The Story Of Iriisii Dovahkiin Book One Chapter Eleven

 The Story Of Iriisii Dovahkiin Book One Chapter Eleven

                                                            Chapter Eleven

     As Iriisii steps into the 'Bee and Barb', she sees Rigmor walking over to a Khajiit sitting at a table near the bar. She notes that the person manning the bar is an Argonian and also appears to be the owner by the way she watches over everything going on. A second Argonian, male, comes up to her and asks her if there is anything to eat or drink that she would like. As he gives her the rundown of what they offer, he mentions some specials that he makes describing their makeup.

     She listens, then orders a 'Cliff Racer'. She watches as he steps behind the bar to make it. As she sits down at the table with Rigmor as she introduces her to Baa'Ren-Dar. Before they get into the reason for the meeting, her drink arrives. She pays for it, takes a sip, her eyes growing wide with appreciation of the mixture of tastes that blends so smoothly that she almost cannot taste the kick of the strong drinks.

     She looks up at the Argonian, who watches pensively for her reaction and she smiles at him, and replies, "if your other specials are as good as this, I will be back to try them. Well done indeed, I would suggest bottling this and selling it to other provinces, but I think it would not taste quite the same as it does fresh. A truly memorable drink, worthy to be served even in the Imperial City."

     The Argonian smiles broadly and the 'owner', who she heard called, 'Keerava', looks on with pride at Iriisii's complement.

     Iriisii: "Now if you would please excuse me, I must attend to business."

     The Argonian moves on to other customers, while Keerava skillfully directs business away from their table to give them as much privacy as possible. Iriisii takes note and decides to give a fair 'tip' in recompense for their efforts to care for the 'table'. Rigmor has given the documents they brought from Fort Black to Baa' Ren-Dar. As he reads them, he almost cannot believe the depths of perfidy that he sees reading between the lines. His respect for Iriisii grows considerably as he evaluates what they likely went through to acquire these. And listening to Rigmor recount what happened, he silently thanks the Gods for bringing the two together, not certain at all if Rigmor would have come out alive if it had been anyone else with her in there.

     He then remembers Rigmor calling her, Dragonborn, and relates that to what a close friend of his, a seer living in Corinthe, said to him about certain visions she had seen concerning Rigmor. He then feels the weight and pressure of events coming into play, and the guiding hands of the Gods working to influence the outcome. Right then, he offers up a prayer that Rigmor is allowed to live through whatever they have in store for the two of them, for he knows without a doubt that the Dragonborn will come through.

     The only question is whether she will be a raging inferno, a tsunami wave to drown her enemies in their own blood, or a ice storm to turn the land into another Atmora. But another thought slips into his mind, maybe, just maybe, she will be the one to set the stage for a new paradise to sweep the world. A paradise not seen since the Nirn's birth when its path was turned from what it was supposed to be.

     He then sees Rigmor's reaction to everything that happened and worries greatly for how she cannot seem to see or feel the seriousness of what is going on. He risks hurting her by trying to calmly criticize her into seeing beyond the apparent to what hides beneath. Then he sees her begin to understand, and the playful joy she was expressing turns to something more serious.

     Iriisii watches the interplay carefully, agreeing with what she sees Baa' Ren-Dar trying to do, for she has seen the same and also worried that Rigmor's penchant for rushing headlong into battle without thought of some kind of planning could ultimately cut short her life before she truly had time to blossom.

     Rigmor gets up from the table, citing a need to think privately, and moves to a seat at the bar. Keerava notices and keeps a eye on anyone who moves toward Rigmor, diverting them away to give her a modicum of privacy to think. Baa' Ren-Dar praises Iriisii's efforts in both acquiring the documents and keeping Rigmor alive. He then asks if she would continue to watch over Rigmor and accept payment of a sum of gold for her effort.

     At first, underneath, Iriisii bristles at the thought of being paid to babysit Rigmor. But then sees he really has no idea of her personal motivations, that he is simply looking out as best he can for Rigmor. She softens toward him, and demurs any need for payment.

     Iriisii: "Please understand, I do this because I want to. There is no need to offer me gold to watch over and protect her."

     And so Baa' Ren-Dar begins to see in glimmerings what this could mean not only for the two of them but for the rest of the world as well. For if Rigmor can survive, and learn what Iriisii could teach her, what they could build of their lives together, then he corrects himself, what the Gods could build upon, of their lives together. Could this be the beginning of the answer he has prayed for since he took her from that Thalmor dungeon years ago? He resolves to visit Corinthe again soon and speak of this to his seer friend, maybe she can give him clarity to know what he must do to help.

     He gets up, citing a need to travel and show these documents to friends in Cyrodiil. He then suggests that they rest and perhaps travel to Windhelm and look for a Dunmer named Sethri. He could have further information concerning Rigmor's mother's whereabouts and where the Thalmor placed her after they were separated. Iriisii rises to see Baa' Ren-Dar off when she sees an angry older female enter the Inn.

     She wonders who is the reason for her anger and then gets her answer as the female spots her and moves toward her. Iriisii sits back down and notices Keerava become busy but staying within earshot of Iriisii. Iriisii puts it together as the female sits in the seat Baa' Ren-Dar has just vacated.

     Iriisii: "Maven Blackbriar, I presume."

     Maven: "You have a great deal of gall threatening me! Do you have any idea of who I am, the friends I have in the Imperial City. I can raise my finger and you would disappear as if you had never been."

     Iriisii quietly and softly replies, "And you have no true idea of just who I am and who stands not behind me but beside me."

     Maven: "I care not for the musings of a common sellsword!"

