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Dragonheart: Of Black Wings Unfurled	By : Lady_Kae Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Skyrim Views: 15040 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used from the game TES: Skyrim. All characters and game related material, save for original content, is property of their respective owners and no money is being made from this fiction.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
A/N: Holy crap! New chapter just in time for Christmas! Woohoo! On the same note, I'm sorry this took as long as it did. I meant to spend the last few months hopefully getting some work done on the other stories I have posted here, but alas work got in the way. We lost a whole slew of people just after the last post I made and three of them still have yet to be replaced. Worse yet is all the overtime I've been having to pull because of it, and long story short, it's been work, eat, sleep, repeat for almost the last six months. I've barely had any time to read, let alone write, but thankfully with the Christmas season upon us, I've actually been able to get some much needed time put in on this story. As always, thank all of you for sticking with me for as long as you have! A huge thank you and shoutout to EllieMorgan and her story Depravity (http://games.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600088996) for getting me out of my slump and for giving me some seriously much needed inspiration and motivation. If you guys have not read any of her work yet, or have seen Depravity and haven't read it yet...Read it. You will be very glad that you did. Enough chatter from me though. I'm going to try to get some more writing done this week considering it'll be slow as hell with the holidays. Probably can expect another update after the new year. None the less, I hope you all enjoy the newest installment!

~Kae

Chapter 8: Dragons, Vampires, and Dawnguard! Oh My!

Tarrowlyn awoke the next morning delightedly sore, and thoroughly satiated. Vilkas had only left but an hour ago once he and Farkas had finished tag teaming the ever oblivion out of Tarrowlyn. The twins had been wonderfully attentive if not absolutely voracious lovers, and she groaned delightedly as she felt Farkas’ lips press into the hollow of her neck and shoulder. “ I’m debating if I should ever let you touch me again.” she teased with a clearly satisfied smile.
“ Oh you’ll let me.” Farkas chuckled. “ Just not at this moment of course.” He pressed another kiss, soft and sweet into her skin as he pulled her tighter against him. “ You were amazing last night. You are each time, but last night takes the cake.”
“ I don’t think I’ll ever ask you two to team up on me the way you did ever again. My curiosity has been met and sufficiently quelled.” Tarrowlyn murmured as a small pulse from her nether regions made her wince slightly. It was more than worth it however. She turned towards Farkas and one hand came up to cup his cheek fondly.
Farkas nuzzled her palm lovingly, inwardly relieved at her admission that she didn’t want both of them. Granted, he did not mind sharing with his brother, but Farkas was decidedly selfish when it came to Tarrowlyn. “ I guess we were a bit much for you?” he chortled, his steel blue eyes sparkling in his mirth. His lips pressed into the flesh of her wrist, just over where he could feel her pulse and he let them linger.
Tarrowlyn laughed softly. “ Admittedly, yes.” she agreed and Farkas’ rich chuckle joined hers. It grew louder still. “ The phrase be careful what you wish for has never been more true in my case.”
Farkas laughed; unable to contain it, the warmth of his baritone falling over Tarrowlyn and her smile broadened at it. That statement was certainly true in her case. She had magicked herself into this time after all because she desired to find a way to view history. Now she was watching it unfold before her eyes. “ I love you.” he finally said after a moment, closing the distance between them to kiss her.
Tarrowlyn hummed happily as her arms wrapped tightly around Farkas’ neck. “ I love you too Farkas.” she breathed out against his lips.
Farkas groaned delightedly as Tarrowlyn nibbled on his bottom lip a bit before drawing between her own. He had never felt so lucky, so blessed in his entire life than he did now. Not since Tarrowlyn had returned his love for her verbally and had agreed to marry him. He would never be more thankful for the divines sending her to this time, to fulfill her destiny as the dragonborn. He pulled away, drawing a deep breath in to help calm himself a bit. While he wasn’t one for verbal proclamations (Farkas was no good with words and he knew it), he had been working on it in secret for a time if just to be able to tell Tarrowlyn just how she made him feel. “ I know you don’t like talking about it…” he began, caressing her cheek tenderly. “...but for what it’s worth, I’m glad your experiment went wrong the way it did. I would have never met you otherwise and I know I wouldn’t have the happiness I do now. I wouldn’t have the family that I do...I would have been alone.” Farkas whispered as he rubbed his nose to hers. “ As far as I’m concerned, that mistake you made was best thing to ever happen to me...To us.”
