Eclipse

Chapter 1

Author's note: This started merely through a conversation between siblings. This is our collab. It's crazy, but we believe it's a great idea. So give it a chance, even if it does sound really weird. I promise, we both know what we're doing. I, Dracanoth Dereal, will be writing as the Keeper whom, for the sake of one of my favorite stories I have ever dreamed, and of my favorite characters ever to come into my creation, Dracanoth Dereal. Yes yes, I know it's a bit of a repeat of my pin name.

Eclipse

by

Spottedleaf9 and Dracanoth Dereal

A bitterly cold wind was blowing, but no one took notice. It was like this day after day. Having just hung up my cloak, I sat on the edge of my adopted child's bed and stroked her hair. It wasn't often that my callings gave me a chance to come home to Riftweald Manor and spend some time with her. I had just returned from a rather difficult adventure in which I had literally gone to hell and fought off a dragon with a vampire at my side.

Seeing that my daughter was sound asleep, I sighed and left her to her room. It was just the two of us in the big, empty house. Exhausted, I counted myself lucky that another crisis hadn't sprung up before I could even get to Solitude to see her asleep in bed and safe. Swinging myself up into bed, I paused, waiting for something absurd to happen and wisk me away once more, but it seemed I really had gotten a break this time.

Satisfied, I let my head hit the bed. I hadn't closed my eyes for an entire twenty minutes before a voice suddenly spoke aloud to me in the darkness of my room. "Excuse me, I've been looking for you. Got a letter I'm supposed to deliver; your hands only." Stifling a shriek, I sat up and numbly, half asleep took the letter that was pressed into my slack fingers. "That's all."

The courier who had been brave enough to bother me as I at last found sleep was going to be less than happy in the morning when I told the Jarl that his thane had been treated improperly. I hated to pull rank like that, but sometimes, I felt like I had to. Casting a ball of Mage's Light to drift above my head, I broke the seal without bothering to inspect it and pulled the letter out of the especially nondescript envelope. The offending courier quickly exited my home, which I felt was a wise decision on his part.

The slant of the letters revealed to me that I was being written to by someone of a higher standing. The fact that it was also in the high elven language told me I was about to be handed some more trouble that it seemed "only the Dragonborn could resolve". I was getting really tired of it. People came to me with their problems and I was always glad to save lives, but I wasn't getting any kind of reprieve to live my own in between these often deadly adventures.

Dear Valisilwen,

It has come to my attention that you have performed many great feats all through out the land of Tamriel. I have been watching you for quite some time and have finally decided you are just the hero I need. In a few days time, a dear friend shall be coming to your land. If my sources are reliable, then he should appear in the wilderness somewhere there is lots of...snow. Forgive my hesitation, these words are not quite as common where I am as they are for you. As it is, you should feel honored that I have chosen a puny mortal such as

yourself to represent me. Together with the man I send forth to your world, you shall work to find a way to do the same for me. You shall come forth and bring me into your realm so that I may bring order of my own kind to it.This is for the good of your civilization. Thank you for your cooperation.