The Story of Iriisii Dovahkiin

 The Story of Iriisii Dovakiin

                                                              Chapter Six

     As Rigmor and Sorella reach the top of the hill and look down to the exit of this narrow ravine valley, Rigmor sees a group of figures at the bottom, having made some kind of camp. She then calls Iriisii to come to take a look.

     Rigmor: "Iriisii, please tell me what you see, bandits maybe?"

     Iriisii stares for a minute, taking in what details she can see of the camp and the surrounding area to make an educated guess as to who sits in the camp below.

     Iriisii: "No, bounty hunters."

     Rigmor: "How can you tell?"

     Iriisii: "Do you know of any bandit groups composed solely of Orcs?"

     Rigmor: "Now that you mention it, no."

     Iriisii: "And also we are a long way from Orsinium, closer there might be one or two groups, not this far out. And look around, we are at the back of Fort Black, see any signs of roads for travelers and caravans to be robbed?"

     Rigmor: "Again, no."

     Iriisii: "So not likely bandits, but here, this close to Fort Black, if you wanted to prevent or recapture escaped prisoners, as well as any who assisted them, where would you place them?"

     Rigmor: "Right down there, no other way in or out of here not through Fort Black itself."

     Iriisii: "What do you think the odds of being able to station a group of Thalmor down there and keep them from either getting lazy, drunk, or even deserting?"

     Rigmor: "I see now, better to hire bounty hunters, the gold would keep them alert should they catch anyone."

     Iriisii: "And there you have your answer."

     Rigmor: "What are we going to do?"

     Iriisii: "They are bounty hunters, the absolute worst scum in existence, except for necromancers and slavers. We hit them hard, fast, and leave their corpses for the crows."

     Rigmor turns to Sorella.

     Rigmor: "Sorella, hide behind this fallen tree. Iriisii and I will take care of those waiting below. One of us will call you when it is safe to come down, okay?"

     Sorella: "Okay."

     As Sorella scampers to find a hiding spot where she can still see what is going to happen.

     Rigmor: "How do you want to do this?"

     Iriisii: "We go straight in. No places to slip to the sides, the walls are too sheer, and archers would pick us off.

If we go in on both sides they will have to split their forces, then we come onto them right at that makeshift gate. Their archers will back up among the tents for cover, but that hampers them as well. We take out the swordsmen first, then deal with the archers, keeping the swordsmen between us and the archers. Make any friendly fire work for us."

     Rigmor: "Sounds like a plan."

     Iriisii: "Then let us be at them, leave no survivors."

     They separate between the sheer side walls and the center, running down as fast as they can to get as close as they can before being noticed. When the Orc swordsmen start moving for the gate, Rigmor and Iriisii turn inward to meet them there.

     The flash of moonlight can be seen as their blades slash with the Orc swordsmen. The sounds made by swords clashing, echo off of the ravine walls, as does the sound of Orc bounty hunters dying, using their last breaths to petition Malacath to take their souls. But as they find out too late, even Malacath will not take the souls of these honorless scum, and their souls are devoured by the denizens of the void, who clean up those wandering unclaimed souls.

     Rigmor goes to call Sorella down while Iriisii looks through the bodies for information. Coming up with a 'wanted' notice, she walks over to Rigmor and hands it to her.

     Iriisii: "Look like anyone you know?"

     Rigmor: "Well, they tried to catch the fire and anger in my eyes but they did not even come close. But Iriisii, I am starting to get scared now, on several fronts."

     Iriisii: "There is nothing wrong with being scared of what is happening. It is how you react to it that matters."

     Rigmor: "I know, but I cannot help but wonder if we will ever find my mother."

     Iriisii: "We will, trust me."

     Rigmor: "I do trust you, but this is overwhelming! When will it ever stop?!"

     Iriisii: "Do you want a truthful answer?"

     Rigmor: "Always tell me the truth!"

     Iriisii: "It will likely never stop as long as we both draw breath."

     Rigmor: "I was afraid you would say that."

     Iriisii: "But there will come a time when we no longer dance to the tune of others, a time comes when they will dance to our tune."

     Rigmor: "And it cannot come soon enough for me."

     Iriisii: "Let it come when it will, just be ready to grab the reins when it does and hold on tight, then never let go. Come on we need to get back to Angi's camp."

     It is a long walk back to the camp. The moons hid behind gathering clouds that began to let big flakes of snow gracefully slip down to the ground. By the time they walked back into camp, they could hear their footsteps crunching into the increasing piles of snow being driven by the mountain winds. Rigmor and Sorella wait outside while Iriisii goes into the small cabin to speak with Angi about letting Sorella stay until she could be placed with a new family.

     As Iriisii comes back outside, she asks Sorella to introduce herself to Angi. Once Sorella commented about how the cabin looked like a real home, Angi's heart melted and in that moment she adopted Sorella as her own daughter. Iriisii and Rigmor sat in a couple of chairs by the fire with snowflakes drifting down on and around them as they talked about what to do next.

     Rigmor: "So what do you want to do now?"

     Iriisii: "I need to go to Whiterun and talk to the Jarl about the dragon attack at Helgen. He needs to know about it and since Riverwood is close by, it could be the target of the next attack. I also have not forgotten my promise to help look for your mother, but there were things about Helgen that I need to look into. I do not know what a normal dragon attack would be like, and I doubt there truly is anything normal about one, but...I do not know, it was just so strange."

     Rigmor: "Tell me what you felt and saw, help me see what was so strange about it."

