Dovah ahrk Od

III

It took the mer and the breton a couple of days to venture into the city of Whiterun. The roads led them to various places and people along the way.

They encountered an interesting Nordic ruin that appeared to call the small humanoid's name in a mysterious sense.

Jokul merely shoved her away, assuming that the whispers were a trance of magic.

Soon, they ventured near a farm and began hearing a large thumping noise echoing from a distance.

The duo glanced over to witness a small group of warriors fighting a giant.

Within seconds, Jokul rushed towards the small battlefield, holding a dark spell of some sort in both hands. He then unleashed the energy, suddenly possessing two daggers with an aura of shadows in his grasp. The mer jumped onto the back of the giant, stabbing it, his daggers slowly descending the mer to the ground while also tearing open the giant's flesh.

Enora watched in amazement, noticing how skillful her companion was. She didn't know much about the elf, but now she knew to never cross the elf's wrong path. Why he requested her messily service as a guard, she would never understand.

After the giant collapsed, dead, the group of warriors gathered to thank Jokul for his assistance.

"Thank you for the assistance. I'm quite surprised that a stranger would come to our aid like that," said a redheaded Nord, wearing very peculiar armor. She also adorned green warpaint that resembled scratches across her face.

"No thanks are necessary. I was glad to help," responded Jokul who smiled under his mask.

"You know...you would make for a decent shield-brother. Come to Jorrvaskr if you'd like to join us, the Companions. I'm Aela, by the way." said the woman as she and her companions trotted back to the city.

Jokul was about to carry on until the owner of the land approached him.

"Please, sir! I have one other problem. Please, help me," pleaded the man, appearing quite stressed.

"Peace, friend. Tell me what this predicament is," the elf spoke as he casted a calming spell to quiet the man's fearful voice.

The man sighed, evident that this issue had caused many restless nights. "A large wolf seems to be killing my chickens, and I didn't want to trouble the Companions. And after seeing you take care of that giant with them, I thought I'd ask you to go and slay this beast."

Jokul stared at the old man for a moment and nodded. He took his leave after the man told him the direction of the wolf.

The elf then made his way back to Enora, who was chatting with the other farmer and informed her of the predicament. The little breton agreed to help and followed Jokul.

It took a day for them to find this wolf's whereabouts, but the two finally spotted a cave where they saw not just one wolf, but an entire pack of the dangerous beasts.

"By Magnus...there's an army of those animals down there. How do you want to handle this?" asked Enora, scared of the outcome that could result from this fight.

"Give me a moment," He whispered as the mer headed down towards the wolves, casting on an armor spell and equipping two bound swords.

The wolves noticed the snow elf as he approached, and all stood their ground.

One by one, the wolves attacked the mer, some of them biting but only tasting magic from his spell.

Jokul slaughtered them...each with a swipe of his blades; however, it did not go flawlessly.

Eventually, the armor disappeared. Only four remained. The last of these creatures leaped towards Jokul all at once, their teeth seeping into his flesh.

Enora gasped as Jokul cried out in pain, and as she casted her on spell, ready to burn those foul beasts alive, the young woman suddenly stopped in her tracks. Shocked, she witnessed her friend begin to glow a slight hue of purple. Large pulses of lightning forced all of the wolves off of Jokul.

He used a very interesting spell, one that he taught himself when he was younger. It was during a tense time when his adopted brothers once cornered him back home.

Jokul was on one knee, bleeding from his wounds and panting from all of the energy.

Suddenly, a shuffling from the nearby bushes startled the young elf, causing him to release a lighting bolt towards the bushes...killing a rabbit.

Enora began to giggle, a giggle that soon transformed into loud laugher.

Jokul yanked his hood down over his eyes, and this was how it stayed the entire way back to Whiterun: laughter and embarrassment.

The two finally entered the grand city, and the people observed, confused, as a small breton poked fun at a tall, mysterious figure over a small deed of murdering an innocent rabbit.

All through the town, Jokul had to walk with this child-sized woman who never ceased to laugh and torment him.

Thus was almost as bad as the time his older brother, Sibbi, hid a spider in Jokul's room...

Mer and breton came to a stop when they reached the entrance of Dragonsreach.

"Okay! The joke is over. You can stop laughing now," he nearly belted, red with embarrassment under his mask.

"B-but you—and, and then the rabbit, and—oh, Magnus—your reaction! It was just so priceless," said Enora, running out of air...again.

"I thought it was a wolf hiding from me. Really, Enora...I don't quite see what's so amusing," responded Jokul with a stern attitude.

"Oh, nothing...great bunny slayer. Come on, let us go and see the Jarl," she giggled out, no longer laughing fully and opening the door to the castle.

They entered Dragonsreach and glanced around the wooden palace. This place was well-furnished, and they could feel the heat from the great fire that was in the middle of the throne room.

The sound of the Jarl's booming voice shook the two out of their thoughts, and they noticed the noble and what seemed to be his two advisers arguing, but they suddenly stopped when the Jarl noticed his new guests.

"And who might the two of you be?" asked the blonde-haired man. He glared at them with great suspicion.

"Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors. Leave at once!" The dark elf raised her sword at the traveling duo, causing Enora to jump slightly in fear.

"Enough, Irileth...let them speak, and we will continue our council after," said Balgruuf, focusing his glaring eyes on Jokul.

"Jarl Balgruuf, my name is Enora Dumont, and my associate here is Jokul Black-Briar. We have traveled together from Riverwood to bring urgent news," she nearly stammered out, feeling proud that she managed to remain calm and collected.

"Black-Briar...now why would any of Maven's family be here and not in that disgusting hole you call a city," the imperial ground out in disgust, who was easily more snobby than the dark elf

"Proventus, do not interrupt our guests. It matters not why a Black-Briar is here...just as long as he causes no trouble," the Jarl said in an upset tone.

"Dragons have come back, Jarl Balgruuf, and it may be coming here next," said Jokul who was now annoyed with them...speaking of him like he is some dirty cretin.

The Jarl and his advisers were shocked to hear this, but the Jarl stood and patted towards an open room.

"Come, my court wizard, Farengar, will want to speak with the two of you."