Ingoknin Chapter 1 – I am not alone

• Posted by Laurie Bear September 12, 2013 - 817 views

  I had to get to Narzulbur, the Orc stronghold.  It is about a day’s walk heading east, I kept to the woods; I didn't want to run into any Stormcloaks, the woods can protect you; the road makes you a target.    I’d never really been on my own before.  I felt this hollow feeling, I couldn't shake.  Every time I closed my eyes I would see the attack.  I missed my family.  Some may think that being raised by the Bosmer might make me soft, not a true Nord, they are wrong.  Poppa Codell was tougher than any Nord father and Momma Minnia as well.  They had to escape their home, and start all over in a hostile environment.  No, I do not think many of us could do what they did. 

   

  I have to keep my ears sharp, the slightest change in the animal behavior means something else is out there; your eyes are not really your best defense or offensive when hunting, Poppa taught me that.  I may not be hunting right now, but one never knows what is hunting you! 

   

  The sun was sinking ever lower over the mountains, I wanted to make the most of the day light, not wanting to get stuck setting up camp in the dark, I pick a spot by a crop out of rocks, shelter for my back, and over head, now whatever might come out will need to face me head on.  I gather some wood, and make a fire, it feels good on my face, I indulge for a moment the sweet feel of the flames on my face.  I brought some dried meats and a few potatoes, I throw one into the flame.  I place my bow down, my bow, I mean Poppa’s bow; it is beautiful, a Glass Bow he forged himself, I remember going with him, he gave me his old bow, how proud I was.  He ruffed my hair, and put my hands on the wood, he placed the arrow on the bowstring, as he did, he whispers’ to me; Nin (his nickname for me) feel the old life of the tree this bow came from, respect it, feel the silkiness of the bowstring, I placed my fingers on the frostbite spider silk, feel how these two pieces become one, now your arrow, he pulled back until it was taunt, and he released the arrow shot out so fast, he said to me “Nin, you must respect  all living creatures, from the beasts we hunt, to the touch bug that flies at night, we all serve a propose.  You will become one with your bow, it will be as natural as laughing, we will start you training.  That was so many years ago, it makes me feel old although I know I am not.  Poppa was right, I am better than any Nord with my bow, Poppa trained me like a Bosmer, not like a Bosmer trains a Nord, how a Bosmer trains their own.  If I hit you with my arrow, you are as good as dead.   This leads me to momentarily think of that archer the other night.  Did I image it or was it just chaos that made it seem these were precise hits.  I touch the glass bow, place my quiver down beside it, roll out the hide for bedding, toss a few red flowers into the fire, they give off a beautiful fragrance, and with my dagger pull my dinner out of the fire and feast.  The sun has set, the flames glowing bright, I brought my flute, normally when I played it was always brought me joy.  I start to play, at first it is just a few notes, then the music takes over; Poppa said when I played he could read my heart, I know it is not wise to do this; bandits could be anywhere, or worst vampires.  But, it soothes my soul.  Soon the music fills me with a sort of contentment, peace if you will, this is what I needed.  Putting the flute away, I feel my mom’s journal, pulling it out and reading it yet again.  There is so much I do not know, with Momma & Poppa gone; all I have left is this journal.   I cannot grasp the meaning of it all, I just hopped Bagrak would be able to help me, guide me.  With the fire crackling and the warmth of my hide I fall asleep.  I feel like I am floating and mist is all around me, I hear a voice, calling my name… “Ingoknin, Ingoknin…”  Who is this voice, where am I?  “Please do not be afraid, Ingoknin, it is Sigrid, you mother, you must listen, for I do not have much time, you must go to the Throat of the World, meet with the Graybeards…  but first you need to go see Greir Fair-Sword, she is expecting you, find her and you will have your answers.” “I know you do not understand, but your path was laid out for you long before you were born, Greir will be able to fill in the blanks.”  “Also, my child, I know hatred lives in your heart, I beg of you to let it go, it will only do to you what it did to your father.”  All the while she is speaking I cannot, nor can I see her, just a shadow, some darker mist.  I want to call to her, reach out, and then I feel like I am falling…  Just as I am about to hit land, I jump up wide awake, sweating, breathing like I ran up the mountain.  What was the name my mother said?  Gunner, Gail, Greir, yes Greir… Great-Sword?   No, Greir Fair-Sword!  Yes!  I quick write down what my mother said or at least as much as I can remember…  As I write my quill hesitates for a minute…  Hatred, yes it does live in my heart, a sob catches in my throat, I sallow it back.   I call out to the heavens…  “Mother, how can I not, he took everything from me, or at least everything I truly cared about.  Let go, I just don’t know how to.  After all these years why do you come to me now and speak to me?”  “Mother, please show me the way?”   I throw my quill down, bury my head in my arms, but a strange noise makes me look up almost instantly; a path glows pointing me Northwest.

   

  The fire is almost out, dawn has not yet broken, I do not feel the chill of the morning; in fact I feel nothing at this moment, still trying to come to terms with what is happening.  My thoughts are all jagged.  I start to clean up, who is this Greir, I try to remember if I ever heard Momma or Poppa refer to her, nothing.  It isn't in my mother’s journal.  Northwest, OK I will go, but not before I see Bagrak, I must tell her what is going on.  I make quick work of my clean up trying to be sure I cover my trail.  Better get a move on.  I open my pack pull out my bladder of water rub my face and neck.  Grab the apple at the bottom, and off I go.  There is nothing like a morning walk as the sun comes up over Skyrim, I take a deep breath.   It feels good, I smile for the first time in days, I almost feel like Momma & Poppa are with me, just for the heck of it I actually look behind me, nope no one!  I give a little chuckle.  Poppa would laugh if he saw that! 

   

  In a few hours time I see the Orc Stronghold, Narzulbur, and Mountain that houses Gloombound Mine.  Word could not have gotten out yet, maybe Windhelm?  Oh, it could be all over Skyrim by now, but I have to face facts here, with this war, and all the stress will anyone really care what happens in little Kynesgrove?  They should, and then maybe they would realize what Ulfric is all about, himself and that is it; all you need to do is go take a look at the Gray Quarter that will tell you! 

   

  He sits on the limb watching her; not too close for Codell did train her after all, no need to show himself yet.  He hears the pain in her voice when she calls out to her mother; oddly he wishes he could comfort her.  What a mess, he has his orders to get word to Codell, the Bosmer secretly working with the Empire are ready to strike at the heart of the Thamor.  The Bosmer are not as dumb as many would like to believe it was a plot all along to lessen the Guard of the Aldmeri Dominio, to gain strength and plan a course of action to bring them down.  But, with that dammed idiot Ulfric and his rebellion, things were taking just a little longer than originally planned.  And now that Stormcloak attack left an import leader, like Codell, dead!  His best bet he figured was to follow Codell’s little girl, though little was not what she was anymore.  She had grown up into a fine young woman.  Again, that feeling, he pushed it away no time for that, this was Codell’s daughter, though not of flesh she may has well been.  He sent word in code to his associates.  He needed to get close to her though, he knew she was headed to Narzulbur, and he also knew she was Dragonborn, he had to get her to Greir – much needed to be done, he need the scroll hidden within Codell’s bow, did she know who she was, what she was carrying?  Who sent out that guiding light, was it Codell, Minnia? He need to get to her before she went into the Orc Stronghold, he knew a few Orcs in his day, let’s just say he liked to keep his distance. 

   

  I was thinking so hard, I never saw or heard it coming, I was hit with an arrow, right though my cloak, in the back of the arm, the last thing I thought before the sleep potion took effect was what a bad shot, this archer is, and with that I realized I am not alone….