     Iriisii: "He perched himself on the top of the tower closest to the headsman and the block. I was there for my turn at the block, even as I felt his eyes looking into me. Searching for something, and I think finding it. I felt he wanted to test me, to see if I might be able to challenge him after I grew into whatever it is the Gods have for me to do.

     He did not fear me, why should he have, he only needed to wait and let the headsman take my head if he wished me dead. Instead, he called fireballs out of the sky, I believe he wanted to see if I could survive if given a chance."

     Rigmor: "Why do you think he wants to test you?"

     Iriisii: "To defeat me after I grow into my strength, for him to take whatever lives within me and devour it, make it a part of him, to grow stronger with it. If I am to survive what comes, I must know what is going on inside me. I must know what this is, and how do the Gods want me to use it. Is he somehow bound up in this, is he the reason I exist, why I was trained and given the skills I have, then brought here to meet him. He seemed to be able to track me, to know what direction I took, even underground he knew where I was. Only he and the Gods know what he sees in me, much less why he wants me to grow strong enough to challenge him. I only know that this is what I feel."

     Rigmor: "Then we will go and see the Jarl, and begin this path to see what lies before you. Just remember your promise to help me, and I will stay close to you and help you. Now there is an extra bedroll in my tent, you may sleep there tonight and we can start out in the morning light."

     They wake in the morning to the bright sunlight reflecting from the snow drifts. Sitting around the campfire, eating a bite before setting off. Angi is working at her workbench, showing Sorella how she uses it to repair and make things she needs around the place.

     Rigmor: "Where do you want to go?"

     Iriisii: "I still want to go to Whiterun, but I feel led to go by way of Helgen. Something there for me, what I have no idea as yet. We can stop at the Sleeping Giant Inn for an ale on the way to Whiterun."

     Rigmor: "Now you are talking, I can get behind that! Let us go now before more snow comes!"

     They get up, pack up anything they think they might need, and inform Angi where they are going and what route they are going to take. Then they start off going down the mountain trail to the road above Falkreath. The snow is still loose and fresh, with no ice packing to make the downward trek dangerous, but they look carefully nonetheless.

     Once on the road, they take off toward the east, staying to the south at any crossroads they come to until they see signs pointing the way to Helgen. As they reach the town of Helgen the silence is deafening. No birds, no animals, nothing makes a sound here. They come to the gate, its doors hanging open, scorched and blackened by dragonfire. 

     They walk on just inside and stop, surveying the damage, which is almost total. Only a handful of buildings are still in usable shape, the rest are ruins and rubble.

     Rigmor was awed and disconcerted.

    Rigmor: "One dragon did all of this? By the Gods, it was a wonder you got out alive."

     Iriisii: "Yes, it was, and so many others did not."

     Rigmor: "Any idea of what you seek or where in all of this it might be?"

     Iriisii: "Let me walk the path I took through here as best we can, maybe then it will show me where it is?"

     Rigmor: "You lead the way."

     Iriisii: "We came in from this gate. The wagons went this way."

     Rigmor follows as Iriisii traces the path the wagons took coming into town.

     Iriisii: "This is where the wagons stopped and we dropped to the ground and walked here while the Legion checked our names off their list."

     Rigmor: "But you were not on their list were you?"

     Iriisii: "No, but it mattered not to the Captain. She had Hadvar add me to the list and gathered us all toward the 'block', over there."

     Iriisii points to where the charred remains of the headsman's block could still be seen. Sitting alone among the stony rubble.

     Iriisii: "Before we came here, I remember the horse thief from Rorikstead. He too, should not have been among us. I remember speaking with him on the wagon ride, telling him his pleas to the Gods would fall on deaf ears."

     Rigmor: "Why would you say that?"

     Iriisii: "Because the Gods see things differently than we do, they see the larger view, the greater events, and happenings. They leave the smaller view to their priests and priestesses unless it would affect the larger view. But I digress, I had told him that if he wished to affect his future, he needed to take it into his own hands. That he would likely still die, but he would die on his terms and not that of the Legion. He made a break for it and actually made it farther than I thought he would. I hoped he would get free, but the arrows caught him in the back. Still, it told me what I needed to know."

     Rigmor: "And what was that?"

     Iriisii: "That if I wanted to escape, I would need to have a hostage between me and the archers, someone they would not fire upon, like the Captain that added me to their list. She was also the one who placed her knee on the back of the prisoners to hold them steady for the axe. If they truly understood what I could do, they would never have had me approach the block on my own, but rather they would have chained and manacled me. Dragging me with all the manpower they could put onto the chains to hold me down, and I still might have gotten loose."

     Rigmor listens and at first, disbelieves what Iriisii said about being able to get free, but then she remembers how she took care of those minions of the 'Seven' back at Rose's camp and believes that if anyone could do it, Iriisii could.

     Iriisii: "I ran toward that tower when the fireballs started dropping from the sky. Ralof and Ulfric were there as well. I entered right behind them but I did not wait around. I went up the stair as far as I could until rubble stopped me above the first landing. That was when the dragon pushed his head through the outer wall, there is the hole where he did it at. He unleashed his dragonfire and cooked one of the Stormcloaks that took shelter with us.

     I came down and looked outside when the dragon flew off. Ralof came up and showed me the hole in the roof of the Inn next door. He told me to leap to it and drop into the hole. That he and Ulfric would find me later after we escaped. So I backed up a few feet, and ran to the edge, placing my foot there on the broken wall. I leaped out and fell through the hole, rolling onto the second floor, putting out the flames that licked at me from the burning thatch as I went by.

