The Dragonborn of Kirkwall

Ch. 5 Scars

After discovering that I'm the Dragonborn, Bishop went to the Bannered Mare to think things over, again, and I reported to the jarl about our success with the dragon. On the way, the world shook as several voices "shouted" Dovahkiin. That word again? What does that even mean? Anyway, I reported to the jarl and discovered that it was the group known as Greybeards who shouted from High Hrothgar to basically say, "Dragonborn, get up here!" I didn't know what to make of it, but the jarl assured me that the Greybeards would have answers.

I returned to the Bannered Mare to find Bishop drinking some ale. I couldn't exactly blame him. One minute, I'm an elven girl just doing a favor for a favor, then I have glowing markings that could end my life if I use them, and now I'm the Dragonborn whose destiny is to kill dragons no matter the cost. I figured that he probably regretted ever meeting me. Before I left the inn without him, Karnwyr spotted me and nearly knocked Bishop's seat over to get to me.

"What did the jarl say?" He asked as I tried to calm the wolf down.

"Apparently, I have to go to a place called High Hrothgar if I want answers about this whole Dragonborn thing," I said, annoyed, then I looked to him regretfully. "You don't have to come with me if you don't want to. You did more than enough for me, and I'm grateful."

"You still need a guide, right?" He sighed.

"What?"

"You still don't know your way around Skyrim. It'll be years before you make it to the Greybeards. Hell, they might be dead by the time you're there." He smirked at me like I was some sort of lost puppy.

"Hey! I'm not that much of a lost cause!" I yelled at him.

"C'mon, let's go. We're burning daylight." He avoided the argument and led on.

Now we're setting up camp a ways away from a small village at the base of the mountain.

"What's the name of the town again?" I ask as I straighten my tent.

"Ivarstead. Basically, the only world contact that the Greybeards get is the food supplies from this town." Bishop answers as he finishes the fire.

"Ivarstead, huh?" I whisper to myself, confirming that this was definitely the town I was first raised in as a child.

"Ladyship?" Bishop notices that I'm distracted.

"Uh, just tired." I make an excuse up. "I'm not all that hungry, plus we should probably take shifts for standing watch, and the Jarl did say that the seven thousand steps were quite the hike. Good night!" I hurry into a bedroll before he can ask any questions.

Within minutes, I fall asleep. I dream, but this dream turns quickly into a nightmare. I start off seeing my mother and father; finally, I'm home. Then Danarius grabs me and throws me into an abyss. I am on the ground and look up to see an elven woman turned. Do I know this woman? No, it couldn't be.

"Why hello, Melody." the woman turns and shows a sick, degrading face. "Did you cause anyone else to die today?"

"No!" I run, hearing a burst of terrifying laughter all around me.

I stop when I see a forest and reach the mouth of a cave.

"Mellloooodyyyyyy." I voice from inside the cave calls to me, a voice that still haunts me. "Come and truly become my sister." An elven man, a few years older than me, smiles with fangs peeking out of his bloodied lips.

"Rico? No, no, no!" I run again as he lunged at my neck.

I run and run until I reach a cliff. I scream as I fall, landing on the snow-covered ground. I look around me to see that I'm on top of the same mountain that I appeared on. I hear a deep, loud growl behind me. I slowly turn around to see the black dragon just a foot away. It rears its head.