Seras little snippet thread

Monford Velaryon
Driftmark
297AC (One year before A Song of Ice and Fire is set to start)
—--

"Where is that girl?" He demanded and the maid as usual flushed red at her own failure.

"Forgive me M'lord. She disappeared again. I only looked away for a moment."

Monford sighed, his first born, his bastard daughter from a beautiful woman of Lyse during his travels was as always a handful.

If not for the mother dying in childbirth, and perhaps a faint sense of honor he would be without the difficulty of his base born daughter.

The Daughter that at times Monford wondered if she was truly his.

The Maester had assured him it was so, but the girl was… Eldritch. Often speaking in odd tongues, or turns of phrase. She was terrible at normal woman work, but the work of man, or of the Maester and she impressed entirely.

Monford did love her. She was his daughter, and her smile for him was always bright and happy, regardless of her parentage. She adored her younger brother and at least often kept the young boy interested in his lessons…

But she was odd. And the oddity had been noted by his people.

If not for her gregariousness she would likely have been proclaimed a witch of some sort, and sent to the silent sisters.

The oddity had changed recently. She had started disappearing more and more often, and every time she was found in the same place, if she was found at all.

He considered his time. There was nothing pressing at the moment, even if he had planned on heading to the docks to check the ships… It was close enough.

He turned away, ignoring the maid. As much as it annoyed him, her constant failure to curtail his daughter was frustrating, but not something she could be entirely blamed for.

Down through the castle he walked, outside the walls, waving away his mens offer of a horse. Nonsense, the Island was hardly large enough to need a horse even if he traveled to the old castle.

No, he simply walked down the ancient stone path to the beach besides the castle. The white sails of his ships, with the Sea Horse in Blue across them just in sight, as he turned the corner and there she was.

He sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

"Victoria!"

"Papa!" She greeted back ignoring the fact his tone was harsh. Despite always breaking the rules she was always quick to accept punishment.

What was it she once said? "Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission?"

He sighed once more at her odd turns of phrase.

Looking at the girl his scowl grew as she went bashful realizing she was practically undressed. The Blue shift, something he knew she had sewn herself clung to her, but was thick enough to hide what was needed. Not that the 'bathing suit' as she called it did anything to hide her legs or arms!

It was something he knew one day some noble would see, and the embarrassment would end him.

"Your maid is looking for you." He reminded, and she blinked.

"Oh shoot! I lost track of time!" She gasped looking up at the sky to check the time.

"Victoria." He spoke again, and her purple eyes locked onto his.

That was something that always took his breath away. Silver hair, finer than his own, like spun silver, and purple eyes the color of amethyst lit with flame.

She was Valyerian through and through. To think, if House Targaryen was still around she would have been praised for her looks.

Instead of being forced to hide her away in case the King decided he wanted to kill more of their blood.

"Sorry Papa. I really did lose track of time. I found a shipwreck while diving." She offered, pulling a small net from her side, as she adjusted the harpoon she carried in the other, and then pulled open the sack Monford forgot his anger.

"Is that gold?"

"Yes! I found a small sloop, it took me four dives before I managed to search the captains quarters, and scare away a persistent little shark, but there was a chest of gold. I got some of it, but I'll need to dive later for more. Gold is heavy after all."

"Hah!" He burst into laughter, as he reached into the bag, pushing aside a golden key to grab one of the Gold Dragons.

"Hmm… Well, I do believe you found one of the ships destroyed during the Dance. These are the Dragons of King Viserys." Monford reasoned, recognizing the image of the king.

"Really? Neat!" She said happily, her smile wide and bright.

A bastard is usually sullen, frustrated by lack of opportunity and mistreatment, but not his Victoria. No, even when the bannermen spoke ill she never seemed to mind.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Get cleaned up, and tomorrow I expect you in your lessons the entire day. Do you understand?"

"Yes Papa." He glared at her, and she wilted. "Yes Father. I will not skip my lessons."

"Good." He nodded as his daughter ran off to grab her clothes hidden away in a barrel of all things, she had dragged it down here and hidden in an old fishing nook. Monford remembered his father taking him down here to fish when he was a boy.

Throwing her dress over her head she wrapped a towel over her hair to keep from dripping and then smiled before blinking and rushing over to throw her shoes on.

