Dorcas, The Path To Fort Black

 Dorcas, The Path To Fort Black

     The trip took some time, on foot, it is slow but I did not feel right taking Angi's horse. And I wanted to take in the sight of Skyrim into my soul. Walking and listening to the land as we pass, that is the way, there is much it will tell you if you take the time to listen. Just as it told me of someone lying in wait just ahead off of the road. I could not think who it might be or for what reason, but forewarned is forearmed.

     I told Rigmor to expect someone to jump out of the brush as we pass by, so I asked her to walk to the side to put me between her and our unknown assailant. I knew we were close, by the quiet that had overtaken the forest, as we neared. I kept my hand near the pommel of my new sword, close but not on it, in case I spooked our unwanted guest. Then the bushes rustled and a man dressed in red and black jumped out and came toward me with an unsheathed sword in hand. Me, and not Rigmor, was the target. 'Why' I thought as I swung and parried his strike.

     He said nothing as the fight continued, I tried to get him to speak to tell me why he was doing this, but he simply continued to attack, trying to tire me out and then slide his blade past my defense when I slipped up. He would make a strike, sometimes trying to draw me off guard and give him an opening, but I was concentrating on defending while moving slowly to put him between myself and Rigmor. He was, in my opinion, overconfident in ignoring her and I was determined to make him pay for that mistake. Also keeping myself defending did not tire me as much as a constant attack would. We kept trading blows, I would attack when I could turn my attack into a parry quickly. I could see he was growing frustrated and figured this was the right time. I shifted my gaze to Rigmor, and gave a very shallow nod, hoping she saw and understood, she quietly drew the greatsword I had given her. As I held his concentration, I deliberately left him an opening, hoping Rigmor would see and take advantage.

     He went for the opening, and Rigmor did not disappoint, as her greatsword burst out the front of his chest and he looked down in disbelief. I then made sure he was dead by taking his head. We both pulled our weapons and cleaned them of blood using pieces of the cloth armor he had been wearing. Then as the forest sounds started to return, I went through the assailant's remaining clothing looking for any indication of why he was waiting for us.

     In a pouch, strapped to his side, I found some gold and parchment. As I read it, the blood drained from my face, Rigmor saw and took it from my numb fingers, read it, and then looked at me. I saw her lips moving but I did not hear anything. I must have looked totally confused because she took me over to the side of the road, sat me down, uncorked a waterskin, and made me drink. Then she poured a little water into her hand and rubbed my face with it.

     I stupidly asked her, "what happened?" But it seemed she knew what she was doing as I was starting to hear again. She then looked me squarely in the face and said, "you have no idea why someone would hire the Dark Brotherhood to kill you, do you?"

     I shook my head, no, because truly I had no idea at all. She read the expressions on my face as I told her and she was satisfied I was telling the truth. She then said, "come on, we need to get to Fort Black. They will try again as soon as they find out this one failed."

     The rest of the trip to Fort Black was uneventful, at least as far as assassins went. We came upon a farm couple displaced by a dragon attack. I reached into the gold I had taken from the assassin and gave them five gold pieces. At least now that gold goes to a worthwhile cause, and the couple looked like I had given them five hundred pieces. What is happening here that the generosity the Gods ask of us for those less fortunate is so lacking? And then Rigmor gives me a clue when she says that Angi figures the Jarl in Falkreath is an asshole.

     Likely he is another one who feels he is entitled to everything in the province he rules because he is there, by the grace of the Gods. Would that, they understand that the Gods really do not care, they have far weightier things to consider and leave these lesser things for the mortal people to deal with. If we allow these 'assholes' to stay in power over us and take all that we have, we deserve what happens to us.

     Papa always told me, blood is blood, noble blood is the same color as ours, and sheds just as easily, and if the nobles would understand that, a lot of the problems between the nobles and the commoners would never happen. I hope he and mama are alright. We come upon a mine and a man comes out to meet us, asking for a hundred gold for passage. I remember how papa would talk to the toughs that would come around looking for some quick gold or something they could sell for gold. Then you would find them in a tavern somewhere.

