A/N: I got tired and bored one night, and then this little gem came to me. Sorry if the dialogue from the game doesn't completely match up , I'm trying to make it a little different (and I can't remember all of it). I think I'll just do organization quests (Companions and so on), Daedric, the DLC, and the main quest. If there's one you'd like to see though, feel free to tell me. Also, there probably won't be any marriages or things like that, I think the Dovahkiin should stay single. Anyways, enough of my rambling. I hope you enjoy. :3
Chapter 1- The Beginning of an Era
"I'm going to die," I thought over the cart's rattling as it trundled down the cobble road. I may have seemed too calm about the situation, but in truth I was afraid. I didn't show it, unlike the thief who shared the cart with me. He was pleading with the guards, begging them to let him go. I scoffed under my breath, disliking the man already. I looked around in my limited field of vision, attempting to drown out the pitiful bleating of the coward. There was a blonde Nord facing us, his face just as relaxed and blank as mine, despite the situation we were in.
I watched the trees go by slowly, snow on their branches despite the season. My gaze snapped downward when I heard the name Ulfric Stormcloak. I looked at the man across from me, and back to the thief. In my native country of Cyrodiil, Ulfric was hated and despised for opposing the Imperial army and the Aldmeri Dominion. I had always felt indifferent to the struggles of Skyrim to the North, but couldn't help feeling pity for the oppressed Nords living there. That is, until they arrested me for supposed treason. I heard the guards driving the horses tell the thief to shut up, and for a few moments we rode in blissful silence.
We reached a town , and as we passed by a house I heard a young child asking his mother about us. She hushed him and brought him inside, while I simply gazed ahead at what was to soon be our execution grounds. There was a tall watchtower on the left of us as we turned into the courtyard. Another identical tower sat to our right. The cart came to a halt suddenly, and I felt the thief's shoulder jostle against mine. Ulfric had remained silent throughout the whole time, and I felt a small measure of respect for him. More than for the lickspittle who sat beside me. He had resumed his blubbering, and as we were instructed to stand and get out of the cart he started yelling about how it was a mistake, that he didn't want to die. I rolled my eyes in disgust, Ulfric standing impassively next to me. The soldiers were Imperial, though that gave me small comfort. I knew how ruthless they were, and that they wouldn't spare even one of their own.
"This is Helgen, the place where you will die." The commanding officer gave me a cold look, and spoke to the pair of guards standing behind us.
"She's not on the list. Who is she?" They stammered to answer, but she cut them off. "You," she pointed to me, "come forward. What is your name?" I took a few steps towards her and gathered my courage, the chains on my wrists and legs clanging as I moved. I could not appear weak, not in front of Ulfric or the guards.
"Gwen, of Cyrodiil," I answered clearly, my voice hardly shaking. She nodded curtly, motioning for Ulfric to come forward.
"Ulfric Storm-" She was cut off by the thief, who had gone into a fit of hysteria. He screamed something unintelligible and took off running, his chains slowing him only slightly. The commander turned her back to us and raised a hand, two men sinking down to one knee.
"Archers, fire!" Scarcely had the words left her lips when the twang of bowstrings sounded, followed by the man falling face first onto the ground. A soldier dragged him away, and the officer faced us again, her features hard and unyielding under her helmet.
"Anyone else feel like running?" She questioned softly. I kept my eyes facing forward as she called for Ulfric to be brought to the place of execution. He was grabbed by the elbow and led to the wooden stump. I couldn't help but look as they forced him to his knees, roughly shoving the side of his face onto the block. A distant roar interrupted the swing of the axe, a scream of some animal that I had never heard before. Just as the executioner was about to try again the roar sounded once more, though this time much closer. I thought I saw something flying beyond the top of the tower, though I couldn't believe it. One of the soldiers protested, looking to the sky.
"That's no animal I've seen before," he said, fearful.
"Nonsense! It's just a bird! Continue the execution. Any last words Ulfric Stormcloak?" I couldn't see his expression, but I could tell that he was smiling.
"For Skyrim and the freedom of her people," he stated without a trace of fear as the blade of the axe caught the sun on its polished surface. Suddenly a great impact shook the courtyard and the axe fell to the ground, it's owner crushed under a pile of rubble. The debris had come from the top of the tower, where something straight out of a legend sat waiting. A black dragon gripped the battlements, its great tail lashing back and forth.