Ekali of the Frozen Heights, Book one Options

[McBadgere]

Oooh...I like the Orc!!...He's cool... ...

While I'm content to wait and see...I have to ask...Be this the entrance of the Orcish love-interest™?... ...

Oh, the "I'll buy a hat." It was in a tv show ages ago...Anytime someone mentioned romance or weddings, someone would shout "I'll buy a hat." as in, for a wedding type of thing...Hence the "I'll buy a hat." when you said...Etc... ...

Love the walk up the mountain, the brief description of Hugh Hefner...*Cough* High Hrothgar...And I chuckled when I remembered that having climbed up all them steps, the chief Hugh of Hugh Hefner doesn't even offer you a cup of tea before he hassles you to start shouting...Yeah Bethesda...Great writing... ...

Aaamywho...Yours is brilliant stuff...Well done!!...Love it...

Nice one!!!...

*Applauds heartily*...


Enjoy yer trip!... ...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Jul 31 2012, 06:05 AM

[King Coin]

I was expecting the usual “What’s a milk drinker like you doing out here?” from the Orc.

He seems friendly for a… well… suicidal guy. I never really understood the Orcs. My Khajiit just passes them by when she sees them. If they want a glorious death, well, there are dragons about. I’m sure one of them will oblige.

Finally a proper introduction! And he’s left already? I bet she’ll run into him again.

The Greybeards! My Khajiit likes them too, though they get on her nerves at times.

[mALX]

That is so odd you brought that out in your story, and I have never actually thought of it before - I've never seen an old Orc! Holy Cow !! Seeking death while still manly - I absolutely loved that line! Great Write!

[Saquira]

McBadgere: What do you think? I'm not going to say anything more about the orcish love-interest, except that you'll be seeing more of Shakh.

Haha, alright. I've never heard that one before

King Coin: I've kind of always understood the Orc's way of doing things. I might not agree that it's necessarily a good way, but I can understand it. It makes sense, kind of. I'm not quite sure what I think of the Greybeards though.

mALX: I think I've met an Old Orc about two times, and it really struck me as a great way to introduce a new orc character. Then I've never met any on High Hrothgar, but it's possible.

I recently wrote the part with the peace council, and halfway through it kind of ran away from me and said: "Hey! Let's change this, this and this! And that just didn't work!" So it's really different from the game, and has forced me to rethink the whole shouting system. There's only a bit about it in this chapter, but I'll go into more detail later in the next part of Dezhahnu.

I can actually guarantee a new part next week, as I'm almost finished with it and know what I want to write, but I'm not making any more promises than that. My new school turned out to be more work than I thought, but I love it and I'm going to do my absolute best to get a shot at going to Africa to work with endangered species in third grade. Of course I'm also hoping to one day work at my favorite zoo, but I mean, going to Africa and possibly working with saving cheetahs, I don't think much could beat that. Anyway, onto the story.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali found out who'd been fighting the troll, an orc named Shakh, and finally arrived in High Hrothgar were the Greybeards were keen to make her work.

Chapter 4.4 High Hrothgar

The strap that was attached to the bag slipped from the woman’s fingers as she lowered it towards the ground, sitting down on the hard bed. She could feel the stone of the bed even though she'd piled countless furs on top of it, and so the khajiit was careful when she lay back on top of it. The small room in which she had been given leave to sleep was in truth little more than a storage area. Boxes and broken furniture lined most of the walls, while one was completely covered by firewood. As such, the bed almost stood in the middle of the room, and Ekali could only access a fourth of it. The room was situated just across the hall from the Greybeards chambers, and next to the bathing rooms.

Gladio had a bear pelt to lie on next to her bed, and though that meant that the two had even lesser area to move around on than they would otherwise, the wolf hadn't liked the idea of sleeping in the entry hall. The room had probably been inhabited before, the carpets and the fact that the bed didn't look like it was meant to be moved far were only a few of the clues that made her think of it.

The khajiit started taking her armour off, only leaving the boots since she had nothing else to wear on her feet, and the stone floors seemed cold even to her fur-covered body. Then she piled the pieces carefully next to her bed, making sure not to push them over, and placed her weapons next to them. Despite the troll Ekali had encountered coming up the mountain, she somehow doubted that she would come across anything dangerous in the halls of High Hrothgar. Except the Greybeards themselves of course, but they were very unlikely to use their powers against her of all people.

She had found – though she had yet to stay in the building for longer than half a day – that the old men were extremely peaceful, even to the extent of looking down on those who resorted to violence. Hence they had not interfered in the war. In a way it seemed too good to be true, as power has a tendency to corrupt, and in destructive powers the Greybeards would probably beat most people. Yet she didn't doubt that they'd kill each other to keep those powers under control.

Having put everything away, Ekali got to her feet and walked out of the room with Gladio following close behind her. She ignored the entrance to the Greybeards living area, stepping out into the Great Hall in which she'd learned the word Ro only a while ago. The air was chilly, and the building was silent but for the small noise of cutlery against plates on the opposite side. Since she couldn't see anyone eating, the khajiit assumed that those noises came from another room and she headed of towards the alcove that was straight ahead of her.

Judging from the fact that the Greybeards robes most likely were made out of wool, it might have seemed strange for someone to walk through the cold building in such simple clothing – the few fires throughout really didn't do much to keep it warm – but with the addition of her fur Ekali really didn't need anything but the linen clothing. There was a layer of fur beneath the chain-mail of her armour, which was of course useful when traveling through the snow, but she didn't necessarily need it inside.

None of the Greybeards looked up when she entered the large room with the stone table and the many chairs. It made Ekali feel uneasy, that they were so certain of themselves that they did not fear a stranger living underneath their roof.

A goblet of mead, a bowl of soup, some bread and dried meat all lay in front of one of the free chairs, and since all of the men were already seated it was obvious that the food was meant for her. So she sat down, and Gladio went over to a slab of meat lying only a few feet away from the door. Then they ate the meal in silence and while the Greybeards seemed at ease, the silence was foreign to the woman and she could not find it in herself to relax.

