The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim Chapter 3
#3 of Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim
Chapter 3 : Before the Storm
By Kendo Kawabata
The cave system was long and dark, the damp smell of mildew and moss invading the Argonian's nostrils and filling his lungs with the decaying smell. Tiny bones of long dead bats and small rodents crunched under their feet, along with the crunching noise of rocks and moss underfoot.
The base of Kassi'ms boots were starting to get damp from all the moss that was being trodden on. The soft leather soles were starting to squelch slightly with each step and Kassi'm could feel his feet become cold.
Without a sound the hovering light above died out and for a moment both Kassi'm and Ralof were plunged back into darkness. Kassi'm held his hand out in front of him and a ball of soft light appeared on his open palm. He cast the ball upwards and out front, and the ball of light twisted through the air before it became lodged on the tunnels roof.
Ralof, being a Nord native of Skyrim, was used to the cold as he confidently pushed forward, seeming both very calm at ease strolling through an empty cave. He didn't appear cold or tired from the walk, nor did he seem all that bothered about how far underground they could possibly be.
Kassi'm however, was finding himself shivering more and more the further they went. His mage light spell, while handy to light up the darkness that surrounded them, was useless at giving him a warm comfort. And being a lizard, he found himself shivering more then he would have liked in the cold air of the tunnel.
"How long does this tunnel go?" Kassi'm asked as he brought his hands up and wrapped his arms around himself. He quickly rubbed his hands over his arms in an effort to warm himself up. The rubbing helped for a moment, but he found himself wishing he could change his boots.
"Until we get to the end" Ralof said over his shoulder, and Kassi'm could almost hear the grin that was stretching over the man's face. "Why, are you getting cold?" he asked in that calm tone of voice, and Kassi'm held his breath rather then give an answer to it.
"Lets hope the end isn't that far off" Kassi'm said as he strode forward. His boots squelched on the carcass of a very large and half eaten rat-like creature. "Oh eew, I stepped on a skeever" Kassi'm said in disgust as he pulled his foot off the carcass and shook the entrails from the bottom of his shoe.
"Better a dead skeever then a live one" Ralof pointed out with a mild smile on his face. "Usually anything underground is filled the little squeaking bastards" he said as he ducked through a large and dark looking opening.
"Good point" Kassi'm thought as he glanced around the dimly lit tunnel flooring and, seeing it was safe from the small angry little rodents, he pushed on forward. But he couldn't help but to keep a look out for any of the live ones that could be around.
The light died down again, and Kassi'm mumbled something under his breath about the annoyance as they were once again plunged into darkness.
Kassi'm held his hand out again to recast the spell from what felt like the thirtieth time, when he noticed something in the distance. He brought his hand slowly down as he peered through the darkness.
There was a crack in the tunnel wall that was glowing. At least, it looked like a crack that had split part of the tunnel open, revealing a white coloured wall behind it. But when Kassi'm took a step closer and looked a little more closely, he realised it was more then just a crack.
It was the exit.
"There's the exit" Ralof said, stating the rather obvious as he was the first to point it out. A smile broke out across his blonde bearded face as he pointed in the distance that Kassi'm was looking at.
The exit was a large hole in the tunnel wall, pouring light into the darkness that surrounded it. A flutter of snow was drifting through the air, blowing gently onto the ground below. A blanket of white had already covered the area around the exit, and the snow was untouched. Since it was untouched, it meant that no-one had managed to leave before they did.
But the light seemed to beckon to him like a beacon in the darkest night and he felt hopeful for the first time in hours.
"Well come on, lets go" Kassi'm said as he hurried forward, feeling a surge of energy hit his body as he felt a smile work its way over his face. His covered feet thumped onto the moss covered stonework as Ralof hurried to follow him, seeing the renewed Argonian rush forward. The air grew crisper and colder the closer they became, the scales on Kassi'ms body prickling from the cold air.
The opening wasn't very large, but it was a very welcome sight to behold. Kassi'm regarded the narrow opening for a few moments as he peered through the gap. For a moment his vision was blinded by white and grey, but when his vision cleared, he could see a mountain in the distance.
"Well, shall we go through, or would you like to explore the cave some more?" Ralof asked. Kassi'm looked up at him for a moment and decided not to answer him. Instead, Kassi'm ducked his head and bent down as he pushed himself into the gap.
The gap was snug, and his clothing snagged on the rocks more then once, tearing a couple of small holes in the hem of his robes as he pushed himself through. He had to tug his snagged clothing free as he heard Ralof follow him. Kassi'm had to smile as he heard the much bigger man grunt a few times as he somehow managed to push his bulky frame through the gap.
"Finally" Kassi'm cried out as he pushed forward and almost fell onto his hands and knees as he emerged from the gap in the rocks.
For the first time in hours Kassi'm was able to breathe a breath of fresh air as he emerged from the cramped opening. He wanted to just crawl onto the ground and kiss the soft earth in relief. He found himself smiling widely in happiness as he stayed on his knees and leant forward in relief.
"Ah, there's nothing like the fresh air of Mother Skyrim" Ralof said behind him as he emerged from the opening in the ground. Kassi'm turned around from his position on the ground and saw that the gap in the rocks was obscured by a thick clump of bushes. The bushes were covered in bright purple flowers, making it seem like some wild garden. Unless you knew where to look, chances were you would miss it.
Ralof stretched his arms out into the air and seemed to embrace the freedom that he and Kassi'm were now blessed with. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he revelled in the cold air that surrounded him.
Kassi'm chuckled slightly as he slowly rose to his knees. Picking himself up, he shook his limbs a few times to get the blood flowing so he didn't freeze out in the open. He brought his hands to his clothing and dusted himself free of the snow as he looked about at his surroundings.
A mountain range lay in the distance, a black and white behemoth of stone and snow rising into the sky. Kassi'm looked up at the mountain and saw the peak of the mound was hidden in the dark clouds above.
"That's one tall mountain" Kassi'm said to himself as he brought a hand up to rub at his face. It was then that he noticed that his hands were stained black. He felt confused for a moment as he looked down at his robes and saw that where he had dusted, he had left blackened streaks over the material.
"What in the world" he said as it was then that he was able to notice that the ground around him was grey. The indents where he had been on his hands and knees in the snow revealed that the snow was black underneath.
Was the ground black around Helgen? He had never heard of black snow before. Then he realised that the ground wasn't actually black, it was carpeted black. Everything around them was covered in black, and the white snow that had fallen on top of it had turned grey.
"Look at that" Ralof said quietly, breaking Kassi'm out of his thoughts. Kassi'm looked up to see that Ralof was staring into the sky behind them. Kassi'm followed his gaze as he turned around and he found himself gasping slightly in surprise.
The gates of Helgen were nearby, the solid wooden structure still intact. They were wide and made of a heavy looking wood, coupled together with iron bolts and steel plates. Bolted across with heavy wooden struts, they ensured that no-one would have gotten in. Or out.
Behind it, a great column of black smoke was slowly rising into the sky before them. It was like a giant serpent made of black swirling snow was slowly dancing its way into the air above it. The head of the great cloud serpent was hidden in a colossal swirl of what looked like the beginnings of a thunderstorm. The clouds above where black and thundered overheard, threatening to break through into an all out storm.
