Dragonborn Rising Ch. 22

I laid low in Riften for a week, barely venturing out of my house except to see Haelga. I wasn't worried about being tracked down. It was simply a cause of caution and vigilance. My presence in Markarth would have been noticed, no matter how careful I was, and as I'd left the same day as Maro, and that man was now dead, those investigating his death would make assumptions.

No doubt Astrid would have heard the news, but after no sign of her coming to see me, I finally left Riften for the Sanctuary. After leaving my horse hidden as usual, I approached the black door to find Gabriella waiting for me. Although she didn't look concerned, the fact it was her waiting instead of Astrid worried me.

"There's been an incident," she said, barring my way inside.

I felt my stomach drop, my immediate thought being 'Not again!' "Astrid is fine," Gabriella added quickly, "Or, at least, she's alive. But... Follow me."

We walked into the bedroom to find Astrid fast asleep. Her top was off, her stomach covered in bandages. Her eyes opened upon sensing my presence, and I sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing her hand. "So I leave for a week and this is what happens."

She laughed for a moment before her face creased in pain. "Is it bad?" I asked Gabriella.

"It was a nasty wound, but she'll live."

Looking at Astrid, I stated, "I would know who did it." Not a question, as it was easy to figure out who. "Where is he?"

Gabriella disappeared, returning a few minutes later, holding a few diaries. "This will tell you everything, Ragnar. His thoughts prior to what happened. And, most importantly, it will tell you where he has gone. And we're all available to assist you if necessary. Many of us were happy to see the return of the Night Mother, perhaps a sign that our fortunes would improve. But none of us wanted this. No matter what happens, no matter if the Night Mother has returned, Astrid is and always will be our leader... At least until the time she decides to leave..."

Astrid had remained silent until then. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"Can you give me a few moments, Gabriella?" She dipped her head, and after closing the door, I looked back at Astrid. "He will die. But what set him off?"

She couldn't help smile. "I'll admit I probably provoked him a little. But the little bastard was faster than I imagined. He has talent with a dagger."

"I'll study these and leave first thing tomorrow."

"No, stay with me for a day. There's no rush."

"Are you sure?"

"Please, Ragnar."

I relented easily. I guess there was no rush, though my blood was up. Cicero would die. Despite the brave face, she was still in a lot of pain, so although she was healing, I brought her meals in bed, and otherwise stayed with her, mostly just to keep her company and her spirits up. She managed to turn onto her side so she could at least cuddle with me, and although she wanted to be intimate, even she admitted that she had to ignore her desires, at least for a little while.

It was nice spending an entire day in bed next to her. She wanted to know everything about taking down Maro, as although news had filtered back that he was dead, she wanted to know the details. I had no need to exaggerate. Astrid had never seen me work, but she didn't need to see it to know I was good. She was surprised Maro travelled alone, figuring I would have had to go through bodyguards to get to him.

"He died well," I said, "He faced me down like a warrior. And he died like one."

"Didn't think you cared about things like that."

"I don't usually. Things like honour mean little to me nowadays. But I can still look a man in the eyes and give him a good death."

"When you leave tomorrow, Ragnar, I want you to promise me something." She squeezed me, looking up into my eyes. "Come back to me. I'm not saying Gabriella's words are empty, but you are the only one I truly trust here now."

"I think we've talked about enough things that I'd fight Mehrunes Dagon himself to ensure I returned, Astrid."

"So you love me that much?"

"Well, helps that you're a beautiful and rather flexible Nordic goddess. Add the dangerous aspect of your personality and, well, I think it's easy to see why."

"I'll be honest. I just love your big cock." I could only burst into laughter as she went into great vivid detail about it and what it did to her. "Do you know what it is most, though? Despite what you do. Despite what you've done. You still have this... honesty, though perhaps that's just due to me."

"I lie all the time, except to you and Haelga. Well, I'll clarify Haelga knows about the Thieves Guild, but doesn't know about this. She probably has an idea that I'm up to no good, so simply doesn't want to know. Don't ask, don't tell. All she wants is a promise each time I leave that I will return. I haven't broken that promise yet."

