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puddingpunter
Elle watched the Companions go for a moment before turning her attention to Nil when he spoke. She smirked and shook her head at his negative comment and replied, "Well, lucky for us we probably won't have to deal with them again." After taking one last look at the fallen giant, she took a few running steps to catch up with Nil, too anxious and preoccupied with her own thoughts to pay much mind to her surroundings. She had seen plenty of rocky plains and farmland in her time, and while beautiful, it was nothing special. It seemed that they would reach Dragonsreach without anymore obstacles until they reached the main gate. Elle's first instinct was to smile a greeting at the guard that approached them, but his sharp order caused her to stop and frown abruptly. Nil retorted before she could even think of a response, so she stood behind him slightly and let him handle the situation. When the guard heard why they were here, he seemed much more willing to let them by. She nodded and mouthed a more genuine thank you to him as they passed through the stone arch into the city. Well, town.
She only took a moment to look around her at the humble stone buildings and cobbled streets before quickly advancing over the bridge toward the center of town. They passed an argument between what looked to be an imperial soldier and a blacksmith, something about and impossible weapons order, but she didn't stay to eavesdrop. Their goal, the castle the rose above everything else in the distance, was just in sight, and she was eager to send aid to the people of Riverwood. While it may have been helpful in saving her neck, she didn't want to beast to hurt innocent people if it was still lurking in the mountains. A chill went down her spine as the image of its eyes flashed through her mind once more, the strange stone tablet she had picked up in the Barrow heavy in her satchel. Maybe she could ask the court wizard about it, or at least get some leads on where to find someone who could tell her what it was.
They reached a little square with various shops, inns, and such bordering it, a well at the center. A stone stairway to the left indicated another part of town, which seemed to be the only logical way to go to reach the castle, so she wasted no time in ascending the steps to find a large tree, dead, surrounded by benches and other townspeople. Again, she didn't stop to admire the scenery or speak with anyone, the castle up the next flight of stairs. THe guards made no move to stop them as they climbed the stairs and crossed the wooden bridge to the towering front doors of the castle. Now, she hesitated, glancing over at Nil before pushing them open and stepping into the sunlit threshold. She walked across the carpet and up a short flight of stairs, taking a brief moment to look at her surroundings. The ceiling was high above their heads, tapestries hanging from wooden beams. There were long wooden tables on either side of a great fire in the center of the great room, and behind that, the Jarl seated on a throne arguing with someone.
Elle had made it to the fire when a female dunmer clad in leather armor drew her sword and stepped in their way. Her face was fixed in a suspicious scowl and her red eyes studied the pair critically, regarding Nilovas with more apprehension than the small Breton at his side. "What is the meaning of this interruption? Jarl Balgruuf isn't receiving any visitors," she said frostily. This time, Elle was prepared for a not so friendly greeting, so she quickly replied, "We have news of the dragon attack on Helgen." The mer frowned slightly, lowering her weapon as she replied, "No wonder the guards let you pass. The Jarl will want to speak with you personally. Approach." Then, she sheathed her weapon and stepped aside to let them pass.
Jarl Balgruuf seemed to have ended his argument with the man whom Elle assumed to be the steward, looking between the two of them with concern before he spoke, "So, you were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?"
Elle nodded, "Yes, it destroyed Helgen, and last we saw, it was headed this way," she replied, her tone laced with concern. She glanced sideways up at Nil as she explained before focusing her attention on the man seated before them.
The Jarl seemed to turn a shade paler, sitting up in his throne, "By Ysmir, Irileth was right! What do you say now?" he turned his head toward the balding man to his right, "Should we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?"
"My Lord," Irileth interrupted, "We should send troops to Riverwood at once. It's in the most immediate danger. If the dragon is lurking in the mountains…" her tone sounded so genuinely worried that it caught Elle off guard, considering the woman's harsh attitude and hardy exterior.
"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation!" the steward interrupted, "He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him. We should-" he tried to reason, however, the Jarl quickly cut him off, "Enough! I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people!" he growled before looking to the dunmer housecarl on his left, "Irileth, send a detachment down to Riverwood at once." She bowed her head and quickly turned to carry out his command. "If you'll excuse me, I'll return to my duties," the steward stated coldly before sulking away, his pride clearly injured. "That would be best," The Jarl said with eyes slightly narrowed before looking back at Elle and Nil, his look much kinder than the one he had just given the steward.
"Well done," he commended them, "You sought me out, on your own initiative. You've both done Whiterun a great service and I won't forget it. Here, take this as a small token of my esteem," he said, signaling with one hand. A servant approached with the fine leather armor and handed it to them before scurrying off again. "Thank you," Elle said with a smile, "Anything to help."
Jarl Balgruuf hesitated for a moment before saying, "There is another thing you could do for me. Suitable for someone with 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… rumors of dragons." He stood and walked toward a pair of doors on the right side of the hall. Intrigued at the mention of dragons, Elle exchanged a look with Nil and shrugged before trailing after the Jarl. They entered a room full of all sorts of oddities and ingredients, a man in a purple robe standing behind a table covered in maps and other documents.
"Farengar," Balgruuf greeted, "I think I've found some travelers who can help you with your dragon project. Go ahead and fill him in on all the details," he nodded to the odd pair crossing his arms and standing off to the side. "So the Jarl thinks you two can be of use to me? Oh yes, he must be referring to my research not he dragons. Yes, I could use your help fetching something. Well, by fetch, I mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not actually be there," he chuckled slightly, as if the statement was amusing.
"Pardon my asking, but what does a tablet have to do with dragons?" Elle asked, her mind immediately going to the runed slab in her bag. Farengar smiled, "Ah, no mere brute mercenary, but a thinker. Perhaps even a scholar? You see," he went on to explain, "When the stories of dragons began to circulate, many dismissed them as mere fantasies. Rumors. Impossibilities. One sure mark of a fool is to dismiss anything that falls outside his experience as being impossible…"
The wizard went on, pacing back and forth and pausing to look down at one of the scrolls on the table every so often. "He sure likes to hear himself talk," Elle whispered aside to Nil. However, when he mentioned a "Dragonstone" in Bleak Falls Barrow that contained the location of dragon burial sites, she was all ears again. That was it. That was the tablet she had picked up. The Breton reached into her satchel and pulled out the slab while saying, "You mean this Dragonstone?" Farengar looked at her with shock, his eyes going from the stone in her hands, to her face, to her tall companion and back. "Why, yes, that's it. You've already found it," he said, taking it when she handed it to him and and marveling at it like a child who had been given a sweet roll.