The Adventures Of Fjord

The End?

Fjord smiled sheepishly.

"Not all the time, you scaly idiot. Probably just a few times."

"But why, Fjord? That completely defies logic. Now that he has no use for you, what makes you think he won't just eat you?"

"You have a point, Foahdinok. That's also why I'm doing it. I'm not living in a hole, waiting for adventure to come to me."

"What about my life debt?"

"Ohhhhh, that. I think you've done enough to be free, but if you wouldn't mind still being my friend, I dunno if dragons do that sort of thing...." Fjord trailed off, feeling awkward.

The frost dragon paused, considering this statement. He'd never been truly "friends" with anyone other than Tilpaar, and she was more like a sister.

"I suppose. Are we going to part ways now?" A certain bronzy dragoness interrupted them by yelling.

"GUYS. HURRY IT UP. I DON'T LIKE SAPPY GOODBYES!" Foahdinok turned to her and gave her a look before nudging Fjord with his snout.

"I wish you luck, and a long life. We will meet again sometime, I am certain. I will be at my cave, staying with Tilpaar if you want to visit." Fjord hugged the frost dragons' snout, well, as best he could.

"Don't poke my nostrils, Dovahkiin." With one last look at Fjord, the two ascended into the air, their wingbeats blowing air directly into his already messy fur. Fjord was now alone with the World-Eater, not a great idea. Wait, Paarthurnax was still here, meditating or something. He'd be fine...

Alduin sat next to the pile of rocks, staring at Miraxsil's upper body and head. Dust covered her usually glossy scales, making her look dull and aged. Her horns now had quite a few chips in them, making them lopsided. Fjord walked over to Alduin, but not too close. This was, in a word, awkward.

"Would you mind me occasionally camping near your cave?" Alduin didn't even avert his eyes from Miraxsil's body as he responded.

"Why might you want to do that? I don't understand."

"Well, I suppose it would be good to keep my old allies, and you seem the hardest to promote positive relations with, given the fact you eat mortals..." The World-Eater paused and turned around, now facing Fjord. He felt absolutely minuscule compared to him...

"A good reason. I suppose you may, if you aren't annoying. Then I might eat, or kill you. In return, you do not kill me and devour my soul. Deal?" Fjord hardly held back a snort. Him killing Alduin? He couldn't kill a normal dragon, let alone the World-Eater...

"Do you even think I could kill you? I agree to our terms."

"Good. I'm going to stay here. You can go now, either with Paarthurnax, or walk. If you can convince him to carry you."

Fjord left Alduin be, and walked over the elder Dovah, who was currently meditating. He didn't look like he wanted to be disturbed. He gently tapped Paarthurnax's tail, hoping to not get an earful.

"Um, Paarthurnax, would it be too much to ask for a ride to somewhere near Alduin's cave, or anywhere warmish...?" The elder Dovah turned around to face Fjord, huffing slightly and giving him a glare.

"Fine. I suppose this will only take a few minutes anyway." Paarthurnax grabbed Fjord gently in his mouth, putting him on his back, nearly impaling him on one of his blunt spikes. Fjord grunted, and laid down flat on his back, body wedged between the spikes uncomfortably.

"Let's just get this over with, can you take me somewhere nearish to Alduin's cave?"

"Yes." Paarthurnax took into the air, jostling Fjord and heading toward their destination.

Alduin still sat near Miraxsil's body, looking at her. He wanted to pay his respects, but didn't know how. For about ten minutes, he sat there, thinking, only accompanied by the elements and wildlife. An idea struck him, he could potentially do what the mortals did, as she spent most of her younger life with them. A flower. He walked on his wings over to the nearby greenery, thistles and mountain flowers were everywhere. He reached down with his jaws, ripping an entire thistle plant out of the ground. He shook it, dirt flying, before bringing it back to where she was buried. Alduin sat the thistle plant, roots and all, on her crown of horns.

Pleased and satisfied, he took off, heading towards his lair. He had a feeling he'd be seeing a certain annoying Khajiit there...

Once they were near the lair, Paarthurnax descended, landing with a thump. Fjord couldn't dismount fast enough, Paarthurnax was clearly wanting to return to his mountaintop. Once he was off of the dragon, he gave him a thumbs up, and grinned at him.

"Have a nice day on your mountain, or whatever it is. I'll probably visit again sometime!" Paarthurnax took off, leaving Fjord on the ground there.

Fjord had next to nothing on him, other than his dinged up armor and arrows, a tiny pocket knife, and his knowledge. His sword and bow were gone, along with his bag. Fjord walked the small distance to the boulder that concealed the lair, and began to set up camp. Alduin arrived soon after he had gathered stones for a firepit.

"You Joore are so fragile. Always needing comforts..." He huffed, nudging the boulder forward and descending into his lair without another word. Fjord rolled his eyes. Condescending bastard... He wouldn't do too well as a mortal.

By the end of the day, Fjord had carved out a bowl, had some blue mountain flowers and thistle leaves as a supper, with a few larvae he'd found. He'd also finished his firepit, along with a bed of dead plant matter and dried mud. He'd cover himself in pine branches overnight. It tasted about as well as he'd expected, weird but edible. You couldn't be picky in the wilderness. After he finished the meal, feeling satisfied. He could use his fire breath shout to light the fire, but first he had to build one.

"Yol!" The wood and leaves he'd gathered lit ablaze, crackling cheerily in the evening light. Fjord smiled. He could get used to this...