Skyrim: Rise of the Dragonborn

Chapter 2: Tragedy Strikes

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After several moments of rushing around the house and grabbing essentials, they were prepared to exit the house and approach the stables in the side of the courtyard. Beric's father looked completely transformed from the politician. He was wearing a rugged looking tunic with chain mail underneath, and a sword and a dagger on his belt. He draped a cloak over his shoulders and a hood hung over his head. He looked for all the world like a ranger. Reshi wore a similar garb minus the hood, cape, and chain mail. Beric wore one of his traveling outfits that was brown with dark red accents and hung a sword on his belt. Drake...well, Drake was Drake. He wore his usual common garb and hung a battle-axe on his back.

They then headed toward the door, but as soon as they opened the door, they saw the sickening sight of a host of elves in their golden armor glistening in the moonlight.

"Ugh," Beric sighed as his father quickly shut the door.

"Come out, Leonidas!" came the usual prim and proper voice of an Altmer. Beric's father looked sick.

"Necroman?" Beric asked as his father slowly nodded.

"We have the house surrounded," the voice came again.

"What do we need to do? Just say the word and we'll do it," Drake said enthusiastically leaning forward.

"We need to negotiate to see what we are dealing with," he said cracking the door, "Well, it's a good thing this isn't our only way out!" he called out to Necroman.

"Evan if I believed you, you wouldn't get far. You're only delaying the inevitable, Leonidas. Let's just get this over with," Beric's father turned his head toward him. He then cracked the door open. The elves had lit torches by then, and the light creased onto his hood casting a shadow on his eyes. Beric couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"What do you want?" he called out.

"Your head, Leonidas,"

"Can't say I like the sound of that," Beric saw a smirk in his father's beard.

"Well, it's going to happen regardless. If you don't come out, I'll be forced to come in,"

"Then come in, you filthy slug!" Reshi screamed out in a blood-curdling battle cry and pressing her snout to the cracked door. Her challenge was answered with five arrows hitting the door and two passing the crack and into her chest and stomach, knocking her back a few steps. Beric's father slammed the door shut and grabbed her before she fell and eased her to ground. His hand started to shake a little as he felt the area around the arrows.

"Reshi..." he whispered gripping his fist.

"It's alright, Leo," she sighed out, "It was going—to—happen...somehow, and I wasn't going to die...a housemaid...." She said as her breathing stopped, and her head rested lifelessly on his shoulder. Beric's father's hand slowly relaxed and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Reshi. You were among the few I'd call my friend and one of the handfull I could trust...You sacrificed so much..." his voice started to quake. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and slowly stood up and turned around to face Beric and Drake. It was so quiet that you could hear the fire of the torches outside crackle. Beric was fighting tears and trying not to breath. Beric's father slowly walked to the staircase and pulled one of the rails up. The staircase slowly lowered to a cave path down, "Drake," he said without turning around

"Yes sir," Drake said quietly.

"I want you to make me a promise,"

"Yes sir,"