He sighed. This girl was going to be the end of him. Victoria Waters was truly the greatest oddity of Driftmark.

—--

Door shut behind me. I finally allowed myself to slump.

Lessons were the fucking pants. Sewing was a useful skill, but noble lady sewing wasn't like, useful sewing it was all Embroidery and shit.

Luckily I had managed to learn normal sewing to an extent hence how I had a bathing suit.

Well I wouldn't have worn it and just gone naked if not for the utter freakout my maid had when I mentioned it one time.

So here I was. Sixteen years old. Bastard daughter, of a basically no name character from a book, and while I definitely had something extra, I wasn't… Magic.

The amount of times I had tried to cast fireball could be counted as a percentage of my life, but nothing.

And I mean, I wasn't about to try the Red Priest bullshit. Fucking demon worshippers.

So I was just sort of stuck, well other than the whole freediving thing. Fishing. Horseback riding. Hunting. Sailing… Okay so I did a lot of shit to keep myself occupied, but none of it was what I was supposed to be doing.

Not that it really stopped me, but this place still sucked.

I flopped on my bed, and groaned as I noticed it was a bit damp. Looking around I found the culprit.

Driftmark was an old castle, super old. Ancient.

It also fucking leaked, and was damp. During bad storms, some of the lower passages would literally flood.

Mold was something I pretended didn't exist, because I didn't want to know how bad my lungs were dealing with all this bullshit.

My room also sometimes got damp when it was rainy, or foggy, and today was foggy, the ceiling was dripping a bit.

Spending a few minutes to put in an order for some more wood, I started the fire that would help dry out the room, and changed out my bedding to dry for another set.

Then I flopped into the bed and sighed. Then I groaned, because under my dress was a net bag full of coins and shit and it was poking into my spine.

I peeled off my dress. It smelled of brine and sea salt anyways, and I would need to change regardless. Spending a moment peeling off my swimsuit, both of them were hung up by the fire to dry, and I grabbed my net bag.

I'd found a few treasures while diving. Driftmark was close to Shipbreaker bay after all. Plenty of things could drift on currents, and the Blackwater was full of stories of naval battles.

But this was definitely the biggest find. I pulled out the coins and tucked them into my little hidey place where I kept some of the coin I've collected.

Never knew when I would need to run away to escape some arranged marriage or something.

But then there was the other interesting thing. A key.

It was gold, which is why I had grabbed it, still clean as could be despite being in a small lock box full of sea water for who knows how long, a long time if the coins were accurate.

It was the ornate Dragon on the haft of the key that had made me grab it even over other coins.

It looked familiar, but I couldn't place it…

Besides I was a daughter of Valyria in this life. Not that many would care, but it wasn't like the Targs were important in old Valyria either. They were a minor house, just like Velaryon. Only they had dragons, and we didn't. That was the only reason they had become kings, and we had become broodmares.

I shook off ancient history. That was over now… At least until Dany came back. Or Young Griff.

Fucking crazies. I really hope this was the books and not the TV show…

Or maybe I have that the other way around. What would really be better? Dany going crazy and murdering Kings Landing, or whatever she ends up doing in the books?

Fuck it. Doesn't matter. I'm not going to King's Landing. I'm a bastard daughter for one, and I don't plan on going north and fighting Ice necromancers either.

Not with my noodle arms.

Maybe Dorn. I'd considered it a few times. Maybe try to find some dornish lover or something. I didn't mind the desert. I lived in one in my last life.

But I liked the ocean a lot now. God the ocean was the shit. I don't know if it was some weird Valyria magic, but I didn't tend to get cold even in the chilling waters of Blackwater. Instead it was awesome. To dive beneath the waves, hunting for crabs, or clams. Pearls sold well, and I was good at finding them.

But I looked at the key again. Why was it so familiar? The Dragon on it wasn't a Targaryean symbol. At least not one I had ever seen.

I shrugged it off, eventually realizing I needed a place to store it. I waved it a minute and then looked at the hope chest at the foot of my bed.

I would put it there for now, maybe make it into a trinket later? A necklace or something?

Or just melt it down I guess. I was about to just throw it into the chest, when I stopped, and instead stuck it towards the keyhole.

If it fit, I could just leave it sticking out, a pretty little symbol for my room.

