The day was cold when the news came of their deaths. Of course, everyday was cold in Windhelm, so the great chill that Lily had felt when she was taken by the city guards to the Palace of the Kings was not one that was merely brought on by a shift in the weather. Though they had not been the best, or let's be honest, even mediocre, relatives, the fact that her Aunt and Uncle had been killed still left Lily with a sense of loneliness. If she mourned anything about their passing it was that she was, once again, left abandoned.

The Great War had not been kind to the Frost-eye clan; she had seen her mother, father and two brothers buried after giving their lives for the freedom of the Empire. After they had died, she had been whisked to Windhelm to the supposed comfort of Frost-eye Mansion, which was currently being inhabited by her Aunt and Uncle. When she had arrived, much to her despair, she found the house in shambles, her family's reputation mostly ruined, and six and a half years to spend with two human beings that she barely knew.

Lily's Aunt and Uncle kept up just enough of an appearance of grandeur to remain welcome guests to the Jarl's court. And because of her Uncles frequent journeys to The Palace of the Kings, Lily was no stranger to it. When she turned fifteen, he had taken it upon himself to personally introduce Lily to Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, as if the man hadn't seen the child running around the palace with the rest of the children from noble families. At the time, Lily had no idea what had possessed her otherwise disinterested Uncle to bring her before royalty, but as she got older, she realized that he had been trying to marry her off to bring the family's good name back, and for this she really couldn't blame him. His efforts, however crude, were efforts nonetheless.

And now she would stand in front of him again, but this time without her uncle. She would stand in front of him alone, and he would relate the news of her family's final disintegration.

Ω

"I'm sorry to have to inform you of such terrible events, but I thought it would be better hearing it from a familiar mouth." Ulfric said looking down at Lily with concern. Ever since Godard Frost-eye had first brought her before him he had carried a torch for her in a sense. His feelings were more of a protector rather than a lover, but he had to admit to himself had she not been so young he would have had no trouble taking the beauty as a wife.

"When the issue is less than pleasant, I find it matters little who the courier of the message is." Lily said stonily. They were in an antechamber off the throne room, which she found more comforting than he knew. The throne room made her interactions with Ulfric scripted and formal. When they were in that throne room, she couldn't say what she was truly feeling for fear of being viewed as disrespectful. But in this antechamber, the emotions flowed, whether she wanted them too or not. She did not shift from staring out the window when she asked her first question.

"Who killed them?"

Ulfric made a motion to put a hand on her shoulder and she gave a start. He took his hand back.

"At this point we don't know," He said sighing, "We don't think it was the Dark Brotherhood, but we can't be sure."

"Do you think it was The Butcher?" she said turning to him.

"No, the, um, manner of death didn't fit with his style," Ulfric said "It looked as though the killer was told to murder them quietly. They were found in their bed, throats cut. It was a miracle he chose a night that you were at Candle Hearth Hall, or we would not be having this conversation." Though the subject matter was grisly, he found himself smiling at the end of the sentence. It wasn't a smile of mirth, but a smile of relief.

"Had I been there they probably wouldn't be dead." Lily retorted, turning away from him again. Ulfric reached out a second time and turned her around by the shoulders.

"And what would you have done to prevent what we can only assume was a trained assassin from completing his contract? Hit him over the head with a pan?" He said, looking into her eyes, "Their deaths weren't your fault. You need not put up such a strong front for me. I know they weren't your favorite people, but they were still family. I haven't seen you shed a single tear for them."

"Are you suggesting that I am unaffected by the deaths of my last remaining relatives because I haven't thrown myself upon you and wept? Would it befit to your idea of grief if I stormed through the palace sobbing uncontrollably?" Lily asked, matching his gaze, "Shall I begin now? Or perhaps wait for a more public display of mourning?" At this last comment she saw a shift in his demeanor. He released her shoulders, stood to his full height, and glared at her. For the first time she saw him as not simply Ulfric, but Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, king of Windhelm, and felt that she had perhaps pushed him too far.

