Chapter XXXI: Return To Respite

Our hosts at High Hrothgar were far more solemn when the time came to say our goodbyes, Arngeir's usual well concealed haughtiness thoroughly replaced by a genuine wish for our, or namely the Dragonborn's success.

The knowledge about Alduin's return, something which only a select few knew about even now, gave them a whole new perspective about Minthara's timely emergence, removing most of their doubt about her becoming another Tiber Septim, or a thu'um abusing conqueror in their words.

This also served to earn me a massive amount of respect from the wrinkled bunch, as the fact that I had been working to counter this apocalypse for years now meant that in the end my use of the thu'um could be nothing but righteous.

Well, I wouldn't go quite that far but they did seem far more receptive to my words by the end of our little mountain camping trip.

"We wish you luck on your quest, Dragonborn." Arngeir bowed, the gesture swiftly followed by his brothers "We shall consult the master of our order and prepare to instruct you as best as we can when you return."

"A master we haven't met yet." Delphine interrupts with narrowed eyes "I wonder if they are simply reclusive or have a very good reason for hiding."

"Delphine." Minthara nearly growls at the woman, staring her down into compliance before turning back to the Greybeards and inclining her head toward them "I thank you for your aid, masters. I will endeavor to return as swiftly as possible."

Arngeir's solemn expression shifted into a grandfatherly smile for a moment before he recomposed himself and turned to me. He stared at me for a good minute, thoroughly considering his words before finally settling on "Your insights would also be... welcomed, when the time comes."

"Sure thing old man." I grin at him and suddenly remember something "Oh! And tell the older old man that he who was once cursed and never dying sends his regards."

His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as he was momentarily stunned by my words, and all he could do in the end was simply nod his head dumbly.

I chuckled at the out of character reaction and as I turned to my group I clapped my hands "Alrighty then! Now that that is over and dealt with, where do you lot want to go next?"

All of them immediately came up with some ideas but the actual decision belonged to only one person so all their eyes shifted to Minthara who was stuck in thought, she cupped her chin in consideration before slowly declaring "I could really go for a feast after all that."

Lydia looked like she had just heard a divine revelation and muttered a quiet "Please."

Marco was also nodding enthusiastically, already licking his lips with his mouth closed, while Junia also seemed enthusiastic about the idea.

Seeing that she was thoroughly outnumbered, Delhpine let out a light exhale "Fine."

'As if her choice mattered.' Bird man scoffed and I smiled "Feast it is."

Before anyone could react my hand was already raised and my fingers snapped.

(Argneir's POV)

The entourage of the final born of Akatosh disappeared with a loud crack akin to glass shattering, leaving even the dust undisturbed as if they were never there in the first place.

My brows furrowed as soon as the need to look presentable disappeared with them and I looked to my brothers, all of them too seemed deeply disturbed by the Dunmer's earlier revelations. Finally free to let unchain my voice I spoke "The gods test us greatly with each passing year, my brothers. To think that the World Eater himself would return after so long. Does the land not suffer enough already, or have our sins grown so terrible that we are deserving of an end?"

The air itself shook as my words reached my brethren, carrying with them meanings both heard and unheard. They pondered briefly and it was Wulfgar who was first to speak "Fear not the challenges of the divine my brother, for oft it is that if great change is to come, greater strife still must precede it."

"I understand the balance of the world, you know this. Or have you forgotten, brother, that it was you who taught it to me in the first place?" I retort lightly, and even that is enough to cloud the path before the temple in fog.

"Peace Arngeir." Einarth raises a placating hand.

Ah "Apologies, masters." I clasp my hands and bow in deference "I merely worry that this is a greater challenge than any hero may face, for it is known that Alduin is no mere Dovah, but a god in his own right."

"Heroes." Master Borri corrects, his usual cheer unshaken as always, his voice easily clearing the path I shrouded moments before even as his words stopped us all in our tracks "The divines work in mysterious ways and even the lowliest of us may be risen to greater heights in times of need. I find it most fitting that a descendant of one who would usurp the divine now does their work."

Einarth frowns and waves his hand dismissively "He is mighty, this is not in question, but I cannot help but feel this is just one big game for him, the irreverence he shows is proof enough I say!"

The youngest brother beside myself had always been one to judge too quickly and to my surprise I find within me the need to defend the odd elf "The Dunmer holds depths beyond what a cursory glance may tell you brother, he is not as he first seemed, on this I can swear."

He stares at me blankly for a brief moment before huffing and grumbling a couple of unkind words to himself.

"Great wisdom he was given, by the gods or merely the whims of fate, it matters little." Borri declares with a sad smile "As it has allowed him to rise far beyond any other, so has it placed a great burden upon his shoulders, and already he has done more than any other to prepare the world for what was to come." The eldest's hopeful words bring the light of dawn upon us as the very clouds shift ever so slightly, turning us all to deep contemplation.

In the end all I could say was "We will have to wait and see, now won't we?" I smile wearily "Best that we prepare as much as we can, let it not be said that we exist for naught but being old and grey of hair!" The candles within the still open hallway burn brighter at my declaration.

"Indeed, brother." Borri smiles and starts walking toward the temple while waving at us to follow "Come, let us seek the wisdom of our master, he must yearn for good bout of tinvak* after so long."

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(Reyvin's POV)

Carrying so many with me after leaving my Magicka stilled for a while made my teleportation ever so slightly turbulent, making the spell toss us out in front of my old manor, the comparatively humble abode now owned by Karsus, yet almost as if they expected this 'Unsurprising really' most of them managed to catch themselves before gravity took its toll.

Lydia shared neither their luck nor their experience and thus got a nice face full of grass for her trouble.

Already expecting it I raised a halting hand before Marco and Minthara had the time to glare at me "Not on purpose this time."

