Scales and Hearts | A Skyrim Fanfiction

Chapter Two: Make Your Escape

Druthza

Hadvar quickly shut the door behind us, and as I watched it shut, I sighed heavily with relief, taking a moment to gaze around the firelit stone room. Off to the left was a line of three beds, each with a chest present at the front of each one, against the back wall was a wooden gate with a chain dangling beside it, and off to the right of the room was a simple table, two chairs, a few bookshelves, and, in the far right corner, another chest was present.

"Damn... what a rush..." I groaned with exhaustion and pain, catching my breath as Hadvar appeared to do the same. He then pulled out a sharp iron dagger from the belt around his waist, looking at me expectantly, "come here, let me see if I can cut you free."

I stepped forward and held my bound hands up, and I began to feel as he started sawing the dagger into my bindings, and soon, they snapped and my hands were free. I smiled as I wiggled my clawed fingers and stretched my arms. "By the Hist, thank you..." I said gratefully, and Hadvar nodded, a small smile crossing his face. "You're welcome. Now then- you should see what you can find in these chests."

I nodded my head and made my way to the chest in the far right corner, I crouched down and opened the chest, finding the shining blade of an iron sword, a silver key, and a set of light Imperial armor (excluding the helmet.) I glanced at Hadvar as I showed him the set of armor, and his eyebrows shot up and he quickly turned his back to me, getting my message as I sighed lightly and pulled the ragged clothes off of my body, swiftly changing into the armor (which was a bit snug, if I was going to be honest.)

I picked up the sword in my right hand and looked at the sharp edges of the blade, soon gazing at my soot- and sweat-covered face in my reflection upon the iron blade before I sliced the sword through the air around me. After a few swings, I was satisfied with my new weapon and slipped it into the sheath on my left hip.

I then just took a moment to breathe, to gather my thoughts, and process all that I had just endured and witnessed. I watched an execution... I was almost executed myself... I heard a dragon, their roars are totally different from what I first imagined. I saw a living, breathing dragon. I saw the World Eater himself, so vicious, so angry, and so... graceful in his chaotic intentions... I felt like "graceful" and "chaotic" definitely didn't belong in the same sentence together, but how else could I describe the movements of such a ferocious, massive, angry Dovah flying around the now-ruined village of Helgen?

"Intimidating would work better, Druthza," Hadvar said unexpectedly as if reading my thoughts, and I gazed at him weirdly. "I'm eternally grateful that we made it here in one piece..."

"Aye, I agree," I responded, "are you... are you okay, Hadvar?"

He nodded his head and stepped towards me, "yes, I'm fine. What of you, Druthza?"

I thought over my response as I focused on my physical and emotional states, after a moment, I said: "well... besides getting the shock of my life, nearly getting executed, and running for my very survival, I'm okay... I believe."

Hadvar nodded thoughtfully, "good, now... shall we get going?" He then motioned to the gate, and I walked over to it, yanking down on the chain dangling from the wall and watching as the wooden gate rose up, allowing us access to the rest of the keep. Hadvar followed behind me quietly, his hand hovering near the sword sheathed on his waist as we approached another gate, it too had to be opened via a dangling chain.

I heard the approaching sound of footsteps beyond the gate before Hadvar did, and I crouched down and pressed myself up against the wall, and I felt his gaze land on me. He looked slightly confused. "Everything alright?"