:-:-:-:

“Fus Ro!” The words did not break out of her mouth this time, but was pushed out, and the spectral shape stumbled before fading out of existence. Arngeir smiled when she looked up at him, though the rest of the Greybeards looked as solemn as ever. They stood, merely looking at her, waiting for their spokesman to talk.

“You have proven your ability concerning learning new words and using them, now we would like to see how well you learn entirely new shouts. We will perform your next trial in the courtyard,” he said and gestured for her to follow as all of the Greybeards turned and walked towards the doors to the courtyard. She followed quickly, picking up the cloak they'd found for her to wear outside. For even though the monastery with its stone walls was cold, the side of the mountain was even more so.

She followed after them, taking the door from the last Greybeard and only holding it open long enough for her to get through. The biting wind cut into her body despite the cloak, and she pulled it closer around her body as she hurried after the old men. They seemed resistant to the cold, and though the rough wool of their robes looked warm, she doubted it was that warm. But she followed them without complaint, watching as one of the men walked up to the gate on the western part of the courtyard, and another went to stand between the pillars that had been placed some distance away from them. When they were in position, Arngeir gestured for her to step up as another, Master Borri, Shouted a word at the ground where the runes appeared and started glowing.

“This Word is 'Wuld', which means 'whirlwind'. The shout in itself is called whirlwind sprint, and allows you to travel short distances very quickly. You must hear the word within yourself before you can project it into a Thu'um, a Shout,” Arngeir said as Ekali stepped closer to the runes on the ground, and then the voices began again as her sight narrowed until it only encompassed the word. She could recognize what they spoke of now, though she could not yet understand all of it. Tamrielic and the language of the dragons mixed, the former speaking of speed and power. Alluring words meant to capture the hearer, to mold her to its will. But they could not keep going on forever, so they stopped with the uttering of the new word, Wuld, as she staggered backwards in shock.

“Approach Master Borri and he will gift you his knowledge of 'Wuld'.” The Greybeards' voice brought the khajiit back to reality, and she tore her eyes from the ground where the runes were still engraved, stepping closer to the man in question. Light swirled between them as the voices filled her head. But they were dampened compared to when she'd learned the word itself, and Ekali frowned at this. “Master Wulfgar will demonstrate Whirlwind sprint, then it will be your turn,” Arngeir said, and Ekali moved with him and Borri towards the pillars and the gate. At Arngeir's sign, Master Einarth opened the gate with another word, Bex.

“Wuld Nah Kest!” Wulfgar shouted and flew past them. A moment later he stood on the other side of the gates that closed behind him.

“Now it is your turn. Stand next to me. Master Einarth will open the gate, use your whirlwind sprint to pass through before it closes.” The female stepped up to him hesitantly, placing herself between the two pillars as she brought the shout to the front of her mind, doing her best to rein it in until the gate opened.

Then Einarth shouted Bex and she allowed the word to flow free, bursting out of her mouth and leaving her breathless when she came to a stop on the other side of the gate only to hear it swing shut behind her. The shock of going from standing still to moving so quickly brought her to her knees, and she gasped into the freezing air.

“You could certainly use more practice, but there's no denying that you learn the words far more quickly than any of us thought possible. It is astonishing to see it,” Arngeir said as Wulfgar helped her to her feet and the gate opened yet again to allow them to return to the main part of the courtyard.

“I... thank you. What must I do next?” Ekali said when she came to stand before Arngeir again, and the other men moved past them into the monastery.

“You are now ready for your last trial. Retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, our founder, from his tomb in the ancient fane of Ustengrav. Remain true to the way of the voice, and you will return,” he said, looking at her with pride in his eyes.

“There were some things that I wished to speak to you about. Ask about, more specifically. Why are you the only one that speaks here, and are you four the only Greybeards?” she asked as her eyes roamed the grounds.

“I will answer whatever questions you can think of,” he answered her, smiling slightly before continuing. “There are only the four of us who live in the monastery, our leader lives on the peak of the mountain, and you may visit him when your powers have grown strong enough. I am the only one who speaks because of the power that each of us commands. When you begin to use the Thu'um, learning new words is a very difficult endeavor. But as we learn more and meditate on the words we gain more power. When that happens, more and more of what we say comes out in Shouts. Most of the dragons have already surpassed that point, they can infuse their power into any words, and still converse in the way that we do. But most mortals – except for the dragonborn who has the ability to learn words much faster - do not live long enough to gain that amount of control during their lifetime. I cannot use the same amount of power as my brothers, and as such I can still control my voice all of the time, which is why I speak for the Greybeards. You will reach that point, I'm certain of it, if you survive.” Worry creased Ekali's brow by the time that Arngeir finished, and she nodded thoughtfully.

“Thank you. Have you ever heard of Dezhahnu?” she asked then, and the Greybeard turned thoughtful for a minute as his eyes wandered over the courtyard. Then he focused on her again when he remembered something.

“A few of the old books mention it, though they speak mostly of the dragons that various dragonborn have met there after absorbing their souls. There are rarely any descriptions of the place itself or of how it works,” he said, as Ekali sighed and nodded.

“Once again, thank you. I have no other questions at the moment,” she said, and the two walked side by side towards the doors to the monastery.

“I am sorry that I cannot be of more help, but you are welcome to look through the books before dinner if you wish.”

“I will do that, if it isn't too much trouble.” He smiled at her again as they entered.

“It is not.”

This post has been edited by Saquira: Sep 19 2012, 09:11 PM

[McBadgere]

Brilliant stuff, as ever... ...

Loved the feel of Hugh Hefner...Oo-er..Dammit!...High Hrothgar...Sorry, I make myself laugh too much... ...

No, I'm not easily amused then... ....

Aaaamywho...

Loved the Greybeards...Excellent job with them...The idea that Arngeir is the least of them, and that's the only reason he can talk normally is brilliant...Fantastic!...

Amazing stuff...

