I wake up the next morning, the sunlight is already streaming bright light through the window in my room, and I can hear how lively the market is outside.
It must be well past dawn already.
I sit up on the edge of the bed and rub the sleep from my eyes. "I seriously need to synchronize my sleep to match the rest of Skyrim..." I tell myself.
I notice the spell book from the night before, 'Lesser ward', I still haven't read it yet.
It's already late in the morning so I decide to pack my things together.
I will have to study the last spell in Rorikstead, I need to hurry, maybe I can say goodbye to Delphine before she leaves for Riverwood.
I double check that I've remembered everything and throw my backpack over my shoulders, before walking to the door.
As I'm about to open it to leave, I notice a letter on the floor, it must have been slipped underneath the door.
I open it and read.
"Woke up early, went home to Riverwood. Good luck, Ragnar! I'll be awaiting your report. I'll send the necromancer's robes as soon as I've found and fixed them!"
So much for a goodbye, but at least she's thinking ahead.
I decide to spend a moment practicing instead, using all my magicka on my healing spell.
I rest my hands on my thighs, focusing, and begin casting. The warm light of restoration glows faintly as I count the seconds.
One… two… six.
That's it.
My magicka's completely drained.
I can sustain healing for about six seconds when healing with both hands.
Maybe I'll use this method to track how much my restoration skills improves over time.
With nothing less to do in Whiterun besides meeting my detachment, I leave the inn and head up to Dragonsreach, for all I know I'm already late...
A little while later I reach the top of the city, and enter through the big doors.
Once inside Dragonsreach, a guard standing by steps forward and speaks.
"You're Ragnar, right? The one assigned to the garrison for Rorikstead?"
"Yes, that's me." I answer.
The guards steps aside and gestures for me to proceed.
"Good, Commander Caius has been expecting you, you'll find him in the hall."
"Thank you." I say and proceed to go up the stairs.
I see two guards not wearing the usual guardsmen helmet, standing by next to a small table.
I assume that's my party, so I approach them.
The older of the two is a bald man in his late forties, wearing chainmail and has a scar on his left cheek, he's the first one to speak.
"You Ragnar?"
I nod. "I am."
He sighs slightly.
"Sleep well princess? I am Commander Caius.
The Jarl's good luck speech is over, and all the other parties have already left for their posts."
Crap...
How early do these people get up?!
"Sorry, I came as soon as I could!..."
I answer.
"You are kidding, right Commander?" the other guard asks Caius, studying me up and down. "This is my partner to Rorikstead?"
Surprised, I also share my concerns.
"Wait there's only 2 of us?!..." I ask with an uneasy voice.
Caius sighs.
"Esbern here is the greatest swordsman in the entire guard, and next in line for my seat, you'll both be fine."
Esbern was the other guard's name.
He was about my age, 30 or at least close to it, but that's where our similarities ended.
He was broad shouldered, tall, muscular,
short reddish-brown hair, green eyes, and a strong jawline.
But unlike usual Nords, his face was clean shaven, no beard or moustache.
Everything about him was manly!
Deep voice, wearing heavy iron armor, and a steel greatsword strapped across his back.
"Commander, every man in all the other detachments had another trained soldier to cover their backs, but this man..."
Esbern say while pointing at me, eyeing my gear.
"A dagger, an old bow... This man looks like nothing more than a hunter, at best! I-"
Commander Caius raise his voice sternly.
"We're stretched too thin, Esbern!"
Softening his voice a bit, he continues.
"Between Riverwood, Pelagia farm, and the northern roads, Whiterun's garrison is down to the bone.
The Jarl wants presence in every corner, and you two are it for Rorikstead."
Caius looks at us both.
"As the Jarl has already disclosed, it's reasonable to assume the necromancer may be no more than an apprentice- if a necromancer is even there at all."
Commander Caius turns his attention towards Esbern.
"Make it work, Esbern. And get him a damn shield. You're dismissed."
With that Caius walks away, leaving me with Esbern.
Esbern lets out a sigh.
"Wait here, hunter!..." He says, not hiding the annoyance in his voice, before storming off somewhere.
I'm all alone in the hall of the Jarl, even Balgruuf and his servants is nowhere to be seen.
I sigh.
Of course I understand this Esbern guy, getting me as a partner isn't necessarily a treat, but he's no sunshine either.
I wait for a few minutes, before growing bored.
Maybe I could practice my telekinesis...
I haven't tried it out yet.
"Will your magicka to become invisible threads..." I mutter to myself.
I raise my hand, and direct my palm towards one of the two longtables in the middle of the hall. I aim at a plate on the table, and focus on it. I try to cast the spell, after a few seconds I can feel the plate, as if I'm actually holding it!
I lift the plate up, but it does feel a bit heavy to lift!
But with a little practice, lifting objects like this should be easier!
On the positive side, it doesn't feel like this spell requires much magicka at all.
Slowly sending it back and forth, I play with the plate.
Suddenly, someone right behind me clears his throat. That broke my focus on the plate, and I dropped it- it hit the floor with a loud crash and shattered.
"Well, I hope this means that you also learned to cast the 'Lesser Ward' spell I borrowed you yesterday..." Farengar says, his throat now very clear.
Embarrassed, I can't help but laugh.
"I did start reading it, but then... I fell asleep."
"I see, let's hope it doesn't cost you dearly... Now, did you miss your detachment?" Farengar ask.
I shake my head.
"No, I got teamed up with someone called Esbern, a real delight that one..." I say sarcastically.
"Ah, Esbern, you lucked out there, no one in Whiterun can defeat him in a one on one sword duel, maybe except for the companions." Farengar answers.
"Really? That actually makes me feel better..." I say, wondering if I should shake off the bad first impression I have of him.
"By the way, I've got these for you".
Farengar hands me 2 small flasks of blue potion.
"I made some potions today, and I made these two magicka potions from my leftovers ingredients, so they're not that potent, but should help you in a pinch."
"Wow, thanks Farengar!"
I take the potions and put them into my backpack, and I take out the telekinesis tome and hand it to him.
"I'm done with this one, I'll have to give you the Lesser Ward tome later."
Farengar nods.
"Just see to it that you make it back, can't have my apprentice be beaten by another, eh?" He say with a smirk.
We suddenly hear heavy footsteps, Esbern is approaching us, carrying a hide shield.
"Here." Esbern says, pushing the shield into my arms while passes me by.
"Let's go, we're late."
Farengar chuckles, and gives my shoulder a pat.
"Good luck Ragnar, come back with my tome when you're done in Rorikstead, maybe then we'll see if you're good enough for another spell."
I sigh.
"Thanks Farengar."
I leave Dragonsreach to follow Esbern, as he speedily pace through the entire city, not even turning around to check if I followed him.
First after we reach the city gates does he stop.
He turn to see that I'm right behind him, already breathing a bit heavier than I should.
"Good, at least you're keeping up.
The road to Rorikstead will take about 2 hours, and having wasted so much of the day already, I have no intention of delaying that, got it?" Esbern says with a stern voice.
"So, no short breaks at all?" I ask, but not complaining. I don't think this guy can take much more of me before he loses it.
Esbern nods.
"That's right, we can rest up when we're there." He says as he turns around, his attention completely focused on his mission.
Great, this is going to be a fun trip.
At least I have a few spells this time, should things go sideways...
I follow Esbern, the wilds await us on our way to Rorikstead.