And all around them, it was snowing. But the snow was black, and covered the ground like powdered sugar on a sweet-roll. Kassi'm held his hand out and caught some of the black powder in his fingers. It was warm to the touch, and it smeared over his fingertips as he rubbed it between his fingers.
"It's ash" Ralof said as he stepped up next to Kassi'm. The falling blackness was already starting to coat him, dusting him with grey. It almost made it look like he had aged a few years in the short time they had been outside. "The fire from that dragon, it could even melt stone. Nothing in that village could have survived" he said.
Kassi'm felt himself shivering. It wasn't from the cold that made him shiver under his scales. It was the thought of being covered by the remains of the dead that was slowly covering him and the countryside.
He looked around as his thoughts turned to the people had seen in the village. The Imperial Soldiers, the captured Stormcloaks, the villagers who lived there. The ones who had thrown rocks at him, the children allowed to watch the execution. They were all dead.
And Kassi'm felt his stomach start to knot over as he realised he was covered by their death.
"We should go" Ralof said as he broke the silence.
Kassi'm nodded as he slowly stood up and brushed his hands over his covered thighs. The black ashes smeared over his robes, and his first thoughts were to get into a river the first chance he had.
In silence the two of them turned their backs on the destroyed ruins and headed down the ash covered path that lead away from the chaos behind them.
Kassi'm looked up overhead as he noticed that the sky was slowly starting to turn dark. He could hear the storm clouds overhead beginning to crackle and thunder, but it wasn't making the light fade like it was. Obviously they had been underground a lot longer then they had believed, and the day was heading into night.
"So...where are we heading?" Kassi'm asked as he turned to Ralof after several long minutes of silence between the two of them. Kassi'm looked around and realised that they were now surrounded by trees, and the snow was no longer grey and black.
"Riverwood" Ralof said as he stopped and pointed into the distance. "It's not far from here. If you were headed there, you'd reach it by nightfall."
"Do you know anyone there?" Kassi'm asked as he looked in the direction that Ralof was pointed. He could see the road in the snow spread through the trees and head down the slope. Around them, the mountains towered over them, almost closing in around them.
"My sister, Gerdur. She runs the lumber mill. Riverwood is a lumber village. They do good business there" Ralof said as he brought his arm down. "A lot of people around build their houses out of lumber, and most close to hear get their wood from the village.
"It's good you have family to take you in" Kassi'm said to him. He felt a pang in his chest as he saw the images of his mother and father in his mind, their fleeting presence doing nothing to comfort him, but only serving as a reminder that he had left them far away.
"If I get there before you do, I'll put in a good word for you" Ralof said. "You saved my life a few times back there, and if my sister can offer you a good bed for the night, I'll consider the debt partly paid off" Ralof said with a pleasant smile. The generous offer caught Kassi'm off guard for a moment and he had to struggle to find words he remembered so that he could talk.
"I couldn't intrude like that" Kassi'm said. "I...you hardly know me and..." but Ralof held his hand up and did not allow Kassi'm to get anything more out of his mouth.
"As I said, it's the least I can do. Besides, you're filthy and look like some poor beggar from the streets. You can't arrive at Winterholme looking like some street child from Riften" Ralof insisted.
Kassi'm looked down at his robes and was again reminded of how much death he was covered in, and he realised that Ralof was partly correct. He did need to change his clothing and a good meal did sound rather nice.
"But, I think it should be best if we split up for now, at least until we reach Riverwood" Ralof said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Why?" Kassi'm asked. "Why would it be good if we split up?"
"This place will be swarming with Imperials soon. The set up an execution here on behalf of the Thallmar, and it was overlooked by General Tullius himself. And they all got wiped out by a dragon. I'm sure Tullius, if he survived, will be sending every spare soldier he can to investigate what happened" Ralof said. "And most likely try to blame the Stormcloaks while he's at it."
"Well, I don't have anywhere else to go, until I know exactly where I am" Kassi'm admitted. "So, I guess I could stay with your sister for one night" he ended up saying. There really was no point in turning down a good offer like that.
"Good. Then I'll meet you at Riverwood" Ralof said as he started to walk down the path backwards, still with his arms crossed. "Just keep walking down this path and you'll get there. Don't stray too far. Wolves are in the woods" he called out before he turned around and broke out into a run.
"Maybe I should have stayed back home" Kassi'm thought to himself as he found himself alone on the ash covered road, watching the big blonde Nord run into the distance and away from him. The silence of the forest began to wrap around him as Kassi'm simply stood there.
Once again, he found himself alone on his journey.
Shaking those thoughts from his head before they consumed his mind and threatened to bring him down, Kassi'm put his best foot forward and began to follow the path. His feet were still freezing and the dirt on the road was beginning to stick to his wet boots, turning the moisture into mud.
Slowly, the smell of the burning village began to fade into the distance as his feet walked over not snow, but dirt and cobblestone. The smell of the forest, pine and bark began to surround him in the silence, his muddy boots squelching on the path through the forest.
"Pine trees. They don't have those back home" he found himself thinking aloud as he looked up at the towering trees. The late afternoon sun was slowly setting behind them in the distance, and the light was growing dimmer. Somewhere, he heard the call of a bird, and it was joined by a couple more.
He rounded past a corner in the trail and a new mountain suddenly covered the horizon. It almost surprised him, since it didn't belong to the mountain range that was part of the behemoth with its head in the clouds. Covered in snow and towering in the distance, it was suddenly striking to see it pop almost out of nowhere.
"Is that....a ruin?" Kassi'm thought to himself as he brought his hand up to shield his eyes. Almost half way up the mountain was what looked a dark imposing structure. It looked like it had been built there to overlook the valley that lay underneath it. Kassi'm could just make out the columns and the remains of the outside, but little else from his distance.
"I wonder if that's an Ayleid ruin?" he said to himself as he scanned the darker growing ruins in the fading sunlight. But the design on the ruin, as far as he could see, didn't match the elegant designs of the ancient elven architecture that he was use too.
With a light shrug of his shoulders Kassi'm continued down the path.
Bright red and purple flowers covered the path on either sides, and Kassi'm stopped for a moment to examine them. They looked rather fragile, but sturdy enough that he could pick them. Cupping his fingers around the head of the flower, he snapped his wrist and severed the flower from its stalk. The action revealed a thick fragrance that briefly wafted into the air.
His backpack slowly began to fill as he found himself idly picking the flowers that he found along the way. There was hanging moss covering the tree stumps and thick mushrooms growing under bushes. Large circular growths covered the sides of trees and big round cottony ball flowers dotted between the trees.
Picking the random vegetation had a calming affect on Kassi'm, and he found himself wishing he still had his mortar and pestle. Alchemy had always been something he had enjoyed studying, and it was always something that helped him to relax. As he ventured further down the path, picking more of the vegetation that he could find, the road travelled downwards and Kassi'm heard the sound of water rushing against rocks.
The river looked freezing, and almost literally over the other side of the river, lay the base of the mountain, a fresh dusting of snow laying along the edge of the bank. Kassi'ms first thought was to rush in and get his clothes clean, but that thought was brought to a crashing halt as he looked into the water.
The water was black.