I stuck it forward and knew it wouldn't. The golden key was a bit too big for the keyhole, but I couldn't stop myself as the key reached the hole, and then it just kept going.

I stilled when I realized that something was wrong.

The key was too big, yet it had gone in.

The keyhole was too small, and yet the key had gone in.

I pulled it out… Then pushed it in. It slid into the keyhole like it was meant to be there.

I pulled it out.

Then again.

"Magic?" I wondered, sure I knew magic existed despite what the Maesters wanted to say…

I struck it in, and turned it. And this time I felt it. The chest rumbled. I lifted the lift and was nearly knocked off my feet as I got a face full of snow. Slamming the lid shut I looked around, at the snow flakes in my room.

"What the fuck?" Taking a moment to get my breath I pulled out the key, and when I opened the chest it was just my normal stuff inside…

I glanced towards the armoire in the corner of the room. It had belonged to my great great grandmother or something, and had been moved into this room when it was water damaged, but it still worked, so it had been kept…

And it had a keyhole.

"I'm going to fucking narnia." I whispered as I got up. And pushed in the key and then opened it.

Closing it a moment later I shook off the barrage of snow that had just attacked me.

"Fuck that." I decided immediately. Whatever that connected to was having a blizzard.

I stared at the armoire, it stared at me, with its old warped wood.

Grumbling, I popped open the door without the key and grabbed my warmest clothes from inside it.

Like a bit of snow was going to stop me from exploring fucking magic keys! What was I a fucking coward ass Frey?

Bundled up enough I was basically sweltering. I grabbed the key and popped open the Armoire, uncaring about the blizzard that struck my face I stepped through.

I stepped into a snowy hell, but it was one that had the marks of mankind.

An old hut, with the door missing, letting in the blizzard of snow and sleet that was bombarding me.

I looked behind and to my surprise the key was now on the inside of the door. I closed it behind me, and took out the key.

Opening the door, it was just a smaller room inside the hut, also covered in snow and destroyed. Closing it, I put the key in, and… It was my room.

Okay. We were good. Taking the key I hid it inside my clothes and looked around. "Where the hell am I? I swear if this is the fucking North." I grumbled and stepped out, and despite the snow falling, hiding most things from view, I could see across the large clearing to the pine trees surrounding this hut.

It was beautiful, and as I trudged out I gasped in shock as despite the clouds and falling snow, I could see the northern lights.

They danced across the sky, beautiful and something I had never seen in person before.

It took a long time to stop staring at them, as I decided to keep moving. I was still plenty warm despite the snow and I wanted to know where this was.

I moved across the long open field. The half a foot of snow on the ground slowing, me but not stopping me.

Then as I cleared the trees I saw it.

A road. And even a sign on it. Whoever had lived in this hut had obviously made a trail to connect it to this main road that was coming through. I trudged over and looked at the sign…

"That looks familiar too." I mumbled at the strange characters. Okay so something about this place was really-

Something smashed into the back of my head.

Unconscious.

—--

The faint rocking of horses and carriage was familiar enough. I blinked, finding my head killing me, and the bright light burning off brand new snow almost unbearable.

"Ow." I moaned a bit and went to reach for my head when I realized my hands were tied with rope in front of me. "Oh no."

"Hey, you. Finally awake? You were trying to cross the border right? Walked right into an imperial ambush same as us, and that thief over there." The blonde man offered in a familiar voice in an unfamiliar accent.

But I couldn't hear the rest of the conversation. My voice was stolen from me as this entire thing was eerily, unfortunately familiar.

It couldn't be. The Gods, whether seven or however many there are, couldn't be this much of an asshole…

I looked to my right blinked eyes at the man with his mouth muffled and realized the truth.

"Todd Howard you fuc-" I cut myself off. Keep calm Vicky. Keep calm.

Skyrim. I was in Skyrim.

—--

"I told you! I'm not trying to cross the border! I got lost with a magical accident! I had no idea where I was!" I argued desperately.

"And I told you girl, I don't care. Stormcloak sympathizers are given no quarter. On the list or not." The woman in Roman looking armor told me without sympathy.

"Now. Name."

"Victoria Waters." I answered back, and the woman instantly looked at me in suspicion.

"Hiding your name won't change anything. We don't go after families, but at least your family will know your fate if you answer truthfully." The man holding a ledger said, before she could speak.

