The Price of Power || insedovah

aaznu-aldak:

At first she heard only whispers; rumors shared in dark corners between hunched shoulders.  The murmurs of blasphemy were troubling, but not entirely unexpected.  In a time when the animosity between the common masses and the Cult was nearly palpable, it made sense that rumors like this would spread.  People needed stories to lift their spirits; and what better to do that than the belief that some mortal somewhere, had learned to use the power of the thu’um.  

Initially Ea had scoffed at the absurdity of it all.  Save for the Priest, no mortal was allowed to even speak in the language of the dragons, let alone learn to use a Shout.  That anyone would even believe such claims was complete foolishness.  

But with each passing day the rumor spread more and more until it seemed that it was all every man, woman, and child could speak about.  It was only then that the young woman began to grow concerned. 

Before the uprising, Ea had served in the temple, always a devout servant to the priest and the dragons.  Her unabashed loyalty had earned her many rewards, and eventually she found herself in direct service to Sahloknir, one of the lieutenants within the ranks of Alduin’s army.  As the rebellion grew Sahloknir tasked her with spying on her fellow man, ordering that she bring any useful information to him.  For over a year she had served as a spy for the dov, and this was by far the most disturbing information she had yet to hear.

Finally, despite having no more information than the rumors itself, she went to Sahloknir and informed him of all she had heard.  As she anticipated the dov was beyond troubled.  What she hadn’t anticipated, however, was that he would want to take her directly to Alduin himself.  

Now Ea found herself prostrated on the ground before the World Eater.  Her heartbeat was like the pounding of a drum, though if it were from awe or fear she could not tell.  This was an honor she never dreamed she would be granted, but the news was far from pleasing.    

How sincerely she hoped this would not be a time when the overlord believed in killing the messenger.

        ⟫»–> Sahloknir had always been one of his most trusted confidants, and when the lieutenant had expressed the idea of joore spies infiltrating the rebellion, Alduin had thought it a waste of time. How could meager humans rally against him with necessary strength when they were so easily broken between fangs and claw? Thu'um’s were hardly necessarily when their armor bent and gave way beneath the brute force of any of the dov. Though it appeared that Alduin was wrong.

        He was never wrong.

        Time had passed since Paarthurnax had… “taken leave” due to injuries, though the rest of the dragons had thought him merely too weak or afraid to continue the fight. Sahloknir had replaced him without much thought, though the pieces were falling into place before the World Eater’s eyes. Paarthurnax had betrayed them… taken a small clutch of easily disturbed dragons and labeled themselves traitors of war. There were always brothers against brothers in the time of war, it seemed.

        Carmine eyes bore down on the small rekjoor stationed below, behemoth cradling the ruins of Skudalfn within his claws as the information rolled within his skull. She had been the one to find out. This human came to them with the dangers they may face. Furnace breathe released, a drawn, intense exhale, columns of ash rising above towards the overcast sky.

        Dragon Priest and dragons alike stood ‘round, each silent as the long dead as the black dragon mulled over the recon. Thu'um’s to help bring down the dov, most importantly himself of all others. Whether this wild rumor truly was speculation and farce or truth, the Dovahzaag must make their decision of striking quickly.

        “You are sure of what you heard, prunah? If you are wrong, or you are lying to us, you must know the consequences.”