The Dragonborn

Part 34

Jack glanced up at the grey castle and closed his eyes.  He could feel the powerful energy all around this place.  Mark called his name, drawing his attention back.  Racing over to quickly follow Mark up the grey stone steps to the doors.  Jack bounced in place for warmth before the doors, chattering out to Mark sarcastically.  "Sh-Should we knock"?  Mark rolled his eyes and made a show of kicking the doors, but they didn't even move.  Instead, it sent Mark toppling backward between Tim and Argo.  The doors were definitely made of solid stone.  Jack chuckled boldly and moved in to push his weight against them.  With a bit of effort he managed to get one of the heavy doors to slowly inch open.  Mark clambered to his feet to help him and they got the door open wide enough to let the horses in one at a time.  They sure weren't going to leave them outside to freeze. 

As Jack pulled Argo in after Tim, the door slammed shut on its own with a loud 'BANG'.  Tim and Argo shook off the snow from their backs, while Jack pushed his hood back.  The castle wasn't at all what he had expected.  In fact, it didn't even resemble a castle on the inside.  The floors along the walls were stacked with books.  The place was so dimly lit that it made the starry night sky seem bright.  The place was well kept... but practically looked abandoned of all life.  It just felt so dull and colorless.  The only plus was the fact that it was warmer than outside.  Across the large stone hall, a hooded figure emerged from a corner to stand at the edge of a dark open stairway.  The hooded figure spoke softly, but it seemed to be more than enough to be clearly heard as he told them calmly.  "So, a dragonborn appears at this turning of the age. Which one of you is the dragonborn"? 

Jack stepped forward a step or two, answering respectfully.  "I've answered your summons. What happens now"?  The hooded figure raised a hand to point at Mark as he told Jack bluntly.  "First, you will tell your companion to wait for you back at the Inn. He has no business here. The secrets of the voice should remain between us alone".  Mark shifted uncomfortably, tightening his grip on Tim's reins.  Jack stepped protectively closer to Mark, before telling the hooded man firmly.  "He stays with me. Or I go with him".  The hooded man started down the steps one at a time, answering just as firmly.  "I admire your loyalty to your friend, but he cannot stay and you cannot leave".  Jack narrowed his eyes on the descending hooded man, snapping back.  "He's my husband. So, he'll hear about all this one way or another".  The hooded man reached the last step and sighed heavily, reluctantly stating out.  "Very well, Dragonborn. He may stay". 

Jack felt Mark's fingers slide across his palm to hold his hand.  Giving Mark's hand a comforting squeeze, Jack kept his eyes on the hooded man.  The hooded man flipped back his large grey hood, revealing his long grey bread and old withered appearance.  However, a smile did cross his face as he told them a little excited.  "I am Master Arngeir. Welcome to High Hrothgar, Dragonborn".  Movement drew Jack's attention to more hooded figures as they stepped out silently from the shadowy halls and into the dim firelight.  They all were adorned in hooded grey cloaks and even though they seemed to look at him, he could not see their faces beneath their large hoods.  Master Arngeir spread his hands to gesture toward the figures standing off to the sides of the room, informing him lightly.  "We are the Greybeards. We are here to guide you, just as the Greybeards before us have done for those with the dragon blood that came before you". 

Jack raised a curious eyebrow, asking softly.  "How many Dragonborns have come before me? Are there others in Skyrim"?  Master Arngeir lowered his hands, answering simply.  "There have been many with the dragon blood since Akatosh bestowed it on mortal kind. There has only ever been one Dragonborn to every age. The dragon blood will pass to your heirs, but the gift of the voice will only be awakened in those that Akatosh chooses. And just as we had believed that the bloodline had been broken... You appeared to us".  Mark released Jack's hand to ask a bit startled.  "Wait, a minute. Are you saying that Jack is an heir to Tiber Septim? To Talos himself"?!  The sudden thought made Jack's eyes widen in disbelief.  He couldn't be!  He turned his wide eyes on Master Arngeir, who very calmly answered.  "To our dismay, there were a few Septim men that had more than a few bastard children born to many races over time. Scattering the bloodline across all Tamriel. If you weren't of his line, than we would not have called you here".