I left early the next morning, Astrid managing to walk with me outside as I packed supplies onto the rear of my horse. I intended to make it north as quickly as possible. Astrid warned me that the Empire would have increased their patrols due to what happened, so suggested I avoid the main roads if I could. That would delay me, but there would be no doubt the army would be merciless. If they even minutely suspected someone, they'd find themselves in chains and escorted to the nearest cell.

The delays meant an extra night on the road, but I figured if Cicero was where I assumed, he would by lying in wait for someone to come find him. I wondered if he figured it would be me though. No doubt he would assume I would be an ally due to me being the Listener. What he wouldn't particularly know is that I didn't care about being that. My allegiance would always be to Astrid. It probably didn't help that I was intimately involved with her, but I'd rather take orders from her than a rotting corpse.

The door into the Northern Sanctuary was surprisingly out in the open. Not hidden at all. I hadn't asked around Dawnstar about it. I simply followed the coast until I found it. Dismounting my horse and leaving it, I approached the door. Just like Falkreath, the door asked a question before allowing me entrance.

"What is life's greatest illusion?"

"Innocence, my brother."

The place had been abandoned for centuries, at least according to Cicero's journals. Though abandoned, it was not empty, as I found myself encountering... Well, ghosts, to be honest. Ghosts who were not happy to see me. I thought they'd recognise me as Listener and part of the Brotherhood, but they chose to attack me instead. As I was busy fighting them off, I could hear Cicero from further inside, taunting me. All that did was incense me, clearing my mind, knowing I'd kill him for what he'd done.

There was even a bloody big troll living in one of the caves that I had to fight my way past. I took a hit from it, leaving a nasty wound across my left arm, but I took its head in return, stabbing it a few more times, just to make sure the thing was dead before moving on. Cicero continued to taunt, though his voice was becoming louder and clearer. I knew I was closing in.

"Keep talking, Cicero. You merely dig your own grave."

The taunts continued, and rounding a last corner, I entered a large room, where I found Cicero lying on the ground. It was obvious he was feigning injury, I wasn't stupid, ensuring I stayed back far enough, as I figured he was hiding a weapon under his body.

"You caught me! I surrender!" he cried, laughing away as he always did.

"You tried to kill Astrid, Cicero. Your last mistake."

"Being intimate with the pretender displeased the Night Mother, Listener. How can you not understand that?"

"You're a fucking lunatic, Cicero. And all you've done since arriving is prove to be a gigantic pain in the arse. There is only one solution to the problem."

He made to move, no doubt withdraw a weapon and get up, but a good kick into his stomach caused him to curl up, another kick to the face rolled him over onto his back, the dagger he'd been holding clattering away. I wasn't going to stab him. I just put my foot on his throat and pressed down, watching his face as he suffocated. He tried to say something as my foot pressed down harder, but I didn't want to hear his pleas. He was getting what he deserved, his hands grabbing my lower leg, trying to prise it away. But he weakened with each passing second, eventually passing out. Getting down on my knees, I lifted his body and snapped his neck to ensure he was truly dead, before dragging it all the way out the Sanctuary, turning right and walking out onto the nearby headland. With no ceremony, I dumped his body into the water, hoping the tide would take it out. If it ended up on a nearby shore, I didn't care. No-one would know who he was.

Mounting my horse, all I did was point it southwards, leaving Dawnstar and the sanctuary behind, though kept it in mind, just in case the worst was to ever happen.

My return journey took just as long as the one north, so that by the time I returned, Astrid was back on her feet, and I found myself dragged into the bedroom for some lovemaking after letting her know Cicero was dead. If I didn't know her better, I would have thought the fact I'd killed the man who tried to kill her turned her on. Her language as she rode me, generally filthy anyway, took on a certain twist as she imagined what I did to him. When I went into detail of how I did, she had one hell of an orgasm.

We sometimes had what many would have thought a weird relationship.

Later that night, once the Sanctuary was silent, cuddled into my side as she always was, she whispered her concerns. "I think more than Cicero is conspiring against me."

"Who?"

"Festus has made his opinions known. And although Gabriella swears allegiance, I know she is torn. Plus, there is still the Arnbjorn factor. Considering how we parted, I'm sure he'll want his revenge, particularly against you, though I'm sure his heart only knows hate for me too now."

