#helgan

Is she friend shaped?? Probably not

Not thunder…

cleopatra 2525: » 2x9 truth be told

We had to pass Helgan on our way to High Hrothgar. A dragon had definitely been there. Even though it rained as hard as a waterfall, the dragon’s fiery breath was powerful enough to keep some wood smoldering. Hoth’s horse stepped over the still smoking corpses littered throughout the rotting husk of a town. I could remember the last time I had been in Helgan. Rune and I were on a job. Stole a couple of fine jewelry and gems. It was a good haul.

We were attacked by five bandits once we got deeper into Helgan. They were smart. They used the loudness of the heavy rain as cover. Hoth and I never noticed one of them creeping up behind us. If they were smart they could have just stolen our supplies and we wouldn’t have noticed, which makes me ashamed considering my profession. Instead they slashed at Hoth’s legs.

“Argh! Damnit!” Hoth drew his Hammer and was on the attack. I wanted to help, I tried to help. I wasn’t strong enough to keep myself up and use my bow and I ended up shooting Hoth in the shoulder. “Stop helping!” He yelled as he knocked three bandits off their feet. “Duck!”

An arrow whizzed past my head when I ducked. Another bandit grabbed my leg and yanked me off the horse. Of course I landed on my back. I gasped and saw stars. I wish I had a voice just so I could curse out loud.

Hoth was on the bandit, the antlers on his hammer implaing him in the stomach. The other bandit who shot the arrow at me shook in fear as Hoth stared him down. “You wanna die like your friends?” The bandit dropped his bow and ran off into the rain. “Coward.” Hoth turned to me once his weapon was away. “You are useless, ya know?” He chuckled and gently picked me up and put me back on the horse. Without flinching, he yanked out my black arrow from his shoulder. “This is mine now. You aren’t getting it back, asshole”

I elbowed him in the throat and he choked on his laughter. “L-Little asshole…”

The rest of the ride to High Hrothgar was us pushing and hitting each other.

Ivarstead is the town at the base of the mountain.  It was empty, people hiding in their houses from the dragons flying slicing through the thick fog. I saw a few curious children press their faces against the windows to watch us go by before they were yanked away by their parents.

“I wonder if they know that hiding in big wooden houses aren’t gonna stop a dragon attack.” Hoth slid off his horse with me in tow. “When the first house is set on fire, they’ll learn.”

Would a house made of stone like Axiy’s or a place underground like the cistern withstand a dragon’s fury? I hope so.

“I’ve always wanted to climb the 7000 steps of the mountain. Not to see any monks or pray but to see if I could do it, ya know? Now I got that chance its a shame I gotta carry all this dead weight up there.” I settled for flipping him off instead of elbowing him. “It’s getting late. We’ll make a camp when we get halfway up there.”

I shook my head furiously. “Why stop? We can just keep going!”

“You don’t know about climbing mountains do you?” Hoth asked and tucked away my voice in his bag. “It gets cold at night. It’s colder on top of the mountain. Your dumb ass will freeze to death if we don’t stop to take shelter. I dunno about you, but I like living. I also distinctly remember you bitching about how you hate the cold..” I glared at him and pointed at the top of the mountain. “Pout all you want, but unless you are gonna drag yourself up the mountain, you aren’t getting anywhere without me. So settle in and shut..well just settle in.”

Out of the thick fog and into a thick snow storm. How many times have I written that Hoth is right? I should have volunteered to stay in the inn while he made the trek up the mountain. Hah. Here I worried about being hot in this bloody armor! It’s not warm enough! Couldn’t his ex wife made this a little better so I wouldn’t have to practically get inside Hoth’s smelly body to get warm!

Other than being accosted by mother nature, we were attacked by a fearsome looking troll when we decided to make camp underneath a cliff. I was not so gently tossed onto the snowy banks and Hoth charged towards the beast. How I would have loved to “help” him for that.

I couldn’t see how he killed the damn thing, but he dragged it’s corpse over to me. “Got dinner.” I’ve eaten wild animals before, but never a troll. Did he really eat these horrible animals? The answer is yes! Did I ever imagine that it would taste somewhat decent? The answer is no! I’m not above to trying things once or twice. It’s how I fell in love with fox meat. Troll meat was a bit gamey and I’m sure it could taste better if cooked by a real chef, but it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever eaten. Hopefully i’ll never eat it again.

The snow storm has settled down a bit, I can actually see the sky right now. It’s really beautiful...all those colors so close you could touch them. You know dragons are an absolute menace, but I envy them. If I had wings, I would be flying right now, all night long. To see how close I’d get to stars. I don’t know where this feeling of wanting to fly is coming from and I’m not going to fight it.

“Hey. Hey! I’m talking to you!” Didn’t realize Hoth was calling my name. Didn’t see him throwing my voice at my head. Asshole. “So, when we get your ‘friend’, what are gonna do? You still gonna go after those stones or what?”

I hadn’t thought about it. I’ve just been focusing on getting Brynjolf back. Do I even want to keep this trip up? Why am I asking that? I can’t. I can’t even walk and I don’t know the extent of Bynjolf’s injuries. These dragons could become more of a problem than they already are...

“I don’t know, Hoth. I think the safe thing to do is go back home. I have to check up on the rest of the guild and as you say I am utterly useless like this. I think it’s best just to lay low for a while. As big as an asshole you are, I don’t want you getting swiped by a dragon. Your welcome to stay with the thieves guild. Your little cabin will easily get destroyed by a dragon.”

 “I’m insulted that you’d think a dragon would do me in. I’m not a coward. I’m not hiding from anything.”

“Like you said to me, don’t be a dumb ass. You won’t survive that long. You’re not invincible. Just come stay with us for a while. Maybe til someone finds out how to kill them. Like whoever killed and picked apart that dragon we saw at Windhelm.”

“Hmph. No thanks. I’m not missing the chance to slay a dragon. You can hide like a little coward. I’m not.”

“I’m not a coward. I’m smart. I’d like to live a few more years. Do you keep forgetting that I can’t walk? Are you gonna carry me until I can walk again?”

“Eh, you aren’t that fat. I could.”

He...could? “Why? Thought you’d be anxious to get your pay and leave.”

“Like I told you the last time, it’s something to do. You’re an idiot, but an interesting idiot. Haven’t done this much work since I killed that giant.”

An interesting idiot huh?  We were sitting far apart, but I was able to smack the back of his head with the tip of my bow. He took my bow and tossed it far away from me. Asshole. “And you are just an idiot. My safety is overpowering my yearn for adventure.”

“Well, suit yourself. Come on. bed time. Another few hours and we’ll find your boyfriend. Finally.” Why am I offering this idiot a place to stay? I don’t want him driving me crazy the entire time we are down there.