     I then ran to the far end, dropped to the ground floor, and went out the doorway there, the door already having been ripped from the wall. I followed the wall around keeping track of where the dragon was. Then I ran into Hadvar, who had the lists. I remembered him being nice to me, pitying my plight of being executed for simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

     He told me if I wanted to live to follow him, I had nothing better to do and figured he would know the way around so I followed him. We went this way and through this narrow space. Here we pressed close to the walls as the dragon landed right above us spewing fire at whoever and whatever moved. I could have reached out and touched his wings had I wanted to. We went on this way through what remained of this house and left through that doorway to the left.

     Once we got outside, we moved through more soldiers heading through that arch to the buildings beyond. But here was where I saw the boy."

     Rigmor: "A boy?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, he was separated from his Grandfather. Hadvar got his grandfather to move there where there was some cover from the dragonfire. I looked from his grandson to where the dragon was sitting on the ground over there looking straight at me and the boy. I knew he intended to cover us in dragonfire, he wanted to know if I would save myself at the cost of the boy's life, try and save him, killing us both, or try and save him, succeeding in saving both our lives."

     Rigmor: "What did you do?"

     Iriisii: "I shouted at the dragon. I said, NO! NEVER! NEVER AGAIN!, and snatched the boy up in my arms, barely making it to safety."

     Rigmor: "Whew, for a second there I thought..."

     Iriisii: "I know, but I also know why I did as I did. I shouted at the dragon what I did, because of a memory, but one that must stay unspoken for now. There is still too much pain riding within it, so much pain, and so it must remain buried for a while longer. But it has a connection to what has drawn me here for some reason. The feeling is much stronger now, it is somewhere close by. There is something here for me, something I will need soon."

     Iriisii begins searching the ground, moving some of the rubble and debris. Then as her fingers touch something hidden under some burnt timbers. A spry wind builds up and surrounds Iriisii. Then they both hear the whispering words finding their ears.

     Zephyr: "Blessed art thou Iriisii Dovahkiin to have made your way once more to this place of sorrows. Blessed to find the gift left for you by one devout of Kyne. You are on a hallowed path treading on sacred ground and now carry forth with the Blessing of Kyne. Too long has it been since a mortal took up her way. Now she looks with hope and pleasure that you will be one of her special children. Take the amulet that has found its way into your hands, keep it hidden next to your heart, and when you come unto her place, hidden within High Hrothgar, you will know what is needed to be done with it. Go now and fulfill the first steps of Akatosh's desire for you and know that Kyne will be with you as well as she was with the 'tongues' of old."

     The wind vanishes without a trace, and Rigmor tries to make sense of what they both heard.

     Rigmor: "What was she talking about, I do not understand the connection to the old 'tongues'."

     Iriisii: "What does it have to do with old languages."

     Rigmor: "No, not languages, the old 'tongues' were masters of the 'Way of the Voice'. I once read a book about them in Baa'Ren-Dar's library. It was because of them that 'man' won the Dragon Wars, somehow Kyne convinced one of the dragons to turn against the one called Alduin and taught men 'dragon speech'. I do not know how but the dragon taught them how to use their voices like the dragons do, to cast fire, frost, ice, and other forms of damage.

     That word the wind called you, Dovahkiin, I have heard it before but I do not know what it actually means. I do know that it describes those the Gods have anointed to be heroes, to go out and save Nirn from catastrophe. There was another word used to describe those heroes, yes, it was 'Dragonborn', that is what they were called."

     Iriisii: "Dragonborn, well we will have to see how this plays out and we understand what it all means. Until then do not say a word of it to anyone, until we know what it means. Let us not step into something until we know what we are stepping into."

     Rigmor: "I can agree with that."

     They continue on their way toward Riverwood. Carefully watching for any sign of more Thalmor in the area, but nothing is seen at all. It seems that Irileth's warning to the Thalmor commander had the desired effect. They walk on into town, no one working the blacksmith shop, it seems people are sitting down to eat. They walk up the steps to the 'Sleeping Giant' and go on in.

     The bartender greets them from behind the bar, telling them to find a place to sit and he would be with them in a moment. They find a corner table, and Iriisii sits where she can see the door as well as a good view of the rest of the Inn. Rigmor sits herslf opposite Iriisii. The bartender brings them some food and drink, then leaves to help other customers. After a bit, another walks in and spies Iriisii. She sees him and recognizes Hedren.

     She waits for him to approach and as he comes close before she can greet him, he mistakes the back side of Rigmor for Rose.

     Hedren: "Rose! Oh, I am sorry, I mistook you for Rose."

     Rigmor: "It is quite all right, no harm done."

     Iriisii: "What can I do for you, Hedren?"

     Hedren: "What happened to Rose? Did you manage to find her? Is she alright?"

     Iriisii: "She escaped on her own before we arrived. I found word that she was last seen crossing the border into Cyrodiil. So I can only imagine she is in good health."

     Hedren: "If I may ask, you seemed so concerned about her when she disappeared, why did you not follow her?"

     Rigmor: "Hey, you know nothing of what happened or what was found there."

     Iriisii: "Rigmor, he has every right to ask, please let me answer him."

     Rigmor: "Okay."

     Iriisii: "Hedren, you have no idea how badly I wanted to do just that, to drop everything and follow her. Only the Gods had other ideas about that."

     Hedren: "What do the Gods have to do with this, they have not seemed to care before about anything that happened here."

     Iriisii: "Do not mistake what is our responsibility for that of the Gods'. Also what they have to do with this is everything. They guide my feet as I go where they direct, and do what they want me to do. They brought me here to Skyrim, just as the presence of dragons has returned. And what I am here to do has to do with that. What exactly, right now, I do not know. The Gods will make their will known to me when they are ready, not before.

