Help at the Riverwood Trader

The people of Riverwood received us with open arms. Even though they had little, they shared what they had with us. Those who were strong enough set up camp near the walls, while the old, young and sickly were taken in by those with enough room for guests. The next few days we gathered food and supplies in and around Riverwood, as well as helped out around town. Many of us wanted to reward the generosity of our hosts through help and volunteer work.

Within a week, small shelters had popped up in Riverwood, temporary housing for the refugees. It was a good place to live.

I’d gotten to know many of them. Alvor, the blacksmith and his wife, Gerdur and Hod of the lumber mill, Delphine the innkeeper. And of course Lucan and Camilla Valerius. The only Imperials living in Riverwood before our arrival, they owned a trader’s shop in the center of town. They were good people, and they’d been very generous by donating clothes and potions to the refugees. Lucan was very protective of his sister — who was as kindhearted as she was beautiful — which was understandable, as half of the young men of Riverwood were trying to woo her. Two of them, the bard Sven and an elf woodcutter called Faendal, were even fighting over her, each one trying to sabotage the other’s advances. Despite that I’d talked to her a few times, finding her to be a caring and intelligent woman, who’d probably read more than the rest of Riverwood combined.

She was very interested in our stories of the dragon, being skeptical at first, but after reading up on it had decided it was her task to learn as much about the creatures as possible.

“So listen,” she said as I helped Lucan lift a heavy barrel on top of another one. “Says here the ancient Nords had heroes who could absorb a dragon’s power. Imagine that.”

“I wish I could absorb the strength to do this alone,” Lucan muttered. “Wouldn’t have to ask someone to help out, Camilla sure isn’t.”

“I have,” she responded. “But you always get annoyed because I get good ideas.”

“Having ideas is fine,” he said. “Until you start thinking you’re in charge.”

“Absorb a dragon’s power?” I asked, changing the subject back. “How does that work?”

Camilla shrugged, not even looking up from the book. “Doesn’t say, but the thing is, myth — especially Nord myth — is often embellished or symbolic, so it’s very hard to discern its meaning.”

“Camilla,” Lucan interrupted, “did you move the claw?”

“What?”

“The claw,” he repeated. “Did you move it?”

“Don’t think so, just been reading.”

“How about when I was at Alvor’s, was anyone here?”

“Just some rough looking types. Didn’t buy anything, but they were talking about the barrow and then left.”

“Divines help me,” Lucan sighed. “Was it still there when they left?”

“What?”

“The claw,” he fumed. “Could they have taken it?”

Camilla looked up from her book. “Damn.”

—

"Well one of us has to do something!"

"I said no!” Lucan responded to his sister’s outcry. “No adventures, no theatrics, no thief-chasing!"

"Well what are you going to do then, huh? Let's hear it!"

Lucan threw his hands in the air. "We are done talking about this.”

Maybe it was me trying to repay them, maybe it was me trying to be a hero, or maybe I was just trying to impress Camilla, but I offered to help.

“What if I get the claw back?” I said. “I’m sure I can get some of the others to help.”

"You could?” Lucan hesitated. “Why would you put yourself in danger for that?”

“You’ve helped us out,” I said. “It’s the least we can do.”

"So this is your plan, Lucan?" Camilla said. “Let someone else put themselves in harm’s way?” "Yes,” Lucan answered. “Besides, the man offered it himself. Now you don't have to go, do you?" "Oh really?” She said, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the door. “Well I think your new helper here needs a guide." "Wh- no... I....” Lucan called out before she slammed the door behind her. “Oh, by the Eight, fine. But only to the edge of town!"

Camilla sighed outside, then started walking. “You coming? I’ll show you the way up to the barrow.”

We walked down the main road through town. It was busy as always, the clanging of Alvor’s hammers singing through town, and wooden planks and beams being carried to the outskirts of town, where there was still space to build. Many had already decided to stay, finding work at the mill, as lumberjacks or even as hunters. Others were preparing to leave for Whiterun, or other parts of Skyrim.

"Those thieves must be mad, hiding out there,” Camilla said. “Those old crypts are filled with nothing but traps, trolls, and who knows what else! I wonder why they only stole Lucan's golden claw. I mean, we have plenty of things in the shop that are worth just as much coin. Lucan found the claw about a year after he opened the store. He never quite explained where he got it. He's a tricky one."

Somewhere in the middle of town she stopped, and gestured towards the mountains.

"You have to go through town and across the bridge to get to Bleak Falls Barrow. You can see it from here, though. The mountain just over the buildings."

I’d seen it before, a ridge of arches, like the ribcage of some large animal that died on the mountain. It looked ominous, which made it unsurprising how much superstition many in Riverwood had about the place.

We kept walking. She’d let go of my hand when leaving the shop, but it had surprised me she even did that. Talkative as she was, she was careful around men, seeming very aware of her desirability. I got it, her dark locks and equally dark eyes were rare, especially in a little town filled with fair-haired Nords.

"This is the bridge out of town,” she said, after we’d passed through the walls and stood among a group of newly built shelters. “The path up the mountain to the northwest leads to Bleak Falls Barrow.”

She suddenly turned around and grabbed my arm. “Be careful, okay? It really isn’t a place you should go alone to be a hero. It’s just a trinket, don’t risk your life for it.” She stared at me intently, biting her lip a little, deep in thought. “I guess I should get back to my brother. He'll throw a fit if I take too long. Such a child...."

As she walked off, I stared at the barrow. How the hell did I think I I’d find anyone to go dungeon delving?

“What are you playing at?” A voice called out. “You’re just a newcomer, you think you can just take her from me?”

I turned to see Sven, the bard, standing in the shade of a tree, like he was some dashing rogue from a book.

"Camilla Valerius knows I'm the best man in Riverwood,” he said. “You’re kidding yourself if you think she would choose you over me. I've seen you sneaking over to the Riverwood Trader to speak with her when I'm not around. You’re wasting your time."