Elle frowned and opened her mouth to protest, but sighed instead and dropped her arms to her side. [color=00B2EE]"You're right,"[/color] she admitted begrudgingly, [color=00B2EE]"Let's get this over with."[/color] She pushed open the doors to Dragonsreach and walked across the wooden planks and up the stairs, skirting around the giant fire in the center of the room. [color=CBCAB6]"Good, you're finally here!"[/color] the steward, Proventus said to her, once again ignoring Nilovas, [color=CBCAB6]"The Jarl has been waiting for you." [/color]Elle nodded at him, her anxiety starting to increase as she approached Jarl Balgruuf, who was saying to a red haired warrior in hide armor, [color=CDAD00]"You heard the summons. Who else could it be? The Greybeards..."[/color] 

Upon seeing Elle, the warrior raised an eyebrow. [color=FFA500]"We were just talking about you,"[/color] he stated, his accent thick, [color=FFA500]"My brother needs a word with you."[/color]

[color=CDAD00]"So, what happened at the watch tower? Was the dragon there?"[/color] he demanded, directing his query toward the small Breton.

[color=00B2EE]"Um, well," [/color]she said, wringing her hands, [color=00B2EE]"The watchtower was destroyed, but we killed the dragon," [/color]she stated, deciding to leave out the fiasco that happened after the beast's death.

[color=CDAD00]"I knew I could count on Irileth," [/color]he beamed, relief in his voice,[color=CDAD00] "But, there must be more to it than that."[/color]

She looked over at Nil with a frown before admitting, [color=00B2EE]"When the dragon died, I think- I think I absorbed some kind of power from it."[/color]

[color=CDAD00]"So it's true! The Graybeards were really summoning you,"[/color] he stated, a new look of interest in his eyes.

[color=00B2EE]"The... Greybeards?" [/color]Elle tilted her head and furrowed her brow in confusion. As far as she knew, she hadn't received any summons from anyone. But then she remembered the shout that woke her up. She thought it had been in her head, but apparently everyone else had heard it too. 

[color=CDAD00]"Masters of the Way of the Voice,"[/color] the jarl explained, [color=CDAD00]"They live in seclusion high on the slopes of the throat of the world."[/color]

She assumed that this "Way of the Voice" was dragonspeak, so it made sense that they might somehow be involved in all this, but what she meant to them, she had absolutely no idea. [color=00B2EE]"Whatever could the Greybeards want with me?" [/color]she asked, having a hard time believing any of this at the moment.

[color=CDAD00]"The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the voice - capable of using the souls of the dragons they slay to learn their language and harness their power without prior study,"[/color] he replied, [color=CDAD00]"If you really are Dragonborn, then they will want to speak to you."[/color]

[color=FFA500]"Didn't you hear that thundering on your way back to Whiterun? That was the Graybeards summoning you to High Hrothgar!" [/color]the jarl's brother exclaimed,[color=FFA500]"This hasn't happened in... centuries. Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned from-"[/color]

[color=CBCAB6]"Hrongar, calm yourself!"[/color] Avenicci interjected, [color=CBCAB6]"What does any of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friend here? Capable as she may be, I don't see any sign of her being this 'Dragonborn'."[/color] Honestly, Elle was more inclined to agree with the grumpy steward on this one, but everything that the other two were saying made sense and fit with everything that had happened the past three days. 

[color=FFA500]"Nord nonsense?" [/color]Hrongar repeated indignantly, [color=FFA500]"Why you puffed up- These are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the First Empire!" [/color]he argued.

[color=CDAD00]"Hrongar,"[/color] the jarl warned, [color=CDAD00]"Don't be so hard on Avenicci." [/color] 

[color=CBCAB6]"I meant no disrespect, of course," [/color]the steward defended, [color=CBCAB6]"It's just that..." [/color]he looked her up and down as if presented with a child wielding a wooden sword, [color=CBCAB6]"What do these Greybeards want with [i]her[/i]?" [/color] She had to admit, she was wondering the exact same thing, but she didn't like the tone he used or the way he was looking at her. She may not seem like much, but he also seemed to have forgotten that she had just slain a dragon, and that irritated her.

[color=CDAD00]"That's the Graybeards business, not ours,"[/color] Jarl Balgruuf gave him a look before finally directing his attention back to Elle, [color=CDAD00]"Whatever happened when you killed that dragon, it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard it,"[/color] he stated, [color=CDAD00]"If they think you're Dragonborn, who are we to argue?" [/color]

Elle stood quietly and listened in silent disbelief, casting glances over at Nil occasionally as the jarl continued, [color=CDAD00]"You had better get up to High Hrothgar immediately, no one refuses the summons of the Graybeards. It's a tremendous honor. I envy you, you know. To climb the 7,000 steps again... I made the pilgrimage once, did you know that? High Hrothgar is a very peaceful place. Very... disconnected from the troubles of the world. I wonder that the Greybeards even know what's going on down here. They haven't seemed to care before."[/color] Here he paused, and shaking his head concluded, [color=CDAD00]"No matter. Go to High Hrothgar. Learn what the Graybeards can teach you. You've done a great service for me and my city, Dragonborn. I name you Thane of Whiterun, the highest honor that is in my power to bestow. I assign you Lydia as a housecarl, and this weapon from my armory as a badge of honor. I'll also notify my guards of your new title. Wouldn't want them thinking you are part of the common rabble,"[/color] he chuckled, [color=CDAD00]"We are honored to have you as Thane of our city, Dragonborn,"[/color] he nodded his head at her respectfully, then turned to Avenicci, [color=CDAD00]"Now, back to business. We still have a city to defend."[/color]

Prevents bowed his head and replied, [color=CBCAB6]"Yes my lord." [/color]

For a moment, all Elle could do was stand there and stare blankly as she listened and was handed the gift. She resisted the urge to flinch every time he referred to her as 'Dragonborn', still not entirely sure what that title meant, or if it was something she even wanted or was ready to uphold. But, now quite overwhelmed and realizing that they had been dismissed, she turned and started shuffling back the way she had come.