     Iriisii lets her Dragonsoul peek out through her eyes as she says, "And I am no common sellsword, Maven Blackbriar. If you persist you will find out I can be your worst nightmare made flesh. I am the Dragonborn."

     Maven is not able to see beyond her own personal self, "Dragonborn, a fairytale told to calm the masses and excite the gullible."

     Iriisii lets just a touch of the Thu'um inject itself into her voice.

     Iriisii: "Then the Greybeards of High Hrothgar were wrong to formally greet me as Dragonborn? That I did not stand before them and withstand the unbridled power of their Thu'um as they spoke to and of me. Not since Tiber Septim has this occurred when they formally greeted him in the same manner. And where he went from there is history. Perhaps you should refresh your memory of his path, it could aid you in not making mistakes with deadly consequences."

     Maven: "And you should not pretend you are above your betters. I have power, I run this town, I have fingers all over Skyrim, Cyrodiil, Morrowind."

     Iriisii: "And if the path the Gods have laid out for me to walk should place me where your 'friends' would desert you to save themselves from my displeasure? But I am not like you, I do not intend to carve out a throne for me to sit upon for my own aggrandizement. I intend to follow the path laid out for me, even if it aids you in keeping your life safe, if for no other reason than it safeguards the rest of Nirn as well.

     For there are troubles looming on the horizon for which I have been called to take care of. If any one of them succeeds, your life is over, but because it also means death for all others on Nirn. You will also live because I will not fail in my duty. But remember this, if you cross me and become a threat to my fulfilling the Gods will, I will end you without a second thought about it or even an ounce of regret."

     It is then that Maven sees what is behind Iriisii eyes looking out at her, and she shudders at what she sees.

     Iriisii: "Now I must be about my own business, see that you do not interfere, lest your life be called for payment."

     Iriisii rises and moves over to where Rigmor sits at the bar, deep in thought. Keerava carefully adjusts her position where she can keep watch over the Inn and not intrude on anyone's space. Rigmor asks after Baa' Ren-Dar.

     Iriisii: "He needed to begin traveling to the Imperial City and suggested we go to Windhelm and look for someone named Tendril Sethri. He said this Sethri might have information on where your mother is."

     Rigmor: "And you want me to come with you?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, I do."

     Rigmor: "Maybe we could stop at the hot springs along the way, soaking in them would help ease the pain of my scars."

     Iriisii: "Very well, I do not see any reason we could could not stop for a bit along the way."

     Rigmor gets off her stool and steps up behind Iriisii as she moves toward the north door. She then sees three Argonian bounty hunters come out of the shadows from where they had been watching everyone.

     Iriisii: "What do you want with me?"

     Lead Bounty Hunter: "Just step aside friend, we only want the girl's head, you can keep the rest."

     Iriisii: "I am afraid, friend, that I cannot do that, and if you try to take her, it will cost you your own head. So if you wish to keep it, turn and leave now."

     The other patrons sensing trouble begin to stand and reach for their own weapons. Maven watches carefully to see what is going to happen, wondering why the bounty hunters are interested in the girl and if it could be profitable for her to look into.

     The bounty hunters sensing they are losing control of the situation fast, spring into action. Iriisii draws her katana and slides it into the gut of the one to her right, next to the leader. She then opens the cut as she slices outward coming up to meet the leader's blade. The clang alerts everyone else in the Inn that the show has begun.

     Iriisii's pulls back after blocking and sees the opening she caused with the power of her block knocking the leader's blade back. She brings her own slicing across the top of his shoulders, his head parting ways with his body. The third bounty hunter turns and races for the nearest door as Iriisii takes her sword and throws it in a spearcast motion taking him in the back and through his heart.

     She then turns and tosses some gold onto the bar as Keerava starts gathering it up.

     Iriisii: "For the mess, perhaps the slaughterfish are hungry?"

     Keerava nods her head and Iriisii leads Rigmor out the south door.

     Iriisii: "Let us go this way, we can get out with less notice of our movements and which way we go from here."

     The guards are more interested in questioning everyone inside the 'Bee and Barb' rather than anyone who has already left it. Besides Keerava is setting up a round on the house for them before they get down to business. Rigmor and Iriisii make it without incident to the southern gates. They slip out calmly and walk on down the road, staying on it until they are out of sight before turning back north.

     They only get a little way before Rigmor takes a detour to the lake shore and sits on a fallen log and looks out over the placid waves lapping on the shore. Iriisii knows they need to be moving, but Rigmor needs this time to ease the chaos inside her soul and so she sits beside her, listening to the words flow. She talks of her past, the good times she enjoyed so much, and then the bad times come out from the shadows within. Iriisii listens to both, for it is both sides that make Rigmor who she is. She just needs to learn to accept both and understand how to learn from both to bring some form of balance into her life.

     Finally she is done and letting it go has helped her to cope, now she is ready to move forward, at least until the next time. They get up and make their way around the east side of the wall around Riften. When they reach the north gate they turn north and walk through the little towns along the way toward Windhelm. At one place they see a Watchtower that appears abandoned, but it does not take very long to find the bodies of the Riften Guards who were manning it.

     Iriisii finds a note written on a table just inside, detailing the warning given of Legion soldiers seen nearby and that a request for reinforcements had been sent to the Jarl. Too late it seems from the bodies, but why were they this close in the first place. She guesses that is a question she will never know the answer to. She gets Rigmor's attention and motions for them to leave. Rigmor wants to stay but Iriisii tells her that there is nothing they can do for these. That it is up to the Jarl to take care of what happened here.

     Rigmor then agrees and follows Iriisii out and onward. They see Fort Greenwall in the distance as Iriisii stops to observe movements she sees along the walls.

     Rigmor: "Who is in there? Legion?"