Loved it!...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

[Saquira]

McBadgere: Thank you.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali spent some time in High Hrothgar, learning from the Greybeards and resting. The discoveries she made while there however, did not ease her mind.

Chapter 5.1 Civil conflict

She arrived in Ivarstead in the afternoon, when the sun still shone upon the colored leaves and wooden buildings. The few clouds that adorned the sky were small, white and far in between. She walked leisurely, and Gladio bounded around her, hunting butterflies and investigating different scents.

The wolf came to a sudden stop as terrified screams tore through the air, and seeing smoke from further along the road, Ekali put on her helmet and set of at a run towards the yells that were increasing in volume. The wolf didn't keep pace with her this time, he'd soon outrun her as he sprinted full out towards whatever was happening. And as she passed the village houses, both armed villagers and guards left them to run towards the commotion.

Then she rounded a corner, and the outskirts of the village came within her sight. She paused momentarily, for it was Imperial soldiers fighting the town guards, and she did not wish to be involved in the conflict. But then she saw the villager lying on the ground, and she drew her great-sword as she once again rushed towards the skirmish. The Imperial force was small, merely amounting to about twenty men, but that was far more than the numbers of the village's garrison.

She came to a stop next to one of the guards, barely having time to block the swipe aimed for his throat before having to duck a shield-bash aimed at herself. She spun, cutting open the stomach of the soldier who'd struck at her, desperately trying to hold her own against the many soldiers that surrounded them, hoping that the rest of the guards would arrive soon. And though more guards did arrive by the minute, they were still outnumbered, and they had trouble fighting through the soldiers to get to their allies. Still, it was with reluctance that she opened her mouth.

“Fus Ro!” she Shouted, and the soldiers closest to her was thrown back, slamming into those who were further away. Those not affected by the shout stopped what they were doing in surprise, but driven by their desperation the village guards were quickest to recover, and the odds turned as they descended on the fallen Imperials, as well as the ones who were still standing. Fear seared through the soldiers when they recovered, and they began their retreat slowly, after a while turning and full out sprinting from the village. Some guards raised their bows to shoot them down, but others stopped them, and the remaining soldiers had soon disappeared into the forest.

The first to move were the guards, walking about with grim faces to see who was dead and who was still alive. Then the villagers got into motion, working together to get the wounded into the houses and to collect supplies to tend to their wounds. The dead were put to the side, to be buried once no one was in mortal danger. Ekali moved with the villagers, and strangely enough, no one objected when she put a hand onto some of those close to death and poured her magic into them. At the moment, when so many were so close to death, they put their prejudices aside to accept whatever help they could gain.

Even the Imperial soldiers were tended to in the best way possible, for when one looked beyond the different armors they all wore, they were still kinsmen. The khajiit marveled at this, for she'd seen nothing of the like in the army. Yet the civilians helped those who'd caused, and probably had yet to cause, the deaths of their loved ones. It was like a well-tuned harp playing a solemn song – so much like a routine did it seem when the civilians worked to save those who they should call their enemies – and it was easy to let go of any thoughts that lingered in ones head. For right then and there, all that mattered was to save as many lives as was possible.

Thankfully, not many of the civilians or guards had been killed, and she was relieved to find that only Imperial soldiers had been harmed by her shout. And it wasn't until everyone in need of medical care had been taken care of that anyone approached Ekali about what she'd done. She was bent over one of the hurt guards, tending to his wounds to the best of her abilities, when footsteps sounded behind her before coming to a stop. She finished the last stitch, only having enough magical reserves to stop the worst of the bleeding for a few, before she turned around. It was one of the villagers who stood before her, the innkeeper whose name she recalled from her previous stay in the village, Wilhelm. He looked at her curiously, untroubled by the animal that was watching them from his spot next to the door.

“So the rumors are true then. We heard the Greybeards call the Dragonborn to High Hrothgar, but we had a hard time believing that the person in question was a khajiit,” the man said as she wiped the worst of the blood of her hands with a cloth and put the sewing equipment away before standing up. A lot of her fur was mottled by blood and grime, and she hadn't had the time to do more than to put her armor away.

“How are you so certain that I haven't spent the last few years studying with the Greybeards?” the khajiit asked him as she looked down on the wounded man again.

“Everyone that head up to High Hrothgar stop in Ivarstead, and I never forget a face. I saw you for the first time a few days ago.” She nodded as she prodded the body of the unconscious man, searching for any more broken bones.

“You're right of course. But I don't know what you want me to say,” she said with a shrug, turning to the innkeeper to walk out of the building as she slung her pack over her shoulder. He fell in beside her when she did so, still glancing at her every once in a while.

“Why did you do it? Help us against the Imperials. We didn't exactly give you a warm welcome the last time,” he said as they walked, and she shrugged.

“They attacked civilians, and I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. That's not right.” Gladio caught up with them then, and the Nord threw the wolf a quick look.

“We are grateful in any case. Not just for helping us drive them of, but for using your magic to heal people. As much as we frown upon magic, many would not have survived without it. And you could have left hours ago.” She smiled at this, turning to face him.

“You don't need to thank me, it was the right thing to do,” she said as they stopped momentarily. He just stared at her for a moment, incredulous, before reaching out his hand to shake hers.

“I haven't heard those words be spoken in a long time, I doubt many have. Perhaps there actually is a chance of saving Skyrim from its own people. I'm glad to have met you,” he said and walked past her towards the inn as she stared back at him in shock.

“I... Come on Gladio, we should get going,” she said after a few seconds, shaking her head briefly and turning towards the same path that the innkeeper had taken. Even a bath of cold water and cold soup was preferable to another night on the cold ground, and the blood in her fur was something that she'd always found to be uncomfortable. Besides, there was more work to be done in the village – and as had already been proven – the villagers appreciated the help.

[King Coin]

4.4
The brief section training with the Greybeards was cool. From what I gleaned, Ekali’s learning more from the Dragons she’s absorbed than she is from the Greybeards, at least for understanding and using the word is concerned.

