The Last Dragonborn

Chapter 12

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When I woke Jora was standing over me. I blinked in confusion and it took me a moment to realize I was laying in a bed in one of the guest rooms upstairs in Ulfric's palace. The last memory I had was the smell and feel of Ulfric picking me up as I lost consciousness down in the kitchens. Which meant he had carried me unconscious across his palace, again. I huffed out a frustrated breath and flopped back down against the pillow.

"My lady, are you quite all right? Is the pain terrible?"Jora asked in a gentle voice that was laced with concern.

I sighed a second time, frustrated to find myself once again injured in Ulfric's palace. It appeared the knife wound was worse than I realized and in waiting to be healed I had passed out from blood loss. I was never going to hear the end of it.

"The pain in manageable," I assured Jora and it wasn't a lie. I was frustrated with the situation but didn't want the kind healer to think I was angry with her.

"It appears Windhelm does not agree with your constitution Dragonborn," Jora said gently if a little reproachfully.

"You' may be right," I agreed. I moved a little, testing my wound. I grimaced as it pulled painfully with the slightest movement.

"I'm waiting for the healing potion before I close it," Jora said apologetically.

I nodded and pushed myself up on my elbows, gritting my teeth against the pain. The blanket slid down. The beautiful dress was gone and I was left only in my undergarments. My entire stomach was wrapped in bandages, already I could see where the blood was soaking through the clean white linen. I was more hurt than I realized.

The door swung open and a young man rushed in with a red potion bottle in his hand. He held it out to Jora. His eyes flickered to me and widened when he recognized my state of undress. He quickly backed out of the room stammering apologies. I rolled my eyes. There wasn't much to see. The bandages covered most of the exposed skin.

The young man stumbled over his feet in his haste to get out of the room. As he turned to make his escape he slammed into Ulfric's chest as he appeared in the doorway. I feared the young man might wet himself on the spot. Ulfric's face was a cold mask of fury. The young man bowed repeatedly and slid to the side. Once he was free, the door slammed shut behind him.

Ulfric had not taken his eyes off of me the entire time. His rage seemed to fill the room. I quickly looked away, hating that I felt vulnerable and exposed when he got to be mad. I wanted to be mad. I was the one who got stabbed.

"You didn't have to scare him,"
I growled at him. Maybe if I provoked him I could become mad enough that I wouldn't feel vulnerable anymore.

Ulfric's jaw however was set and angry. He said nothing in response.

"It's not his fault I failed to save Arivanya," I growled. "If you're going to be angry with anyone be angry with me."

"Oh I am," Ulfric assured me.

I turned back to Jora. Jora uncorked the bottle and moved to slide her hand behind my shoulders to help, but I waved her off, snatching the bottle from her hand. Pain flared through my stomach and I nearly fell. I set my jaw against it as I drank the entire contents down.

"Lay back," Jora ordered gently.

I did as I was told although my muscles gave out against the onslaught of pain when I was inches from the mattress. I grunted and I could hear Ulfric shift and make a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. If he was here to yell at me he was going to have to wait his turn.