Untitled (Skyrim Fanfic)
Dec. 5th, 2018 04:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
juliannosTitle: untitled (we're workshopping it...)
Fandom: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Rating: PG-13/T
Summary: After receiving a letter from the Dragonborn asking for her assistance, Evelyn finds herself embroiled in the Companions' affairs, researching the source of the Circle's lycanthropy.
I have been working on this fanfic, on and off, for about 5 years now and I finally decided to post it somewhere. Its basically a re-imagining of the Companions quest line from the perspective of one of my non-dragonborn characters, Evelyn, a mage from the College of Winterhold. I've tried my damnest to make it completely canon compliant, but some of it might be changed for narrative reasons. I'll try and make a note of it when I do, but no promises. I have a large extended timeline for these characters, so I may end up posting extra information about them too! Anyway, on to the actual story!
To Evelyn
I have a strange request of you. I am currently in Whiterun and am in need of your help. Please come at your earliest convenience. I am currently living within the Companion’s Hall and you will find me there. I can say nothing else over letter.
I hope to see you soon.
Elsenja
Chapter 1
Evelyn felt herself jostled around in the rickety cart as it slowly made its way towards Whiterun. She gripped her book tighter, trying to read. It had been several months since she last saw the town, having spent most of her time in snowy Winterhold, what little there was of Winterhold. Though, from a distance, it seemed as if the city was very much the same as she last saw it.
Eventually the rocking came to a stop at the stables, where Evelyn hopped out of the cart and waved goodbye to the driver. She glanced up at the town’s walls, watching as the guards patrolled around it, before setting off for the main gate and entered. Adrianne Avenicci was pounding away at her anvil as a customer milled around the table looking at daggers. She allowed herself a moment to glance over the wares before turning to walk to the inn, but a voice stopped her in tracks.
“Oh! Evelyn, right?” She turned towards the sound of the voice to see Proventus Avenicci. Internally, she cringed. Avenicci, as far as she could tell, was deeply invested in her becoming the next Jarlessa of Whiterun, something she had no desire to do. No doubt it had something to do with her family, what with her being the daughter of a fairly well-known Breton Nobleman. Thankfully, most of the residents of Skyrim either didn’t know about her family or didn’t care. But Proventus was no Nord and was far more in tune with Tamriel’s politics than she liked.
“Hello Proventus,” she said, attempting to hide a grimace.
“It’s been some time since you’ve visited,” he said. “What brings you back to Whiterun?”
“Business,” she replied quickly. “The Dragonborn has asked me for a favor.” At least, Evelyn thought it was a favor. Elsenja’s letter had been vague at best, simply asking if Evelyn could come to Whiterun as soon as a possible. It sounded urgent and, as things had quieted down at the College, Evelyn decided to visit. Mirabelle was more than capable of running the College in her absence.
“Well, if you get a moment,” Proventus said. “We would love to have you visit Dragonsreach. The Jarl in particular would be —”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Proventus,” she said cutting him off. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” And with that she turned on her heel, not bothering to wait for his good-bye. She hoped her biting tone was enough to shake him off.
She marched her way up the hill with a brisk pace, past the shops and stalls. No doubt she would frequent them at some point, but for now her business lied at the top of the steps. As she neared the infamous Longhouse, she started to slow, her nerves making her cautious. It had been several months since they had spoken, having parted ways after Elsenja had discovered she was Dragonborn. She had to answer the call of the Greybeards and Evelyn had her own goals to pursue. To be honest, she had not really expected to hear from her again.
Yet here she was. Evelyn stared up at the doors of the longhouse, feeling her trepidation return. She had too many questions: Why contact her after all this time? Why contact her, a near stranger, at all? What did it have to do with the Companions?
Standing the shadow of the large tree, she continued to stare. Somehow, she had to make her feet move. Taking a deep breath, she moved forward trying not to think too hard about the situation. As she reached the doors, she firmly grasped the handle and pushed it open.
The first thing she felt was the warmth coming from the fire. After a long trip in an open air cart, she was grateful. The next was the sudden silence that had descended into the hall at her appearance. No doubt she looked odd, a stranger barging into one of the most well known Guilds of Skyrim. Glancing around she saw an array of faces, all staring at her with a puzzled or annoyed look.
After a moment, one of them spoke. “Who are you and what do you want here?” Evelyn turned to address the speaker, seeing a tall Nord with piercing eyes surveying her closely. She also noticed the wolf heads on the shoulder of his armor.
“My name is Evelyn,” she started. “And I am looking for Elsenja. She told me to find her here.”
The man regarded her for a moment, an eyebrow raised slightly. “Is that so?”
“I have the letter she sent me, if you don’t believe me,” she said, gesturing to her small satchel she had slung across her chest. “Trust me, I would not be here unless asked. I have little use for swords.”
