To Trap a Dragon 1/2

Lucius took steady strides towards the Elven mage. Eyeing her gold locks as she focused on writing in her journal, likely for her to report on later. The crease in her brow highlighting her prominent cheekbones.

"Ele-... Elenwen." Lucius quickly corrected himself, as the woman instantly sent him a sorrowful glance at the sound of his voice.

"What do you want now? To bed me and leave me again, like some common strumpet?" She lamented, looking back down at her journal.

"No, never. It wasn't lik-" He began.

"Wasn't like what? How else can such a thing be described? You can save the false apologies... Your letter said it all." She slowly chided, tears prickling the corners of her eyes.

"Just listen." He pleaded. "It was wrong of me, i know, but that doesn't take away from the fact i still care. You know how I am better than anyone, Ele." He soothed with his silver tongue, reaching a hand over to hers.

"Do I? Because the Lucius I knew would never do something like that... Not to me." She whispered at the end.

Lucius slightly recoiled hearing the response, his heart in his throat seeing her expression of concealed grief.

"Just don't, Lucius. The one thing I do know?... Is that the forked tongue you so desperately try to hide... still works." She said, seeing him rack his brain. "I was a fool to believe we could go back to our better days." She finished, and began to pack her things to leave.

"Please... At least let me explain myself." He begged, staying her hand over her still open journal.

Without even another glance she up and left. Leaving a sullen faced Lucius to stare at her disappearing figure.

"At least you tried. That puts you above 95% of the men i've met..." Ciri chimed in to pacify Lucius's thoughts.

"Then you've met some really shit men, Ciri..." He nonchalantly replied.

"Ha, you're not wrong, but it's easy to see you regret what you did, and tried to make amends. Not many people would do that." She comforted, and flicked his ear.

"I should be better than most people." He replied, looking into her eyes and holding his ear.

"Then learn from your mistakes...That's what they're for." She said. "Now, I think the crazy old man has been burning to talk to you." She smiled and motioned over her shoulder.

"Dragonborn, i found some texts in the archives of Sky Haven Temple. The name of Alduin's close allies, one is said to be alive." Esbern began. "Now i'm no master of the voice like these kind gentlemen, but i shall give it a go... It's name is Odahviing. Winged Snow Hunter. If you call his name, he may come." He finished.

'Odahviing. Right i'll need to remember that.' Lucius noted.

"However, I'm afraid there's a further problem. A serious one. I've discovered who the Greybeards' leader really is." Esbern muttered.

"Discovered what exactly." Lucius wearily responded.

"He's a dragon. Not just any dragon, but the right hand of Alduin, responsible for many atrocities during the ancient Dragon War. The Blades have been hunting him for centuries, but he was protected by the Greybeards and then the Emperors. Justice demands that he die for his crimes. Until he is dead, I'm afraid my oath as a Blade prevents me from offering you aid and comfort."

"Alright... Bye then." Lucius put it bluntly. "He helped, people change. Get over yourselves." Lucius massage his head, nursing a growing headache from all the politics and issues he's been given.

Esbern looked shocked at the response. "All well and good. But did you know that he was Alduin's chief lieutenant in ancient times? Responsible for terrible atrocities? It's true that his crimes are long in the past, but justice does not count the passage of years." Esbern tried to convince him.

"If you want him dead so badly, you and Delphine have a go at him. I'm sure he'll welcome you with open arms." Lucius smiled. "Thank you for your aid so far, but i don't kill people who help me stop the world from ending." He said and turned to leave with an amused Ciri following.

"No more blades then, huh?" Ciri asked, amused.

"No more blades..." Lucius replied.

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.

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Ciri and Lucius made their way up to the war room of Dragonsreach where Jarl Balgruuf was waiting for them.

"Lucius! Come." The Jarl welcomed. "I've had the old trap oiled and fortified with iron ready for the beast."

"Thank you, Jarl. The men are ready?"

"My men know what to do. Make sure you do your part. I'm putting my city in your hands." Balgruuf replied in a serious tone.

"I'll take care of the dragon, just have your men be ready to spring the trap." Lucius took charge.

"I can't really do much in this scenario, can I? We want to capture it, not kill it." Ciri voiced her concerns.

"Nonsense, lass. You can fight better than any of my men." The Jarl boosted.

"You can distract it with your blinks and lure it into the trap." Lucius threw out.

"Hmm, maybe? But why would a dragon willingly go indoors?" She questioned.

"Uh, that is a good point, dragonborn." Balgruuf scratched his beard.

"Dragons are prideful by nature. They wish to dominate through power... Perhaps, I can be the lure. Beating the dragonborn that defeated Alduin might be an exciting opportunity for the beast." Lucius pondered.

"You could force it to land and then me and you bully it into the trap?" Ciri thought. "Just small cuts and blunt force with your shouts until we can trap it." She stated.

"Sounds like a good plan... Dragonrend is a push for me, but I'll do it...Well then. Let's go trap ourselves a dragon, shall we?" Lucius grinned.

They made their way through giant wood and steel gates, the very same gates at the keeps entrance, into an open area of cobbled stone and hard wood beams supporting two catwalks either side of the opening. A giant trap of metal and wood hung from the ceiling, chained by long mechanisms that set it off.

"So i just need to shout his name..." Lucius mumbled and walked to the edge of the areas outlook.

"Hey, you probably shouldn't stand out in the open when i'm about to call a dragon." Lucius mentioned to the idle guard looking out to the throat of the world.

"Hm, I'll be fine. Killed a dragon before at the watchtower." The guard replied.

'Right, can't say i didn't warn him.' He mused.

"Everyone ready?!" Lucius called back, glancing at Ciri who drunk a potion.

"Everything is set to go dragonborn! We are waiting on you to call the dragon when you're ready!" The Jarl confirmed, hidden behind a wooden beam with his housecarl.

"Here goes nothing." Lucius whispered.

"ODAHVIING!" Lucius bellowed into the cloudy sky, watching the air around him ripple at the name.

Silence rung as everyone waited on the tips of their toes. Minutes past and the men started to relax themselves but the seasoned warriors like Balgruuf and Irileth were still alert.

Lucius head began pulsing and a roar reverberated throughout the city.

A hulking mass of red blocked the rays of the shining sun, casting a shadow over dragonsreach.

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