“I don't know if I want to use it at all,” Elisif said softly. “What if I end up like him? I'm already scared of it. I'm just so angry all the time lately. I keep dreaming of dragons, I keep dreaming I am one, and every time someone says something I don't like, or I start fighting...” Elisif put her head in her hands. “I think I'm turning into a monster,” she whispered.
“Dragonborn.” She felt a hand on her arm, and looked up to see Arngeir looking sympathetic. “The dragon blood is a hard burden to bear, I know. Your path is not an easy one, but that you are willing to admit your fear, that you are aware of the possibility for misuse... yes, you are worthy, Dragonborn. You see, we lectured Ulfric on this possibility many times, and he listened and seemed to take it on board... but only later did it become obvious that he never thought the perils of power could ever apply to him. Already you are different. Your path may follow his for a while, but you will not walk it in the same way. I cannot say where you will end up, but I don't think you're going to turn into a monster. You see yourself too clearly for that. You will know if you are approaching the point of no return... and you will know to come to us before that happens, leave the world behind entirely and join us in seclusion and peace.”
Seclusion and peace. It was a lovely thought. But alas it wasn't that easy. She was a Jarl, the rightful High Queen, she had responsibilities, her country needed her! All the same, if a day ever did come when she was more of a danger to Skyrim than anything else could possibly be, when she became a liability as ruler... it was good to know she'd have somewhere to retire to.
“Thank you, sir,” she whispered, finally feeling a little bit of hope returning. Yes, she'd have to walk in Ulfric's footsteps, learn what he had... but then she would learn more, outstrip him, become a true Master of the Thu'um, and then she would bring him down. To avenge Torygg, yes. But also because Skyrim would be a better place without him. It'd end the war anyway. Elisif didn't know what would happen after that, if she'd even survive. But she'd do her best, and it was like she'd said to Kodlak, the war and dragons weren't helping anyone. She had to stop those at least.
“So, you were going to train me?” she said hopefully. Arngeir nodded, reaching out a hand to her.
“Yes. If you think you can learn?”
“I'll do my best,” Elisif promised. Satisfied with that, Arngeir led her off. Time for her to start learning in earnest.
And so the time passed. Elisif practised Unrelenting Force against a set of figures they conjured for her and did well, much to Arngeir's satisfaction and indeed her own. It was getting easier, slowly, and she was managing to do it without thinking too much about Torygg. Maybe this Shout flung people to the ground like dolls, but unless she Shouted them off a cliff, it was unlikely to kill them on its own. She'd save it for opponents stronger than her, or for wild beasts that didn't know any better, or Draugr. She didn't have a problem with killing Draugr.
Then they'd taught her the first word of Whirlwind Sprint, and that had been fun, sprinting up and down the courtyard with it. Finally, Arngeir and she had talked of many things, the dragon blood and what it meant, the Greybeards and their history, the Way of the Voice and at last a task for her. To go to Ustengrav in Hjaalmarch and retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Imperial territory at least, so no need to worry about Stormcloaks. Just anything else that might be lying in wait.
When it became apparent the Greybeards could tell her no more, not until she found that Horn at any rate, Elisif located Jordis and Ria, both waiting patiently in the Greybeards' living quarters, and took her leave. Time to return to the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The trouble started as soon as Elisif got off the mountain. The once placid little town looked more like an army camp, with tents camped around it, and the guard had trebled. Elisif took one look at the banners flying over the biggest tent and her heart sank. Stormcloaks. Ulfric had heard all right and he'd made his move.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 4.3
“Dragonborn.” She felt a hand on her arm, and looked up to see Arngeir looking sympathetic. “The dragon blood is a hard burden to bear, I know. Your path is not an easy one, but that you are willing to admit your fear, that you are aware of the possibility for misuse... yes, you are worthy, Dragonborn. You see, we lectured Ulfric on this possibility many times, and he listened and seemed to take it on board... but only later did it become obvious that he never thought the perils of power could ever apply to him. Already you are different. Your path may follow his for a while, but you will not walk it in the same way. I cannot say where you will end up, but I don't think you're going to turn into a monster. You see yourself too clearly for that. You will know if you are approaching the point of no return... and you will know to come to us before that happens, leave the world behind entirely and join us in seclusion and peace.”
Seclusion and peace. It was a lovely thought. But alas it wasn't that easy. She was a Jarl, the rightful High Queen, she had responsibilities, her country needed her! All the same, if a day ever did come when she was more of a danger to Skyrim than anything else could possibly be, when she became a liability as ruler... it was good to know she'd have somewhere to retire to.
“Thank you, sir,” she whispered, finally feeling a little bit of hope returning. Yes, she'd have to walk in Ulfric's footsteps, learn what he had... but then she would learn more, outstrip him, become a true Master of the Thu'um, and then she would bring him down. To avenge Torygg, yes. But also because Skyrim would be a better place without him. It'd end the war anyway. Elisif didn't know what would happen after that, if she'd even survive. But she'd do her best, and it was like she'd said to Kodlak, the war and dragons weren't helping anyone. She had to stop those at least.
“So, you were going to train me?” she said hopefully. Arngeir nodded, reaching out a hand to her.
“Yes. If you think you can learn?”
“I'll do my best,” Elisif promised. Satisfied with that, Arngeir led her off. Time for her to start learning in earnest.
And so the time passed. Elisif practised Unrelenting Force against a set of figures they conjured for her and did well, much to Arngeir's satisfaction and indeed her own. It was getting easier, slowly, and she was managing to do it without thinking too much about Torygg. Maybe this Shout flung people to the ground like dolls, but unless she Shouted them off a cliff, it was unlikely to kill them on its own. She'd save it for opponents stronger than her, or for wild beasts that didn't know any better, or Draugr. She didn't have a problem with killing Draugr.
Then they'd taught her the first word of Whirlwind Sprint, and that had been fun, sprinting up and down the courtyard with it. Finally, Arngeir and she had talked of many things, the dragon blood and what it meant, the Greybeards and their history, the Way of the Voice and at last a task for her. To go to Ustengrav in Hjaalmarch and retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Imperial territory at least, so no need to worry about Stormcloaks. Just anything else that might be lying in wait.
When it became apparent the Greybeards could tell her no more, not until she found that Horn at any rate, Elisif located Jordis and Ria, both waiting patiently in the Greybeards' living quarters, and took her leave. Time to return to the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The trouble started as soon as Elisif got off the mountain. The once placid little town looked more like an army camp, with tents camped around it, and the guard had trebled. Elisif took one look at the banners flying over the biggest tent and her heart sank. Stormcloaks. Ulfric had heard all right and he'd made his move.
“That's bad,” Ria whispered.