Memoirs of Larz D'Ovakine ~ The Hunt for Altan pt. 3(spoilers)

• Posted by Guy Corbett March 8, 2012 - 793 views

  The night was a joyous one. The people of Whiterun certainly know how to celebrate. I was concious that I still had a way to go finding my family so retired at a decent time. Stepping out into the Market the next morning  I was surprised how well the City had fared in the battle. A couple of houses had been burned down and the beautiful wooden trellising that encircled the tree in the square had collapsed onto a small building. Walking to the carriage down from the main gates the air still stank of blood from the previous night. The detritus of battle littered the walkway, smashed shields, broken arrows and the red stains marking the ground where each man fell. The fields and tundra surrounding the city still smouldered and the remnants of the Stormcloaks camps blew across the plains. 

  Rikke had told me that the Courier had become lazy and was repeatedly using the same route from Windhelm and Dawnstar so I asked the Carriage driver to take me up to the Nightgate Inn. The Inn was the halfway point along the road and I knew that the Courier would of used it at some point. The driver agreed but at the inflated price again. I went along with it as I thought he deserved his danger money especially after my involvement in the Battle for Whiterun. 

  The journey North from Whiterun up into the mountains was a miserable one. The clouds rolled in off the mountains, low, dark and grey. Not long after we left the rain started and visibility dropped. The only clues of Whiterun after a few minutes was the glow of the torch lights in the fog. As we climbed higher the rain turned to snow and the temperature dropped dramatically slowing our progress and pushing the horses to their limit. We arrived at the Inn by late afternoon and I paid the driver telling him to head back to Whiterun it was still too dangerous in Stormcloak territory. All I needed to do was pry some information from the Inn owner.

  I readied myself for another performance. Panting to become breathless I barged the door open flying into the the Inn with a stumble and gust of snow of wind. The few patrons and owner all jumped at my entrance and as I righted myself found all eyes on me. The Innkeeper came from behind his counter to aid me

  "By the Divines are you alright Ol' timer?" He said as he put an arm under mine to help lift me to my feet.

  "I'm fine.....just.....out of breath......Has a Courier been through here recently?" I exaggerated my symptoms leaning more of my weight onto the Inn keeper.

  "Yeah,yeah he pops in every other day or so? Why do you need him? Your not an Imperial are you?" he questioned as he sat me on the bench in front of the fire.

  "Of course not!....I'm his Grandfather.......His parents have been in an accident I need to find him urgently!" I squeezed the mans arm as I pleaded. I noticed his expression soften.

  "Blimey, right, er, well lets see, he came through yesterday so he should be coming back this way to spend the night here tonight. If you head towards Windhelm you're bound to cross paths."

  "Thank you, thank you, I must find him they don't have much time." I said as I rose and headed for the door.

  "Wait are you not going to rest up he will be here soon. You don't look like you you will last much longer out there" The Inn keeper shouted after me as I headed back out on the road. 

  I started back towards Windhelm until I found some high ground hidden to the the side overlooking the road. I drew my bow and got an arrow ready. Crouched in cover the quiet of the forest enveloped me, only the soft patter of the flakes falling round me stirred any noise. My mind drifted and I daydreamed of finding my wife and daughter, running round a tower until we burst onto the roof in the blinding sunlight, that black dragon swooped down and snatched them from my grasp. As it took back to the sky is massive jaws opened and released a burst of white light shocking me back to reality. My eyes focussed and as I looked through the snow I saw the Courier. Garbed in the blue of the Stormcloaks I drew the arrow aiming on his oblivious face. 

  Slowly I took a breath steadying my aim, moments before I released the bow string a roar bellowed from the opposite side of the road as a huge Bear rushed the Courier mauling him as he panicked fumbling for his sword. The Bear rose up on his hind legs and swiped down with both paws shredding his armour and sending his knapsack flying off into the undergrowth. The Courier crumbled under the sheer weight of the beast, it picked him up in its mouth and started to shake him like a dog with a lambs tale. Howling in agony I put the poor man out of any more suffering with my arrow to his head. This drew the attention of the Beast, roaring again it sprayed blood and saliva as it charged up the road towards me. I let another couple of arrows loose but they barely pierced it dense fur and thick hide. It leapt for me as I tried to change to my sword, tackling me to the ground my sword tumbled as the bear tried to rake through my plate armour. Jabbing at its face my fingers nibbled on the hilt of my dagger until I grasped it and plunged it into the bears left eye. Roaring up onto its hind legs it batted at the stuck blade. I jumped to my feet grabbing my sword I thrust the tip through the bears chest ending it's suffering too.

  I looked over at the Couriers mangled corpse as I cleaned my blade. The Bear had made a mess of him, I was glad that the documents had been thrown so far away they could of easily been damaged or destroyed. I found them in the bushes on the side of the road. I stuffed them in my pack and made the decision to distance myself from the scene heading to Rikke at the Pale Imperial Camp before reading them. Better safe than sorry.

  It was late by the time I found the Snow covered camp hidden in the rocks of the hills overlooking Dawnstar. A few men still stood clustered round the hearths in front of the rows of tents. Rikke's larger tent was still open and light spilled out and danced on the snow. I threw the documents down onto the map covered table breaking Rikke's concentration. She looked up frowning but then smiled when she saw who it was.

  "Who do yo....ah Larz you got the documents. Well Done." Rikke picked up the documents and opened them.

  "Well to be truthful a Bear got the documents and in his excitement at making a new friend lost them as he mauled the poor man to death. It wasn't pretty." I sat down as Rikke read over the scrolls.

  "These list all the current Fort Commanders and scheduled troop movements. Look at the bottom, the Supply Commander for the Rift, its Altan." She handed the papers to me as I snatched at them.

  "The sneaky little Skeever. I need to get to the Rift right away then." Throwing them back down onto the table Rikke scooped them back up.

  "First we need to make a few alterations to these papers. Then you can complete the delivery as I head to set up the Rift camp. The only other obstacle stopping us from free movement to the Rift is Fort Dunstadd. I'll need you to meet up and lead the attack there. Here." She marked my map.

  The documents were ready by morning so I headed down the hill into Dawnstar and found the Stormcloak Captain. He asked were the normal Courier was and I informed him of his "accident" with the Bear. It seemed to sedate his curiosity. Flicking me a septim he ordered me to the Tavern. I on the other hand headed back out of town and up the road towards Fort Dunstadd.