For a second, I thought she was walking around High Hrothgar naked! I can only imagine how strange dinner was for Ekali. The can’t talk, so silence is normal for them, but even in the heavily racist land of Skyrim, some conversation when eating with others would be normal for her.

I had assumed that Arngeir was the most powerful of the group and had the most control of his voice. I like what you have though, having him be the weakest.

Off to get the horn!

5.1
And the civil war rears its ugly head. The recovery was really strange, with the hatred the two sides have, tending the Imperials was unexpected. I expected some of the Nords to respect Ekali and others to hate her even more for her assistance. The way she’s going, she looks like she’s going to Cloak up. I’m wondering how that’s going to work.

[McBadgere]

Fair dues, this story is brilliant...

This part here -

Even the Imperial soldiers were tended to in the best way possible, for when one looked beyond the different armors they all wore, they were still kinsmen. The khajiit marveled at this, for she'd seen nothing of the like in the army. Yet the civilians helped those who'd caused, and probably had yet to cause, the deaths of their loved ones. It was like a well-tuned harp playing a solemn song – so much like a routine did it seem when the civilians worked to save those who they should call their enemies – and it was easy to let go of any thoughts that lingered in ones head. For right then and there, all that mattered was to save as many lives as was possible.

Really is some amazing writing...Just wish all these RL idjots would see it too...

But I digress..

Amazing story...Loved that last bit with Wilhelm...Excellent stuff...

Long may you carry this story on!!...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*..

[Saquira]

King Coin: Walking around High Hrothgar naked, that's something I'd never imagined. I didn't quite know how to go about the civil war scene. The first draft involved everyone going around and killing the remaining Imperials, but I don't see how they could do that, and leaving them on the ground seemed just as bad. Because, like I think I pointed out in the story, there's just as much of a chance that they have kin among the Imperials as within the Stormcloaks. And land is going to switch hands during the Civil war, so there is a chance that Ivarstead will one day belong to the Imperials.

McBadgere: Thank you And don't worry, even if I'm absent for months at a time, I'm not abandoning it.

Writer's block is annoying. Some of the weeks after I posted 5.1 I actually was too busy to write, but then I couldn't think of what to write. I do have ideas for the rest of chapter 5 now however, so I hope they'll work out. Should be around three more parts. No guarantees for when the next one comes though.

This one was fun to write, I've had Ekali's meeting with Ulfric Stormcloak in my head for a while now, and though I was planning on postponing it a bit, I think this works out.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali went from High Hrothgar to Ivarstead, and helped the villagers and guards to fight of an invading force of Imperials. Afterwards, she helped them with healing the people who needed it.

Chapter 5.2 What do you want?
28th Last Seed

Midday came with clouds hanging heavy and dark in the sky as the khajiit female and her companion approached the city of Windhelm. They proved quite the pair, walking side by side, and the attention of the guards turned to them as they approached the bridge. Her eyes surveyed the fortress-like city as she walked towards one of the guards.

“Can I help you, ma’am?” the large Nord asked, his eyes not leaving the wolf the entire time. The womans ears flickered slightly as her gaze traveled between them, whiskers bristling when she saw the the object of the guardsman's worry.

“I only wonder where I could find lodging within the city,” she said, taking a step closer to the male wolf.

“The New Gnisis cornerclub lies in the Grey quarter, the lower part of the city where the Dark Elves live. There’s also Candlehearth Hall just within the gates, but I doubt they’ll serve you.” Her eyes narrowed at that, but the guard only gave her a blank stare and shrugged. “Might not like it, but that’s the truth. Not many in the city care for any other race but humans.” Just then a low growl emitted from the wolf, and the guard jumped of shock as the khajiit spun around.

“Dragon! There’s a dragon in the sky!” The shout came from the battlements of the bridge as bows were drawn and the exposed guardsmen moved into cover. Ekali slipped her helmet down over her head, and then drew her bow quickly before motioning for Gladio to get out of the way as she saw the beast descending towards them. Its gray scales glistened in the sunlight, wings folding neatly against the body as it took aim on one of the Nords, sweeping down and taking him in its claws before he had time to shoot. The creatures movements were smooth, wings folding out just as its claws closed around the man, catching an updraft and sailing out over the water before opening them again. As the man fell screaming to his death, the majestic dragon came flying back. The other guardsmen and Ekali pulled the strings on their bows back as they aimed in on the creature. Then she saw the beast open its mouth, and loosed her arrow before ducking into cover. She heard the guards do the same a moment later.

“Fro Krah Diin!” But they weren’t quick enough, and screams tore through the air as the dragon Shouted and frost flowed over the already cold stones.Heading out of cover as soon as it dissipated, she saw the dragon beginning to fly away from the bridge and opened her mouth in a shout of her own.

“Fus Ro!” The words broke from her mouth with the force of an avalanche, and the dragon was thrown of course slightly, anger consuming it as it turned easily in the air.

“Dovahkiin!” it roared, narrowing its eyes on her and coming back towards the bridge. By that time the soldiers who weren’t very hurt had gotten to their feet, and though their eyes were wide with shock they pulled out arrows and began to shoot the dragon. “I am Feynahkril! Fear my voice! Fus Ro Dah!” The shock-wave that spilled forth from his mouth threw them backwards, of the walkways and into the walls. Then the bridge shook as the beasts claws clamped around the side, and he craned his neck to look at her. His head whipped towards her, but Elkali rolled out of the way in the last second, causing the beasts muzzle to collide with the stone wall, and he roared in anger as he shook his head to clear it. Clarity came swiftly as a pair of jaws closed on the side of his throat, and a roar of pain heralded the furious shaking that ensued.

Gladio was thrown of, and a pained whine escaped from his throat as he fell to the stone floor further away, but when Feynahkril’s head swiveled round again he could not find the dragonborn.