"Great. The dead following me everywhere I go now" he thought to himself as he stood up. The water was murky and black, carrying with it who knew how much corpse dust down its flow. And who knew how long it would take for the river to run clean again.
He heard the howl of a wolf in the distance and it jolted him from his thoughts. He slid his hand to the hilt of his elven dagger and looked about for a moment. But he saw nothing between the trees that told him the wolf was near.
Kassi'm did get the message though as he turned his back on the darkened river and resumed following the path.
The wall of Riverwood appeared quicker then he thought once he began to follow the riverbank. Tall, man made and covered in the lichen that had sprung up from the forest that surrounded it, Kassi'm knew he had found Riverwood before he had even come close to the gates. The gates were wide open, granting access to anyone that wanted entrance.
As he approached the gates to the village of Riverwood, Kassi'm felt surprised by the peace and quiet that he felt in the air. It was strange to feel the sereness of the village before he had even stepped foot past its walls.
It was strange that just a few hours ago, he had been running for his life, dodging fire and brimstone and the blades of the Imperial Army. And then escaping through the underground of Helgen's Keep and dodging the lethal attacks of the torturers found within.
And yet, here was a village that didn't seem aware of the danger and death that had occurred just down the road. At least, that was what he thought before before the air was broken by the cries of an old woman on the porch of her home.
"Son, I saw it" she cried as she pointed a gnarled finger into the air. "A dragon. A great big dragon just flew over the mountains. I saw it clear as day" she said, the elderly and greyed woman was pointing her hand upwards repeatedly as she pointed to the mountains behind their village.
"Mother, what are you talking about?" a young brown haired man said as he approached the old wooden house beyond the gate.
"A dragon. A dirty great dragon" the older woman almost yelled into her sons face as she hobbled her way down the porch to stand in front of him, wringing her hands in her dirty apron. "It was black as night and flew towards Hrothgar. I saw it" she insisted.
"Mother, there are no such things as dragons" the young man said as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Now, why don't you come inside and I'll get you some of that Black-Briar mead you love so much" he said as he, somewhat forcibly, lead his mother into the house. The bent old woman protested rather loudly, but it seemed her son would have none of it as he shut the door behind them.
"I see you finally decided to show up."
Kassi'm turned around from seeing the spectacle and saw Ralof leaning against the wall he had just passed. The big blond Nord was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed once more as he seemed to be waiting for him.
"Well, I don't have anywhere else to go" Kassi'm admitted with a light shrug of his shoulders. "Plus, I could use a place to stay" he added.
"Well, the inn over there is not too bad. Although the bard that plays there, isn't the most gracious with music. Apparently he's in a love triangle with the girl at the general store and one of the wood elves here. If you believe rumours" Ralof said with a rather good natured chuckle. He unfolded his arms and stood up as he gestured. "Lets go meet Gerdur."
Across from the old woman's house lay a longhouse with a working forge at its end. A big muscled man in a black apron was busy pounding a large hammer against a glowing piece of metal, a look of concentration on his face as he shaped the metal. Past that lay an enormous and slowly turning wheel, and for the first time Kassi'm was aware of the sound of wood splintering and the smell of sawdust permeating the air.
The lumber mill seemed to stretch out against the riverbank, sawdust clouds filling the air as the workers were still going with their workload. Several men were busy with large hacksaws, removing the large branches from a felled tree. On top of the wooden structure Kassi'm could see a felled tree already set up and waiting for work.
As they passed the longhouse and walked around the corner to the front of the mill, a loud and piercing whirring noise was heard. Kassi'm looked up as the huge tree was slowly pulled forward into a giant whirling bladed wheel.
With a louder shrieking noise the whirling blade began to slice through the tree and a burst of sawdust blew into the air. Kassi'm stepped back, but he was too late as the shredded tree dust covered him quickly. Ralof gave a loud chuckle as he watched Kassi'm dust himself off, now covered in soot, ash and sawdust. He shook his head at the scowling Argonian as he looked around.
Ralof's face slowly broke out into a smile before he approached a woman bending over a table. She was wearing a long covering dress that was dusted with sawdust, dirt and grime. Her golden hair was tied behind her head, and Kassi'm knew at once that it was Ralof's sister.
"Gerdur" Ralof said as he opened his arms towards her. The woman turned around , looking up from the table and she broke out into a smile similar to her brothers. She opened her arms and walked up to him and embraced him tightly.
"Ralof. You're alright" she said with a warm smile on her face as she pulled back from her brother, right before she slapped him across the face. Ralof grunted as he took a step back and rubbed at his now red cheek.
"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Gerdur said as she planted her hands on her hips and glared at her brother. He was bigger then her by a heads span, but he seemed to falter in her gaze. "I can't believe it. I heard the rumours that the High King was captured, and you worried me sick. Now I hope you have a good explanation" she demanded.
"Gerdur, its ok. I'm here, safe and sound" Ralof said as he rubbed his cheek. "And I'm sorry that I made you worry, little sister" he added as he rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, looking rather embarrassed. He didn't get much of a chance to talk further before a large muscled and shirtless man walked up to Ralof and gave him such a clap on the back that he almost fell over.
"Ralof, you old Nord bastard" the dark haired man said with a rather loud laugh. "You had us worried there. I thought the Stormcloaks were tougher then this" he said with a broad smile. "You are going to pay for making my wife worry. She took it out on last nights dinner, and I'm glad she now has excuse to beat something else besides my meal" he said with a hearty laugh. Ralof straightened himself and rubbed his shoulder a bit.
"Hod, you're still a brute I see" Ralof said with a chuckle. "If you weren't my brother in law, I would hit you back" he said. Hod laughed and Ralof gave him a smile, but he grimaced rather obviously when Hod turned his attention away from Ralof and saw where Kassi'm was standing. Gerdur saw her husbands gaze and looked over as well.
"Ralof, who is that?" Gerdur asked as she looked over at Kassi'm.
"This is my friend, Kassi'm. He helped save my life, and I in turn helped save his" Ralof said as he gestured at Kassi'm. Kassi'm felt it was safe to go over and he walked up to the three Nords.
"You saved my brother?" Gerdur asked in surprise. Kassi'm nodded, but didn't get a chance to speak as Ralof spoke first.
"The rumours about what happened were true" Ralof said as he sat down on a pile of wooden logs that was nearby. "We were ambushed. At Darkwater crossing. It had to have been an inside job. They knew that we were coming. That was two days ago" Ralof pointed out.
"You think someone on the inside betrayed the High King?" Hod said, and the big man looked disgusted by the very idea.
"Anything is possible" Ralof said with a shake of his head. "As much as it sickens me that someone would betray Skyrim's own King, they knew everyone that Jarl Ulfric was travelling with. They had a list of names. Someone had to have told them" he said.
"So what about him? Where does he fit in?" Hod asked as he looked at Kassi'm with an eyebrow raised.
"He's a traveller. He was going through the Pale Pass in the Jerall Mountains" Ralof explained. "The imperials sent scouts ahead, and thought he was one of us. He didn't have a chance to put up a fight before they forced him down. I have to admit, he doesn't go down easily" Ralof added with a smile.
"They didn't exactly give me a chance to explain myself" Kassi'm pointed out as he crossed his arms. "They outnumbered me, beat me up and then put me on the cart with Ralof, the Jarl and a horse thief. And they didn't exactly hesitate to put me on the chopping block."