Tarrowlyn smiled as she kissed his lips chastely to quiet him. “ I couldn’t agree more.” she sighed happily as she tucked her head under his chin. She nuzzled his neck lovingly as she settled into his embrace and Tarrowlyn thought about everything that had happened to her since her arrival in First Seed three years ago. It was nearing Sun’s Dusk of the year 204, nearing her brother’s birthday on the twenty eighth.
Mikhail…
Tarrowlyn held back tears at the thought of her family. She missed her mother, Dahlia, terribly. Never had Tarrowlyn needed her mother’s advice more than she did now. She had no clue as to go about planning a wedding. Most of all she wanted Dahlia to meet Alesan and Lucia. While they were not her flesh and blood, the two were definitely Dragonhearts where it counted. Lucia, that mischievous imp, was bright and intelligent. Tarrowlyn was sure that she was going to wind up at the college one day soon. Alesan would probably take the same route as she and Farkas had and would probably join the Companions. More than likely he would rise the ranks nearly as fast as Tarrowlyn had.
Mikhail would have more than likely spent an entire night drinking heavily with Farkas, if only to be sure that the man had honorable intentions towards his little sister. Mikhail would have probably been drunk under the table otherwise by Farkas and Vilkas. He was a bit of a lightweight when it came to alcohol, Tarrowlyn mused with a sad smile.
It was no use in dwelling on such thoughts, though Tarrowlyn couldn’t help but wonder if anyone had figured out what had happened to her.

The two left Jorrvaskr by midmorning and Tarrowlyn pulled Tanaris’ reins to bring her steed to a halt. “ Ride ahead for Lakeview, Farkas. I need to attend to something here. I’ll meet you at home if all goes well. Otherwise I’ll send a message over.” she said, her tone serious.

Farkas nodded as he looked towards the door of the inn. “ Just be careful. I don’t remember them having an attic room here. It could be another ambush.” he returned warningly. Farkas turned his gaze back to Tarrowlyn, the worry he felt for her safety all too evident. He didn’t want to let her go alone.
Tarrowlyn’s gaze softened as she reached between their steeds to grasp his gloved hand in her own armored one. “ I have all of Riverwood to stand with me if that does happen. I promise.” Tarrowlyn finalized reassuringly. The town owed her for going to Dragon’s Reach to appeal to the jarl for aid after all.
In hindsight, if Alvor hadn’t beseeched Tarrowlyn to go to Whiterun, she would have never met Farkas when she had.
Farkas nodded silently and he snapped Thunder’s reins to get him moving again. Tarrowlyn watched with a heavy heart until he rounded the bend near the falls and she sighed heavily as she climbed from her mare’s saddle. Once the leather attached to the bit had been secured around a post, Tarrowlyn made her way up the steps to the inn. The sooner she dealt with this the better. She wanted to see her children after all.
The Sleeping Giant wasn’t all to busy at that moment, but that was bound to change once the men working the mill finished their daily duties. Sven cast her a slight glare, silently telling her in no uncertain terms his displeasure in her part of costing him Camilla’s hand. However, he was quick to amend it once Tarrowlyn returned it with one of her own. Sven was a smart man to do so. Tarrowlyn wasn’t the Harbinger of the Companions for naught after all. She made her way to the bar and Tarrowlyn put down a few gold down for a drink. Orgnar pulled a tankard out and he filled it to the brim with mead for her.
“ What brings you to town today, Tarrowlyn?” he asked, genuinely curious.
Tarrowlyn smiled at the barkeep. “ Business regrettably. Where’s Delphine at? I need to ask her about a room.” she replied and she took a deep drink from her mug. That certainly hit the spot.
“ Why would you be needing a room, Harbinger? You live not too far off from here.” Orgnar’s brow pinched in confusion as he tried to figure it out. Shaking his head, he decided that he had just better fetch Delphine. “ She’s in the cellar. I’ll be right back with her.”
