Daughter to Dragons- a Skyrim inspired fantasy

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

I found both Rhythe and Vulfa still awake and waiting for me and I wasn't surprised. On the second floor, they sat in silence, each nursing a bottle of mead until Rhythe first saw my entrance. He leapt from his chair at the sight of me, exhaustion and worry darkening in circles around his eyes.

"Amelsa," he breathed, taking my shoulders in his hands. "Are you alright? What happened in there?"

I gave him a tired smile, only to have to suppress a yawn. "I'm fine," I told them. My stomach grumbled angrily in protest. "Well, I'm hungry."

Vulfa stepped forward, her face set in a sour scowl. "What just happened in there?" she demanded. "You drag us across Skyrim without telling us anything, and now you just drop all of this on us?"

"Not here," I whispered as I flicked my eyes to my room. I spotted a young girl sweeping the floor and called to get her attention. "Bring me whatever food and drink you have ready," I told her. She nodded and hurried off.

I bade my companions to follow me into my room and shut the door behind. I fell onto my bed while they each took a chair. Exhaustion clawed at my eyes, begging me to shut them and not open them for days. Instead I sat up and turned to face them. Each wore an expectant look, waiting for me to explain everything.

"I thought I did a fairly good job at telling everything," I said to them.

"Why didn't you tell us this from the beginning?" Vulfa demanded, her fury painted onto her face.

"It wasn't your place to know yet," I stated simply. "I couldn't have either of you armed with knowledge that could harm the realm before it could be properly utilized. Mikald needed to know first. It's as simple as that."

"Simple," Vulfa spat. "We are warriors. We need to know who we are fighting, Amelsa. If we don't we could get ourselves and our friends killed!"

"You think I don't know that?" I snapped. "I have lost too many friends to this war, but if I could do it over again, I'd do it the same. Keeping you in the dark, it protected you. If the Thalmor thought you knew this before we reached Windhelm, it wouldn't only be me they are looking for."

"So what happens now?" Rhythe asked, his voice markedly calmer than Vulfa's. He watched me with cool interest, a contrast to Vulfa's insatiable fury.

"I allowed the two of you to know this information because I trust you. And because you are both of use to me. Vulfa," I turned to her, "as Harbinger of the Companions, can I trust you to come in full force when I call upon you? And to convey your own war on the ranks of the Thalmor under mine and Mikald's orders?"

"Will we get paid?" she asked.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Yes, you will get paid. But you cannot tell the others of your true mission, understand?"

"As long as we get paid, they won't ask."

"Very well. And Rhythe," I said to him, "I need you—"

A knock at the door cut me short. A head poked in telling me that my dinner had arrived. I ushered her in and instructed her to place it on my bed. As she left, I began tearing into my bread. My stomach gurgled happily at the first taste of food since our lunch on the road.

At least mildly satisfied, I continued. "Rhythe, I need you to stay here for now," I told him. "You are trained as both warrior and assassin and I have faith in your ability to protect me in places I cannot."

"So I'm going to be your bodyguard."

I shrugged as I shoved a piece of roasted beef in my mouth. "Essentially. Mikald has his elite guard and I will have mine soon."