I sat alone, in a field of clouds. Deep in the mist, a figure stirred, flowing closer, closer, and closer. I tried to stand, but my legs weighted like iron ingots, unwilling to move. I looked up to find a head of a dragon, black as night, staring back at me. It's red eyes bored into me, looking straight into my soul. Then it lunged.
I woke with a gasp, my knuckles white with tension. Slowly, I relaxed, recognizing where I was. I had escaped from Helgen and certain death with Hadvar, and was now in Riverwood, and had been sleeping in the basement. It was just a dream, a dream that seemed far too real, dragons aren't real anyway. I my mouth began to slide into a smile, before it contorted in shock.
Wait, now they do.
I sat up to find Hadvar's niece looking at me quizzically, before running back upstairs. I shuffled over to a basin of water, and stared at my reflection. I could see my slight burn from the dragon's flames had singed a bit off of one of my usually bushy Breton eyebrows, giving me a lopsided look, and my jutting chin and wide face had soot marks all over. Scowling, I washed the soot off, and went to dress. After finishing, I trudged up the stairs, to find Hadvar eating breakfast. He tossed me a loaf of bread, and I sat down next to him and his niece, who was animatedly asking him all sorts of questions about the destruction of Helgen. I sat gnawing on the loaf, when she turned to me, excitement in her eyes. I glanced at Hadvar nervously, and his face was contorted in amusement. Oh no, he didn't...
"You're a mage?!?" She squeaked out, her small frame almost unable to contain her excitement.
"Well, I wouldn't actually call myself a mage..." I began, only to watch her face seemingly collapse in upon itself in disappointment, her eyes becoming big saucers of emotion. Hadvar shook in barely contained laughter behind her at my predicament. "Yes, I am a mage," I said with a sigh.
"Can you show me some magic? Oh please oh please oh please!" She managed to gasp out, before dancing up and down next to me, grabbing my hand and trying to drag me out of my seat. I glanced at Hadvar, his barely contained laughter now unable to be stifled. Well played Hadvar, well played.
"Well, if you insist..." I began, before she finally wrenched me out of my seat and out the door, Hadvar's laughter chasing me the whole way.
Later, after I had finally sated her curiosity for magic, I was able to go and inspect and put on my armor. The numerous woven small steel plates had dings and scratches, and my robe I wore underneath had its fair share of tears and arrow holes. I put it on, giving a nice burn mark I got at Helgen another burst of healing magic, and I rolled my broad shoulders as the armor settled down, trying to work it into the most comfortable position, before putting on my hobnail boots and greaves. Hopefully, I wouldn't need any of this on the road, but I always seemed to run into situations.
"Ok, to get to Whiterun, you just follow the north road across the mountain. once you hit the top, you won't be able to miss the city," explained Hadvar as we walked to the outskirts of Riverwood. "The road should be safe enough, maybe a few wolves at most, nothing you can't handle my friend!" he laughed as he clapped me on the back. "although, I do wonder, are you actually going to tell the Jarl about Helgen? I know you were not exactly a welcome visitor at the time of the attack."
"Of course I will Hadvar! I am in a debt to your family, and this is my way of repaying it; ensuring they are safe. Then I will ensure my name is cleared of all charges, and continue on my merry way!"
Hadvar and I eventually said our goodbyes, split ways, and I started the hike up to the crest. Nearing the top, I noticed that I was being shadowed. Bandits. It seemed that the Legion had been hiding how much of a toll the civil war had been taking from the rest of the Empire, and now I had to deal with it. Rounding a corner in the road, I found the bandits armed and waiting, eager for the confrontation.
There were four of them, arrayed across the road. The leader stood obvious in the center, his bow by his side. The others were armed with rusty iron swords, more of a danger to themselves than to me, if their condition was anything to judge by. From behind me I heard another approaching, hemming me in. Nowhere to run. Two of the lackeys moved to block me as I continued forward.
"I do not want any trouble with you. However, I will not give you anything. Please let me be on my way," Seven to one were not the greatest odds.
"See, it can be that easy. You give us your gold, and that fancy staff, and we will let you go on your way, no trouble at all. However, if you decline our most generous offer, we will be forced to make you, reconsider," spouted the leader dramatically, drawing an arrow and twirling it lazily. The others laughed, clearly hoping I would resist.
"I will give you nothing. Now move aside!" I growled, bringing my sword-staff to bear with a flourish. There was no way around it now, we were going to fight.
I ducked under a wild swing from one of the last lackeys, before swiping his feet from under him with a crash, leaving him open to a quick stab from my staff. "Three down," I muttered to myself, before I almost got gored by an arrow, With a yell, another charged me. Why me?
