Bold: I agree !!


Er...but if I'm not mistaken, she already chose who she was following. It said Nord, I assumed that was Ralof.

My character went running around in the yard trying to loot (because I am a total idiot and forgot my hands were tied) - and never got injured by the dragon, lol. Finally gave up and went through the routine as the Dev's planned I should, lol.

Great Write, Saquira !!

Thank you guys

Is Halldir a Nord as well? I thought he was an Imperial... Oh well, he's an Imperial in my story now at the very least. If I change the story to his advantage that is. Anyway, she did choose to go after Ralof in case that was in any way unclear.

Well yeah Robert...I mean you just go through the whole two chapters and then miss the last two paragraphs...*Slaps forehead*...

Right, yes...Ekali did indeed choose Ralof...But I think that although Halldir is in the Legion, he's got the Nord voice hasn't he?...He's big enough anyways... ...I haven't seen him for a while though... ...

With my character J'Drell, I piddled about watching Alduin for a bit...Then he killed me...J'Drell was unimpressed... ...

Er, Hadvar is a Nord.

I'm enjoying this, Saquira!

McBadgere: I recalled it when you said it. I've only chosen the Imperials once in the beginning, so i never see him that much.

Grits: Oh, Hadvar I'll have to go and change that. That's what I get for being lazy and not checking with the wiki when I forget something. Thank you by the way!

He's an Imperial by faction, a Nord by birth if I'm not mistaken. All of the Nords in Skyrim are divided by this civil war, siding with either the Stormcloaks or with the Imperials that have always ruled them in the past.

So she chose the Cloak eh? I wasn't sure who she would go with, though I guessed incorrectly that her legion ties would make her decide to trust Hadvar.

mALX: I know there are Nords on each side, never actually considered which race Hadvar is.

King Coin: I decided her allegiance pretty early on. If I felt that someone betrayed me so completely like I think she considers the Imperials to have done, I wouldn't join them again if something like that happens. That doesn't mean she won't be feeling like a traitor though.

This chapter is short as well, but it felt right to break it of at the point I did. I'm already quite tired of the opening sequence to be honest, and so won't be following my plan with it.

Chapter 2.4 No going back

It was oddly quiet inside the keep when Ralof had closed the doors, only the distant screams witnessed to the horror taking place outside. They walked into the circular entry-room, their eyes on the dead Stormcloak by the table.

“Blasted Imperials,” he cursed. “You can take poor Gunjar's armour. I'll check the doors and keep a look-out in case anyone is coming,” he continued without looking at her and walked over to one of the doors. Ekali looked at him briefly before crouching down and stripping the soldier of his chain-mail and cloth armour. Then she donned it with ease, making a few extra holes in the belt using her claws so that it fit around her waist. She took his pack as well, and hung the short-sword she'd found on the belt together with the soldiers axe. A few coins jingled when she touched his pouch, and she tied that to the belt as well.

Ralof had stopped next to one of the doors when she came up next to him, and he gestured for her to stand on the other side of it. Doing so, Ekali soon heard the footsteps of two soldiers. One pair of feet with steel boots, and one with leather. That they were unfamiliar with sneaking was evident.

Since she hadn't seen steel boots on any of the Stormcloaks, Ekali drew the short-sword with her left hand and readied her flame spell in the right. Ralof nodded when he saw it, pulling out his axe.

The two listened tentatively to the steps coming closer to the door, then a key was put in the lock and it swung open to admit them. The captain and the soldier saw the two ex-prisoners immediately, barely drawing their swords before rushing at them. The soldier brought his sword down on Ekali and she deflected it hurriedly, stepping so that Ralof were no longer in her firing range before bringing her right hand up to engulf the Imperial soldier in fire.

The captain's reaction to the screams left her guard down, allowing Ralof to hack at the space between her shoulder plates and helmet. The woman slumped to the floor moments later, next to the still burning soldier whose suffering Ekali had just ended.

They stood there for a moment before cleaning the weapons, putting them back in their scabbards and stooping by the captain. The soldier had become almost unrecognisable, nothing but a charred corpse left. Searching the captain, they found several keys as well as some money. While Ralof took the keys to try them in one of the other doors in the room, Ekali pocketed the money and stood up before casting a last look at the soldier and asking the Eight to accept their souls in Aetherius.

“There's no way back now is there,” she said, stopping by the door that Ralof held open for her. Her gaze looked absent when she said it, a look of mourning on her face, and he furrowed his brows at the odd question.

“What?” the Nord asked in return.

“I spent more than half my life as an Imperial forester. Even if I meet my friends again I'll never be able to look them in the eyes.” Ralof looked at the dead soldiers with surprise written on his face. Then he looked at the khajiit for a moment when she started down the stairs, shook his head and hurried after her. They could talk about it later.

Choices, they are what shape our lives, I am anxious to see how the choice Ekali made will change the rest of hers.

I am appreciating Ekali's turmoil, faced with choices when there is really no time to weigh them. I have gotten the sense though that her moral character along with instinct will prove valuable in the choice she made.

Great write and impatiently waiting for more...

Awww...Giving up so soon? ...Shame...But I'm sure whatever you choose will be most excellent!... ...

Nice chapter though...Brilliantly described...

*Applauds*...

Nice one!... ...

Yikes, I hated that captain, but it would still be difficult to kill her and the soldier given Ekali's situation and past. My character trusted Hadvar as a person, not necessarily the legion.

Thank you guys, hehe, no update today either. I'm changing my posting time to once a week, and no specific day this time. I did however post some pictures of Ekali over in my Skyrim pictures thread, so you can check that out now Still here? Ehm...

chirp.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Having been betrayed by the Empire, Ekali was shipped of to Skyrim to face her execution. An unplanned stop in Helgen led to her freedom when a dragon attacked just as she was about to get her head chopped of, and when left with little time to decide she followed a Stormcloak out of the town which meant that she had to kill Imperials. Next, we find out exactly what's up with Saerdur Lawgiver.

Chapter 2.5 A visit from Vaermina

The darkness was seeping cold, the torch she held barely lit up a three feet circle around her. Noticing the white mist she made when she breathed, she looked around. Her tail was moving slowly, closer to her body than usual and she heard a shuffle in the distance before the dark was penetrated by the sound of a collapsing roof and someone's scream. Crouching down to avoid being taken of her feet, the khajiit waited for the shaking to subside before she stood again.

The floor was sticky when she continued down the corridor, and upon reaching the blockage she knew would be there, the white khajiit turned left to a door by the side. It came open on it's own volition, and though nothing but darkness was visible, she stepped through.

The darkness broke up just as the the sword swung at her, and she brought her broadsword up in a parry. The imperial sidestepped and swung again, but she felled him with a quick strike to the knees, and then brought the point of the blade down into his chest. With his dying gasp, the man’s features changed, and she started at the sight of Janus. A woman yelled out from the corner, and the room lit up completely to show the khajiit her surroundings.

Bypassing the entrails on the walls, and the rotting flesh around her feet, the khajiit's eyes landed on the Dunmer across from her, and though she called out no sound was heard when Neven's cold eyes fell upon her and his blade went through her abdomen.

Ekali sat up with a start, looking around once before breaking into silent tears. The night was cool, the sky lit up by the light from the warrior's stone she'd touched the day before. A bright aurora covered the sky, and Ralof was sitting against a tree-trunk on the other side of the camp. He was looking at her with a wondering expression.

“What?” she asked when she'd composed herself, making an effort to get the salt away from her fur.

“Just trying to figure you out. Whatever for did you have to attack that bear?” he asked, and Ekali shrugged, turning her head to stare into the fire between them. She'd stretched the bear pelt out next to them after cleaning it, and the remains of the doe they'd hunted down was concealed in a sack. She'd stopped him from throwing them away by saying they'd be good to use in some potions.

“Good bowman-ship anyway, wouldn't have expected it from someone who...” he stopped briefly before switching the subject, and the khajiit seemed to ignore the slip-up. “What happened to make the Empire want to execute you anyway?”

“False accusation of murdering the son of Riften's Jarl, Saerdur Lawgiver, a couple of weeks ago,” she said, voice almost devoid of emotion.

“Obviously. Saerdur ain't dead. The Jarl put him in house arrest until he can control his tongue, he's been slandering the name of Ulfric Stormclak, saying the Empire is the one we should trust. Complete mammoth tripe of course, they'll do nothing but raise our temples to the ground and give the Thalmor access to anyone they consider a heathen.” When he turned his eyes to Ekali again, she was looking at him with anger evident in her eyes.

“Why exactly are you fighting the Empire? I heard something about the Thalmor insulting one of your war heroes, but never really got any clear explanations,” she said and watched his expression darken as well.

“Seems nothing but lies comes out of the mouths of the Empire these days. Typical of them to distort the truth. Ysmir, or Tiber Septim as he's also called, was the greatest war hero to ever have lived. When he died he ascended to god-hood, and the Eight divines became the Nine Divines. The Thalmor wish to end our worship of him, and since the Empire are pawns of the Thalmor, we fight them,” Ralof practically snarled, and Ekali nodded in understanding. She could understand that. They sat in silence for a while before he spoke up again. “Do you have any plans? The Stormcloaks could use a fighter such as yourself, should you wish to join us.”