"What do you want me to do?"

She kissed my cheek. "Nothing, Ragnar. You're listening. That's all I wanted. But... If I asked you to..."

"Yes."

She laughed lightly. "You haven't even heard my question?"

"Don't have to. I know what you're going to ask. Will I kill a colleague? If they are a danger to you, I will."

I must say the right thing constantly, as her hand sild my body towards my cock, stroking that enough to get me hard, before she straddled me, rubbing her pussy against my shaft. "Anyone would think you loved me, Ragnar. What wouldn't you do for me? Who wouldn't you kill for me?"

"It's not a long list, Astrid. Children, my other lovers, and the few people I count as friends. Anyone else? I might ask a question if I feel it necessary."

She sat up and slowly sat down on my cock, enjoying the feel of that tight pussy I had grown to love and adore so much over the recent weeks and months. Once my length was inside, she didn't move, just leaning down so her face hovered just above mine. "I want you to kill the Emperor for me, Ragnar. Do you know how turned on the thought makes me? The man I loved killing the most powerful man in Tamriel."

I thrust up into her, watching the smile immediately form as she started to ride me, ever so slowly. "Who else?"

"I don't trust Festus. What about him?"

"He's dangerous. No doubt wonders about your leadership now. I'd do it tomorrow if you wanted."

"No. Not yet. But we might need to consider it."

I grabbed her and flipped her over so she was underneath me, driving my cock into her hard a few times. "Who else?"

"By Sithis, I can't think straight while you're doing this to me, Ragnar."

I leaned down towards her ear. "Who else, Astrid?" I breathed.

"All of them!" she cried quietly, kissing me hard, more passion in that one in all those I could remember, before leaning back, gazing into my eyes, "Just me and you, Ragnar. You're the only one I trust. You're the only one I need."

"Or we just leave. We kill the Emperor, then we don't return. They don't know where I live, so we just leave it all behind, and we can start what you want."

"I've already stopped taking them, Ragnar. I want your child."

It was a surprise, but a nice surprise. "Well, I guess I should hurry up and finish." I lifted her legs up and wide, Astrid grabbing them so I could really fuck her. "Killing the Emperor, Astrid. When was the last time that was done?"

She moaned loudly. "Centuries," she muttered, "Yet you could do it for me."

It was my turn to lean down and kiss her hard before leaning back an inch. "I will do it for you, Astrid."

Feeling her legs around my back, she urged me to fuck and finish inside her. She was going to get her wish anyway, but she asked me to really drive into her. So that's what I did, amazed she could take it so hard, particularly after her recent injury, but it certainly helped me finish rather quickly. Once I had, she hugged me to her body, whispering rather nice things in my ear. "We'll talk about the next step in the morning, Ragnar."

"Which next step?"

She laughed, as it could have meant one of a few things. "The Emperor killing business. If I find out I'm with child, you'll know when I want to talk about that."

"The day I leave to kill him, go to Riften. Leave here immediately. I do the job, then I return there and we get on with our lives together."

"Not yet, Ragnar. Not yet. There is still work to be done, and I want to leave the right way."

"Are you sure?" She nodded adamantly. "Okay, I trust you as much as you trust me, so if you're sure, then we'll do it your way."

We went to sleep a little later. Or, at least, Astrid fell asleep, once against snuggled into my side, her hand resting where we thought our hearts were in our chest. My fingers continued to trail up and down her side, probably tickling her, even as she slept, though all she did was snuggle into me even further. In moments like that, it was easy to forget what both of us did for a living. It was easy to forget that we found talk of what we did thrilling, and found a common bond in it while being intimate at the same time. It was easy to forget she was still married...

I also wondered how she would adapt to regular life again, as in no longer killing for a living. No doubt she'd find it slightly boring. Could she adapt to domestic life? I think she had ideas of happily raising our children and staying at home. I'm sure she thought she wanted it, but it was one thing to have an idea of what it was like, have hopes and dreams and expectations, but the reality could and probably would be far different to what she might want. Though maybe she would find happiness in the simplicity that our lives might become.

