Dragonborn Rising Ch. 53

"So I take it anal won't be the usual thing like it used to be?"

"That was when I was with Delphine, Ragnar. I've had fun with Aela and Mirabelle, but it's different with them. We like each other, but it's just fun. My focus is you." She paused for a moment. "I'm trying to figure out when I'll be ready to fall pregnant. Whatever the case, you're guaranteed a lot of sex. Mirabelle really wants a baby. In fact, she wants more than one. So do I. Aela won't talk about it too much, but she wants nothing more than a daughter." She looked up and asked, "Have you talked about it with Serana?"

"Sort of. She's not sure if she can."

"I'll talk to her. You're obviously aware of those days' women have. Now that she's human again..."

"It's been so long; she's probably forgotten all about that. I think she could do with a womanly chat with all of you, to be honest."

"Do you want a child with her?"

"Yeah, I do. I think she'd make a terrific mother. She has a lot of love to give. Valerica would probably love to be a grandmother as well."

"If we all live together, we're going to need a big place."

"Could you all handle living together?"

The question made her giggle. "Ragnar, we'd love nothing more. Trust me, there's a good chance you would go to bed with two women a night, not for sex, I just mean to sleep. Sometimes only one of us, sometimes all of us."

"Sounds like I'm going to have one hell of a life."

"You're the Dragonborn, Ragnar. Helps you're also a good man, a bloody good fuck, and easy on the eye."

I looked her up and down. "You're pretty fucking fit yourself, Lydia."

"Talk like that is going to have me on your cock rather quickly, Ragnar." We both looked down. I was obviously rock hard. "Well, it would be a shame to waste it," she added, sitting up and slowly lowering herself down, moaning softly as I was buried inside her again. "Perfect as always," she whispered, holding onto both my hands before taking a deep breath. "Okay, one more orgasm, then I really should stop."

We were still lying back, basking in the glow of having enjoyed some really good sex for a couple of hours, when the rest arrived for lunch. Aela walked over to give me a kiss, and couldn't help herself by giving my cock a stroke. "This afternoon?" she asked quietly.

"I don't think I could handle him anymore for now, Aela. He's all yours."

"Just don't wear him out too much," Mirabelle stated from the table.

"Look, I think we know Ragnar can keep us pleased all night without needing to use what I'm holding right now." She leaned down to kiss me again. "Feels like forever since we were last intimate..."

"I'm with Mirabelle tonight. I would invite you but... How about tomorrow night, just me and you?"

Her face lit up, she gave me another kiss, and that definitely seemed to please her. "Told you, Ragnar. You will never go to sleep alone," Lydia stated quietly.

She wasn't wrong. Aela and I made love that afternoon. It must have been good, or somewhat special, as it was the first time in a long time I saw her almost cry. Snuggling into me afterwards, she admitted that she'd simply missed me more than she could imagine. The only thing that helped was that she got along so well with Mirabelle. The two were not intimate often, simply enjoying each other's company, which pleased me no end.

Though Mirabelle and I were intimate that night, most of it was spent simply cuddling together, chatting about anything and everything that had happened to us, but we also spoke in length about our future. We were committed to each other, that much was obvious, and it was simply a case of what and where we would end up.

That was my life for at least a month. It wasn't endless sex, though I'm not going to lie and say I didn't enjoy a lot. There was an extensive library I could peruse at my leisure. I kept myself sharp by sparring with Aela and Lydia. Serana threw herself into her magic and alchemy alongside her mother regarding the latter, and with Mirabelle the former. Lydia was still applying herself in regards to learning magic, simply because it interested her. As for Aela and I, we would sometimes head out at dawn, climbing the nearby mountains, or walking across the vast white, empty expanses, hunting for anything that took our fancy. Sometimes we'd find a ruin worth exploring. Sometimes we'd run into bandits and enjoy a good fight.

Word that the Dragonborn was at the College spread, Mirabelle informing me that applicants and the number of students increased dramatically since the first day I'd arrived. Soon the halls and dorms were full of students wishing to study magic. They came from all over Tamriel. Breton. Dunmer. Cyrodiilian. Redguards. Bosmer. Khajit. Even Altmer arrived, though they were queried as to their allegiance, as we did worry about Thalmor spies.