“I don't know. I've never been outside Cyrodiil before, or even considered what I would do if I ended up somewhere else. She spent so much time teaching me to fight, but never said what exactly it was she wanted me to do with it,” Ekali lowered her voice, only speaking to herself, when she uttered the last sentence. Yet Ralof heard it, and raised his eyebrows.

“Who exactly?” he asked. Ekali sighed, looking around them. She took in the stillness and the running water, almost allowing herself to relax before she turned back to him.

“I suppose most would call her my mother, though the only way that is true is because she raised me. I knew her as Dar'Ilthi, and I haven't seen her shadow since I left for the Imperial City.” Ekali looked away from him again, at the running river beneath their camp site.

“Isn't that the leader of the Dark Brotherhood?” Ralof asked, and Ekali's eyes grew wider.

“What!? She's a member of... I knew she was a thief, but that..!?” The two stayed silent for a while afterwards, just staring into space, but then Ralof shook his head.

“We should try to get some sleep. You are welcome to go with me to Riverwood tomorrow, my sister lives there with her husband. You can make up your mind of what to do afterwards,” he said, and Ekali nodded. Both of them lay down on the hard ground again, and after a little while nothing could be heard but the sighing of the wind in the trees as they fell into sleep.

Excellent chapter!!...

Don't worry, we can guess the bits that were missed... ...

Nice secne that...Ralof is cool...

These dreams are a bit scary aren't they...Very vividly done...*Applauds*...

At least we know she's innocent...And I loved the chat about the Empire and stuff...

Dark Brotherhood? Blimey...She gets about a bit... ...

Most brilliant, as ever...

Nice one!!... ...

*Applauds heartily*...

*shiver* yea we hate those dreams, brrrr.

The dialog between Ekali and Ralof was well done using it to give us a lot of information. The dream scene was very well written too, glad I waited til this morning to read it instead of reading it before bed last night...

I am enjoying the story immensely do keep going will you, please? Anxious for more.

Nasty dream. She's definitely feeling like she betrayed her friends.

I liked getting to know Ekali through Ralof. Dark Brotherhood? I hope she doesn't get involved with them!

I thought the dream was very well done. I like how you’re giving some clues about Ekali’s past. Now I’m wondering the same way she is.

WHOA !! You slipped in a surprise with that one !!! Awesome Write !!!

Wow, Ekali was brought up by the head honcho (well, honchess, I guess) of the Brotherhood? Yeesh, that's going to have interesting consequences for the story to come.

Thank you for the great comments guys! I was afraid the dream wasn't scary enough

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali had a nightmare about killing her friends, and when the morning came she found out from Ralof that Saerdur Lawgiver had only been placed under house arrest. They talked a lot before falling asleep, among other things about why the Stormcloaks are fighting the Empire, and what she should do next. Next, she gets a job.

Chapter 2.6 You don't look like a Faendal.

It was early in the morning when the khajiit and the Nord approached Riverwood. The sun was shining, though there was a slight chill in the air. The pair stayed quiet when they walked, but didn't notice the people whom were looking at them.

The black-furred female leaned leisurely against her companion as she watched the two walk along the road. They'd chosen the place to watch from since it gave them a good view of most of Riverwood, while still concealing them from the watchful eyes of other people. The male khajiit with the copper fur had his arm around her waist, and his chin rested on the top of her head.

Sighing, the female pressed a kiss to the lips of her mate before stepping away. “She's wearing fur. Fur! One little spark and she'll go up in flames!” She said, and the male shrugged.

“So? Will the cub need protection against fire?” the male asked, trying to get a hold of her again. Frowning, the female pushed him away again, throwing a glance at the couple walking into Riverwood.

Screenshot

“Very much so. I must go and fetch her something, will you watch her? Make sure nothing happens?” The female looked at him, something akin to love in her eyes.

“Ma'Zhirr will do anything for you dearest,” the male answered, a sly grin on his face as he took in her lithe body. The female frowned at him, but kissed him one last time before pulling her mask up and mounting the black horse whom had been standing behind them. Ma'Zhirr watched her go before turning towards the town again. He saw the other two talking to some people, and then they entered a house together. Sitting down to watch, the male caught a butterfly that came to close, and started picking its wings apart for entertainment.

* * *

It was loud in the tavern despite the recent dragon sighting, and Ekali would've had trouble finding a spot if not for Ralof. He sat across from her, though she had not held his attention for long. He was talking to some other men at a nearby table. They were wearing commoner clothes both of them, having left the armour at the house.

She was staring into her third mug of mead with a frown on her face, and thus not many bothered her. One of those who did though, was the bard sitting nearby. He'd been singing “The Dragonborn comes” and was walking over to her after taking a few sips from his mug.

“You wouldn’t want to make some money would you?” the bard asked when he came closer, and the female looked up at him.

“What would it involve?” she asked, drinking another mouthful of the familiar drink. The bard smiled in an attempt to appear charming, and sat down next to her. Ralof wasn't paying attention, he'd taken to flirting with one of the serving wenches.

“Oh, just delivering this note to Camilla Valerius and telling her it's from Faendal.” The Nord smiled again, and the khajiit frowned.

“You don't look like a Faendal,” she answered him and took another swig.

“That's because I'm Sven. Faendal is my rival, and the treehugger shouldn’t be allowed to court such a lovely lady. I want him out of the picture.” The bard looked at the khajiit, not noticing the smile on her lips as she'd once again raised her mug.

“Sure, I'll help you,” she said, and the Nord smiled in response. Then he got up and left the table after handing Ekali the note. She took a look at it before leaving some septims on the table and standing up to leave. Then she nodded to Ralof and walked out the door.

A cold wind blew outside when she made her way towards the trader's house. Though it was long after closing hours, chances were the door would still be open to visitors.

Hearing raised voices from within, Ekali raised her hand and knocked on the door. The house grew quiet before footsteps approached the door and someone unlocked it. Camilla Valerius was, upon opening, surprised to see a white-furred khajiit in the opening, but none the less she invited the woman in.

“Thank you, I'm Ekali. Sven asked me to give you this and say it was from Faendal,” she said and held out the paper to Camilla whom looked through it quickly.

“It seems I'd do best not to choose Sven then,” Camilla said and sighed before smiling warmly at Ekali.

“That's all good and well, but to get back to the matter at hand you're not going after those bandits! Not today, tomorrow or even after five years of swordsmanship lessons!” Camilla's brother said with his hands flailing. Giving Ekali an apologetic smile, the Imperial woman turned back to him.

“Then who's going to do it? We can't afford to loose that claw, it's the only heirloom left to us! It's our only insurance if things should go wrong!” Camilla raged at him, and the man's eyes turned to Ekali.

“What about her? She wears armour. What do you say about earning some coin?” he asked Ekali, and Camilla turned to the khajiit again.

“What would I have to do exactly?” the khajiit asked hesitantly.

“Some bandits stole our golden claw. They've taken up refuge in Bleak Falls Barrow, just to the north west of here. We don't know how many there might be, but there might be other creatures there as well. Skeevers of course, and maybe draugr,” Camilla answered, and her brother glared at her when she mentioned draugr.

“The draugr are fairy tales,” he snapped. “No use in scaring her of is there?”

“What are skeevers and draugr?” Ekali asked with a frown before Camilla could answer.

“Skeevers are huge and hostile rats. Draugr are the walking dead. They're rumored to have served the dragons once,” the brother said while looking at the khajiit.

“I'm not unfamiliar with undead. I'll help you.” Ekali looked at the two when the man burst into a smile.

“Splendid, absolutely splendid. I'm Lucan Valerius,” he said before taking her hand and shaking it.

“Good to meet you Lucan. Now, where is this Barrow located?” Ekali asked, looking at both of them.

“I'll show you in the morning. Do you have a place where you're staying?” Camilla asked and Lucan left the women to go upstairs.

“Yes, I do.” With that, they said good bye and the khajiit left to go and get ready for bed. Though she did not regret offering her help, she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that she'd taken on more than she could handle.

Uh oh, that horse looks familiar !!!



I can picture the whole scene with the couple from the way you have described it, but this sentence was like icing on the cake - really cool little detail !!

Awesome Write !!

Nicely done!!...

Loved it...

I do like Riverwood...It's nice...

My first character flattened a dragon there...Quaint... ...

I do like Khajiit...There should be more in Skyrim...

*Robert will not go off on one about bad game writing again*...

Aaamywho...

Excellent!!...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

mALX: It does doesn't it? I loved that little detail myself, being both a cat and a Dark Brotherhood member it seemed really natural for him to do it. Glad i'm not the only one that liked it. Thank you ^^

McBadgere: Thank you. Several of my characters have taken down a dragon in Riverwood, but I like it the most because of the environment. And I absolutely love khajiit, them not existing in a greater number is one of the few things I don't like about Skyrim.

Oh I like the screens that go with the story.

The contrast between the Female and the Male is neat. He seems like a common thug with his actions and attitude. She's got a plans though.

I like Ekali’s way of handling Sven’s request!

she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that she'd taken on more than she could handle.
Oh, she has no idea!

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Meeting Sven at the inn, Ekali gave his note to Camilla Valerius, delivering a message he didn't want her to. This led to employment however, as it turned out that the Valerius siblings had had something stolen from them, a golden claw. Next, Ekali sets out to fetch the claw, and meets a friend on the way.

