“Thank you. I never would have made it out of there alive without your help.” Cru had only been out of the chaos of Helgen for a minute before Hadvar, the Imperial soldier who cut his bonds and led him out, was praising his abilities. “The Empire could use someone like you.”
“They could?” replied the proud Nord.
“Yes, they could. Look, I'm heading off to Riverwood, a town nearby. If you'd like, you can go with me. My uncle is the blacksmith there, and he could help you. His name is Alvor.”
“Maybe later, but I will keep that in mind.”
“I hope you will join us. Like I said, the Empire could use you. Farewell.” Hadvar walked down the path toward Riverwood. Cru watched him for a moment, and pondered what his offer to join the Empire could entail. It wasn't the time to make a choice like that; he had only just arrived in Skyrim, and hadn't even had the opportunity to explore it's beauty.
The only thing he had gotten to experience so far were near death at the hands of an executioner, a dragon, and several Stormcloaks on the way out of Helgen. The Stormcloaks, in a frenzy to save their leader and kill as many Imperials as possible, assumed that Crujir was in league with Hadvar. It was obvious that the Stormcloaks and the Imperials didn't get along, and Cru had gotten caught in the middle of a fight he didn't know existed.
After pondering the day's events, he took a breath and decided to explore the surrounding area, with the town of Riverwood and the war between the Empire and the Stormcloaks in the back of his mind.
Cru's daydream was interrupted by his stomach growling. He realized he hadn't eaten in hours. He also remembered that he hadn't scoured the bandits' tower for loot. He immediately checked a chest that was tucked away in a corner on the bottom floor.
A steel sword! And iron armor! What luck!
He thought he might be dreaming again. It just didn't seem possible to get that lucky after the events of the past few days. He forgot about eating momentarily, happily put on the iron armor, and sheathed his new sword. The armor was a bit tight, but not enough to make him uncomfortable or impair his abilities in battle. He also found a bag of gold and several semi-valuable gems he could sell for a good profit. After collecting his prizes, he sat down at the table again, and reached into his pack to retrieve a bottle of ale, some bread, an apple, and some smoked venison he had bought from the general store in Solitude.
After his meal, and a belch that would make a troll jealous, he stepped outside again. With a full stomach and better equipment, he was more confident than ever. He set out south, confident he could reach Riverwood in only a few days. His years of adventuring had give him a good sense of direction.
A few days later, he was approaching a mountainous area teeming with wildlife. He traveled on a path up the side of a cliff. He began wondering if he had gotten himself lost. He stepped up onto a rock and looked across the landscape. Forgetting about his destination for a moment, he was once again amazed at Skyrim's beauty. Birds soared majestically through the air over lush trees, while the Throat of the World continued calling out to the hearts of adventurers with its mysterious mist. The sun was shining brightly, and the waters in the plains below sparkled in the distance. His attention was soon turned away from the landscape, though. Off to his left and just down the cliff a bit, he saw what looked like a small cottage. Wondering if his eyes deceived him, he climbed down to investigate.
What he reached was in fact what he thought; a small cottage. Seeing and hearing no sign of life, he quietly approached. The front door was open. He slowly neared the door, when a tall figure suddenly appeared in the doorway and stepped outside. Startled, Cru drew his sword and raised his shield.
“Well hello, stranger.” The Nord woman didn't even appear to be wary of the fact that an armed man was staring her down with his weapon drawn. She continued to speak calmly, but firmly. “My name is Angi. If you try anything stupid, I won't hesitate to stick an arrow in your head.” Cru then noticed the hunting bow she bore on her back. Realizing that she had no intention of attacking him without provocation, he lowered his sword and shield.
“Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you,” said the Nord as he sheathed his weapon.
“Good. A girl can't be too careful, you know, especially when out here all on her own.”
“What are you doing by yourself out here?”
“I moved here some time ago when my parents were killed. Everybody wanted to feel sorry for me, but they shouldn't. It's my problem, not theirs.” Without taking a moment to consider what Angi just said, Cru responded.
“I'm sorry about your parents.”
“Don't be like that,” Angi said with a hint of irritation.
“Sorry. What happened to them?”
“They were murdered. A couple of Imperial drunks who thought that they were above the law.” Cru immediately felt rage and disgust in his heart. He remembered being abused by people in authority before. He hated people that were sick with power.
“Want me to go take care of them?” His voice deepened as he spoke.
“Already did. It's part of the reason I'm out here now. Thanks for the offer, though.” Cru felt happy that Angi was able to deliver justice, but at the same time he was disappointed that he couldn't do it himself. He still needed to redeem himself for his own past sins, after all, and avenging someone's wrongful death might just be a good start.
