Chapter 90 Before Departure
Before heading home, Alex slowed his steps, his boots scraping softly against the stone road. A sudden thought crossed his mind, warm and unexpected. A gift… His gaze drifted forward, and without hesitation, he turned toward the nearest blacksmith.
The area near the gates of Whiterun was bathed in the amber glow of the setting sun. The clang of metal had already faded, replaced by the quieter sounds of the city winding down guards chatting idly, the distant call of merchants packing up, and the wind brushing against wooden signs. At the blacksmith's stall, Adrianne was wiping soot from the counter, stacking tools, and covering the forge, clearly preparing to close for the day.
Seeing this, Alex broke into a quick jog.
"Hey wait! Don't close yet! I want to buy something!"
Adrianne paused mid-motion, one hand still holding a cloth. She turned her head toward him, raised an eyebrow, then let out a small amused laugh. "Wow," she said, resting her hammer against the anvil, "you're cutting it real close. Another minute and I'd have been gone."
Alex stopped in front of the stall, placing his hands briefly on his knees as he caught his breath. He straightened up, exhaled slowly, and gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to rush you."
After a short pause, his expression grew more serious. "I'd like to buy two rings… and one gold necklace."
Adrianne studied his face for a moment, as if gauging his intent, then nodded. She turned toward her storage chest, the metal hinges creaking softly as she opened it. The faint glimmer of gold reflected in the fading sunlight as she carefully selected the items, placing them one by one on the counter.
"Good taste," she said, sliding them toward him. "These should last a lifetime if taken care of."
Alex picked them up, feeling their cool weight in his palm. He nodded in satisfaction and quickly paid her the gold. Adrianne accepted it with a practiced motion and gave him a brief nod of acknowledgment.
With the purchase complete, Alex tucked the jewelry away safely and turned from the stall. As he walked away, the sounds of the city followed him the heavy footsteps of guards, the creak of wooden gates, and the soft hum of Whiterun settling into evening. Without looking back, he adjusted his cloak and headed toward Dragonsreach.
Inside Dragonsreach, warm torchlight flickered against the towering stone pillars, casting long, wavering shadows across the hall. The faint scent of burning oil and old parchment filled the air. As Alex stepped further inside, his boots echoed softly against the polished floor.
Near the central walkway, he spotted Irileth standing with her arms crossed, posture straight and alert as ever, her sharp eyes scanning the hall out of habit rather than necessity.
Alex slowed his pace and raised a hand slightly in greeting.
"Hey, Irileth. Is Farengar around?"
Irileth turned toward him, recognition flashing across her face. The tension in her shoulders eased, and the corner of her lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Ah, Alex," she said calmly. "Farengar is in his workspace as usual. Mages never seem to stop burying themselves in research."
She tilted her head slightly, studying him. "But what about you? Aren't you curious about Jarl Balgruuf?"
Alex let out a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not really. I'd rather not disturb him. He must be busy preparing the dragon trap for tomorrow." He paused, glancing briefly toward the throne room. "Aren't you staying by his side?"
Irileth shook her head, a faint clink of armor accompanying the motion. "Not this time. If I stayed glued to his side every moment, I'd never give him space when he needs it." Her expression hardened slightly as she continued, voice steady and confident. "Besides, the dragon trap is already prepared. We even reinforced it using the dragon bones you provided. There are still some left over."
Hearing this, Alex's shoulders relaxed. A small, genuine smile spread across his face. "That's good to hear. I'm glad everything's ready." He nodded once. "Alright then, I'll go see Farengar."
Leaving Irileth behind, Alex walked deeper into Dragonsreach and toward Farengar's study. The air grew quieter there, broken only by the soft crackle of magical energy and the faint scrape of tools against bone.
Inside the workspace, Farengar stood hunched over a worktable, his fingers tracing the grooves of a massive dragon bone. Scrolls lay scattered around him, and fragments of runes glimmered faintly with residual magic. His brow was furrowed in deep concentration, eyes narrowed so absorbed that he didn't notice Alex's presence at all.
