Dragons, wolves and giants

Roads, Roads and Miles of Roads

I wake up to birds chirping outside my window, and the sounds of a bustling business beneath me. I reach over for my glasses only to not be able to find them. I sit up straight in bed looking around. I can see clearly the inn room around me.

"Oh right," I mutter remembering the events of yesterday. My body aches as I get off the wooden bed. I look around the room and note the tray of food on the table in the corner. I grab an apple and some cheese heading out of my room. I enter the main room to see Stormcloaks gathered around some tables drinking. The man who gave me my room the night before is serving them.

I walk over to him and wait to be noticed. A few Stormcloaks nod at my outfit.

"Hello there, are you done with your room for the day?" The owner asks. I nod stretching a little bit.

"Okay I'll send someone in to clean it out in a moment. Would you like some food and drink?" the owner shows me the food behind the counter.

"Do you have anything that isn't alcohol?" I ask, and the owner starts laughing.

"Nope, all the water is to filled with mudcrabs and slaughterfish to get and the cows milk doesn't taste to good," he looks at me smiling.

"However I do have some watered down mead if that is more what your looking for," he offers me a bottle.

"Sure and I'll have a sweetroll too," I give him the eight coins he asks for payment. I move to an empty table in the corner to eat. A shadow falls over the table and I look up. It's Ralof and he has a dish with food too.

"I see you had the same thought as the rest of us. Come here and sleep off what happened at Helgen," he sits in front of me without asking. I nod continuing to nibble at my sweetroll.

"Nobody from Helgen has reached town yet, so if you want I can introduce you to Gerdur," he takes a drink of mead. I open my bottle and smell it. It doesn't seem anything like I thought it would. It has a strong wheat smell mixed in with some honey. I take a small taste, only to find the honey covers the taste of alcohol.

"I would like that very much," I respond and Ralof raising an eyebrow at me. I finishing drinking the mead quickly and head out.

Across from the inn is a blacksmiths shop, and next to that shop is the mill. Ralof pushes past me in a run to get to the mill.

"Gerdur!" He calls out to a woman standing by a table. I walk up and stand on the edge of the conversation.

"Brother! Mara's mercy, it's good to see you!" Gerdur looks like she is about to cry.

"Gerdur," Ralof gives his sister a hug.

Gerdur hugs him back for a few seconds before speaking again, "But is it safe for you to be here? We heard that Ulfric had been captured."

"Gerdur, I'm fine. At least now I am," his voice is gentle. I shift my weight from one foot to another feeling awkward.

"Are you hurt? What happened?" she continues to ask him questions before noticing me, "And who's this? One of your comrades?"

I shake my head but Ralof answers for me, "Not a comrade yet, but a friend. I owe her my life."

Gerdur looks at me suspiciously, so I say "My name is Zoe Barker I was suppose to be killed along with your brother." Her eyes lose the frosty glare.

"Is there somewhere we can talk? There's no telling when the news from Helgen will reach the Imperials," Ralof lowers his voice.

"Helgen? Has something happened?" Gerdur starts walking towards a tree to the side of the mill, "Hod! Come here a minute. I need your help with something."