Tarrowlyn nodded in agreement, wordlessly saying that she’d be waiting. A few moments of silence passed on, the only noise being the slight strum Sven would play nervously on his lute every few moments. “ If you have something to say, Sven, say it. My patience has been thin these days.” she said wearily.
“ Bitch.” Sven growled softly under his breath, thinking Tarrowlyn could not hear him. She couldn’t help but smirk as she turned towards him. Farkas would have started brawling with this dandy little pomp if he had heard that.
“ That I am, Sven. Don’t forget it either.” she purred, her verdant eyes glittering in her mirth.
Sven paled at the fact that Tarrowlyn had heard him. How had that been possible? Had she read his lips instead? That was always a possibility...
Footsteps drew Tarrowlyn’s attention and she looked back over to where Delphine and Orgnar were coming up the steps from the cellar.
“ What can I do for you today Harbinger?” Delphine asked, her tone wary but welcoming at the same time. The wariness in Delphine’s voice instantly set off red flags in Tarrowlyn’s mind, and the younger woman’s brow creased ever so slightly.
Maybe Tarrowlyn should have let Farkas come inside with her after all. “ I’m looking to rent the attic room if you don’t mind too terribly, Delphine. I’m just looking to have a quick rest in a place I know for a fact is safe as I need to be heading out to the Rift today. If I stop at home…” Tarrowlyn smiled with a small shrug. “...I’m sure you guys get the jist.”
Delphine’s eyes twitched slightly and Tarrowlyn felt Tala growl protectively through her mind. “ The attic room, eh? Well, we don’t have an attic room…” Delphine began, raising her hand a bit.
Tarrowlyn braced herself. She wasn’t sure whether or not to expect assassins after all this time. Who in Oblivion would want to keep the dragons around if they killed the Dragonborn?!
“...But you can have the one there on the left. Make yourself at home.” Delphine finished, holding out an open palm for the ten gold that Tarrowlyn owed her. She counted out the ten golden septims along with Tarrowlyn and she settled them into the pouch on her back.
Tarrowlyn nodded as she got to her feet and her brow pinched tightly as she fought to keep from drawing her blade too soon. Her heart was pounding. She didn’t want to hurt either of them, but if they were going to try to kill her, Tarrowlyn was not going to stand idly by! She had a family she was going home to! Today!
She kept her pace for the room even, and Tarrowlyn listened carefully to everything around her. Orgnar’s heartbeat was steady, his breathing normal. He wasn’t even paying attention to her.
Delphine on the other hand…
The other woman’s heart rate had increased just ever so slightly, but it was enough for Tarrowlyn to take notice of. Her breathing was still the same however and Tarrowlyn felt her jaw tighten a bit.
She really didn’t want to hurt anyone here in Riverwood...It was the first place she had been able to call home after her sudden arrival in the past two years ago. Tarrowlyn closed the door and she took a seat at the foot of the bed. She was not removing any of her armor, nor her weapons. It was better for a warrior to stay prepared than to be caught unawares after all, despite how safe their location may be. Tarrowlyn’s eyes narrowed and her ears twitched of their own accord as she locked on to Delphine’s still stuttered heart beat.
If Delphine wanted a fight, she was going to get one.

A few hours passed by with nothing happening and it was spent sharpening her three blades and making an inventory of just what she had. Sixty ebony tipped arrows, their fletching made of hagraven feathers and hawk feathers. The ones lined with hagraven feathers had been dipped in a rather potent magicka poison that Tarrowlyn had perfected with Rayya’s help. The ones fletched with hawk feathers were just your run of the mill arrows, nothing all to special about them. Her sword; gifted to her by Eorlund a little over a year and a half ago, shone brightly in the low light filling the room. Her shield shone a little less brilliantly, as Tarrowlyn had to go about repairing and possibly making it better, stronger, when she returned home for a solid length of time. Her bow was starting to show signs of cracking however, and Tarrowlyn scowled a bit at that realization. This had better not have been a complete waste of her time, time that could have been spent either repairing or replacing her weapons. Time that would have been better spent with Alesan and Lucia. She got to her feet to leave, freezing for a moment when she heard Sven’s lute stop making sound.

That was too much of a coincidence.
“ You had better get to the mill before Hod chews you out again.” came Delphine’s voice. “ Speaking of...Orgnar, can you go place another order of firelogs for the pit?”
