AN: I've completed an edited version of this story on AO3. Please jump to the last chapter (6) for the link! Thanks :)
The strange sound echoes through the sky once more. "There it is again. Did you hear that?"
"I said, next prisoner!" The Imperial officer yells, disregarding the noise completely, pointing towards the only female in the group. She swallows the lump in her throat, coming to realize there really is no way out of her untimely demise. Sure, she was crossing the Cyrodiil-Skyrim border with a few stolen goods, but to be caught up in an Imperial ambush aimed for capturing Stormcloak rebels? She thought she would be able to get out of it, but the Empire was not having her story, promptly knocking her out and taking her prisoner. In Cyrodiil, she had barely listened to stories about this silly little rebellion. She heard some talk of the 'Great Bear of the North' and his big plan to dismantle the Empire and the Thalmor Dominion, but she could not be so gullible as to believe one man could make such a big change in the province. Yet, here she was, about to be executed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time with said 'Great Bear' and his followers.
"To the block, prisoner. Nice and easy."
Stepping forward, she faces the block and begins to kneel down accordingly, but is shoved down by a boot on the middle of her back. Grunting, her head collides with the stone block, her eyes becoming fixated on the masked executioner. The stone smells of fresh blood from the prisoner beheaded before her, and she tries her hardest not to inhale the scent. Just as the headsman begins to lift his axe, something glides across the sky, emitting a loud screech.
"What in Oblivion is that?!" The horrified yell comes from behind her.
"Sentries, what do you see?" The Imperial officer calls, but the question is answered itself as the beast lands directly onto a tower behind them, sending a thud throughout the ground, knocking down the executioner. The screams of 'dragon!' fills her ears right before the creature creates a booming noise in the sky, causing a thick grey cloud to form, balls of fire hurling to the ground as Imperials attempt to shoot arrows into the monster. Nearly knocked unconscious by another powerful boom from the dragon, she faces the ground and tries to collect her bearings in order to run to safety.
"Hey, prisoner, get up! Come on! The Gods won't give us another chance!" The blonde Stormcloak, Ralof, urges her. "This way!"
She looks up, scrambling to her feet to follow him into a tower. Shutting the door behind him, she saunters into the middle of the tower, her wrists still in binds, and faces Ralof, who is standing before the leader of the Rebellion himself.
"Jarl Ulfric," he addresses the leader, his voice shaken and panicky, "what is that thing? Could the legends be true?"
The man straightens himself up, looking directly at Ralof, and then at her. "Legends don't burn down villages."
At this point, if they all survived this, she knew she was going to find the rebel leader in Windhelm. His voice was mellifluous yet powerful; something she could listen to for the rest of her life. He spoke no more than five words, and she found herself swooning over this man. Her quick infatuation was broken by ferocious screeches from the dragon, and she broke the eye contact with the rebel. Returning her gaze to Ralof, he issues for her to follow, and he climbs the steps of the tower. Obediently, she follows, wanting to survive no matter what. She had barely spoken to the Stormcloak on the way to Helgen, but she felt herself trusting him, believing he could help her escape alive. As they are climbing the steps, the wall on the second landing caves in, and the dragon forces a spout of fire into the tower, nearly knocking her down the stairs. Ralof grasps her arm tightly and holds her steadily until the dragon flies off. He instructs her to jump through the hole onto the inn, and informs her that they will soon follow and meet her on the other side. Doing just so, she lands on the hard wood floor and grunts in pain, struggling to get to her feet. Hands still bound, she manages to slide through a hole in the wood onto the main level, running out into the open again. Encountering the Imperial soldier that sent her to be executed even though she was not on the list was one of things she wanted to avoid, but, to her dismay, she came face to face with him.
"Still alive, prisoner? Stick with me if you want to stay that way." The soldier, who she heard being called Hadvar, snaps, ushering her towards the wall as the dragon lands only a few feet away from her. Just as it flies off, Hadvar commands her to trail behind, and she does just that, wanting to leave alive. Following him through a maze of broken debris, she encounters Ralof again. He calls to her, gesturing towards the Keep. Without a second thought, she realizes she shouldn't be escaping with the man who sent her to be killed for no reason. Suddenly, she swerves to the right and follows the rebel Ralof into Helgen Keep.