight the Empire and not his fellow Nords. Given his attitude, she doubted that he would wait much longer. Give it a few months, a year at most and Ulfric would start the war fully – if the Empire or some random incident didn't launch it first.Turdas, the 19th of First Seed, Year 202 of the 4th Era
She got a grip on her temper and glanced about. To her relief there were no servants close by. Only Sofia and Thonjolf had seen her storm out. They could be trusted not to wag their tongues. "Sofija, I believe I have worn out my welcome. We'll be leaving Windhelm soon. Thonjolf, Jarl Kraldar promised me some warriors to accompany me."
"Aye, he did lass," agreed Thonjolf. "But he hadn't decided on who yet and he may change his mind if you have worn out your welcome. I'll ask him when they're done meeting."
"Please do so. I plan to depart in the morning." While it might be healthier to depart immediately, she didn't want to leave without the men she was promised. Jarl Ulfric probably wouldn't have her thrown in prison after he had sung her praises at dinner. She would just make certain they left promptly and try to avoid meeting him on the way out. "Sofija, would you make some inquiries of where we would go to obtain a cart? And, please let Faralda know we leave in the morning."
Kraldar stopped by to see her later that evening. He tried to excuse Ulfric's behavior without actually apologizing for it. He did at least stand by his commitment and gave her a letter to present to Captain Vitus. "I promised you men and you'll have them. You can recruit up to three men from the crew of the Sea Dagger. I don't think you'll have trouble getting volunteers. I leave the choosing to you."
Daenerys gave him a slight curtsey in thanks. "Thank you, Jarl Kraldar. They will make a big difference."
He nodded. "I hope so. Despite Jarl Ulfric's rejection you remain a Thane of Winterhold. You are welcome in my court. You may have your doubts, but I believe in you, Daenerys Targaryen. You are the Dragonborn, and you may just be our best hope. May the gods watch over you."
.oOo.
Their first stop was the Sea Dagger. Only a third of the crew was aboard, so she hoped that Kraldar was right about it not being difficult to find three of them willing to join her. She presented the letter to Captain Vitus first.
He read it and then nodded to her. He stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly. "Listen up! Thane Daenerys is not returning to Winterhold with us. Jarl Kraldar is sending three of you with her. Why she would want lazy asses like you, I don't know, but she does. Thane, choose your men."
The crew didn't come to military attention, but they all stood up straighter.
Daenerys looked them over. They weren't the quality of her Unsullied, but many of them could match her Dothraki. She needed their help. "You all know who I am. I rowed beside you. Now I ask that three of you fight beside me. I'm heading west. I am seeking lost knowledge buried in the barrows of Ironbind, Silverdrift, and Korvanjund. From there I will head south to Whiterun and then to the Throat of the World where I will climb the Seven Thousand Steps. If you come with me, you will face draugr and danger. You may even face dragons. If you would rather fight Imperials, sit down. If you would rather be safe, sit down. If you want to come with me step forward. I can only take three of you."
Almost as one they all stepped forward. A few heated discussions broke out. From what she could tell they were between fathers and sons. Two of the younger ones sat down. It still left her with too many to choose from. She turned to Captain Vitus. "Jarl Kraldar needs to train landlubbers into sailors. Pick your dozen best sailors. I won't deprive him of what he needs most. I'll choose from the rest."
"Aye." Vitus walked through and tapped twelve men and had them sit. "Those are the best sailors."
Daenerys nodded. She still had eight men to choose from. One of them she already knew she wanted. "Val, son of Lars. I rowed beside you. I will be honored to fight beside you." The man had the strength of an ox. When her own strength had faltered, he had rowed for both of them and had the discretion not to say a word.
Val smiled and strode over to her side. "Honor to serve, Thane!"
"The rest of you. All of you can swing an axe or a sword?"
There was a chorus of loud bragging from the seven remaining men.
