How could a day have gone so bad? In just twelve hours I had gone from a highborn Breton lady to a prisoner in rags posing as a boy. I couldn't speak as the Imperial Guard Captain glared at me, she didn't care if I had commited a crime or not, I was guilty by association. Just being in the wrong place at the wrong time had earned me a spot on the chopping block, all I had wanted was to escape...

I'd effectively gone from one type of prisoner to another, at least this time I wouldn't have the chance to lament my woeful fate. I was pushed down, my arms twisted behind me, the metallic tang of blood hit my nostrils and I looked, terrified, into the cold souless eyes of the stormcloak decaptitated just moments before. I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut, but I knew if I didn't take in everything now I'd regret my last moments. Murmers rose up as there was a strange sound in the distance, the Guard Captain dismissed it even as the people around me milled with tension.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, any second now I'd feel the cold steel of the executioners axe slice through my neck, I was sure the agony of the wait was worse than the actual deed. But I never got the chance to contemplate it further as an earth shattering sound knocked me from the block. My ears rang and I saw stars, I felt arms pulling me but I was too afraid to resist. Moments ago I was accepting my fate, now it seemed I had been given another chance.

I was pushed through a door, heard it slam behind me as my vision and hearing cleared. The muffled voices were starting to make sense and I realised I was with the group of Stormcloaks that I had been captured with. The man they had referred to as Ulfric looked grim, his gag had been removed and he was speaking normally, softly and almost reverently. I wondered briefly as to why he had been gagged in the first place, but it was soon thrust from my mind as the one called Ralof beckoned me up the stairs.

"Come boy, we've been granted a second chance by the Gods, lets not waste it being eaten by a dragon." I just nodded and followed him, keeping close as we ran up the stairs. Panic set in as he forced me to jump from the building onto a burning house below, my hands were still tied and as I braced for the impact I felt something crack in my chest. It knocked the breath out of me but the adrenaline kept me going, I had no time to feel pain or fear, the next few minutes feeling like hours as we snuck our way underground and out of Helgen.

We stood, catching our breaths as the monster roared above us, flying off to the north. I bit my lip as the pain started to catch up with me. I was exhausted but Ralof urged me on, it was only a few miles to his home village of Riverwood, there we could rest and catch ourselves before deciding what to do next. My breathing was laboured and my vision blurry, but I forced myself to go on. "Boy, don't fall over on me now, we're nearly there."

His voice was kind, all I could do was smile as he coaxed me forward. "What's your name?" I bit my lip, obviously I couldn't give him my real one, but I couldn't fully lie either so I settled with something half way between. "Ro..."

"Ro? Interesting name that, you're awfully young to be travelling by yourself, I'm sorry you were caught up in the ambush." He seemed genuinely remorseful. "I wasn't alone, I am now." I had no idea what had happened to Herric, he had been with me when the skirmish started, but I had not seen him in any of the wagons that took us to Helgen, and I had been unconscious for a lot of it. "I don't know why you were crossing the border, and it's not my place to pry...but if you are interested, the Stormcloaks are always looking to recruit. Can you fight?"

I nodded, I was Breton, magic was in my blood, but I much preferred using my bow. I wasn't as adept with magic as I probably should be and I lamented it when I had been captured, a simple fireball spell was not enough to keep me from harm apparently. "Well then, maybe once you're rested, you could head to Windhelm and meet Jarl Ulfric. He will know your worth, I already know you'd do well."

I knew he was being kind, trying to keep me alert. If I had been any good I wouldn't have been captured in the first place, then again...what did that say about him? "Here we are, my sister Gerdur will put us up for the night, it's just a little further." But I couldn't do it, I was gasping painfully, probably pale as the snow that peeked over the mountaintops to the north. I leaned against the cool wall, I felt so hot, sweating, my breathing laboured.

I could see the concern on his face as he looked at me. "I'm sorry..." My whole body was numb, I slumped and I felt strong arms hold me up, words were in my ears but they were ringing again. I tried to pull myself out of it, struggled against the unconsciousness that gripped me, terrified that they would find out my secret.

It was my last conscious thought before slipping into the darkness of oblivion.