Eyes Opened

Silver Tongue

She stood outside the door in the warrens. The thickness of the steel was impressive, it's what drew your attention to it in the first place. You hovered over her, your eyes looking down at the woman between you and the door. She placed her hand on it, looking to the slot that was a little taller than her eye level. "Hello? Is there anyone home?" She was so hopeful, you had to smile at her.

"No."

Both of you sighed one right after the other at the muffled answer. She shook her head. It was clear to you what she was thinking. "No...? You answered." She glanced back to you with a tiny shrug. "Look, I understand your apprehension."

"Do you?"

She smiled a bit, looking back to you. "Indeed I do. I'm [Y/N]. Harbinger of the companions. Vilkas, my husband is also with me."

"Yes, we won't hide anything from you." You spoke up with a hand on her shoulder.

"Ha!" The voice rose as the slat slid open. A pair of eyes looked out over you both. "You can't be the harbinger. You're young and a woman. Kodlak is the Harbinger." You looked down, closing your eyes. It was still a little hard to hear that name. You missed him dearly, even in your newfound happiness. You had wished he saw the man you became, the harbinger she was. There was a part of you that longed for him to be proud, the man was the closest thing you knew to a father.

Thankfully she cleared her throat, knowing the topic was too sensitive for you to try and tackle, at least right now. "Well, actually sir. A number of months ago the silver hand attacked our home. We lost our dear Kodlak. He named me harbinger in his journal. But you're coherent, so you can't be the man we're looking for anyway. Maybe you can help us. Esburn. We've been looking for him all day down here."

He hummed through the slat, looking at you. You felt his eyes study you, before finally looking up. "That really is Vilkas. And then- Kodlak really is dead. Hard to believe, but not impossible." He slid the slat closed the majority of the way. "Esburn, you say? What could you want with that old kook?"

She leaned in a little, before sighing. "It's not that we want him. I would be content to leave him alone as clearly that's what he wants." She was smiling softly. "But you see, the Thalmor are here. My actions are driving them to be more bold."

"You're actions?"

"Yes well when a couple crashes one of their parties and sets free all of their prisoners, then they tend to start to move. It's worse when they steal all the information they have on the blades." The slat slid open, he was staring at her.

"Why would members of the companions be after information from the Thalmor about the blades?" He looked to you now. "Who are you working for, now?"

"Myself." She spoke up, prompting the man to whip his attention back to her. "Dragons are returning. Action needs to be taken. The Companions know this. We're here to help."

"I have no gold." He chuckled. "I doubt Esburn does either."

You listened, feeling a bit of shame at the idea of being the reason the group is thought of like this. She apparently knew what you were thinking, locking eyes with you with a hand over yours. She took your hand, lacing your fingers together. The act alone made you feel safe, calm. It was amazing to be with this woman and she reminded you of that every single day. "This is not the blade's problem. This is everyone's problem. All of Skyrim. No one group can do this on their own. We're here with honor in mind, not compensation."

The man on the other end of the door scoffed. "Well that's a flowery notion miss but you live here, right? You know that we're a broken state right now. We won't work together. Can they? Even if they could..." He laughed. "It's hopeless."

"Hey!" You spoke up, taking half a step forward to stand at her side. "She's not an idealist. This isn't something she'd thought lightly about. It's been weighing on her for months. She almost refused her position with us... with me... for it." You glanced down shaking your head. "Nothing is hopeless."

He laughed. "Yes it is, boy. I don't care how idealistic you are. Yes her little speech was pretty, it was even inspiring. But it doesn't mean a damn thing. If dragons are coming back, then whatever is bringing them back will continue to do so. Do you know how long it's been since we've had a dragonborn? If you knew your history-"

"Hey!" She spoke up, prompting you to look over to her with a bit of shock. "He knows history. If there is one thing he's immaculate at, it's that. I've learned more from him than I have from tomes and volumes." You smiled brightly, the woman defending you was flattering but more than that you heard her love in every word. You both adored one another. "We do have a dragonborn, just so you know. It's not hopeless." His eyes were glaring at her.

"What?"

"The greybeards... did you not feel their call?"

He hummed. "So... the shaking... really was...?"

"Yes." You spoke with certainty. "They called the dragonborn up."

"Then there is hope. A sliver of hope. Just a sliver." He sighed. "But we'd have to find them, then I'd have to find the blades. Delphine..."

"Delphine's why we're here." She spoke up. "She sent us, Esburn."

"Who are you talking to, girl?"

"You. You are Esburn, right?" You watched him shake his head, but smiled as she clicked her tongue. "Funny- I never said Delphine's name. Funny how you just knew she was the blade left. Funny how you knew everything else as well. Even the best historians wouldn't know that stuff. I know, I have one with me." You could no longer help it, wrapping your arms around her waist to hold her close. The hot smile she donned was amazing, the woman leaned on your chest, still looking at the slat.

"Damn. Smarter than you look."

You chuckled. "She is, but sir, be honest with yourself. You're the only one down here with a steel door this thick."

She giggled, the sound was music to your ears. "We have a note from Delphine to prove it." She pulled the scroll from her pack, holding it out to him. Esburn took it, then after a moment looked back to them.

"Dragonborn... why didn't you reveal yourself?"

She chuckled. "Would you have believed me? I'm not even sure you believe that I'm the Harbinger, even if I'm here with Vilkas, the man holding me as if I'm priceless."

"You are." You whispered, noticing how the words tickled the back of her neck, her head shook.

"Well that is a good point. I'm still not certain of who you are." He chuckled. "But Delphine is a fellow blade. Her word is her bond and this is indeed her handwriting. Alright, I'll go. But the Thalmor..."

She chuckled. "You're with us. We aren't known across Skyrim for nothing."

"You... don't want to be the dragonborn, do you?" You heard clicking as the man shut the slat.

"I..." You looked to her, the turmoil on her face. "No. If I'm being honest, no. It's a burden, a hassle, a curse, really. I'm a companion first and foremost." The words had you smiling as your lips buried into the side of her head. Her hair smelled amazing. You closed your eyes enjoying this too much. Knowing what she wanted was more than comforting. "This is something I have to do to be at peace. Dragons aren't going to stop because of how I feel. I have to stop it, or it will never stop. For my family, I will end this. Then I will be once more free." She chuckled. "It makes me wonder if I'm not meant to be..." The notion made you sad, though you moved lower.

Your lips were on her ear. "You are. I will see you free if I have to give my life for it." You both smiled as the door opened.

"Alright. Let's go."