Rikke nodded distractedly. Of course he would. Now standing beside the table, she gripped the drape, holding her breath as she dragged it back. Her mind catalogued the trauma she saw before her even as she tried to tell the identity of the woman lying before her. Multiple burns and deep lacerating wounds. Severe trauma all over the body, though not the sort one expected to see from battle. Signs of electrocution, most likely of magical origin. Her hands moved down to the arm of the corpse, turning the right wrist to inspect it. It was bare, and Rikke released the breath she hadn’t known she was holding.
It wasn’t the Dragonborn.
Rikke turned to the priest, eyebrow arched. “Why did you think this was the Dragonborn?”
The priest frowned, looking down at the corpse. “But she carried the possessions of the Dragonborn--things only the Dragonborn would have with her." His expression was clearly perplexed. "You are certain that this is not the Dragonborn?"
Rikke shook her head, arms crossed over her chest as she met the priest’s gaze. “I'm certain.” She turned towards the Legionnaire who’d dragged her from her warm bed. “Where was this corpse found?”
The soldier scratched at the underside of his jaw—he’d missed a spot while shaving, she noted. “It was dumped near the statue of Meridia, Legate. But,” he turned dark eyes back towards the body, watching as Legate Rikke drew the drape back over the body and turned to face him, “if it’s not the Dragonborn, then who is lying on that table?”
Rikke frowned, arms crossed over her chest. “It can only be one other person. The Dragonborn was traveling with her Housecarl, a woman sworn to protect her and carry her burdens.” Turning back to the body, she bowed her head for moment. “You found no other bodies with this one?”
The soldier shook his head, watching as Rikke’s lips thinned grimly. “No, ma’am. Only this one. There wasn't enough blood in the snow for what were done to her to have happened at the statue.”
Rikke nodded. “Then that is where we go next. Rouse the men. And tell General Tullius that the Dragonborn isn’t dead. At least not yet.”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Any - Avenging the Dragonborn/etc. "Mostly Dead" (Part 1b/?) F!DB/Others
Date: 2014-03-01 02:37 pm (UTC)It wasn’t the Dragonborn.
Rikke turned to the priest, eyebrow arched. “Why did you think this was the Dragonborn?”
The priest frowned, looking down at the corpse. “But she carried the possessions of the Dragonborn--things only the Dragonborn would have with her." His expression was clearly perplexed. "You are certain that this is not the Dragonborn?"
Rikke shook her head, arms crossed over her chest as she met the priest’s gaze. “I'm certain.” She turned towards the Legionnaire who’d dragged her from her warm bed. “Where was this corpse found?”
The soldier scratched at the underside of his jaw—he’d missed a spot while shaving, she noted. “It was dumped near the statue of Meridia, Legate. But,” he turned dark eyes back towards the body, watching as Legate Rikke drew the drape back over the body and turned to face him, “if it’s not the Dragonborn, then who is lying on that table?”
Rikke frowned, arms crossed over her chest. “It can only be one other person. The Dragonborn was traveling with her Housecarl, a woman sworn to protect her and carry her burdens.” Turning back to the body, she bowed her head for moment. “You found no other bodies with this one?”
The soldier shook his head, watching as Rikke’s lips thinned grimly. “No, ma’am. Only this one. There wasn't enough blood in the snow for what were done to her to have happened at the statue.”
Rikke nodded. “Then that is where we go next. Rouse the men. And tell General Tullius that the Dragonborn isn’t dead. At least not yet.”