The two continued pleasant conversation after that. After Cru mentioned the targets set up down the hill, it quickly became apparent that Angi was very proud of her archery skills. Cru could handle a bow, but he knew that his real talents were in his close combat capabilities. Under pressure, he wasn't the most accurate with a bow. He tended to handle situations like that with his sword, which seemed to be getting him hurt lately. He remembered for a moment the arrow that recently pierced his leg, feeling an echo of pain.
Angi offered to let him practice shooting with her, causing him to perk up and forget his leg pain.
“Absolutely!” He was very happy to receive some tips from an apparent professional. Angi glanced at his tattered longbow.
“There is a hunting bow over by the door,” she said. “It's yours.” The hunting bow was significantly higher quality than the longbow he carried. It had a good grip in the center that would help steady his aim. The string was stronger, allowing for longer, more powerful shots. They would also be much more accurate.
“Thank you.” He happily took the bow.
They went down the hill to a small rectangle drawn in the dirt behind a wooden fence. Ahead were four small targets, one fairly close, another one to the left and further away, another one to the right and further away than the last, and a fourth one to the left, the farthest away. The targets consisted of a small circle of metal, no larger than a man's hand span, on top of planks of wood inserted into the ground.
“The rules are simple,” Angi said. “Stay inside the boundary, and only use the practice arrows.” He didn't question the practice arrows. He was happy not to risk breaking or losing his own. Angi casually fired at the targets, striking each one with ease. She did this for a a minute or so while she offered general archery advice. Finally, she stepped aside and gave Cru his turn.
“You're simply going to try and hit the first three targets, one at a time. Now, try to hit the first target.” She handed him ten practice arrows, and leaned against a tree, watching. Cru nocked an arrow, took aim, and easily hit the closest target.
“Hit the next target, to the left,” she instructed. He fired, hitting it with the same amount of ease. Hardly waiting for her instruction, he fired at the next target to the right, and hit it as well. He had no problem hitting stationary targets, especially when he was not under pressure.
“Got another challenge for me?” he said smugly.
“Alright, this time we'll make it more challenging.” Angi didn't seem bothered by his remark. “Firing at a single, stationary target is one thing. Hitting multiple targets under pressure is more difficult. You must remain calm, steady your aim, and know that your shots will be true. I want you crouch and to try to hit all three targets in succession in less than eight seconds.” She demonstrated by hitting all three targets very quickly. “I will count to three, and say 'go.' That is when the time will start. Now, prepare your first shot.”
Cru crouched, nocked an arrow, and waited for the prompt.
“One, two, three... GO!” Cru fired, hitting the first target. He nocked another arrow as quickly as he could, and fired at the left target. His jerky motion caused him to miss. He groaned in frustration, nocked another arrow, and fired again. He rushed it again, but managed to barely hit the target. He aimed his fourth shot, hesitated a moment, and fired at the target to the right. He hit it, but not before his eight seconds were over.
“Good try,” said Angi. “If you want to try again, just let me know.” She began walking back toward her cottage with a smirk on her face. Cru stood silent for a moment. Before Angi got far up the hill, he approached her again.
“I want to try again,” said the humbled Nord.
“Good. Here are some more practice arrows. You're running low.” Cru took the arrows and got into position again. He prepared his first shot.
“You must breathe. Calmly take aim at each target. If you panic, you will miss.” She began her count again, and on the word “go,” Cru fired, hitting the first target. He drew another arrow and aimed, taking a quick breath, and fired again. He hit the second target. He knew he had a moment, so he prepared the next shot, took a slightly slower breath, and fired the final arrow. His shot was true. He felt a satisfaction inside that he had never gotten from using a bow before.
The fourth, far away target was involved in all of the challenges after the that. Angi and Cru continued practicing for a few more hours. The first time he fired at the far away target, he missed. After a few tries, he hit it once. Soon he was hitting it more regularly. Eventually Angi had him shooting at all four targets, instructing him to hit them all in less than 10 seconds. Angi would demonstrate what he needed to do with every challenge before having him do it, offering advice with every arrow she fired. By the time they were finished, the range ahead was littered with practice arrows.
“You did very good, stranger.” Angi was pleased that he was already improving. Cru was pleased as well, and gave her a knowing smile. He talked with her some more and gathered directions to Riverwood. They said their farewells, and Cru proceeded down the mountain. It was time to see what Hadvar's offer might have in store for him. He was in need of some steady money, and it wouldn't hurt to get involved with people who could help him refine his combat skills again.
