“Well, you've got good instincts,” said the young Imperial, impressed. “My name's Ria, what's yours?”
Elisif opened her mouth to reply then realised she'd not thought of an alias yet. Fortunately, Jordis saved her the trouble as she raced over to her, horrified.
“My Ja-” she began, until Elisif swatted her on the side.
“Maia?” Ria asked, smiling. “That's a pretty name! It suits you.”
Elisif promptly forgave her housecarl everything, turning her brightest smile on Ria.
“That's right! I'm Maia. I grew up in Wayrest, but came to live in Solitude a few years ago. Now I'm exploring the rest of Skyrim. Getting to know the old country, you know?”
It wasn't even a lie. Might as well keep her story as close to the truth as possible, right?
“You've not picked the best time to do that,” the redhaired Nord remarked. “First the war, now the dragons – wait, I've never seen one do that before.”
Too late, Elisif remembered she was Dragonborn now. The dragon crackled and burned beside her and the soul boiled up around her, blinding her and filling her eyes and ears until she knew nothing else, and then snap. The jaws in her head swallowed it whole, taking its power and tucking it away, waiting for her to find another of those Word Walls.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, wincing as four Companions stared at her in disbelief.
“What was that?” wolf twin one asked, blinking. “It's like you just sucked the life out of it.”
“Sucked the soul out of it,” the woman said, staring right at her as if she knew exactly what Elisif was.
“You're Dragonborn,” Vilkas breathed, and finally he actually looked impressed.
“Dragonborn?” Ria asked, confused. “What's a Dragonborn?”
“A mortal with a dragon's blood,” Vilkas explained, eyes never leaving Elisif. “Capable of killing a dragon for good.”
“That one's certainly not going to be getting up and flying again any time soon,” said the redhead, going over the dragon's corpse and retrieving various arrows, all the loose dragon bones and scales and a decent amount of coin, which she presented Elisif with.
“There you go, Maia. We're already being paid by the Jarl to deal with any visiting dragons. Only fair you have something for your trouble.”
“Thank you,” said Elisif softly. “I didn't get your name.”
“Aela,” the woman said, appraising Elisif and seeming to approve of what she saw. “Aela the Huntress. These are my Shield-Brothers Farkas and Vilkas, and this is Ria, our newest recruit. We're Companions of Jorrvaskr. If you wanted to come with us, you'd be welcome at our hall tonight.”
Elisif stared, then turned to Jordis to see if she'd heard that right.
“Are you inviting me to become a Companion?” she whispered. Vilkas actually laughed at that.
“Not my decision,” said Aela, swatting Vilkas. “Kodlak, our Harbinger, decides who gets to join. But you can certainly stay as our guest. Not often we get a Dragonborn staying with us.”
It certainly beat staying at the inn.
“All right then, lead the way!” Elisif laughed, beckoning to Jordis to follow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elisif looked about her as she entered the hall. Mostly wood, easy prey to a dragon's fire, but homely for all that. There were a few others hanging around, one Nord swigging from a tankard, eyes crossing as he tried to focus in her direction, a dark Elf reading quietly in the corner, a Nord woman who just sneered at her and walked off, and at the table, two older men in the same armour the twins wore, seeming to be having some sort of discussion.
“My mind is made up, Skjor,” the bearded one said, determined.
“You can't be serious, Kodlak,” Skjor cried. “Why would you want to give it up?”
“There is more to life than the chase,” said Kodlak, not wavering an inch, and Elisif realised this must be the famous Kodlak Whitemane, Harbinger of the Companions.
“Nothing worth living for,” said Skjor stubbornly, but he backed off when he saw the others walk in. Both Skjor and Kodlak looked at her and Jordis and looked curious.
“A stranger comes,” said Kodlak, surprised. “Aela, who is this?”
“A guest,” said Aela. “For tonight. That's all right, isn't it, Harbinger?”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 2.4
Date: 2013-08-27 10:26 pm (UTC)Elisif opened her mouth to reply then realised she'd not thought of an alias yet. Fortunately, Jordis saved her the trouble as she raced over to her, horrified.
“My Ja-” she began, until Elisif swatted her on the side.
“Maia?” Ria asked, smiling. “That's a pretty name! It suits you.”
Elisif promptly forgave her housecarl everything, turning her brightest smile on Ria.
“That's right! I'm Maia. I grew up in Wayrest, but came to live in Solitude a few years ago. Now I'm exploring the rest of Skyrim. Getting to know the old country, you know?”
It wasn't even a lie. Might as well keep her story as close to the truth as possible, right?
“You've not picked the best time to do that,” the redhaired Nord remarked. “First the war, now the dragons – wait, I've never seen one do that before.”
Too late, Elisif remembered she was Dragonborn now. The dragon crackled and burned beside her and the soul boiled up around her, blinding her and filling her eyes and ears until she knew nothing else, and then snap. The jaws in her head swallowed it whole, taking its power and tucking it away, waiting for her to find another of those Word Walls.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, wincing as four Companions stared at her in disbelief.
“What was that?” wolf twin one asked, blinking. “It's like you just sucked the life out of it.”
“Sucked the soul out of it,” the woman said, staring right at her as if she knew exactly what Elisif was.
“You're Dragonborn,” Vilkas breathed, and finally he actually looked impressed.
“Dragonborn?” Ria asked, confused. “What's a Dragonborn?”
“A mortal with a dragon's blood,” Vilkas explained, eyes never leaving Elisif. “Capable of killing a dragon for good.”
“That one's certainly not going to be getting up and flying again any time soon,” said the redhead, going over the dragon's corpse and retrieving various arrows, all the loose dragon bones and scales and a decent amount of coin, which she presented Elisif with.
“There you go, Maia. We're already being paid by the Jarl to deal with any visiting dragons. Only fair you have something for your trouble.”
“Thank you,” said Elisif softly. “I didn't get your name.”
“Aela,” the woman said, appraising Elisif and seeming to approve of what she saw. “Aela the Huntress. These are my Shield-Brothers Farkas and Vilkas, and this is Ria, our newest recruit. We're Companions of Jorrvaskr. If you wanted to come with us, you'd be welcome at our hall tonight.”
Elisif stared, then turned to Jordis to see if she'd heard that right.
“Are you inviting me to become a Companion?” she whispered. Vilkas actually laughed at that.
“Not my decision,” said Aela, swatting Vilkas. “Kodlak, our Harbinger, decides who gets to join. But you can certainly stay as our guest. Not often we get a Dragonborn staying with us.”
It certainly beat staying at the inn.
“All right then, lead the way!” Elisif laughed, beckoning to Jordis to follow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elisif looked about her as she entered the hall. Mostly wood, easy prey to a dragon's fire, but homely for all that. There were a few others hanging around, one Nord swigging from a tankard, eyes crossing as he tried to focus in her direction, a dark Elf reading quietly in the corner, a Nord woman who just sneered at her and walked off, and at the table, two older men in the same armour the twins wore, seeming to be having some sort of discussion.
“My mind is made up, Skjor,” the bearded one said, determined.
“You can't be serious, Kodlak,” Skjor cried. “Why would you want to give it up?”
“There is more to life than the chase,” said Kodlak, not wavering an inch, and Elisif realised this must be the famous Kodlak Whitemane, Harbinger of the Companions.
“Nothing worth living for,” said Skjor stubbornly, but he backed off when he saw the others walk in. Both Skjor and Kodlak looked at her and Jordis and looked curious.
“A stranger comes,” said Kodlak, surprised. “Aela, who is this?”
“A guest,” said Aela. “For tonight. That's all right, isn't it, Harbinger?”