     Iriisii: "No, bandits."

     Rigmor: "Do you want to take care of them?"

     Iriisii: "Not unless I have no other choice. Come on, we will slip around the side, maybe they will not notice us."

     Rigmor: "Lead the way."

     They successfully slip around the east side of Fort Greenwall and avoid detection by the resident bandits. Continuing north, they find and walk down a set of switchback trails that brings them down to the hot springs area. They follow the road as it winds around to the east before turning north. They do not see much beyond the usual, a few bandits off in the distance that got too close to a pair of giants. The giants quickly smashed the bandits into mush with their clubs. While they were occupied, Iriisii and Rigmor slip past and continue to the campsite on the edge of the hot springs.

     Once there they strip off their armor and enter the steaming water. Iriisii finds a rock she can sit on and keep a watch out while enjoying the soothing heat of the mineral springs. Rigmor asks her why she is naked to which Iriisii replies.

     Iriisii: "If I am going to properly enjoy these waters, there is no better way to do so than naked. Besides, if someone is dumb enough to try and observe me like this and I do not wish to allow it, they will regret that for the rest of their lives. However, those lash weals on your back, do they still pain you?"

     Rigmor: "Yes, they do. The heat is loosening them so they do not feel so bad."

     Iriisii: "Are you willing to talk about who did this to you and why?"

     Rigmor: "Maybe another time."

     Iriisii: "I understand, when you are if ever ready, I will listen."

     Rigmor: "Do you ever shave your armpits?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, I do." Raising her arms to show she does in fact do so."

     Rigmor: "I do not." And as she raises hers, "eewww, I think it may be about time I started."

     Iriisii: "Later, if you want, I will show you what kind of blade to use and how to use it properly."

     Rigmor: "What about your legs, do you shave them as well?"

     Iriisii: "I do, but it is a matter of personal preference. I do it because I find it makes me more confident, and I feel more attractive when I wear clothing other than armor."

     Rigmor: "Do you do it so men will look at you?"

     Iriisii: "Women are way prettier, and there are very few men I have ever met that interested me at all."

     Rigmor: "What would they have to do to get your attention, if I may ask?"

     Iriisii: "The very first thing is take a bath! Most of them would need to be scrubbed with sand to cut through the dirt, sweat, blood, and everything else they get into. Then wear clean clothes, preferably without the stains of spilled ale or mead from last nights party. And if they say one word about the tavern wench that sat in their lap while they were drinking at the party, out through the window, head first they go, preferably if we are in a room on the second floor."

     Rigmor almost falls off of the rock she found for herself to sit on while talking to Iriisii.

     Rigmor: "You are not serious, are you?"

     Iriisii: "Oh yes, dead serious. It is why I have had so few 'dates' with men, they do not take my standards seriously and so out the window they go."

     Rigmor: "Oh my, I cannot remember ever laughing that hard. I really needed that, thank you."

     Iriiisii: "Anytime. Come on, let us get dressed and talk a bit before we head out."

     They don their armor and weapons once more, sit down on a log next to the fire talking about their past. Rigmor's stories resonate through Iriisii, as she tries so hard to find her own memories and cannot seem to find any. Then when Rigmor asks about her childhood, all ‏Iriisii can do is lower her head and ... say.

     Iriisii: "I cannot remember anything about my childhood. I try so hard. I feel there is a place where they were, but they are not there anymore. I do not know why they are gone, maybe they should just stay gone, maybe I should not remember them."

     Rigmor gets a flash of Iriisii bargaining with Desidarius to escape the 'Seven', as she looks at the solid rock wall that holds a portal gate where the body of Darius lies. The body she thinks of as her brother, but who is in actuality her son. The son she was sent by the 'Killing Frost' to assassinate by a blind contract, only Darius was the last one and as she caught a moment's glance at his eyes, she recognized them and threw herself back sparing him alone among the entire household. It took her dark side entity coming forth and taking control to get her outside the mansion and losing herself in the wilds. Now Rigmor knows why when Iriisii tries to remember she always comes back with tears. The emotional echoes are still there in her mind, even if the memories that caused them are not. She starts to wrap her arms around Iriisii to comfort her, when she hears footsteps coming up the road and a low, rough voice calls out to them.

     The caller is an orc asking for help, although the specific questions he is asking go a little more than just directions. Also his descriptions of physical problems within his family are a bit over the top to Iriisii's thinking. Rigmor asks Iriisii to see if there is anything they can do to help. Iriisii is willing to go along for now but expects trouble out of this. The orc Tibuku, goes onward in the same vein for a few more minutes and decides these two are the ones he is looking for. Iriisii notices the change in his demeanor just as he calls out to his comrades that these are the ones and that they are all going to be rich.

     Iriisii draws and slices her blade in a single motion, dropping Tibuku's head onto the road as she lets loose with 'FUS RO DAH' at the area where the Orc bounty hunters are coming down from the embankment across the road from the camp. As they are scattered and pushed off their feet, Iriisii leaps across the road and up the embankment killing every orc she finds. Rigmor has drawn her sword and moves to join Iriisii, taking out any that were not directly in Iriisii's path. It only takes as long as needed to run down the last archer and drive a blade through him when it is finished. They return to the road and Iriisii lets Rigmor know they should not tarry about moving on to Windhelm.

     Rigmor: "I know to expect things like this to happen but I cannot help but be afraid that this will never end."

     Iriisii: "It will take a while, yes, but we will finish this and then we will be able to move on. I do not want to scare you further, but you are right in that this will likely never end. The participants will change, as will names, faces, but as we take care of them others will arise. Why is not really of importance, but know this as I have earlier said, there will come a time when those who oppose us will dance to our tune. And then they will know the depth of the mistake they made crossing us."