I did take in the occasional class myself, but although I didn't fear magic, appreciating it had saved me on more than one occasion, I wasn't particularly interested in learning. I trusted my sword arm and my Thu'um to save me. And if I was ever injured, I figured Lydia could just heal me.

It was rather relaxing but I knew it was never going to last. But it wasn't a crisis that eventually dragged me away from the College. It was a letter. A courier arrived one day, a backpack full of letters as always, but one was addressed specifically to me. That gained the interest of my girls, as although word had spread that I was residing at the College, I knew they immediately worried that I was going to be summoned to solve some issue.

Surprisingly, it was a letter from Jarl Elisif herself, requesting my presence at the Blue Palace in Solitude as soon as possible. That left me scratching my head as to why. Even the girls wondered what Elisif would want me for. Sure, I'd made a slight impression on her more than once, but I didn't actually think anything would happen there. I might have enjoyed a night with Sybille, but I had a feeling she was just interested in the myth of who I was. Maybe I matched the myth, but I still thought nothing of it.

"Well, you can't ignore a summons, Ragnar," Aela said, "It would be bad form if you did. She obviously has a reason for you to attend."

"Hopefully it's nothing important. I really hope it isn't something about the civil war."

"You really don't want to involve yourself in that, do you?"

I sighed. "Not really, Aela. But I have a feeling, one day, I'm going to find myself forced to choose a side. I'm going to be a pawn again. I just feel it in my bones." I looked at the letter again. "It asks that I arrive within the week, so I might as well just leave tomorrow. Sooner I get there, sooner I can come back."

"Will you want company?"

I met her eyes and smiled. "While I would like to say yes, I have no idea what it's about so, for now, I'll just go solo. If I need any help, I'll send a message."

That final night was spent with Mirabelle. I probably spent more nights with her than anyone, and she was confident that, within a couple of months, she might be able to share some good news. Lydia was also confident, while the three had sat down with Serana and reminded her of some womanly issues she might have forgotten about. Apparently it was a rather amusing conversation as they discussed plenty of things, but Serana also sat down with me and confirmed her desire to have children as well. I think the Dragonborn was going to be the father to quite a few children...

Leaving before dawn the next morning, my four girls plus Valerica were up to see me off, giving all of them a long hug before I mounted up. They wished me good luck before I disappeared over the bridge and began the long journey west, planning to make it within the day, though I knew I'd likely arrive after nightfall.

It was a sunny though bitterly cold day, the only exposed part of my body being me eyes, keeping my mouth and nose covered with a scarf, hands in thick gloves. I kept the pace of my horse at a smooth, consistent place, not particularly wanting to stop too often. Skyrim horses were hardy beasts anyway, usually able to ride for an entire day without needing to stop.

I passed by forts and camps though no-one approached me as I made my way past. I did skirt by Dawnstar before needing to turn south then west again. It was dark by the time the lights of Solitude appeared high above me, and it was rather late by the time I'd stabled my horse and headed through the main gates. I'd rarely been to Solitude for any reason other than some sort of assignment, so wondered if I might have time to actually take in some of the sights available.

Approaching the entrance to the Blue Palace, the pair of guards immediately viewed me with suspicion. I guess arriving late would have them wondering what I wanted. Before they could ask, I dug the letter out of my backpack and handed it over. "Oh, Dragonborn! We didn't recognise..."

"I know my face isn't well known everywhere. It's fine."

"The palace is closed, Dragonborn. You'll have to return in the morning. There should be room at one of the inn's."

"Try the Winking Skeever," the other guard suggested, "Good ale, tasty food, warm beds. Can't go wrong."

"Thanks. I'll do just that."

I'd been to the same tavern long ago, more than once, to be honest. This time, I walked in, paid for a room, grabbed a plate of food and tankard of ale, found an empty chair and listened to the bard. The place was full of revellers and drunks, the usual clientele one would find in such places. A couple of women also walked from table to table, no doubt offering their services, whether using a room at the tavern, or they'd escort them to another building close by. A couple did approach me but I declined politely.

