Hammerleaf looked over his shoulder at the setting sun and made the stupid grunt sound he always made when he was annoyed. “Why are we here again?”

 

Swordsinger sighed as she kicked her horse into a faster trot as the road leveled out. “Why do you keep asking that? You know the answer.”

 

“Yes, but it still doesn’t make sense. The siege of Falkreath begins tomorrow and we’re three hundred miles away.”                     

 

“Falkreath was built in a valley and most of the Imperial forces are reinforcing the lines along the northern front. Galmar doesn’t need our help for this one.”

 

“Yes, but…”

 

“Doesn’t the fact that a dragon came back to life trouble you? Don’t you think that’s important to follow up on?”

 

“Yes, but it is also something someone else could be doing. Someone who, say, isn’t the best warrior in the Stormcloaks, because that warrior would be really helpful in something like, say, a siege.”

 

“You think pretty highly of yourself, don’t you? They will be fine, but you could have stayed behind if you wanted.”

 

Hammerleaf rolled his eyes. “I meant you, and you know it.”

 

“They will be fine. It’s not even going to be a real siege. That city is designed as if they wanted it to be defeated without difficultly. They should have named it Ambush. If the so-called siege lasts more than a day, I’ll be very surprised.”

 

“Well, Galmar isn’t one to play the long game, it is true. More’s the pity – if he waited, maybe we could make it back in time.”

 

Swordsinger frowned at him. “You seem really keen on this battle. What’s going on? Someone there owe you money? Maybe some ex-lovers who have it out for you?”

 

To her surprise, he reddened.

 

“Pish, is that it?” A laugh burbled up at his glare. “Well, you should be glad you’re not there, then. They…”

 

“My mother lives there.”

 

Cold silence, then, as Swordsinger fished for a response. “Ah. I…um…”

 

It was Hammerleaf's turn to burst out laughing. “So there is a way to break through your calm! Poke owes me five gold.”

 

“WHAT?!”

 

“My mother lives in Windhelm, of course. You should come meet her next time we’re there. She would love…”

 

She had too many things to say; they fought for the right to go first. “SHE…THAT…YOU…”

 

“I know! I’m sorry!” His laughter sapped his apology of meaning. “You can kill me if you want. It’s worth it! Ah, the look on your face. Not that one, I’ve seen that one before.”

 

Having been effectively cut off on all offensive fronts, Swordsinger could do nothing but glower and mutter, “You’re a bastard.”

 

“No, my parents were married when I was born. My older brother, now, that’s a different story!”

 

“Nope. You’re a right bastard, no question about it.”

 

They topped a low hill and a wave of surprise washed away the last of her irritation as she saw what lay beyond. “Well, this place has grown.”

 

Where once had been a small house (and a dead dragon), now resided what amounted to a very small town. Buildings lined the road, with more construction stretching back into the salt flats.

 

Hammerleaf scratched his head. “This seems an odd place for a town, doesn’t it? No fresh water, the game isn’t abundant.”

 

“I agree, but that Khajiit had said he wanted to stay here. I guess others agreed! Let’s see if we can find him.”

 

This turned out to be easy to do; the Khajiit and the Breton woman who had helped fight the dragon stepped into the road as Swordsinger and Hammerleaf approached.

 

“Hail and well met,” the Khajiit said as they stopped. “Welcome to Steamcrag.”

 

“Thank you.” Swordsinger motioned to Hammerleaf and both slid from their horses. “You are…Kraft, right?”

 

The Khajiit smiled. “This one is, indeed, Kra’aft. And this is my lovely wife Holo.”

 

Holo added a smile of her own. “Would you like some refreshments?”

 

Swordsinger nodded. “That would be lovely, thank you.” She motioned at herself and then Hammerleaf. “I’m Swo…I mean, Trendil. This is Koren.” It was always a stumble to remember to use their actual names with civvies. “We were here before. About…what…” She glanced at Hammerleaf.

 

“Ah, a year and a half ago, now, I’d say?”

 

Swordsinger nodded. “That sounds about right. You would probably remember it – we killed a dragon right next to your house.”

 

Both Khajiit and Breton laughed.

 

“If it is a day a dragon was killed here, you would need to be more specific.” Kra’aft motioned toward the buildings to his right and began to walk that way, followed by Holo. “That has happened a lot over that time.”

 

“Ah.” Swordsinger took off her helmet and ran her fingers through her hair and she and Hammerleaf fell into step behind their hosts. “There have been that many dragons?”

 

“This one did not say that! There have been only two.” They passed by the house that had been the only building previously, revealing a larger round building behind it. “You can leave your horses here – they will not want to go where we are going.”

 

A sinking feeling entered Swordsinger’s gut as she tied her horse’s reins to the porch railing and then resumed followed the couple. She had hoped she had been wrong, that it couldn’t be, but…

 

“Let me guess – you killed those two and then they came back to life after five days. Right?”

