If the trek to High Hrothgar had been more exhausting than Ulfric remembered, the way up to the Throat of the World was enough of a journey to kill him. The winds battered the small group with every step, and he found himself holding Gaafyahzin under his cloak to shield him from the cold. Inkahlok had taken his familiar perch on the Jarl's shoulder, complaining of the “norok venne” with every step they took. Ahead of the three, Finn and Sulpaazov trudged ahead, the Breton's hair whipping around her face and the hatchling's tail curled gently around her mother's neck.
“Are you holding up back there?!” she shouted over the wind.
“I thought you knew the Thu'um to help with this, Finn!” Ulfric retorted back.
“Clear Skies isn't perfect, Ulfric! Even if I keep using it, the wind's going to pick up again the higher we go!” As if to prove it, she turned away and planted her feet into the ground. “Lok...vah koor!” The wind died down just enough for the Jarl to catch up with her and pull her close.
“We're going to freeze to death if we keep splitting up,” he remarked. The Breton allowed him his hint of affection, but looked up at him irritably.
“Then move faster.” She gestured at the clouds that hid the peak from view. “We're almost to the top, I think. We've certainly been walking long enough for it.” She paused, noticing Gaafyahzin poking his head out from under Ulfric's cloak, and softened. “Gaafyahzin, dreh hiu faas od?”
“Bormahu faad,” the hatchling retorted. Finn chuckled lightly.
“Geh. Vahzah.” She turned back to the worn path, gesturing at Ulfric to follow. “The least we can do is get up there before the sun goes down. It's not going to get any warmer.” She squirmed out from under the Nord's heavy arm and began forward again, just in time for the wind to bare its teeth again. Ulfric darted after her, his hands keeping both hatchlings firmly in place as the ascent grew rougher on them.
The bitter cold of the mountain's peak was almost a relief compared to the blizzards below. Ulfric, for one, was damn glad to see the sun again. In the meantime, Finn had taken a seat on a boulder and pried Sulpaazov off her shoulder.
“You're getting too heavy to do that, brii,” she cooed, rubbing her hatchling's scaly head. She looked up again just as the Jarl sat beside her. “Good to see you in one piece.”
“More or less,” Ulfric retorted, leaning back and letting Inkahlok dart from his shoulder to his mother's. “How do you want to do this?”
“I'd appreciate if you let me do the talking,” the Breton admitted with a nervous smile. “I'm not sure how Paarthurnax is going to feel about my bringing you up here.” Ulfric nodded in agreement, a twinge of shame resounding in him. He would have known Paarthurnax himself, if he had stayed...
“Bormah,” Gaafyahzin said quietly from under his arm. As he watched the hatchling clamber out to join his siblings, the Nord relaxed slightly. Disapproval or not, the elder dragon likely would not attack unless he did something to provoke him, and in either case...Finn was there to protect him. Now the shame returned as he realized he was relying on a girl at least a foot shorter than him for protection in the first place. Damn it all.
His thoughts were interrupted again, this time by the unmistakable roar of the dragon in question. Finn rose to her feet, murmuring for her hatchlings to wait with Ulfric, and stepped forward.
“Paarthurnax!” she called, bracing herself against the winds of the dragon's wings. He landed on his usual perch, sending flurries of snow around the Breton with the force of his descent.
“Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin. It is rare that you make the journey this far up my mountain,” he greeted her. Finn smiled a little nervously, taking a seat by the engraved wall.
“I'm afraid I need your help again,” she admitted. When the elder dragon simply eyed her, she cleared her throat and turned. “Inkahlok. Sulpaazov, Gaafyahzin. Het!” The hatchlings darted over to her side, trying to fly but only crashing into each other in their hurry.
“Hmm? Kirre? Interesting, Dovahkiin...conventional human motherhood never seemed to be a priority for you.” Paarthurnax chuckled, earning a curious look from the younger dragons. “Tell me, monahsedovahhe, how did this come to be?”
Re: "Something Like Parents" 11/?
“Are you holding up back there?!” she shouted over the wind.
“I thought you knew the Thu'um to help with this, Finn!” Ulfric retorted back.
“Clear Skies isn't perfect, Ulfric! Even if I keep using it, the wind's going to pick up again the higher we go!” As if to prove it, she turned away and planted her feet into the ground. “Lok...vah koor!” The wind died down just enough for the Jarl to catch up with her and pull her close.
“We're going to freeze to death if we keep splitting up,” he remarked. The Breton allowed him his hint of affection, but looked up at him irritably.
“Then move faster.” She gestured at the clouds that hid the peak from view. “We're almost to the top, I think. We've certainly been walking long enough for it.” She paused, noticing Gaafyahzin poking his head out from under Ulfric's cloak, and softened. “Gaafyahzin, dreh hiu faas od?”
“Bormahu faad,” the hatchling retorted. Finn chuckled lightly.
“Geh. Vahzah.” She turned back to the worn path, gesturing at Ulfric to follow. “The least we can do is get up there before the sun goes down. It's not going to get any warmer.” She squirmed out from under the Nord's heavy arm and began forward again, just in time for the wind to bare its teeth again. Ulfric darted after her, his hands keeping both hatchlings firmly in place as the ascent grew rougher on them.
The bitter cold of the mountain's peak was almost a relief compared to the blizzards below. Ulfric, for one, was damn glad to see the sun again. In the meantime, Finn had taken a seat on a boulder and pried Sulpaazov off her shoulder.
“You're getting too heavy to do that, brii,” she cooed, rubbing her hatchling's scaly head. She looked up again just as the Jarl sat beside her. “Good to see you in one piece.”
“More or less,” Ulfric retorted, leaning back and letting Inkahlok dart from his shoulder to his mother's. “How do you want to do this?”
“I'd appreciate if you let me do the talking,” the Breton admitted with a nervous smile. “I'm not sure how Paarthurnax is going to feel about my bringing you up here.” Ulfric nodded in agreement, a twinge of shame resounding in him. He would have known Paarthurnax himself, if he had stayed...
“Bormah,” Gaafyahzin said quietly from under his arm. As he watched the hatchling clamber out to join his siblings, the Nord relaxed slightly. Disapproval or not, the elder dragon likely would not attack unless he did something to provoke him, and in either case...Finn was there to protect him. Now the shame returned as he realized he was relying on a girl at least a foot shorter than him for protection in the first place. Damn it all.
His thoughts were interrupted again, this time by the unmistakable roar of the dragon in question. Finn rose to her feet, murmuring for her hatchlings to wait with Ulfric, and stepped forward.
“Paarthurnax!” she called, bracing herself against the winds of the dragon's wings. He landed on his usual perch, sending flurries of snow around the Breton with the force of his descent.
“Drem yol lok, Dovahkiin. It is rare that you make the journey this far up my mountain,” he greeted her. Finn smiled a little nervously, taking a seat by the engraved wall.
“I'm afraid I need your help again,” she admitted. When the elder dragon simply eyed her, she cleared her throat and turned. “Inkahlok. Sulpaazov, Gaafyahzin. Het!” The hatchlings darted over to her side, trying to fly but only crashing into each other in their hurry.
“Hmm? Kirre? Interesting, Dovahkiin...conventional human motherhood never seemed to be a priority for you.” Paarthurnax chuckled, earning a curious look from the younger dragons. “Tell me, monahsedovahhe, how did this come to be?”