This was a story requested by my fellow Skyrim authoress, Liz_Danly. If you haven't checked out her story, Arch-Mage yet, do so as soon as you finish reading this story. It's well worth the read. Go leave a vote, and maybe even a comment. Her work doesn't have as many readers as it deserves, so please go check it out. Anyway, hope you enjoy this story!

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10th of Frost Fall, 4E 209

I had known this day would come. At their age, I knew they would be too curious for their own good. They had heard the stories, the whispers in the streets, the tall tales of Ylva Sky-Shatterer, the Last Dragonborn's feats of greatness. Having lived through their fifth winter, my children had begun to ask questions about these tales.

It came as no surprise to me when they asked for such a tale as I tucked them into bed one night.

"Mama, will you tell us a Dragonborn story?" asked Embla, sitting up on her bed as I tried to tuck her in.

"A Dragonborn story?" I asked, sitting down on her bed.

"Yes, Mama, please," said Jergen. He tossed his covers off and crawled into bed beside Embla, both looking at me with such eagerness. "Tell us a Dragonborn story."

I sighed, ruffling his hair. "Oh, little pups. You're too young for such stories."

"Please, Mama!" Embla gave me this pitiful look, one that was designed to pluck at my heartstrings and weaken my resolve. "Just a little story."

The look worked; I shook my head and sighed in defeat. "Oh, all right. One story. But then you're going to bed, understand?"

"Yes, Mama," they said in unison.

Now, to think of a story that wouldn't scare them before they went to sleep. I didn't want them rushing into my room in the middle of the night, telling Vilkas and me they were having nightmares. Vilkas would, no doubt, give me a dirty look and mumble something like, "They're your children before sunrise," before turning over and going back to sleep.

Perhaps there was a story I could tell them. One that wasn't particularly scary.

"All right, I have a story for you." I situated myself better on the bed before looking down at my children. "I once met a good dragon. His name was Odahviing. He helped me defeat the bad dragon Alduin all those years ago."

As I told the story, my mind wandered back to that troubled time. Back when my every thought was surrounded with dread. Back when I couldn't help but fear for the world. When I could do nothing but fight and prepare for the battle that would end in the world's salvation or its destruction....

17th of First Seed, 4E 202

I couldn't believe I was doing this. I was about to willingly call a dragon down from the sky and make him land in the middle of a populated city. I was putting myself, the guards, and even the Jarl in danger by doing this. I was asking for quite a lot, and I could promise nothing in return. I had no idea if this dragon, Odahviing, would even come. I didn't trust Esbern any farther than I could throw him, so how was I supposed to know if the information he gave me was accurate?

But you don't exactly have options, said that nagging voice in the back of my mind. You have to take the chance.

Oh, I do so hate it when that voice is right.

I turned to where the Jarl was standing just behind me, face set with grim determination. "I suppose it's time, my lord."

The Jarl nodded. If he felt fear, he didn't show it. "Then call your dragon. The trap is ready."

I gave a nod in return, then watched as Irileth and two other guards led the Jarl back to safety.

"Gods be with us," said one of the guards standing close to me. The fear in his voice sent a shiver up my spine.

"You can leave," I said to him as I walked to the railing. "You don't have to do this."

"But I do. I don't want to be a coward. I want my son to know that his father faced a dragon and was not afraid."

I nodded at him, smiling in spite of the circumstances. "You have far more courage than I."

Without another word, I turned my face to the sky. It was time to summon this dragon, even if I didn't think I was ready. I closed my eyes, letting the words pass through my mind as I prepared my Voice.

Opening my eyes, I opened my mouth and took a deep breath. "O-DAH-VIING!"

At first, nothing happened. Aside from the burst of light and sound leaving my body in a violent rush, nothing had changed. The guards and I stood in tense silence, waiting, listening with all our might, for a sign that at least something had happened.

Then, like the sound of distant thunder, a roar pealed through the air, causing me to shake within my leather boots. There it was. The Shout had worked.

Funnily enough, I was almost hoping that it wouldn't.

"By the gods, here it comes," said the guard I had been talking to before. He unsheathed his sword and advanced towards me. His face was turned to the eastern horizon, where we had heard the roar come from. I turned, too, and watched as a tiny black silhouette approached.

"Ready weapons!" I called, taking my own sword from its scabbard. The ringing of metal sliding along metal was interrupted only by another, much louder, roar.

As the shadow of the beast grew closer, I realized that the guard standing closest to me was right in the path to be snatched up by the dragon.

He's going to be killed!

Without a second thought, I threw myself forward, just as Odahviing passed overhead. I tackled the guard to the ground, getting him out of harm's way, but putting myself into it.

A moment before the pain started, I realized that the old Ylva never would've done such a thing.

But then, like fire, pain tore through my back, setting every nerve aflame. Sticky blood ran down my armor and smeared to the cobbles below me. I held back my scream of agony and forced myself to stand.

"Dragonborn!" called a second guard as he rushed to my side. "Are you all right?"

I nodded, face twisting into a grimace. The blood oozing down my back made my shiver, but I had no choice but to ignore it. "Take cover! All of you! He's coming back!"

Thankfully, all the guards listened to me just as the dragon set down on the porch, where I and the first guard had been only moments ago. Had we tarried even a second longer, we would've been crushed under this beast's weight.

The orange monster faced me, his teeth snapping only inches from me. His massive, shimmering wings folded to his body as he started to walk towards me.

I waved my sword in front of me, backpedaling as fast as possible. "Come and get me, dragon! I called you! Face me!"