After breakfast the next morning, I headed to the Blue Palace. The pair of guards greeting me were different, and a little friendlier than the night before, gesturing for me to enter after I'd shown them the letter. Heading up towards the throne room, Sybille was the first one to notice my entrance, immediately approaching me. "Good to see you, Dragonborn."

"You too, Sybille. I'm sure you know why I'm here."

"I am. Jarl Elisif is currently dressing. If you'd like to take a seat, I'm sure she'll explain the reason for your summons once she's taken her seat."

"And here I thought it was all a ruse for you to get me back here," I said quietly.

"Behave, Dragonborn," she retorted quietly, though she lifted her face enough that I could see the smile on her face.

"Can you blame me?" I'll admit I remember our night together rather fondly. The woman I was intimate with that night did not match the reputation I'd heard.

She didn't reply to that as I took a seat on the empty bench. Elisif appeared from the nearby hallway around ten minutes later. She glanced my way when walking in and couldn't hide her surprise. I guess she thought I would have taken longer to answer her summons. Once she'd take a seat on her throne, I was called forward by her steward.

"Thank you for arriving so quickly, Dragonborn."

"I assumed it was an urgent matter so began my journey the day after your letter arrived. May I ask what matter is so urgent?"

"Of course. Word has reached us about strange magics occurring at a nearby cave, named of Wolfskull Cave. Now while I would normally leave this to my guards to deal with, a scout entered the cave and managed to get word to us that they appear to be trying to summon Queen Potema, otherwise known as the Wolf Queen of Solitude. One of history's most evil characters."

"Okay, I assume you want me to head to the cave and deal with these people?"

"It may seem like a simple operation, Dragonborn, but with the magic possibly involved, we decided someone with your power would be more capable of dealing with this issue. The concern is that this may not be the end of the issue, though if you can stop any sort of summoning, then maybe there is no other cause for concern."

"Where is Wolfskull Cave?"

She turned to her steward. "Firebeard, show him where it is on the map."

It was west of Solitude, close enough I could walk there, deal with whatever was going on, and be back within the day. Before leaving, Sybille did grab my wrist and pull me to the side, half-suggesting it could all be a giant waste of time, but Elisif had invited me for two reasons. One, she was concerned in regards to anything about Potema. And two, she wanted to meet me in person officially.

Heading out into Solitude, I made straight for the gate and decided to ride my horse. It took barely twenty minutes to reach the cave, dismounting and finding a tree to tie the reins too. A couple of skeletons stood guard at the entrance, taking them down without breaking a sweat.

It was another dark cave I found myself stumbling through, and it didn't take long for me to run into the first lot of mages no doubt intent on stopping me from learning what they were up to. That's when I had to take out my enchanted shield, to block their magic and fire spells. They had brains, at least, trying to stay out of distance though I showed my own turn of speed by closing the gap between us. They usually went down with one aimed swing.

I ended up exiting the narrow cave tunnels into an enormous cavern, and if I didn't know any better, there was a crumbling fort. I had no idea who or when such a fort would have been constructed, but my attention was then taken by the loud chanting below me and eerie blue light that suggested something was going on that I needed to take care of immediately.

"Wolf Queen. Hear our call and awaken. We summon Potema!"

"We summon Potema!"

"Long have you slept the dreamless sleep of death, Potema. No longer. Hear us Wolf Queen! We Summon You!"

"We summon Potema!"

Definitely not good and Elisif was definitely showing intelligence by summoning me. I doubt Sybille would want to hear that she was incorrect, though if these were powerful mages, perhaps they had blocked her own efforts to find out if the rumours were true.

Entering the fort, I now faced draugr and mages, and I was soon hacking my way forward. A couple of the draugr were those big bastards that took more than a couple of swings to take down. Against them, I'd use my Thu'um, and that drew the attention of more mages. I didn't want to use my Thu'um against humans, wanting to keep my word to the Greybeards, but I needed to get this ritual shut down fast, so chose to just blow them backwards into walls, leaving their battered bodies behind.

It appears those taking part in the summoning were not aware of what was taking place below them. Once or twice, a bolt of flame or an ice spike came too close for comfort. I hated fighting mages far more than draugr, simply because there was sometimes little one can do to prevent a spell. Cold spells didn't bother me all that much, but everyone is concerned about being burned by flames.