"Uh huh." Minthara deadpans "Because that makes it all better." She huffs and helps her poor Housecarl up.

"Thank you, my Thane." The niece of Balgruuf mutters groggily, oddly enough not being even slightly annoyed by me.

Huh, to think she was the one to trust me immediately even after our first meeting in Rorikstead.

Marco rolls his eyes "Don't tempt him to send us back just so we have to walk for a week."

My raised finger lowers as my eye twitches in annoyance "No one likes a smartass, Marco."

Whatever self preservation he had developed so far must have failed him because the deadpan he gave me was almost as scathing as Minthara's "Right." He drawls.

Seeing as he wasn't about to back down I snort and shake my head "At least you grew some balls after all these years."

"Hey!" He points at me "I will have you know my ba-"

The sound of a throat being cleared stops him in his tracks as he turns to meet the glowing blue eyes of the Dragonborn, the threat held within obvious to all "Come on then" She says slowly "Tell us about your balls, Marco." 

He gulps and pales slightly "I... uh..." He looks everywhere for help.

And finally finds some as Junia grabs him by the tip of his long ear, causing him to hiss in pain "Stop reacting to their bait you idiot."

Minthara blinks and stares at the agent "The next time you ruin my fun I will take that as you volunteering as a replacement."

The Imperial gives her a blank look, though the sudden twitch in her hand caused her to press harder on the poor Altmer's ear causing another pained hiss.

She looks to me then expectantly and I give her a nod of approval and a thumbs up "Excellent effort, a strong 8 out of 10!" She beams and both of burst into a short fit of evil chuckles.

Marco flips us both off.

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Reaching the Sea Ghost's Respite did not take us long, but even on that short little trek gave me ample opportunity to steal a glance at the city of Winterhold, and to my great satisfaction I found it to be prospering. 

Jarl Assur, no longer quite as boyish as he was when we first met, had followed my advice and accepted all war refugees into his hold, offering job opportunities and emptying his rather fat treasury, another courtesy of mine, to expand the city and even build a few settlements nearby, greatly enriching himself and his descendants in the long run.

He was currently within his great hall, going over reports of the battle in great detail and to my very positive surprise, preparing shipments of food and equipment to be delivered to his neighboring city for a rather large markup in profit.

So long as people didn't end up starving because of it that was more than fine.

Many of the stores previously owned by me and my subjects were now in the hands of entrepreneuring Nords, sold for a fair price that included training in how to continue running the business, as my own people had almost universally chosen to move to Silruhn fell, my protective aegis and the usual prosperity I brought making the decision a truly easy one.

Still, keeping good relations and strong ties with Winterhold was quite important as the only wayshrine Shalazar and I had the time to construct was placed underneath the compound of the Respite, so we were still neighbors, just in a technical sense.

A bunch of the immigrants even moved over to the Ebon-Frost's domain, but I sincerely doubted Tolfdir minded it all that much. The traditions of that eastern town reflected their founder quite thoroughly and no ne'erdowells would find purchase in a place inhabited by a dozen of Tolfdir's mini me-s.

The ornate doorway of the Respite was swung open by my lackadaisical shove, blasting all of us with a wave of heat and the general hubub of what was by now the most popular place to spend one's time in the entire city.

The patrons froze for a moment before an almost universal cheer shook the whole place, exclamations of 'Flame-Tongue!' and 'Dragonbane!' echoing against the walls in a cacophony of noise. Though I did notice a few odd looks amongst some of the less war obsessed patrons as news of my deeds on the fields of Dawnstar had no doubt reached the entire city by now, not that they were judgmental, just slightly fearful or overly awed in the case of some of the younger patrons.

I ignored their gazes and made my way toward my private booth, the guard beside the entrance offering a crisp salute and opening the elaborate drape which hung in the way.

Everyone seemed to almost melt within the seats as they finally got the chance to truly relax and I immediately called out to an expectant waitress to bring us a feast and keep it coming. Falling into a food coma sounded quite good just about now.

It took them mere minutes to start delivering the orders and we descended upon the meal worthy of an emperor with the bestial ferocity of an entire pack of trolls, only pausing for some minor small talk in between deliveries.

They regaled me with tales of their travels, questioning me on what exactly happened over in Valtheim, while I, in turn, offered a more detailed retelling of the great battle, pointedly going over a few of the gory details as not even I appreciated that during a meal, and I was almost completely desensitized to it all after facing Namira's special brand of bleh so many times already.

By the time we were done all of us, including the ever-paranoid Delphine, were leaned back in our seats and letting out sighs of contentment.

Finally having woken up from the Hrothgar air-induced nap, Scorch appeared on my shoulder and immediately gobbled up the piece of bacon I tossed into the air. The peaceful aura of the high temple was like a balm to the usually hyperactive bird and after the first day he just started snoozing like a cat.

Would have probably panicked me if I couldn't feel his comfort.

He looked around curiously, his eyes still a bit drooped. This did not last long as they burst open the moment they landed upon Minthara, mischievous excitement practically radiating off the little twat "Ah, my first worshipper!"

Without even looking at him she growled "Be silent or I will punt you across the damn room you little shit."

"Understandable, have a great day." He salutes, grabs the entire slice of bacon from my plate, and disappears.

"Heh." Her expression turned so smug Scorch started cursing at her like a sailor.

He still did not leave my Magicka pool though.

My attention was drawn by a slight pulse coming from my inventory, the orb(tm) glowed with light displaying a message. A quick skim showed it to be an invitation from Savos to visit him in his quarters, apparently he and Tolfdir had made some discoveries recently and wanted my input.

Letting out a content yawn I paused briefly, closing my eyes for a moment, and then got up, leaving the group to snore their day away in a blissful food coma.

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Tinvak = conversation

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