"Oh, you poor thing" Gerdur said, and Kassi'm was slightly touched and surprised by how sympathetic her voice sounded. "Damn those imperials. First they help outlaw Talos, then they condemn our High King to death, and now they're sending innocent people to be murdered."
"Kassi'm was on the chopping block, simply because he was there." Ralof continued. "They didn't even give Ulfric a trial either. They intended to kill him and everyone else they had rounded up. And then...a dragon attacked. "
Nobody spoke for a few moments, the only sound that was heard was the sound of wood splintering and the cold waters of the river rushing by. Kassi'm looked over at the river for a moment, and saw that the water at the village was black and murky still.
"A real live....are you sure you're not pulling our leg Ralof?" Hod asked as he broke the silence in the air.
"I can hardly believe it myself, and I was there. We both were" Ralof said as he sat back. "It shouted something, a roar I think, into the air and then it began to rain fire and rocks. I lost track of Jarl Ulfric and the others before we escaped into Helgen's Keep."
"No-one else made it down the trail and through the village, did they?" Kassi'm asked. "They outside gates of Helgen were locked tight, but maybe someone climbed over the walls."
"As far as we know, no-one else has come down the south road" Hod pointed out. "Everyone in the village knows each other, so they'd notice someone new eventually."
"Well, this place will be full of imperials soon, most likely looking for us" Ralof said as he stood up. "Kassi'm, it would be best if we split up here and..."
"Ralof, you are not going anywhere" Gerdur said as she stood before her brother. "Before you complain, it is not a burden. We have the room. You both look exhausted, and you can't run from Imperials if you are worn out."
"Gerdur" Ralof said, but his sister held her hand up. Kassi'm stared in fascination as he saw how quickly the large blonde man submitted before the smaller blonde woman.
"Ralof, if they come looking for you, then you can run. But until they do, you're staying with me" she said, and the look on her face made Ralof back off and submit to his sister without any hesitation. She then rounded on Kassi'm and he took a step back in surprise.
"Kassi'm, if you did help save my brother, then you have my gratitude" she said to him. "I would be honoured if I could repay the favour by doing an errand for me" she said to him.
"What's the favour?" Kassi'm asked, feeling rather wary of her.
"The Jarl of the Reach needs to be told that there are dragons in the area. Riverwood can't defend itself, and if a dragon attacks, we could be wiped out" Gerdur said. "We are just a lumber village, we're not farmers."
The blank look on Kassi'm's face made them all look at him for a few moments.
"Is there something wrong?" Hod asked as he looked at Kassi'm rather curiously.
"What's the reach, and what's a Jarl?" Kassi'm asked, feeling confused. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
You're not from here, are you?" Gerdur asked.
"No, he's not. He's from Cyrrodiil" Ralof said with an amused look on his face. "an outsider from the imperial territory."
"Are you sure you can trust him then?" Hod asked. "If he comes from the imperial city..." he said with a gesture of his hand.
"I do indeed" Ralof said with a nod. That seemed all the confirmation that Hod needed as the big man nodded and stepped back.
"Hod, go get him a map. If he's not from here, he'll need to know the way" Gerdur said. Her husband nodded and walked away from them both as he headed around the corner from the lumbermill.
"You're being very kind" Kassi'm said to her.
"It's best not to argue with her anyway. I bet she could argue a dragon into submission" Ralof said with a light grin on his face.
"Just because you never won an argument with your sister" Gerdur pointed out. Hod quickly made his way back, a large cylinder of leather in his hands. He walked over to the table Gerdur had been bending over before and swept the sawdust off the top and took a hold of the side of the cylinder. His hand pulled something square and white from inside the cylinder and he spread the roll out.
Kassi'm saw the back of the paper was made out of soft leather and the map itself was very detailed on pristine looking paper. If Kassi'm didn't know any better, he could swear that the mountain regions on the map were actually standing up.
"Here, put your name up here in this space" Hod said. He pulled the top from the cylinder and plucked a small white quill and an inkwell from the empty space he had just produced. Kassi'm looked doubtful for a moment before he picked up he quill and wrote his name along the space in the map.
He was surprised to see that ink began to spread out over the map, and symbols began to appear over some of the blank areas. A tiny little village appeared on the curve of a river, along with a tiny green mark on it. Underneath the little town was the word 'Riverwood', and there were markers along the road to 'Helgen."
"Wow. What did the map do?" Kassi'm asked as he saw the map seem to illustrate itself. Gerdur smiled at his confusion.
"The maps here in Skyrim update themselves as you find places to see or visit. Even if you don't notice them, the map shows where you've been" She said as she pointed to a little symbols that looked like mining tools crossed over. "See? I bet you didn't notice this mine on the way over" she said.
"Honestly, I didn't" he admitted as he looked the map over. Most of the map was blank, indicating that he hadn't explored it yet. He felt a smile creep over his face as he wondered what lay beyond where he was.
"Skyrim is split up into eight separate territories called 'Holds' " Gerdur explained as she ran her fingers over the map, indicating eight large city markers that were already on the map. "And each hold is governed by a ruling leader, the Jarl. They all watch over their holds from the holds capital city. Ours capital is Whiterun."
"Which is governed by Jarl Balgruff" Ralof said. "Currently, he's neutral on the civil war going on. Most of the Jarls have chosen to either back the Stormcloaks, or the Imperials."
"That's beside the point" Gerdur said. "The Jarl needs to know there are dragons nearby, and we need to be prepared. The civil war can wait. I don't think the dragons will be taking sides here" she said.
"Fine. But at least let him go in the morning. By the time he gets there, it'll be near midnight and the Jarl won't be interested in being disturbed, even for a dragon emergency" Ralof pointed out.
"He has a point" Hod said. Gerdur looked like she was going to argue the point, but the noises of the sawmill suddenly cut off. The buzzing and grinding noises and clouds of sawdust began to settle down as the mill workers obviously had finished for the day.
"I suppose your right" Gerdur relented before she turned to Kassi'm. "You are welcome to stay in our house" she gestured. It was then that he suddenly realised just how tired he was and he didn't have the energy to object.
"Then its settled" Ralof said as Kassi'm rolled the map back into its cylinder and slipped the map into his backpack. With a tired nod Kassi'm followed Ralof, Hod and Gerdur as they made their way into the village.
Their little cottage in Riverwood was rather humble, filled with simple looking furniture. A warm fire was crackling in the hearth in the middle of the room, casting the interior in a warm embrace. Hod sat himself down at a neatly set table and poured himself a mug of mead from the bottle that was on it. Ralof sat in the other chair and poured himself a glass as Gerdur showed Kassi'm where the beds were.
"You can sleep here tonight" she said as she showed him where he was sleeping. It looked comfortable enough with its animal skin blankets, and Kassi'm felt grateful that he had a bed to sleep in that night. He unhooked his backpack from his back and sat down to pull his soaked muddy boots from his feet.
"I'll have a meal cooked for you soon" Gerdur said as she hooked a large hanging pot over the hearth. "I hope you don't mind soup" she said as she turned to Kassi'm, and found that he had fallen on his side on the bed, his muddy boots still on.
He was dead asleep.
