Daughter to Dragons- a Skyrim inspired fantasy

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Night passed in heavy silence.  I watched the sun peak its rays above the horizon, washing the world in soft dawn.

The Throat of the World to the east saw the first of the light before the line traveled down to the ground.  I wondered whether Paarthurnax enjoyed watching the sun rise, even after all the centuries of dawns he had seen.

We were already well past Whiterun when Karliah broke the silence.  “We will stop in Ivarstead for rest,” she said.  “Trade out our horses, then make our way to Nightingale Hall for your joining.”  Her words slurred together from exhaustion.

I bobbed my head.  “Sounds fair.”  Ivarstead was the closest town east of Whiterun, yet I knew it would take the better part of a day to reach it.  This road was one I had walked a rut into.  I could make the journey in my sleep if I wished it.

As the sun marched to its high point, I began to drift off, only to be jerked back awake by the feeling of falling.  Without any meaning to, my thoughts turned to Rhythe.  I wondered where he was and what he was doing.  Dawnstar was so far away, but he could have made it there by now.  Would he even care to wonder about me?  We hadn’t known each other long, but we had gone through a lot together.  I’d almost gotten him killed, and he’d nearly done the same to me.  He was a bastard, no doubt about that, but he was my Brother.

And Mikald…  He must have believed me to be dead.  I was supposed to have been back to Windhelm by now and this is the closest I’ve managed since returning to Skyrim.  By the Nine, how had I managed to stray this far from my course?

Something grabbed me on my shoulder and I jolted in the saddle, heart pounding.  My eyes darted around until they landed on Brayon.  He smiled a little lop-sided smile at me.

“It’s alright, lass,” he said, removing his hand from my shoulder. “You fell asleep.”

Judging by the lead I felt in my eyelids, I knew he wasn’t lying.  I looked up at the sky only to find it turning orange.  Confused, my gaze shot back down to him.

“You’ve been asleep for a long time.”

I raised my brows.  “No kidding.  Why didn’t you wake me up?”

He shrugged.  “If you were tired enough to fall asleep on a horse, I’d have to assume that you’re pretty damn tired.”

He wasn’t wrong.  I was exhausted.  “How far away are we from Ivarstead?”

“Not far,” said Karliah.  “Just over that bridge and we’re there.”

“The Thalmor wouldn’t be this far in Skyrim, would they?” I wondered.  They shouldn’t be.  All the Nords hated them and they were only tolerated in Helgen because of its close proximity to Cyrodiil.  Surely all the other towns and cities would drive them out as soon as they set one of their yellow feet in town.

“Why would the Thalmor be in Ivarstead of all places?” stated Brayon.  “I think you’re safe for now.”

Karliah mumbled something in agreement.

I could only hope they were right.

The inn was still mostly empty by the time we arrived.  The farmers hadn’t yet finished tending their crops, nor had the miners returned from the mines.  It was silent, for now.  Which was all I really wanted.

Karliah spoke to the innkeep about renting us a couple of rooms.  I laid my head on the table and thought about just falling asleep there.  Everyone else be damned.