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• Loredas, 3rd Frostfall Apr 10, 2012

  Loredas, 3rd Frostfall
  Written in the Winking Skeever, 9 in the morning
  
  Well, not exactly what I had planned to be doing on this date a few days ago, but needs must and all that. Damn the Brotherhood anyway, for messing up my sleep pattern. Not that its been anywhere near sane since... well.
  
  When last I wrote, I was bedding down in the Icerunner, so I shall cover the time between then and now (or up until last evening) briefly: I woke early in the morning, stinking of fish and seawater, and spent the morning working my way out of the Hjaalmarch. I gave some consideration to poking around and seeing if I could discover any of the various old Nordic ruins that I know are around there Ustengrav, for one, is still weighing on my mind as important but I decided such a diversion was not worth it. I wished to get up to Solitude.
  
  I found the road by the expedient means of stumbling into Morthal. Grubby little town, cant say as it holds much attraction for me. From there I followed the road west and north, through Dragon Bridge and up into Solitude. The bridge for which Dragon Bridge is named gives me the shivers, I must admit. Seeing a great stone dragonhead looming above me like that... just puts me in mind of all the dragon heads Ive seen from similar angle, maw agape and fire or frost blazing forth. I miss the days when I could walk under the open sky without twitching at every shadow that soars above.
  
  Anyway, once I reached Solitude I sold off some of stuff, reported in to General Tullius (and it is quite nice to actually be somewhere they know Im a Tribune of the Imperial Army and not just some scavenging wanderer) caught some shuteye (at least, Im fair certain I did... the days and nights have all run together), and in the morning I caught the fast cart to the College. I really do need to think about investing in a house, my quarters at the College are only temporary and quite vulnerable. To meddling mages poking their noses in and to dragons. Given that it seems to be some kind of hotspot (coldspot?) for dragons, I wasnt too surprised to exit into the courtyard to find Aren locked in combat with a dragon.
  
  It worries me, how easy it is becoming to pick off these common dragons... Ive heard tales of stronger ones, much stronger, and I can still picture that great black dragon staring down at me from the top of the tower in Helgen when I close my eyes... All of the lore Ive dredged up where I could makes me think there is really only one dragon it could have been... but I dare not write it. Makes it seem too real. Far too real.
  
  My pack much lightened, I left the College, not greatly looking forward to the trip back. Luckily, Id paid the courier cart well and the dragon hadnt frightened her off, so I hopped aboard and made the rapid trip back. I swear, the horses and drivers of these fast carts must be undead to be able to go as they do. That, or theyre popping skooma like candy.
  
  It was some disgusting hour of the morning when I arrived back in Solitude, thankfully whole. No one troubles the fast carts as they clatter down the main roads. I returned to Solitude rather than going south to Windhelm and back to Mzulft because there was a letter from Falk Firebeard weighing heavy in my pocket. Id received it before Riften and the re-taking of the Rift, and it seemed to me to probably be of great importance. That, and Ive no burning desire to go back to Mzulft. Though I shall have to soon, to find my poor Nejj...
  
  But I must break for food and, more importantly, some more wine. Divines all bless Corpulus and the Skeever's wine cellars. This is as good a place to stop as any - this all brings me up to what was only yesterday but feels a lifetime ago...