Alex stopped a short distance away and lifted his hand in a casual wave.
"Farengar. Hello."
At the sound of the familiar voice, Farengar startled slightly, then straightened up. His expression quickly softened into a warm smile as he turned toward Alex. "Ah my apologies, Alex," he said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I thought you were Irileth or one of the guards. Just a silhouette in my peripheral vision. But it's you."
Alex chuckled quietly, folding his arms. "You look completely fixated on those dragon bones."
Farengar's eyes lit up instantly. He nodded with unmistakable enthusiasm, gesturing toward the table. "Indeed! This material is extraordinarily rare. With it, one could forge armor of incredible resilience." His voice grew animated as he continued. "And more fascinating still I've discovered that a dragon's thu'um is remarkably similar to the magic contained within its bones. Both are deeply intertwined with mana itself."
As Farengar spoke, Alex listened calmly, though his thoughts drifted inward.
(Of course. In Skyrim, thu'um is practically another form of magic. With my newly allocated Alteration perk Atronach, granting 30% spell absorption every time a dragon breathes fire at me, my mana increases instead. This isn't rare knowledge in the game… but in this world, it's an entirely new discovery.)
Farengar finally turned his attention fully toward Alex, brushing the dust from his gloves. He straightened his back slightly, eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"So," he asked, folding his arms, "what brings you here, Alex?"
Alex shifted his weight and met Farengar's gaze calmly. "I'd like to buy three Grand Soul Gems," he said. "And I'd like to use your enchanting table. I can pay you with more dragon bones."
At the mention of payment, Farengar's brows lifted. He reached up and stroked his chin slowly, eyes drifting toward the dragon remains spread across the table.
"Hmmm…" he hummed thoughtfully. "Dragon bones, you say?" He shook his head with a faint sigh. "I already have more than enough bones for my future experiments. What I lack are dragon scales."
His shoulders sagged slightly as he continued, voice tinged with regret. "It's a shame, really. The dragon bones and scales you previously gave to Jarl Balgruuf were used to reinforce the dragon trap. Such a waste of rare materials I could have put them to far better use in my research."
Alex laughed softly, an amused glint flashing in his eyes. "Is that so?"
Without another word, he raised his hand slightly. The air beside him rippled for just a brief moment as if reality itself had been disturbed. In the next instant, several dragon scales appeared in his grasp, their surfaces gleaming faintly under the torchlight.
Farengar froze.
His eyes widened not at the scales themselves, but at how they had appeared. He stepped closer, breathing quickening, and before Alex could react, Farengar grabbed his wrist.
"Alex how did you do that?" he demanded, his voice sharp with excitement. "May I study this? Is this a new form of magic?!"
Alex flinched, startled by the sudden contact. He immediately pulled his hand free, taking a half-step back. "Hey easy," he said, lowering his voice. "You noticed, huh?"
His expression turned serious. "This is a kind of magic only I can use. You should keep it a secret."
He leaned in slightly, speaking in a hushed tone, as if the walls themselves might be listening. "I don't have time right now. Tomorrow, Astrid and I will be preparing. But… if we manage to defeat Alduin, I might allow you to study it." He paused, eyes narrowing. "Just don't hurt me, okay?"
For a moment, Farengar stood utterly still. Then his face lit up like a child discovering a forbidden tome. His lips stretched into a wide grin, and he laughed loudly, practically bouncing on his heels.
"Alright! Alright!" he said eagerly. "Don't worry I promise I won't conduct any dangerous experiments. Hahahaha!"
Alex watched him, unease flickering across his face. I'm not sure I made the right decision, he thought, agreeing to become a future research subject.
Not long after, Farengar handed over three fully filled Grand Soul Gems. Their inner light pulsed softly as Alex accepted them. He moved to the enchanting table, the runes carved into its surface glowing faintly as he placed the items down.
One by one, he infused the jewelry with magic.