"Dragons attack from the sky. Which of you can also wield a bow?" She'd seen bows on the ship, but not every man had one. Three of the men dropped out. That left her with four. "I'll take the two best archers. Captain Vitus can your men help me set up some targets. We'll see who has the best aim."
There were a lot of cheers and shouting at that. In a surprisingly short time, they had an archery range set up. Of the four one of them had worn a smirk ever since she announced archery as a requirement. He was a young dark-haired Nord. He didn't even have a full beard yet, but he handled his bow with practiced ease. He unleashed arrow after arrow in rapid succession. Every arrow hit within the bullseye. Daenerys asked discretely for his name.
"He goes by Ull the Hunter," replied Captain Vitus. "If what I've heard is correct, he would still be hitting the bullseye if you doubled the range of those targets."
Daenerys smiled. She should have thought to recruit someone with knowledge of tracking and woodlore. She was fortunate to have found one. "Ull the Hunter, come join me."
Ull strutted up to join her clearly pleased with himself. He was a young man, perhaps even still in his teens. When he reached her, he bowed with a flourish. "Honor to serve, thane."
Of the remaining three, one was a piss poor shot and was easily eliminated. The other two were closely matched. She regretted announcing that she would make her choice by archery. She would have liked to compare the combat skills of these two, but she wasn't going back on her word. After three rounds one archer prevailed leaving her with her final selection.
"Mikko," whispered Vitus without being prompted. "Just Mikko."
Daenerys wondered what was up with that. Most Nords would at least acknowledge their father and adopt a 'son of' cognomen. Family was very important to Nords. "Mikko, come and join me."
Mikko had brown hair that he had braided into many locks. Unlike most Nords he was clean-shaven. He was in his middle years and old enough to be her father. "Honor to serve, thane."
"Thank you, all. These are my chosen. Val, son of Lars; Ull the Hunter; and Mikko. I wish that I could take all of you, but my selections are made." It was a solemn moment that was somewhat spoiled when a grey cat with black spots started rubbing up against her legs and purring loudly.
Captain Vitus laughed. "It appears that Fishbreath insists on joining you as well. You're welcome to him."
"I'll look after him," declared the old Talos priest. He bent down slowly and picked up the cat. "Let's be off."
Daenerys frowned. While Grandfather was undoubtedly a good healer, he walked slowly and by his own admission he was nearly blind. He was also a priest of Talos, and she was trying not to take sides in the Stormcloak Rebellion. His mere presence in her party would imply she had decided to side with the Stormcloaks. However, she had also just recruited three Nord warriors who were proud to be Stormcloaks. They respected her. Daenerys knew that rejecting Grandfather would tarnish that respect. She couldn't even argue about Grandfather not being able to keep up. She already had plans to acquire a wagon before leaving Windhelm.
"Grandfather," she ventured. "We will be going into barrows. It will be dangerous. I don't know if we'll be able to protect you."
"If it's my time, then it's my time, but Talos isn't done with me quite yet."
"Very well, I'll be glad to have you along." It wasn't a complete lie. He was an accomplished healer. If she had more men, she would have been enthusiastic about having him along. However, with her small band she was afraid that things could go very badly. Exploring barrows was a dangerous business.
.oOo.
From the docks they went north to the bridge over the White River. The old Talos priest gamely followed. He leaned heavily on a walking staff in his right hand and carried Fishbreath in his left. While he managed a good pace for a man of his years, they had to slow to match his pace. Fortunately, they were already outside the walls. After a short walk, they arrived at the stables just on the other side of the bridge from Windhelm. At the stables she found several wagons for hire. She quickly determined that while she might have troubling hiring competent mercenaries, she could quite easily afford to hire an ox-drawn cart or even outright purchase one. In fact, the first wagoneer she approached just to get an idea of prices was downright eager to sell to her.
"Lady, don't go." He took his hat off his head and held it in his hands. "I know my trade. Wherever you want to go I'll take you. I'm not scared to risk the dragons. They're only attacking the larger caravans. Small ones are still getting through. I'll haul whatever you need hauling. You want to buy me out, I'll sell to you. Just don't walk away."
