Chapter 3

I was glad to see it was still daylight when I finally left the cave. I knew how easy it was to lose your sense of time while underground. In the distance, to the north, I could see the roof of a building. I guessed that to be Riverwood, based upon what Hadvar had said. From where this cave entrance was located in relation to the town, it would be easy for the bandits to spy on the town and prey on unwary travelers. I’ll tell the city guards about it so they can make sure it doesn’t happen again.

There were a couple of rock ledges I had to climb down, followed by a small hillside, nothing very difficult for me to traverse. I found a road at the bottom, running alongside the river. I recognized some of the flowers growing alongside the road as useful to me in making potions, and picked several of them. Hopefully I’d find an alchemy station before I ran out of room to carry things.

As I approached the town from the south, I could see the wall guarding the town. It was an open path with a guard walk over it. To me, that indicated a more peaceful town, not needing an actual gate to close such as at Helgen. Or maybe just no military presence. I continued on into town without any of the guard stopping me, so hopefully that meant things really were peaceful. At the entrance, I stopped and spoke to one of the guards.

“There’s a mine just back the road from here, it had some bandits in it.”

He nodded. “Yes, we know, citizen. We don’t have enough strength to take them out.”

“You didn’t hear what I said. It had some bandits in it. Now it doesn’t. You might want to talk to whoever in this town does things about getting it back into operation again.” I continued on, leaving him standing and gaping in shock at me.

There was a porch out front of the first house on the right with an older woman and what must have been her son listening to her screech. I heard her yelling at him, “I know what I saw! It was big as the mountain and black as night! It flew right over the barrow!” She pointed at the large structure halfway up the mountain across the river from the town. I realized that was the same building I’d noticed earlier. Her son just shook his head and told his mother to quit fantasizing about things, then walked away.

I got closer. “Woman, what did you see?” I asked.

“I tell you, it was a dragon! No one believes me. Go ahead and laugh at me, but it’ll kill us all!”

I grinned. “I believe you. If there is anyone still alive in Helgen, I bet they’d believe you, too.” With that I turned from her and walked away, leaving her stunned in silence at my words.

I saw Hadvar ahead, standing outside the local smithy, talking to a woman. He saw me and waved me over. “Glad to see you made it! If those Stormcloaks have themselves a pet dragon, General Tullius is going to need all the help he can get.”

“Well, wanting to cut my head off just because I was with someone that I met in a bar doesn’t exactly endear me to him at the moment, Hadvar. Who were those prisoners?”

He laughed at my question. “You didn’t know them, truly? Then I am sorry you were mixed up in that mess. That was Ulfric Stormcloak himself and his top lieutenants. They claim to be fighting for Skyrim’s freedom, but the war is all about Ulfric wanting to be the High King.”

I looked puzzled, so he continued. “I guess down in Cyrodiil, things up here don’t get much attention. Ulfric founded the Stormcloaks years ago as his private band to further his ambitions. He’s been using the ban on Talos worship to keep them fired up.”

“But I thought dragons were extinct?”

“So did I. The Stormcloaks must have found one and woke it up. It can’t be a coincidence, the first dragon anyone’s seen in centuries shows up just as Ulfric is about to be executed. He must have planned this all along, he’s been avoiding our patrols and capture like he knew we were coming, and then General Tullius sets up this ambush and suddenly we capture him easily.” Hadvar turned his head as a man approached us.

“Alvor, my uncle! I’m so glad to see you! Helgen was attacked by a dragon, and my friend and I may be the only ones alive from there. I must get to Solitude to warn them!”

“Are you drunk, Hadvar? There are no dragons around.”

I spoke up. “The old woman at the entrance to town described it perfectly, black as night. She saw it fly off to the west.”

“By the gods, Hadvar! If that’s true, we need to get word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun! We don’t have enough guards here in case of a dragon attack! You must stay and help guard Riverwood. But one of you must get to Solitude, so can your friend there help us with that?”

I moved from the shadows, and I saw his eyes open wide. “By the Eight, what is that you’re wearing, friend? I’m a smith and I’ve never seen armor or weapons like that before.” Hadvar looked at me as well, since I was no longer wearing what he’d last seen me wearing.

“Armor and weapons like this are one reason why you never see dragons anymore. Forged from the scales and bones of dragons, these were.”

“By Ysmir, that must be worth a fortune! How does one so young as you have such wealth?”

“How I have it is not important. What is important is that I need to know why you still swear to Ysmir, but not to Talos, when they are the same.”

“The White Gold Concordat is the reason, those damned Thalmor, made the Empire ban Talos worship when I was still a boy, so Talos can no longer be worshiped. But Ysmir is still the Dragon of the North, no matter what those damned elves say!”

I nodded. “Sounds reasonable, if a bit self-serving. How do I get to Whiterun from here?”

“Cross the river on the other end of town, and follow the road. It’s just past the falls. Climb the hills, the Jarl’s palace, Dragonsreach, is at the top, inside the city walls. Do you need any supplies from me?”