     Rigmor: "That time cannot come soon enough for me."

     Iriisii: "Just be ready for it when it does, grab hold and do not let go. You will know when the time comes. Now let us head to Windhelm, and fond this Tendril Sethri."

     The trip on to Windhelm is uneventful, although once past Kynesgrove she feels a little tug toward a place up in the hills. She decides  to come back later and check it out. As they walk across the bridge to Windhelm's gates, they pass an Altmer lady muttering about horses. Specifically about having to deal with them all day long and about how dumb they are. Both Iriisii and Rigmor think it is more a reflection of her own attitude toward them, for both have found them quite intelligent when treated with care and compassion. 

     Going through the gates, they are both struck by the vision of the sloppiness, from the broken pieces of stonework everywhere to the air of foulness they feel from an encounter before them between two residents of Windhelm and a Dunmer lady, who looks she would rather be somewhere else, anywhere else but standing in front of these two. As they listen, both feel their hackles rise as the Dunmer defends her neutral stance in the face of accusations of spying for the Empire. When it gets to the veiled threats, Iriisii has to put aside her own desires to attempt to smack some sense into the pair in order to keep Rigmor from wading in with her blade.

     It is over quickly after that point with one of the two promising a late night visit to reveal the true intentions of the Dunmer lady. When the two leave she turns to Iriisii and asks her a question.

     Suvaris: "Do you hate the Dunmer people as the others in this city do? Are you here to bully us and tell us to leave?"

     Iriisii: "I do not hate your people, even as I disagree with some who worship the 'Four Corners of the House of Troubles', I respect Azura and so I do not hate the Dunmer who are her children."

     Suvaris: "Thank you for your forbearance, this city is unworthy of one such as you. Many of those here do not care for the Dunmer, but it is not only us who face their hatred, they care not for the Argonians as well. In fact anyone who is not a Nord is fair game to them. I am sorry if I offend you with my words."

     Iriisii: "I understand, but take no offense. I am not Nord, although many do not take the time to notice, thus I can pass through such areas as this with little trouble."

     Suvaris looks at Iriisii more closely.

     Suvaris: "Please accept my apology, although I have met many races that live on Nirn, I cannot place you."

     Iriisii: "I am not surprised, my homeland is beyond Akavir. My people are the Aasimar. Although I fear I may be the last of my people."

     Suvaris: "Then you too know the pain of prejudice and hatred."

     Iriisii: "Yes, but mine came not from the neighboring people, but from a group of mercenary assassins, following a contract. I survived and was adopted by a martial order into their temple and their family."

     Suvaris: "That explains your strange armor as well as their quality and that of your weapons. For the most part those here will see that and not be belligerent toward you since they would have no idea of the level of your skills. I am honored to know one of the 'God Touched', and that Azura respects and watches over you. Is there anything I can do to assist you here?"

     Iriisii: "I seek to meet one called Tendril Sethri. He has important information concerning a promise I need to fulfill."

     Suvaris: "I believe you will find him at the 'New Gnisis Cornerclub' in the 'Grey Quarter', come I will show you the way."

     They follow Suvaris through the Gray Quarter's narrow, winding alleys.

     Rigmor: "This place is a dump, no wonder the Legion does not want to come here."

     Suvaris: "You will get no argument there, but this is where we must live. We would like to clean it up, make repairs, but we get no help from Jarl Ulfric. And the task is too big and expensive to undertake on our own. We might try anyway if we felt like this was our home. But the Nords here make it quite plain we are not welcome."

     Iriisii: "I cannot help many for I have not the positions available, but I do have a boarding school west of Whiterun that could use some help. The jobs pay room and board, along with a generous stipend. Any children they have are welcome to be schooled there along with the other children. It is my intention, when I have collected enough funds to open another, I will need a lot more people for staff, guards, kitchen workers, and so on. Any children will be welcome, I fill my school classroom seats with orphans, all too many are coming about due to the war and the plagues that follow. Thus I can help them with an education, food, a roof over their heads, training in whatever job they wish to pursue when they leave. But most of all to know someone does care about them.

     I am also in need of a few stewards for some homes I have built in a few of the provinces, the pay is the same as the schools', room and board along with a stipend, there are beds for both adults and children. The children can be placed in the boarding school if the parents so wish. If any are interested speak to my Housecarl Lydia in Breezehome in Whiterun. She has the information on where I need stewards, there are already Housecarls assigned to the homes."

     Suvaris: "You are far different than any other I have ever met. If only Skyrim had more like you. But it will be as the Gods will it. I will spread the word of what you say and we will await news of your new school with great anticipation. Here we are, the New Gnisis Corner club is there, good luck and may Azura watch over you."

     Iriisii: "May Azura guide you in the twilight."

     Iriisii and Rigmor turn and walk toward the door to the cornerclub, open the door and walk in. There are a few Dunmer either standing around or sitting at tables. Iriisii goes to the bar and asks after Tendril Sethri. A voice at the closest table rings out.

     Sethri: "Who wants to know?!"

     Iriisii walks over to his table and sits down.

     Iriisii: "My name is Iriisii Starborn and I was told you know about certain objects liberated from the Thalmor Embassy recently."

     Sethri: "I might, might not. You will have to be more specific about what item you wish to know about."

     Iriisii: "A gold wedding ring."

     Sethri: "Ah, yes. That one I remember well. I did take it from the Embassy as payment for services rendered. I was a part of the kitchen help. One night I made the vegetable broth too rich by adding some seared skeever meat to it. Had the Thalmor running for the latrine for three days. Guess they are not used to fine cuisine."

     Iriisii: "Obviously not. If I cooked for them, they would not make it as far as the latrine before keeling over."