Daenerys frowned. Winter was no doubt not a good time for wagoneers in Skyrim, but she was surprised by this man's desperation. He was a young Nord, blond of hair, but he lacked the burliness of most Nords. Now that she looked past his rough exterior, there was a gauntness about him that meant he hadn't been well-fed in a long time. It wasn't hard to guess the reason. He'd mentioned dragons attacking caravans. Trading between holds had been mostly by caravan because of bandits. Now merchants had the choice of making themselves a target for dragons or traveling in small numbers and being a target for bandits. That had to be playing havoc on trade in Skyrim in general and on wagoneers specifically. Judging by how thin this man looked she was surprised that he hadn't butchered his oxen already for the meat. "If I buy your oxen and your cart, what will you do to make a living?"
He shrugged. "I'll find something. I could always join the Stormcloaks. I have a wife and a child to feed, and there is little work to be had."
"And what will your family eat if I hire your wagon for a long journey?"
"I'd expect at least half up-front."
She wondered if his family was near starvation as well. She hadn't planned to hire a wagoneer, but the price was low, and she could use someone to guard the cart. She didn't like the idea of just leaving the cart unattended while they went down into barrows. "What's your name?"
"Leif the Wagoneer."
"I will be taking the road west toward the Nightgate Inn and then south to Whiterun and beyond. We will be making several stops along the way. You would stay with the cart. We may be going as far as Riften, and I don't know when we'll return. I'll be traveling with a small party. We might run into bandits. How are you in a fight, Leif?"
"I'm a good shot with a bow," he replied immediately.
"Then I'll buy your cart and your oxen. I will also hire you to drive them for me. It won't be safe where we're going, but as you can see l have warriors coming with us. However, you'll need to swear to me."
He fell to his knees. "I'm your man."
Before they could depart Windhelm, Leif had to drop off the money she had given him with his wife. They lived outside the walls of Windhelm. It wasn't really a village, more a collection of small farms clustered outside the walls called Pigtown. The name was accurate, as most of the inhabitants seemed to raise pigs and other livestock not allowed within the walls of Windhelm. Pigtown stank, but beneath its squalid poverty Daenerys smelled opportunity. Lief's wife was young, perhaps in her mid-twenties. She was visibly pregnant and had two other children to watch over. She almost swooned at the bag of gold that Leif gave her. She jumped on the opportunity to be paid to raise ravens and eagerly swore to be as quiet about it as she could.
.oOo.
The road west from Windhelm was peaceful for Skyrim. Daenerys spent part of the journey working with her new followers on how they would arrange themselves when exploring barrows. She also trained them on a different plan for facing a dragon. She knew that no plan survived battle, but having even a simple plan was better than no plan. Her planning even got put to the test when they encountered an ice wraith. Val charged and flanked left. Mikko charged and flanked right. That left an opening in front for Faralda and Daenerys to unleash fire spells at the ice wraith. Ull unleashed a few arrows as well. The ice wraith didn't last long. The most difficult part of the fight was calming down the oxen who were panicked by the explosions. Daenerys was certain that fighting draugr would be much more difficult, but she felt confident that they could manage a barrow.
Daenerys also spent some of the journey contemplating Iiz while walking along beside the wagon. Fus and Yol acted like Destruction magic. They were energy released into the world. Iiz was more akin to Alteration magic. Iiz changed the world. Daenerys tried it out on some plants. Small ones would freeze sold. A sapling would be encrusted in ice, but a large tree wouldn't be affected very much. Of course, as spring had barely begun it wasn't easy to be certain.
.oOo.
After they made camp on the first day, Grandfather approached her. "Would you walk with me? I would like to speak with you."
Daenerys nodded her agreement. "Of course." She was curious about what the old Talos priest wanted to speak about in private.