The dragon didn't take too kindly to my mocking; I narrowly missed his jaws again as he shuffled forward on his legs and wings. If my adrenaline hadn't been pumping so hard, I might have noticed just how strange it was to watch a dragon walk like a normal animal.

I continued to run backwards, and the dragon continued to march forwards. Once, he opened his mouth to spit fire at me, but I deterred him with a jab to his snout. He retaliated by snapping his jaws around my sword. The blade cleaved in two, becoming useless in an instant.

Stunned, I dropped the remaining piece of my sword and fell backwards. Landing hard on my backside, I scurried away from Odahviing's massive jaws, crawling on my hands. Pain still shot through my system, but I hardly felt it. I was too afraid to stop and feel pain.

Odahviing growled something in Dovahzhul, reared his head back, and opened his mouth. "Yol—"

"NOW!" I bellowed, rolling away from Odahviing and standing in one smooth motion. The trap slammed shut around Odahviing's neck, startling him and pinning him in one place.

The great beast thrashed his scaly tail, massive eyes rolling in their sockets as he tried to free himself. "Nid! Horvutah med kodaav." His head dropped in defeat. " Zok frini grind ko grah drun viiki, Dovahkiin."

I raised one brow. I didn't understand much of that, since my own Dovahzhul was limited to just a few words and Shouts. "Would it pain you, dragon, to speak in my tongue?"

His gaze lowered, a look that could only be described as shame passing across his face. "Ah, I forget, you do not have the dovah speech."

One of the Jarl's court healers approached me carefully. I couldn't see much of her face, because of the hood she wore, but I knew she was just a young thing, and couldn't help but be frightened of the beast just in front of me. "Dragonborn..." she began quietly, "your body has been injured. Would you like me to tend to your wounds?"

I gave a terse nod, becoming more aware of the blood still dripping down my back. "As long as I can continue to interrogate this dragon."

As the healer tended to the wounds on my back, I turned my attention back to Odahviing. "Where can I find Alduin?"

"Only a fool would seek out the World Eater, Dovahkiin. He goes where no mortal can, past this realm. Following after him would be folly."

I bit back a grimace as the woman healing me pressed a cool bandage to one of the stripes down my spine. "Perhaps, but I have no choice. I will not allow him to destroy this world."

"Do you believe you can prevent what the gods have foreordained?"

"The gods foreordained that I would be the one to defeat the World Eater and save Tamriel. I am not stopping anything; I am playing the part that was given to me at birth."

Odahviing hummed softly. "I see that I am not dealing with a mere mortal. You possess quite a spirit about you, Dovahkiin. Perhaps your Thu'um will be strong enough. Perhaps you can defeat Alduin."

"Can you take me to him?"

"Yes, but not while I lay stuck in this trap. You have no choice but to free me from this prison."

"You can't just tell me how to get to Alduin?"

"No, I cannot. You must have the wings of a dragon to reach Alduin's lair."

The healer had finished her job, although it wasn't a very good job. True, the wounds had been sealed, but I still felt the pain every time I took a deep breath. I thanked her, though, and let her retreat to the safety of the palace. She was all too eager to get out of Odahviing's sight.

I turned my attention back to the dragon, who gave me an irritated look. "So you're telling me that, in order to reach Alduin's hiding place, I'll need to free you."

Odahviing nodded as well as he could. "Yes, Dovahkiin. You must free me."

"How can I trust you?"

"You have no choice. You must trust me."

"Well, I have three scars cut into my back to remind me why I shouldn't."

"Then you will suffer the world to perish."

I growled under my breath. He was right, the world would surely die if I didn't trust him. But if I let him go, what was stopping him from snapping me in his jaws and bringing my body back to Alduin? I was stuck. Neither choice was clear, and both could end disastrously.

Oh, gods, what am I to do?

10th of Frost Fall, 4E 207

"Well, what did you do, Mama?" asked Jergen, his eyes wide with excitement. "Did you set him free?"

I smiled. "Yes, I did. He kept his word, and he took me straight to Alduin's lair."

Embla propped her little elbows on her knees and stared dreamily at me. "Wow, Mama. You really did that?"

"I did." I picked Jergen up under his arms and carried him back to bed. "Now, time to sleep. It's late."

Jergen wiggled under his covers, snuggling into his pillow. "Mama?"

I pulled the blankets up to his chin, smoothing his curls from his face. "What, little one?"

"Do you still have scars on your back?"

Even as I straightened, I could feel my skin stretching over my spine. The scars had never impaired my ability to fight, but I always felt them.

I forced myself to stop thinking about them and turned my attention back to my son. "Just go to sleep, pup." I kissed his forehead. "Goodnight."

"'Night, Mama."

I turned, kissed Embla's forehead, then left their room. I shut the doors as gently as I could, not wanting to disturb them.

Tomorrow, the children were sure to have more questions. They were going to ask about Alduin's defeat. No doubt, they were more than curious about that feat. If they asked, would I be ready to tell them of the World Eater and all his horrors? Would I be willing to expose them to that truth? Would they be strong enough to receive such a truth? To see the world as a dangerous place, and not the safe haven they have always known?

I had known this day would come, but I hadn't known it would come so soon.

Much like the day I had to make the choice to trust a dragon I hardly knew, I found myself stuck with a choice where neither option was clear. Much like that day, I found myself wondering:

Gods, what am I to do?

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Although I still have a few more requests to write, I am still taking story requests! You don't have to be shy and not ask! I love hearing my readers' ideas, and would love to write your story requests!

I'm hopeful that I'll be able to update again soon! Until then, my friends, love and sweetrolls!
~ WG 💙