Reborn ~an Alduin Love Story~

Solitude

Sizaa yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she kicked her feet over the edge of the bed and sat up.

"Sleep well down there, Alduin?" No response. "Alduin?" She looked down to see that he was gone. Throwing on her fur boots she ran down the steps outside of their door to see Davorin was missing from his room as well.

"Faaz nah (Damn it*)!" 'So much for him never leaving again..' She was so angry she didn't spot the person standing in her path until she ran into them. "Sorry.." she mumbled.

"Furi..." the man whispered looking like he'd just seen a ghost.

"Excuse me?" Sizaa stepped back from him, feeling guilty for having bumped into him.

"Nothing, my apologies ma'am." He seemed unsure of his words but he stretch an arm out to her. "Legate Quentin Cipius, at your service."

"Sizaa." She shook his hand and then turned from him, assuming their greeting over.

"Stupid lizard." She sat down at one of the benches by the hearth resuming her brooding. "Now what am I supposed to do?"

"If you've got nothing to do I have something I need dropped off to Adventus Caesennius, the legate up in Solitude." The man had sat down beside her without her noticing, causing her to jump at the sudden sound of his voice. She frowned in his direction still angry over her abandonment.

After a moment of silence she realized he was waiting for her answer and sighed. "I wouldn't mind helping but I don't even know where Solitude is."

"The carriage out by the stables can take you. I'll make sure you're well rewarded." There was a strange look in the man's eyes. A sort of forlorning when he gazed at her like it reminded him of a past sin he'd sooner forget.

"Oh. Well, alright then." She didn't see the harm in going given Alduin and Davorin had left her anyways, but she still didn't understand why he was looking at her that way. Almost like he'd known her before.

The journey to Solitude was fairly uneventful. Their carriage snagged a rock about halfway there and the wheel broke off but luckily some villagers from a place Sizaa was told called Rorikstead helped them fix it. She was surprised such kindess existed in a place that was otherwise secluded from the busyness of the world. She hoped to visit there again some day and repay them for their actions.

Even with that setback they made it to Solitude around seven in the evening. Seeing it left her speechless. An entire city built onto a mountain ledge, she'd never seen something so grand before. She didn't think humans were capable of such a feat.

Sadly it seemed to be going to sleep as merchants began packing up their stalls and shoppe keepers locking their doors. She thought about staying at the Inn for the night just to experience what the place must be like during the day when it was bustling with life and people.

Sizaa reached the doors to the castle but was stopped by a soldier stepping in her path.

"The castle is closed to civilians." Sizaa started to explain why she was there when another soldier leaned over and whispered something in the one stopping her's ear. His eyes widened and he back away from her quickly. "My apologies Legate, I didn't recognize you. Please proceed."

'Legate?' She didn't contradict them not wanting to be told she couldn't enter the castle. She saluted them, remembering she'd read in some book it's how soldiers greet each other, but they only stared at her with a blank expression. Feeling ridiculous she quickly pushed inside the building.

A man, she presumed was Legate Adventus by his similar armor to Quentin, nodded towards her as she entered the drawing room.

"I have a delivery from Quent-I mean Legate Cipius in Whiterun." Sizaa wondered what Legate even meant, and why the army bothered with so many ranks and titles. Seemed suffocating to her and frustrating as she couldn't imagine blindly following orders from someone without ever being able to question why. The books she had read on military made it seem very unappealing for her.

"Ah! Yes. I've been expecting these. Here," he exchanged the papers in her hand for a decent sized bag of gold. "For the trouble of the journey. So you decided to settle in Whiterun then, Legate?" Sizaa frowned in confusion but he didn't seem to really care for an answer as he continued talking. "Must be nice to be dismissed from duty. But keep an eye out for trouble. It's only a matter of time."

"I thought the war was over?"

"Technically yes, but as you know the Stormcloaks are a stubborn cause." The legate turned back to his map which Sizaa took as a sign the conversation was over. Sizaa pondered who he could have been mistaking her for as she left.

Once outside Sizaa paused beyond the door, contemplating what her next move would be. Now that the initial anger of him once again leaving her behind faded, Sizaa knew she needed to find Alduin and honor her oath. But where he went she had no idea. What she did know was she was low on Alchemy ingredients.

Alchemy came naturally to Sizaa. Almost as naturally as creating new shouts. Arngier said her skill with the thu'um was almost on the same level as a Dovahkiin. While they learned a shout quickly, Sizaa could understand the words of power themselves to such depth she could instantly reform them together into something entirely new. This ability however she rarely demonstrated as using the voice wasn't something to be taken upon lightly.

But Alchemy was her true passion. It always provided an escape for her when she needed something to occupy the loneliness in her childhood. She used to wonder if her parents were alchemist and that was the reason she enjoyed it so.

Sizaa came to a shoppe labeled 'Angeline's Aromatics' which was thankfully still open and hopped they sold more than just perfumes.

"Fura! Oh my Fura!" She suddenly found herself being tightly embraced by the woman who ran the shop as she entered. She stood there awkwardly, unsure how to tell her she wasn't this 'Fura' person.

Though it struck her as odd this woman was the second person to confuse her for the girl. "You were gone for so long I thought-" The woman fell silent as she pulled back and took a hard look at Sizaa's face. "You...you're not Fura. You couldn't be. You look just like her but...you're far too young." The sorrow that took over her features was enough to shatter Sizaa's heart as she watched the woman slowly make her way behind her counter.

"I um-mhm-" she cleared her throat worried it may not have been the best time to shop for Alchemy ingredients.

"You're a traveler yes? Have you been to Whiterun?"

"I actually just arrived from there."

The woman's entire demeanor perked up. "Did you meet any soldiers? Maybe a woman by the name of Fura?" Sizaa saw many soldiers that morning in the inn, but none that were women. She almost didn't want to admit it seeing how hopeful Angeline seemed.

"No, I didn't. I'm sorry."

"Oh...well its fine child. I've tried to get information from Aldis, the captain of the guard, but he won't tell me anything." Angeline looked so despaired Sizaa couldn't stop herself from saying what she was about to.

"I could talk to him for you. See if I get any news." Her mind told her not to get involved in other people's problems when she had so much more important things to worry about, like a missing previously soul devouring dragon and dead Dovahkiin, but her helpful nature wouldn't allow her to turn her back on people in need.

"That's kind of you to offer." Angeline couldn't look at her. Not with her looking so much like the daughter she'd never get to hold again.