Grandfather merely walked for a while, not saying anything until they were well beyond earshot of the camp. "I misjudged you. I thought you were trying to hide from your destiny. I have been listening. You're preparing these men to fight dragons. You are going into barrows to find Word Walls to master the Thu'um. You are not hiding from destiny. You are seeking a way to fulfill it."
"I am," agreed Daenerys.
"If you declared yourself as Dragonborn, then the Jarls would give you more men."
"Would they? The dragons are a problem, but Skyrim has many problems. Civil war, bandits, monsters in the countryside. Dragons are just one more problem. It seems like everyone is waiting for a hero, like the Dragonborn, to solve their problems. Jarl Kraldar knew. He gave me three men. Three. Jarl Ulfric all but threw me out of Windhelm. I plan to recruit more men as I gain the means to support them, but one dragon can destroy an army. When your ancestors rebelled against the dragons, they died in their thousands, did they not?"
"They did, but we won in the end. However, the dragons didn't all go away. A few still remained in Tamriel and men have fought and killed them. Every such deed was a battle of legend, but it didn't take armies, just men with skill and resolve."
"And luck. For every band of heroes, how many tried and failed?"
"In my experience there is no such thing as luck. The gods have placed a heavy burden upon you, Daenerys Targaryen. You told me that you find it hard to put your faith in the gods. They have put their faith in you. Be worthy."
.oOo.
A little after noon on the second day, they came to a strange ruin that looked very familiar to Daenerys. Several pillars of stones were arranged in a large circle. Stone steps led upward."That place, what is it?" asked Daenerys. "Some kind of magical place of power? Or Standing Stones?"
Faralda shook her head. "No, I don't feel any magic coming from it and I would this close. They aren't Standing Stones either. It looks a little like a burial mound, but I'm not sure."
Val grimaced. "It is a burial mound. A dragon burial mound. They're a cursed place."
That pretty much ended that conversation. Daenerys didn't feel like talking about it either. She remembered all too well waking up at a similar place lying naked on a bed of ashes wondering why she was still alive. Imperials had found her not long after. They were likely drawn by the trees burning nearby. Being forced marched dozens of leagues, almost beheaded, and then saved by a dragon had started a series of events that were still unfolding, but she still hadn't answered the question – why was she alive? The only explanation that made any sense was Grandfather's. The gods had brought her back for some purpose. She doubted it was the Stormcloak rebellion. That meant that they expected her to deal with the dragons.
.oOo.
The entrance to Ironbind Barrow didn't look like much. It was just a cave in the mountainside with four timeworn columns outside. The columns all had some kind of figure on top of them. The figure might once have been a dragon, but they were too weathered to make out much but a large snout. There was also a rickety lean-to just outside the entrance that someone must have built recently. That matched up with the tracks that Ull the Hunter had noticed on the way up the mountain path.
"Can you tell me anything else about them?" asked Daenerys.
Ull shrugged. "They camped here recently, more than a day, less than a week. One was an Argonian, the other wasn't. They went inside, but they didn't come out."
"Let's go inside and find out. We do it like we discussed. Lief, you're staying with the cart. Grandfather, are you sure you won't stay with Lief?"
The old Talos priest shook his head. "I'm old, and I can't see very far, but I have the strength for this. Don't worry so much. I'll see it through to the end."
"Very well." She wasn't happy about it. Combat could change very rapidly, and they might not be able to protect him. However, it was his life and his decision.
The first few rooms held dead frostbite spiders, the smaller ones the size of a dog. Ull reported that they had been drained of their venom. The next room held a live frostbite sider the size of a horse. The tactics she had drilled into them worked very well. Val and Mikko were able to engage it while leaving a gap where she and Faralda could cast at it. The giant spider died quickly.