     As for Rose, it hurts beyond anything you could imagine to have to let her go. But they would not have held me back if it were not for exceptionally good reasons. All I can say right now is that my tasks require I stay here in Skyrim. What the future has in store, I do not know. I can only take it one day at a time. I have had to accept that Rose and I are not meant to be together, and..."

     Rigmor: "Hedren, you have done enough harm to her, can you not see with your own eyes how much she grieves over losing Rose? But at least we know that she escaped and was alive when she crossed the border. She is quite resourceful and I believe she will be fine. Now understand this, there are dragons about, real live dragons. Go look at what is left of Helgen if you do not believe me. I think you will after you see what is left. Now we must be on to Whiterun, to warn the Jarl of what happened to Helgen and that the same could happen here if he does not send help to defend this town."

     Hedren: "Please accept my apologies, I..."

     Iriisii: "It is alright Hedren, none of us can see what the Gods see when they look at the future of Nirn, we cannot even truly see our own futures, so we must accept that they know what is best. And try to accept what comes our way, even as we do not understand why. Now if you will excuse us, we must be on our way."

     Hedren steps aside as Iriisii and Rigmor walk out of the Inn, and the whispers still go round and round within, with the words 'dragon' and 'Helgen' being the most repeated. Some having already met Iriisii sit quietly back and let the others do the talking and speculating. They feel deep within that she is indeed here because the dragons are back and also that the Gods' plan for her to deal with them.

     The road to Whiterun is not so long, and soon they can see the outline of the palace in the moonlight.

     Rigmor: "Now I know why they call the palace area, the 'Cloud District'. It looks almost tall enough to breach the clouds. It is so beautiful in the moonlight."

     Iriisii: "Indeed it is."

     As they get closer, Rigmor makes out the signs of a struggle ahead.

     Rigmor: "Look, someone is fighting a giant!"

     Iriisii takes a look in that direction and pulls the bow Akatosh gave her off of her shoulder. She strings an arrow pulling it to full draw, adjusting her aim for the distance, lack of light, and letting her battle awareness take over."

     Rigmor: "Can you make the shot? One is likely to get squashed if you do not."

     Ignoring everything else but herself, the arrow, and the target. She envisions the path the arrow will take to where it will strike and kill the giant, then she releases it. The arrow disappears into the night, and only when the giant stops and then falls does she know if she did indeed struck true.

     The male warriors who were fighting the giant started beating each other on the back in congratulations. the lone female warrior draws their attention to the real cause of the giant's demise, the arrow protruding from one of its eyes. The arrow sunk all the way into its brain.

     She looks up and around to find who fired the shot, then she sees Iriisii, still with the bow in hand, and Rigmor standing next to her. She gets the men's attention and then points the two out.

     Aela: "She killed the giant, from all the way over there, in a single shot. Now tell me any of you lamebrains could have done that!"

     Vilkas: "But using a bow is not honorable!"

     Aela: "Using a bow from that distance, at night, with a giant for a target. Very, very few could do that with a single shot. It was not luck that guided her arrow, but skill, training, determination, and a fire in her gut. She could have let that giant send one of you over the mountains if he hit you with his club. She could have gone on while he squashed you on your heads, but she took the time to do what none of you did not and killed that giant. And she has not said one word about it, no bragging about taking the kill from you. Not asking for a share of the bounty on the giant. And you say she has no honor, I say she has more honor than the lot of you."

     Aela turns and walks to them.

     Aela: "Well met, travelers, I am Aela, of the Companions of Ysgramor. I thank you for the shot you made, likely, although they would never admit it, you saved at least one life and probably more. If ever you might wish to join us, seek our Harbinger, Kodlak Whitemane. He has a gift for knowing who has what is needed to become one of us with just a look into their eyes."

     Iriisii: "I will keep your words close and should the opportunity arise consider acting upon them. For now, though we must seek an audience with the Jarl about the dragon attack at Helgen."

     Aela: "Dragon attack! Then the words spoken of it are true?"

     Iriisii: "Yes they are, I was there when it happened. All that is now left of the town is rubble and debris. No one knows where he went when he left, but Helgen is not too far from here and Riverwood stands in between. The Jarl needs to know what happened and can thus make an informed decision."

     Vilkas: "Dragon attack? There have been no dragons for centuries! That is just a load of..."

     Rigmor: "Are you calling my Guardian a liar!?! I will have you know she has never told a lie! She will speak the truth no matter how hard it is to do so! I saw what that dragon did to Helgen, I was just there. Have you been there yourself to see?"

     Aela: "She has you there. Are you willing to back off and apologize?"

     Vilkas: "I will withdraw my ill-spoken words, but I still do not believe that dragons have returned."

     Rigmor looks like she wants to take him on, but before things get to out of hand, Iriisii lays a hand on Rigmor's shoulder and calms her down.

     As Vilkas heads back to Whiterun, Aela asks a question."

     Aela: "Pardon my asking, but could she have taken Vilkas?"

     Iriisii: "Without question, she is one of the very best two-hand swordswomen I have ever seen. I know she has taken out an entire company of Thalmor in Bruma. They want her badly and I have taken on the responsibility to keep her out of their hands."

     Aela: "And what of yourself?"

     Iriisii: If I disclosed the truth, it would appear to be nothing but bragging and stories, even so, I have witnesses to the event that I could speak about. Yet, even if I named them, it would not be believed. So I will just say this, I am better with a blade than I am with a bow, and you have seen firsthand how good with a bow I am."