The next morning after breakfast, she gathered myself and the only other two people she might trust in the organisation, Babette and Nazir. Both had stated to me that they would never turn their backs on Astrid, and I'll admit, I did trust them probably more than Astrid did, though I knew her mind was in turmoil, so while she stated in private I was the only one she could trust, I noticed she would often approach Babette and Nazir about her thoughts too.

Stood around her table, she had a couple of books, looking at me with a smirk. I knew she was going to spring a surprise. "What I have here, Ragnar, is a signed copy of Uncommon Taste, owned by someone named Anton Virane. I called in a favour from your friends at the Thieves Guild."

"Why didn't you just ask me?"

"Because I don't always want to rely on you."

I chuckled. "Fair point. What's the point in the book?"

"Mister Virane will know who the author of Uncommon Taste is. No-one knows the identity of someone known as 'the Gourmet', but what is known is that he is probably the most famous chef in Tamriel, and is known to be the personal chef of the Emperor, particularly on visits to Skyrim."

"So he's a Nord?"

"No, no-one knows his race or name. It's one of the best kept secrets in Tamriel. So, the job is this. Find out who the Gourmet is from Virane. Once you obtain that information, kill Virane, as he's bound to alert the authorities if someone was to come asking. After that, we track down the Gourmet and kill him. As no-one else knows who he is, you assume his identity and get in close enough to kill the Emperor."

I looked around the table before finishing with Astrid. "Seems a bit convoluted, doesn't it?"

She smiled, not taking offense. "It might be, but this way, you will get away scot-free. Poison the meal, and make your escape during dinner. By the time the Emperor is dead, you should be free and away. We just need to put together the plan of where it will be. So when you kill him, grab whatever he has that will tell us the best place to make the attack."

"Where is Virane?"

"Markarth. He is the personal chef to the jarl."

"Shit. My track record in Markarth isn't great. You already know I've done some time in Cidhna Mine."

"That's why I'm not sending you for this leg, Ragnar. Nazir has offered to kill Virane, gain the information you require, then you can track down the Gourmet and complete the rest of the mission."

It was unusual not to be taking the lead role in a mission, but I could understand the reasoning. My history in Markarth wasn't great, and Astrid knew nearly everything about me. As Nazir would be gone for a few days, I suggested once Astird and I were alone that I would head back to Riften. Astrid liked that idea, and she offered to join me. "May as well get used to living there eventually," she added.

"You're completely serious, aren't you?"

"You're not?"

"Of course. But..."

Back in her bedroom, she just hugged me tightly. "I've had enough, Ragnar. More than enough. They can have their Night Mother and their old ways. I kept this place going for years, and if that's how they want to repay me, then fine."

"I'm not saying no, Astrid. Not at all. I've be thrilled for you to come with me. I just want you to be absolutely sure, because once you leave, I think there's no coming back."

"I've found the best reason to leave."

We left the same day as Nazir, Astrid deciding she would simply ride along with me on my horse, not needing to take many supplies, as she mentioned that she hoped she wouldn't need many clothes during our few days in Riften. I thought I'd take a chance, suggesting we could invite someone else to join us. She laughed, and said she wouldn't mind having Haelga join in for some fun. I dug the horse in its sides, urging it to move faster and faster, much to the amusement of Astrid. To heighten the fun, I held the reins with one hand while my other was put down the front of her pants, where I teased her nearly the entire way to Riften. By the time we dismounted at the stables, she was soaking wet, as were my fingers, and she practically dragged me to my house to finally finish her off. We didn't make the bedroom, as she lay back on the dinner table after taking off her trousers, spread her legs, and held my head in place as I brought her to an almost immediately orgasm with my mouth.

That was the start of our night, and by the time we finally slept that evening, sleep came easily as we were both utterly exhausted, and Astrid might have been a little sore too, admitting to being rather turned on so she wanted my cock in her tightest little hole, lying down on her knees, almost curling herself into a ball but raising her arse up, begging me to fuck her hard. I obliged, of course, and she surprised me further by wanting me to cum on her face at the end. I hadn't done that before, and she laughed away as I coated her face. "I never did this for him," she confessed, laying back afterwards, having barely cleaned her face.

"What? Anal or finishing on your face?"