     Sethri laughs heartily, "I like you, tell you what. If you cross my palms with enough gold to let me leave here and return home, I will tell you what you need to know about how to find the previous owner of the ring."

     Iriisii hands over a bag of one hundred gold septims.

     Iriisii: "All right, let me hear the story."

     Sethri: "After the Thalmor recovered from having to camp out at the latrine, they threatened to have my head for that incident. Then it was I made up my mind to find myself somewhere else. But before I left I was perusing through the embassy when I found a large pile of clothing and other stuff down in the basement. It is the other stuff that I found the ring in, along with some slaver's chains."

     Iriisii: "Wait, tell me what you know of those chains!"

     Sethri was taken aback by the change in her voice. She had gone from a pleasant, polite lady to something far colder, and much more dangerous.

     Sethri: "I found a book with the clothes and stuff that may be what you want. It had names, races, ages, and where they had been sent to. The Thalmor had been following their usual bureaucratic ways and detailing everything they did. Worse than the Imperial Legion they are."

     Iriisii coldly and barely audible mutters, "Tell me about that." Sethri wisely forgets he heard that.

     Sethri: "They have been enslaving men, women, even children, and sending them to mines in the mountains and farms in Valenwood. And doing this right under the Imperial noses. This cannot be allowed to go on. I will give you the information I have, but you must get that book and get it into the hands of someone who will use it to stop the slaving!

     You will find what you want at North Haven. I will mark the entrance to the tunnels that lead to the underground encampment. A friend of mine tasked with delivering food to them, told me of the location and how to get in. Once you step in, be ready for a fight, for it is crawling with Thalmor."

     Iriisii still in a cold voice, "The more of them to kill then. I will make them suffer for every single person they have enslaved!"

     Sethri: "Then I thank you and wish you success in your efforts."

     Iriisii draws a deep breath and calms down, "May Azura guide your path, Tendril Sethri."

     Sethri hears her and feels something come over him.

     Sethri: "May the 'Twilight Rose' find you and hold you in her arms once more."

     Iriisii starts, "What did you say?!"

     Sethri: "Me, nothing at all, just getting on my way."

     Iriisii looks over toward Rigmor, who wonders what is going on between Iriisii and Sethri.

     Iriisii: "Let us go, we are done here for now."

     They get up and walk out the door, the cold wind wrapping itself around the both of them. As they walk toward the narrow street, Rigmor asks a question.

     Rigmor: "Do you know where to go to find my mother?"

     Iriisii: "A place called North Haven, on the northern coast, past Solitude."

     Rigmor: "Why do I feel like I cannot go on, every time we turn around there are more and more trying to kill us?"

     Iriisii: "We must keep going, if we stop now, they win. And everyone else loses everything."

     Rigmor: "NO! I cannot do it! I am not strong enough!"

     Iriisii turns and looks at her, trying to see where this is coming from. This is not the young girl who killed an entire Thalmor Embassy full of soldiers in order to regain her father's belongings. Who embarrassed the best Thalmor trackers by their inability to find and catch her. Who has so enraged them that they issued a fifteen thousand gold septim bounty for her. Iriisii knows somewhere inside her, that warrior is still there, knows that she must find her and bring her back or this is all for nothing.

     Iriisii: "You are strong enough to do this."

     Rigmor: "No! I am not, and why do you care anyway! You do not care about me! You only care about Rose!"

     Iriisii: "Rose is gone, crossed over into Cyrodiil. And I must stay here, because first, the Gods have tasks here for me. And second I promised you I would help you find your mother, and I keep my promises."

     Rigmor: "Then should you not be doing those tasks for the Gods?"

     Iriisii: "Who said I was not?"

     Rigmor hears what Iriisii is saying but cannot quite believe what it might mean for her.

     Rigmor: "You are helping me because you have to, because the Gods told you to, you do not care about me at all."

     Iriisii: "I care about you more than you know. Why? I have no idea. I just know that I do."

     Rigmor: "I am sorry for lashing out at you. It is just that you are here, and I am cold, and hungry."

     Iriisii: "There is an Inn and Tavern, the Candlehearth Hall close by. We should stop there and get something to eat, warm ourselves by the fire."

     Rigmor: "I like that idea, a lot. If we see that little girl selling flowers, maybe you could buy some from her. Maybe then she could at least rent a room out of the cold."

     Iriisii: "If we see her, I will do better than that, but we have to see her first. And if we do not get moving we will not find her."

     They start walking back out the way they came in, and nearby Calixto's Museum, in a little courtyard entrance to a home, off to the side lay a little girl shivering in the cold. Iriisii's heart melts as it has not done before. She goes up to her and seeing she is still awake, starts by buying all the flowers she has left in her basket.

     Sofie: "Thank you, kind lady."

     Iriisii: "What is your name, child?"

     Sofie: "I am Sofie. I make my living selling flowers, but it takes so long to find any and with the war on, nobody has the time or money to buy any."

     Iriisii: "Where are your parents, did something happen to them?"

     Sofie: "Father was a Stormcloak soldier. One day he went off to fight and did not come back home. Plague took mama just a few months ago. Our home was sold off to pay debts, and I had nowhere else to go. I did not want to go to the orphanage in Riften, so I avoid the guard when I can and act like I belong when I cannot. So far they are fooled, but I do not know what will happen when they are not."

     Iriisii thinks to herself, 'This child will not survive the winter at this rate. I have to do something and now if I am to make a difference in her life'.

     Iriisii: "Would you like for me to adopt you?"

     Sofie: "Really, do you have a house where I could live? Some people do not and so cannot adopt me."