Chapter 3.1 Into Bleak Falls Barrow

The arrow flew past Ekali's head as she made her way up the slope in the clean snow. She ducked to the side, taking cover behind a rock and looked out and up at the Barrow carefully. Several bandits patrolled outside, and the archer who'd shot at her stood on a small platform that jutted out from the main structure. He hadn't raised the alarm yet, and his friends where too far away to see them.

Pulling out the Imperial bow she'd gotten of one of the soldiers, Ekali stringed it quickly and nocked an arrow that she preceded to aim at the bandit lookout. Another arrow went past her, sticking in the ground a few feet away, and she drew the string back further before releasing the deadly missile.

The bandit went down quietly, falling of the platform into a huge pile of snow beneath. The khajiit made sure no one had noticed his disappearance before leaving the cover of the boulder, and half ran to the steps that would take her to the barrow.

Crouching at the top of the steps, she nocked another arrow and aimed at the closest bandit. This one was walking back and forth across the platform, occasionally leaving the line of sight of his companions. She could see then that all of the bandits wore fur armour just like the one she'd found before they reached Riverwood.

Releasing the arrow, Ekali cursed silently when it clattered on the stone surface just beyond the bandit who turned towards the noise and called out to his companions. Ekali quickly hung the bow over her back, taking a firm grip around the handle of her new great-sword before pulling it out of its sheath. The closest bandit turned and saw her then, and with a snarl he pulled out his rusty axe before rushing at her. Knowing that the small axe would do little against her sword, Ekali placed herself so that she was ready to either deflect it or strike at the bandit depending on the circumstances.

Screenshot

She got little chance to do so however, as a grey blur bounded past her and straight at the bandit. Before the man had a chance to react, the wolf got his jaws around his throat and tore at it. Ekali stood stunned for a moment, merely staring at the animal, but was brought back to the current moment when one of the bandits yelled out.

Leaving her shock for later, the khajiit lowered her sword and went for the next one. A Redguard woman came at her, and Ekali deflected her sword into the hard stone which allowed her to swing at the other woman when she tried to recover. The Redguard took a step back, and clumsily blocked the swing instead of deflecting it. The impact jarred both of them, and so it was that Ekali breathed a sigh of relief when the wolf went past her to attack the man coming up next to the Redguard.

Having recovered more quickly than the other woman, the khajiit brought her sword up again, and though the Redguard tried to block she tripped over the wolf who was fighting the man behind her. Ekali's sword tore through the fur armour and the dark skin with ease, and the Redguard went limp after a few moments of struggling.

Meanwhile, the male wolf skipped out of the way of the man's war hammer with light movements, coming from the side to snap at his knees. The man’s hammer wasn't light enough for him to be able to move at the speed of the animal, and he gave a guttural growl when he felt the sharp teeth rip through his flesh in the space between the iron pieces.

He swung his hammer around as he tumbled down and though the wolf quickly got out of the way, the khajiit had no time to react to what happened around her, and so the weapon connected with her left ankle just when the wolf got a hold around the outlaws throat.

When the wolf let go and looked over at the khajiit, she was bent over in pain, clutching at her broken ankle. He whined, not sure what to do, and Ekali made a soothing sound while still focusing on the wound. So the wolf sat back on his haunches, simply tilting his head slightly when the bright light started swirling around the woman.

She stood up after a while, hesitantly putting weight on her left leg, and let out the breath she'd been holding when only a slight pain spiralled up.

Screenshot

“It's not completely fixed, but it'll have to do at the moment.” Ekali sighed tiredly, and looked over at the wolf for the first time since he showed up. He stood up again, looking over at her in the bright light before coming up slowly to put his muzzle against her side. “Hi there Gladio.” She smiled this time, barely having to crouch to put her arms around him to hold him close. He whimpered and licked her face before resting his head on her shoulder while she put her face in his fur.

They stayed like that for a long time, simply taking comfort from each others presence. Then she pulled back, and Gladio barked happily when she straightened up and picked her sword up from the ground.

Using a legion sign to tell Gladio to follow, she slowly ascended the stone steps to the entrance and pushed the door open.

Screenshot

The dome-like entrance took Ekali's breath away when they stepped in and gazed at the ceiling. Rays of sunlight shone in through the large openings in it, and carving covered the walls. The pillars in the middle obstructed their view, and she stepped to the right of them to see further in.

Stepping back quickly upon seeing the two bandits, she signalled for Gladio to be ready before she took the bow of her back and crouched down where she could see the outlaws. He stood beside her when she rested the bow stave on the floor, nocking an arrow that she aimed at the bandit on the left. He carried a great-axe on his back, and would pose the greatest danger to the wolf when Gladio attacked.

So she took a deep breath, and pulled the arrow back so its feathers grazed her cheek before letting it fly. The man fell forwards, the shaft of the missile buried in his back, and the bandit woman spun on the spot, quickly finding Ekali's white shape. Gladio set of then, just as the outlaw drew her bow, and he pushed her to the floor when he leapt upon her.

Ekali came up to him slowly so as to not make her injury worse, and the wolf turned from the dead bandit to look upon her wonderingly. Smiling, Ekali sat by the fire at which the bandits had been standing, patting the bedroll next to her for Gladio to lie down. As he did so, she closed her eyes and wrapped her hand around her ankle, then a soft light swirled around her as she used her magic to heal it further.

She gazed around the place wearily when she opened her eyes again, before looking back at the wolf.

“You'll stand guard won't you? I need to rest before we continue, and I cannot do so without your help.” She put her hand on his head, and he gently held her hand in his mouth before he nodded. Smiling, Ekali sighed and lay down on the bedroll as Gladio stood, walking over to the passage leading to the rest of the barrow.

Author's note: The mod that now allows Gladio to accompany Ekali was made by Subrosa, and can be found here: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9948

You needed a mod for the game before he followed her in the story?... ...Fair dues... ...

Excellently done btw!!...

I love this story!!... ...*Applauds*...

Nicely handled with the broken ankle...I always thought that healing wounds was easy, but what about something more complex like bones?...Very well done that...

And the wolf is just so sweet!!... ...

Nice one!!... ...

*Applauds heartily*...

A Khajiit with a great sword! I'm glad Gladio was near when Ekali started this, that mistake with the hammer would have costed her. She would have had to turn around assuming she survived the fight.

And it's finally done! I've had way to much to think about lately, and then I set out to write a fight with a giant spider. I have no idea of how a giant spider would fight if it existed in the real world, but I do hope this worked out.

McBadgere: Um yeah, I can't really explain that . Thank you

King Coin: If Gladio hadn't been there she'd also have had to handle four bandits on her own. As a forester, having been exposed, I don't think she'd have had much chance. She wouldn't have lived long enough for the mistake with the hammer to have time to happen. She's good for a forester, but not that good. So yeah, there are several positives about Gladio arriving when he did.

Warning! And right, if you have a weak stomach or have a problem with spiders you might not want to read the first part of this chapter. I think you have to be very sensible to not be able to handle it, but you never know.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali arrived at Bleak Falls Barrow, and launched her attack on the group of bandits residing there. Having lost the moment of surprise, she was both happy and shocked to find that the wolf Gladio had come to join her. Breaking her ankle in the ensuing battle, as short as it was, it took a while before she could properly greet her friend. That accomplished, they took out the two bandits in the first area of the barrow before Ekali laid down to rest, knowing that Gladio would stand guard over her.

Chapter 3.2 Otherworldly creatures

The cobwebs stretched from the ground all the way up to the roof in the passageway, and Ekali shivered at the thought of what must have created them. Gladio got stuck with his leg in some of it, and she had to bring out her fletching knife to free him, after which he walked with his tail almost between his legs.

The wolf was whining by the time they heard the panicked calls for help, and the khajiit drew her great-sword before leaning around the next corner. Cobwebs completely covered the archway, and she brought her sword up to slash at them. A growl arose from the wolf as he walked past her when she was finished, treading carefully into the large room. Ekali followed close behind him, sword ready as her eyes swept the room.

As the great creature dropped from the ceiling it shook the ground, and Ekali looked over it with fear when her eyes found the beast. Clapping its mandibles together, the giant spider started forward as Gladio growled at it and circled to the right. He bounded forward and closed his jaws around one of the legs of the insect, from which was heard an audible crunch.

He'd given Ekali just enough time to recover from the shock, and when the spider screeched and turned after the canine, the khajiit came up on the other side and slashed with her blade at one of its legs. The sword almost severed the creatures leg, and it screeched again, realising that the khajiit was the greater threat. It tried to scurry out from in between them, but Gladio got his jaws around another of its legs and pulled. Ekali seeing an opening, evaded the creatures flailing leg, and struck out with her blade to pierce the spiders thick skin.

Several stabs later, she wiped the sticky blood of herself and looked Gladio over to make sure he didn't get hurt. Then she looked towards the back of the room, at a dunmer male hanging suspended by cobwebs in a door opening.

“Help! Get me down! I'll share the treasure with you, just let me down!” he called out when he noticed she was looking at him, and Ekali shook her head in disbelief.

“I'm looking for a golden claw, do you have it?” she asked as she raised her sword and cut at the cobweb. It went rather quickly, and instead of answering her question, the dunmer snarled that she'd never get the treasure, and set of running further in.

Ekali sighed and set of at a steady jog, knowing that he probably wouldn't get far. People's final resting places tended to be littered with traps.