     I slid my sword out of its sheath just enough for the light to reflect off of the blade as I said, "a hundred gold ain't worth dying for, friend." That and the look in my eyes was enough for him to let us through, as I passed by I heard him mutter, "time to find another job." We silently passed by the others, as they watched us in turn. No threatening moves were made by either side as we went onward.

     We made it to the mine entrance, passing a frost troll who was having fun with a trio of saber cats. One or even two cats, I would bet on the troll, three is stretching the odds a bit. We went into a truly gut-wrenching smell wafting up from deeper in the mine. Rigmor asked, "what is that smell." To which I replied, "death."

     There was snowmelt runoff pooling at the bottom of the tunnel, no way to go around, we would have to go through. I told Rigmor to climb on my back and hold on while we went through. She looked at me like I was crazy until I told her the dead bodies of the miners had been rotting in that water and any wounds not fully healed could get infected again if they got any of that water in them.

     She climbed up on my back without a word and we got to a wooden ramp just as a horde of skeevers dropped down on us. I let Rigmor slide down behind me and I took a few steps forward to distance us, so she could draw the greatsword. we then went back to back and began cutting the numbers down. My boots were tough enough that no bites were getting through to my feet and lower legs. I hoped Rigmor was having the same luck. If these skeevers had been drinking the water down here, I shudder to think what they might be carrying in their bite.

     Finally, with all of them dead, we checked ourselves for bite wounds and found some surface scratches but no broken skin. I opened the waterskin and washed her scratches, then told her to watch them. If they started to turn red, we needed to get to a healer as soon as possible. But for now, we would press ahead, maybe find some potions that would help. As we left we saw the miners, their bodies burnt and tossed into a pile.

     The sight twisted and caused my stomach to churn, I stopped and stood looking at them. Then kneeled on the ramp, and prayed for Arkay to give them peace, then I promised to find who did this and exact justice. If I was to be an agent for the Gods, then I would need to get used to sights such as this and be ready to act as they would direct.

     Rigmor asked about what I was kneeling for and I simply said I would talk to her about it later, for now, we needed to concentrate on the task at hand. She accepted what I said but I could see in her eyes there would be a full reckoning later, and I hoped I would be ready for that. We went through the mine, and found a few potions left around that we appropriated, no one left in here to need them anyway. We found a few frost trolls in one section, I used a destruction spell I found in the chest outside of Riverwood, called 'Fury of Akatosh'.

     It hit the frost troll dead in his chest and dropped him on the spot. I wondered why a spell that strong did not drain all my magicka reserves and then saw the ring that I also took from the chest. I would have to think about it later, the other two trolls were coming straight for us. We split apart to make them choose between us, and took them down nearly at the same time. As I put my sword blade straight into its chest, I saw its fur catch fire. I thought that it might be better to stick to spells against trolls, whew, the stench of its fur burning!

     As we exited the mine to the outside, Rigmor shouted for me to be careful. That was when I saw how close to the edge of the ledge I was on as we came out of the mine. As luck would have it, I am not afraid of heights. Papa said I was like a mountain goat, fearless and surefooted. I might trip over a root or a fallen branch, but put me on rocks, boulders, anything like that, and watch me go.

     He would swear, I could climb a sheer rock face, finding handholds and footholds that were not there until I put a hand or foot to them. We followed the wooden stair that someone had put up against the mountainside. Reaching a split, we saw one way going on up to the summit. Rigmor suggested going on up to see what the view looked like. I also wanted to see, something about those grand vistas that can only be seen from mountaintops that touches something inside me, and makes me feel so much closer to Nirn.

     There was a platform up there, and as we stepped up onto it, I saw a knapsack leaning against the rail. As Rigmor was looking out at the cloud-covered peaks, I read a journal I found in the knapsack. It gave some details about what happened, how they came here, and who they were. I read one part where the man who had first met us, remarked on how he hoped to make one of the women an honest woman. It seemed she was carrying his child, and I thanked the 'Nine', my intimidation had worked, had we been forced to kill them then I find out one was with child. Sorry, my journal, that thought is far too personal to write down here.

