Eyes Opened

Tally

Farkas was more excited than you had seen him in a while, he was just ahead of you talking with her, the sight of the two people you love the most getting along made you smile unabashedly. "I can't believe you asked us to come!" Farkas was light on his feet, cheerfully speaking.

"Of course I did." Her voice was sweet, she was always so kind to him. It was one of her more appealing qualities, though you'd be hard pressed to find one you hated. "You're my family. You're the whole reason I'm strong at all, I was asked to help Irileth kill a dragon. This was only after I told them about the dragon last night, and gave them a tablet. Both happened while I was out with Vilkas on a job. It'd be dishonorable of me to not ask you to come."

"Damn right." Aela smiled, looking to Skjor. "And after she kicked the crap out of Njada, she's the only woman I'd trust as a shield-sister."

She was smiling, it made your heart swell in your chest. "We're just checking out the watchtower. There's no telling what we will find, but I sort of hope there is a dragon. I know with all of us there will be a way to bring it down and..." She looked back to you, smiling sweetly. "Well you've said you've killed everything... I'm guessing not a dragon. How could I keep that from you?" She stopped, you slowed to a stop just before you hit her. She placed her hands on your chest warming you. The woman leaned forward, looking into your eyes. "I mean, look at the smile you have..."

"That's for you, not the dragon." She blushed a little, making you lean in slowly. "You're just so happy... How can I not smile?" Holding onto her chin you noticed the way she was looking at you. Adoration, pure and simple. You cleared your throat, staring into her eyes as the others got ahead of you both. "We uh... should catch up to them."

She nodded slowly before tilting her head. "Yea, we should. We should also meet tonight in your room." You blinked, staring at her. "What? I can't want time alone with you?"

You smiled softly, nodding. "You can, you've just never asked that blatantly before."

"'spose you'll just have to get used to it." She smiled at you, easing your doubt a little, however leaving your mind racing with questions of why now and what you will be doing. The two of you turned, then made effort to catch up with the others, who had stopped to see the watchtower in smoldering ruins. The guards were talking to Irileth, who spotting you just out of the corner of her eye. She ran over to meet you as you stopped.

"Ah. Hail, companions. Thank you for assisting us on this task. Until I got here I... I didn't quite believe this myself." She seemed nervous, which was uncharacteristic of the woman whom rumored to be fearless.

You cleared you throat. "Yes. It was hard to believe for us too, but we have seen it. What do the guards say?"

"Just that it attacked in the dead of night. They are worried it's still around."

"Irileth... did they say what color it was?" She was concerned, her voice hitched. You remained still though every fiber in your body wanted to embrace her, let her know it was going to be okay.

"They didn't... I..." She stopped, a low roar echoed in the distance. One of the guards from the watchtower ran over, whispering in her ear. "You think? Then get ready, we're taking down a dragon." Farkas seemed to perk up, as did Aela. Skjor pulled his bow out, as well as Aela, looking up to the sky. Everyone was looking up, except her. Her eyes were on you and it could not be helped but to meet them. You gave a reassuring smile. She was a bit more confident but it still seemed that something was bothering her. You could almost smell it on her, the unease. The roar got louder, Skjor calling out that he'd spotted it.

"Hey..." You spoke to her. "It's okay. We're all together. Nothing will happen, I won't let it." She nodded slowly before pulling out her bow. You drew the axe, taking in a deep breath. As the dragon roared, swooping down past the tower a volley of arrows were released. It took the archers some time but the dragon was hit in a few key points. You watched as she pulled back her bow, letting the ebony fly into the dragons eye. It roared painfully before falling down to the ground. You looked to Farkas, both of you nodding before you rushed over to the dragon. It was irate, spewing flames from it's mouth in random directions as it's head whipped around. You found your axe digging into the meat of the creature, it cried out in pain, speaking in a language you didn't know. A few arrows hit the beast over your shoulder, barely missing it. You glanced back, comforted to see that it was her aiming. You trusted her implicitly, it allowed you to focus on the dragon itself. You both further proved you made a good team when it mattered, she threw her bow down and started running to you.

Her hand flew to the sword at her side, pulling it out with a flourish. "Duck!" You nodded after the axe swung through the beast, landing in the ground with a thud. Taking a knee you doubled over as the woman used you as a stepping stool, hopping on the dragons' neck. She held on, hitting the side of his head with the blade. You noticed that it was about to shake her off, only to grip the horns on the nose, jerking the head down into the dirt. Farkas helped you hold it down as she ran her blade through a soft spot just under the eye. The dragon twitched, his muscles falling into a relaxed state as death took him. She stood up, taking in a deep breath and wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her gloves. She looked to you smiling brightly as you started to stand up straight. Irileth jogged over to the carcass while she was looking down for a way off. You walked to the dragon's side, holding your arms up for her. "How kind, what a gentleman." You watched as she crouched down, trying to slide off the neck. The woman fell into your arms, you held her delicately as she looked up to you. "Vilkas... I..." She was adorable when she was shy. You looked up, the dragon's body had started to glow.

"Later." You whispered before pulling her away. You got a good distance as the body seemed to burn, the scales peeling off and a colorful light streamed forth into her. The woman by you braced herself, holding onto you tightly, you repay this in kind. She shivered. "It's okay. I'm here..."

The guards surrounded you both before your shield siblings could. "The dragonborn!" One of them called, as the others whispered to themselves.

"Dragon... born?" She had repeated.

"It's a Nord legend. A person born with the soul of a dragon, able to learn their words and use them as a shout. You recall the talks of Stormcloak shouting the high king to death?"

"Yes, that's why I'm even here..."

You smiled. "Yes. That's what the dragon born does. Takes the very power a dragon has and transforms it into their own power." You rubbed her shoulder.

"But I'm not a Nord." She was protesting, not that you blamed her, this was just a little too big for any one person to take in at once.

Skjor shook his head. "You weren't a warrior before we trained you."

Farkas nodded. "What you are doesn't change what your soul is." You smiled as your brother spoke. "You taught me that." She smiled, which warmed your heart.

"Thank you... I just... I can't be. I'm..."

"One of us. You will always be." You pushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "We're your home, that won't change no matter how far you travel or how long your gone. No matter what you are, or what you grow into, you're still ours."

You watched her nod, smiling. "My heart will always be with you all." She took in a deep breath. "I'm just me. I don't feel any different, other than the way they're looking at me..." Irileth was talking to the guards about their silly superstitions.

"You're still the same to us." Farkas spoke up.

"There isn't anything you have to do with this information either." You squeezed her a little tighter. "The dragon is gone, Whiterun is safe."

"Hey... Dragonborn..." One of the guards spoke, seriously starting to piss you off. "Shout for us..."

Farkas growled under his breath, before Aela shook her head, placing a hand on his chest to back him away. "Easy boy. Hey. How would you feel if random people commanded you to do things? She's a companion. She demands as much respect as you'd give any of us."

"Aela is right." Irileth shook her head. "I know you Nords hold your legends dear but what is there to discuss other than you asking a poor woman to bark on command." She sighed. "It can't possibly be because you're hopeful." She looked to you all. "Go home, I'll report back to the Jarl."

"Thank you." She spoke, her voice still shaky. "Vilkas I..."

"Say no more, up all night studying up on the Dragonborn it is." You gave her a soft smile.