:-:-:-:

The creak of the hinges echoed through the hall and brought Ekali to a stop just when she were about to step out of the hall into the space in which alcoves holding corpses where. The dunmer flew across the room, crashing into the wall to the left of her, and the strange angle of his neck told of the fact that he wouldn't get up on his own.

Before dying, he'd closed his eyes, and the man looked almost peaceful where he lay. If it wasn't for the blood dripping onto the ground, and the way his body bent over a large pile of rubble, she might have thought he was sleeping.

Ekali was brought back to reality when a moan sounded from one of the alcoves, and her eyes went wide when she saw three draugr in the process of getting up. Drawing the great-sword from its scabbard, she signalled for Gladio to stay close, and stepped out onto more level ground where she'd have room to fight.

The first draugr came at them with its axe raised, eyes glowing blue as it swung at her. She deflected the slash easily and having put the grotesque feminine shape of balance, drove the sword through the creatures ribcage, producing a sickening crunch.

Stepping to the side so as to not have the newly dead monster in her way, Ekali brought her sword up so that she could block the incoming hit from the second draugr, while Gladio lunged at the third.

Screenshot

Trying to keep the wolf in her peripheral, she blocked the barrage of chops that the creature tried to kill her with. When it stopped momentarily, she ducked down beneath its guard and struck at its legs while avoiding the reach of the draugr. A thud outside of her view, followed by a sharp clang as metal struck stone, told her that the other one had fallen and soon the wolf was by her side.

Skipping in close to the monstrosity, he took a grip around its leg and pulled it out from under the undead. Ekali took the chance when it had fallen, to bring her sword down into its chest.

Gladio put his head against her leg and she stood up, wiping of the sword on some of the rags that covered one of the draugr. Then she sheathed the blade and walked over to the Dunmer, crouching down next to him. Proceeding to look through his pockets, she found some drakes, a leather-bound journal and an ornament that had to be the golden claw.

She put them away amongst her own things, then arose and turned towards the path she had yet to travel down. A marked stone protruded from the ground, and she could see the spike trap that had killed the Dunmer bandit. She was careful to stay clear of the stone when she walked on, Gladio tight on her heel.

:-:-:-:

Screenshot

Frowning, Ekali tilted her head slightly to the side as she looked at the round door. She wasn't sure of what it was, but she knew that it was the only way forward, and there seemed to be a pattern in its design.

When putting her fingers into the indents in the middle, she recalled the golden claw, and took it out of her bag. It fit into them, but when she tried to push or turn the circular lock, nothing happened. Ekali took the claw away from the wall to look it over, and noticed the three carvings lined up one after the other on the side that would lay against the door. Looking from the claws carvings to those in a line on the door, she immediately saw the problem. The carvings were in the wrong order. But how do I change the order? In frustration, she put her hand against one of them and found herself jumping backwards when a rumble was heard from the stone, and the carving that she'd touched, together with a part of the door, moved to reveal yet another small carving.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she touched all of the carvings again and watched them move. At which point only one of them was the correct one, so she touched the other two as well, before putting the claw back into the indentations in the middle. This time when she pushed on it, the claw turned on its own, and just after she took it back to put it in her pack she heard the sound of stone grinding against stone. Then the whole door sunk down to reveal a large cavern.

Gladio started forward when Ekali was still busy marvelling over the huge space that was hidden just beneath the the surface of the ground. She followed a few steps after him after a while, and then ducked down when a group of bats came flying past them from a hole in the ceiling that they'd approached.

They heard the sound of flowing water, and soon saw the stream, as well as a large wall further in. (Screenshot) She stepped onto the small stone bridge that spanned the stream, and walked slowly up the steps towards the wall and the platform it stood on together with a large coffin and a small counter.

That was when she first heard the sounds. Voices, thousands of voices, whispering at first but growing in volume as she drew nearer to the wall. She was no longer aware of her surroundings when some signs started glowing blue on the wall, and in her mind little else mattered than going closer to it. Then she could see nothing but the glowing word as the voices coalesced into one. Fus.

Her sight came back quicker than it had disappeared, and with it came the realisation that the sharp noise she had heard didn't have anything to do with the wall. It came from the coffin behind her.

Excellent!!...

Love the way you render these scenes...So brilliantly done...

The fight with the spider was cool...The wolf providing a distraction was also cool...Bless it...All worried about cobwebs and all... ...

D'you know, I once killed that Arivi cutting him down?...True...And yet it wasn't murder...Odd that...Love the way you had Ekali think about the traps...One of the times I've done this quest, I followed him down only to see him mobbed by several Draugr!!...Very "Walking Dead"... ...Love the vision of him flying accross the room though...Very cool...

A brilliant chapter...Excellently done...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Excellent stuff, Saquira! The tomb was brilliantly realised, the fight with the spider and the Draugr were both exciting reads and it appears that Ekali is indeed the Dovahkiin (no surprises there ).

Nothing really to criticise, so in all, a great read and I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Ekali. Good show, old chum!

Spiders. Hate them. Better to burn them from a distance.

A little Khajiit with a great sword, I love it!

Aravi didn’t find much of a reason to pursue the dunmer either. She didn’t know what he was talking about.

The description of the wall is perfect. Fantastic job!

Thank you guys! And I'm truly sorry that I haven't updated in a while, but I just can't write when I've got a lot to think about. Competition season has only just begun a few weeks ago as well, and this is the time of year that our teachers likes to give us a lot to do. So I don't think I'll be able to update with anything resembling regularity until the end of term, the 15:th of June, or maybe a week before. The last week is usually pretty slow. I have however begun working on the next couple of chapters already, so who knows? I just might finish that soon. It

And I will get back to the last fight in the barrow within the next few chapters, I just really didn't want to write that fight yet.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali continued through Bleak Falls barrow with Gladio, only to find a murderous spider, a lying bandit (who carried the claw she was looking for) and a very weird wall. Next, Whiterun!

Chapter 3.3 Welcome to Whiterun

The clouds lay thick in the skies above Whiterun hold, and the city lay dormant on the elevated plateau. Farmers, either heading to the market or to harvest their crops, hurried to and fro both within and without the city. Some early risers among the companions sparred in their yard, and in the inn a female redguard swept the floors. A hammer struck metal at the forge by the gate, and lamps were being lit by the shopkeepers.

Only nobility, and the tenants of the inn, stayed in bed longer than 'till seven am. From the windows of the inn, lightning could be seen to the west, cutting down through the clouds and reaching the plains like a knife cutting through butter.

The two shapes coming from the south, from Riverwood, moved at a steady pace along the road. Though the female and the wolf did not hurry, neither were they walking slowly, and they made good progress as Magnus ascended in the sky.

The clock was only minutes away from striking the ninth hour when the female khajiit and her friend reached the city's gate.

One of the guards on duty stopped her by stepping in the way and uttering a snide comment, to which she responded with narrowed eyes that she brought news from Riverwood. The guards expression could not be seen through the helmet, but he stepped aside to let her into the city and she nodded at him with mock gratitude.

Ekali and Gladio arrived at Dragonsreach at noon, just in time to hear the Jarls' discussion with another of his court about the current war. As they approached the throne, the dunmer female nearby saw them and drew her sword before approaching. She wore leather armour and the sword was made of steel.

“What is the meaning of this interruption? Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors,” the dunmer said with narrowed eyes.

“I'm here because Riverwood calls for the Jarls' aid. What with the dragon up at at Helgen...” Ekali began to say, a frown upon her face.

“Dragon? Well, that explains why the guards let you inside the city. Come on then, the Jarl will want to speak to you personally,” the Dunmer female said, interrupting the khajiit. She turned, sheathing her sword, and Ekali followed the woman to the Jarls' seat.

The Jarl looked up when the khajiit and wolf walked up after the dark elf.

“My Jarl, this woman claims to bear word from Riverwood,” the dunmer said, gesturing to Ekali, who half-bowed to the Nord before her. He looked at her curiously, gesturing for the other man to be quiet when he made a move to interrupt.

“Very well khajiit, I’ll hear your words. What is your name, and what news do you bring?” All eyes were on the khajiit now, she who had captured the Jarl's attention. No one paid much attention to the wolf by her side.

“A dragon attacked Helgen three days ago, and was last sighted heading north towards Riverwood and Whiterun. Now the people living in Riverwood fear for their lives, and they want you to help them,” Ekali answered to the blonde nord whose clothing signified his rank.

“What do you say Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?” the Jarl turned to his steward as he said so.

“My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. It's in the most immediate danger, if that dragon is lurking in the mountains,” the dunmer said, stepping up next to the khajiit.

“The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation! He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him! We should not...” this time it was the steward who spoke up.

“Enough!” The Jarl spoke up, looking back at the steward by his side. “I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughter my people! Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once.”

“Yes, my Jarl,” the woman answered and put her closed hand against her chest as a salute. Then she turned on her heel and headed for the door.

“If you'll excuse me, I'll return to my duties.” The steward looked at his Jarl.

“That would be best,” Jarl Balgruuf answered, and the Imperial walked of with his head held high. Then he once again turned his attention to Ekali and her companion. “Well done. You sought me out when you could have turned around and run the other way. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it,” he said.