Gold Ring of Magicka Resistance: +35% Magicka Resistance Gold Ring of Stamina: +70 Stamina Gold Necklace of Health: +70 Health
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
Enchanting 82 → 83
Alex exhaled in satisfaction, lifting the finished items and inspecting them under the light. "Nice," he muttered with a small smile. "Two rings for Astrid… and one necklace for Lucia."
He carefully stored the enchanted jewelry, turned away from the table, and adjusted his cloak.
"Time to go home."
When Alex arrived home, the soft creak of the door echoed gently through the house. Warm, golden light filled the small living space, cast by oil lamps and the fading glow of the sunset filtering through the windows. The scent of freshly prepared food lingered in the air.
At the dining table, Astrid was carefully arranging wooden plates, while Lucia stood on her toes, stretching her arms to straighten the tablecloth. Outside, the sun hovered low on the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and deep crimson.
Lucia glanced toward the open doorway and the moment she saw Alex, her face lit up as if the world itself had brightened.
"Papa!!!"
Her chair scraped loudly against the floor as she leaped down and ran toward him, her small footsteps rapid and uneven. She threw her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his coat. Alex let out a soft laugh and immediately wrapped his arms around her, one hand gently resting on her back.
"I'm home," he said warmly, his voice thick with affection.
Astrid looked up from the table, her eyes softening at the sight. She walked over and joined them, slipping her arms around Alex from the side. For a brief moment, the three of them stood there together, bathed in the fading light silent, warm, and complete.
Not long after, they sat down to dinner. Lucia ate with bright eyes and lively gestures, chatting happily as if the earlier worries of the day had never existed. Astrid and Alex exchanged quiet smiles across the table, the simple sound of shared laughter filling the room. It felt like a normal evening like a real family.
After the meal, as the plates were cleared and the room grew quieter, Alex rested his hands on the table and took a slow breath.
"Lucia," he said gently, his tone shifting. "We want to talk to you."
Astrid lowered her gaze slightly. She already knew what was coming, and the faint sadness in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Lucia tilted her head, swinging her legs beneath the chair. "Yes, Papa? What is it?"
Alex leaned forward slightly, his expression calm but serious. "Tomorrow, Astrid and I have an important task. We may be gone for up to a week." He paused, making sure Lucia was listening. "But don't worry. We've prepared plenty of food, and Jarl Balgruuf will make sure you're safe and comfortable while we're away."
Lucia's smile faded. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table, and her shoulders drooped. Seeing this, Astrid reached out and placed a gentle hand on Lucia's shoulder.
"My dear," Astrid said softly, kneeling beside her, "if we don't go, many people will suffer… and the world itself could be in danger."
She pulled Lucia into a warm embrace, one hand stroking her hair. "You have to be strong. It's only a week. I know you can do it."
The room fell quiet, heavy with emotion. Sensing the weight of the moment, Alex stood up and cleared his throat lightly.
"Hey," he said, forcing a brighter tone.
He reached into his pouch and carefully took out a gold necklace, its surface shimmering faintly with enchanted light. He held it up between his fingers, letting it catch the glow of the lamp.
"Tada!!! This is for you. And this isn't just any necklace it's enchanted. I want you to take good care of it."
Lucia sniffed, wiping her nose with her sleeve. Slowly, her eyes widened as she stared at the necklace. The sadness on her face melted away, replaced by pure amazement.
"For… for me?" she asked softly.
Astrid smiled at Alex, then looked back at Lucia. "Of course, sweetheart," she said gently. "Papa gave it to our beloved daughter, didn't he?"
Alex nodded, his voice steady despite the emotion in his chest. "Of course."
Lucia reached out with trembling hands, clutching the necklace as if it might disappear. Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.
"I've never received a gift before," she whispered. "Thank you so much… Father, Mother."
She stood up and hugged them both as tightly as she could, pressing her small body against theirs. "I'm so grateful that you became Lucia's parents."
Alex and Astrid froze for a heartbeat then held her just as tightly. Their eyes glistened, tears silently sliding down their cheeks as they embraced her, the quiet warmth of family filling the room.
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