Fog. Everywhere was fog. He could barely see his hands in front of his face, and his breath clouded his vision with every bated breath outwards. The fog was so thick he felt like a ghost of himself as he looked at his hands.
A breath of wind blew towards him and the fog shifted, making his hands clearer to see He was wearing gloves. Black gloves. They were made out of thick leather that covered his hands like a second skin. He flexed his fingers and heard the leather creak.
_Something moved nearby and Kassi'm looked over into the fog. But he didn't see anyone here. But he had heard something. Kassi'm took a few steps forward, the creaking of his leather boots was barely audible. _
Dark figures in the fog moved around him, seeming to fade in and out of existence, dark shadows against the seemingly endless fog. Their movements were muffled, but they sounded heavy. Like they were built for battle. They blurred in and out of focus, running around him like they were searching for something.
"Who's there?" Kassi'm called out as his hands went to his sides. He felt the hilt of his weapons there and he wrapped his fingers around them. The footsteps faded around him, some growing closer and some fading away. The dark shadows seemed almost endlessly numerous.
But then without further sound they vanished. The fog moved again and he felt that breath of wind push it away. Below him, Kassi'm saw grass, but it was brighter then he had ever seen it before. He looked at his feet, but he couldn't make out anything more then the dark leather that covered his feet.
Kassi'm looked up as something appeared before him, a dark mass larger then he had ever seen before lay in the fog beyond. It was slowly moving forward, coming towards him. Kassi'm unhitched his weapons and brought them up as he readied himself. But then he had to look. In his hands were weapons, weapons he had never seen before.
_Circular blades, like deadly wheels in his hands. They were elaborate, and the wind in the fog made the edges whistle from their sharpness. He held the weapons up, and they glowed in the deep fog. One glowed red like it had been dipped in liquid rubies, and the other gleamed like it had been dipped in liquid diamonds. _
A deep growling was heard as the dark figure began to loom closer. The growling got louder and the fog began to drift past him. It was then that Kassi'm realised that the wind was in fact the beasts breath.
Two large glowing flashes of red appeared in the dark looming mass, burning like two orbs of living fire. The breath that came from the huge beast was hot and blew over him like a gust of ungodly wind. The fog was being blown back with each breath of the huge creature that slowly emerged from the fog.
"You cannot hope to beat me" the great beast said as the fog cleared enough for Kassi'm to see the emerging head of Alduin. "I have beaten those before you, and you are no different" the dragon said as he opened his mouth. His gaping maw glowed like living molten fire and he surged forward.
Kassi'm woke up with a start. He sat up with a heavy sweat covering his face as he found himself panting, his heart hammering in his chest. For a few moments he did not know where he was as he looked around the unfamiliar surroundings.
Slowly, the fear of the dream began to fade away as he felt his heart rate beginning to slow down and his breathing became more manageable. It took him a few moments to realise that he was still in Gerdur's home, it was morning and that he was alone.
He was also naked.
"What...what kind of dream was that?" he asked himself as he rubbed his face with his hands. The sweat on his fingers felt cold and he grabbed the blanket and began to wipe his face and neck free.
He pulled the blanket back and revealed his naked body. He swung his legs over the side of the bed as he stood up, looking for his clothing. His clothes were sitting on a small side table next to the bed, as well as his shoes. They were cleaned and looked almost new.
His pack was on the nearby dresser, and Kassi'm unrolled his robes and began to redress himself. The clothes felt warm, and must have been dried against the fire, which had died down to embers in the hearth.
"Why...why was Alduin in my dreams?" Kassi'm wondered as he slipped the clothing over his body and redressed himself. "And I've never seen weapons like that before. How did I dream those up?" he thought as he sat on the bed and fixed his boots to his feet.
Once he was fully dressed Kassi'm stood and went over to his pack. All the herbs and flowers he had picked along the way were still there, as were the few books and health potions he had picked up from the keep.
But in the pack as well, sat a cloth bag filled with several cooked meats and fruits, a bottle of Alto wine and a small sack of gold coins. His weapon belt was n there, and his blades had been cleaned and polished so they looked almost new.
"Gerdur must have done this for me" Kassi'm thought to himself as he found himself smiling to the kind gesture. The meats smelled delicious and must have been cooked that morning. His stomach rumbled rather painfully as he suddenly remembered he hadn't eaten in almost a day.
He sank his teeth into some of the cooked meat and he savoured the wonderful taste of the cooked meat and the fat that lined the outside. It had been cooked with salt and herbs, and it was very tender. It took several more of the cooked cuts of meat to sate his hunger.
Once his hunger was successfully sated, Kassi'm packed everything back into his pack and clipped his weapon belt back over his waist. He grabbed a quill from the bedside table and a piece of parchment and wrote a small thank you note to Gerdur. Once done, he took another look around the small house before he left it.
Riverwood seemed rather awake that morning and it was bustling with activity once more. The sound of sawing wood and the smell of sawdust filled the air, even though the day hadn't really begun. It seemed that the work begun before the day.
He didn't see Gerdur or Hod anywhere near the house, and he guessed that Ralof had already headed off to wherever he was supposed to meet the Jarl Ulfric. Kassi'm stepped off the porch and dodged a few chickens that were being chased by a couple of children. The children were squealing like mad as they chased the frightened feathered creatures over the road.
"Well, I guess it makes sense they're not around" Kassi'm though to himself. "They're not exactly friends with me" he admitted to himself. Kassi'm hiked the backpack up on his shoulders and started to walk down the road that lead out of the village. There was only one road through the village and it was hard to miss.
An early morning fog covered the river that ran beside the village, the thin cover seeping over the riverbank. It twirled around Kassi'm's feet as he walked and crossed the bridge at the outskirts of the village. He stopped over the middle of the bridge and peered over into the smoky depths of the water.
A small stone dislodged under his fingers and it fell into the water with a soft plopping noise, the fog darting back from the impact. Under the rippled surface, Kassi'm saw the river was clear. Obviously, there was no more of the previous days ash to be seen. Satisfied with what he saw, Kassi'm stood up and finished crossing the bridge.
The road north exited the mountains that surrounded the village and Kassi'm found himself on a rather open plain, the snow starting to thin out the further he walked north. The sounds of the woodworking diminished into the distance the further he walked out. The road was rough and continued past the mountains and into the open plain.
Kassi'm found himself looking around at the open plain as he walked on, leaving Riverwood well behind him. It felt good to be walking in dried shoes again, and the clothing felt warm against his body as they protected him from the chilly air. Even in the open it was cold.
"Whoa" Kassi'm said as he got his first glimpse of the city of Whiterun after looking up into the distance. The entire city looked like it was sitting on half a mountain, and it looked bigger then said mountain. The city was surrounded by a tall stone wall, barely managing to keep the roofs of the town out of view.
But the tallest building in the city simply towered over the rest of it. A large spire of a building rose up out of the back of the city and made the rest of the place look rather small. It looked like it took up most of the city with its size alone.
"Its...huge" Kassi'm said in surprise. After seeing the rather flat town of Helgen, and the wooded in town of Riverwood, seeing the city of Whiterun was rather surprising to view. He hadn't expected a city that big to be so near.