He continued to give her an arch look, so she sighed and pulled the letter from her bag. The man stared at it a moment, apparently examining it, before handing it back. He then turned to the elderly lady standing near a set of stairs. “Go and let Elesnja know there’s a visitor here for her.”
Evelyn watched as the woman shuffled down the stairs. She was keenly aware of the growing silence in the hall as its residents stared at her, shifting on her feet. The man that first greeted her, if you could call it a greeting, had moved back to sit back at the large table that occupied the hall. Several others sat around it, drinks in their hand.
“You’ll have to excuse my brother.” A voice at her shoulder caused her jump slightly, turning to look at the man who spoke. He was tall and had an easy smile on his face. “Its not everyday we have outsiders visit.”
“I gathered,” she responded, earning a small chuckle. “I am sorry for intruding.”
“Its not intruding if you were invited, though, is it?”
Evelyn lightly smiled. “I suppose not.”
“There you are!” a new voice said, though this one was far more familiar to Evelyn. Turning, she saw Elsenja emerging from the stairwell, a bright smile on her face. “And here I thought the courier got lost!”
Evelyn just gave her a chagrined look. “It's a bit hard to get lost finding the Mage’s College.” Even though Elsenja smiled, she felt the rest of the room grow a little colder.
“That’s fair,” the woman replied, grinning. “Though, I’m afraid I didn’t invite you just for a visit, as nice as it is to see you.”
“Oh?” Finally she would figure out the reason for Elsenja’s cryptic letter. The taller woman leaned over to take Evelyn by the shoulders and started leading her further into the longhouse. As she walked past, she felt the eyes of the Companions following her, burning into her skin. She followed Elsenja down the stairs and felt relief when the large wooden door closed behind them.
“Sorry about that,” Elsenja apologized. “They’re not overly fond of outsiders.”
“I couldn’t guess,” she responded dryly.
“It’s nothing personal, though being a mage doesn’t help,” the woman responded, shrugging.
“I wonder what they would do if they found out the Archmage of the College was among them?” Evelyn wondered aloud.
Elsenja stopped at that and turned to look at her. “Archmage? Sounds impressive.”
“I suppose,” she replied, not particularly eager to get into the specifics. Her appointment to Archmage was a long tale and wrought with information she was eager to keep away from Skyrim proper. They were already cagey about the College and she didn’t want to add to their fears.
“Well, congratulations, I guess.”
“Thanks,” she said, smiling. “I have to say, I was surprised to receive your letter… I thought you’d be hard at work with the Greybeards.”
Elsenja scoffed at that. “I wasn’t about to slave away on a mountaintop with a bunch of old men who barely went outside. There are more important things than spending all my time cooped up.”
Evelyn was curious, but decided not to press her luck.
“So you decided to join the Companions?” she asked, instead. “Bit of a change, going from being Skyrim’s fabled hero to a fighter for hire.”
“Just because I’m a hero doesn’t mean I can’t get paid for it,” Elsenja said cheekily, continuing to walk towards the end of the long hallway. Evelyn sighed, though understanding her argument. Fighting one dragon hadn’t exactly endeared her to the creatures… she couldn’t imagine being tasked with fighting almost all of them.
They continued their walk in silence until they reached the door. It was a simple door, though Elsenja hesitated next to it. She seemed to be mulling something over in her mind.
“Evelyn,” she said, her voice more serious than before. “I just… You need…” She kept trailing off, unable to find the words to say and finally grunted in frustration. After taking a second to compose herself. “I’m sure you’ve figured out that I - well, we - need a favor. I just don’t want to make you think you have to help us.”
Evelyn gave her a confused look for a moment, opening her mouth to ask before she was cut off.
“There was no one else we could ask,” Elsenja said. “And frankly, it's not something we want people to know about.”
“Then why ask me?” Evelyn asked. They were not close, and could barely be called friends. Why reach out to a stranger?
“You’re a mage,” the woman responded. “And you’re not native to Skyrim… and a Breton at that. We couldn’t ask anyone from Whiterun, but we needed someone knowledgeable. And we need someone the town won’t believe if they go running for the hills. All outsiders are seen with suspicion, especially now.” Evelyn nodded slowing, still not quite understanding what she was getting at. “Just… I ask that you hear the Harbinger’s case before making a decision… and to please keep what you learn a secret.”
Evelyn gazed up at Elsenja face. She had a pleading look on it and cautious hope. Evelyn started to understand, whatever the Companions needed, they were taking a chance on a complete stranger to help them. Whatever it was, it was serious and probably magical, outside of their normal purview.
“I promise,” Evelyn said softly. “And I will try my best to help.”
Elsenja nodded, relief passing over her face. “Thank you,” she whispered. Evelyn just offered a comforting smile in return.