“ Sure thing Delphine. I’ll be back in a bit.” Orgnar replied.
“ I don’t need to be at the mill for anothe…”
“ Get out Sven, or I won’t allow you to play in here any longer.”
Tarrowlyn winced at the tone, almost pitying the man for it, though her knees bent into a crouch when she heard three different sets of movement. Two sets of footsteps were headed for the entrance of the inn, the other was headed for Tarrowlyn’s room. She palmed a dagger from her boot, her brow pinched in worry. She had no desire to fight Delphine, but she would if it meant survival.
To see her children again.
To make sure that she made it to her wedding day.
After what felt as if it were an eternity, the door opened and Delphine entered, the gleam in her eyes not one of murder or triumph, but hope as she looked Tarrowlyn over appraisingly. She nodded with approval to see that Tarrowlyn had assumed to attack at first. “ You can put that away, Tarrowlyn...If I had wanted you dead, you would have been hours ago.” she commented excitedly. She closed the door tightly, ushering Tarrowlyn for the borrowed bed in the room for them to sit down and talk a moment.
It seemed absolutely improbable. The woman who had somehow escaped the ruined city of Helgan with Hadvar almost three years ago? Who had looked as if she could barely fight her way out of Bleak Falls Barrow? This was the dragonborn? The person that she had been waiting for ever since rumor of her existence had started circulating around Skyrim?! It had surprised Delphine when Tarrowlyn had not only been announced as a thane for Morthal, Whiterun and Falkreath, but had been appointed to the highest level of the Companions.
The Harbinger.
“ You’re the dragonborn I’ve heard so much about?” she inquired, reaching into the pouch on her back.
Tarrowlyn returned the dagger to her boot, keeping her stern green gaze on the inn keeper before her. “ I am, Delphine. I’ve dealt with the winged cretins more than I care to count over the last year and a half alone. I found this note in place of the item I was looking for in Ustengrav. You wouldn’t have anything to do with that, would you?” Tarrowlyn answered, her gaze narrowed a bit.
Finding that note had pissed her off beyond all sixteen planes of Oblivion. All that hard work getting through the old tomb, only to find that she had been beat to it had been nothing short of absolutely infuriating.
Delphine smirked as she pulled the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller out of her leather pouch. “ I believe you’re looking for this.” She said with the slightest hint of sheepishness as she handed the relic over to Tarrowlyn. Her face grew somber while the other woman tucked it into her traveling pack. “ Tarrowlyn...We need to talk. Follow me.”
Sighing heavily, Tarrowlyn grabbed her things and she exited the room. Delphine led her across the way, going through the innkeeper’s personal chambers, and towards a wardrobe. Tarrowlyn’s brow quirked in surprise when she saw Delphine trigger a secret panel inside of it, revealing a secret passage.
“ Close the door behind you.” she ordered, and Tarrowlyn pulled the twin panels shut. They walked down the stairs in silence, and Delphine motioned where Tarrowlyn could put her things for now. “ The Greybeards certainly seem to think you’re the dragonborn.” she commented wryly. Her blue eyes cut to Tarrowlyn’s emerald colored ones sharply, her body language stiff and severe. “ I hope that they’re right.”
Tarrowlyn shook her head a bit as she loosened her gauntlets. “ You have no need to worry about that. I can assure you that I am indeed a dragonborn. You were the one that took the horn?” Tarrowlyn questioned, curious herself. She had a hard time believing that Delphine was capable of such a feat. Of everyone in the inn, let alone all of Riverwood, Delphine had been the last person on her list of truly being fighting fit.
Delphine couldn’t help the smirk that crossed her face in the candlelight. “ Surprised?” she purred confidently. “ I guess I’m getting good at my harmless innkeeper act.”
Tarrowlyn chuckled a little herself at that cockiness in Delphine’s voice. “ So what do you want with me? I’m needed at home shortly.” she announced.
Delphine snorted. “ What, getting your boots knocked by your intended?” Delphine spat. “ You have no children yet...No family to tend to. I didn’t go through all this trouble on a whim. I had to go to great lengths to make sure this wasn’t a Thalmor trap.”