“There is another thing you could do for me,” he then continued, a bit hesitantly. “Suitable for someone of your particular talents, perhaps. Come, let's go find Farengar, my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and... rumours of dragons.” The Jarl arose from his chair, and she followed him when he headed towards one of the smaller rooms that where connected to the main hall.

Inside the room there was a long desk, a map stretched onto a portable wall, an enchanters table and an alchemist table. Two doors could be seen on the other side of the room. The Jarl's attention was drawn to the man whom was currently bending over the darkened alchemists table, but who finished up as soon as he could and turned to greet them. He was a breton, something that could only have been guessed at previously thanks to his blue robes.

“Farengar, I think I've found someone who can help you with your dragon project. Go ahead and fill her in with the details,” the Jarl said to the man who thanked him before looking the khajiit over. Her fur armour was quite ragged by then, shoes barely holding together by the seams. The travellers pack was obviously improvised and hung with a single strap over her left shoulder next to the great-sword.

“So the Jarl thinks you can be of use to me? Oh yes, he must be referring to my research into the dragons. Well, I could use someone to fetch something for me,” he said and turned to something on his desk. The Jarl left while he was talking. “Well, when I say fetch I really mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not actually be there,”

“What am I fetching, and where can I find it?” Ekali asked with a sigh.

“Straight to the point, eh? No need for tedious hows and whys. I like that. Leave those details to your betters, am I right?” the wizard said, a smirk adorning his otherwise bored face. Ekali's fur bristled, and she narrowed her eyes slightly, but she didn't answer him. Instead she took her pack out when he continued to speak, and looked around in it. “I, ah, learned of a certain stone tablet said to be housed in Bleak Falls Barrow - a “Dragonstone”, said to contain a map of dragon burial sites. Go to...” He went quiet when he saw her take a stone tablet out of her pack and hold it out for him.

“Is this it?” Ekali then asked with a smirk of her own at the bretons' dumbfounded expression, which although he recovered after a while lasted for a few minutes.

“Yes, it is,” he said once he'd recovered his composure, and accepted the stone, laying it down on the desk. “Thank you, I suppose.”

“What happens now?” Ekali asked, hoisting the pack onto her shoulder again.

“I do my work, and you... Well, I suppose you'd like to see the Jarl for your reward, hmm? In any case, I need privacy for this.” The khajiit nodded, and left the room without further coercion. She walked towards the Jarl on his throne, intending to stop a few feet away and wait for him to acknowledge her. That was not necessary, as the Jarl beckoned for her to step forward as soon as he saw her coming out of the wizard's chambers.

“Are you done with your work already? Well, I suppose I shouldn't complain. You there, fetch the box upstairs!” the Jarl said the last to one of his guards who hurried up the stairs behind them before he turned his attention back to the woman. “I do not have anything else for you to do, though I might call on you if anything comes up. You have after all survived a dragon attack, and that in itself merits some amount of respect. I also have an item for you as payment for the services rendered so far, and I've already sent a runner to the inn keeper to make sure that she gives you a room if she has one.” The Jarls words were accompanied by a smile, and moments later the guard came back down with a wooden case.

“The Jarl of Markarth sent me this a few years ago, an expedition that went well I believe. However, I have little use for it, and a bow such as this holds no place in court. I noticed that you carry one made by the Imperials, but I know for a fact that the bows they carry do not come close to the quality of a Forsworn bow.” As he spoke, the soldier opened the case for Ekali, and she gently took the slender weapon, eyes wide at the sight of it.

“Thank you, sir,” she said and half bowed to him. He nodded back to her, and turned to the steward in what was clearly a dismissal. So Ekali backed up a few steps before turning around and heading out of the palace, feet hitting the ground in a steady rhythm as she made her way to the marketplace. Gladio walked only a step behind, ears peaked at all times.

That was cool... ...

Nicely done that...

I love the bit where she narrows her eyes at Farengar...Both times I've done the MQ I've had that response from him, and I've probably said several curses towards him on each occaision...Git... ...

Excellently rendered bit of the MQ...And the thing with the Khajiit at the gates was well done...

Love this story...

Look forward to an update whenever it may be... ...

Nice one...

*Applauds heartily*...

I do like how you give the characters a bit more personality than they had in the game

Thank you guys. Yeah, Farengar always seemed so condescending.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali and Gladio arrived in Whiterun and visited the Jarl up at Dragonsreach. When he'd received her message, and she'd presented Farengar the wizard with the Dragonstone, he gave her a Forsworn bow. Next, Ekali arrives at the inn and gets a surprise!

Chapter 3.4 Surprise, surprise!

It was rather late in the afternoon when Ekali arrived at the tavern together with Gladio after visiting the different shops in the city. Closing the door behind her, she walked up to the bar where the owner was just in the process of wiping of the counter.

“Good day, I’m Hulda. What can I get you?” the woman asked with a smile before looking up. When she did, curiosity seeped into her eyes, and Ekali’s ears twitched slightly.

“Hello. I’m Ekali, and I’d like to rent a room for the night. I’d also like to buy a bowl of whatever you’ve got on the stove, and a cup of mead.” Ekali smiled back when Gladio looked around curiously at the patrons of the tavern. Two nords, one a male in iron armour and one woman in plate steel sat on benches drinking. A bard of the same race stood next to the fire pit whilst playing the Age of Aggression, and a female redguard could be glimpsed stirring the pot in the adjoining room.

“Well, you're in luck. As it is I've got one room left. It's at the top of the stairs, first door on the right. Access to the balcony up there, if you'd like to eat alone.” Hulda nodded first to the stairs and then to the balcony above them.

“That would be great thank you,” Ekali answered with a smile.

“Al right then. I'll send Saadia up with your food if you want to settle in. That'll be twenty drakes,” the innkeeper said and smiled. Returning the smile again, the khajiit took the room key from the other woman, handing over twenty drakes from her pouch. Then she and Gladio walked up the steps to the second floor, and into the room she'd just rented.

Ekali dropped her bag in a corner before letting herself fall onto the bed. A few moments later, she could feel it move slightly as Gladio jumped up and lay down next to her.

:-:-:-:

At first, there was no way for Ekali to pinpoint what had woken her, and she lay still. Keeping her breathing steady, the khajiit listened tentatively for any sounds. That’s when she felt the slight breeze from the window she’d latched last night, and heard the shallow breathing of another person in the room. Where’s Gladio?

Grabbing the hilt of the dagger she’d gotten accustomed to keeping beneath her pillow, Ekali threw herself out of the bed towards the intruder. Having used her night eye spell so she could see the other person, she could still see nothing but a dark silhouette when she aimed the dagger for the intruders’ throat. Moments later when she reached the feminine forms’ location, she met only air. Then the dagger was wrung out of her hand, her arm put in a deadlock against her back and the only weapon available to her was put against her back. With quick breath and racing heart she froze.

“I wondered when you’d wake up, waiting can be so incredibly dull sometimes,” a bored feline voice said before the hands released her, and Ekali stumbled forward, even more surprised than before. “Surprised to hear from me after all these years? Thought I’d abandoned you, huh?” This time the voice chuckled, and Ekali turned around to look upon her mother.

“I abandoned you,” the younger khajiit said, frowning whilst the black female took her hood of. Glee and malevolence shone from the eldest eyes.

“You really think I’d have allowed that? Really? You really think you could fool me, don’t you?” Brown braid shifting slightly on the back of her head, the mother laughed quietly. “The only ones fooled where those stupid bandits. They came to me afterwards, telling me how very sorry they were to notice you’d gone.” Ekali just looked at her, still frowning.

“Oh but we can talk about that some other time, now we need to get the current business over with so you can go to sleep. You’ve got a long day ahead of you.” Dar'Ilthi sat down on the foot of the bed, going through her backpack.

“What are you talking about?” Ekali asked with a sigh and walked up to the window to shut out the cold wind. All the while she could feel her mothers eyes on her back.

“You'll see. One way or another, a lot will change in the days to come, and I won't be there for you. There it is,” the black khajiit finished, and Ekali turned around to see her removing a rather large bundle from the pack.

“And what if I don't want you to be there for me?”

“It doesn't matter. Come here now, I want to be sure this fits.” With a frustrated noise, Ekali complied and approached her mother whom unwrapped the bundle. “I'm a bit uncertain as to how this is fastened, but it should be enough to protect you,” Dar'Ilthi said and held up the cuirass of an unfamiliar silver armour. Blue signs littered it, and in some places a piece of blue glass held the symbol if a dragon.

“Where did you get this?” Ekali asked as she reached down to grasp the helmet, finding it's surface to be completely smooth.

“Family heirloom,” Dar'Ilthi answered simply as she took the helmet from her daughters hands and helped her with the armour. Though it took a while, she'd soon managed to dress Ekali in all of the pieces, and the black khajiit drew the younger woman to a mirror that hung in the room.

Screenshot of the armour

“It fits you perfectly,” the older said with a frown, and Ekali turned around to look upon her.

“What?” she asked of her mother as they stood there, looking into each other's eyes.

“Nothing,” Dar'Ilthi answered with a shrug, but that it was a lie was evident to her daughter. So the black female stepped back and picked up her possessions, and without another word she walked past Ekali and climbed out the window. Ekali watched her as she descended the wall of the inn and then fell the remaining distance to the road before she walked back to the bed, removed the armour, and went to sleep.

Well, that was creepy... ...

Excellently done there...Loved the way her mother avoided the knife and wound up behind Ekali...