"I am done with you bandits!" I seethed, as the final lackey crumpled to the ground, groaning from a leg wound. The leader looked at his collapsed band, his eyes flitting around in fear. He clearly had not expected this outcome. I stepped forward and grasped the middle of his bow, before melting it with a small fire spell. He buckled and fell as I kicked the back of his knee, bringing sparks to my fingers and leveling them at his forehead. His eyes latched onto their bluish glow, and widened.
"Please don't kill me!" He whimpered, sweat starting to pour from the sides of his face.
"I'm sure you say that from memory scum!" I barked scornfully. A sour taste entered my mouth as I saw him squirm on the ground.
“I… I promise I won’t hurt anyone else ever again! Please, just don’t kill me!” he pleaded again, breaking down into sobs. The sparks in my hand started to collapse as my mind worked, why was I actually considering letting him live? He would not do the same for me!
“You look like a smart man, so I will let you go on two conditions: that you go and leave Skyrim, never to return again, and give up your life of crime. Do I make myself clear?” I ordered, letting the electrical crackle cease from my hand.
“Perfectly clear sir, crystal clear. Leave Skyrim, never return, and give up on crime,” he stammered. I took my foot off his chest and kicked him onto his side. He stood and stared at me warily, uncertainty flashing in his eyes.
“Well, get out of here then scum. Don’t let me see you in Skyrim ever again!” I yelled, reigniting the sparks in my palm, threatening him with their arcing. At this he was off, and I stood watching him run down the pass like a frightened rabbit. Damn my consciousness, he will probably just go right back to banditry within a day!
As the sun started to set, I finally approached Whiterun, it's walls old and dilapidated. This city had seen better days. I approached the city gates, only to have a guard step towards me, a hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Halt! Only those with official business can enter the city!” he grumbled out, clearly not wanting to talk to a mere traveler.
“I have news from Helgen, and Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid,” I countered sourly, tired from the day's antics.
A few moments later I was in the hall of Dragonsreach, a nice enough place, warm and homely, but still emanated power, especially with the dragon’s skull above the Jarl’s throne, a nice touch, if you could get a hold of one. I started to approach the throne and the Jarl seated upon it, only to be stopped by a Dunmer woman, eyebrows pinched, mouth in a stern frown, and naked steel in her hand.
“Why do you approach the Jarl?” she asked crossly. I managed to swallow my snappy reply.
"Who do I address?"
“Irileth, the housecarl for Jarl Balgruuf the Greater,” she replied dryly.
“I come from Riverwood, they request the Jarl's protection from the dragon menace," I explained. She stood there for a moment, staring me down, before the Jarl himself asked who I was.
"Fine, you may approach," she said angrily, shoving her sword back into its scabbard. There was an unspoken threat that if I tried anything, she would not hesitate to kill me. I could appreciate that attitude.
I approached Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, studying him as I walked up to his throne. He was your typical Nord, muscular with blond hair and a beard. However, his eyes watched and studied me in return as I approached. He was no ignorant brute.
“So why do you approach me Breton?” said Jarl Balgruuf the Greater.
“Riverwood asks for protection from the dragon menace,” I said respectfully.
“Ah, thank you for this information. I will consider their request,” he said offhandedly. “But there is something else I sense in you,” he intoned, leaning forward and peering at me with his knowing eyes. He must be fishing... But what harm would it be to tell him of Helgen?
“I was also at Helgen when it was destroyed by the dragon,” I relinquished.
“Ah! So there IS a dragon!” the Jarl exclaimed.
“What do you say now Proventus? Can we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon!?” His advisor, Proventus I assume, said something incomprehensible about the civil war, before Balgruuf slammed his fist down on the arm of his throne.
“I will not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Send more guards to Riverwood at once!” he exclaimed angrily.
“As you wish my Jarl,” muttered Proventus, rather subdued.
“What is your name Breton?” asked Balgruuf, turning back to me.
“I am Armel, Jarl.”
“I thank you for this information you have brought me. Not many outsiders would have warned a people they probably cared little about, and I am grateful for this.”
“It was my duty, Jarl.”
“Proventus! Bring this man a suitable reward in gold! I will not have such a useful man leave my hall without being rewarded!”
"What is your plan now, Armel?" inquired Balgruuf, as his steward fetched my reward.
"To Solitude. I need to clear my name before I do anything else. Being on an Imperial death list once is enough for me. Besides, I don't need to be hounded everywhere I go by Legionaries trying to arrest me!"
"What did you do that would warrant that?" asked Balgruuf, as the steward hustled over and handed me my leather pouch full of gold. More than enough for my purposes.
"I came to Skyrim."
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