Another dream came to me, but not like the previous ones.
In my dream I see the conjuration circle again, it was lit up as purple light, with glowing runes imbedded into it. It was located at the edge of a cliff.
Several hooded mages are surrounding the circle, fueling it with their magicka.
At the center of the circle, a rift in the very air has ripped open. I try to get a better look at the rift by focusing my gaze into it. Inside—I saw a blue, brightly glowing eye was staring back at me.
I felt it.
In my very being—I knew that I was being watched, this wasn't just a dream. Terror seized me, startling me enough to wake up.
I open my eyes, but everything is dark, a sack or something was tied around my head. I could hear the sound of hooves, the wheels of a cart—rolling on cobblestone road.
Esbern's punches from last night, and… her lightning. They still hurt. A lot. Just moving around made me groan, my hands were shackled behind my back.
"You're finally awake..." a familiar voice says, Esbern's voice.
"Yeah..." I reply grimly.
The inside of my mouth tingled, the same tingling sensation I got when drinking magicka potions.
"Did someone make me drink something while I was unconscious?..." I ask.
"We had to make sure you'd be out all night... It's morning now, and we're already closing in on Whiterun." He answers.
"Esbern... I told you that—"
"Please don't!" Esbern interrupts, "I don't want to hear it..." His voice is soft, almost apologizing.
There's a moment of silence before he speaks again. "I'm afraid you would persuade me into letting you go... I already owe you my life, so I want someone—NEED someone else, to be your judge. Someone who won't be blinded in making their judgement."
I take a deep breath. I'm probably going to be tried at Dragonsreach, but what more would they know about the situation?
"Can I at least heal myself?"
Esbern let's out a sigh. "No. If you do, I'll have to consider you as a threat... Sorry."
"If you're going to put me before a tribunal, then at least let me ask for a favor from you, you owe me that much."
There's an uncomfortably long pause, before he finally answers. "If you stay silent for the rest of the way..."
That wouldn't be a problem, I just wanted to go back to sleep anyway, my body needed either rest or healing.
"Send word to Delphine. I want her as a witness, she'll explain the necromancer robes that was sent to me."
"Alright... That I can do for you." Esbern says.
Sleep came over me soon after that.
Some time later, he wakes me up again. "Alright, we have to walk through the city on foot. You'd better keep that potato sack on your head... Should you be judged innocent, there's no need for the entire city to know what you were accused of."
At least he gave me that courtesy. Blinded, I was led all the way to Dragonsreach. The villagers' chatter quickly grew silent when we were close to them, we must've been quite the sight.
Finally, the heavy doors of Dragonsreach slam shut behind us, and Esbern pulls the sack off my head.
I look at him, he's wearing my backpack and my iron sword, at least I would get those back if I make it through the trial.
"Let's go" he says, giving me a gentle push. "Don't speak until I'm finished speaking, I'll tell what happened in Rorikstead from a neutrally perspective."
We approach the throne, Jarl Balgruuf, his advisor Proventus and his personal guard, Irileth are present. A few guards are also stationed around the hall.
The eyes of everyone widen as they see us approach, with my hands in shackles.
It was faint, but for a brief moment, I caught the slightest tug at the corner of Proventus's lips, almost smirking.
If he ever runs into me after a few meads at an inn, he better watch out—I'm sick of being looked down upon.
"By the gods, Esbern! What has happened?! And why is your partner in chains?!" Jarl Baalgruf asks, before we had even reached him.
Esbern walks up to the front of stairs beneath the throne. "My Jarl, we've rid Rorikstead of the necromancer threat, there was indeed one of them already there."
He then cast a glance at me, "and there has been... developments. There is evidence that Ragnar, might indeed be associated with the necromancers... Also, him hailing from Rorikstead also appeared to be a lie."
The eyes of everyone present grew even wider, "what evidence?! Share everything you know!" Balgruuf demanded.
Esbern's was true to his word, he told the story from a somewhat neutral perspective, as far as he saw it at least.