He hoisted his backpack back up on his shoulders and resumed walking, his eyes on the city in the distance. The fog on the ground was lifting and the sun was peeking through the thick clouds overhead. The plains were starting to wake up.
He was jolted slightly as a small red coloured fox ran across the path in front of him, trying to catch a brightly coloured butterfly. It yipped playfully as it leapt into the air, its snow flaked paws swiping through the air as it gave chase to the fluttering prey.
Not far off over the open plain, a towering mammoth was grazing peacefully on a large patch of snow. The huge shaggy looking beast slid its thick trunk over the ground and found a nearby patch of brush. With no effort, it pulled the brush out to the roots and it swiftly vanished into the beasts mouth
"Hard to believe a dragon attack happened yesterday" Kassi'm said to himself as he continued on down the road, seeing just how peaceful it was in the open plain. It was indeed hard to believe that a dragon had wiped out a village the previous day, and he had escaped from it.
He rounded a corner on the road and a few large buildings appeared in his vision. A sign on one of them told him it was the 'Honningbrew Meadery', and Kassi'm could smell the honey flavoured mead that was coming through the open windows. It started to make him hungry, and he found his stomach growling, even though he had eaten something before.
"Dammit" he thought in annoyance as he stopped and opened his pack. Obviously what he had eaten before wasn't enough. He pulled out one of the sweet roll breads and got himself a mouthful of sweet cake.
Feeling better as he munched on the thick roll of sweet cake, he continued down the path, walking past a farm with a few Nords in the fields out the front. They seemed to be harvesting their vegetables, and they had already worked up a sweat this early in the morning. Long rows of potato and wheat were being swiftly cut down and put away.
The sweet roll finally disappeared down Kassi'm's hungry throat, and he sadly found himself wishing Gerdur had packed more then just one. With a disappointed sigh he wiped the crumbs from his mouth and found himself in the shadow of Whiterun City. The path worked its way up to the front of the city, looking like it was passing through the ruins of an old gate.
"They really like their ruins here" Kassi'm thought to himself as he followed the path with his eyes, seeing it move up a slope towards the city. He sighed slightly at the prospect of having to climb upwards, but he trudged onwards regardless.
A few small tents lined the side of the road, a group of Kahjiits milling around the open tents, which surrounded a large and roaring fire. A tall black feline in shining metal armour stood nearby, leaning against a rather large rock as he surveyed the road with his arms crossed. Kassi'm looked over as he heard the sound of something heavy colliding with wood. A slender looking female Kahjiit was busy chopping wood beside the roaring fire.
A third was sitting in front of the largest tent, huddled under a large cloak made out of thickly woven wool. A large roll of animal hide was spread out on the ground before him. A selection of armour, weapons and miscellaneous items were spread out on the ground before him, each one looked brand new and polished to a shine.
Kassi'm stopped to look at the wares as he drew near the tent. The Kahjiit merchant looked up from his sitting position, eyeing him with a rather shrewd look. Kassi'm felt a little uncomfortable under the suspicious gaze as he looked over the goods on the hide.
"How much is that?" Kassi'm asked as he found something that caught his interest. He pointed to a medallion that was sitting next to a shining golden circlet embedded with shining emeralds. The medallion was shaped like a wolfs head, and was strung on a leather strip that was braided out of smaller strips.
"50 gold" the merchant said with a smile on his face, the smile seeming to indicate that maybe Kassi'm wasn't able to afford it.
"I'll trade you these for it" Kassi'm said as he held out two large health vials. "These are worth forty gold each" he said with a small smile on his face. He may not have had enough gold in the small pouch, but he knew the prices of things.
"Deal" the merchant said, looking slightly annoyed that he was outbid as he took the bottles and handed Kassi'm the medallion. "May the road lead you to warm sands" he said as he dropped the medallion into Kassi'ms palm.
"Thank you" Kassi'm said as he took the medallion and continued to walk along the road. He looked the pendant over a little more in his fingers. It looked like it was made out of steel, but it was very light. The wolfs hackles were brought back in a snarl, and there were two small garnets for eyes.
"I think that was worth the health bottles" Kassi'm thought to himself as he looped the medallion around his neck. It fit well and the head hung down against his chest. He gave a small smile before he continued up the rounding slope. The whole pathway seemed to be carved out of an old archway and he could see the places where defensive positions would have been placed.
The gate to the city was large and made of sturdy wood that looked like it weighed a ton. It was covered in banded iron and steel, and it gave Kassi'm the impression they could withstand a lot of punishment. Two guards stood on either side of the gate, both of them dressed in dark brown leathers and carrying shields that bore a symbol that looked like a yellow side view of a horses head. As Kassi'm walked up to the gate, one of them quickly moved in front of him.
"Halt. Whiterun is closed. Official business only. No outsiders" he said in a loud voice, his voice rather clear through the covered helmet he wore. Kassi'm gave him a look over, and saw that he couldn't even see the guards face through the covering under the helmet.
"Wait, its' closed?" Kassi'm asked him. "How can a city be closed, and why would you close it?"
"Yes. There was news about an attack on Helgen. The city is on lockdown for now until we know what happened. We're not risking Stormcloaks or imperials coming in to cause further disruptions" he said. The tone in his voice suggested that he wasn't open to hearing anything otherwise. "Now why don't you move along like a good scalie?"
"I was at Helgen" Kassi'm said to the guard. "And I can confirm it was a dragon attack" Kassi'm said as he ignored the insult that the guard had said to him.
"Oh really now? " the guard said, as he sounded rather unimpressed. "And I suppose you want to see the Jarl about it?"
"As a matter of fact, there is a request from Riverwood for him" Kassi'm pointed out. "So, I would like to enter on official business, if you don't mind" Kassi'm said as he gave the guard his full attention. The guard crossed his arms over his chest and Kassi'm did the same, as the two of them found themselves staring at each other.
For several long moments neither of them said anything as they waited for the other to give in first. Eventually, it was the guard who relented and uncrossed his arms.
"Fine. But I'm going to keep an eye on you. I don't trust you" the guard said to him as he gave a signal with his hand over his shoulder. With the sound of several heavy metal bolts sliding back, the heavy gates gave a movement back and forth. When the last bolt had slid back, the gates began to swing slowly open on creaking hinges.
"Now on with you" the guard said to Kassi'm as he returned to his spot beside the gate. Kassi'm knew that with one thought, just one simple moment, the guard would drop dead on the ground. But he was able to resist the urge as he didn't want to run the risk of getting a headache for now reason. So instead, he pushed himself forwards and headed through the now open gate.
The city was busy for being so early in the morning, and the sights and sounds of people going about their business greeted him the moment that he stepped through. The streets were clean and wide open, guards patrolling the streets and the townsfolk were strolling through the streets like it was any other day.
And apparently, it was. If there was any panic or concern over the destruction of Helgen the day before, or indeed any concern over imperials or Stormcloaks, the people weren't showing it. A couple of tan skinned elderly women walked past the main gates with baskets in their arms, and the two of them were discussing how the cold was bad for their crops.
Kassi'm heard the gates close behind him and he took that as a suggestion to keep moving. Not wanting to give the guards a reason to suspect him, he took a few steps forward before he stopped. He had absolutely no idea where Dragonsreach was.
"Excuse me, can you tell me where Dragonsreach is?" Kassi'm asked a guard that was wandering along the road.
