Shadow's Embrace- Prologue

• Posted by Raltharian February 18, 2016 - 963 views

                                                                      Prologue: The Arrival
       Traitor. Ally. Savior. Heathen. Thief. These where most names I was given for my actions. Those actions bind me to what I am and what I do. I try to forget these thoughts and my past as I lay on my bed staring at the thatched roof above me. Secluded from civilization, in a rugged shack deep in Falkreath hold, just me and my gear. I awoke in the middle of the night to hear rain hitting the roof, a very soothing sound. I quickly desended into a quiet sleep to the sound of rain and moonlight hitting my skin.

  
       By dawn I was already awake, getting ready for my morning hunt. Breakfest was some stale bread that was sitting in a basket near my fireplace. I would take my usual gear out like every morning which included my wooden bow, my hunting knife given to me by my father before he died, and my lunch. Opening the door out to the wilds the sky was a purpleish red as the sun was arising, but still dark enough to concel yourself in the brush. I threw my hood over my head, and began to hike to my usual hunting spot. My hunting spot was cluster of trees which I had fashioned a stand in trees to hide myself from my prey. I would set out bait every hunt, but today I wasn't hunting for pelts from wolves. I was hunting for meat. I got set up in my stand and began to call a deer with a call I got in Riverwood. About 20 minutes of calling I finally got the attention of a deer.

  
       The animal had a nice set of antlers and looked good enough to have decent meat. I quietly knocked an arrow and drew my bow. I rested the fletching of the arrow against my cheek and aimed as best as i could for the animal's lungs. I fired the arrow with grace, watching it fly towards my target. I watched my prey run off, wounded and bleeding. I sat in my stand for 5 miniatures and finally grabbed my gear and climbed down from my stand. Seeing the blood trail so kindly given my the deer I followed it.

  
       I finally found the deer in a clearing, a short walk from my stand towards the north. The animal was still squirming and screaming, knowing what I had to do I put it out of its misery. I field dressed the animal right there, and I made a sled out of nearby lumber, which i then placed the animal's corpse upon. Leaving the innards of the animal where i field dressed it, so scavengers could have something to eat. It was a hard walk back to my shack where I hoisted up the deer on a nearby tree. Butchering the deer wasn't the hard part, the hardest part was keeping my eyes peeled for bears and wolves, who would try to take advantage of the fruits of my labor. Around noon i had the deer butchered and skinned. The meat had to be rubbed with frost salts to keep it cold.

  
       I left my shack and walked into Riverwood with the animal's meat, knowing i would get a good profit of it. Riverwood, a quaint little village living in the shadows of two mountains. The Sleeping Giant inn is the usual place I go to turn the meat for profit. I walked on to the porch and opened the door. The inn smelled of ale and juniper berries. The owner Orgnar greeted me.

  
  "Welcome back, Raltharian. I see you've got some game with you today."

  .
  Raltharian. I name that I hated as a child, but grew to like over the years.

  
  "Yes indeed, Orgnar" I said.

  
  "Well tell me what was it today?" the hearty nord said.

  
  "Deer. Made a great shot today, in its left lung." I said as I opened my bag and pulled out the linen wrapped venison and set it on the bar.

  
  "Venison eh. We haven't had venison in awhile. Don't worry my friend you will be payed well for your exploits. Here you are." the man said as he put a coin satchel on the bar.

  
       I took the satchel and thanked him as I left the inn. When I got back to my shack I counted my earnings from my hunt. 78 septims. I wish I had more. I started to drift off in a chair in my shack, until I heard it. A roar loud enough to break glass. The thud of wings. I rushed outside to see what is was. A dragon dark as iron with haunting red eyes. It flew over me and disappeared in the mountains, then i started to see smoke off in the distance of where Helgen is.  Helgen.