“ You know nothing of my personal life other that I’m getting married Delphine.” Tarrowlyn snarled, her eyes nearly shifting of their own accord as Tala grew angry about Delphine’s assumption. Tala knew how deeply Tarrowlyn loved their cubs, and Tala had grown fiercely attached as well. “ You…”
Delphine sighed in defeat. Tarrowlyn was absolutely right that she didn’t know a damn thing about the other woman besides her. “ I’m sorry.” she whispered at first. “ I am not your enemy. I’ve already given you the horn. I’m…” Delphine sighed again as she raised her head up. “...I’m trying to help you if you’ll hear me out.”
Tarrowlyn exhaled slowly as she met the other woman’s gaze. “ I’m listening.” she whispered honestly as she leaned against the table opposite of Delphine.

Farkas was happily talking with Alesan and Lucia when Tarrowlyn made her entrance, slamming the doors inward in her fury as she stalked into her manor.

Everything went silent for the briefest of moments. Farkas managed to pick up on the light smell of salt. Had Tarrowlyn been crying again. His brow furrowed as he watched her empty her rucksack at first, going through it carefully to see what she needed to keep, replace, or discard.
“ Alesan, go chop some firewood. Lucia, you go see if you can pull any potatoes, carrots, and leeks up from the garden. I’ll do up a rabbit stew for supper tonight.” he ordered gently to their children, getting a hushed chorused ‘Yes Pa.’ in return from them. He waited for the door to close before he followed Tarrowlyn over to where she kept all her potions and ingredients. She began piling quite a few healing potions, the strongest that Farkas had ever seen her use before, closely followed by a few strong stamina potions and what he was sure was a Philter of the Warrior. “ You’re having to leave already?” he murmured questioningly, his brow knitted together in confusion. The plan had been for both of them to stay here at Lakeview for a week or two before heading out to see whatever it was that Isran wanted with Tarrowlyn. He was fairly sure it wasn’t good either.
Tarrowlyn nodded silently, unable to find her voice at the moment. She had wanted to spend time with Alesan and Lucia, had hoped to talk with Rayya about how her pregnancy was going so far. If her count was right, the housecarl turned friend and steward still had about three or four months before the child was born. She had wanted to show Sinding some more ways to counter his own inner beast’s temper, how to commune with it to make life easier for the two of them. She had wanted to work on her smithing, to make something that even Eorlund hadn’t even seen.
Never more had Tarrowlyn wanted to say ‘To Oblivion with duty. It’s my damn life.’
She couldn’t do it, not without her conscience nagging her in and out until she caved. A rather persistent trait that Tarrowlyn sometimes wished that she hadn’t inherited from her father. The dragons needed to be dealt with, Alduin; that great scaly piece of shit, needed to die so that no others could be resurrected. The secret war currently being waged with the vampires needed to be ended and quickly. Tarrowlyn knew that Balgruuf would have kittens if any massive vampire attacks happened where the Companions currently called home. Lastly, she needed to figure out a way to possibly end this damn war between the legion and the stormcloaks. No one was safe otherwise.
She had a wedding day that she wanted to live to see after all!
“ Dawnguard?” Farkas asked gently.
Tarrowlyn shook her head as she walked towards the armory. “ Worse. The Blades are resurfacing.” she growled menacingly. “ Delphine is one of them.”
Farkas’ brow pinched in confusion. “ The Blades?” The word sounded familiar and it didn’t at the same time. Maybe Jergen had told he and Vilkas stories of the Blades when they had just been wee little lads? Why did that ring such a bell but he couldn't recall?! Worse yet, the people who would probably know the answer were all dead! Kodlak, Skjor, Dungan, Jasina, Tilma...
Wait! Tilma! Farkas would have to make it a point to talk to the old woman once he could get back to Jorrvaskr.
Tarrowlyn exhaled so strongly that it looked as if smoke billowed from her nose in her ire. “ The Blades used to be the personal security detail for the emperor. That was before the Thalmor nearly decimated them. What most don’t know is that they used to be dragon hunters…” she snarled.