Quick steps penetrated the sudden stillness, but he wasn’t fast enough to turn and pain shot through him as a blade dug into his neck. First then did he feel the pain all over his body, all the arrows that had gotten stuck and been driven further in by her shout. His life-blood had been seeping through the skin moments earlier, but as the sword was removed from his neck by her hands he could feel it flow freely over his scales. Fatigue coursed through his lumbering body as a thick mist settled over his eyes, and he was unable to even raise his head before descending into darkness.

Having seen the dragons eyes close, Ekali wiped the blood of the two-handed blade using a piece of cloth that she kept in her pack before putting it back into its sheath. Then she turned to survey the the bridge and found that not half as many as had been knocked to the ground by the dragons shout still lay there. Six men still laid down, but several were groaning, and many others sat with their backs to the walls. Reinforcements must have had arrived some time during the fight, for many of the men were staring at her as they tended to their wounded comrades.

Then her eyes fell on the wolf limping towards her, and she was just about to run to him when the voices began to whisper in her mind. Swirling lights enveloped her body as Ekali stepped backwards and the words increased in volume. This time she could make out a few words of the mess swirling through her head, but they confused her more than anything.

… her life… is your sister… not allow..! … Breathe child, I…

… trust Feynahkril. And with that, the voices stopped even faster than they’d begun, the last of the soul poured into her in a surge so powerful that it brought her to her knees. She blinked, looked up from her position on the ground. There was an odd feeling in her chest, power and knowledge becoming so intertwined with her own soul that she had to think for a moment before remembering where she where.

When she finally regained her senses completely, Ekali found that Gladio had already limped up to her, and was pressing his head into her right shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she moved her hand through his fur before moving so she could see what damage had been done to his body.

“You lucky animal, there’s only a minor fracture. Be still now, let me heal you,” she said and took a firm hold on his leg as she reached inside herself for the little healing power she possessed. Light swirled around them, and when she’d just begun she could hear someone approaching her from behind, but she waited until the wolf was completely healed to turn around.

“So the rumors are true, the dragonborn is a khajiit.” The Nord looking down on her kneeling form had discarded his helmet, possibly because it got too cold from the Frost breath, and was only wearing the blue and gray raiment of the Stormcloaks as well as a pair of fur boots. He had short blonde hair, which was a length that seemed quite uncommon amongst the Nords, and some short stubble adorned his chin and cheeks. They were youthful eyes that looked back at her as she rose so as to better meet his gaze. And though he still towered over her, he didn’t need to bend his head very much.

“Yes, I am,” she said and sighed as the wolf placed himself by her side. The soldier just stared for a moment before he realized what he was doing.

“I… word’s come down from the palace that the Jarl wishes to see you,” he said finally, hands fidgeting a bit. Ekali groaned as she pulled her helmet of her head and ran her fingers through the sweaty fur.

“More nobility,” she muttered, then shook her head and looked at him again. “Thank you for telling me.” He nodded to her before walking away to help with the wounded, and motioning for Gladio to follow, Ekali headed towards the city.

:-:-:-:

Suspicious eyes followed them when Ekali and Gladio finally entered the palace and headed towards the throne on which the Jarl sat. An Orc was talking to the steward, and many guards stood at different places around the room, but she ignored them for the time being. Her eyes pointed straight at the Stormcloak Jarl as she strode forward purposefully. Then his gaze was raised from the papers in front of him, and his eyes widened slightly at the sight of her. Looking down, Ekali saw that her armor was still slightly splattered with blood, and winced at the sight before looking up again.

“Yes, what do you want?” the Jarl asked impatiently when she’d stopped before him. She could feel the hair of her neck stand on end as she narrowed her eyes at him.

“I was told that you wished to see me,” she said and the whole hall fell quiet, for everyone knew just who he’d called for when word arrived of the dragons fall.

“So you’re the dragonborn?” His eyes widened and his mouth hung open for a few seconds before he got control over his face, and she sighed for the second time that day.

“That is what everyone calls me,” she answered him, casting a glance around the room to see that everyones attention was focused on her. “I am Ekali… of the Frozen Heights.”

“Ekali… Then you are the khajiit we met in Helgen. Ralof said that he wouldn’t have gotten out without you.” A new light shone in his eyes when the Jarl next spoke, and Ekali squirmed uncomfortably before nodding. She couldn’t help it, but that look made her think of a predator watching his next meal.

“I take it that means that he’s alive,” she said, looking around again.

“Yes, he is. Though he isn’t in the city at the moment, so you won’t meet him here.” His eyes looked her over appraisingly before he spoke again. “I would like to offer you a place in my army. First you escaped Helgen, then you defeated several dragons. I could have use of a soldier with your skill.”

“I beg your pardon, but I have no wish to fight in your war. I have my own business to take care of, and the welcome I’ve been given in this city has not been a good one.” He nodded at that, clenching his fists, but controlling his anger for a later time.

“Very well, then at least accept my offer of free lodging in Candlehearth hall.” He inclined his head in her direction, clearly not wishing to speak any longer, and she bowed in response. Then she turned on her heel and walked out through the palace doors.

“Ekali!” She hadn’t come far from the palace when she heard running footsteps behind her, and turned around in surprise to greet the person whom had called out her name.

[McBadgere]

Fantastic stuff...

Absolutely loved the dragon attack (cue music!)...Intrigued by the

… her life… is your sister… not allow..! … Breathe child, I…

… trust Feynahkril.

bit...

That was cool...

And I loved the dissmissing of Ulfric... ...I could slap that nermal, really could...

Brilliant stuff...

Post more when you can, looking forward to it hugely...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

[King Coin]

“I beg your pardon, but I have no wish to fight in your war.

I thought I had read this chapter, but no I haven't. I was very pleased with her response to Ulfric's... Invitation.

The guard at the very beginning struck me as well. He polite to Ekali but frank about the other residents of Windhelm and their displeasure for anyone that isn't a Nord. I kind of wish that the racism was more pronounced in the game, it would make it a bit more interesting. You did a pretty good job in your chapter showing it however.

The dragon fight was pretty neat, though I got a little confused when you changed perspectives. I didn't realize you did that.