     Aela: "Fair enough. Although I would be interested in knowing about that event you spoke of and who the witnesses were."

     Iriisii: "Only if you remain silent of it, unless you can verify it personally, by speaking with any of the witnesses."

     Aela: "Done!"

     Iriisii: "Years ago, on an island nation beyond Akavir, I killed a hundred members of the Morag Tong who were trying to establish themselves on our shores. The one who witnessed it was the Deadric Lord Mephala. Afterward, warriors from the Temple of the Ancient Order of the Blade Dancers went to do the same thing and found nothing but the bodies. Later they found me, took me in, adopted me into their family, and trained me in their ways of fighting. If you are willing to sail to that island nation. I am certain the bones are still there."

     Aela: "I do not have to go, I believe you. No one could make up a story like that unless it was true."

     Iriisii: "Keep your ears open and to the ground, there is a lot that is going to happen soon that will shake everything people think and believe."

     Iriisii and Rigmor continue up to the gates of the city when the guards ask about their business. Entrance is being restricted because of the presence of a dragon being sighted.

     Iriisii: "Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid to defend against the dragon."

     Guard: "Then you need to speak to the Jarl so he can send aid to Riverwood. Go on in, then."

     They go through and go down the main road to a well with shops arranged all around. Iriisii sees a set of steps leading up and sees the Palace beyond. Pointing that way for Rigmor, they turn and head up the steps seeing a bare tree in the middle, Passing around it they see more steps leading to the Palace.

     Entering the Palace, Rigmor is impressed by the size of the main hall, its columns, and the feel of it, very spacious, not cramped like most of the other 'palaces'. They ascend the first set of steps and sedately move forward. Irileth sees them and responds to them even as Jarl Balgruuf continues his conversation with his advisors. As Irileth comes closer, Iriisii and Rigmor note her sword hand is on the pommel prepared to draw quickly. Iriisii pointedly keeps her hand away from hers to indicate she intends no hostility.

     Irileth: "What is the meaning of this interruption! The Jarl is not receiving visitors due to the dragon being seen."

     Iriisii: "We are here to inform the Jarl of the dragon attack at Helgen, and also that Riverwood requests his aid to defend if the dragon attacks there as well."

     Irileth: "You were at Helgen when the attack occurred?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, I was, the entire town is naught but rubble now."

     Iriieth: "Since you were there and survived, the Jarl will want to speak with you personally. Follow me."

     Iriisii and Rigmor follow Irileth to stand before Jarl Balgruuf.

     Jarl Balgruuf: "Irileth tells me you were at Helgen when the dragon attacked, please tell me what you can of what happened."

     Iriisii tells the Jarl what occurred, and in a defining moment of truth tells him the whole story not only of what happened but why she was there. The Jarl looks on intensely interested in her story.

     Jarl Balgruuf: "Irileth, your opinion if you will?"

     Irileth: "I believe her story, all of it. I personally know of the Legion Captain who was in charge of the executions. She has never impressed me with her competence. I have often wondered how she managed to reach the rank she holds. Also, this one took a huge chance in telling you her own place in this story, and the fact she stayed in the area and came here instead of going to Windhelm to join with the Stormcloaks, tells me she had no part in what was going on, just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "Thank you Irileth, I agree with your assessment. Thongor?"

     Thongor: "It is most telling of her skills that she almost got free of the Legion capture team without killing a single one, using only her hands and feet. I would say that if she were a Stormcloak and armed, with those skills fighting to free Ulfric, the Legion would have lost their team to a man and never gotten Ulfric before the block. So yes, I believe her."

     Jarl Blgruuf: "Avenicii?"

     Avenicii: "I am not a judge of fighting skills, but her words ring true to me."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "Irileth, send a detachment of men at once to Riverwood. They are most likely in the path this dragon will take. Whether it comes here or not, they are my people and I will see them defended."

     Irileth: "Yes, my Jarl."

     Avenicii: "I would counsel caution, my Lord. The Jarl of Falkreath may take your sending troops to Riverwood as a provocation."

     Iriisii: "May I speak, My Jarl?"

     Jarl Balgruuf: "If you can add something to this, then yes, by all means."

     Iriisii: ""Please forgive my abruptness, but the Jarl of Falcreath is an idiot and corrupt as well."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "An idiot I can agree with, but do you have evidence of his being corrupt?"

     Iriisii hands the Jarl a letter she received from the Jarl of Falcreath by courier.

     Iriisii: "I recently received this letter by courier from the Jarl of Falcreath. When I answered this letter, he asked me to clear out a group of bandits at the Broken Tusk Mine. At first, I thought nothing untoward of it, until he said that it would teach them a lesson to stop paying him his portion of what they took from traveling merchants and caravans passing through."

     Jarl Balgruuf's face took on a more disgusted look the more he considered everything.

     Jarl Balgruuf: "Have you done as he asked?"

     Iriisii: "Not as yet, My Jarl, I ran into a situation with his nephew Morian in Riverwood. He was actively spying on the people there on behalf of the Thalmor."

     Irileth looks up at Iriisii, startled.

     Irileth: "You say he was spying for the Thalmor?"

     Iriisii: "Yes."

     Irileth: "Can you prove this?"

     Iriisii: "This is one of the 'wanted' posters they were distributing all over the area. I am acquainted with the person depicted on the poster. I know what she is wanted by them for, and I know the circumstances behind it. The incident they want her for happened in Cyrodiil not in Skyrim. So there has been no crime committed here for which she should be detained.

