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Falkreath. A sleepy hold of Skyrim, nestled near the border of both Cyrodill and Hammerfell. Known for its quite large cemetery and impressive lumber operation. Beautiful this time of year, with a cold nip to the air. And if you look up the leaves blanket the trees in elaborate explosions of color.
Lexa Woods breathed in and out slowly as she made her way down the dirt path, every leaf she stepped on making a satisfying crunch underneath her boots. She knew when she moved out, that she should have moved farther than this, but there was just something about the forest that she just couldn’t let go. And with her bow and arrow strapped securely across her back, there was no place else she’d rather be.
But something felt different about today, like there was an unsettled energy in the air. Or the universe was holding it’s breath for something to happen. She couldn’t place the feeling, so she pushed it off. Listening to the sounds of nature around her, keeping an ear out for something to potentially hunt.
But what she heard wasn’t the skitterings of a frightened rabbit, or the clomp of a stags hooves, it was the mighty roar of a beast off in the distance. The sound scaring the birds in the trees to flight, flapping around the skies like a group of confused nats before scattering to the wind. Looking to avoid whatever much bigger monster coming towards them. The ground trembled underneath Lexa’s feet, an ominous warning of what seemed to be getting closer.
And as she started turning a corner around a large boulder to find the source of the noise, that’s when it happened.
Blonde hair, that’s all she could see before she was plowed to the ground by an unknown figure who let out a high pitched yelp as they fell. The blonde frantically moved her hair out of her face, moving her eyes to catch Lexa’s gaze. The world seemed to stop for a second, forest green clashing against sky blue. Lexa opened her mouth to say something, anything. But the words seemed to stick in her throat like a bad chunk of horker meat. So instead of words, only a questioning gasp of air escaped her throat. The woman above her was captivating. Her blonde hair falling in a curtain around Lexa’s face. Her eyes were blue as the sky, with a scar running across the bridge of her nose. Lexa vaguely started to wonder how she obtained said scar before the ground shook again, and the moment was shattered. The blondes eyes widened comically, “I’m so sorry!” She said, her honey voice rolling through Lexa’s head, before pulling them both to their feet once again. They stood there for a second, just staring at each other. Lexa trying to form words, but was really having a hard time about it. But before either of them could speak, the ground shook again because a dragon,
A fucking dragon
Landed about 30 feet away, a mighty roar passing its lips as it snapped its enormous jaw in their direction.
“Run!” The blonde yelled, grabbing Lexa’s hand and tugging her back down the path she was on. The dragon chasing after them with zeal, crashing into trees and smashing rocks along the way before it took to the sky once again.
Finally snapping out of her daze, Lexa kept pace with the blonde. The forest zipping by as they could hear the dragons flapping wings behind them.
“Are we really being chased by a DRAGON?!” Lexa yelled to the blonde, both of them quickly jumping over a fallen tree in their path.
“Yup!” The woman yelled, sounding a bit out of breath. “It was attacking the village. I thought I could lure it away but didn’t realize that it would come after me instead.”
Lexa balked at the woman running besides her, “So you lured a dragon to you, with no way to fight it?!” Lexa questioned, “What kind of plan is that?!”
“I’m a mage!” The woman yelled, throwing her arms in the air as she ran. The dragon spewing ice at them from the skies, barely missing the women. “What are healing spells supposed to do against A GIANT ICE BREATHING LIZARD?”
Lexa was going to respond but the blonde cut her off, baffling her even more.
“I ALREADY THREW MY SWORD AT IT! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT?!”
Lexa almost stumbled, quickly looking over to the woman to find her completely serious.
“YOU THREW YOUR WHAT?”
“MY SWORD! KEEP UP WOMAN!”
The pair dodged another ice blast, a large clearing seemed to be ahead.
“WHAT WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO DO?” Lexa questioned, dumbfounded by this clearly insane woman’s logic.
“WHAT? IT WORKS IN STORIES!” She yelled as they stumbled into the open clearing. Which instantly turned out to be a terrible idea as the dragon landed in the new open space. It’s very unfriendly head peering down at them. Lexa quickly drew her bow and notched an arrow, she wasn’t going to go down without a fight. The dragon reared it’s ugly head back, preparing to freeze Lexa where she stood when she was yanked behind a tree and a shiny barrier was thrown up around them. The deadly ice spikes either smashing against the shield or passing by them.
The woman stood before her, a calm look on her face as the dragon tried again and again to get past the shield. They were very close, Lexa noted.
“How are you holding this so well?” Lexa asked, surprised at this woman’s store of magic. She just chuckled lightly, “My mother is the archmage at the College of Winterhold and is the most overprotective parent in the world. I was practicing ward spells since before I could even use magic.”
Lexa starts to speak, but is cut off by the dragons clearly frustrated roar. To which the woman responds, shaking her fist at the dragon.
“WE’RE TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION HERE!”
The dragon just roars again,
“Dragons. Am I right?” She asks, to which Lexa just scoffs at.
“I’m Clarke, by the way. Clarke Griffin.” Holding out her hand in the tight space they have underneath the ward.