Understanding dawned on Farkas almost instantly. “ You’re going with her to kill a dragon.” he finished. His brow furrowed again, this time in agitation. “ Dammit…”
Tarrowlyn couldn’t help but chuckle at Farkas’ ire at being left out. He had only had a chance to help her slay one dragon after all. “ You’ll have your chance dearest. I promise.” she whispered. “ I’m headed for Kynesgrove. I’ll probably go straight to Fort Dawnguard to see what the ever oblivion Isran wants. The last stop will be up to High Hrothgar to deliver the item they sent me to retrieve and then I’ll be home for at least a month. I’m taking a hiatus from all this while I can.”
Farkas stopped Tarrowlyn before she could rush back towards the main hall and he pulled her in close to give her a kiss that made her head dizzy and her knees weak. “ You’d better come back to us.” he told her. “ I’ll be here and waiting, love.”
Tarrowlyn smiled as she gave him a kiss of her own in turn. “ I’ll keep that in mind, darling.”

Kynesgrove was a day and a half’s ride from her home on the shores of Lake Ilinalta, and Tarrowlyn hurriedly jumped from Tanaris’ back the moment she came to the inn in the small village. Alduin had just flown overhead a few minutes ago towards the mountains, just as Delphine had predicted. Tarrowlyn could only pray to the nine that she could get to the dragon mound before that scaly prick could accomplish what he had come there to do.

She puffed a bit as she ran as hard and fast up the hill as she could. Delphine was just ahead of her if Tarrowlyn’s nose was right. Sudden fear paralyzed Tarrowlyn for a moment as she came skidding to a stop. Alduin was much bigger than she remembered him being, black as pitch, and his eyes.
Tarrowlyn could not forget those burning red eyes if she tried.
“ Sahloknir! Ziil gro dovah ulse!” Alduin’s voice boomed.
Tarrowlyn felt herself suddenly pulled down towards the ground and Delphine hissed in her ear to keep cover. Tarrowlyn nodded numbly. She still remembered the events of Helgan vividly. The headsman raising his axe to kill her, the great black dragon that had suddenly descended and wreaked outright havoc. The way he had killed anything and everyone that had tried to escape or fight.
Tarrowlyn’s palms suddenly grew sweaty. What in oblivion was wrong with her?! She had killed plenty of dragons over the years, so why was this one scaring the ever loving shit out of her?!
Why did Tarrowlyn fear Alduin as much as she did right now?
“ Slen tiid vo!” Alduin bellowed, and Tarrowlyn watched as each word slammed with all the force of a charging dwarven centurion into the ground.The ground crumbled under the force and weight of Alduin’s command and Tarrowlyn’s eyes bugged for a moment when an all too familiar creaking noise was heard.
Skeletons? Had he raised the damn nearby dead as well from the hall of the dead?! Akatosh damn him if he did! Tarrowlyn quickly pulled her bow and she notched an arrow, looking around in her panic. Where were the undead fuckers? She plant them right back in the ground before they could even take another step.
Delphine and Tarrowlyn covered their ears when they heard another dragon’s roar answer Alduin’s shout and Delphine gripped Tarrowlyn’s armor covered forearm in fear. While Delphine’s heart was racing, Tarrowlyn actually had trouble hearing it over her own. It hurt with how hard it was pounding in her chest, feeling as if it were slamming repeatedly against her ribcage with every adrenaline fueled pump.
A skeletal claw erupted from the earth’s surface, soon followed by a fleshless wing. Little by little, muscle and skin formed on it, hardening into scale as the dragon, Sahloknir his name was, crawled from his earthen bed.
“ Oh shit…” Tarrowlyn dead panned. “ Slen...Flesh. Tiid...Time. Vo…” She looked over to Delphine, her palor nearly as white as snow in realization. “...Undo. He’s not waking slumbering dragons...” she whispered. She turned her worried green gaze over to the two dhovs so that she didn't lose track of either of them. " He's resurrecting the dead ones."
" Alduin, thuri…” Sahloknir rasped, his mouth still reforming from Alduin’s potent command. “ Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik?”
“ My Lord Alduin. Long has it been since we’ve flown. Are we restoring your ancient dominion?” Tarrowlyn whispered, translating automatically without realizing it.
“ Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir.” Alduin replied.
“ Yes Sahloknir, my loyal soldier.”
Alduin paused a moment, drawing in a deep breath and he chuckled evilly as he looked directly over to where Tarrowlyn and Delphine were hiding. “ Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu’u koraav nid nol dov do hi.”