Brilliant stuff...

The armour's intriguing...Looking forward to hearing about all that...Unless I've missed something I'll wake up in the middle of the night realising of course... ...(that previous sentence makes my head hurt...Sorry... ...)

Many brilliant things herein...Love it muchly...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Ekali had her moment of triumph with Farengar. I never used a Forsworn bow before, most of the time, my characters don’t get over to that area until they have some quality weapons anyways. I do know that their arrows are crap though.

~~~

Gladio just jumped into the bed!

The ‘mother’ makes an appearance. Nice armor! Family heirloom? Whose family? Someone the brotherhood killed no doubt. She needs a bow to better go with the armor now.

I think all of your questions will be answered... eventually.

And this post contains A LOT of pictures. I didn't know where exactly to put them all to be honest But I think it turned out pretty good.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali rented a room at the Bannered Mare, and then she was awoken in the middle of the night by her mother whom she hasn't seen for at least 18 years. Her mother gave her a set of armour, and we'll soon see exactly why she did.
In this chapter the going doesn't get tough, no, the going gets hot!

Chapter 3.5 Dragon!

Ekali was in the process of eating a late breakfast when one of the guards burst through the door to the tavern. You could hear the heavy breathing beneath his helmet as his head swung 'round and his eyes landed on her.

"Khajiit, you must come at once. A dragon has been sighted at the western watchtower and the Jarl calls for your help! Irileth is speaking to the guards, you must come!" The man called to her. She almost choked on her food when he uttered the word dragon, but she got to her feet while gesturing for Gladio to follow. The khajiit had already packed her things and equipped her armour in preparation for leaving, so she just had to put on her helmet, strap the great sword over her back, the quiver on her waist next to the short-sword and take hold of the bow.

"Will you take care of my things for me?" she asked of the innkeeper who nodded dumbly and caught her travellers pack when she preceded to throw it. Then Ekali ran after the guard who'd already walked out.

"Down to the farms and then to the right, you can't miss it!" he called after her as she ran past with a hurried thank you. The wolf lengthened his stride until he was next to her, and then he fell into her pace.

Screenshot

Everyone watched the two of them as they rushed down the street. Some merely held surprise in their eyes, while some showed contempt. Nevertheless, all of them kept out of her way, and soon Ekali and her canine friend closed on the city gates.

Two guards were just pushing the gate closed when she came running, so they stopped in their endeavour and instead pushed it open just enough for her to get out. The khajiit nodded to them as she ran through, and then she was on the path leading from the city down to the farms.

Irileth and the guards came within her sight when she reached the stables, and she'd caught up with them by the time they reached the last of the farms before the guard tower. (Pic) Though there was still some distance left for them to traverse, they could see the flames licking the sky from the tower, and part of the ramp leading to it lay in ruins. Aside from that the place looked quiet, yet Ekali knew that it couldn't be the case.

the tower

As they approached the watchtower, a man carefully walked out of the base of it. He had a ragged appearance. The cuirass was charred around the edges, and he'd discarded his helmet, showing a face that was covered in soot. His eyes looked frantic as they scanned the sky and then landed on the people whom were approaching.

“Get back! It'll return any minute now!” he shouted at them, and as if in answer a roar was heard from the mountains just to the south. Then a great shape dislodged from the shadow of the mountain, and they could all see its size as it closed in on them.

Dragon's approach 1. Dragon's approach 2. 3

“Thurri du hin sille ko Sovngarde! Yol Toor Shul!” Fire flew from the dragons maw at the soldiers, and they ducked down behind the ruins of the tower. Ekali drew an arrow from her quiver and nocked it as the dragon came around again, stopping too hover over them. (Pic) She let the arrow loose at the same time as several of the guards fired theirs, and when several of them pierced the skin of the dragon it roared.

“Fus Ro!” the dragon roared and Ekali was thrown of her feet, landing on her back a few paces away. Grunting, she took hold of the bow that had flown from her hand, and pushed herself to her feet. By the time she got up, enough arrows had pierced the beasts wings that he had to land, and it was with a heavy heart that the khajiit watched as Gladio flew at the creature.

Gladio

"You are brave. Balaan hokoron. Your defeat brings me honour." Though the beast snapped his jaws at the wolf, he could not catch him, and soon turned his eyes on the khajiit who was just nocking another arrow. She pulled the string taught, but had no time to release it before the dragon once again opened his mouth to Shout.

“Yol Toor Shul!” Fire covered her the next second, and it was all she could do to close her eyes and hold onto the bow. (Pic 1) (Pic 2) It took a few seconds before Ekali realised that the fire was barely hurting her, and she opened her eyes to see her armour glowing a faint orange, the tell-tale sign of the resist fire enchantment. Surprised, she stood there until the fire stopped and she could see the dragon again. Then, having lowered the bow when the fire washed over her, Ekali raised it and released the arrow into the still open jaws of the beast.

It roared in surprise when the arrow met it's target and he could see Ekali's seemingly unharmed form. Then a sword pierced it from the side, and the beast threw it's head up in anguish.

“Dovahkiin, no!” it roared before the last power seeped from it's bones and the head crashed into the ground a few feet from Ekali. Not paying much attention to the creatures words, the khajiit skipped out of the way and bent down to recover her breath.

Then something that she had not expected happened. When the dragon finally lay still, some of its scales started glowing a fiery orange, and it's skin burst into flames just as a flowing light began to swirl around it.

Screenshot

“Stay back!” She could hear one of the soldiers shout, and stumbled backwards to get away from the odd phenomenon. The light flowed towards her, surrounding her until she couldn't see anything of the things around her. (Screenshot) And then the voices began again. The same ones as at the wall, but another as well. Mirmulnir. Suddenly, she knew the name of the dragon they'd slain. But the voices veered from the name until all of them uttered a single word just as the light eased up. Fus. The word seemed to grow within her as the light went out completely, and then her mouth opened of its own accord.

“Fus!” The dragons skeleton shifted away from her slightly when the shock wave escaped her lips, and Ekali clamped her hands over her mouth as she stumbled to her knees, but was forced to put them in front of her for stability.

Gladio was that first to move. He walked up to her after a few minutes, put his head on her shoulder, and then licked her face as if to say that it would be okay. The female moved one of her hands to the fur on his head, and after a while she was able too look him in the eyes. Then she saw one of the Whiterun guards approaching her.

“I... I can't believe it... You... you are dragonborn...” The man managed to get out of his mouth with much stuttering. The other guards moved to stand closer as he spoke, and it took a while for Ekali to find her tongue again.

“Dragonborn? What do you mean, what's that?” she said, finally able to get on her feet with the aid of the wolf who also turned his head to look upon the Nord.

“In the very oldest tales, back from when there still were dragons in Skyrim, the Dragonborn would slay them and steal their power. Isn't that what you did? You absorbed it's power?” he managed to say, though his eyes were still wide with shock. Ekali looked around briefly at the other guards before turning her gaze to him again.

“I... I don't know,” she managed to answer him.

“You must be. You just Shouted, only the dragonborn can do that without training,” the guard said to answer her.

“Dragonborn? What are you talking about?” another guard said and Ekali turned her head to him. He looked confounded, and just as shocked as the rest of them.

“But I don't need a dragonborn. Someone who can put down a dragon is more than enough for me,” Irileth said, causing the khajiit to look at her instead. The dark elf had crossed her arms across her leather clad chest and was looking at the guardsman who'd called Ekali dragonborn.

“You wouldn't understand, housecarl. You ain't a Nord,” the guard said to answer her, at which the dunmer female's eyes narrowed.

“I've been all across Tamriel. I've seen plenty of things just as outlandish as this,” she snapped at him. “I'd advise you all to trust in the strength of your sword arm over tales and legends.” Just as she finished speaking, the earth shook as a word reached their ears.

“Dovahkiin!” Several voices at once, uttering the one word, causing the world to shake like an earthquake had come upon them.

When the ground on which they stood was once again still, Ekali looked up to see that all eyes were on her. Some looked awed while others did not seem to know what to do with the information they'd gained. There were some mutterings, and then Irileth spoke up.

“Whatever this all means, you should go report to the Jarl. We'll stay here and try too clear the area,” she said to Ekali, who nodded and forced her feet to move against the city of Whiterun. All noices could not be kept from her ears though, and so the last thing she heard before arriving in the city was;

“The Greybeards. They're calling the Dragonborn to High Hrothgar!”

Oooh excellent!!...

Loved the pics...Nicely done that...

The dragon fight was brilliant...Espescially liked the way you worked the choral bit into the soul absorption...That was well done...*Applauds*...

Loving the way you're doing this, looking forward to seeing what you do with the Greybeards!...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Thank you McBadgere ^^

Don't know whether the Greybeards will appear in chapter 4.X or 5.X. It all depends on whether Ekali takes a detour too... No, I'm not saying anything more...

There isn't more than two parts left of the third chapter though. I can say that Though I don't know when I'll be finished with them, as I don't know how long they'll be or exactly what will happen in them... And I'd like to finish both before I post either of them, since I'm afraid 3.7 might be too short otherwise. But maybe that doesn't matter... Umm, anyways,