     Iriisii: "Yes, I have a home for you to live in Whiterun. It is called Breezehome. When you go through the city gates, it is the second building looking to the right. My housecarl Lydia stays there and another little girl called Lucia."

     Iriisii gives Sofie some gold coins, "Here take these, first get some hot food in your belly, get a few furs too. The trip to Whiterun will be cold and windy. Then pay the wagon driver to take you to Whiterun. Tell Lydia that I sent you, and that I have adopted you. She will protect you then, and I will see you when I return. It might be awhile before I get back, a lot of people, including some Jarls have things they want me to do for them. So just do as Lydia tells you and I will see you when I get home."

     Sofie leaps into Iriisii's arms and tries her best to wrap her thin arms around her. Iriisii just holds her tight and kisses the top of her head.

     Iriisii: "It will be all right now, you are my daughter and will have my name. I will see that you are taken care of and protected. Know that I love you, my daughter, Sofie Dovahkir. How does that name sound to you?"

     Sofie: "It makes me proud to have a name like that. I will honor your name and make you proud of me. Thank you, mama for being my mother."

     Iriisii: "You are very much welcome, my child."

     Iriisii finds she does not want to let Sofie go, but she knows she cannot take her with her to where she has to go. She gently forces herself to release Sofie so she can get prepared for the wagon trip to Whiterun.

     Iriisii: "I and Rigmor are going to the Candlehearth Inn for a little bit. Come with us and we will get some food and something to drink. I will get a few furs for you for the trip, then get you on the wagon. You will be safe, I promise."

     Sofie: "You are not coming to Whiterun on the wagon with me?"

     Iriisii: "I have some tasks to do first, and they are too dangerous to bring you with us."

     Sofie: "I understand. The war and all, it is not safe for anyone."

     Iriisii: "If it were not for that, I would like nothing more than to go with you. But I do not want to draw attention from bandits and the like. Once things calm down, we will go on a trip together. You, me, and Lucia, I know of some very beautiful places we can go."

     Sofie: "I would like that very much, my old mama and papa never went anywhere, we never had enough gold to do something like that."

     Iriisii: "Then we will go somewhere especially for you, somewhere no one in Tamriel has been before, I promise."

     Rigmor: "And you can believe her, she always keeps her promises."

     Iriisii and Rigmor put Sofie between them as they walk to the Candlehearth Inn. They walk inside and up the stairs to the main area, find a vacant table and sit down. The waitress comes over and they order some food and drink. Once she returns they dig in to the food and listen to the bard sing. Once they are done Iriisii starts talking to Rigmor as Iriiisi takes Sofie in her arms and holds her as she drowses from a full belly and the warmth of the fire.

     Rigmor: "What you are doing for her reminds me of mom and dad. Dad would train me by giving me a sword too heavy to fight with to build up my strength. He would tell me that there would come a time when he would not be there to protect us, and so I would have to take his place. Then to show me how he really felt, he would take a hand and ruffle my hair.

     Mom would sometimes take me on a trip to the Imperial City to shop and look at the sights. Dad would give her that 'look' that said he knew what was going on, but he never said anything but to enjoy the trip. He loved her so much, that she had him eating out of her hand. And then it went to crap."

     Iriisii: "Rigmor, you cannot blame yourself. You were not ready for what happened. Your father knew that and did what he felt needed to protect you and your mother."

     Rigmor: "I still should have been there for him! There was no one for him when they executed him."

     Iriisii: "Trust me, he did the best thing for you. That place, that time was the last place and time you needed to be there for. If he were here now, he would tell you that. But he is not and so it falls to me."

     Rigmor: "But...yeah, I forgot, you were at Helgen."

     Iriisii: "Yeah, I have seen my share of executions, they are never something to look forward to witnessing. Even as some seem to think and feel differently. I have killed a lot of people in my life, but there is something about an execution that is different. It takes a different kind of courage to stand there and see one. I hope I never have to be the one to order that to be done, but if it happens then I should be willing to bear the cost of being the one to do the deed."

     Rigmor: "That...I could not do that."

     Iriisii: "And you should not have to. Fight them, blade to blade, each taking the risk of death. But it is time we were leaving. We still have a long way to go, and this little one has a journey of her own to complete."

     Rigmor: "You did good by her, if you had not come along she would not have lasted the winter."

     Iriisii: "But there are so many more out there, and I cannot adopt them all. I do not have enough school space for them all either, so I will do what I can and it will have to be enough."

     They walk out with Iriisii carrying Sofie in her arms. Rigmor is carrying the furs they found to buy from a local shopkeeper. They proceed out the doors and across the bridge stopping at the wagon driver.

     Iriisii: "I would like to buy passage for my daughter to Whiterun."

     Driver: "That will be 30 gold pieces for your daughter alone, if you wish to accompany her I can offer a discount for all of you."

     Iriisii: "Much as I would like to, I and my companion must travel in a different direction. I will put her in the back and settle her for the trip."

     Iriisii gets her settled with the furs and Sofie does not wake. Iriisii gives the driver a letter.

     Iriisii: "Please give this to one of the gate guards, or any of the others patrolling along the road. Jarl Balgruuf made me a Thane of Whiterun recently, so they will do as the letter asks of them. I am asking that someone go to my home and have my Housecarl Lydia get Sofie from your wagon when you get there. I thank you for doing this for me."

     Driver: "Thane of Whiterun, eyy. I remember hearing of a new Thane recently. I am honored to make your acquaintance. I will be extra careful on the road to miss the rough spots, and will take good care of her."

     The driver gets the wagon going and they watch as the wagon gets smaller in the distance.

     Rigmor: "I miss her already, and she is not even mine."

     Iriisii: "I have had so little time to know her, yet I love her enough to give her one of the moons."