     Also, it is a great embarrassment to the Thalmor that she was able to do so much damage to their reputation, such that it is, by how many a single girl was able to kill as she sought revenge for the wrongful execution of her father as a 'War Criminal'. And how she has been able to elude them as they sought to capture her and resume their torture of her."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "You can prove that she was indeed tortured?!"

     Iriisii asks Rigmor to come up and show the Jarl the worst of her scars. She wants to demur until Jarl Balgruuf asks her to show the scars to Irileth instead.

     Irileth takes Rigmor to the Jarl's private quarters and Rigmor shows her what the Thalmor did to her. As Irileth examines the scars, she can be heard by Rigmor whispering the foulest curses against the Thalmor. When she is ready to report back to the Jarl she tells Rigmor not to worry, and that when the Jarl hears of this, he will do all within his power to protect her while she is in his province.

     Once they have returned and Irileth tells Jarl Balgruuf what she saw. The Jarl nearly loses his composure, and when he realizes just who Rigmor is and who her father was.

     Jarl Balgruuf: "My Lady, please forgive me for not immediately believing you. Although I did not fight under your father in the Great War, I did fight next to him. And a more honorable warrior I have never since met. If there is anything you need, you have but to ask. If it is within my power to give or grant it is yours."

     Rigmor: "Thank you, Jarl Balgruuf, you have been most kind and courteous to me, and I thank you for your offer, but I have all I need right now at the side of my Guardian."

     Jarl Balgruff looks to Iriisii: "You have my respect and admiration for standing with Rigmor against the Thalmor. Would that there were more like you fighting in the Great War, things might have turned out differently."

     Iriisii: "That is not for us to say, My Jarl, but for the Gods to say, and who knows what they see ahead, and thus have laid plans for."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "You speak of the return of the dragons?"

     Iriisii: "I believe so, My Jarl. I believe they foresaw this and have taken what steps that are within their power to take to meet this head-on."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "I pray you are right, but I would ask if you would help me out with a matter. Come let us speak to my Court Wizard, Farengar."

     They follow the Jarl as he walks to a chamber off to the side of the main hall.

     Jarl Balgruuf: "Farengar, I have someone that I think that can help you with your dragon project. Fill her in with the details. This could be of vital importance considering the reappearance of the dragons. Please do this for me as quickly as you can."

     Iriisii nods her head to the Jarl as he returns to his throne to conduct business.

     Farengar: "You do not look like the usual ones the Jarl sends to me. Let me tell you what I need from you. I require that you enter Bleak Falls Barrow, go through to the main burial chamber located at the end of the barrow, and retrieve a stone tablet said to record the locations of all the dragon burial mounds in Skyrim. Once you have it, just bring it back to me and your job will be complete."

     Iriisii: "Bleak Falls Barrow, that is just outside of Riverwood is it not?"

     Farengar: "Yes, it is a meager village, not much to write home about."

     Iriisii: "Do not let the townsfolk hear you say that."

     Farengar: "You are probably right. but that is why you are going and not me."

     Iriisii thinks and Rigmor echoes, 'And you would soil your breeches at the first look of a draugr getting up and coming for you.'

     Iriisii: "No worries then, I will get this 'Dragonstone' for you and be back as quick as I can."

     As Rigmor and Iriisii step back into the main hall, Iriisii suddenly halts and casts her eyes around looking for something that has drawn the attention of her senses. Irileth notices and begins looking around as well.

     Rigmor: "What?"

     Iriisii: "'Seven's minions, and one of them. Get back inside with Farengar, good as you are you cannot take on one of the 'Seven'. I am the only one here who can do that "  

     Rigmor starts to argue the point and Iriisii forcefully pushes her back into Farengar's area. Irileth watching, draws her sword and moves to stand by the Jarl.

     Then Iriisii spots the telltale shimmer of an invisibility spell if you know what to look for. There are four total and moving toward the Jarl until they veer off and having sighted her, move toward her.

     Iriisii: "Irileth, guard Jarl Balgruuf, I will take care of these!"

     Iriisii draws and leaps to where she sees the three minions, the member of the 'Seven' backing away until a better opportunity comes. Irileth watches closely and when the first blades cross the invisibility spell breaks and all become visible. The Jarl curses that these could get so close without being detected and silently praises Iriisii for sensing and revealing them.

     There is a 'Bruiser, a Berserker, and an Assassin, along with one of the 'Seven' she recognizes as Temujin, the Thunderer. Only when she knew him, he was not one of the 'Seven', he must have ascended when she escaped, vacating her position among them. The first to meet her was the 'Bruiser', armed with a greatsword, he could swing it like a longsword. But as he is strong as an ox, he has the brain of one too and is easily dispatched with the first opening he gives her.

     The Berserker goes into a berserk rage as Iriisii rolls by him, rising behind him, she wants to thrust her blade through his back and punch his heart, but not with the Assassin so close. Instead, she slices behind his knees, crippling him and putting him out of action, then she goes for the Assassin. This one is more alert than the last one she killed, but still is way out of her league and appears to be realizing it.

     The Assassin still tries to make a sliding attack, hoping to get past Iriisii and make it to the door. As she thinks she might make it, Iriisii's blade finds her neck, and the point sliding upward pierces her brain. Iriisii then reverses the blade and drives it deep into the belly of the rogue sneaking up behind her. She raises it as she stands up, whipping the blade through all his ribs, slides along the shoulder blade bone, and cuts through the remaining bones before exiting his body. She then turns with the blade still upraised and then slices downward back through her previous strike cutting him in half.

