Dragon of the East - Arc 2, Chapter 20

• Posted by Okan-Zeeus August 7, 2015 - 1,176 views

  Reinhardt

  ~ ~ ~

  I smelled water ahead. Heard it dripping and sloshing too. Not good. Thought maybe the tunnels ahead might’ve flooded. Never was much of a swimmer…

  ‘Course I was getting worried over nothing. The water I smelled came from basins. As I slowly crept into a tall rock chamber, my torchlight reflected in the pools. They lined sides of a thin walkway headed down the room, toward an altar with a coffin on top. Huge dark statues half the size of mammoths sat in the water. They looked like bird heads with big angry eyes and pincer-shaped mouths squawking up at the ceiling.

  The room was pitch black except for two torches: mine and another by the coffin. I saw the person holding it. Had tight rawhide clothes and a cloak drawn over. Thin sword at the waist, crossbow on her back. She was holding something in her hand.

  I took a step onto the walkway. It echoed. She spun around and I froze.

  We stood like statues, staring at each other’s distance figures. The woman didn’t draw her weapon, so I didn’t either. I took another step forward, then another. Pretty soon I was walking past the basins and up to the altar where the woman waited for me.

  I saw the object she was holding. A horn, curved and black.

  “That’s close enough,” she said as she withdrew the horn and reached for her sword.

  “Thought I was alone down here,” I replied, stopping. “Am I interrupting something?”     

  “If you were interrupting me, I’d have already left you dying on this floor. Now you’re going to tell me who you are and why I shouldn’t.”

  Friendly, eh? She made me think of Angi.

  Is it my scent? Why do so many women want to kill me on sight…?

  “Name’s Reinhardt,” I sneered. “Pleasure’s all mine.”

  “There’s nothing pleasurable about this. You shouldn’t be here.”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way… I’m sensing some hostility.”
  “Figure that out all by yourself?”

  “I got no problem with you, lady. Already cleaned my sword once today.”

  “You’re still breathing because I want you to, so stop wasting your breath and tell me why you’re here.”

  Her voice sounded on the verge of ‘haughty old lady,’ the kind that makes you cringe and expect a wrist slap. She calmly masked her condescension. There was something familiar about the woman, but I couldn’t place it. Her face was too hidden beneath that hood of hers.

  I didn’t know what she was doing in Ustengrav, though a hunch told me it had something to do with that horn she tucked away. I took a peek at the coffin behind her. There was a stone arm carved on top with open fingers, as if the corpse had broken through the coffin’s lid to hold something up in his hand.

  That hand was empty.

  “You have something I came here to find,” I said.

  “And that is…?”

  I pointed behind her. “The horn you just took from old Jurgen back there.”

  The woman drew her single-edged sword from its sheath. Didn’t recognize the style of the blade. It wasn’t a scimitar…

  “You get one answer. Tell me why you’re here for the horn.”

  “Isn’t it obvious? I was sent here to find it.”

  “By who?”

  If she came to Ustengrav for the horn, the artifact, that could only mean one thing. I needed to spin a tale that would save my skin and keep us talking. So I took the first thought that sounded good and ran with it.

  “Well, if you must know…” I folded my arms. “…the Greybeards.”

  There was a very long pause.

  “And why did the Greybeards send you here?” The lady stepped closer.

  “To… finish my training, of course!” I said, saving the act.

  “The Greybeards sent you here because they’re training you?”

  “Can’t say I really get it myself. I’ve been told it’s a tradition.”

  “Tradition,” the woman repeated, taking another stride. “I’ll bet.”

  I took a step back. Shor’s bones, she was terrifying! Dark shadows made her face look like something out of Hermeaus Mora’s own nightmares.

  “Aye,” I said firmly. “The Greybeards have always trained Dragonborn this way.”          

  That was the magic word. The woman scowled at me.

  “You’re not the Dragonborn.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I know. Trust me. Whoever sent you here to fool me was a fool himself.”

  She’s not buying it…

  “Listen, I don’t want to fight you!” I growled. “I’m telling you the Greybeards sent me here. Believe me or not, but I know what I did! I killed a dragon!”

  “Keep it up. You’re just digging a deeper hole.”         

  “I’ll prove it,” I said as I reached into my bag and pulled out a large dark object.