Tarrowlyn swallowed as Alduin addressed her directly, but she bravely raised her bow high. She didn’t care what it took, she’d make sure this bastard was killed. It didn’t matter how terrified she was, it didn’t matter just how much she wished she had Farkas with her now...Tarrowlyn knew she would take this scaly, red eyed fuck down even if she died as a result.
She was not going to allow Alduin try to rule the world. That was not gonna happen on her watch if Tarrowlyn had anything to say about it.
“ You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah.” Alduin sneered. He could smell her fear, such a sweet, pungent scent that he had missed over the years.
“ I wouldn’t say that!” Tarrowlyn called back, her bow still raised high as she kept her arrow at the ready. “ I understand it and read it better than I speak it. I can’t get all the growly parts down right. Just know this...I will kill you. You will not have any sort of dominion over this world. I won’t allow it, Alduin. Hi fen mah med zeymahhe.”
Alduin snarled in outrage that such an insignificant being, this mal joor would dare speak to him, the firstborn of Akatosh, in such a manner. “ Sahloknir, krii daar joorre!”
“ Tarrowlyn, what did he just say?” Delphine asked quietly. “ More importantly, what did you say to him?”
“ As for what I said, would you trust me if I told you that I might have just pissed him off a little?” Tarrowlyn responded as she followed Alduin’s flight path as he flew off and she released the arrow. It struck true at a wing joint, but it didn’t bring the dragon down the way it normally would. “ As for big, black, and ugly, what in the sixteen planes do you think?”
“ Kill them. Typical. Doesn’t matter what species they are, all males think the same.” Delphine snarled as she drew her bow as well. “ That wasn’t a little pissed, Tarrowlyn! That was a lot pissed! Now, so Akatosh help me, what did you say?” She fired off three shots in quick succession, only to find that her iron tipped arrows all bounced off the dragon’s thick hide. “ Dammit!” she swore.
“ Take half of mine! These are ebony tipped!” Tarrowlyn said, hurriedly tipping her quiver to pass some of her arrows over. “ I’ve got about forty left...Make sure every shot counts, Delphine!” She quickly pulled both of them down to the ground as Sahloknir flew right above them, releasing a jet of fire from his maw.
“ You’re not getting out of answering me, Tarrowlyn!” Delphine growled out as both women pushed themselves back up.
Tarrowlyn laughed softly as she pulled her sword. Sahloknir would probably land after the next pass. She’d be waiting. “ Delphine, aim for his wing joints. We need to bring him down.” she ordered gently. “ We’ll see if I tell you what it was I said to Alduin. I have a policy of keeping things said between the dragons and myself to myself. Just trust that Alduin knows I’m definitely his enemy.”
Delphine followed Sahloknir, her arrow drawn and at the ready, and she smirked the moment she let it fly. It pierced true, and the dragon snarled in both surprise and anger when he realized that he could no longer keep airborne.
Tarrowlyn smiled ferally when he crashed snout first into the frozen ground, and immediately the words for the Whirlwind Sprint boomed over and down the hillside. “ Krii Lun!” she roared, and Sahloknir answered her with a jet of flame.
Delphine had never seen a human move that fast, those speeds were unattainable! Tarrowlyn’s blade bit into the scales of the dragon’s neck as she came to a stop beside it and Delphine paused in shock to watch her. It was unlike anything that she had ever watched before.
Sahloknir snapped at Tarrowlyn, but she dove to her left, rolling and bringing her blade in a high arc over herself, forcing the Skyforge steel to spark brightly against the dragon’s long fangs. “ Fos roh dah!” she shouted, and Delphine nearly jumped at hearing it.
This was what a fight between the greatest dragonslayer and a dragon was supposed to be?
“ Divines...Thank you.” she whispered, in awe as she kept watching Tarrowlyn score hit after hit into the dragon’s thick hide.
“ Faas ru maar!” Sahloknir bellowed, aiming for the awestruck Delphine as opposed to Tarrowlyn.
“ Delphine!” Tarrowlyn cried out in surprise. She had not learned the words to that shout herself, but it would only fill the other woman with unspeakable fear.