"What are you, drunk?" the guard said before gave a loud laugh before he walked off in the opposite direction. Kassi'm shook his head as he looked around for a moment. The sound of metal banging caught his attention as he looked over and saw a longhouse near the gate that had an open forge in front of it.
"Excuse me" Kassi'm asked as he walked up to the only occupant of the open forge outside of the blacksmiths. She was a rather good looking Nord woman dressed in a long dress and a blacksmith's apron. She was also covered in soot and ashes, and looked hot from the glowing embers of the forge.
"Who are you, and how can I help you?" she asked. She had a friendly smile on her soot covered face. Kassi'm hadn't met many female blacksmiths before, but the way she was handling the hammer, he had to guess she knew what she was doing.
"Yes, could you tell me where to find the Jarl?" Kassi'm asked. "It's my first...visit here and I have absolutely no idea where to go" he admitted. He felt somewhat foolish to admit that he was lost.
"Oh sure. He's up at Dragonsreach" she said as she picked up a long piece of glowing metal from the middle of the furnace and dropped it into a water trough. It exploded in a hiss of water and steam that rose into the air. "My names Adrianne" she said with a smile through the cloud of steam.
"I'm Kassi'm" he said with a nod to her. Adrianne picked up the long piece of metal and examined it before she plunged it back into the inferno.
"Well, Dragonsreach is the big building up there" she said as she pointed to the towering building in the distance." You probably would have seen it for miles around. You can't miss it. Just keep walking up wards" she pointed out to him.
"Thank you" Kassi'm said as he headed in the direction of the building called Dragonsreach. The path lead into a circular square of market stalls where several vendors were selling their wares. People were already milling about, trying to catch the freshest goods before anyone else could.
The path from the markets lead upwards towards a large glittering tree surrounded by a circular pavilion made of wooden posts. It was quite big and the leaves were a glittering purple pink colour that seemed to shimmer without the sunlight in the air. Kassi'm hadn't seen a tree like that before.
" But you were once man! Aye! And as man, you said, "Let me show you the power of Talos Stormcrown, born of the North, where my breath is long winter" came a loud voice from nearby. Kassi'm turned and saw a large statue of a kneeling man holding onto a sword in front of the towering Dragonsreach. Kassi'm recognised the statue as Talos, the ninth divine god. In front of it, was an elderly man in dark brown robes with a yellow cowl across his face,his arms outstretched, preaching his words of faith.
"I breath now, in royally, and reshape this land which is mine. I do this for you, Red Legions, for I love you " he spoke loudly. He didn't seem to mind whether or not people were actually listening to him, and he continued to speak as though nobody was anyway. "Aye, love. Love! Even as man, great Talos cherished us. For he saw in us, in each of us, the future of Skyrim! The future of Tamriel!"
"I thought they were killing the preachers" Kassi'm though. He couldn't help but think back on Grolug and what he said that the Tallmar had done in Windhelm. Perhaps the Jarl really hadn't picked a side, considering Kassi'm hadn't seen any red clad Imperials, or blue clad Stormcloaks anywhere. Whiterun seemed to be guarded by her own guards.
"And there it is, friends! The ugly truth! We are the children of man! Talos is the true god of man! Ascended from flesh, to rule the realm of spirit!" the preachers words continued as Kassi'm took himself to the stone steps that ran behind the Talos statue up to the reach.
Dragonsreach grew larger as Kassi'm walked up the stone steps towards the towering building. It was built right on the top of the city and literally towered over the entire place. A flow of water ran under the steps and created a moat that ran down with the steps on either side of it. When Kassi'm reached the wooden stairs that led into the reach, he stopped and turned around for a moment.
The entire city lay spread out before him, and he could see all the way to the gates where he had entered. And the view around the city was rather breathtaking. Almost every inch of the city was spread out before him.
"No wonder they built it here" Kassi'm thought to himself as he took a few moments to admire the view. He took in the view all he could before he turned back and headed to the doors of the reach. The guards there didn't hold him up as they opened the doors for him, and allowed him access to the reach.
The interior of the building was very large, and quite expansive. The front area was open and lead to a set of steps that lead into the main area of the hall. Two long covered tables sat on opposite sides of a huge burning fire pit, the tables covered in glittering silver plates and goblets. The smell of freshly cooked foods surrounded him as he saw the food piled on the tables.
At the end of the hall sat a man on a throne, who looked like he was in conversation with another man beside him. The seated man was covered in fine fur trimmed armour, and a glittering golden circlet sat on his head. He was sprawled out on his throne, almost like he was lazing there on purpose.
"That must be the Jarl" Kassi'm thought to himself as he stepped past the roaring fire. But he didn't get very far when he heard the sound of a sword being drawn and he was suddenly confronted by a tall and very angry looking woman.
"What's the meaning of this interruption?" she said in a loud voice. Her skin was a dark olive colouring, and her hair was a deep fiery red. War paint was smeared over her face, and she was dressed in leather armour that covered her down to her boots. The big steel sword in her hand looked ready to strike him down. And she was not smiling.
"Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors" she said as she bore down on Kassi'm. "So I suggest you leave now before I force you out the door." But if she expected him to turn tail and run, she was disappointed. Kassi'm wrapped his hands around his elven daggers and quickly pulled them from their sheaths.
"Did he also tell you to treat visitors like they're the enemy?" he said as he brought the daggers up and kept his eye on her. She faltered slightly, not expecting him to actually stand up to her. But she quickly regained her composure.
"Oh, so you think you can just draw your weapons on the Jarls Housecarl?" she said with a sneer on her face as she stepped forward again. Kassi'm didn't step back as he readied himself for a fight, when a voice called for a stop.
"Irileth. Stand down. Let him speak to me." The dark elf woman, Irileth, looked disappointed as she put her sword into its sheath and stepped back. Kassi'm did the same, but he didn't break eye contact with the woman as he walked up to the Jarl .
"So, what brings you here?" Jarl Balgruuf asked as he gave his beard a slow stroking, reclining back on his throne. "It must be important if you are willing to fight my Housecarl for an audience with me" he said wit ha small smile on his face.
"I was at Helgen. I saw the attack up close" Kassi'm said as he kept his hands beside his daggers. He could feel the dark elf staring at him from behind, and he didn't trust her in the slightest. "I can confirm what happened there."
"So, is it true then?" Jarl Balgruuf asked as he continued to stroke his beard slowly. He seemed to think over his next words as he stroked his beard slowly. "That Helgen was attacked by a dragon?"
"A dragon? Dragons don't exist" the man beside the Jarl said with a snort. He was tall, thin and bald. And he had a rather pompous look on his face. He regarded Kassi'm with a rather arrogant glare on his face, like Kassi'm was a common liar. "Dragons were killed far too long ago for them to have survived in any form. Obviously, what you experienced was nothing but a bandit attack, or a skirmish between the Imperials and the Stormcloaks that left you traumatised and confused."
"Well, they do exist" Kassi'm said to the snooty looking man. " And I am not traumatised, or delusional in anyway. The imperials captured Ulfric Stormcloak and his men, and then tried to execute them all. I had a great view of the dragon destroying everything as general Tullius' captain forced me on the chopping block."
