Author's notes: This story became part of larger project. For more info cast your eyes on "Author's words" at the very begging of the tale or at my profile. Thank you all who reviewed (will replie via pm), put it on alert and favourites.

Chapter 5: THE WALL

The morning was crisp, but a hit of sun was already spotted on the horizon and birds chirped cheerfully.

Shardi observed an eagle circling in the sky, searching for prey. It was beautiful morning here in the land of Nord's, one that could simply find its way into some bard's song. She cheeked her travelling bag and made sure she has all needed for her little trip to Bleak Falls Barrow.

She headed to the bridge, murmuring a happy tune to herself; she bumped into Sven the Bard again. "Ey lass," he stopped her. :" Would you do me a favour?"

"What favour would that be?" her eyebrow arched.

"Faengar is again bringing rabbits to Camilla. She spends too much time with him as it is. He is not good for her!" he spat.

"Hm..." Shardi didn't really want to say anything.

"What does he think! Camilla would never love somebody like him," Sven continued his nonsense.

"Aye, when did bringing delicious meat and kissing a hand spark any romance," she smirked at Sven.

He glared at her: "No, no, I cannot allow this. Camilla should be mine. So lass, I wrote this letter, and I would ask you to deliver it to Camilla."

"Just to deliver a letter?" she raised eyebrow at Sven.

"Well...yes," Sven was uncomfortable.

"Fine, give it here," she took the letter from him.

She found it strange that a bard would be to shy to deliver his letter alone but well, dragons were supposed to be a myth also...

"Don't tell her it's from me!" he added just before he turned around and left her alone.

Shardi suddenly felt very suspicious. "Why would he want me to deliver his letter and not letting her know it is from him?" she wondered.

She was never a snoop, but this time she felt a need to read the personal letter anyhow. She found a little corner where nobody could see it and opened it.

"Damned bastard!" she thought to herself.

Letter was a really nasty one, one that no woman at right mind would be happy to receive. And to top that, it was signed by Faengar.

Shardi decided against delivering the letter, instead she sought out Faengar.

She found the Wood Elf cutting Firewood.

"Greetings!" Faengar said as she came closer. "It is not often that I see one of your race in this land. What brings you here?"

"Greetings," she smiled. "Nothing particular, I have to admit."

"Ah, and adventurer then," Faengar nodded knowingly.

"Something like that. Mostly, I just wanted to see Skyrim by myself. I have heard she is a sight to behold. You are Faengar, are you not?" she asked just to make sure.

"Skyrim is beautiful land, aye. I came here from Valenwood and found my heart does not let me leave," he smiled. "You have me at advantage though, did we meet before?" he asked curiously.

"Nay, we did not. I am Shardi. Tell me, Faengar, you and Sven do not get along?" she carefully said.

"Aye, we aren't. That worthless bard desires Camilla... and I..." he shuddered.

She nodded knowingly. "I have seen you bring her gifts of the forest," she smiled.

"Rabbit stew is her favourite dish," he blushed slightly. "But I am no match to a bard who sings to her each evening..." he gazed sadly at Camilla in the distance.

"Perhaps," Shardi smiled: " but... a song in the evening could not match with the return of stolen golden claw, wouldn't be?"

"I wanted to follow the thieves alas; none here is willing to join..." Faengar said sadly.

"I tell you what... Grab your bow and I will travel to with you. We will get the claw back, and then you can present it to Camila," she suggested.

"You would be willing to help me? Why?" Faengar was surprised.

"Let's just say that I know things that I don't like, and you deserve a fair chance at woman's heart," she said seriously.

Faengar went home to grab his gear, Shardi sought out Raolf and Hadvar to tell them she will be away for a day, said hers goodbye if they would left before she returned.

She looked around for Ulfric, but she did not see him, so she left.

Faengar proven himself to be a good hunter, he even could to teach her few more things about handling a bow. He told her some more of what was happening in Skyrim in the last years and asked her of news from Valenwood, as she told him, she spent a year there.

Half way towards Bleak Falls Barrow a snow storm hit them, but they pressed forward, not willing to stop and give the thief more advantage. They thought they would just deal with few thieves, but it turned out that whole bandit gang made Barrow their home.