"I wish you would let me help you Lillian," He said turning away from her and seating himself behind the desk. "You are to go to Riften and stay at Honorhall Orphanage until you come of age. After that, you may do whatever you like." He said shortly. Lily looked at him incredulously.

"I am to go to an orphanage for five, no really three because it shall take me two to get to Riften, months and then come back? That's ridiculous! Why can't I just stay in Windhelm?" Lily protested, "Ulfric, you can't be serious about this, this must be some sort of joke."

"It is not joke Lillian; you are going to live in the orphanage until you come of age. It is not open for discussion, your case will not be handled differently because you are a noble, and you will live in Riften for however long you have until you are an adult and can collect your inheritance," He said taking a roll of paper and quill from his desk, "you are leaving in two days, I've taken the liberty of having your things brought here. You won't be staying in Frost-eye Mansion until we…can get that cleaned up."

"So that's it then? I'm just to be shipped off to some village and forgotten about?" Lily's voice was rising, "Not even given the courtesy of choosing my destination? Just told where to go?" She was practically screaming now, "I AM OF NOBLE BLOOD! I AM THE LAST REMAINING HEIR TO THE FROST-EYE CLAN, YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO -"

"I CAN AND WILL DO WHATEVER IT IS I MUST TO KEEP YOU SAFE!" He said, raising his voice to match hers, "DO YOU THINK I'M DOING THIS TO TORMENT YOU?" He sighed, "Can you not understand that I'm doing this to keep you alive?"

"If you wish to keep me alive, keep me here," She said, still fuming.

"No, and that is my final word Lily," Ulfric said, returning to his letter. Lily turned on her heel and ran out of the room.

Ω

Ulfric sat thinking in the same antechamber that he and Lily had fought in two days prior. She had departed, dry eyed and angry, this morning for the safety that distance would afford her. He had made a point to see her off, hoping to mend some of the damage that had caused her to totally disregard him for the past two days. He offered his hand to help her into the carriage, which she accepted, but still met him with the iciest glare he had ever seen come out of such striking blue eyes. He had chuckled, which only deepened her fury, and as soon as she had a footing in the carriage she had pushed his hand away.

"Have a safe trip Lily, I'm sending one of my finest soldiers to escort you." He said smiling at her. He realized that nothing he would say would make her forgive him at present and had resigned himself to the knowledge that some day she would understand.

"Well, the safety of the trip really isn't something I can control, now is it? Now, if you've nothing more to say, I would like to get going." Lily snapped. She was obviously growing impatient with his attempts at liberation. He gave into her request.

"Aye, it is indeed something that is out of your hands." He laughed. "I shall see you soon Lily, Goodbye." And with that, the carriage set off.

And now he sat in the antechamber, second guessing his decision to send her away. He couldn't keep her in Windhelm, he simply couldn't. Not without knowing the identity of the murderer at the very least. Even if he had kept her in the palace, she wouldn't be safe enough. No, hiding her away was the only option. If the murderer had just missed her, if there was still a contract on her head, Windhelm was the most dangerous place for her to be right now.

He hoped that who ever had done this would be stupid enough not to look at the orphanages. I mean, if they had any sort of reliable information, they would know that she was on the cusp of adulthood and never assume that she had been sent to a place that catered to smaller children. At least, that's what Ulfric hoped the assassins thought process would be. In the same breath, he knew that after five months had passed and she returned to Windhelm to collect her inheritance, she would once again be in danger, and at that point, there was little he could do to protect her if she didn't desire protection. He hoped that she would realize her predicament and do what was necessary to keep out of sight until that point.

Ulfric had chosen Riften because of its reputation with The Thieves Guild. If there was any place in all of Tamriel that a person could hide, it would be Riften. And though the thought of hiding her amongst those with such loose morals turned his stomach, the thought of her lying dead because he had not sent her was unbearable.