"Victoria Waters. I'm the bastard daughter of Lord Velaryon of Driftmark." I answered then and the two Imperials shrugged. Uncaring of my status. Either of them.

I just hoped I had wasted enough time. The horse thief was dead. My name was entered into some ledger, and this bitch was going to murder me without any care just because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I'm usually pretty sympathetic to the Empire, but if I do survive this, her head was going to be mine if I got the chance.

I heard it.

Alduin's roar.

Something in my chest besides my heart jumped at the sound.

I blinked staring into nothing as the execution went on.

Was I?

I mean, I was Valyrian. Did that make me Dragonborn? But Dragonborn was a piece of Akatosh, and I wasn't from Nirn! I…

What the fuck was going on? Magic keys? Dragons? Gods? My mind was racing and I was struggling with understanding what was happening.

I was pushed forward and as I shuffled over, I looked to the priestess.

"A uh… Prayer to Akatosh would be appreciated." I added even as the executioner pushed me down.

The priestess made to actually do so, even as the Imperial Captain interrupted.

"Stop wasting time. Do it."

"Captain Andrius!"

"Pray over her body if you want! Do it."

And then it happened.

As my neck was dropped onto the stone. As blood recently spilled touched my throat.

The world rocked. The roar of a dragon, a call that I heard.

"Strun Bah Golz!" I stuttered because. "Storm wrath stone!" made sense in my brain in a way I couldn't understand.

I guess I had the Thu'um.

The next moment I was running, the world was shaking, fire and death was everywhere.

Now, I just had to survive.

—--

Knowing the path made it easier to survive. I dodged fire, leapt into barns, and basically just followed the same path I had done a dozen times.

I tried to warn people, but no one heeded my rough voice in the middle of a battle with a Dragon.

All the while I heard him. Alduin shouted. He spoke and I understood, and more importantly. I fucking quivered in fear.

The amount of power in his voice… This wasn't like in the games. No, Alduin was altering reality as he spoke, his soul demanding change, and it happening in subjugation to his will.

It felt horrifying, and awe inspiring, and I both knew I wanted it, and feared it more than I could imagine.

What was worse, was every time he spoke I felt it. The feeling of my heart beating off, the movement in my chest that wasn't my heart.

"FUS RO DAH!" Unrelenting Force. I felt it, the concept added to the world, shifting it, changing it. Demanding that the laws of the world shifted so that for a small moment force was applied without causation.

Nothing touched the stones that went flying, and yet there was force to move them.

Fucking stupid dragon bullshit magic bullshit!

"Follow me!" Voices yelled, people screamed, and everything was insane.

So I moved. I slunk, I leapt into dark corners, as dragon wings roared overhead.

Then finally I came to the time of choice.

"Where are you going! The barracks are through here!" Hadvar called out the imperial man, and despite my anger at my treatment from them, I followed him.

Mostly because Stormcloaks are fucking morons.

Rushing inside I realized I was shivering, terrified.

"Looks like we are the only ones that made it." Hadvar spoke pacing back and forth but I ignored his words, his freakout had nothing on my own. I raised my hands to wipe my face only to remember I was still bound. "Come here, let me see if I can get those bindings off."

I nodded, holding out my hands silently as he cut me loose finally freeing me and now… Now I had to get out of here.

"Take a look around, there should be plenty of gear to choose from." He offered, waving around the barracks. "I'm going to find something for these burns." He grunted, showing me already reddening flesh where some of Alduin's flame must have touched him.

I nodded and immediately rushed to the other side of the room, grabbing an Iron sword off a rack.

It felt good to have an actual weapon, reassuring in my hand. "Check the chest. Should be some armor." Hadvar called out and I noticed him taking a potion and looking relieved.

The Imperial light armor in the chest was definitely not my size, but as I went to put it on, it adjusted then as I slipped into it, it fit. Perfectly. Elder scrolls equipment was magic!

"Whoa." I whispered and stretched, feeling much better with some actual protection even if the light armor wouldn't do much against a blade.

I felt my grip tighten on the sword and followed Hadvar. This wasn't over yet. There were more horrors ahead.

"The armor suits you. You swung the blade around? I doubt we'll get out of here without using it." He told me, and as we went down the path, we could hear a woman's voice. "Stormcloaks. Hold on, let's see if we can reason with them."