They sneaked around, took out those they had clean shot at with bow, and back-stab others. Bandits had no idea what happened to them.

At some point, a nasty big spider decided he desires fresh meal and attacked them. Faengar got poisoned, but they managed to take the creature down and luckily enough, Shardi bought anti-poison from a merchant just before.

"Always be prepared..." she heard her Iszara words in her mind and smiled.

They released the thief who stolen the claw, but he stupidly ran away from them. That little stunt earned him an arrow to the knee and dagger to his neck. They took the claw from his dead body.

Just as they wanted to turn around they noticed a lever with a riddle. Shardi felt the need to go deeper in the Barrow even as Faengar protested. "I don't like the looks of this..." he muttered just before they were attacked by Restless Draugr.

As Draugr lay finally dead, Faengar looked at Shardi: "Shouldn't be better if we return?" he half-pleaded.

"But we came this far..." she at the same time wanted to turn around and go deeper.

"True..." he reluctantly nodded and they pressed further.

Giant doors with what seem to be a riddle-lock stopped their progress. Shardi examined it closer, taking her own sweet time.

"I don't think we can lock-pick these..." Faengar commented.

"Hmm... let me see..." she pulled out set of lock-picks and gave it a try.

They broke. She looked at the door more carefully.

"Wait!" she squeaked and made Faengar jump slightly by the sudden voice. "Give me the golden claw," she extended her hand.

Faengar gave her the claw, and she examined it. She moved the circles around and used the claw to try to pry the door open. It worked.

"By the Talos! I would never have thought of that!" Faengar said in shock.

Shardi returned the claw back to him for safe-keeping.

Few more of the restless creatures attacked them, but it was nothing they couldn't deal with. It would prove difficult if either were alone, but with combined strength, they prevailed.

At the long last they came upon the strangest looking wall. Faengar didn't pay much attention to it and he took his time looting the chest that so nicely invited his fingers. Shardi however, felt drawn to the wall as it whispered to her, calling her nearer.

Words in unknown language and writing adorned the wall, but one word gloved to her eyes so brightly.

Shardi steeped even closer and touched it. She felt whisper changing into shouting, the shining letters warming up her skin as wind blew into her. Her eyes widened as she saw the shiny letters leave the wall and embrace her hand, becoming bigger and larger, shinier as they completely enveloped her. The voice she heard became awfully loud, and as it shouted once more she felt as if her head will explode. Then suddenly the wind was gone; the light was gone, and all went silent. Shardi was dazed, unable to speak.

"Did you see and here that?" she asked Faengar shaking.

"Hear and see what?" he raised eyebrow at her.

"The light and shouting and...wind..." she said incredulously.

"I cannot say that I have, lass. I think you just grow weary, we should probably leave..." Faengar attempted a smile.

"I..." she started to say, but she was cut off as the lid of the sarcophagus flew to the air, and the most mighty Draugr woke up and attacked them.

It shouted at them in booming terrible voice and make them fly into the wall.

"By all Divines..." Shardi cursed as she staggeringly got up disregarding the pain in her limbs and launched at the monster again.

The battle was long and vicious, but after a long last the Draugr laid dead again at their feet.

"Faengar..." Shardi whispered petrified: "I think its time to leave..."

Faengar just nodded.

They grabbed what loot they could find and simply left. Both to tired and too shocked to discuss what they had just survived.

Road back to Riverwood was long, but the thought of hot stew kept them going... And for Faengar, the thought of Camila beaming at him as he gives her Golden Claw, made him going even faster.

"Where is our Redguard?" Ulfric asked Raolf and Hadvar as he entered Sleeping Giant Inn late afternoon and found them still drinking.

"She went to Bleak Falls Barrows. She said goodbye in case we would leave before she returned. She wanted to say goodbye to you also, but you were still sleeping," Raolf told him.

"SHE WENT WHERE!" Ulfric roared. Even he heard of dangers of the Barrows.

Raolf and Hadvar looked at him wide-eyed.

"Some thief stole something from the merchant, and she went to retrieve it..." Hadvar said.