[Saquira]

So, I finally managed to write this chapter, and I'm very happy about it. There's so much potential for Windhelm! And there's a budding relationship as well, which I really hope I'm not screwing up. I haven't actually thought that much about his character before, which was why this chapter was so hard.

Well, I think I should mention that this story can also be read on fanfiction.net now. I'm also publishing some other stuff there that doesn't have anything to do with the Elder Scrolls series, if you want to check that out. Link can be found in my signature.

And right, the new currency is called Thalms, and I'll be posting an explanation later in "The man with green eyes".

Italics = Ekali's thoughts/dreams/voices that Ekali hear in her head. In this chapter it's just her thoughts though.

McBadgere: Thank you, that strange bit'll be explained eventually. It's always bugged me how you're pretty much forced into joining Ulfric the first time you speak to him. Sure, you can just ignore the quest or join the Imperials instead, but there's no actual dialogue in which you get to tell him of.

King Coin: Thank you, I quite liked that guard, and the racism gets even more pronounced in this chapter. I realize that might be a bit confusing now.

Previously in Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali arrived in Windhelm and defeated a dragon named Feynahkril outside the city walls. She was finally able to make out some of the voices speaking to her afterwards, but they answered none of her questions. Then she was called to the palace, met the high and mighty usurper Ulfric and told him that no, she doesn't want to participate in his war.

Chapter 5.3 Friend
28th Last Seed

“Shakh,” she said, surprise colouring her voice when she saw the orc heading towards her, and he smiled hesitantly at her, meanwhile doing his best to ignore the guards who were paying them far too much attention. “I did not expect to see you here.” She smiled faintly back at him as they began to walk next to each other, and he shrugged.

“Neither did I expect to see you, but you said that Skyrim’s people could use help, so that’s what I’m doing. Are you heading to Candlehearth Hall, or will you join me at the Cornerclub? I find it much more hospitable than the hall,” he said, and Ekali glanced at him before once again turning her eyes to the road.

“I think I’ll head to the Cornerclub, even if they’ll serve me in the hall, they’ll only do it because I’m dragonborn. I don’t want the kind of attention that’d gain me,” she said, and the orc smiled wider as he cut of down some stairs and she followed his lead.

“I’m glad to hear that. Ambarys is a very pleasant host, and has a much larger diversity amongst the beverages he sells. Not like at Candlehearth, where they only sell that strange stuff the Nords call mead.” He chuckled a bit at something that he obviously found funny, and Ekali smirked when he stopped talking.

“I actually happen to favour mead,” she said, and the orc’s laughter stopped abruptly. Had the alleyway they were currently walking through had better lightning, she’d have sworn that the reason to why he turned his head away for a few moments was that he was blushing.

“Oh, ehm… Sorry, I didn’t know that.” One green hand reached up to scratch his neck, and the female khajiit chuckled.

“Well, obviously. It’s not like I’ve had the time to tell you before.” She was still smiling when they came to the end of the alleyway, and she could see the sign of an inn further down the street that they came out onto.

“Eh, right. Of course,” he said and smiled hesitantly in her direction again, before they came to stand before the old worn-down door, and Shakh reached out his hand to open it. “It looks a bit shabby, I know. But everything is clean, and the food is good. They don’t water down the drinks either,” he said first, before opening it. Ekali nodded in response, and then they stepped inside.

There where quite a few people inside, and though a lot of the tables and chairs looked darkened with age, and both the floors and walls were of wood, she found that he had been right. Everything seemed clean, though a male dunmer was currently wiping up some vomit from the floor. Most of the tables where occupied, but there where still a few free ones, and the mer behind the bar looked up when they stepped inside.

“Shakh, what can I get you?” he asked as the two approached the bar, and the orc reached for the money pouch he kept within his armour.

“I’d like a bottle of red wine and a bowl of whatever you’ve got in the cauldron,” he answered the dunmer.

“Alright, that’s 20 thalms,” the owner of the inn said, and the orc handed the correct amount over. “I’ll get the food in a moment.” The dark elf handed him a bottle and a glass before turning to Ekali. “Now, what can I do for the dragonborn?” he asked with a warm smile, one that she returned.

“I’m Ekali. I’d like to rent a room for the night, and a bath if it’s possible. Then I’ll take some mead and stew for dinner,” she answered as she reached for her money-pouch. But the dark elf raised his hand to stop her with another smile.

“Sure thing, Ekali. I’ll have Malthyr take you up to your room and draw up some water in the bathtub. When you come back down the food will be ready. It’s all on the house though, so don’t go counting out coins,” he said as he waved his hand for the other man to come over, and when he did told him his instructions. The khajiit seemed like she was going to protest for a moment, but then she thanked him and followed the elf up the stairs to her room.

:-:-:-:

Shakh had already finished his meal when she came down the stairs again, and was taking occasional sips from a glass of wine as he looked her over. She wore a light brown linen shirt without sleeves and a pair of trousers in a darker material. The shoes on her feet were of a very malleable leather. She looked around for a bit before seeing him at the table by the fire, and walked towards him, having to weave through the other people in the room. He noticed her apparent discomfort now that she wasn’t wearing any armour, for even though she held her back straight and moved with the bearing of a legionnaire, her eyes were flickering back and forth and the ears on her head where leaning backwards slightly.

“Sit down, Ambarys should be over any minute now,” he said when she came closer, for he’d just seen the dark elf head into the kitchen through the door behind the counter. She lowered herself into the chair with ease, and took a last look around before turning her attention to the orc.

“So, have you managed to find employment here in Windhelm yet?” she asked after a few moments of awkward silence, and he smiled in gratitude for getting something to talk about, putting his glass down on the table.

