Bound in Blood
Chapter 2: Riverwood
17th of Last Seed 4E 201
The sun was setting behind the Reach as Val and Theryn finaly saw the gates of Riverwood, a small lumber village a few miles north of Helgen. Theryn pulled Val closer to him.
"Stay close and don't tell anyone what happened." he said.
"Why not?" asked Val.
"Are you gonna explain to them that we're escaped prisoners." Theryn answered.
"Alright." said Val.
They entered the village. Things seemed calm. Theryn relaxed as he now knew that news from Helgen didn't arrive yet. They could spend the night here without danger. Theryn pointed to the inn.
"You got any gold on you?" asked Val.
Theryn checked his pockets. "About fifty coins. Should be enough for a room and a warm meal." he said.
They walked up the inn stairs and entered the building. The first thing Val did was go to the fireplace to warm up. She was a Nord but that didn't stop her from freezing. Theryn, meanwhile, approached the innkeeper.
"Maeg'ovannen." he said. "I'm looking to rent a room for the night."
"I just sell the drinks and food." said the innkeeper and pointed at the woman near the fireplace. "Check with Delphine."
Theryn went over to the Breton woman. "I'm sorry, the innkeep told me to ask you about the room." he said.
Delphine turned around, leaving Theryn stunned a bit. He knew that Breton women were beautiful, but he never expected to see someone like her.
"I'll rent you a room." she said. "Twenty septims."
"Alright. Here you are." said Theryn as he gave her a small pouch.
Delphine showed Theryn and Val their room, offering them a warm meal as well.
"Come on Val. You'll sleep on the bed. I'll take the floor." Theryn said.
As Theryn laid down, he closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep but to no avail. He tought about what happened today. A dragon attack. He went through a lot in his 217 years on Tamriel, but he never saw something like that. All those burning people were branded into his mind. He still saw that melting villager. Finaly after an hour, he managed to drift into sleep.
***
30th of Rains Hand 4E 175, Battle of the Red Ring
General Jonna was standing a small elevated rock, looking towards the Aldmeri forces marching out of the Imperial City. They were planning to retreat south to Valenwood to regroup and launch a counter-attack on the forces of Titus II. coming down from the north. Jonna was planning to cut of the path to Valenwood and slaughter the retreating forces. She had marched her forces down from Cheydinhall and set up the southern frontline. And just as she had hoped, the Dominion wave was going to brake on the rocks that were Jonna's Nordic warriors.
She jumped from the rock, her golden cloak swirling in the wind. She looked at the first row of her forces. The majority were Nords but there were other races as well, willing the fight against the tyranni of the Thalmor. Redguards, Argonians and Wood Elves. One of them was an Altmer named Theryn.
Jonna came up to a Nord. "Are you willing to kill the Dominion?" she asked.
"I am!" said the Nord.
Jonna went up to a Breton. "And you!?" she asked.
"I am!" the Breton said.
She came up to Theryn. "And you?" she asked again.
"I am." said Theryn.
"Even a fellow Altmer?" she asked.
Theryn took his helmet and put it on. "There are no Altmer here. Only the Empire!" he yelled. And with that the entire force started hitting their shields with their swords.
"Alright, settle down!" she said and smiled. "Five years of war. And for what? So that we can fall on the ground and die!? So we can hide in ruins of our cities for the rest of our lives!? No!"
She stepped back on the small rock. "We waged war for the past five years so that we can show that we won't abandon our freedom just because someone told us. So that those that come after will know our names and sing songs about us! We waged war to show the world that we will fight for the ground we stand on! And now, one final battle awaits! A battle that will effect the world for centuries to come!"
Jonna jumped from the rock, putting her helmet on and turning towards the incoming Aldmeri army. "Proud warriors!" she yelled as the Aldmeri started to charge. "Let's make history!"
And with that, the two armies clashed as the Battle of the Red Ring started.
***
18th of Last Seed 4E 201
Val was eating breakfast as Theryn woke up. He came out of his room, sitting next to her. He looked at the plate of food that Val ordered for them. It was a baked fish with some tomatoes. Theryn smiled. This was the first proper meal he had in a long time after living of the small animals he managed to hunt.
Val turned to him. "So, what next?" she asked.
"We're going to Whiterun first. Gonna stay there a couple of days. I'm going to take a bandit bounty to get some money. We can't travel with a few coins in our pocket. And we can take the time for you to train a bit." said Theryn.
"What do you mean train?" asked Val.
"You can't walk around Skyrim without being able to protect yourself. Even with me by your side." he said.
"Finaly giving me a weapon?" asked Val.
"No. I'm getting you a spell tome. Fireball." said Theryn.
"I already know Firestorm." said Val.
"Not good enough." said Theryn. "And as you said, you can't control it. The spell tome will help you better then verbal teaching."
At that moment a man busted in through the door, as everyone jumped up. The man was soaked in blood with half of his hair burned off and his face and left arm burned. Theryn knew that the man came from Helgen. Delphine came to the man as the innkeep brought some wet cloth. Theryn knew however, that the man won't survive.
"Dragon! A dragon attacked Helgen yesterday. Burned the entire town to the ground." the man said.
The man however died as Delphine tried to ask about the dragon. Before he died, the man looked at Theryn, trying to say something but couldn't as he lost the energy for it. Theryn recognized the man as one of the Imperial guards at the execution. He felt bad for the man but still felt a bit of relief as nobody knows that he is a prisoner.
Theryn and Val packed their things as they prepared to leave for Whiterun. They were stopped, however, by Delphine at the inn door.
"Please. You said that you're going to Whiterun?" she asked.
"We are." said Theryn.
"Can you go to Jarl Balgruuf and tell him about the dragon attack? Riverwood has no guards and we need protection if that dragon comes here." Delphine explained.
"We will." said Val.
"Thank you." said Delphine as she moved away from the door. "Just hurry."
Theryn and Val came out of the inn and quickly left the village. Next stop was Whiterun.
Authors Note:
Hope you don't mind the shorther chapter. I wanted to take this to show a bit of Theryns history. Next stop will be Whiterun and Bleak Falls Barrow.
Part 1 Table of Contents Part 3
Replies