The Dragon and the Maiden

17-Miraak

It was dusk when I arrived at the small settlement of Dawnstar. I paid the innkeeper for a room and some food. Freedom felt good. I wondered what I should do next. I wanted to get far, far away from Skyrim and the dragons. Maybe going west wasn’t such a bad idea. I would go further south if the area wasn’t in a bloody war between the Nedes and the Aylomeids. 

I needed to avoid being seen by dragons or Dragon Priests. The last thing I need is to become one of their captives again. After enjoying a small meal of apple cabbage soup and bread, I went back to the bar for a couple of drinks. I noticed that there were a few people in the tavern. The mead was laying too well on my belly. 

I noticed things were starting to swirl around and move. I needed to get back to my bed. I walk towards the inn room that I think is mine. My hand misses the door and I’m laughing hysterically. I managed to get myself to the room and pass out on the floor. 

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“She’s heavy, isn’t she?” A man’s voice spoke. 

“Watch her head, idiot. The last thing we need is for Lord Miraak to kill us over her getting hurt.” The other man spoke. I spoke up being dragged in the wilderness by two unknown men. My head was hurting something fierce and my throat felt parched. 

“Hello, dragonborn.” The man spoke, a wicked grin on his face. 

“Who are you?” I say in a weak voice. 

“Doesn’t matter.” He spoke. I decided to try to fight my way out of this one. I shouted the Unrelenting Force shout and they fell over. I started to run as fast as I could, not sure where I was going. My ribs hurt and my lungs were running out of oxygen. I kept running anyway. I could hear them cursing under their breath. My heart was threatening to beat out of my chest and my dress was getting tangled in briars. I fell down on the ground. I felt something-or someone- grab me and pull me towards them. I was screaming for help but no one came. 

“I told you you’d pay for your betrayal, Aemma.” It was Miraak. He was unmasked but his face had changed. His eyes were pitch black with black veins around them. At this point, my heart was almost stopping on me. Alduin! Akatosh! Kyne! Someone, please! I thought to myself as he cast a strangulation spell on me. 

Suddenly, I lost consciousness. 

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I woke up in a dark cell. Terror creeps in and I start to pull on my hair, screaming. The floor is cold.

“Shut up!” A guard yells at the door. 

I manage to stop screaming but I hyperventilate. I’m trying to calm myself down but I can’t. I was free. I was planning things. And again, I lost my freedom. The door opens to Miraak in a strange new mask with tentacle-like things at the bottom. 

“I hear that you shouted at my men and they flew to the other side of the field. Impressive.” Miraak spoke. 

“What do you want, Miraak?” I asked him. 

“I am letting you reconsider being my Queen again.” Miraak asked, crossing his arms. 

“I don’t want that.” I spoke. “I don’t want this.” 

“You have one night to decide.” Miraak spoke. “Or I will make an example of you to Alduin and all the other dragons that defy me.” 

I feel sick to my stomach. What would he do to me? I don’t want to think about it. He leaves. 

“Rynhek, please…” I try to get him to see reason. Instead, that earns me a slap to the face. 

“That is not my name! You’d be wise to never call me that again.” He spoke, rage in his voice. 

“This isn’t you. Please.” My lip was trembling and my eyes were watering. “You don’t have to listen to what that Daedra tells you.” 

That earns me a kick to the chest. Ow. 

“Silence! Think about it, long and hard, Aemma. You will not have another chance.” Miraak slams the door behind him. If I agree to be his queen, I would die horribly at the hands of the Priests or the dragons. If I died, I would never get to do anything again. If I managed to somehow escape, the rest of my life would be spent trying to escape Miraak and the dragons. 

“Kyne…Mara…..Shor….Please…” I whisper to no one in particular. I feel myself losing all hope of someone rescuing me or even caring that I am gone. I lay on the cold tile. Death would be better than this. I long for Sovngarde’s halls but I don’t think I’ll ever be there.