After a moment of silence she opened the door.
Fandom: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Rating: PG-13/T
Summary: After receiving a letter from the Dragonborn asking for her assistance, Evelyn finds herself embroiled in the Companions' affairs, researching the source of the Circle's lycanthropy.
I have been working on this fanfic, on and off, for about 5 years now and I finally decided to post it somewhere. Its basically a re-imagining of the Companions quest line from the perspective of one of my non-dragonborn characters, Evelyn, a mage from the College of Winterhold. I've tried my damnest to make it completely canon compliant, but some of it might be changed for narrative reasons. I'll try and make a note of it when I do, but no promises. I have a large extended timeline for these characters, so I may end up posting extra information about them too! Anyway, on to the actual story!
To Evelyn
I have a strange request of you. I am currently in Whiterun and am in need of your help. Please come at your earliest convenience. I am currently living within the Companion’s Hall and you will find me there. I can say nothing else over letter.
I hope to see you soon.
Elsenja
Chapter 1
Evelyn felt herself jostled around in the rickety cart as it slowly made its way towards Whiterun. She gripped her book tighter, trying to read. It had been several months since she last saw the town, having spent most of her time in snowy Winterhold, what little there was of Winterhold. Though, from a distance, it seemed as if the city was very much the same as she last saw it.
Eventually the rocking came to a stop at the stables, where Evelyn hopped out of the cart and waved goodbye to the driver. She glanced up at the town’s walls, watching as the guards patrolled around it, before setting off for the main gate and entered. Adrianne Avenicci was pounding away at her anvil as a customer milled around the table looking at daggers. She allowed herself a moment to glance over the wares before turning to walk to the inn, but a voice stopped her in tracks.
“Oh! Evelyn, right?” She turned towards the sound of the voice to see Proventus Avenicci. Internally, she cringed. Avenicci, as far as she could tell, was deeply invested in her becoming the next Jarlessa of Whiterun, something she had no desire to do. No doubt it had something to do with her family, what with her being the daughter of a fairly well-known Breton Nobleman. Thankfully, most of the residents of Skyrim either didn’t know about her family or didn’t care. But Proventus was no Nord and was far more in tune with Tamriel’s politics than she liked.
“Hello Proventus,” she said, attempting to hide a grimace.
“It’s been some time since you’ve visited,” he said. “What brings you back to Whiterun?”
“Business,” she replied quickly. “The Dragonborn has asked me for a favor.” At least, Evelyn thought it was a favor. Elsenja’s letter had been vague at best, simply asking if Evelyn could come to Whiterun as soon as a possible. It sounded urgent and, as things had quieted down at the College, Evelyn decided to visit. Mirabelle was more than capable of running the College in her absence.
“Well, if you get a moment,” Proventus said. “We would love to have you visit Dragonsreach. The Jarl in particular would be —”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Proventus,” she said cutting him off. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” And with that she turned on her heel, not bothering to wait for his good-bye. She hoped her biting tone was enough to shake him off.
She marched her way up the hill with a brisk pace, past the shops and stalls. No doubt she would frequent them at some point, but for now her business lied at the top of the steps. As she neared the infamous Longhouse, she started to slow, her nerves making her cautious. It had been several months since they had spoken, having parted ways after Elsenja had discovered she was Dragonborn. She had to answer the call of the Greybeards and Evelyn had her own goals to pursue. To be honest, she had not really expected to hear from her again.
Yet here she was. Evelyn stared up at the doors of the longhouse, feeling her trepidation return. She had too many questions: Why contact her after all this time? Why contact her, a near stranger, at all? What did it have to do with the Companions?
Standing the shadow of the large tree, she continued to stare. Somehow, she had to make her feet move. Taking a deep breath, she moved forward trying not to think too hard about the situation. As she reached the doors, she firmly grasped the handle and pushed it open.
The first thing she felt was the warmth coming from the fire. After a long trip in an open air cart, she was grateful. The next was the sudden silence that had descended into the hall at her appearance. No doubt she looked odd, a stranger barging into one of the most well known Guilds of Skyrim. Glancing around she saw an array of faces, all staring at her with a puzzled or annoyed look.
After a moment, one of them spoke. “Who are you and what do you want here?” Evelyn turned to address the speaker, seeing a tall Nord with piercing eyes surveying her closely. She also noticed the wolf heads on the shoulder of his armor.
“My name is Evelyn,” she started. “And I am looking for Elsenja. She told me to find her here.”
The man regarded her for a moment, an eyebrow raised slightly. “Is that so?”
“I have the letter she sent me, if you don’t believe me,” she said, gesturing to her small satchel she had slung across her chest. “Trust me, I would not be here unless asked. I have little use for swords.”