     The hunter thinking she has her target now, releases an arrow, that Iriisii catches in midflight, and breaks off the head to turn it into a dart. Then she throws it with unerring accuracy at the fleeing hunter, striking her dead between the vertebrae of her spine. The crack of her skull hitting the stone floor echoes across the room. She turns to the 'Thunderer'.

     Iriisii: "I give you this one chance to live, turn and flee while you still can. Go back to the 'Mother' and tell her to relent or she and all of the 'Seven' will fall to me."

     Temujin: "I cannot, I will not fail in the task given to me, Darkstar!"

     Iriisii: "You know who I was then, but I am so much more now. I laid that name aside when I escaped, never more to take it up again. Now you come and throw it back at my feet. What makes you think you can either kill me or take me back to the 'Mother'? You were not one of the 'Seven' when I dealt with the Morag Tong who came to ply their trade upon our lands. You know what I and I alone did to them. You know I faced down their greatest Assassin, the 'Mute'. What you do not know is that I did all that under the watchful gaze of Mephala herself."

     Irileth cannot believe what she just heard out of Iriisii's mouth, but it confirms rumors of things she heard some time ago. That fully a hundred of the Morag Tong's best vanished all at once, led by the 'Mute's' second in command. That the 'Mute' himself went in search of what happened and returned, chastised by Mephala. And anyone who dared ask what happened he killed on the spot until no one spoke again of it. Half of their High Council were killed as they tried to challenge him for his position until Mephala herself called for it to halt before they eviscerated themselves and the Morag Tong would disappear into the dust of history, lost and forgotten.

     Temujin: "Lies! No one could take out a hundred Morag Tong alone!!"

     Iriisii feels a presence nearby, there is a prime artifact of Mephala's nearby and she is using it to manifest.

     Iriisii: "You poor, deluded fool, you have garnered 'her' attention, and that is not a wise thing to do."

     Temujin: "What do you mean, whose attention?"

     Mephala: "MINE!" as the two halves of the Assassin's body rises up and rejoins itself. "You should have listened to Iriisii when she gave you the chance to live, now you are dead and do not know it yet. What she told you was then and is now the truth. Never have I seen one more dedicated to the blade, and since I last watched her work, she has surpassed herself twice over.

     I must commend you, my dear, for you have done what no one else in this world's history has done. You have enjoined two disparate fighting schools and melded them into your own, to form one that only the absolute best can master.

     Know this, worm, all she told you was true, for I watched every action, breathed in every death, and reveled in what she accomplished. I only wished she could have been one of mine, but I am content that she will never follow any of the other three 'Corners of the House of Troubles'. Another, of much greater power than any of us, has set her mark upon Iriisii, and when she steps out and begins her upward climb, she will rock the very foundations of Existence itself. And all will know of those who helped her and so will gain.

     But as for you, death will claim you this day, and with that, the first of the 'Seven' will fall into the dust of history. One by one the others will follow until the 'Mother' herself joins you all among the forgotten and the unforgiven. Iriisii, my dearest, if you wish it, take my artifact from here, do with it as you will, I bestow it unto you. But first..."

     The door down where the cook prepares the meals, creaks open, and then a flash streaks by as Mephala's 'Ebony Blade' buries itself in Temujin's body, entering the top of his head and disappearing inside until naught but the hilt shows atop his skull. The body Mephala is inhabiting falls back to the floor in pieces as her ringing laughter fades from the Jarl's palace.

     Jarl Balgruuf: "Never have I experienced such a thing, and hope to never do so again. Irileth what do you say of this, have you any experience or knowledge of any of what happened?"

     Irileth: "Better that I tell you what I know in private, My Jarl. Much of this is steeped in the history of my people, things I thought long forgotten have arisen. And all of us must walk carefully."

     As she looks toward Iriisii: "I have some historical knowledge of what was spoken of, and some of current rumors floating on the winds. Some questions have been answered, but more questions will be asked that have no answers as yet. But one thing they all share at their core is you, and what Lord Akatosh has done to summon, and mold you into. I pray you are to deliver us from what comes and not deliver us to what comes."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "But who are these 'Seven' that were mentioned? Why are they here?"

     Iriisii: "They are a highly trained group of mercenary assassins from where I was born, beyond Akavir. They have from time to time been called to complete contracts here in Skyrim. I was once one of them, but not of my free will. I was enslaved and addicted to Black Lotus after all but myself in my village was slaughtered."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "What is this 'Black Lotus'?"

     Irileth: "My Jarl, if there is anything more dangerous than 'Balmora Blue', it is 'Black Lotus'. That she was able to survive being addicted and even more survived getting clean of it, proves she has the favor of the Gods."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "It is that bad?"

     Irileth: "You have no idea, my Jarl, and I pray you never do."

     Iriisii: "As to why they are here, they want to either kill me or bring me back into the fold. And I will never return to what I once was, what they tried to make of me. I will see them destroyed first."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "Then I pray that you do, and ask the Gods to watch over and help you in that endeavor."

     Iriisii: "I thank you for that, my Jarl, and now I should head for Riverwood and retrieve that Dragonstone for Farengar. But first..."

     Iriisii goes to Temujin's body and carefully removes Mephala's 'Ebony Blade'.

     Iriisii: "Somehow I do not think you will want this to remain here since it now knows it can escape where it had been laid to rest. I know of a place where it will be safe from the wrong hands."

     Jarl Balgruuf: "I trust you know what is needed to be done with it. I will feel better for it being gone."

     Taking the 'Ebony Blade', Iriisii and Rigmor start out for Riverwood again. As they walk through Whiterun, "What are you going to do with that 'blade'?"