Does anyone know a word that can be used as an endearment in Ta'agra? I've been working some on rewriting A Strange Love, and need a new title as I really don't like the current one. Ta'agra is the language of the khajiit.

She almost choked on her food when he uttered the word dragon, but she got to her feet while gesturing for Gladio to follow.
My Khajiit would do the same thing. I like the way she was summoned. The Jarl sent someone to go get her.

Nice armor, but her poor ears look like they are squished inside that helmet! Aravi never wore helms for that reason.

The Dragonborn! I love this part of the game. Her reaction to her first Thu’um was perfect.

Thank you I don't think Ekali will be using the helmet unless she is fighting dragons or other very challenging opponents.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Being summoned during a late breakfast, Ekali hurried to the Western watchtower to help Irileth and the Whiterun guard fight a dragon. When they'd defeated it, she found out that the dragon's name was Mirmulnir, and that apparently, she's dragonborn. How will others react to that?

Chapter 3.6 How could a khajiit be dragonborn?

Ekali was steps away from entering Dragonsreach when the doors were pushed open by the guards inside and the Jarl's brother, Hrongar, walked out.

“There you are! Come, my brother wishes to know what happened. By the divines, I imagine all of us wants to know,” the man said and put a hand on her shoulder to lead her inside. The guards looked at her with wonder as the two walked past. Then they were walking up the steps and past the tables to stop before the Jarl in his seat. His eyes had caught her lithe form mere moments after they entered, and now they were lit by anticipation of what she would reveal.

“What happened at the watchtower? My sentries have only told me that the beast is slain,” the Jarl said. The steward stood by his right side, and Ekali had seen Farengar at the door opening to his chambers, looking at her, when they entered. The guards weren't even trying to hide the fact that they were listening. The time in which Ekali took to notice all of this amounted to only a few seconds, so there wasn't a very long time before she spoke.

“The watchtower was in ruins when we got there. Only one of the original guards still lived, and he barely had time too warn us before the dragon showed up again. There wasn't ever much time to see what the others were doing, but we managed to defeat the beast, and then... Then I absorbed some kind of power from it. One of the guardsmen called me dragonborn.” Her brow was furrowed by the time she finished, and Hrongar's head bowed up and down absent-mindedly as if though something he'd been thinking had just been confirmed. The steward was as expressionless as ever, while the Jarl had leant back in his chair.

“Then it's true. The Greybeards were calling for the dragonborn. For you,” he said and looked at her. All eyes were on her then, as people all around the room wondered what the Jarl was thinking. Only Hrongar still looked at his brother.

“But how? How could a khajiit be dragonborn?” he said, aghast. Several others in the hall seemed to be thinking the same thing, as many of the guards turned their eyes to their feet so as to not risk looking Ekali in the eyes.

“I doubt anyone can understand the will of the divines, be they man, mer or beast. We should be happy that there is a dragonborn at all,” Jarl Balgruuf said, looking pointedly at his brother. Hrongar opened his mouth as if to speak, but then closed it again and turned his eyes to the floor. Jarl Balgruuf waited a few seconds before he sighed and turned his eyes to the dragonborn.

“Discussions about the will of the divines will have to wait for later. Dragonborn, as a token of my gratitude for saving this city, I name you Thane of Whiterun and give you permission to purchase a house within the city. Speak with Proventus to make the arrangements. As to the title of Thane, it is mostly an honorary title, except that you get your personal housecarl, and a weapon to serve as your badge of office.” A soldier brought forth an axe when he said this, and Ekali stood stunned for a moment before she took it from the soldiers hands and remembered that she should respond.

“Thank you, my Jarl,” she said and bowed. The Jarl nodded to her when she looked up again.

“You should visit the Greybeards as soon as possible, it is a temendous honour to receive their summons. An honour that should not be taken lightly. But for tonight I insist that you stay at our guest quarters,” he preceded to say, and was just turning to his steward when the khajiit spoke again.

“Excuse me, Jarl Balgruuf. But I do not know who these Greybeards are, nor where to find them,” she said, where upon the few eyes that weren't already watching her started doing so.

“Of course. My brother will tell you everything you need to know. Now, Proventus, we must plan the festivities.” As the Jarl turned to his steward, Hrongar tensed visibly, but told Ekali to follow. When the two walked towards the doors, most people turned their attention to the Jarl. Most, but not all. The khajiit could see children and servants looking at her from the balcony above. From the expressions on their faces they'd watched all of it.

Hrongar and Ekali emerged into bright sunlight, and she had to put up a hand to shield her eyes. He continued on without stopping, ignoring the looks of the guards who stood watch on the way too and from Dragonsreach. Turning left at the top of the stairs, he then stopped at a spot that gave a nice view of the city and the plains outside it.

“What festivities was the Jarl speaking of?” Ekali asked when she caught up and stood next to the Nord. He glanced at her and raised his eyebrows.

“To celebrate the death of the dragon, to celebrate that you've come,” Hrongar answered her and turned his gaze back at the city. That the khajiit was dragonborn was still hard for him to grasp. Yet he'd say nothing of the matter, since his brother clearly disliked it. She was silent for a while, and he started to wonder whether he should speak again.

“Who are these Greybeards that people are talking about then?” she asked before he had the chance of doing so, and he contemplated how to phrase his explanation.

“The Greybeards are the masters of the Voice, or the Thu'um. Shouting, it's also called. They've lived atop the Throat of the World in High Hrothgar for as long as anyone can remember.” He pointed towards the high peak which they were facing, almost directly above the city, as he told her of the Throat of the World. “They rarely interfere with the rest of the world, and instead study the Voice, and hone it. They don't care much for war and politics, thinks the Voice is a power that should not be used to cause death, and maybe they're right. But to battle the dragons we need to use their own weapons against them. Talos Stormcrown studied with the Greybeards, as did Ulfric Stormcloak, though Ulfric isn't dragonborn. You'd be wise to show them respect when you're there.” He turned to her for the first time since they'd left the throne-room.

“What exactly does it mean to be dragonborn?” Ekali asked, ignoring the cold look that he gave her, before he once again turned to look at the city.

“Well, for one you don't have to study the voice for decades to learn a few words. You can take dragon souls, and by doing so you also gain some of their knowledge. Some people with the dragonblood have been known to see the future. You'll also live longer, unless someone kills you of course. Since dragonborn's often gets in the middle of things, that's usually what happens,” he said with a shrug. Ekali shivered at the thought. Seeing the future? I can't have, can I?

Hrongar glanced down at her to see her brows furrowed, and though her eyes were pointed towards the city, she didn't look as if though she was actually seeing anything. He frowned when he saw it.

:-:-:-:

Ekali took a deep breath before she began descending the stairs, her mind still circling the happenings of the day. The dress that hung loosely around her body also covered most of it, with long arms and the hem by the ankles. The collar fitted snugly around her throat, and at times it almost felt as if though it'd strangle her. One of Dragonsreach's servants had found it for her, and though it wasn't one of the most comfortable articles of clothing Ekali had worn in her life, she was grateful that she didn't have to find anything herself. And when the other woman had inquired as to whether the khajiit had anything which could be used to adorn her head, Ekali has been proud to say that she had a circlet in her pack. Upon finding the circlet to be of copper and moonstone, the old woman had sighed and proclaimed that “it'll have to do”.

Screenshot

So it was that Ekali was about to attend to a feast with upper-class humans in a blue and white dress, and an old circlet that she'd picked up in a barrow. The largest celebrations she'd taken part in before had only consisted of taking a few mugs of mead with the other soldiers, and guarding nobles in the Imperial city. As such, Ekali had only a faint idea of how she was supposed to behave.

As her doeskin shoes touched the floor of the Great hall, a sudden silence fell over the room when everyone turned to see her. Pausing momentarily, Ekali fought the sudden urge to flee and took another breath before she walked up to the Jarl who stood a short distance away. He'd been talking to a male high elf when Ekali came down, but now the Altmer said something to the Jarl and walked away before she could see his face properly.

“Ah, there you are. Come, I'll introduce you to the city's nobility,” the Jarl said when she came closer, and it was with great relief that she noted that most of the people in the room had taken their eyes of her. Still, the atmosphere was tense in the room, and it was obvious that none of them had had much contact with any khajiiti before.

She walked next to the Jarl as they then made their way around the room, exchanging pleasantries with the upper class. Though she did not remember nearly all of the names afterwards, some of them were repeated enough times for them to etch themselves into Ekali's brain. The clans Battle-Born and Gray-Mane being two of them. One man, a Redguard named Nazeem, tried to capture the Jarls attention several times. However Jarl Balgruuf quickly switched direction upon spotting him.

So Ekali found it quite peculiar not to be introduced to the one elf- aside from Irileth- who was present in the room, and decided to question the Jarl about the matter.

“Who is the man you were speaking with when I came downstairs, my Jarl?” Ekali asked when the two of them were alone the next time, and the Jarl looked quite startled.

“Oh him. Of course, you wouldn't know him, having just come to Skyrim. I'm so used to seeing him that I couldn't ever imagine someone not having met him. The Altmer calls himself Sorcalin, he's been around as long as anyone can remember. My father introduced him to me. I doubt there's anyone of importance in Skyrim whom he haven't met, except you of course. Perfect gentleman, and he owns a house out in the Rift. Though now that I think about it, I have never found out how he earned all of that money, or where he came from,” the Jarl answered her as the two looked towards the high elf who was standing on the other side of the room.

