Murphy's Law

Chapter 8

Lucy grinned as the Hall erupted into a cacophony of people shouting and chairs scraping across the floor. Even the Black Knight straightened up at the news, arms falling to his sides in surprise.

"So that chant we heard... that was really the Greybeards summoning the Dragonborn?"

"It was," Lucy confirmed. "I saw him off at the bottom of the Seven Thousand Steps." She looked over as the Black Knight rapped against the wall to get her attention.

'Will you be bringing him here?' he signed, and she nodded.

"I promised I'd meet up with him again in Ivarstead, once the Greybeards have taught him whatever they have to teach him."

"So what's the Dragonborn like?" the Queen asked.

"He's... a complete dope, to be honest," Lucy laughed. "But he's kind, and sweet. And the first Nord I've ever met that doesn't like to fight."

"Some Dragonborn," Bruce scoffed.

'Don't be disrespectful,' the Black Knight scolded. 'It's not our place to question the will of the Divines.'

"Yeah, yeah," Bruce grumbled.

"Well I can't wait to meet him," the Queen said. "He might be just what we need to turn the tide of this war."

'I agree. We're getting nowhere with all this fighting.'

"We tried diplomacy before," Bruce reminded them. "No one was willing to take us seriously until we started to get violent."

"We didn't have a Dragonborn then, though," Mayhem said. "His words will hold far more weight than any of ours."

"We can hope," Lucy sighed. "His heart's certainly in the right place for it, but he's going to need a lot of training if anyone's going to take him seriously as a diplomat."

"And how are you sure he even will help us?" Bruce continued. "How do we know he won't report to the Legion, or worse, the Thalmor, the moment he has a chance? We've suffered enough losses as it is lately, a hit like that would end us for sure."

"Well, he seems to have taken a liking to me," Lucy said. "And a dope he might be, but he seems reasonable enough. I'm sure he'll be willing to hear us out, and we can persuade him from there."

"Yeah, well, I'm not willing to take that risk. I don't want him here."

Lucy bristled, ready to argue- didn't he trust her judgment?- but then slumped. No, he was right not to, not after what happened.

'Might I make a suggestion?'

"And what would that be?"

'Bring him to the Braidwood Inn in Kynesgrove. We'll meet him there, and evaluate him ourselves. If he doesn't measure up, we can force him to part ways with Lucy. If he does, then we'll bring him back here.'

Bruce fell silent, mulling it over for a few minutes. "Sounds reasonable enough," he finally agreed.

"There was something else I was hoping to look into while I'm here," Lucy spoke again, taking out the map and laying it out on the table. "The dragons. They seem to be multiplying with frightening speed. I'm not sure how that's possible-"

"I am," said a black-robed mage sitting further down the table. Penn wasn't a Master Builder, like the majority of their numbers, but a half-blood, which made her just as much of an outcast as the rest of them. She was one of Bruce's top operatives. "I saw your dragon from Helgen at one of the ancient dragon burial mounds. I couldn't tell you what it did, I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around it, but I can tell you I saw a dragon's skeleton climb out of that hole and become flesh and blood again. It's somehow reviving the others."

"Well that answers that question," Lucy sighed. "But who revived the first dragon?"

"How much do you want to bet it was the Thalmor?" Bruce asked.

The mage rolled her eyes. "Oh please, what makes you think they're even capable of reviving dragons?"

'Didn't stop them from claiming to bring the moons back,' the Knight joked.

"Dawn Magicks, my foot. In all my years of researching the various schools of magic, I've never even come across so much as a hint of it actually existing. They're just a bunch of opportunistic bullies talking out of their asses." The Queen started laughing at her vehemence, and even Lucy had to grin at the normally stoic mage's outburst.

"I don't think I've ever heard you talk that way before," Watevra giggled.

"Still, it can't hurt to look into it," Lucy mused. "Even if they aren't to blame, they might have a lead."

"And Ambassador Sirius is having one of his little parties soon," Bruce added. "Perfect opportunity to do some snooping."

"If I can get in," Lucy reminded him.

"Leave that to me," Penn said. "I'll get you on the guest list."

'Thank you for bringing all of this to our attention,' the Knight said. 'Perhaps we can use this situation to our advantage- if people see us fighting the dragons...'

"They may be more inclined to trust us, and side with us," Lucy finished, nodding.

"I'll get the rest of my team to do some snooping, see if there's any pattern to when and where the dragons are being revived," Bruce offered. "It would be an even bigger help if we could be there when it happens, instead of waiting for a distress call."

"We'll have to be careful of that," Penn pointed out. "It happens too often, and people may become suspicious of our intentions. They may believe we're at fault."

"And we'll need to make sure the Dragonborn is present to keep those dragons from being revived again," Lucy added. "They're not easy to put down, and I'd like to not have to face the same dragon twice."

"Alright, we'll work on that. Lucy, you go get the Dragonborn. Penn, you work on getting Lucy into that party. I'll round up the rest of the scouts and see what we can find."

Lucy waited as everyone dispersed again, morale higher than it had been for quite some time. She was glad for that, even if it meant they would be fighting two wars now. She chewed her lip before approaching the Knight, who seemed to be waiting for her. "Sir, I- I would like to resign my rank as Captain. I don't think I'm cut out for it after all." He tilted his head at that. "The ambush- it was my fault everyone was caught-" She cut herself off as he placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

'I didn't promote you on a whim. I did it because I had faith in you. I still do. You are one of our best, Lucy- not only a brilliant warrior, but capable of thinking on your feet as well. What happened was not your fault. Mayhem already made us aware of the possibility of a leak. I believe that is why Bruce is hesitant to have your friend come straight here.'

Lucy blushed at the praise, looking away. "I still don't think I'm ready for that responsibility, though. Not after..."

'I understand. I will accept your resignation- on the condition that you accept another assignment.'

"What's that?"

'Bruce may be hesitant, but I trust your judgment of the Dragonborn. Your appraisal of him not being a fighter worries me. You've already built a rapport with him; I want you to keep an eye on him, and make sure he survives to accomplish whatever task the Divines have set before him.'

Lucy sighed. She should have expected that. But even if she hadn't been assigned to basically babysit the Dragonborn, she likely would have done it regardless. He was hopeless when it came to ensuring his own survival, if the incident with the bandits was anything to go by. She'd meant it when she called him a dope; never in her life had she ever seen a person walk up to someone so obviously hostile and try to introduce himself. "I accept, sir."