When they searched the room they found two fresh corpses wrapped up in cocoons. One was a Redgard woman. She wore a very nice full set of steel plate armor. The bite marks on her face proved that choosing to forgo wearing a helmet had been a fatal mistake. The other corpse was an Argonian, presumably a mage of some kind as he or she hadn't been wearing armor. That matched with the Staff of Zombies they found in the room. Why the two of them thought they could take on a Nord barrow by themselves when they couldn't even handle a frostbite spider was anyone's guess. Sofija claimed the armor, as the dead woman was near her size and it would be a good fit. Although they left the armor and the unknown victims behind until they cleared the barrow. The previous owner had partially decayed in it, and Sophia refused to wear the armor until the woman had been given a proper burial and her armor thoroughly scrubbed out.
Past the spiders they fought their way through multiple rooms full of draugr without too much difficulty. Ironbind Barrow had larger corridors and rooms than Bleak Falls Barrow. That favored the tactics that Daenerys had drilled into them. Mikko and Val had ample room to do a pincer attack on slower moving druagr while leaving an opening for Daenerys and Faralda to blast the draugr to pieces. Her worry about Grandfather being a burden proved to be unfounded. In fact, he may have saved Mikko's life when he was skewered by a particularly nasty spear trap. While Daenerys could heal, she doubted she could have closed multiple deep stab wounds before Mikko bled out. Perhaps with both her healing and potions Mikko would have survived, but it was by no means certain. Grandfather healed him easily.
.oOo.
Daenerys eyed the large double doors ahead of them with suspicion. "Hold up, this may be the door to the central chamber." She wasn't certain. They hadn't passed one of the circular puzzle doors that required a dragon claw key. Ironbind Barrow was also built on a larger scale than Bleak Falls Barrow. All the corridors and doors had been larger. However, it had the feel of final door. "I know that it hasn't been a struggle so far, but draugr lords are much more powerful than their minions, so be wary." She waited until she'd received nods of agreement. "Very well open it up."
When the doors opened, the size of the room was an immediate indicator that this was indeed the central chamber. It was huge. They stood at the top of a large set of stairs going down to a large square pit that dominated the room. Right at the base of the stairs was a skeletal being wearing robes. Val and Mikko immediately charged. Val flanked to the left. Mikko flanked to the right. It was a strategy that had worked beautifully all the way through the barrow. However, this time the opening that allowed Faralda and Daenerys to attack also allowed the skeleton an opening for it to attack. Daenerys was still summoning up a Firebolt when a spear of ice flew from the hands of the skeleton. As Daenerys released her Firebolt, she heard Faralda scream in pain.
Daenerys released her firebolt and spun about to find her mentor partially frozen by a spear of ice. Leaving Mikko and Val to handle the attack, she grabbed a healing potion from her beltpouch and poured it down Faralda's throat.
Grandfather knelt down beside them. "I have her. Go!"
"Save her!" she urged even as she stood back up to rejoin the fight. She was immediately struck by pain in her ribs as she was struck by an arrow. She glanced down in shock at the arrow sticking out from her chest, but she had no time to gawk at her wound. The skeleton mage hadn't been alone. Archers hidden on both sides of the room were firing at them. Sofija was charging some of them and Val was returning fire.
In the midst of this confusion the draugr lord attacked. He dropped down from the far side of the pit and landed in front of Val and Mikko. No sooner had he landed than he Shouted. Fus! Ro! Dah! Val and Mikko were slammed back rolling across the room by the concussive force released as the draugr lord unleashed Force-Balance-Push!
Daenerys ran down the steps to confront the draugr lord. No one else was in position to confront him and left unopposed he would kill them. He held his axe high and ready as she descended the stairs. She felt tiny next to him, but she didn't let that stop her. She charged forward and shouted right in his face. "Yol!" Fire exploded and smashed into him.
He staggered back a little and threw his head back. Making a chattering sound that might have been draugr laughter. Then he Shouted,
"Fo! K…! D…!"
A hammer of frozen cold and pain slammed into Daenerys as she was slammed back into the stairwell. Her head hit hard stone and everything spun about. Cold and pain and the Word rang within her being. There had been more to his shout, but the first word, Fo – Frost, overpowered all the others. The cold chill of winter seemed to be eating her inside and out. Her teeth chattered and she shook uncontrollably.