 

Holo and Kra’aft shared a surprised look then laughed again. Holo glanced behind at them. “So you know! It was quite the shock the first time it happened. And the second and third times, for that matter. But when we realized it would keep happening…well, let’s just say, a Khajiit knows a business opportunity when it presents itself.”

 

Swordsinger traded a quizzical glance with Hammerleaf. He shrugged and replied, “Business opportunity?”

 

“Indeed.” Kra’aft stopped at the door to the large round building and paused with his hand on the latch. “Dragon hide and bones and teeth. This was too big an opportunity for this one to pass up.”

 

“What…”

 

“See for yourself.” The Khajiit pulled the latch and opened the door, then waved them in.

 

The building held one single massive room. Well, sort of a room – beyond the few feet of necessary support from the encircling wall, it was open to the sky. It was more like a courtyard surrounded by a thick and sturdy wall than a building.

 

Heavy chains stretched from a ring of tree-sized support pillars to the dragons that lay dead in the middle of the courtyard. Dozens of people buzzed around the bodies with a large assortment of tools. The dragon nearest them was almost entirely stripped of skin and the workers sawed at the muscle and tissue, presumably to get at the bones beneath. The second dragon looked fresher – most of its dull-green scaled skin was still intact.

 

 It took Swordsinger several heartbeats to realize she had stopped and her mouth had fallen open.

 

“What…wait, are you…”

 

“Yes.” Holo set a hand on her hip and tilted her head as she studied the scene. “It took some doing to capture them, but now it’s just a matter of getting as much raw material from them as possible before they come back to life. Once they do, we kill them again and start all over with a fresh batch of resources.”

 

Kra’aft laughed. “This one knows not what sorcery keeps them coming back to life but this one is very grateful for it.”

 

Hammerleaf joined in the laughter. “I guess that answers the question we came here to ask!”

 

“I’d say so.” Swordsinger shook her head. “Perhaps we can use this idea the next time we face a dragon.”

 

“It is not so easy, my friend.” Kra’aft motioned around the room. “It takes eight of the heaviest chains available to hold down just one dragon, and those chains must be connected to supports that will not break. We did not build this around the dragons, we had to lure the dragons into it. This one does not think something like this would be feasible for a dragon you might come across on a random patrol.”

 

“True.” Swordsinger tapped her helmet against her thigh as she thought. “Even one of those chains of sufficient length would hamper our ability to move quickly.”

 

Hammerleaf nodded. “Agreed, this wouldn’t work for moving companies. But, at the very least, we could mention it as something to try when a city or fort is attacked.”

 

“Aye.” Swordsinger gave the dead dragons another long look, then turned toward the Khajiit. “You found yourself quite the niche market here, Kra’aft. The Stormcloaks would be interested in some of this hide for armor.”

 

Kra’aft and Holo exchanged glances before Holo replied, “We have already been in contact with the Stormcloaks. We thought that’s why you were here, in fact.” She laughed. “That’s what we get for assuming thing!”

 

“Indeed. While we are not interested in your war per se, we do live a mere two day ride from Windhelm.” Kra’aft smiled. “It would not do for us to forget our neighbors.”

 

“Well, I’m sure Jarl Ulfric will be more than generous. This is…an unexpected bounty.”

 

“The best news always comes unlooked for. Or so the old saying goes.” Kra’aft gestured toward the door. “Now, how about those refreshments?”

*******

Later that night in the bedroom their hosts had provided, as Swordsinger rested her head on Hammerleaf’s chest as he stroked her bare back, she mumbled, “I’m really afraid this dragon thing is going to turn into a bigger problem than anyone wants to acknowledge.”

 

“Oh? Why? Sure, we have run into a few dragons here and there, but it’s not as if they are everywhere.”

 

“Right. But two years ago, there weren’t any at all. So where did these come from and how many more are there? If they keep popping up and none of them will stay dead, they may very well be everywhere pretty soon.”

 

“I suppose that is true.” His strokes began to range further, sweeping down to brush across her buttocks. She shivered and ran her fingernails up his side. “What do you want to do about it?”

 

She frowned, then bit his nipple as her hand slid farther down his body. She enjoyed the little yelp it elicited. “I suppose there isn’t much we can do until this war is over. We don’t have the manpower to hunt dragons and Imperials.”

 

“Well, then.” He shifted suddenly, rolling to his left, which dumped her off his chest and into the warm sheets. He loomed over her as his hand traced the swell of her breasts, circled her nipples, then trailed down her belly. “I suppose we’ll just have to finish the war quickly.”

 

“I suppose you’re right.” She reached for him, pulled his heat toward her as his fingers dipped into her and fire spread through her body. In moments, all thoughts of dragons and war were swept from her mind.