He continued to give her an arch look, so she sighed and pulled the letter from her bag. The man stared at it a moment, apparently examining it, before handing it back. He then turned to the elderly lady standing near a set of stairs. “Go and let Elesnja know there’s a visitor here for her.”
Evelyn watched as the woman shuffled down the stairs. She was keenly aware of the growing silence in the hall as its residents stared at her, shifting on her feet. The man that first greeted her, if you could call it a greeting, had moved back to sit back at the large table that occupied the hall. Several others sat around it, drinks in their hand.
“You’ll have to excuse my brother.” A voice at her shoulder caused her jump slightly, turning to look at the man who spoke. He was tall and had an easy smile on his face. “Its not everyday we have outsiders visit.”
“I gathered,” she responded, earning a small chuckle. “I am sorry for intruding.”
“Its not intruding if you were invited, though, is it?”
Evelyn lightly smiled. “I suppose not.”
“There you are!” a new voice said, though this one was far more familiar to Evelyn. Turning, she saw Elsenja emerging from the stairwell, a bright smile on her face. “And here I thought the courier got lost!”
Evelyn just gave her a chagrined look. “It's a bit hard to get lost finding the Mage’s College.” Even though Elsenja smiled, she felt the rest of the room grow a little colder.
“That’s fair,” the woman replied, grinning. “Though, I’m afraid I didn’t invite you just for a visit, as nice as it is to see you.”
“Oh?” Finally she would figure out the reason for Elsenja’s cryptic letter. The taller woman leaned over to take Evelyn by the shoulders and started leading her further into the longhouse. As she walked past, she felt the eyes of the Companions following her, burning into her skin. She followed Elsenja down the stairs and felt relief when the large wooden door closed behind them.
“Sorry about that,” Elsenja apologized. “They’re not overly fond of outsiders.”
“I couldn’t guess,” she responded dryly.
“It’s nothing personal, though being a mage doesn’t help,” the woman responded, shrugging.
“I wonder what they would do if they found out the Archmage of the College was among them?” Evelyn wondered aloud.
Elsenja stopped at that and turned to look at her. “Archmage? Sounds impressive.”
“I suppose,” she replied, not particularly eager to get into the specifics. Her appointment to Archmage was a long tale and wrought with information she was eager to keep away from Skyrim proper. They were already cagey about the College and she didn’t want to add to their fears.
“Well, congratulations, I guess.”
“Thanks,” she said, smiling. “I have to say, I was surprised to receive your letter… I thought you’d be hard at work with the Greybeards.”
Elsenja scoffed at that. “I wasn’t about to slave away on a mountaintop with a bunch of old men who barely went outside. There are more important things than spending all my time cooped up.”
Evelyn was curious, but decided not to press her luck.
“So you decided to join the Companions?” she asked, instead. “Bit of a change, going from being Skyrim’s fabled hero to a fighter for hire.”
“Just because I’m a hero doesn’t mean I can’t get paid for it,” Elsenja said cheekily, continuing to walk towards the end of the long hallway. Evelyn sighed, though understanding her argument. Fighting one dragon hadn’t exactly endeared her to the creatures… she couldn’t imagine being tasked with fighting almost all of them.
They continued their walk in silence until they reached the door. It was a simple door, though Elsenja hesitated next to it. She seemed to be mulling something over in her mind.
“Evelyn,” she said, her voice more serious than before. “I just… You need…” She kept trailing off, unable to find the words to say and finally grunted in frustration. After taking a second to compose herself. “I’m sure you’ve figured out that I - well, we - need a favor. I just don’t want to make you think you have to help us.”
Evelyn gave her a confused look for a moment, opening her mouth to ask before she was cut off.
“There was no one else we could ask,” Elsenja said. “And frankly, it's not something we want people to know about.”
“Then why ask me?” Evelyn asked. They were not close, and could barely be called friends. Why reach out to a stranger?
“You’re a mage,” the woman responded. “And you’re not native to Skyrim… and a Breton at that. We couldn’t ask anyone from Whiterun, but we needed someone knowledgeable. And we need someone the town won’t believe if they go running for the hills. All outsiders are seen with suspicion, especially now.” Evelyn nodded slowing, still not quite understanding what she was getting at. “Just… I ask that you hear the Harbinger’s case before making a decision… and to please keep what you learn a secret.”
Evelyn gazed up at Elsenja face. She had a pleading look on it and cautious hope. Evelyn started to understand, whatever the Companions needed, they were taking a chance on a complete stranger to help them. Whatever it was, it was serious and probably magical, outside of their normal purview.
“I promise,” Evelyn said softly. “And I will try my best to help.”
Elsenja nodded, relief passing over her face. “Thank you,” she whispered. Evelyn just offered a comforting smile in return.
After a moment of silence she opened the door.