And the draugr lord advanced upon her axe held high.
Lying on her side she saw Grandfather walking down the stairs as if he had all the time in the world. He lifted up his staff and slammed the end down onto the steps. "Talos, preserve us!" The golden light of healing magic radiated off him like the sun breaking through the clouds. The energy spread out into a circle filled with the warm glow of a midsummer day.
The draugr lord was cast out and pushed back, held at bay by the power that Grandfather had called down. The draugr prowled around the golden boundary like a caged beast. It shrugged off arrows from Ull and hardly staggered when Faralda roasted it with a powerful blast of flame. It stared at them in hate. Deliberately it raised its battleaxe high above its head and threw it at Grandfather. The axe tumbled end over end. Daenerys saw it as it hit Grandfather and sunk deep into his skull. The old Talos priest fell to the stone floor and landed beside Daenerys.
Faralda managed one more blast of fire before Val, Mikko and Sofija closed on the draugr lord, they surrounded it and hacked at it. The draugr lord went down to one knee as Sofija cut its legs from behind and then Val brought down his axe on his neck and the thing finally went down.
Daenerys was fighting her own battle. The unrelenting cold wind of Fo was blowing inside her, chilling her down to the bottom of her soul. She couldn't move. All she could do as she watched helplessly was try and draw up enough magicka and enough breath to release Frost. When Faralda reached her side, she tried to force a potion on Daenerys, but Dany pushed her back. She turned to face the wall. Through chattering teeth she finally managed to Shout the word, "Fo!"
The Word stopped fighting and settled down inside her. Numbly she accepted the potion from Faralda and downed it. She had claimed another word, but at what price?
.oOo.
In the aftermath of the battle, they found more loot and another Word Wall. Daenerys stayed back far enough that the chanting was barely a whisper while the rest inspected the Word Wall. Sofija again felt a vibration. Ull felt a vibration and could hear a faint muttering when he pressed his ear to the word. However, neither Mikko nor Val heard anything.
After they had all had a turn Daenerys walked up to the wall and learned Feim, a word that could be approximated by Fade. Feim was like Iiz. It altered her relation to the world distancing her from Mundus. She remained bound to the material, but while the power of Feim held sway she was distanced from the mundane world. Daenerys felt like she was dipping a toe in the spirit world and that she could almost spread her wings and fly. Under the effect of Feim the world faded and looked ghostly, but she couldn't pass through solid objects. When Fade wore off, she learned that she had looked like a ghost to everyone else while the effect lasted.
Daenerys wasn't sure how Feim would help her battle dragons. Fo seemed much more useful, especially against dragons who breathed fire, but she had already learned IIz. She wasn't sure that Fo added very much to her arsenal. As she helped carry Grandfather's corpse outside, she couldn't help but wonder. Was she being as foolish as the two simpletons who had died to the giant spider? If not for Grandfather, they all could have died to the draugr lord. A dragon would be so much worse. Was exploring barrows and learning Shouts really preparing her to fight dragons? Was she really the Dragonborn of Nord legend? Was she seeking atonement? Or another path to glory?
She kept her doubts inside. The last thing her small band of followers needed was for her to look indecisive. "We'll take the bodies with us rather than burying them here. It should be less than a day to Nightgate Inn and the trading post. Hopefully, there will be a priest there who can see that they are tended to properly." It seemed likely. "Maybe the two who died to the spider stopped there. We should at least try to notify their next of kin." There were nods of agreement to that, but the mood was somber despite their victory over the draugr lord.
After they had finished their evening meal, Leif the Wagoneer approached her. "My pardon, Lady Targaryen, but Grandfather left something for you. I'd seen it before in the cart, but with him dying and all, I forgot. I suppose you should have this, being it has your name on it." He offered her a scroll of paper tied with a ribbon. He held it so that "Daenerys Targaryen" was clearly visible.
