** Not everything I wanted to write down, but you all have waited long enough. Sometimes it's better to present what you have instead of constantly trying to improve it. Please enjoy it for what its worth.
What had she gotten herself into.
No. She wasn't talking about being stranded in Skyrim. That ship had sailed, and Twilight had more or less accepted the fact that she may never find a way home. Right now, Twilight was concerned with whatever could have possessed her to volunteer as the Dragonborn's Housecarl.
"Catch."
"Oomf!" Twilight was almost knocked over as a pack full of supplies hit her in the face.
Twilight lowered the pack and glared at the back of the Dragonborn's head. If he felt Twilight's death glare boring into his skull he didn't show it. Instead the Dragonborn swung open the door to the weapons shop known as War Maidens and stepped in. As Twilight followed, she recalled the events that led to her current situation.
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Twilight and "Redguard" entered Dragon's Reach. The tables that had once held plates of food were pushed to the side to make way for all the citizens of Dragons Reach who had become homeless due to the dragon attack. They were crying, eating, mending their wounds. But all stopped what they were doing, when Twilight and Redguard walked through that door. They all stared at him in awe and they began to murmur among themselves. At the head of the hall, sitting on his throne and leaning to one side, was Jarl Balgruf. To his right was Proventus and to his left was Irileth. All three were staring down at the Redguard expectantly as he walked up to them. Only when they were standing in front of the Jarl's throne had he decided to speak.
"Welcome back to Whiterun Redguard, or should I say, Dragonborn?"
Jarl Balgruf declared, and the murmuring of the refugees had increased even more. Redguard shifted his weight and although Twilight was behind him and could not see his face, she could clearly see that he was uncomfortable with the term.
"You say that with such conviction. I am not familiar with your myths and legends. But any man could have slain that dragon, had they the courage to stand, and the talent to not get killed."
Jarl Balgruf nodded. "And you showed an ample supply of both…along with the newest member of my court."
Balgruf glanced at Twilight for a second, and twilight couldn't help but feel a bit pleased with herself at the praise.
"She's didn't die. I'll give her that."
Aaaaand it's gone. Twilight tried very hard not to look irritated with Redguard, but soon found that feigning humility was the least of her worries.
"Is he really the Dragonborn?"
"I saw him devour that dragon's soul!"
"He must be it! He must be!"
Redguard looked around him and noticed that the crowd had formed around him. Jarl Balgruf did nothing but watch as the crowd, in their desperate and sorrowful state, circled the man to see if he was indeed the hope from the legends. Some were looking at him as if to expect him to suddenly transform into mighty Talos himself. Irileth leaned over and whispered into the Jarl's ear.
"My Jarl. Was this wise? Should I intervene?"
The Jarl said nothing and continued to watch.
Redguard and Twilight were now back to back. It was panic that had her rooted to the spot. Seeing some of the looks on their faces.
"He planned this." Twilight heard Redguard mutter under his breath. She gulped trying to find the wisdom in the Jarl's stirring of the crowd.
"Have him shout for us!" Everyone heard from somewhere in the back of the crowd. Twilight turned towards the source of the voice. It was female, and Twilight saw a cloaked, rather effeminate figure exit the hold.
"Yes if he is Dragonborn then let him shout!"
"Shout!"
"Please Shout!"
They prodded him. Some even tugging at his armor.
"Well?" Asked Twilight, now genuinley fearing for her life. "What are you waiting for? Shout already!"
"Shout what!?" He whispered back rather harshly.
"Anything!" She nearly yelled.
Redguard was about to respond when a sudden realization overcame him.
"The Words at the Barrows…"
Twilight had no idea what he meant. She was beginning to be dragged away and trampled by the crowd. Suddenly she felt a strong arm wrap around her. Twilight tilted her head up to find that it was Redguard protecting her from the increasingly rowdy crowd. He raised his head to the ceiling.
"FUS!"
All of Dragon Reach shook, and the crowd that had surrounded him disspersed. Twilight stood there frozen, still wrapped in Redguard's arm, not knowing what had just happened. She looked back up at Redguard who looked just as surprised as she did. His arm around her loosened and Twilight took the occasion to break away from Redguard's protective arm. A moment of silence, and then the cheering began.
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That was the event that started it all. They were practically carried to the Jarl's study by the once jubilant crowd where he pleaded and bargained with the Redguard to answer the call of High Hrothgar. When the Redguard accepted he was to be granted a Housecarl, to which Twilight volunteered. Deep in her heart she knew that if she had any hope of returning home, it would lie with the him. After all, he was the Dragon Born. And the ballad of the Dragon Born brought her here. That makes sense right?
"Here."
Twilight flinched and brought the supply pack up to shield her face. After a few seconds of nothing hitting her she slowly lowered it to find that Redguard was handing her a sword. His sword. She starred at it dumbly for a few seconds before the Redguard sighed in irritation and took Twilights free hand. He placed the sheathed weapon in her palms and closed her fingers around the handle.
"I don't care how good Farengar say's you are with magic. If you don't understand how to use a sword, you will not survive." Twilight and Redguard made eye contact for a moment before he turned back towards the weapons and armor counter.
Twilight looked at the sword and back up at Redguard. What possessed her indeed.
Redguard himself wasn't liking the situation either. His new life in the north had gotten off to an excellent start. Being captured upon crossing the border. Almost roasted alive by a dragon. Attacked by ravenous wolves, draugr, almost being roasted alive by a dragon again, and now her. He threw a glance over at his new "housecarl," the exact meaning of the title "housecarl" being lost on him at the moment but that was not the issue. The issue was that she fell from the sky. In a form that was most definitely NOT native to Tamriel.
Pushing his doubts aside for now he placed a bag of septims on the table for Ulfberth War-Bear, the owner of Warmaiden's, to count. Once Ulfberth was satisfied at the amount he received, he placed two packages on the table, one of them larger than the other. He also took a single steel sword and placed it on the table. Redguard took the blade and unsheathed it, inspecting the balance and finer details of the sword meticulously.
"It'll do." Redguard said under his breath before putting it back on the table. Ulfberth scowled at him.
"No offense." He added quickly, before grabbing the larger package and walked into the back room.
Moments later he emerged wearing robes of white and brown, with steel nordic gauntlets and steel nordic boots. He flexed his fingers and rolled his shoulder making sure that the robes were an excellent fit.
"What happened to your armor?"
Redguard had almost forgotten Twilight was there, and was a little surprised at her question.
"I like this better." He replied simply.
Twilight just raised an eyebrow, expecting more of an answer than the one she got. Redguard sighed.
"If you must know, it compliments the way I know how to fight." He grabbed the smaller package and handed it to twilight.
"These are yours. Put them on and tell me how they suit you."
Twilight nodded and set down the pack of supplies she had been carrying in one hand. Without another word she began to slip off the magician robes she had received from Irileth.
Redguard cleared his throat, and Twilight looked up at him, then back at her robes that was already half off. Her eyes went wide in realization.
"Oh!…Right!" She declared before walking casually to the back room to change.
Ulfberth's jaw was open as he turned to the Redguard. There was an awkward pause before Redguard shrugged his shoulders, doing his best to shrug it off.
"Tourist."