He stepped into the room, and instantly I could tell whatever he was going to say would fall on deaf ears. "Hold on, now, we only want to-" And he was interrupted unsheathing his sword to deflect a mace that was swung at him.

I noticed something right away. These two were injured. I hung back, hiding and when they focused on Hadvar who had gotten out his shield, I sprung out. Silent without a roar I slammed my iron blade into the head of one of them and she died instantly, body jerking and falling to the ground, her skull gripping my sword right tight, yanking it right out of my hand.

I leapt to the side screaming as a warhammer big enough that King Robert would find it adequate rushed past my head.

A moment later as I scrambled Hadvar was there, behind the man's back and stabbing.

I was gasping in shock, blood splattering my face realizing I had just killed someone. That wasn't a game. The body didn't just get a blood stain or lose a limb along random cuts.

No that woman had been real, and now she was very very dead.

"Hey. You alright?"

"I've never… I've I've never." I muttered and the Hadvar cursed, then kneeled, reaching out a hand he landed it on my shoulder and drew my eyes away.

"It never gets easy, at least it shouldn't, but there is a method to it. She would have killed you, killed us both… Just like the Captain would have killed you before. That's the way of it sometimes. If you want to live, then you'll kill when you have to. You did that now. You survived. Now we have to keep moving to keep surviving."

I nodded blankly and then the whole keep shifted and I rose quickly. Dragon attack, right. I picked up the woman's mace and shield. It would do. I didn't want to try and get the sword back right now.

Down the stairs we ran, and once again the whole keep shook, and then the ceiling of the hallway crashed down in front of me.

In the game it was just a screenshake and a bit of noise.

Here it was cataclysmic. The world shifted, dust flooded the air so heavy I could barely breathe. I fell, and Hadvar did too, both of us shook around by the force of the world moving. Then it was over.

I rose slowly, coughing, and following Hadvar who was already on his feet moving.

A man's voice roared out.

"We need to get out of Helgen Now!" And as we burst through the door, delighting in the fresher air we stared at two more Storm Cloaks.

"FOR SKYRIM!" They roared, and I cursed these men weren't as injured. These men were ready for us. I raised my shield terrified and and barely held back from the strength of a blow from a two handed sword. Fucking bullshit. It launched me back and I barely kept my feet.

I just needed to survive long enough for Hadvar to save my ass.

The Storm Cloak glared at me from his blue eyes, uncaring that I wasn't an Imperial, that I wasn't interested in fighting.

His blood was up, and I was an enemy.

I dodged the next swing, letting him maybe tire himself out swinging that massive blade around, but it didn't quite work.

And soon I was backed into a corner.

"Got you now, Imperial whore!" So I did the only thing I could. I charged forward. Getting close, I kept the shield up above my head as I slid to my knees and even as a heavy blow crashed onto me knocking me senseless my Iron mace slammed into a sensitive spot.

His strangled scream was nice, but I was on the floor, cold stone against my cheek as the world spun.

Moments later something was grabbing me and I struggled, but it was strong, and then as my eyes focused I recognized Hadvar.

"Easy lass, I got you, easy. Here, drink this." He pushed something in my mouth and I swallowed.

It wasn't bad. Not cherry flavored, but it tasted sort of like how flowers smelled.

I blinked as suddenly I was fine. Perfectly fine, my head didn't ache anymore from when I was captured, no more heat rash from Alduin's flames at the tower.

I just felt fine.

"Wow."

"Heh Imperial standard potions. They aren't the best, but they'll heal you better than some witches brew. Can you stand?"

"Yeah. Yeah I can." I agreed, rising up and looking around. Hadvar had killed his man, and then slit the fuckers throat that had nearly brained me.

"There should be some more potions in here, look around, get your feet under you again." Hadvar offered and I nodded.

"Right. Store room… Loot." I reminded myself. Looting… Looting I could do.

—---

MAGIC POTIONS. I was still buzzing because in my pocket I had magic potions and no one could say having your own magic healing potion wasn't fucking awesome.

I didn't have a backpack or anything to hold it in, and while Hadvar wasn't looking I played around with seeing if I had an inventory, but that didn't work.

Which really sucked.

So I had placed them in a belt pouch after a bit of fumbling.