She took the scroll from him. "Thank you, Leif." She sat down beside the campfire and angled the scroll so she could read it by the light it cast. The ruddy glow of a campfire was not the best light, but the writing was clear and precise.
Daenerys of House Targaryen, first of her name, the Unburnt, Thane of Winterhold, Dragonborn,
By the time you read this, I will be dead. I wish that I could live to see you grow and fulfill your destiny. I wonder what kind of hero you will be. You have trained at the College of Winterhold, and you seem to be walking the path of a mage, but you also have Tiber Septim's ability to lead and inspire men. Do not weep for me. Talos has led me here, to stand one last time in battle. I am not afraid to die. Tonight, I will dine with the heroes in Sovngarde.
You told me that you do not have much faith in the gods. You should. They only send us a great hero when there is great need, and never has our need been this great. Alduin has returned. The gods have chosen you. Believe in yourself. You have the power to save us from the dragons. Only you can stop Alduin. I believe you have also been sent to save us from ourselves. You are the Dragonborn and rightful Empress. Save the Empire. Save Tamriel. Save Niirn.
I bequeath the few septims I have left in my pocket to Leif. He is proud but poor. I want you to have the amulet of Talos that I wear. It is not just a symbol of Talos. He has blessed it, and it will serve you well. Hide it under your clothes if you must, but always keep it near you.
I have one warning to give you. Beware the Daedric Princes. They love to meddle in the affairs of mortals, and they are especially drawn to doom-driven heroes. Beware their gifts and their promises. Believe in the Nine. The power of the gods is more subtle, but do not doubt that they are watching. The gods will aid you. They already have. Talos sent me to you to see you through this day.
Be bold. Be brave. Be fierce.
The gods have put their faith in you.
Be worthy.
Signed this day
Primate Örn, son of Hilmar
By the time you read this, I will be dead. I wish that I could live to see you grow and fulfill your destiny. I wonder what kind of hero you will be. You have trained at the College of Winterhold, and you seem to be walking the path of a mage, but you also have Tiber Septim's ability to lead and inspire men. Do not weep for me. Talos has led me here, to stand one last time in battle. I am not afraid to die. Tonight, I will dine with the heroes in Sovngarde.
You told me that you do not have much faith in the gods. You should. They only send us a great hero when there is great need, and never has our need been this great. Alduin has returned. The gods have chosen you. Believe in yourself. You have the power to save us from the dragons. Only you can stop Alduin. I believe you have also been sent to save us from ourselves. You are the Dragonborn and rightful Empress. Save the Empire. Save Tamriel. Save Niirn.
I bequeath the few septims I have left in my pocket to Leif. He is proud but poor. I want you to have the amulet of Talos that I wear. It is not just a symbol of Talos. He has blessed it, and it will serve you well. Hide it under your clothes if you must, but always keep it near you.
I have one warning to give you. Beware the Daedric Princes. They love to meddle in the affairs of mortals, and they are especially drawn to doom-driven heroes. Beware their gifts and their promises. Believe in the Nine. The power of the gods is more subtle, but do not doubt that they are watching. The gods will aid you. They already have. Talos sent me to you to see you through this day.
Be bold. Be brave. Be fierce.
The gods have put their faith in you.
Be worthy.
Signed this day
Primate Örn, son of Hilmar
Daenerys looked up and realized two facts: she was crying uncontrollably, and everyone was watching her. "He knew. He knew he would die in Ironbind, but he went anyway, because Talos wanted him to go." She wiped at her tears. "He even told me not to weep, because he dines in Sovngarde… Lief, he wanted you to have whatever coin he has on him, and he asked me to wear his amulet of Talos." She couldn't tell them the rest. She wasn't sure what to make of it herself. She was already making plans to face dragons, but Alduin was called the World Eater. How was she supposed to face him? Yet, Azura's high priestess had believed she was sent to fulfill the prophecy. The World Eater wakes and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn. She wasn't ready.