"Yes! Yes! Return me to this realm!"

I have a feeling that was Potema. So if she was dead, where was she speaking from...?

"As our voices summon you the blood of the innocent binds you Wolf Queen!"

"Summoned with words. Bound by blood."

"What! What are you doing?! You fools! You cannot bind me to your wills!"

"Summoned with words. Bound by blood."

"You ants don't have the power to bind me!"

Aye, best to end this ritual before she's unleashed on the world again. No doubt she would have plans. Heading up a set of stairs, I noticed bright blue light ahead, and I heard the necromancers grow concerned at a presence. I burst onto the roof of the tower, charging straight for the nearest mage, colliding with them hard enough to send them stumbling back and over the edge. I then turned and used my Thu'um.

Most of them died quickly but the ritual master was made of harder stuff. She was an elderly woman, which was a surprise, and immediately used magic to bring the dead back to life. I knew the easiest way to stop everything was kill her, so that's what I did. She used the wrong spell against me, cold instead of flames. I laughed it off, put my sword through her chest, and the blue light disappeared through a hole in the roof of the cave.

Then it was quiet.

"Well, at least it wasn't a complete waste of time," I muttered.

I managed to find an exit that led me back towards the entrance, collected my horse that will still waiting for me outside, and slowly rode back to Solitude. It was perhaps still only mid-afternoon by the time I walked back through the gates, and I was allowed to enter the Blue Palace without being questioned.

Elisif wasn't sitting on her throne when arriving, though my arrival must have been announced, as she walked into the throne room within a couple of minutes, taking a seat and looked at me with interest. "What did you find, Dragonborn?"

"Well, whoever told you about what was going on in Wolfskull Cave was correct. There were necromancers trying to summon Potema."

"By Ysmir," she whispered, "Did you stop them?"

"Yes, I think I stopped them before they were able to summon her."

"Then the people of Solitude can only thank you for your service, Dragonborn. Will coin suffice as payment? Or perhaps you would like to join me for dinner this evening?"

"It's been quite a while since I enjoyed dinner with a Jarl. I'd be honoured to join you, Jarl Elisif."

The smile that immediately formed was surprisingly shy. I had a feeling she was still nursing a crush, despite the fact I assumed she would have heard about my private life. It didn't seem to be any real secret. "Please return this evening. Do you have clothing to wear?"

I looked down over my blood spattered armour. "I'm sure I have something more appropriate than this."

Heading back to the Winking Skeever, I was thankful I'd thought about any eventuality. My clothing was nowhere near as fine as that worn by Elisif but it would do for the occasion. Figuring I couldn't change show up with a change of clothing, I also had a quick wash, even going so far as to trim my beard and run my fingers through my hair to get rid of some of the knots. I generally kept my hair a little shorter nowadays but it could still be a real mess after a fight.

Otherwise, I waited around until the sun disappeared before heading back towards the Blue Palace. I was expecting to be taken towards a grand dining hall or something. Instead, I was led towards a set of doors where another steward met me. "Where is everyone else?" I asked him.

"You are dining with the Jarl in her private chambers, Dragonborn."

"Just the two of us?"

"Yes. Were you unaware?"

"A little. I was expecting company."

"No. Jarl Elisif wanted to dine with you alone. I assume it's simply to get to know the Dragonborn."

"Okay," I said with a shrug. If that's what she wanted...

It seemed to be her own private wing. There were three doors, one I assuming her bedroom, another perhaps a study, and the room I was led into was a dual living and dining room. There was a table with six chairs around it, though the table had already been set. Assuming she would sit at the head of the table, I was shown to a seat beside her. At least I wasn't expected to sit at the other end. That would have just been awkward.

Elisif appeared a few minutes later, standing as I should as she walked in. I wasn't sure if I should shake her hand, kiss her cheek, or merely wish her good evening. I went with the safe third option, though was polite enough to show her into her seat. Stewards hovered around, and when one offered to pour the wine, I figured I'd do it instead. That surprised her, and the stewards were immediately dismissed, only returning later with each course.

"I've heard many stories about the Dragonborn, Ragnar..."

"Oh no, we're not going to spend all night talking about my life, Jarl Eli..."

"We're in privacy here. Call me Eli..."