     Iriisii: "For now, keep it where I can keep an eye on it, later I am going to stash it

away in safekeeping. Keep it out of the hands of those who would let it use them."

     Rigmor: "These things are somehow alive then?"

     Iriisii: "The oldest ones are, yes. Not like we are alive, but of a kind that they can interact with us. Anyway, we need to get moving, the sooner we get this Dragonstone, the sooner we can go looking for your mother."

     They reach Bleak Falls Barrow, and the closer they get the more imposing it feels to them.

     Rigmor: "Who was buried here?"

     Iriisii: "I am not sure anyone still remembers. But we are likely to find any number of draugr in there, so we take this quietly. I can show you how best to deal with them, without waking every one of them at one time. That is something you really do not want to do."

     Rigmor: "Draugr, uuuughh, they send chills down my spine."

     Iriisii: "Just remember that they are not really alive, they are reanimated by magic, break the connection between the body and the magic, and they go down."

     Rigmor: "There are a couple of people at the far end, do you think they are friendly?"

     Iriisii: "Do they look like scholars?"

     Rigmor: "No, they do not."

     Iriisii: "Then they are likely not scholars and in this place that means they are not friendly."

     Iriisii leads the way to the shadows on the sides of the huge hall, finding a place in the shadows with a clear shot of the bandits. She motions Rigmor to be still while she lines up the shot. Taking her time, and settling into a comfortable position that will allow her to hold the bow fully drawn while she sets her aim. 

     In her mind's eye, she imagines the path of the shot, from when it leaves the bow to when it strikes the target. She takes a deep breath, holds it for a few seconds, then begins to let it out, she relaxes as the breath leaves her body. The arrow is released, she quickly nocks another and lines up the second shot, confident the first will strike where she saw it. She releases the second and nocks a third. By then as she looks for another target or for either of the other two to miss, she sees both bandits down and no further activity.

     Rigmor is amazed at how she was able to bring both down so quickly, to her it looked like she simply drew the bowstring back released, then setup a second arrow, released, and then a third, before looking to see if the first two had hit. Iriisii returned the third arrow to the quiver, then made her way down to the floor and went to the campfire. Looking around, she sees signs that these two were not alone.

     Iriisii: "There are more than these two, the others are further ahead. How many is hard to tell, we take it slow and do not get hurried." Looking around, she comments, "It is really such a shame that these barrows have been allowed to fall so far into disrepair like they have. But it is what it is, we still have a ways to go, but take it slowly and quietly."

      They continue on through the hallway at the back. Each room they come to seems to have been the scene of fighting, with the bodies of draugr, bandits, or both.

      Rigmor: "How many bandits came in here? We have seen so many bodies."

      Iriisii: "The lure of free treasure draws many who feel disadvantaged. In fact, many of them are, you should have seen on your travels that Skyrim can be both beautiful and harsh at the same time. The perils to ordinary life are many, and the means to guard against those perils are few."

      Rigmor: "I guess with the life you have led you have seen it enough to understand. I feel as though I have been running so hard I have not spared time to see as you have."

      Iriisii: "You have reason to feel this way, but your experiences do not mirror what I have seen, they go beyond. What you have experienced in your eighteen years is far more than many do their entire lives. And for all it is not punishment from the Gods for how they lived, it is simply because of the decisions others have made in theirs. We will talk of this later, there are a number of draugr ahead and we must be cautious."

      Out in a narrow hallway, they hear a voice from an adjoining chamber calling out for help. Rigmor starts to hurry into the chamber to see what she can do, but Iriisii stops her with an arm thrown out in front of her, a finger from the other across her lips to ask for silence. She indicates to Rigmor to follow her as she scouts the area ahead. They keep moving into an antechamber, just beyond is where the voice keeps calling from.

     Whoever is trapped in there fears the return of a giant spider. Iriisii takes a moment to whisper to Rigmor, 'You heard about the spider? That is why I stopped you out in the hallway. Had you rushed in, it would likely be wrapping you up for a later dinner as it has that thief.'

     Rigmor harshly: 'We have to set him free, whatever he has done he does not deserve to be eaten alive by a giant spider.'

     Iriisii: 'And if he were Thalmor?'

     Rigmor remains quiet, the lesson hitting her like a slap against the face.

     Iriisii: 'I am not judging your decision or your desire to help him. But do not unnecessarily endanger yourself in a situation like this. It does not help either of you to get yourself killed before you can help him and then you can do nothing about the injustices that drive you now.'

     Rigmor: 'But you are going to help him are you not?'

     Iriisii: 'Yes, but he is in no mortal danger right this moment.'

     Rigmor: 'But the spider could return!'

     Iriisii: 'The spider never left, it is hiding, using the thief as bait to draw more to it. Look up toward the ceiling of the chamber, up there. Do you see that web-lined hole over the grating in the floor? That is where the spider waits to drop down on anyone attracted to the calls for help.'

     The realization of everything Iriisii has said in the last few minutes comes crashing down on Rigmor. She sees exactly how it would have happened and she would never have known until it was too late.

     Rigmor: 'But you would have saved me, right?'

     Iriisii: 'Yes, but what if I could not get to you if there were more than one spider or several draugr. If you knew it, you could fight and live, while I fought the other. But go in not knowing it was up there, you would stand no chance. We know the dangers in there before we step foot inside, thus we know what we have to do to walk out alive.'

     Rigmor: 'I am sorry, you are right.'

     Iriisii: 'Do not be sorry, learn and remember for next time, for there will always be a next time.'