"And you two drunkards let her go alone! And to Barrows no less!" Ulfric felt as anger pumped through his veins.

"She didn't go alone. Some villager went with her..." Raolf tried to defend himself.

"I am going after her," Ulfric decided in an instant and already started to walk out.

"I wouldn't advise that..." Raolf's voice stopped him. "The Currier was here just moment ago, delivered some mail to villagers. He told us there is a bunch of the Imperials scouting the land..." Hadvar said seriously.

"Besides, they left hours ago... you will never catch them..." Raolf added.

Ulfric realized they are right, even as drunk as they were. He crashed down on the bench and ordered the strongest mead the In could provide.

"That woman is nothing but troubles," he thought to himself.

Shardi had to smile as she observed the happy faces of Faengar and Camila as he presented her with the Golden Claw. She decided that Faengar should take all the glory, even as he objected to doing so, but at the end she won.

Moments later Faengar came back to Shardi: "Thank you so much for your help. I cannot describe how happy you made me!"

She simply smiled and friendly squeezed his hand.

"Mead at the Inn?" he asked.

"Sure, but give me a moment, so I get rid of this grime," she laughed. "And I believe you should do the same."

He had to agree as he looked at them both noticing they are covered with it from head to toe.

Shardi entered the Sleeping Giant Inn and was glad to see Raolf and Hadvar still there, and even Ulfric. She ordered mead and slipped down to sit on the bench just by Jarl as it was the only spot free. Ulfric didn't even notice her, drinking his umpteenth mead. Raolf and Hadvar cheerfully greeted her.

"You made back in one piece and not looking any worse to wear as it seems!" Raolf happily commented.

"I did," she laughed.

"And he..." Hadvar pointed at completely oblivious and drunk Jarl : "...thought you wont."

She looked at the Jarl curiously: "What happened to him?" she whispered to them as she took in the very dis-shelved appearance of what supposed to be future High King.

"Some Redguard happened to me!" Ulfric blurred out and took another long sip without even looking at her. He was unable to realize that he is speaking to Shardi.

"Oh?" she breathed in shock not knowing what to think.

"Aye! Desert-wench that is not... not really desert-wench! She is Nordic beast of a woman pretending to be a desert-wench!" Ulfric kept on slurping, speaking nonsense.

Raolf and Hadvar just laughed at Ulfric and at shocked stare Shardi was giving him.

"She dared to challenge me, ME! And then she goes to some from Talos forgotten barrow and gets herself killed! Such stupid woman!" Ulfric continued in his drunken anger.

"For your information," Shardi said though her teeth: "..that desert-wench that is a Nordic beast of a woman who pretends to be a desert-wench that went to that from Talos forsaken barrow and is stupid, returned! Not to mention she is sitting right here!"

At that Ulfric finally realized that she has returned. He looked at her with shock. Shock was soon exchanged with utter happiness: "You are alive!" he shouted and hugged her so tightly that he almost broke her bones.

Shardi was hit with his drunken breath at that made her even angrier. She pushed the Jarl away from her and give him a proper slap.

Raolf and Hadvar shrink as they saw that and didn't dared to say anything, just waiting for a mayhem to begin.

Ulfric stared at her surprised, one hand on his burning cheek, for second time.

Shardi looked at him coldly and came closer so that none other could hear: "Is this how a Jarl should behave? And while people are dying in his name? "

Her cold words coursed him to be sober in an instant. The surprised expression on his face as she slapped him was exchanged for one of the embarrassment. "I...I..." he tried to say something, anything.

"No, I don't wish to hear it," she said coldly and dismissed him.

Shardi drank down the mead she had and stood up: "I have just realized I am tired. If you see Faengar, he is a Bosmer, let him know I am sorry and will share a mead with him sometimes later. Goodnight." she said to Raolf and Hadvar and simply left.

"That... that... woman..." Ulfric muttered...

"Aye..." Raolf and Hadvar solemnly nodded.

Next day Riverwood was celebrating. Camila and Faengar left for Riften to be married in Temple of Mara. Sven the Bard was cursing the day that Shardi came to Riverwood and consider calling upon Dark Brotherhood... if he would only dared... and that he did not.