“This is a very long story,” Elisif sighed. “And it's a little unbelievable.”
“Try me,” Erandur said, leaning forward with a smile. People often said that about their problems, little realising that when you heard enough stories from people, it was amazing how the same themes kept cropping up time and again.
“All right,” said Elisif, leaning closer. “It all started with the dragons...”
Erandur listened, and while the story wasn't what he'd expected, not at all, it finally made sense of Maia the mercenary, with the top-notch gear, somewhat naïve fighting style and that odd ability to cast spells with her voice. Maia who was scared to death but wanted to do the right thing anyway, stronger and braver than she ever gave herself credit for. Maia who was Elisif, future Queen of Skyrim... and Dragonborn apparently. Able to kill dragons permanently and take their power.
“And now everyone seems to want a piece of me,” Elisif sighed. “Ulfric wanted me to join his cause – as if I ever would after what he did to Torygg! Rikke says half of Skyrim is suddenly joining the Legion, convinced I'm the gods' Chosen One. Falk seems to think I'm some fragile doll to be protected from the entire world while at the same time thinking I'm incapable of wielding any kind of power or making a decision. Everyone wants to control me and no one takes me seriously! Or even really sees me as a person at all. Every time I try to make a decision or give any sort of order, someone overrules me. I'm really quite sick of it, Erandur.”
“That does sound like a very hard place to be in,” said Erandur, feeling sorry for her. Truly, it was a lot for a young woman who'd never even asked for any of it.
“It is,” said Elisif softly. “But I'm Dragonborn and I'm going to be Queen and my people need me, so I'm not going to let them tell me what to do any more. If I have to prove it to them, I will. Only... I may have bitten off a little more than I can chew. Which is why I need your help.”
Erandur reached for his wine glass, having a feeling he was going to need it. “Yes, you mentioned some job the Jarl particularly wanted sorting out. What happened?”
So Elisif told him about how one of her people had reported disturbances at a certain cave once used by Potema the Wolf Queen. Now that was ominous. Very ominous.
“You know that certain rituals leave imprints on a place,” Erandur said, voice grave. “If that place was really used by Potema, chances are it still carries power, that's if there wasn't power there in the first place. Your man Varnius is right to be concerned.”
To his surprise, Elisif looked delighted.
“That's what I said!” she cried. “But Falk didn't think it was worth sending troops to deal with. So I said I'd go. Of course, he didn't like that either.” She actually grinned at that. Erandur felt a brief burst of sympathy for Falk... but only a brief one. Elisif was probably in the right over this one after all.
“And you want me to come with you,” Erandur guessed.
“Yes!” Elisif gasped, probably relieved she'd not had to actually ask outright. “I mean, if you want to. I mean, if there really are necromancers down there, you'll know how to deal with them, right?”
“I'll do my best,” Erandur promised. He'd seen his fair share of dark arts, it was true. Practised his fair share too. He'd been trying to do penance for it ever since. Helping Jarl Elisif wipe it out in her own Hold? Of course he'd help.
~~~~~~~~~~
The skeletons guarding the entrance were the first clue. Then the Draugr wandering around. Then the necromancers sitting around a fire, and then several more and some Draugr arrived. Elisif was just thankful she'd found the ledge above the cavern and could snipe some of them from there first before joining the melee. As it was, she had to sit down afterwards while Erandur healed her wounds.
“Do you want to go back?” Erandur asked quietly. “That was a hard fight. There's likely to be more too.”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 7.3
Date: 2013-10-07 06:52 pm (UTC)“Try me,” Erandur said, leaning forward with a smile. People often said that about their problems, little realising that when you heard enough stories from people, it was amazing how the same themes kept cropping up time and again.
“All right,” said Elisif, leaning closer. “It all started with the dragons...”
Erandur listened, and while the story wasn't what he'd expected, not at all, it finally made sense of Maia the mercenary, with the top-notch gear, somewhat naïve fighting style and that odd ability to cast spells with her voice. Maia who was scared to death but wanted to do the right thing anyway, stronger and braver than she ever gave herself credit for. Maia who was Elisif, future Queen of Skyrim... and Dragonborn apparently. Able to kill dragons permanently and take their power.
“And now everyone seems to want a piece of me,” Elisif sighed. “Ulfric wanted me to join his cause – as if I ever would after what he did to Torygg! Rikke says half of Skyrim is suddenly joining the Legion, convinced I'm the gods' Chosen One. Falk seems to think I'm some fragile doll to be protected from the entire world while at the same time thinking I'm incapable of wielding any kind of power or making a decision. Everyone wants to control me and no one takes me seriously! Or even really sees me as a person at all. Every time I try to make a decision or give any sort of order, someone overrules me. I'm really quite sick of it, Erandur.”
“That does sound like a very hard place to be in,” said Erandur, feeling sorry for her. Truly, it was a lot for a young woman who'd never even asked for any of it.
“It is,” said Elisif softly. “But I'm Dragonborn and I'm going to be Queen and my people need me, so I'm not going to let them tell me what to do any more. If I have to prove it to them, I will. Only... I may have bitten off a little more than I can chew. Which is why I need your help.”
Erandur reached for his wine glass, having a feeling he was going to need it. “Yes, you mentioned some job the Jarl particularly wanted sorting out. What happened?”
So Elisif told him about how one of her people had reported disturbances at a certain cave once used by Potema the Wolf Queen. Now that was ominous. Very ominous.
“You know that certain rituals leave imprints on a place,” Erandur said, voice grave. “If that place was really used by Potema, chances are it still carries power, that's if there wasn't power there in the first place. Your man Varnius is right to be concerned.”
To his surprise, Elisif looked delighted.
“That's what I said!” she cried. “But Falk didn't think it was worth sending troops to deal with. So I said I'd go. Of course, he didn't like that either.” She actually grinned at that. Erandur felt a brief burst of sympathy for Falk... but only a brief one. Elisif was probably in the right over this one after all.
“And you want me to come with you,” Erandur guessed.
“Yes!” Elisif gasped, probably relieved she'd not had to actually ask outright. “I mean, if you want to. I mean, if there really are necromancers down there, you'll know how to deal with them, right?”
“I'll do my best,” Erandur promised. He'd seen his fair share of dark arts, it was true. Practised his fair share too. He'd been trying to do penance for it ever since. Helping Jarl Elisif wipe it out in her own Hold? Of course he'd help.
~~~~~~~~~~
The skeletons guarding the entrance were the first clue. Then the Draugr wandering around. Then the necromancers sitting around a fire, and then several more and some Draugr arrived. Elisif was just thankful she'd found the ledge above the cavern and could snipe some of them from there first before joining the melee. As it was, she had to sit down afterwards while Erandur healed her wounds.
“Do you want to go back?” Erandur asked quietly. “That was a hard fight. There's likely to be more too.”