“Actually, I’d just wrapped up a murder investigation when you arrived. Apparently several women have gone missing and turned up murdered during the last few weeks, and the Jarl’s soldiers haven’t been able to find out who did it.” He moved his hands a bit as he spoke, getting more animated the more he talked. “The last murder before I got here was committed in the graveyard, but the murderer was interrupted before he had time to take the body with him, and so there was a guard at the spot when I got there. I had to talk to the steward before they’d allow me to do anything, but he seemed quite happy that anyone would be willing to look into it, so that was far from the hardest part.” He paused to take a drink from his glass, and Ekali chose that moment to cut in.

“But if the guard had had so much trouble with it, how did you manage to find the culprit?” In the time that passed before he spoke again, Ambarys came up with her food, and she thanked him with a smile before turning back to Shakh.

“Well, you see, the wounds on the bodies were very odd, not resembling cuts from any common weapon. The people who’d investigated earlier hadn’t looked at them much, as they were common guards and rarely got to take care of murder investigations. I’m quite interested in weaponry, and I thought the wounds looked rather similar to those made by an orcish dagger, but still very different. The culprit never used his own house either, and since there’s been no eyewitnesses, it was hard to even know what homes to look in. But I asked the keeper of the Hall of the Dead - Helgird - about it, and she recognised the cuts. Ancient embalming tools, there were some kept in the hall, that’s what had made the wounds. You can find them rather often in old barrows, but otherwise they’re apparently quite hard to get a hold of.

“In any case, that was not the only clue I found. The murderer screwed up this time, he left a trail of blood from the scene of the crime to the house he used to house his victims. Hjerim, property of the Shatter-Shield family. Friga Shatter-Shield was one of the victims, and after her death the house was more or less abandoned. Her mother lent me a key so that I could get in, and I found quite a few intriguing items. One was an amulet that had been hid beneath a pile of papers concerning the Butcherer, the name that the locals gave the killer. The owner of the local museum, Calixto Corrium, identified it as an amulet that belonged to the court wizards. As it turns out, that was a lie. I confronted the courts wizard about it, and he said that it was an old necromancers amulet, and then went on to tell me that he believed he knew when the murderer would strike again.” He finally stopped to take a drink from his glass, and Ekali frowned.

“That sounds very… suspicious,” she said, careful to make sure he didn’t take offence, but he merely nodded in agreement and put the glass down again.

“I agree. However, he was right. When I arrived at the marketplace, Corrium was just in the process of trying to butcher a young woman. I managed to stop him, thankfully, but I had to kill him to do it. It turns out that he’d been collecting body-parts to rebuild the woman he once loved.” His eyes gained a far off expression, and he shivered slightly before turning them to Ekali again.

“Then it’s definitely good that you caught him,” Ekali said and shook her head slightly, accidentally bumping her hand into the now-empty bowl in front of her. She pushed it a bit further away from her so that it wouldn’t happen again, and took a hold of her glass.

“Yeah,” Shakh said, and then fell silent as neither of them knew exactly how to continue their conversation. “So, what about you? Where are you headed?” he finally thought to ask.

“Ustengrav. The Greybeards have asked me to acquire the horn of Jurgen Windcaller as a final… well, test, I suppose you could call it,” she said and took another drink as the wolf by her feet moved his ears a bit and turned his head around to better see what was going on in the room.

“So, where did you find the wolf? You rarely see them kept as pets or war-animals these days, and even when you do, they’re rarely very loyal.” Gladio started growling when the word pet left the orc’s mouth, and Ekali smiled as she put a cautioning hand on his head.

“First of all, he’s not really a pet. He’s my companion and a friend who has helped save my life on many occasions, and I’d never have gotten this far without him. And as for where I found him, it was around five years ago, when I’d been posted in Bruma for seven years. A lone wolf had been harassing both hunters and shepherds around the Jeralls, stealing food and hunting cattle. It was threatening to leave a lot of people without any means of survival, so I was tasked with tracking and killing it. Only, the wolf was female, and once I killed her I found that she’d been feeding cubs. So I followed her tracks back to the den, and found three dead pups, as well as this guy.” Ekali reached down to scratch Gladio’s head as she spoke, and Shakh nodded. “I couldn’t leave him, so I took him back to Bruma with me and fed him ground meat until he could eat properly on his own. Eventually, he got strong enough that he could join me on my outings, and once he did I quickly realised the worth of teaching him a few signs from the legion. Wolves rely a lot of instinct, I’ve noticed since, as it was like he’d been taught to fight in a pack, and only needed to do it for real for that training to kick in. Already from the beginning, he understood what I wanted much better than most humans, and seemed to want to do what he could to help. Humans have never been very good at reading khajiit body-language. In any case, it’s been quite an experience to fight by his side, and he still continues to surprise me.” She smiled as she looked down on the wolf, and he looked back up at her.

“There was a period when I’m guessing he became an adolescent, that he left me for a few months at a time. I followed him once then, and found that he was following a pack of wolves. They never allowed him to get close enough to do anything however, and so he always returned to me eventually. We’ve been travelling together for a long time now.”

“I didn’t know animals could be that loyal,” he said with raised eyebrows. “There never where many animals in Orsinium, aside from those we hunted.”

“Yeah, it’s not very usual to keep other animals than farm animals or horses.” She took a look around as she lifted the mug to her lips, and found that the amount of patrons had dwindled substantially since they entered. Her eyes went to the clock, which was showing that the time was currently half past nine in the evening. “Isn’t it a bit early for business to decrease this much in a tavern?” Ekali wondered aloud, and Shakh merely shrugged, as he was almost as much of a newcomer as she was. A dark elf nearby had heard her however, and her eyes quickly found him once he started speaking.

“The streets of the Grey Quarter aren’t safe at night, so most people try and lock their doors by ten o’clock. You’d be wise to do the same,” he muttered in a melancholy tone. Her brows furrowed as she turned to answer him.

“Why? Aren’t the guards patrolling the streets often enough?” she asked, and the dunmers’ lips turned into a smile that fell short of reaching his eyes.

“Newcomer, eh? In Windhelm, anything that ain’t human is fair game, has been for a long time. Miss, the guards help the criminals if we’re the victims. It’s a bit better if you’re a orc, khajiit or argonian, but not much.” Dark red eyes met hers as her mouth popped open in shock and she just stared at him for a while before regaining her tongue.