I shook my head no. “I’d best be off while it’s still daylight. Hadvar, good luck, and I’ll consider your request about the Imperials.” I could feel eyes watching me from the doorway to the smithy. It was the woman Hadvar had been talking to earlier. “What’s the matter, woman, feeling threatened because I’m not afraid to talk to men?”

“You’re pretty, I’ll give you that. But stay away from my husband.”

I laughed. “You have no idea, woman. Why would I be interested in a simple smith? I’m here to find my destiny, and I’m damned sure it doesn’t involve him.”

I could feel her glaring at my back as I followed the road north. Another gate like at the south end of town showed the north end. Obviously this wasn’t a large town. The road turned, and a simple stone bridge crossed the river. I stopped halfway across the bridge, just to look around. This land was so different from the Shivering Isles, and seemed much more vibrant and alive than Cyrodiil. The river flowed from a mountain valley behind me to the south, with waterfalls streaming down the sides of the mountains on the west side. The mountain on the east side of the river seemed to reach all the way to the sky itself. Simply gorgeous!

Once I was across the bridge, it looked like there were two paths. I guessed that one must wind its way up to that barrow while the other visibly followed the river north. I followed that one. As it started to climb a bit, I startled an elk that was grazing beside the path.

“Huh, must not be a lot of regular foot traffic this way,” I muttered. The elk ran off through the woods beside the path. The path continued to rise until it finally hit a peak. As I crested the rise, I heard the chilling sound of wolf howls. I loosened my sword and readied it, just in case.

That turned out to be good timing on my part, because after a very short distance I came upon a wolf, gnawing upon the remnants of a small animal right in the middle of the path. The wolf lowered its head and growled at me, then charged. I got my shield up in time to block the bite attempt and to knock it to the side. I then thrust the tip of my sword into its chest. The wolf gave off a startled yelp, then was still.

I didn’t realize how high up I was. I could see, off in the distance to the north, a huge building that was on top of a summit. I could see part of a city near the base of the summit, so I figured that I was seeing Dragonsreach. I also figured it would take me a bit of walking to get there, still another couple of hours at least, if not more. No wonder Alvor was worried, if it would take half a day to get reinforcements once you sent for them.

The path led me down the mountain now. I spent the time walking watching for danger, but also admiring the beauty of the falls in the river, with the setting sun sparkling off the mists, seeing the salmon leaping over the falls to reach their spawning pools. Finally I reached the bottom and the path improved to a road, then into an intersection with roads going in three different directions. One crossed the river to my right, another led straight ahead, and the third choice had a sign pointing that proclaimed it the way to Whiterun. A small, tributary stream ran alongside this road as well.

I followed that road. In the growing darkness, I could see lights going on inside the city walls. But closer than that, I could see a familiar glow coming from a plant growing alongside the stream. I felt lucky to find a Nirnroot plant this close to a city. Those rare plants are ingredients in some very useful potions. Now if I could only remember how to mix those potions, I’d be one happy woman.

I saw some farm fields off to the south and stopped, not believing what I was seeing. There was a giant in that field.

“What in Oblivion is he doing so close to a major city?” I readied my bow and started closing, preparing to do what I could to help. I could see some people near the creature, less than half it’s size. Hopefully I would be able to help a little, anyway.

The giant fell, dead, before I got close enough to help. I got closer as they cleaned their weapons and prepared to leave the body in the field. One of them, a woman with shoulder length red hair, wearing leather armor, and with three marks of war paint running across her face, saw me coming closer. Her voice held disdain as she said, “Well, that’s taken care of, no thanks to YOU!”

I couldn’t let that stand, as they had the thing down before I was even close enough to help. “You didn’t look like you needed my help.”

“Certainly not, but a true warrior would have relished the opportunity to take on a giant. That’s why I’m here with my shield-brothers.”

“Like the Fighters Guild?”

“Ah, an outsider. No, we are the Companions, an order of warriors who fight with honor if the coin is good enough.” She turned on her heel and walked away.

One of the others, an Imperial woman with brown hair tied back and wearing scaled armor, said to me, “You’ll have to excuse Aela, stranger. She’s very abrupt with those who wear the weapons and armor, but fail to use them. And if you’ll excuse me, for now at least ... Oh, and I’m Ria, just ... for your information.”

She walked past me with a wink and an interesting sway to her hips. That could be fun later. One thing about the guards when I was growing up, I learned a lot of things that did NOT relate to combat as well.

I ended up following the three members of the Companions as they walked towards the city. If nothing else, the view ahead of me was enhanced by watching them walk. We passed the stable and came closer to the actual city walls. There was a tent set up outside the walls to the south of the road, and I could smell something enticing being cooked by those travelers. I didn’t realize that Khajiit also lived in Skyrim. I hoped that these folk, since they weren’t Nords, might be friendlier than the natives. I stopped in front of one who was sitting on a carpet beside the road.

One of the cat folk said, “My name is Ri-saad. May I be of service?”

“What are you doing in Skyrim?”

“We are traders, seeking opportunity where we can find it. And far from our home, this land is a ripe opportunity, indeed. The war has scared many traders away, but for those with courage, there is much profit to be made. Take a look at our goods.”

I did, and found a couple of small items to trade with them. When done, Ri-saad said, “May you always find warm sands.”