     Rigmor: "Just one of them?"

     Iriisii: "Have to leave one for Lucia, I want to treat both as equally as I can. It makes me wonder..."

     Rigmor: "Wonder what?"

     Iriisii: "If my mother would have felt the same for me as I feel for Sofie and Lucia."

     Rigmor: "Why would she not?"

     Iriisii: "I am sorry, I forgot you do not know?"

     Rigmor: "Know what?"

     Iriisii: "My mother died giving birth to me, and my father died some months later of a broken heart over her passing. My grandfather and the rest of the village raised me."

     Rigmor: "I think she would feel for you as you feel for your daughters. That sort of thing seems to run strong in families where it is passed down. You show it because you inherited it from your mother, and she from hers. The love between your mother and father was also very, very strong. He felt so lost without her, that he could not go on. And seeing you, I can guess you look very much like her, because he would see her in you and be reminded of his loss."

     Iriisii: "That makes sense, much as I wish it had been otherwise. But we live with the life that we have and try to do the best that we can with it. We need to be going ourselves. We have a long way to go."

     Somewhere out in the wilds between the major towns not yet to Solitude, Iriisii hears something, the sound of its echoes bouncing till it seems to come from everywhere. She looks over the skies and sees a small winged shape very high up.

     Rigmor: "What is it? Why have we stopped?"

     Iriisii: "Can you not hear it?"

     Rigmor: "Hear what? I hear nothing beyond the normal animals out here."

     Iriisii: "Look up into the sky, to the west, above the mountains."

     Rigmor: "Is that a dragon? I can barely make out its shape."

     Iriisii: "It is like a dragon, but different. Its cry is full of pain, hidden deep within its voice. I feel that pain, mixed with despair, rage, betrayal. It is more powerful than most of the other dragons I have sensed on our journey. Almost I can grasp what it is that makes it different."

     Rigmor: "Do you think it is Alduin?"

     Iriisii: "No. Alduin is far more controlled, confident in himself. No, this is something far more different, and that could make it far more dangerous. We must approach more carefully, remain aware of where it is always, especially as we grow closer."

     Rigmor: "It is right on our path, is it not?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, it is. But I do not think it waits for us, this is merely where it has staked out its claim. The other, lesser dragons give way to it, avoid being near it. They feel its strangeness, but also its power, thus they will not challenge it. Strange."

     Rigmor: "What is strange about it?"

     Iriisii: "Dragons grow in power by killing and absorbing the power and knowledge of other dragons, like I do as a Dragonborn. But this one is not being challenged by the others it intrudes upon. The others simply make way for it to go where it wills and stay out of its way."

     Rigmor: "I can see where that would be strange then. I assume then we are going to check it out?"

     Iriisii: "It is on our path, so yes. This may be another reason why I was brought to Skyrim. We shall just have to see."

     They walk on, keeping an eye on the dragon. As they get closer, Iriisii keeps a closer eye and ear on him, detecting more differences. Once they get close enough to track his movements, Iriisii has them stop to figure out if she wants to keep approaching or try and go around him.

     Rigmor: "What are you thinking, keep going toward him or go around?"

     Iriisii: "My first thought is to go around, but the more I listen to him, the more I feel I need to look into this."

     It is then she hears the whisper of her Dragonsoul, 'Be careful if you approach further. He does not sense me for I am shielding myself from him. He is not a natural dragon but a product of a dragon's body, a human soul, and dark necromantic magic of the Void. You feel his pain and rage, his betrayal, for the Void magic is slowly stripping him of his humanity. Soon enough there will be only a man's animal nature left, and that living within a dragon's body, empowered by Void magic, makes of him a powerful and dangerous tool.'

     Iriisii: "Who could do this and for what purpose? What need could someone have to give birth to this kind of abomination?"

     Dragonsoul: 'Mayhap, you will learn the answers to these questions as you dig into what is going on, for I can sense others like this one scattered around Skyrim. Also there are mortals using Void magics strong enough to challenge your powers. Should you come upon them, do not go head to head with them. They are too strong, utilize your stealth skills to even the field. These mortals are ones who embraced the Void magic they wield, thus it does not consume them near as quickly. The 'rejects' and 'failures' are imprisoned within a construct on a small rocky island north of you in the Sea of Ghosts. You will need to deal with them when you are powerful enough before they find a way out of their prison. I will do what I can to help you with them, but understand this, they are too far gone to save. Their only redemption lies in death. There is one, east of Windhelm, a dragon and a mortal. Do not fight both at once, take them on separately. When fighting the dragon, you must be cold and hard. Kill it quickly in spite of what you will feel. There is nothing you can do to save the soul within, give it the mercy of death. Free it from the dragon's body, and release the soul. It is all that any of us can do with these.'

     They carefully keep heading west. Iriisii scouting the landscape looking for hiding places if she needs to shove Rigmor in one while she takes on this strange dragon. Finding several candidates, mainly large boulders with overhangs and shallow depressions under the edges that could shelter Rigmor if needed. She moves them on a course from one spot to another, a safe spot nearby each stopping point she makes.

     Rigmor: "Why are we doing this instead of just going straight through?"

     Iriisii: "I am taking us by safe spots that would shield you from that dragon's attacks if we need to hide."

     Rigmor: "But why? You did not have any trouble with the last ones you have killed."

     Iriisii: "This one is different from all the others, much more powerful. And...I am not certain but it draws its power from another source."

     Rigmor: "What do you mean, another source."

     Iriisii: "Nirn's dragons get their power from their individual nature as dragons. They share a link through the language of Dovahzul, the Rotmulaag or 'Words of Power' embedded within it."