Halfway down the mountain, still glowing with satisfaction from his new archery skills, he laughed. He realized that he hadn't even told Angi his name.
“They could?” replied the proud Nord.
“Yes, they could. Look, I'm heading off to Riverwood, a town nearby. If you'd like, you can go with me. My uncle is the blacksmith there, and he could help you. His name is Alvor.”
“Maybe later, but I will keep that in mind.”
“I hope you will join us. Like I said, the Empire could use you. Farewell.” Hadvar walked down the path toward Riverwood. Cru watched him for a moment, and pondered what his offer to join the Empire could entail. It wasn't the time to make a choice like that; he had only just arrived in Skyrim, and hadn't even had the opportunity to explore it's beauty.
The only thing he had gotten to experience so far were near death at the hands of an executioner, a dragon, and several Stormcloaks on the way out of Helgen. The Stormcloaks, in a frenzy to save their leader and kill as many Imperials as possible, assumed that Crujir was in league with Hadvar. It was obvious that the Stormcloaks and the Imperials didn't get along, and Cru had gotten caught in the middle of a fight he didn't know existed.
After pondering the day's events, he took a breath and decided to explore the surrounding area, with the town of Riverwood and the war between the Empire and the Stormcloaks in the back of his mind.
Cru's daydream was interrupted by his stomach growling. He realized he hadn't eaten in hours. He also remembered that he hadn't scoured the bandits' tower for loot. He immediately checked a chest that was tucked away in a corner on the bottom floor.
A steel sword! And iron armor! What luck!
He thought he might be dreaming again. It just didn't seem possible to get that lucky after the events of the past few days. He forgot about eating momentarily, happily put on the iron armor, and sheathed his new sword. The armor was a bit tight, but not enough to make him uncomfortable or impair his abilities in battle. He also found a bag of gold and several semi-valuable gems he could sell for a good profit. After collecting his prizes, he sat down at the table again, and reached into his pack to retrieve a bottle of ale, some bread, an apple, and some smoked venison he had bought from the general store in Solitude.
After his meal, and a belch that would make a troll jealous, he stepped outside again. With a full stomach and better equipment, he was more confident than ever. He set out south, confident he could reach Riverwood in only a few days. His years of adventuring had give him a good sense of direction.
A few days later, he was approaching a mountainous area teeming with wildlife. He traveled on a path up the side of a cliff. He began wondering if he had gotten himself lost. He stepped up onto a rock and looked across the landscape. Forgetting about his destination for a moment, he was once again amazed at Skyrim's beauty. Birds soared majestically through the air over lush trees, while the Throat of the World continued calling out to the hearts of adventurers with its mysterious mist. The sun was shining brightly, and the waters in the plains below sparkled in the distance. His attention was soon turned away from the landscape, though. Off to his left and just down the cliff a bit, he saw what looked like a small cottage. Wondering if his eyes deceived him, he climbed down to investigate.
What he reached was in fact what he thought; a small cottage. Seeing and hearing no sign of life, he quietly approached. The front door was open. He slowly neared the door, when a tall figure suddenly appeared in the doorway and stepped outside. Startled, Cru drew his sword and raised his shield.
“Well hello, stranger.” The Nord woman didn't even appear to be wary of the fact that an armed man was staring her down with his weapon drawn. She continued to speak calmly, but firmly. “My name is Angi. If you try anything stupid, I won't hesitate to stick an arrow in your head.” Cru then noticed the hunting bow she bore on her back. Realizing that she had no intention of attacking him without provocation, he lowered his sword and shield.
“Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you,” said the Nord as he sheathed his weapon.
“Good. A girl can't be too careful, you know, especially when out here all on her own.”
“What are you doing by yourself out here?”
“I moved here some time ago when my parents were killed. Everybody wanted to feel sorry for me, but they shouldn't. It's my problem, not theirs.” Without taking a moment to consider what Angi just said, Cru responded.
“I'm sorry about your parents.”
“Don't be like that,” Angi said with a hint of irritation.
“Sorry. What happened to them?”
“They were murdered. A couple of Imperial drunks who thought that they were above the law.” Cru immediately felt rage and disgust in his heart. He remembered being abused by people in authority before. He hated people that were sick with power.
“Want me to go take care of them?” His voice deepened as he spoke.
“Already did. It's part of the reason I'm out here now. Thanks for the offer, though.” Cru felt happy that Angi was able to deliver justice, but at the same time he was disappointed that he couldn't do it himself. He still needed to redeem himself for his own past sins, after all, and avenging someone's wrongful death might just be a good start.