  The woman stopped and stared at it.

  “…What is that?”

  “See for yourself.” I tossed it to her feet. “Know what it is?”

  She retracted her sword and picked up the object. Her mouth opened.

  “This is… a dragon horn,” she whispered.

  I snuck a sinister smile. “Took it after I sliced my sword through the beast’s neck. I’d have taken the rest of it with me, but my bag was too small.”

  There’s a trick to good lies, I’ve been told – they always use truth. Like I said, I ran with the best idea I thought of. The horn was my ace. Even if she didn’t believe I was Dragonborn, that horn would give her a reason to doubt herself.

  “You’re here ‘cause you’re looking for me, eh? Am I right? I don’t know why else you’d go through the trouble to steal some dusty old horn.” I tried to sound earnest. “So tell me… why? Are you a friend?”

  The lady paid no attention to me. Straight through one ear and right out the other. She was the one asking the questions here.

  “When did you kill this dragon?”                                          

  “A few weeks ago,” I lied. “It was attacking Whiterun.”     

  “Why did you kill it?”

  “Why wouldn’t I? I’d kill them all if I could.”

  “That isn’t an answer.”

  “Then how about ‘I lost my family to a dragon.’ That work better for you?”

  The woman gave me a long hard look.

  “Can you really do it? Can you absorb a dragon’s soul?” she asked.

  “Greybeards wouldn’t have summoned me if I couldn’t,” I said.

  She paused. “Well… you'll forgive me if I don't assume that something's true just because the Greybeards say so. I came here and found the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Does that make me Dragonborn, too?”

  “Ha! I bet you could make a convincing story.”

  “As convincing as yours?”          

  I smiled. My plan seemed to be working.

  “So you believe me now?”

  “Not on your life.”

  “…Huh?”

  “I saw the bones of the dragon in Whiterun. Obviously you didn’t, because you would have known its skull still had both of its horns.”

  “Oh…uh…”

  “You weren’t anywhere near the city when the dragon attacked, anyway. You were in Riverwood.”

  I startled. “W- What!? Hold up, how do you–”

  The woman pulled back her hood, showing her blonde hair tied in a ponytail. I’d seen those blue-grey eyes before. No wonder she seemed so terrifying.

  “You were at my inn that night,” Delphine said. “Or did the ale make your forget?”

  The innkeeper from Riverwood…!

  I knew it! I knew she felt familiar! It all made sense!

  …It didn’t make any sense.

  Delphine saw the look on my face. “Surprised? I guess I'm getting pretty good at my harmless innkeeper act.”

  “Then… if you’re you… and you knew about me… then that means…” I squinted. “I was never going to convince you, was I?”

  “You’re also a terrible liar.”

  “Aye, that’s fair…”

  Damn me, but she’d already pounded the nails into my casket. I was trying to outwit someone who had me outwitted before I even entered the room. Bah! I hate mind games.

  “Tell me who you really are. Now,” Delphine demanded.

  I puffed up what was left of my pride. “Reinhardt. Newest member of the Companions. I didn’t come here for you. I’m here as a bodyguard.”

  “You’re with someone?”

  “We split up so I could reach Jurgen’s tomb. Her name is Falura. She’s studying the dragons, trying to find ways to fight them. I’m here to make sure nothing happens to her.”

  “Why come to Ustengrav?”       

  “We’re looking for the Dragonborn. Just like you.”

  She started glaring again. “You’d better have a damn good reason for that.”

  “Of course! To help him fight dragons,” I said. That’s the reason I wanted to find him.

  “I hope you’re telling the truth, for your sake.”

  “And I’m getting tired of your tone, lady,” I muttered. “What’s with all the cloak and dagger?”

  “I can’t be too trusting. My enemies have spies everywhere,” she said. “In fact I’m still not convinced you aren’t one.”

  “Then why haven’t you tried to kill me yet?”

  “I should be asking you the same question. Know the saying ‘keep your enemies close’? You just handed me a dragon horn. You’re either a spy sent to kill me or you’re someone who might be useful. I’m willing to take a risk on that.”

  “I’m useful? What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She drew her sword again.

  “It means I’m not letting you go anywhere. You know too much. You’re going to take me to your friend and we’re all going to have a talk together. Got it?”