What had happened in Rorikstead, the fight with the necromancer. The fact that it was proven that neither I nor my parents came from Rorikstead, and finally—the necromancer robes that had arrived specifically for me. Everything was told.
Balgruuf shifts his gaze toward me, suspicion fills his eyes, but not hate. "These accusations are quite dire, do you have anything to say in your defense, Ragnar?"
Bowing my head in respect, I answer. "I've already requested to have Delphine as a witness, my Jarl. The robes belonged to the first necromancer we took down, Haldric, which had carried the letter that informed us about the threat. We had planned to use them as cover to get close to any necromancer threat."
Esbern quickly turns to meet my gaze, his expression is regretful.
Proventus, Balgruuf's advisor clears his throat. "My Jarl, this could explain why he got the necromancer robes, but it doesn't uncover his reasons for lying about his origins."
Balgruuf grunts in agreement. "Proventus is right. Would you tell us the reason for keeping your name a secret, Ragnar?"
I sigh deeply, the lies has to stop sooner or later, so why not start now.
"Yes, Jarl Balgruuf. I was conjured... by the first necromancer we took down."
The room goes completely silent. It takes him another moment before asking another question. "Conjured?... What do you mean?"
I turn and look at Esbern, his eyes are wide open.
"I'm from another world... We brought back a spell book from the battle with the necromancer in Rorikstead, that proves it. I only read it briefly, but it explains how they are able to conjure people from other worlds."
I had been dreading having to explain myself, so another sigh escaped me. "The book is quite complicated, so my hope is that Farengar can understand the basics of it, and verify that there's truth to my story."
Balgruuf shifts his gaze toward Esbern. "Is this true? You have this book?"
Esbern nods, and presents my backpack to Balgruuf. "Yes, my Jarl, I have the book in here, although I haven't known what it is until now."
Proventus approaches him and retrieves the backpack, "I'll make sure to deliver it to Farengar, once he returns from his errands in the marketplace.
I bow my head. "My Jarl! I ask that you don't pass judgement on me until I can have both Farengar and Delphine of Riverwood as my witnesses."
Balgruuf nods his head. "You've yet again been of service to my hold..."
He takes a deep breath, resting his chin on his fist—working on a verdict.
"We will delay the trial until Delphine has been summoned as well. Until then, you will have to remain in custody, will you do so willingly?"
"Yes, my Jarl," I reply.
"Good," he responds, before nodding to one of the guards in the room. "Take him to a holding cell in Dragonsreach dungeon, see to it that no harm comes to him!" Balgruuf warns. Does that mean that harm coming to previous prisoners has actually been an issue?
The guard bows deeply, "Yes, my Jarl," before jerking his head to another guard, wanting assistance.
"Ragnar!" Esbern calls out, "I'll send word to Delphine as soon as I can!"
I'm only able to give him a grateful nod, before one of the guards pushes me. "No lollygagging, let's move prisoner."
The two guardsmen escort me to a holding cell beneath Dragonsreach. The cell is spacious, but there's nothing inside it but a chair and an unmade bed.
One of them unlocks my shackles and shoves me inside, almost tripping me over.
"Hey, careful!" I snap, they're obviously not too happy with me.
He eyes me, but doesn't say anything.
"Do I atleast get a blanket or some fur covers? This cell isn't exactly warm you know!"
The guard just shrugs. "We'll see about that, Conjured. Such luxuries aren't for just anyone."
I raise my eyebrows at him.
He only huffs, "let's go." he says to his colleague, leaving me to myself.
After hearing the doors to the dungeon shut, I'm finally free to heal myself.
Most of the pain disappear, but it's obvious that my healing can't take care of deep damage, my left hand is still numb.
Closing wounds, curing weariness and soothing pain seems to be about the limits of my healing.
Slumping down onto the bed unravels how uncomfortable it is.
With a sigh, I'm left staring into the ceiling again, "please come quickly, Delphine..."