Skyrim: Rise of the Dragonborn

Chapter 2: Tragedy Strikes

After they had eaten their fill, Beric's father retired to his study, where he usually read until he felt the urge to sleep; Reshi started on the dishes, and Beric went to his room, where he prepared for bed. He was needed at Nilhniin's shop early in the morning. Nilhniin was the wood elf that Beric was apprenticed to. Wood elves, unlike the high elves called Altmer, were mostly kind and generous people. They made many reasons to smile when there usually weren't any to be found. As he crawled into his bed and wrapped himself in his warm bed, he slowly began to drift off to a peaceful sleep.

Just when the sweet unconsciousness of sleep was tangible, there was a hard tapping on his window.

"What?" he thought sleepily as he raised his head. The tap became harder and more desperate, "Alright, alright, I'm coming," he knew it had to be Drake. When they were younger, he would sneak over and climb the side of the house so they could get into mischief. But that was when they were younger. What could he want now? He pulled the curtain away seeing Drake in a slight panic, "Drake?" Beric said pulling the window up and letting him in, "What's wrong?"

"They're coming!" he said quickly, "They're coming!"

"Wait, wait, who's coming?"

"The Altmer! They're saying your father is a traitor, and they're on their way here,"

"Wait, how do you know this? The Altmer wouldn't dare try anything against Father. He's too close to the Emporer,"

"Whether it makes sense or not, it's the truth. We have to warn him," Drake said rushing to the door and bolting down the stairs before Beric could stop him. He quickly followed and failed at stopping him from bursting into the study.

"What?! Drake? What is the meaning of this?" said his father being rudely awoken from dowsing off in his chair.

"There's a company of Altmer on their way to arrest you as a traitor!"

"What? That makes no sense! This had better not be a joke, Drake," He said rubbing his eyes with his hand.

"It's the truth. I overheard them talking about it with my own ears," Drake said before a moment of silence. Beric's father folded his arms and stroked his gray beard.

"You're sure?"

"Yes, sir,"

"Alright, what did you see?"

"Well, I was headed to borrow some cheese from the tavern owner 'cause my mother was out of it. When I got there, a hooded Altmer said that after he finished the drink he was on, they'd be heading straight here to arrest you. There was a name they mentioned. They said he'd be leading the soldiers. They were saying he was more than happy to be the one to arrest you. Some Mer by the name of...Aww, what was his name...It was something like Neccer...no, that wasn't it..."

"Necroman," Beric's father said quietly with a horror in his eyes that scared the breath out of Beric.

"Yeah, that's it," Drake nodded

"What is it father? Who is he?" Beric half shuddered. If his father showed fear, there was good reason to be afraid.

"He was quite possibly the most brutal general in the Aldemeri Dominion's army during the Great War. He...killed your mother in front of me," the room turned stone cold. Beric was speechless, "If he's coming, then we have no choice but to run. He's not coming to arrest us, Beric," he said stepping toward him, "He's coming to kill us and send our souls to Molag Bal," he said with anger and fear in his eyes. Beric started to tremble, "We must go. You too, Drake. If he finds out you warned us, he won't let you live, either," Beric's father said grabbing them both on the shoulder, "Reshi!" he called out marching out of the room, "We need to leave, now!" Beric and Drake looked at each other knowingly. They knew at that moment that they were not boys anymore...