Dragon Born

Chapter One

It's been forty-one years since the last Dragon Born. Forty-one short years of suffering and pain, burning of villages and crushing of souls. This period will be remembered as the "Fire Age", coming after the "Era of the Dragenborn." I don't remember my birth, and I don't remember my parents death by dragon shortly after. I only know what Sil has taught me.

Sil and I don't look alike. He says it's because we are different races, born by different mothers. He told me that I'm a Nord, and I'm native to Skyrim, and he's an Imperial, native to Cyroldil. He has bigger ears and darker skin then I do. His blonde hair is long and normally fashioned in a braid. Blue eyes. In general, he says, his looks are common. I, on the other hand, stand out. He says my hair is the darkest he's ever seen on a nord, in contrast with my electric blue eyes and pale skin. When I first meet people and tell them I'm a nord, they seem suspicious but when you think about it I couldn't really be anything else.

Sil named me Iris, after an old imperial legend. It is said that Iris the brave, an imperial, saved the capital from the dragon Aldiun, who is said to have ripped apart mountains and shout oceans dry. I don't think I should be named Iris. I'm no hero.

Me and Sil work on our own Meadery (Homestead Meadery) near Helgen. It's no Honningbrew Meadery, but it's home. It's not very large, just big enough to make the mead and sleep upstairs. On the bottom floor in the central room is a little bar to buy and drink, with two small tables and chairs. The room to the left is our "office"- where we keep our records and coins. On the right we have the brewery. Sil is the "owner", but we share profits. He's the one that goes into Helgen and Riverwood, the "merchant", selling and advertising our mead. I stay home, running the Meadery while he is away.  I do my job well and don't complain, but I'd rather be traveling like Sil, visiting places I've never been; which is quite a lot. White run, winter hold, solitude - all the major cities, really. It's not that I don't want to - It would be my dream to leave the Meadery and travel. But Sil says that I don't want to - that it's too dangerous and I would rather just stay here.

He says I wouldn't survive on my own. On the contrary, I know I would. Sil is an amazing teacher, showing me how to hunt, set a trap, build a campfire, survive in harsh winters, and even kill. He focuses a lot more on wit, however. Reading books, studying languages, that sort of thing. He says to think first, act second. I know he's right, but I still practice behind his back - when he's on his trips, I sneak out to the back and practice on heigh dummies I made in my spare time. Recently, I've become pretty good; probably better than Sil himself. Of course, I never show that. 

***

"Iris." I lifted my head up from the bar. Sil was looking down on me with disapproving eyes, leaned over enough for me to smell the nirnrooot radiating from his pocket.
"Sil." I grabbed a cloth from my side and held it up for him to see. "Just wiping down the bar."
"Uh huh. I see that." He said with a cocked eyebrow. I shrugged and sat up straight, adjusting my sleeve. He smiled at me and winked. "Know what day it is?" I wrinkled my forehead.
"No, what?" He let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Your birthday, dumbnut." Sil laughed at my confused look and open his satchel and pulled out some gold coins. I shook my head to explain that I couldn't except money from him- but he insisted.
"No - no. Take them, please. You're going to need them to buy yourself some traveling boots."
"Traveling...?" I widened my eyes and let out a squeal, hugging him from over the bar.
"You're going to let me travel somewhere and sell, huh! Aren't you?" Sil laughed and nodded under the pressure of my hug.

"Yes, yes, but only if you promise me something." I pulled back, catching my breath. "Anything!" I said.
"Promise me not to come back."

My smile faded as fast as it had lit up. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. All I could do was sit there, dumbfounded.

Sil sighed. "I know, Iris. But recently I've been traveling to Whiterun a lot, and I met someone. Long story short - were getting married, and she's moving in with me." A feeling of confusion, sadness, and anger boiled up in my stomach and I felt sick. Hot tears began to roll down my cheeks and I frustratingly wiped them off.

"Sil... That's not...." I wanted to yell at him, to knock some sense into him, to tell him that it wouldn't last, that it wasn't fair, but I didn't. I wiped my nose and said, "Congrats, Sil." I stood from the stool I was sitting on and gave him another hug.

"Go get packed, Iris. I'll finish cleaning." He said, patting me on the back.