She took a deep steadying breath. She had faced worse before. She had walked into a fire and walked out Mother of Dragons. She had a plan. She was gathering followers and training. When the time came, she would be ready. She rose and faced her followers. "We grieve his loss, but he died like a true Nord, on his feet, in battle, unflinching. Tonight, he dines in Sovngarde! Tonight, we rest and drink in his honor, but tomorrow we press on. We have much to do."
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- Location
- Canada
I'm really enjoying this fic, and the steady updates to boot! Do you have this prewritten?
- Location
- Texas
The Battleaxe of Fiery Souls? Yup, that would be the axe.
- Location
- Texas
No. I usually have a one chapter buffer. Example, I just posted chapter 25. Chapter 26 is at first draft. It will stay there until I finish Chapter 27. Then I'll go back and edit Chapter 26 and post. That lets me adjust things between chapters. I also suck when hot editing. I have to let a piece of writing sit for a few days before I can give it a good edit. I've plotted further ahead and know generally what Daenerys will be up to for the next three or four chapters, but the details often change as I write them. Whole subplots have spun off that I didn't have planned because I had an idea or a character asked for a bigger role in the story.
- Location
- Canada
That makes sense. I had the same problem when posting my own fic. It is a very good idea to let things "sit" and then edit again.
Neruz
Rogue Spiderbanana
- Location
- The Land of Fire and Poison
It's alright, unless the Draugr Lord had a black soul gem on him then his soul wasn't trapped. As there was no mention of a black soul gem (which, unlike in the games, are Very Srs Bsns in the lore) I'm thinking no soul trappery occurred, and even if there was then as long as the black soul gem is not used but is instead destroyed then the soul within will be freed to go to wherever it is normally supposed to go.
Souls only end up in the Soul Cairn if they are first soul trapped in a black soul gem and then the black soul gem is consumed to feed a spell or enchantment, anything else only temporarily delays the soul from traveling to its appointed plane in Oblivion or Aetherius. And lore-wise no-one who isn't a Necromancer and\or a raging psychopath would ever actually use a black soul gem, if only because black soul gems run contrary to Arkay's divine mandate and pissing off the God of Death and Mortality isn't something any sane person thinks is a good idea.
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It's been a long while since I last played Skyrim, but my standard opening for a character involved getting a Staff of Storm Atronach Summoning and hitting up Ironbind Barrow for that axe. I seem to recall something in there reliably drops black soulgems, and I think it's Gathrik.
I mean, "loot" is very unspecific, otherwise I think what that axe does would have been mentioned one way or another. And if an author wanted to talk about just how fucked Enchanting in Elder Scrolls actually is, which given it's Azura's Daedric Quest that's come up...
Neruz
Rogue Spiderbanana
- Location
- The Land of Fire and Poison
According to the Wiki, Gathrik drops filled or empty soul gems, including the possibility of two empty black soul gems at higher levels.
So Grandfather might have been soul trapped, but if so they'll know about it because they'll have picked up a filled black soul gem which, as I said, is A Big Deal, and Grandfather will be fine as long as no-one feels like being a raging asshole and using a human soul as magic fuel and instead takes the sensible moral option and just destroys the black soul gems for being the extra heretical highly blasphemous items that they are.
Remember: Black soul gems can only be created in the direct light of the Necromancer's Moon when it eclipses Arkay in the heavens and thus blocks his power over Nirn once per month, they are capital E items of Evil.
Yeah.
... Could also be used to lead into the Soul Cairn plot without needing Daenerys to do stupid things involving vampires first.
- Location
- Texas
Well... Now that you mention it, Gathrik does drop 2 black soul gems.
Loot will be revisited at the first of next chapter.
So... how many people know about the Soul Cairn anyway? I thought it was very few right? Even someone like Faralda who is a Mistress of Destruction, but as far as Enchanting goes can reliably read Enchantments and can use an Enchanting table correctly, but hasn't bothered to master the art probably just knows that using a black soul gem involves burning a human soul as a power source and is bad.