  I could see it then. The way her gaze twitched, the way she sounded as she made her demands. Like someone afraid to lose control.

  Ysmir’s beard! She’s paranoid out of her mind!

  “What happens if I say no?”

  “Then you’ll miss out. I have information about the dragons you don’t.”

  I clenched my fingers into fists.

  “What’d you say…?”

  “Follow me. I know a way out of here. We have a lot to discuss.”

  The woman turned around. She pulled a note from her clothing and left it in the hand on top of Windcaller’s coffin, before walking toward a doorway up ahead. I stared at the slip of paper and reached out to touch it.

  “Leave that,” Delphine hissed at me. “It’s not for you.”

  I flinched back and grumbled, trailing behind the mysterious innkeeper.

  Falura’s in for a treat when she sees this…

  ~ooooo~

  The sun was setting as we climbed out of Ustengrav’s mound. Fresh air never smelled so good. Birds of prey flying circles in the sky reminded me of food and how empty my stomach was. Falura was eating bread she’d brought from Winterhold, sitting on a hill overlooking the swamps. She abandoned the bread – two people emerged from the crypt! – and walked down to meet us.

  “Reinhardt? What… What is this? Who have you…” She trailed away, gasping suddenly. “By Azura! I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?”

  “The world’s feeling small today,” Delphine remarked. “Farengar’s laboratory. I remember. You’re that visitor who poked in on us.”

  “Say, what’s this? We all know each other?” I glanced at both women with a grin. “Ha! Suppose this means we can skip introductions.”

  “I’m afraid we’ve not been properly introduced,” Falura said warily. “Who are you?”

  “Her name’s Delphine,” I told her, retreating to her side. “I met her at an inn. Thought she was the innkeeper.”

  “I am the innkeeper,” Delphine chided, turning to my mage friend. “I already know your name, Falura. Your bodyguard is good at waggling his tongue.”

  The Dark Elf stared at me like a mother who just caught her child tossing a pot roast to a pack of wolves. I scratched the back of my head.

  “You said you know something about the dragons,” I spoke to Delphine. “Tell us.”

  “Hmm? Is this true?” Falura asked, sounding doubtful.

  “You don’t have a reason to trust me, I know,” Delphine replied. “Don’t worry. If you aren’t my enemy, then I’m not yours. Your friend told me you two are studying the dragons. He even handed me a dragon horn…”

  “Indeed, from the dragon we killed.”

  “Then it’s true?”

  “I have extensive field notes and sketches.”

  Delphine regarded us with interest.

  “So you really slew a dragon, then,” she said. “Up for finding another?”

  Those were our magic words.

  “You know where we can find one?” I exclaimed.

  “I know more than that,” she said. “I’ve figured out where they’re coming from.”

  Falura stepped in front of me. She came out like an avalanche.       

  “From where? What proof do you have? I must know this instant.”

  “Not here,” Delphine said. “We need to get moving if we’re going to catch the dragon. There’s no time to waste.”

  “I think you owe us an explanation first.”

  “I'll explain what I want when I want to.”    

  “What? How dare you!” Falura rebuked. “You are being needlessly impregnable. We have only just met and you insist we comply with your demands!”

  The innkeeper frowned. “You would both be dead if I didn’t like the look of either of you. I’m more than a little suspicious as to how you found me here. We’re going to find this dragon together so I can keep an eye on you.”

  “Or so you can kill us anyway,” I scoffed, “maybe throw us at this dragon.”

  Falura held her staff out ready. I crossed my arms. Delphine fighting me was one thing, but me and the mage together? She wouldn’t stand a chance. Let her try and take us, I thought. We’ll see who’s left standing.

  “If you’re being honest with me and you’re really studying the dragons, we should all get something worthwhile out of this. You’ll just have to trust me,” Delphine said sternly. “Did you two come on foot or saddle?”

  Falura walked up to the inn keeper. I could feel the sparks between them. My friend spoke softly.

  “Listen to me – I know you and Farengar were working together. Our goals may be aligned. We will come with you, but I shall not be towed along on false hope. You will tell us first everything you know. Where are the dragons coming from?”

  The look on Delphine’s face gave me gooseflesh.            

  “Their graves,” she said.

  Falura grimaced. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Dragons aren’t just coming back. They’re coming back to life.”

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