The snooty man looked taken aback by the sudden outburst. Obviously, no-one had spoken to him in that manner before and he looked like he had been slapped. The man gave a look to the Jarl, almost like he was looking for comfort. The Jarl stopped stroking his beard as he looked up to Kassi'm.
"Well, you are certainly...forthright about your criminal past" he said as he gave Kassi'm a look and a smile that didn't feel in the least bit welcoming. Kassi'm felt like he was slapped in the face by the Jarl's suggestion and he grew angry.
"I am not a criminal" he said, his voice starting to rise in anger. "The imperials captured me and tried to kill me, just because I was there. And then I had a dragon trying to kill me, and Imperial torturers. And I've got your guards watching me because they think I'm some kind of menace, and then your ... Housecarl draws her sword on me and tries to cut me down."
"Lower your voice" Irileth said as she stepped forward. Kassi'm glared at her with such anger in his eyes that she actually stopped walking towards him.
"I am not a criminal, and the dragon threat is real. It said its name was Alduin, and he destroyed Helgen. Nobody there could stop him. And I think Riverwood is in danger as well. So why don't you stop judging me and do your job if you're someone in a position of power" Kassi'm said as he finished talking.
For a few long moments only the crackling of the fire behind them was heard as the Jarl sat there reclining on his throne like chair, studying Kassi'm with a curious. Irileth looked like she wanted to cut him down there and then, but she looked like she was holding herself back. And the snooty man had a smug grin on his face, like Kassi'm was about to be killed on the spot.
"Oh? And who told you that? Your little dragon friend?" the snooty man said as he was the first to break the silence with a light laugh. But he shut up the moment the Jarl cleared his throat and sat up properly on his throne. The Jarl placed his hands at on his sides as he looked at Kassi'm as if he was serious.
"Who told you?" he asked him in a calm tone of voice. Kassi'm felt himself letting out a sigh of relief as his anger started to subside. He relaxed himself a little, but still kept his hands near his daggers. He wasn't going to let his guard drop with the looks Irileth was giving him.
"It was Gerdur. She wanted me to ask you if you could spare some help to protect Riverwood" Kassi'm said. "She said that Riverwood is in no position to defend itself, and from what I saw, it really isn't."
"I know Gerdur. She's a good woman. For her to ask me for help, is not something she does lightly. So it must be true then. There was a dragon attack." He said as he sat back on his throne and gave his beard a stroking, but he had a serious look on his face.
"This is bad news indeed" he said, before he turned to the man at his side. "So, what do you say now Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the defence of our walls? The Imperials and Stormcloaks we may be able to handle, but a dragon? Are we prepared for such a thing? It is obvious that Helgen was not."
"My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once" Irileth said before Proventus could object. "If the dragon story is true, then we shouldn't doubt that they have returned. Riverwood would be in the most immediate danger if the dragon is lurking..."
"It doesn't matter if the dragon exists, which I honestly believe does not" Proventus said as he cut Irileth off. "The Jarl of Falkreath will view such an action as a provocation. He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him."
"So, we are to leave our hold defenceless by playing politics?" Irileth said as she turned her anger glare from Kassi'm to Proventus. "Our people are in danger. Dragons are not to be taken lightly, especially if they are capable of taking out an entire town."
"Our position in the civil war is on thin ice as it is already" Proventus pointed out. "We have demands from General Tullius and the Thallmar to hand our allegiance over to them. And we have Ulfric Stormcloak and the Nords of Skyrim ordering us to join them. The Jarl of Falkreath is on the imperial side. He might even go so far as to believe we're planning our own side."
"Enough" the Jarl said loudly as he suddenly stood up. The sudden action made them all back up a step as he looked furious. "I will not allow either of you to stand here bickering like my children. You are both servants of the Jarl. Act like it" he ordered.
"Sorry, my lord" Irileth said as she bowed her head and took a step back. Proventus nodded, and didn't look pleased that he had been reprimanded. "Proventus, I will not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people. I do not care where the threat is from, or who it is from. My hold needs protection, and I will protect it."
Proventus apparently did not have a comeback for that as he simply nodded and took a step back without saying a further word.
"Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once. I want men stationed there at all times. And men should be stationed elsewhere. I want all of my hold covered. No excuses" Jarl Balgruuf said. "Riverwood is not the only place in the Reach that could be in danger from a dragon attack."
"At once my Jarl" Irileth said with a nod of her head. She completely ignored Kassi'm as she strode past him and hurried out of the hall. The doors slammed shut behind her and the echoing noise rumbled around them.
"Proventus. Since you are so concerned with what the Jarl of Falkreath will think, perhaps you should start writing letters. Let him know we have no plans on attacking him, since you are so determined about the outcome" the Jarl said.
"Yes, my Jarl" Proventus said as he gave a bow of his head and then backed away several steps before he quickly headed away from the Jarl and disappeared into a side door. Kassi'm and Jarl Balgruuf were now both alone with each other.
"I do apologise for Irileth" the Jarl said as he turned to Kassi'm. "She's been a bit..tense. both the Imperials and Stormcloaks have been demanding my allegiance since the civil war began."
"And that's supposed to excuse her from trying to attack me just for showing up?" Kassi'm asked. "I don't think a sorry would cut it all that well if she had run me in with her sword because I walked in through the door" Kassi'm said as he folded his arms.
"No, I guess not. I suppose I should have a word with her then" Jarl Balgruuf said, although the look on his face gave Kassi'm the impression he would do no such thing anytime soon.
"I think you should" Kassi'm said as he lowered his arms. "Anyway, I've done what I was asked to. If you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave before your friend over there decides to attack me" Kassi'm said.
"Proventus is my steward" Jarl Balgruuf said. "and he couldn't attack a fly, let alone you. I will say though, that you've done Whiterun a service. And I am not going to forget it. But, before I reward you for your services, I'd like to ask you of a favour."
"A favour?" Kassi'm asked. He wasn't expecting this. He was expecting to leave and be done with it all. "But I have to go. I have my own plans " he said, but the Jarl cut him off with a quick wave of his hand.
"I don't want to hear a no on this" the Jarl said. "If you help me with this, the reward will be great. And I think it is something that someone of your talents should be able to handle."
Kassi'm sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He didn't like where this was going, but he felt like he didn't have a choice in the matter. He wondered just how much more was going to prevent him from actually getting on with what he had planned to do.
"Ok" he said reluctantly as he brought his hand back from his face and sighed. "What is it you want?"
"We need to talk to Farengar, my court wizard" Jarl Balgruuf said as he put his hand on Kassi'm shoulder. It looked like he was embracing Kassi'm like a friend, but the grip on his shoulder suggested that Kassi'm shouldn't argue. "He's been looking into the matter of these dragons."
"Wait, you knew all along?" Kassi'm asked in shock. "The attack happened yesterday... and you're here discussing that the dragons are real. I don't get it" Kassi'm said as he pulled away from the Jarl's grip. The Jarl however, just smiled at him.
"Of course I did. Nothing happens in my hold without me knowing of it" he admitted. "But just because I believe it, doesn't mean that everyone else will. Now, come along" he ordered, as the Jarl put his hand back on Kassi'm's shoulder and began to lead him away from the main hall, the grip on Kassi'm's shoulder tightening.