This was the Elder Scrolls! This world better not be making me carry around shit in a backpack all day, if travel takes too long, I will gain CHIM and open the fucking console! Don't tempt me! I mentally screamed at the sky but nothing happened, and so I just kept moving.

"Do you hear that?" Hadvar asked, and I nodded.

Electricity and shouts. A battle.

Hadvar and I rushed ahead, him more earnestly than I. And then as we came down the stairs deeper into the keep we found it. Stormcloaks and the Torturer.

The fucking Palpatine impression was super cool, and I knew I wanted that. But for now I had good old Nutcrusher.

I rushed in, Hadvar and lightning distracting the StormCloaks and slammed the mace right onto one man's head from behind, he crumpled, and then I raised my shield with a yelp as lightning almost hit me, making my arm go numb.

A few moments later it was over. The StormCloaks were dead.

And I found something I wanted.

I walked across the room, there was a knapsack on a table. I opened it. Lockpicks and a potion? Nice. I grabbed it and threw it over my shoulder then grabbed the knife on the table and sheathed it through my belt.

"Wait a second. Looks like there's something in this cage." Hadvar called out and I looked towards him.

Oh right. The dead body.

"Don't bother with that. Lost the key ages ago. Poor fellow screamed for weeks." The torturer responded and I shivered at the horrible thing he just said.

I forgot that if you ignore the glamor of being a Dragonborn, the Elder Scrolls was just as dark as Westeros sometimes.

Fuck, Westeros home…

No, focus. Survive now. Get home later.

I walked over. "Think you can get it open with those picks?" He asked, and I honestly had no idea.

"I'll try." I offered and kneeled down. No minigame popped up for me, but the lock was old, and with the iron dagger and pick I slowly tweaked it until it popped open. "Yes! I did it! I'm a thief now! Whoo!" I cheered and then realized what I had shouted surrounded by an honorable type in Hadvar, and the dishonorable type in the Torturer.

"Good work." Hadvar offered and I walked into the cage, swallowing the bile in my throat, and this time I really looted him.

Spell tome Sparks, and his clothes, Novice robes, and his hood. Both of which I knew were magic.

Magic clothes.

I almost put them on right away, but right now I wanted hard stuff between me and anything trying to get at my insides.

The book also went in my bag. I had a feeling I would need to read the thing and practice magic before I actually got any use out of it. Even if the idea of going full Unlimited Power spoke to me.

I checked the room before we headed out, dropping my battered shield, for a much heavier Iron one, and then nodding to Hadvar. The Torturer thankfully stayed behind.

The old man was a monster in human skin.

—--

The big battle left me bleeding out from a gut wound that I was very thankful a healing potion recovered, but despite not being hurt anymore the feeling of frigid iron cleaving through my stomach was something I would have nightmares about for the rest of my life.

I knew it.

Then we fought giant spiders. Giant spiders. BIG GIANT SPIDERS.

They left a mixed feeling in me, on one hand, they were kinda cute. On the other, they were far less cute when they leapt atop you and were trying to bite your face off.

But Hadvar had saved me at every stop. Then finally we were out. I had grabbed the Iron Helmet laying on the ground and plopped it on my head as we left.

Yep, that's me. Dragonborn definitely, totally not a terrified teenager with burgeoning PTSD.

The sight of Alduin flying away as we finally reached fresh air was actually a relief.

He was leaving. The destruction of Helgen over.

"Alright lass?"

"Yeah, I'll survive." I told him, harkening back to his words from earlier.

"Good. Good. Closest town is Riverwood. My Uncle's the blacksmith there. I'm sure he'd help you out." And then we were off. Jogging through a mountain top wonderland, if only the stink of fire and pork from the air behind us didn't remind me of what I had gone through. I grew weary far sooner than Hadvar, but he stuck with me.

Down the road and following it toward Riverwood.

As we rounded a bend I saw them. The Standing Stones.

"The Standing stones. Dotted all around Skyrim. You should check them, if you want, we can take a moment to catch our breath.

I noticed he said that despite the fact he was breathing easily enough, while I was gasping.

So I did. Slowing as we reached the stones, I took the steps up before turning and just dropping onto my butt.

I wasn't about to die anymore.

What was happening? How had I ended up here? Could I get home?