Screenshot

“Would you introduce me to him, sir?” Ekali asked then, still looking at Sorcalin. Though she'd never be able to pinpoint exactly what made her wish to speak to him that first time, she had noticed that he was the only person who didn't seem the slightest bit hostile towards her, apart from the Jarl himself.

“But how? How could a khajiit be dragonborn?”
How indeed? The greatest of Nord heroes... is a Khajiit? I love it here and in my game.

A feast! Perfect!

A nit: While Ekali and Hrongar are outside together, you do some head jumping.

Ekali looks very pretty in her dress and circlet. I don’t care what the servants say.

Little alarm bells were going off in my head when I saw the high elf mentioned. He doesn’t look like the Thalmor however…

Excellent stuff... ...

Love the extra characters that you've put in...*Applauds*...

I like the way that everyone is wary of the Khajiit...Such a weird idea for Bethesda to get wrong...That and the Argonians being pretty much absent from the game...Stupid...

Nicely done..

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

I'm finally getting somewher again, so I might just publish the next update before the end of the week, but I wanted to show you this. It's a work in progress poem/song thing. Don't really know which. Several things I don't like about it, and several things that I do like. Anyways, tell me what you think. Again, it's a work in progress, and nowhere near finished.

To Skyrim

In a carriage of wood
On ill-made roads
Across the Jeralls
To the North

They took me away
From my home
From my friends
To take my life

Dragonborn, they say
Is this my path in life?
Dragonborn, they say
How can I do this?

From Cyrodiil to Skyrim,
the destiny that's mine
A new life to lead

With Nords to execution,
A jarl, thief and warrior
A distant roar came closer
Gifted time in which to run

Blood seeps from an oozing wound,
and my heart carries me forth
Soft paws follow along,
as my hands raise the blade
We fight for our lives under the rising sun,
blood and gore wherever I turn

Beneath a broken spire,
we fight the loyal hunter
Then his chuckle pierce the night,
as I writhe beneath his gaze

They would forge me to their will,
beg me fetch every thing
Call me aar(servant),
I dare you
Dahmaan bron, (remember Nord)
Zu'u Staadnau (I'm unbound)

Briinah! (sister)
their cries pierce the night
Fahdon! (friend)
they would greet me as their own

I really like how you are using the story line to guide you. I also like Gladio, too. Keep up the good work. Also, if you've played the main story line completely, you should check out my story, which takes place 82 years after the main story.

I'm not much into poetry, but I do like what you've written. The second half is where I feel it really comes together.

LOVE this poem !!! AWESOME !!!

King Coin: Thank you. And well, I fixed that nit somewhat. Can't figure out how to make it better.

McBadgere: There are more characters coming, be assured Though I don't know if any of them is an Argonian. I love the beast races though, there's no way I could leave them out of the equation.

Taaron: Thanks, I hope you keep reading

mALX: ^^ I've rewritten it a bit since I posted it actually, so I'll post the new version soon.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali returned to Dragonsreach after defeating Mirmulnir, and was met by both disbelief and scorn. Then the feast began, and once again everyone's eyes were upon her. But who is the Altmer?

Chapter 3.7 Aka

The Jarl and the khajiit had to move slowly across the hall since many wished to discuss business of different kinds with the Jarl. Though he told them to talk with Farengar, or to wait until the next morning, their passing was delayed quite a bit.

They saw his eyes was upon them when the two were but two meters away, and he bowed to each of them in turn when they stopped in front of him.

“Jarl Balgruuf. Aka,” he said when he did so, first to the Jarl and then to Ekali, meeting their eyes with his green ones. Balgruuf gave a small bow in reply, and Ekali made an awkward curtsey.

“Sorcalin. This is Ekali, the dragonborn,” Balgruuf the Great said and gestured for the khajiit who stepped forward half a step.

“Oh I know. A pleasure, truly,” he said as he took her hand and brought it to his lips to kiss it. She watched him quietly as he did so, before looking at the Jarl who'd cleared his throat.

“Now I must get back to the rest of my guests, if you'll excuse me,” he said, not really caring for the answer. Sorcalin merely nodded and smiled again.

“Of course, my Jarl,” Ekali said and curtsied, causing a slight rustle from her dress. When the Nord had walked away, she once again turned to the Altmer whom had taken to looking at her. He raised a cup she hadn't seen before to his lips and drank the last of its contents before putting it on a nearby table. They stood so for a few minutes, simply looking at each other.

“What was that you called me?” Ekali asked after a while, causing Sorcalin to raise his eyebrows.

“Aka? It means dragon in aldmeris, you are a dragon after all,” he answered and an amused smile played on his lips. She looked back at him in surprise before answering.

“You speak aldmeris?” she said and he smiled at her.

“Some,” was his simple answer, before he cast a look over the room. “Very stuffy in here, wouldn't you say? Why don't we head outside for a little while.” Holding his arm out to her, Sorcalin turned towards the doors.

“Why would we do that?” the khajiit asked instead of taking the offered arm, and the Altmer cast another look around. Then he sighed and looked at her.

“Because at least half of the room is trying to hear what we're saying, and I'd rather talk uninterrupted. I'm not that fond of etiquette,” he said with raised eyebrows, and this time it was Ekali's turn to look around the room. Most people quickly turned away from her when she did so, but several kept looking in their direction. The female khajiit frowned, but turned and took the Altmer's proffered arm, whereupon they walked at a normal pace to the doors of the great hall and stepped out on the perch overlooking the city outside Dragonsreach.

“So, how does Skyrim greet you? I'd imagine it's quite a change to live in Cyrodiil for the whole of ones life and then be sent to such an unfriendly place as Skyrim,” the Altmer said once she'd released his arm and they stood a few feet apart on the walkway.

“It's a beautiful place, though the people doesn't seem to like khajiit much. Wait, how did you know that I've lived in Cyrodiil my whole life?” She frowned at him when she finished, unsettled by his revelation. What else does he know?

“It's my business to know things, and when I found out that someone new were coming to Skyrim, I had to know more about the person in question. Though I had no idea that you were dragonborn,” Sorcalin said with a nod and smile in her direction.

"Are you one of the Thalmor?" she asked, frowning, and he chuckled as he thought it over.

"Whatever made you think that? No, I'm not with them, wouldn't be if they'd covered all of the universe with their lies. Nothing good could possibly come from them," he said, and sighed near the end.

“So where are you from?” Ekali asked with another frown, and he looked away from her towards the doors to the great hall. Then he sighed before answering.

"I believe that will have to wait for another time, my lady. I am not the only one who wishes to speak with you, it would seem," he said as he turned his gaze to her again, and Ekali gave him a confounded look before turning her eyes to the doors. Hrongar was walking towards them, having just left the confines of the fire-lit hall. His expression was that of grudging determination, and his eyes met Sorcalin's when he stopped before them.

"Could I have a word with the dragonborn, in private?" the Nord asked, and the high elf answered with a curt nod.

"Of course, I was just leaving in any case," he said and turned to the khajiit once more. "We'll meet again, don't worry." And with a smile he turned from them and walked in the opposite direction of Dragonsreach, towards the city. Hrongar's eyes followed him for a few moments before he turned to Ekali whom was eyeing him expectantly.

"I've come to ask for your forgiveness. It was wrong of me to judge you when you've not yet done anything to deserve my scorn, and for that I'm sorry," he said as his eyes sought the ground and he shuffled his feet.

"I accept your apology," the woman answered, and he looked up at her with a frown. It looked for a while as if though he'd say something, but then his face changed, and he sighed.

"Dinner will be taken soon, if you would care to join us?" he said, and she nodded absent-mindedly.

"Of course." So she followed him into the hall when he turned, and spent the rest of the night in the company of Nords before she headed of to bed.

:-:-:-:-:

Finding herself standing before the word-wall in the gloom, Ekali turned when she heard the sound of metal against metal and Gladio's growl behind her. A draugr was in the process of rising from the large coffin on the small plateau in front of her, and she drew her great-sword to be ready for him as Gladio circled around the creature in her direction.

It's hollow eyes glowed blue in the pale light that fell on them from above, and they landed on her as the draugr took a hold around the edges of the coffin and pushed himself out of it. Gladio's growl increased in volume as it did so.

Finally free from the confines of the coffin, the draugr drew a waraxe and readied a frost spell in his left hand before approaching the khajiit and her companion. She tensed, ready to dodge whenever he would prepare to cast the spell.

Gladio struck the first blow, bounding within the draugr's guard quickly to clamp his jaws down around the creature's wrist, and it gave of an unholy scream in anger as it threw the animal of it. Then it turned to the woman again, and met her great-sword head on with his axe as he reached the end of the plateau.

The creature flung an ice spike towards her, and the khajiit female skipped out of the way just as Gladio came up behind the monster and forced it down onto the ground. The woman made to cut into the draugr with her great-sword, but it cast another ice-spike that connected with her left arm and forced her to drop the sword.

Taking her short-sword in her right hand, Ekali took a fighters stance when the creature managed to get to its feet again, growling all the while.

"Dir!" It called and rushed at her, axe held high. Then Gladio bounced in again, and took it's legs out from under it. The creature crashed into the floor, it's axe lodged in its chest. Still, the draugr made to get up, so the khajiit walked up to it and stuck her short-sword into its chest again and again, until the eerie light in its eyes no longer glowed.

Author's note: And so the third chapter is finished! ^^ Finally.