Morning came after both the Dragonborn and Rigmor rested through the evening. The Dragonborn had slept restful through the night. He got up from the bedroll and sat on the chair. Rigmor was already awake but still lying down watching him as he rose and sat down in the chair next to her bed. The Dragonborn looked at her for a moment than asked, “You ready to go?” Rigmor sat up, then rose to stand before him looking slightly down at him and replied, “Yep! ready as I’ll ever be. We can take the horses or walk. You can use Angi’s horse if you want. She won’t mind!”
The Dragonborn looked over at her from his chair and replied, “Let’s take the horses, we don’t know yet what may be along the path to the starting point down at the bottom of what looked to be a mine we have to take to get over the mountain and to this Fort Black so we can find Rose and recover your sword.” Rigmor replied, “So, you saw my map?” The Dragonborn said, “Yeah, I studied it while you were resting, spent some time with Angi too, she’s really good with that bow.”
The Dragonborn stood up and faced Rigmor and they stood there searching within each other’s eyes both trying to pierce something beyond them to the soul beneath. Both of them feeling there was something they needed to know, to understand about the two of them but neither one of them were able to identify.
The Dragonborn and Rigmor both turned away, then Rigmor stepped towards the flap of cloth that had been left there in the doorway and stepped out into the morning sunlight with the Dragonborn following closely behind. Once outside, Rigmor called out to Angi who was walking towards the practice area, “Angi, me and the Guardian are taking the horses up the old mine. We’ll be gone for a while so don’t wait up for us. We’ll return the horses when we get back.” Angi turned as the Dragonborn mounted Angi’s horse. She said, “Please be careful, you know those bandits up there that manage that mine can be a rough.”
The Dragonborn had mounted Angi’s horse and was now watching Rigmor as she prepared to mount her own horse. It turned out that Angi’s horse was a good size for the Dragonborn and also stood at lease a head taller than Rigmor’s own horse. Rigmor mounted up, then they began to head out towards the trail that would lead them to a base camp of sorts much higher up in the mountains. The Dragonborn was lost in thought as they headed out, “This was not going to be an easy trip, he could feel it in his bones as the old saying went.”
The Dragonborn took them out the way they came into Angi’s place. They made their way up to the road, past the traps Angi had setup to deter unwelcome guest away, turned the horses north then continue up the switchback trail up to a point near a place called Bloodlet Throne. He stopped the horses near the final rise towards the base camp and asked Rigmor, “Are you okay, are we going the right way?” She was surprised at his concern. She was also shocked that he would even bother to ask her if she felt they were taking the right path towards their goal.” She mused, “That was certainly not the way of most male Nords.”
Rigmor replied to the Dragonborn, “Yes, were going the right way. Now were near Bloodlet Throne, if we go up that ridge trail, it should lead us to the base of the bandit and mining camp that would lead us over the mountain through way of the mines up there.” They headed up the ridge, turned left as they arrived at the top, rode in a bit more then both dismounted. The Dragonborn looked at Rigmor and asked, “So, is this the place?” Rigmor replied, “Yes, it is.” The Dragonborn then said, “Well, what now?” Rigmor chuckled, then replied, “Well, your the tough guy guardian, you lead and I’ll follow. You know cover your back.” The Dragonborn looked at her a moment then with a wry smile said, “Okay Rigmor, follow me!”
They both turned and began walking towards the first set of switchback stairs that someone had built to help people navigate the climb to the mine entry above. It wasn’t long before a man who had been watching them before came down, the stairs, stood in their way then said to the Dragonborn ignoring Rigmor, “Alright that’s far enough! What can I do for you friend?” The Dragonborn replied, “We’re just passing through, heading on up to the mine.”
The man then said, “We’re in control of this mine, you know how this works, toll here is 100 gold coins.” The Dragonborn paused a moment then replied, “I don’t carry that much gold with me I ‘m afraid.” The man who apparently was acting as gatekeeper for gaining access to the mines above responded, “Not my problem, you want through here, you pay or else!” The Dragonborn looked deep into the man’s eyes then said, “One hundred gold coin ain’t worth dying over, is it friend?” The man acting as gatekeeper felt a sort of power radiating from within this man he faced. He then mumbled to himself, “I need to find a new line of work, dying over a little gold coin ain’t worth loosing my life.” He then replied to the Dragonborn, “Go on through, but behave yourselves on the way up to the mine.”
The Dragonborn and Rigmor went followed him up the first set of stairs behind the gatekeeper they had just spoken to. They continued on up a set of switchback stairs, landings, and bridges until they got to a small camp with a roaring fire. The Dragonborn looked up the mountain, saw how much higher they were likely going to have to go and walked over to warm up a bit. Rigmor looked over without saying anything but did not look happy about the delay.
The bandits there assumed they had paid the toll so there was a general acceptance and began to chat with them. The one lady with the strange haircut said, “Be careful as you make your way up to the mine passage, there’s a family of snowy saber tooth’s up there. They generally will keep to themselves, take the first set of stairs up and they should leave you alone. Also there might be some trolls as you make your way higher. There’s a reason there’s so many of us here you know.” The Dragonborn thanked her and actually handed her a bag of gold coins for the being helpful.
Rigmor and the Dragonborn then continued up and saw the saber tooth family, they went up the first stairs, came to a small landing when out of nowhere the saber tooth tigers attacked. It was a vicious battle between them and the tigers but in the end the Dragonborn had called upon some reserve of power within him and all laid dead before him. Rigmor, who was standing behind him, was panting heavily from the effort and thinning air as they climbed higher up the mountain . He heard her gasp, “I ‘m okay, are you?”. He replied, “Yes, thank you for your concern Rigmor” She chuckled, then said, “Hey, I’ve got your back.” They continued on from there.
Rigmor and the Dragonborn continued up towards the mine entry. There were no more guards or mine operators posted up here this high. The Dragonborn thought to himself, “No one thinks its important to guard this path which means there must be other dangers up here before the mine that keeps them from worrying about anyone slipping by.”
It was then he learned why. As both Rigmor and the Dragonborn arrived at the top, a Frost Troll came charging at them. It was not long before they were both deep in the heat of battle with this Frost Troll.
While in the battle with the Frost Troll, the rest of the Snowy Saber-tooth family attacked as well and Rigmor and the Dragonborn were struggling for their lives on two fronts now.
Rigmor had been knocked over and was on her knees struggling to rise again. The creatures all seemed to be focused on the Dragonborn for some reason. Rigmor thought to herself as she rose, “Maybe they sense the dragon within his blood, a threat that overrides every bit of sense they may normally have.”
The battle continued but the Dragonborn had seen Rigmor knocked to her knees and struggling to rise again, the dragon fire within his blood began to boil and a reserve of power rose within him. At that same time the Nords who had been watching this could not be idle, they were Nords first regardless of whoever these people were. The Dragonborn killed the troll then swung his two blade in a wide arc that knocked the saber-tooth over the edge down to the next level and the final battle took place with Rigmor, The Dragonborn and two of the Nord guards making short work of the remaining creatures.
Once it was done, the Dragonborn thanked the two guards, handed over some coin to them and said they really both appreciate the assist. They took the gold coins surprised. Neither had expected this but certain were not going to question their generosity. Rigmor and the Dragonborn walked up to the mine entry. Stood there for a moment searching each other’s quiet thoughts at the entry to Bloodlet Mine.
