Skyrim: The Last Dragonborn (The Dragonborn Saga: Book 1)

Chapter 15: Egil

Her name was Elsyawen, Elsyawen Oakenpool. And she was lovely.

"Tell me a story, Master Skald," she said as she poured water into Egil's bathtub. 

Ale dribbled down the flanks of Egil's straw-colored beard. He let out a belch and he and Elsyawen laughed for a moment. By the Divines, he thought she was beautiful. Her body filled the thin mantle she wore and her skin smooth and young. The blessing of Mer was their eternal youth. 

"What kind of story, dear?" 

Elsyawen paused for moment as she retrieved a brush and horker-fat soap. "Maybe a brave adventure of yours?" she asked. "With the Dragonborn." She added quickly and Egil did his best to hide his scorn. 

"What kind of man was he like?" She asked, flashing her beautiful big doe-like eyes at him. 

Egil melted, and sank into the steaming water as Elsyawen rubbed the soap over his sore shoulders. Egil waved his hand through the steam and stammered. "He's not that interesting."

"But I want to know."

Telling stories had always come easy for the former student, yet, he found the words hard to roll off his silver tongue.

"A time ago, Roggnavar the Dragonborn and I went fishing."

"Fishing you say? Doesn't sound like an adventure story."

"Of course not, dear, but we weren't fishing for trout or Cyrodilic spadetail. No, we were fishing for Dragons. Yes, I remember. A Dragon had been spotted by the lake in Oakwood and had asked anyone if they could kill it. Few tried but they all failed. We were in Riverwood when we had gotten the word. Rogger had the strength of three giants and the courage of a thousand Nords but he did not know how to find the dragon over the lake. If we took a sailboat, we would be severely unmovable. What did we do? Well, my dear maiden, I devised a plan. We purchased a lamb from anyone we could find. Then we used branches and twigs to make the boat look like pieces of driftwood floating along. We rowed out to the middle of the lake where we set the lamb into the water and waited. So Rogger held onto the line when, all of a sudden, the line tugged.

"Roggnavar was a bit shaken but I encouraged my companion to hold on firmly. With his divine strength, he pulled the line. He heaved and heaved, till we were ready to reveal ourselves. A great dragon, green scales, and teeth as long as your whole body, snatched the lamb. Roggnavar stood mighty and tall, gripping the line hard, and headed back towards us. The beast hissed and lashed its tail. The sea swelled and our boat shook and rocked.

"'Dragonbane!' Roggnavar shouted. I did as he asked instantly and with great haste. I delivered his famous dragon-killing weapon. 'Egil, take the line!' He hollered over the dragon's roaring. So I did. I know, I did! I pulled the dragon towards us. When the Dragon turned its head up, opened its jaws, Roggnavar jumped and slashed. The blade sliced the mouth wide open and the dragon screamed. Then with his mighty Tongue, he shouted! The Dragon swirled into the air till it crashed into the lake! Quickly I paddled us to shore where the body was washed up."

"Oh Master Skald, you are so clever!"

"I am." He stroked his wet beard. "Roggnavar is the greatest man alive, and I swear by it! He is compassionate, caring for others, and a man who will do whatever it takes to save the people he loves. The people of Skyrim."

"But you Master Skald, are no different no?"

He felt her hand brush closer towards his crotch and his erection stiffened. He swallowed hard, admiring her shapely body.

"Um... n-no. For it was I, Egil Osmundersson, who made the clever plan to catch the dragon. It was I, who accepted the contract in the first place."

"Must have been so brave to watch a dragon charge straight towards you."

"Oh, it was nothing. I even saw Alduin up-close!"

Venessa took him by the groin and Egil couldn't help the groan escape.

"Enough about stories," he said. "How about you get rid of the clothes and come in here, aye?"

***

Egil returned to a former student's room with dried clothes and a warm feeling in his heart and cheeks. He felt really good, even had a slight skip to his step.

Ocellina sat on a bed near the window with a book in her lap. She had just finished applying a liquid from an amethyst-colored vial on her cheek. A distant scent of elderberries wafted the room. She picked up the book and continued reading. Her eyes critically scanned the pages and she would always hesitate a moment before turning the page. Egil closed the door behind him and lowered himself onto the bed.

"What are you reading?"

"Not one of your absurd tales for sure."

Egil felt the burn on his back. He tugged open the cork for a bottle of mead and watched the small hearth in the corner of the room near the door burn.

"You heard?"

"Hard not to. I was still in the other room... and yes, I heard everything else."

"Quite embarrassing."

"Using your friend's deeds to seduce all the maidens of Skyrim?"

"Not always but if they insist... I can't well deny it. I am a man with needs and sometimes those needs come before thoughts. What can I say? We aren't perfect."

Ocellina didn't peel her eyes from the pages.

"So what is that book? I've seen you reading it throughout the trip."

"I don't sing everything like you, bard."

"Can't even tell me the book?"

Her frustrated sigh filled the silence in the room. "If you insist. The Black Arts on Trial by Hannibal Traven, Archmagister of the Mages Guild in Cyrodiil."

"What is it about?"

"Traven's account of a debate about the study of necromancy and the Black Arts. He took counsel with Magister Voth Karlyss of Corinth and Magister Ulliceta gra-Kogg of Orsinium."

Egil raked his mind for the name and plot but it didn't come to him. "What fancies you about it?"

She didn't peel her eyes from the pages of her book.

"Do you really think Roggnavar is a good man?" 

Egil seemed momentarily stunned. The question caught him off guard as she quickly changed the subject. He had known Roggnavar a long time, they had been on countless adventures and had journeyed all over Skyrim. She had known each story he told all over since it was revealed Roggnavar was the Dragonborn.

"Yes," he answered blindly. "I do."

Ocellina didn't add much else. She closed up the book, dabbed a cloth with some of the liquid in the bottle, and applied it to her left cheek. She then stowed the bottle in her satchel and curled under the sheets.

Egil felt the exhaustion set in.

"Goodnight," he said. Then he went to bed.