“Lexa Woods.” She says as they shake hands, eyes meeting again briefly as a sort of energy passes between them.
At this point, the dragon seems to have wised up. Moving to smash the tree the girls are hiding behind. Which, thanks to the ward, allows them not to be slashed to pieces by the dragons sharp claws. But does send them flying back through the forest, landing on top of one another in a painful heap.
Clarke let out a pained groan as she looked down at Lexa, who once again was the one to break her fall.
“We really have to stop ending up in this position.” She says, watching as Lexa opens her mouth only to sputter and blush.
“Hey!” A deep voice yells a few yards away. “Dragon now, flirting later!”
Clarke and Lexa’s heads snap towards the noise, which came from an imposing figure dressed in red and black armor with his cowl up, completely obscuring his face. Clarke could see that more red and black people were off in the clearing, keeping the dragon at bay.
Clarke felt Lexa stiffen underneath her, staring at the man before them. They quickly stood up, Lexa drawing her small knife from her side. Pushing Clarke behind her and pointing the dagger at him defensively.
“What are you doing here?” Lexa asked, gripping the dagger tighter when the man’s head just tilted sideways. A soft chuckle passed through the cowl.
“You’re the one who came to us, sister.” He said. The words meant to sound ominous, but Clarke could hear the lilt of affection in his voice. “The base is not very far off. When we heard the commotion, we came to find what it was.”
Lexa’s dagger lowered slightly as she looked around, he was right, the woods did look familiar. She knew she should have moved further away from here. Stupid, stupid.
“Lexa?” Another voice said as another hulking figure stepped from the woods. His shoulders slightly covered in frost from the dragon who was keeping the rest of them busy.
“What are you doing here?” He asked, worry seeping into his tone. This man was one of the few who didn’t wear a cowl. His brown hair spilling out over her shoulders, an intricate braid here and there. He had a large beard and a tattoo on his face that made him look even more imposing. As if the huge muscles and height wouldn’t be enough.
“Gustus, I-” Lexa started, clearly knowing these people. A pained tone in her voice.
She hadn’t seen Gustus in 3 years. He was practically her father, and she missed him dearly. But she made her choice, and she couldn’t go back on that.
“No, Lexa” He said, cutting her off in a stern voice. “That dragon is just about dead. You need to hide. Now.”
Before either of them could say anything, they were being hustled into a bush, told to be quiet, and the two men went and joined the fight again. Quickly killing the beast by sheer numbers.
“Everyone back to the base. Lincoln and I will manage clean up.” Gustus announced, waiting for everyone to leave the clearing before motioning that they can get out of the bush.
“Lexa, what are you doing back here?” Gustus asked, his eyes shining with frustration and worry.
“You know what Titus will do to you if he sees you.” The man apparently named Lincoln, said. Pushing off his cowl to reveal a bald head with intricate tattoos across it. Similar to Gustus’.
“We were being chased by a dragon.” Clarke cut in, not appreciating them digging into her new friend. “We weren’t really worried about where we were going.”
Clarke’s response was just met with silence however, and when she looked up she found three pairs of wide eyes staring at her. The blonde looked around quickly to find a white light moving from the dragon, swirling around her, and being absorbed into her. This again.
“You’re a dragonborn?!” Lexa asked, clearly stunned. Lincoln and Gustus just said nothing as they continued to stare. Dragonborns were Nordic legend and seeing one in person was unbelievable.
Clarke shrugged, crossing her arms across her chest nonchalantly.
“It’s just been something that’s been happening recently. Apparently I need to go talk to some old dudes on a mountain but I just haven’t been feeling it.” She shrugged again. “I also don’t know how to get there so, that doesn’t help.”
The three stared, flabbergasted. This girl, who throws swords at dragons and crashes into people, was a dragonborn. What are the odds.
“Lexa will take you!” Lincoln said, shoving the girl towards the blonde.
“I’ll do what now?” Lexa asked, staring at Lincoln like he had 3 heads. Clarke was pretty and all but an epic quest to help the Dragonborn get to High Hrothgar? She was retired from fighting!
“Lincoln's right, Lexa.” Gustus said, putting a large hand on the girl's shoulders. “Someone else from the guild was bound to have seen you and tell Titus. You need to get away from here, and quick.”
Lexa just sighed, resigning to the idea before quickly hugging Gustus. “I miss you.” She said, quietly. “And I you.” He responded, squeezing her shoulders once more before parting. Then moving over to Lincoln and...kicking him hard in the shin. Watching him hobble in surprise.
“What was that for?!” He asked, glaring at the brown haired girl.
“For suggesting this!” She yelled, then swiftly turning back to Clarke who gave her a nervous smile.
“Are you ready to go to the mountain, Clarke?” She asked, stopping a foot in front of the blonde. Clarke noticed the way Lexa’s tongue snapped over the ‘K’ in her name, and shivered slightly.
“Uh- yeah. Yes.” Clarke stumbled, hearing Lincoln chuckle behind them.
“Then let’s go.”