     I asked Rigmor if she was ready to continue, then said we needed to be careful. That it was likely the ones we first met were not the only ones set as guards out here. Any others would be more hostile and we needed to be ready to fight. She looked a bit wistful seeing reality set in after the grand sight of Skyrim's natural beauty displayed out there. And seeing how that sight affected her like it does me stuck a chord within me.

     I went on so that she would not see the look that crossed my face. I was not even sure I wanted to see it. The beginning of doubt, in my belief that the Gods wanted Rose and me together. I pulled myself up and declared that I would see what it was they wanted of me and prayed I had the strength to endure whatever it was.

     We got about halfway, maybe less, downward, when a man stepped up onto a small wood platform as we reached it. He told us to turn back, that no one was allowed to go further. I was arguing the point with him when he recognized Rigmor. He had the alarm halfway out of his mouth when he started gurgling around my sword blade in his throat. However, it was enough to alert the others scattered all along the network of scaffolding and stairs. No help for it now!

     I still do not know how I managed what I did, many of the bandits were archers. We should have been looking like a hedgehog with arrows sticking out of us. I cast the armor spell I learned from the chest and arrows started just bouncing off of me. I told Rigmor to stay behind me and I started casting 'Fury of Akatosh' at the archers. I will still remember their screams in my dreams, as the spell would hit them, filling them with so much pain, it literally stopped their hearts.

     I just wanted to stop using it and switch to a blade, but we were so badly outnumbered, I knew we would be dead if I did that, so even with tears in my eyes, I kept casting. I finally felt Rigmor shaking me, telling me they were all dead. I just collapsed there on the platform while she quietly held me. What was I now, the little girl I once was, the young woman that left home to avoid being a nobles bed toy, was gone, never more to return. 'Nine' help me, please help me, not to be a monster that enjoys killing.

     Then I heard my 'father' whisper in my ear, 'this is not who you are, Dorcas. Akatosh has given you assistance, knowing you will need to fight like a monster to stand and fight against the monsters that threaten Nirn now and in the future, but this is not who you are, never forget that my child. It is a hard thing to have to learn, I know this lesson well, myself. But no one chosen as an agent is sent out unprepared, but remember this, all are not equal. They are gifted according to what will be expected, and much, perhaps more than any other, will be expected of you.

     I know you can do it, you are my child and the child of your mother. One day you will know who we were, what we accomplished, and you will understand why you were chosen for the tasks ahead of you. As much will be asked of you, much will be given to you in reward for your efforts. And, yes, you are one of the rewards given to your mother and me for our work, the greatest reward we were given, never forget that we love you with all of our hearts, and watch you with the greatest of pride'.

     I thought about my father's words, just who was he, what did he do, how is he remembered, if at all? And my mother, who was she? I felt the strength inside me, came from them, but I also felt now for the first time that I had many more gifts that came from them. And that they would come forward when I needed them. I thanked Rigmor for watching over me and said that we needed to keep going.

     She asked me if I was sure, that we could turn back and return later. I said, no, this had to be done now. The Thalmor were not expecting us and that gave us the advantage, and we should not let it go when we could use it effectively. She nodded her head and stood up, waiting for me, somehow knowing that I needed to do this as badly as she did.

     Onward and forward we went, following a faint trail that seemed to be right, and when we first caught sight of Fort Black, I knew the trials had just begun. I recast my armor spell and peered deep within myself for strength to steel myself. I thought of those poor miners, burnt with fire magic, never having a chance to defend themselves, and knew these Thalmor had to pay for the miners' justice. Up the stairs we went, stabbing, slicing, beheading, as we went up, then around the side and up over the top of the building finishing off the last two.

     I could not look at their faces, could not think about what I had done, for there was still more inside to be done. Whether they were guilty or innocent as individuals, mattered not, they were Thalmor, and the Thalmor were guilty as sin and deserved their fate. Some may ask me how could I set myself up as judge, jury, and executioner, but I say I did not. The Gods chose me and empowered me to be what they wanted me to be, and if that was to be to the Thalmor, judge, jury, and executioner, then so be it.