The two continued pleasant conversation after that. After Cru mentioned the targets set up down the hill, it quickly became apparent that Angi was very proud of her archery skills. Cru could handle a bow, but he knew that his real talents were in his close combat capabilities. Under pressure, he wasn't the most accurate with a bow. He tended to handle situations like that with his sword, which seemed to be getting him hurt lately. He remembered for a moment the arrow that recently pierced his leg, feeling an echo of pain.
Angi offered to let him practice shooting with her, causing him to perk up and forget his leg pain.
“Absolutely!” He was very happy to receive some tips from an apparent professional. Angi glanced at his tattered longbow.
“There is a hunting bow over by the door,” she said. “It's yours.” The hunting bow was significantly higher quality than the longbow he carried. It had a good grip in the center that would help steady his aim. The string was stronger, allowing for longer, more powerful shots. They would also be much more accurate.
“Thank you.” He happily took the bow.
They went down the hill to a small rectangle drawn in the dirt behind a wooden fence. Ahead were four small targets, one fairly close, another one to the left and further away, another one to the right and further away than the last, and a fourth one to the left, the farthest away. The targets consisted of a small circle of metal, no larger than a man's hand span, on top of planks of wood inserted into the ground.
“The rules are simple,” Angi said. “Stay inside the boundary, and only use the practice arrows.” He didn't question the practice arrows. He was happy not to risk breaking or losing his own. Angi casually fired at the targets, striking each one with ease. She did this for a a minute or so while she offered general archery advice. Finally, she stepped aside and gave Cru his turn.
“You're simply going to try and hit the first three targets, one at a time. Now, try to hit the first target.” She handed him ten practice arrows, and leaned against a tree, watching. Cru nocked an arrow, took aim, and easily hit the closest target.
“Hit the next target, to the left,” she instructed. He fired, hitting it with the same amount of ease. Hardly waiting for her instruction, he fired at the next target to the right, and hit it as well. He had no problem hitting stationary targets, especially when he was not under pressure.
“Got another challenge for me?” he said smugly.
“Alright, this time we'll make it more challenging.” Angi didn't seem bothered by his remark. “Firing at a single, stationary target is one thing. Hitting multiple targets under pressure is more difficult. You must remain calm, steady your aim, and know that your shots will be true. I want you crouch and to try to hit all three targets in succession in less than eight seconds.” She demonstrated by hitting all three targets very quickly. “I will count to three, and say 'go.' That is when the time will start. Now, prepare your first shot.”
Cru crouched, nocked an arrow, and waited for the prompt.
“One, two, three... GO!” Cru fired, hitting the first target. He nocked another arrow as quickly as he could, and fired at the left target. His jerky motion caused him to miss. He groaned in frustration, nocked another arrow, and fired again. He rushed it again, but managed to barely hit the target. He aimed his fourth shot, hesitated a moment, and fired at the target to the right. He hit it, but not before his eight seconds were over.
“Good try,” said Angi. “If you want to try again, just let me know.” She began walking back toward her cottage with a smirk on her face. Cru stood silent for a moment. Before Angi got far up the hill, he approached her again.
“I want to try again,” said the humbled Nord.
“Good. Here are some more practice arrows. You're running low.” Cru took the arrows and got into position again. He prepared his first shot.
“You must breathe. Calmly take aim at each target. If you panic, you will miss.” She began her count again, and on the word “go,” Cru fired, hitting the first target. He drew another arrow and aimed, taking a quick breath, and fired again. He hit the second target. He knew he had a moment, so he prepared the next shot, took a slightly slower breath, and fired the final arrow. His shot was true. He felt a satisfaction inside that he had never gotten from using a bow before.
The fourth, far away target was involved in all of the challenges after the that. Angi and Cru continued practicing for a few more hours. The first time he fired at the far away target, he missed. After a few tries, he hit it once. Soon he was hitting it more regularly. Eventually Angi had him shooting at all four targets, instructing him to hit them all in less than 10 seconds. Angi would demonstrate what he needed to do with every challenge before having him do it, offering advice with every arrow she fired. By the time they were finished, the range ahead was littered with practice arrows.
“You did very good, stranger.” Angi was pleased that he was already improving. Cru was pleased as well, and gave her a knowing smile. He talked with her some more and gathered directions to Riverwood. They said their farewells, and Cru proceeded down the mountain. It was time to see what Hadvar's offer might have in store for him. He was in need of some steady money, and it wouldn't hurt to get involved with people who could help him refine his combat skills again.
Halfway down the mountain, still glowing with satisfaction from his new archery skills, he laughed. He realized that he hadn't even told Angi his name.