Delphine had enough presence of mind to roll out of the way and Tarrowlyn was forced onto the defensive due to the distraction and the shield guarding her left side was suddenly splintered and shattered as the dragon bashed his tail into it. Delphine swore under her breath as she pulled an arrow taut against the string of her long bow. “ Eat this, you stupid lizard.” she hissed.
Sahloknir was just about to lower his head to snap the little mortal in half. How dare she call herself dovahkiin?! She was not even worthy to be called dovahkriid! He was one of the ten dovahdrogge, the dragon lords! Sahloknir would not allow himself to be beaten that easily! No sooner than he had lunged in, he roared in pain.
He couldn’t see from the left side!
Tarrowlyn took the opening for what it was and she couldn’t keep the smile off of her face as she jumped up onto the back of the dragon’s head. “ Daarlos fin oblaan, Sahloknir…” Tarrowlyn snarled gleefully as she plunged the tip of her blade into the back of his skull.
Sahloknir screamed in dismay even as he felt his very essence flowing into the woman above him. The last thought that crossed his mind was that Alduin might actually have his work cut out for him with this one.
Delphine couldn’t believe her eyes as a brilliant, golden light flew from the dying dragon and up into Tarrowlyn, only to follow her as she jumped down from the top of its head and back to the ground.
“ Is that proof enough for you, Delphine?” Tarrowlyn asked her, her tone a bit terse. She had been dragged out here when she had wanted to spend much needed time with her children after all, besides taking a few much needed weeks for herself.
Delphine nodded as Tarrowlyn sheathed her sword, and then turned to the still smoldering corpse of the dragon that she had just fought. She began gathering what she could from it, taking what little scales were left and then she began looking through the bones to see what she could use as well. This was the power of the dragonborn?
It was terrifying and awe inspiring all at once.
“ I’ll meet you back in Riverwood. I have business down in the Rift that I need to attend to.” Tarrowlyn said none too happily to Delphine as she began making her way back into town. She paused for a moment as she looked to the northeast. She could just barely see the city walls of Windhelm from here. Her brow furrowed tightly as her mouth drew into a very fine line.
This war needed to end just as badly as she needed to stop Alduin. Ulfric was tearing Skyrim in twain because of what he had done. It was as if Tarrowlyn had enough on her plate as it stood.
If it took the dragonborn’s intervention, heads were going to roll.

Tarrowlyn was scowling as she stalked into Fort Dawnguard, slamming the doors open with a resounding boom, and Celann instantly fell into step beside her. “ Tarrowlyn. Isran is upstairs. He’s currently speaking…” he began.

“ I know that Serana’s here.” Tarrowlyn sighed heavily. It was hard not to smell the vampiress here, not that she could tell anyone here that of course. They’d be trying to take her head as well for being moonborn. The same would probably happen to Farkas and Vilkas. Tarrowlyn was not about to start a scene that would get her family hurt. " Isran found me in Morthal and he asked me to come at my earliest convenience. While sooner than I would have liked, I'm here now." she explained.
Celann stumbled a moment before nodding. “ That makes it easier then.” he mumbled mirthfully.
“ Dragonheart! Get up here!” Isran bellowed.
“ Keep your damn chainmail on, baldy!” Tarrowlyn responded in turn. Honestly, what in Stendarr's good grace was it about that man that just rubbed her the wrong damn way?! Tarrowlyn had no trouble getting along with any other members of the vampire hunting guild, just Isran. “ Celann, I’m pretty sure I know which room he’s in. I can get there on my own.”
Celann chuckled. “ You just don’t want anyone in the way if you two wind up crossing blades.” he chortled.
Tarrowlyn couldn't help but smirk at that claim. " Good man." she quipped. Celann was right about her probably drawing her blade on the Grandmaster of the Dawnguard again as she had done a month or so ago. Her brow creased in thought as she began walking for the winding staircase. Had it really been that long already? Why did it feel as if the time were passing slower than it should then? "
“ I’ll leave you to him then.” Celann sighed a bit before Tarrowlyn started up the stairs. “ I wish you luck friend.”
Tarrowlyn laughed lowly, sounding almost a little sinister at the moment. “ I’ll be fine. He’s the one cutting in on my time after all.” Tarrowlyn replied.
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Dragonheart: Of Black Wings Unfurled