“But doesn’t the Jarl do something about it?” she uttered incredulously, and bitter smiles spread through the tavern as most were now listening to the exchange.

“Jarl condones it, he doesn’t care about us. No, we’re knife-ears, good for nothing but servants work,” the man snarled, and Ekali’s ears flickered backwards involuntarily as hate filled his eyes. Silence descended on the tavern as she sunk back into her chair. Shakh was watching the fire, troubled look in his eyes, and most of the other patrons were looking at the floors or staring into thin air. Some remembering past offences, some hoping nothing would happen when they made their way home and wishing that they were less sober. The few Nords present stared at the floor in shame. Finally, the barkeeps gaze wandered to the clock, and he snapped to attention once he saw the time.

“Okay people, time to be getting home, we don’t want anything to happen,” he said, and most eyes flickered to the clock before they rose from their chairs and left through the doors. The dark elf who’d answered Ekali’s question nodded to her in greeting, and she raised her hand to him slightly before he headed out. After a while, only the ones who were sleeping in the building were present.

“I should be getting to bed, I’ve got some people who asked if I’d help them with repairs tomorrow, and I have a feeling that it’ll be a long day,” Shakh finally said as he rose from his chair, and Ekali started slightly before looking up at him, so absent where her thoughts from her current location.

“I’ll retire as well, I have to leave early tomorrow. Have a good night,” she said and they shook hands with uneasy smiles.

“You have a good night as well,” he uttered uncertainly, and she smiled slightly warmer back at him, not allowing her exterior to show any of the fear she felt. If only he knew…

Then he turned and headed up the stairs, and she bade good night to Ambarys and Malthyr before she followed him and went to her own room.

This post has been edited by Saquira: Dec 17 2012, 09:28 PM

[McBadgere]

Brilliant stuff...

Loved the way you wove that Windhelm quest (that I've never done personally ) into the story...

Also loved the whole Gladio/Bruma thing...As I'm currently bozzing around in Cyrodiil on Oblivion it's a nice remider of there... ...

Plus the worrysome stuff going on in the Grey Quarter... ...

Looking forward to much more...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

[King Coin]

I was wondering if she was going to be seeing the orc here.

The corner club sounds better than the hall to me too. The hall is pretty nice, but it would be uncomfortable sitting under all those glares. I wonder what she thinks about Dunmer though, her race was enslaved regularly for a long time.

Spiced wine for the orc? And he was smirking at the mead!

A bath would be a must after that fight on the bridge with the dragon.

I found her discomfort with the seating endearing. I can see her moving her chair to better face the rest of the inn. And here’s more of that racism. I see Ekali still defending people from Imperial attacks, but this experience will probably change her view on the Stormcloak supporters some.

[Saquira]

McBadgere: Thank you, I'm glad it worked as well as I thought

King Coin: And now it becomes apparent just how little I actually know about alcoholic beverages. Your comment made me google it, and... gah. Glögg, Spiced wine is the english name for glögg?! I'll have to change his choice of drink, because that was definitely not what I intended. I just... I made him order glögg!!!

Oh well, at least I learnt something new *grinds teeth*

On another note, thank you for your positive comments. Personally I don't think she has anything against Dunmer, as she hasn't met that many. But she and Neven were good friends, and the ones she's met in Windhelm have so far been very nice to her.

Actually with all of the bad stuff she's seen from the Stormcloaks the only reason I can see at the moment for her to join them against the Imperials is because of revenge and because she dislikes the fact that the Imperials are Thalmor pawns, so there'll definitely have to be some kind of change for her to join them.

[King Coin]

I just... I made him order glögg!!!

Personally I don't think she has anything against Dunmer, as she hasn't met that many.

Yeah that makes sense, especially if you are following the established timeline. I think slavery's been gone from Morrowind for 200 years or so at the time Skyrim takes place. Don't quote me on that though, I'm no lore master and I follow it where it suits me and toss it out where it doesn't.

Actually with all of the bad stuff she's seen from the Stormcloaks the only reason I can see at the moment for her to join them against the Imperials is because of revenge and because she dislikes the fact that the Imperials are Thalmor pawns, so there'll definitely have to be some kind of change for her to join them.

I don't know where you are planning on going with this story, but I'd be perfectly content with her staying neutral in the civil war. She's got perfectly valid reasons to dislike both sides. That is to say that you don't have to ignore it either. She can still get tangled up in events. Just my thoughts, take it or leave it.

[mALX]

I'll be catching up on this tomorrow, have a full free day finally! Woo Hoo! Sorry it took so long, Saquira!

[mALX]

My PC has been up and down and I keep losing my notes on the chapters, so I have to make this quick.

Wuld Nah Kest!” Wulfgar shouted and flew past them.

Although I've never done these quests, I know it is the Whirlwind sprint from vids. It is just the way you wrote it that caught me off guard here, I choked on Koolaid laughing here, lol.

That was one huge battle! Do the shouts regenerate like magicka does?

Love the scene with the Jarl, and in the next chapter with Shakh. You are truly in your element in these one on one scenes, it feels like being there watching it happen! Loved this whole chapter!

Awesome Write, as always!

[McBadgere]

Do the shouts regenerate like magicka does?

Yes, yes they do...And some shouts take longer to regenerate than others...There's a white bar along the compass which clears to let you know...Or, in RP you can just feel it's back...Y'know?... ...

The classic FUS, RO, DAH...Force push thing takes a while...

But the one that brings Dragons to the ground so you can smite them repeatedly takes next to no time...

[mALX]

Do the shouts regenerate like magicka does?

Yes, yes they do...And some shouts take longer to regenerate than others...There's a white bar along the compass which clears to let you know...Or, in RP you can just feel it's back...Y'know?... ...

The classic FUS, RO, DAH...Force push thing takes a while...

But the one that brings Dragons to the ground so you can smite them repeatedly takes next to no time...

Thanks!