I freaked for a second as I suddenly tore at the armor, the key had been in the pocket of my dress, and-it was there still. I clutched it. Somehow the Imperials hadn't searched me for it. It was there. Warm in my hand having sapped my body heat.

This meant I could go home… Yeah that sounded right.

I rose and looked at the Stones.

Obviously I wanted The Mage stone. Magic was fucking awesome. But… would it work for me? Would it work in Westeros when I went home? Would any of this? I pressed my hand against it, and suddenly it lit up. Blue light shot into the sky, disappearing into the heavens.

Oh that felt weird.

"Mage, eh? Well, to each his own. It's not for me to judge." He offered and I scoffed at him.

"Magic is cool Hadvar." I grumbled and perhaps for the first time since I've seen him he smiled.

"If you say so lass. C'mon. We're almost there." I nodded and hurried after.

We continued to run, and I was basically gasping to keep up, yet Hadvar filled the air with talk. Mentioning I should stay clear of other Imperial soldiers until he pushed through the pardon. Mentioning that I should join.

I couldn't possibly answer because I was desperately puffing along trying to keep up with this stamina monster! How could he just keep running! We've been running for forever!

—--

Skyrim was bigger than the game made me believe. By the time we made it to Riverwood it was hours later, and I was sitting on the steps of Hadvars' Uncles Blacksmith as Alvor and the man both greeted each other meaningfully.

I just sat and gasped for air. My everything hurt. I was tired, hungry, exhausted, and I didn't even want to look at my feet. I would have all the blisters.

"Come on, I'll explain everything, but we need to go inside." Hadvor urged his Uncle, and I rose up swaying a bit and followed the man into his home.

A warm meal of filling food and I felt at least more alive.

"We need to send a message to Whiterun. Lass I hate to ask, but can you make that journey? Not tonight, but later." Alvor asked me, and Hadvar looked like he was going to interrupt but eventually relented. The man was already saying he was on his way to Solitude.

I didn't answer. I wasn't sure if I would be here in the morning.

After the meal I broke off, and headed downstairs where Sigrid, Alvor's wife, offered me a bed.

The moment she was back upstairs I walked to the nearest thing I could push a key through. Could I go home? Would I have to find the destroyed hut? I twisted the key, and slumped. It opened into my Armoire, thank the seven and I walked into my room and closed the door behind me.

My knees shook, and I felt like I wanted nothing more than to cry.

But something was off. I'd been gone for hours. Practically a whole day, but my clothes were still over the fire, the fire still going. The fire that should have gone out long ago. I walked over taking off the gloves I had grabbed from the Storm cloaks and touched my dress.

Damp.

I quickly went to my Armoire and pulled off all my new equipment. Everything but the key shoved inside and hidden, and then I took two steps, turned around and grabbed one of the health potions.

The blisters covering my feet would be an issue. Unless the potions still worked. I swallowed and then popped the cork and drank the potion down. "Ahhhh." I couldn't help but moan as I felt all my aches and pains disappear.

I was okay.

I was home.

I was alive.

I was okay.

I got dressed and headed out of my room. I had to find out. There at the end of the hall was Erik Waters. A guard that did his damndest to pretend I didn't exist.

It had nothing to do with the lobster I had dropped on his face a few years ago. Apparently people were pretty squicked out by crustaceans in Westeros.

"Erik."

"Yes M'lady?" he asked, and I felt like a moron for a second. How do you ask someone how long you've been in a room?

"What time is it? I feel like I lost track of myself." I said instead, not much better, but Erik looked at me weirdly. "Bout an hour until sunset M'lady."

That was the time I had left…

"Thank you Erik." I offered and then turned and hurried back to my room. I… I needed a nap.

—--

"Oh fuck you all." I growled. The moment I had hit my head on the pillow ready to just sleep this whole bullshit away. I was no longer sleeping. I was no longer in my room.

I was standing on nothing but stars. Constellations flowed around me.

I had a fucking level up screen!?

"This is bullshit!" I yelled wanting to throw something, because I had gotten a level up screen but only when I sleep!?

I sighed, shoulders slumped, and looked over the stats.

"Well… It's better than Skyrim's system." I had to say. The system was much more complicated than Skyrim, more like Morrowind or Oblivion.

It was going to take me a while to figure out what to level up wasn't it?