     Rigmor: "Like those written 'words' scratched into the 'Word Walls'?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, exactly. This dragon uses something different, some kind of magic from the 'Void'. I have to find out what I can of it, how to fight it, are there more, what is it about these dragons that is so different, why the others avoid these? I do know one thing about them though."

     Rigmor: "What is that?"

     Iriisii: "They are not natural. They were not created by Akatosh, but by some other means."

     Rigmor: "How is that possible?"

     Iriisii: "I do not know without getting close, fighting and killing one, absorb its power and see what that can tell me."

     Rigmor: "But you already have an idea, I can feel it in your voice."

     Iriisii: "High Sorcery involving 'Void Magic'. I know very little about 'Void Magic', almost nothing to be honest. But if it follows the nature of the 'Void', it will be powerful and consuming."

     Rigmor: "Wait, if it is so consuming as you say, if you kill it and absorb its knowledge and power, that would mean..."

     Iriisii: "I would take the 'Void Magic' within me, yes. I am aware of the danger should it act upon me as it has this dragon. But I believe this did not begin as a dragon, but as a mortal human, somehow transformed into a dragon by the magic. Someone not likely of the 'Dragonblood', or anointed of Akatosh as Dragonborn."

     Rigmor: "So those differences would give you strength and protection, shield you from the effects of this magic?"

     Iriisii: "I believe so, yes. Anyway, I have to involve myself in this. If even one of these dragons became strong enough, they could attack Aetherius itself. The nature of the 'Void Magic' would allow them to do that, and the souls there would have little protection against it."

     Rigmor: "Okay, I understand now. Do what you must, just do not get killed, please. I need your help to find Mom."

     Iriisii looks at Rigmor with a smile, 'As I have said, I keep my promises. I am not going to let this abomination of a dragon keep me from fulfilling my promise to you."

     Rigmor: "Thank you for that."

     They keep moving further within the territory staked out by this strange dragon. Moving when he is looking in another direction. Until he scents something in the wind, makes a sharp turn and spots them on the ground. His roar was staggering in its intensity, full of an all-consuming rage. Iriisii takes a quick scan of the area and puts Rigmor in the safest place she can, then turns to lead the dragon away from her and hopefully a place better suited to fight him.

     Rigmor: "Where are you going without me!?"

     Iriisii: "I have to distract him, lead him to a better area to fight him. Stay here and he will forget about you once he can not see you."

     They hear and feel a rumble, cascading toward them. 

     Iriisii covers Rigmor and pushes her down to the ground. Both can feel the sharpness in the air. Whatever this dragon uses to attack with, it is not fire or frost. Then Iriisii catches sight of lightning runes scattered around where they are. The runes explode in a cascade of lightning, shaking the ground with their power.

     Iriisii: "SHITE! Get down and stay down, do not move or speak. I have to get him away or we are both going to get fried! Now do as I say if you want to live, and stay down to the ground!"

     Iriisii leaps up and casts 'Lightning Armor' on herself. Then she starts running, somehow the spell increases her running speed, allowing her to stay ahead of the dragon's attacks. But the dragon keeps circling around her, using its attack runes to keep her hobbled by the rocks, even as she leaps from one to another to another. Somehow her body remembering a skill it was taught even as her mind is concentrating on something completely different. Her leaps and footsteps on each boulder are more like a mountain goat than human. Faster and faster she moves as her body settles in to its training, and she picks up the pace.

     Preparing and firing off spells, some as she is in mid-leap. she can tell she is injuring this dragon, but his reserves are so great, she feels he will get lucky before she does. Somehow she has to get close to him, close enough to try something desperate to bring this fight to a swift end. Then he does get lucky and one of his runes gets close enough to detonate as she begins a leap. She is thrown through the air and bounces against a series of boulders.

     Rigmor catches sight of her as she hits one last boulder and falls to the ground, stunned. Instantly she throws all caution to the winds and sprints up and away from Iriisii's still body. Yelling and screaming at the dragon to catch his attention. It works as he now directs his attacks toward her. She moves deeper into the boulder plain, scuttling back and forth amidst the boulders, putting them between him and herself. The boulders shielding her from the worst of his attacks.

    His tactics have not changed as he directs her to an area where she will run out of protective boulders and he can cut off her retreat. On and on, they go until she pushes herself around a boulder to find open grassland in front of her. And the dragon lays a solid band of runes behind her keeping her from turning back. Resolutely, she pulls her two hand blade from her back and makes ready for a last stand.

     The dragon lands in front of her, gazing at her with eyes as black as the void. Rigmor makes ready to run headlong at him, determined to get under his attacks for at least one swing of her sword against his belly. He prepares one last burst of lightning runes, when Iriisii, covered in a stormcloud of lightning herself, leaps. She lands on his back hips and continues along his spine all the way to the base of his skull. He starts to sway his head from side to side to dislodge her, but she holds tight to the spines around his head. Then just as he is about to toss Iriisii off his head, he feels a stabbing pain in his gut. Looking down he sees Rigmor with her two hand blade buried in his belly, trying to pull the sword to the side and spill his guts to the ground.

     Iriisii takes the opportunity and drives her blade into his neck, pointed to his brain. Although it is not long enough to reach it, she has something else in mind. Keeping her hands on the hilt, she simulcasts a lightning bolt spell, using her mind, and her dragonsoul giving her a lightning shout which she voices at the same time. She channels both spell and shout through her blade and the resultant lightning blast burns out the dragon's brain. Its head, smoke pouring from ear holes and eye sockets, strikes the ground, Iriisii's body rolls to the ground unmoving. Rigmor witnesses as the dragon's soul makes its way to Iriisii body and is absorbed, her body still does not move at all.