"Katria? Where have you been all day?"

I looked up from the book I had been reading. It was Gunnar with his usual stony face. It was hard to read his expression but I could tell from my years of working with him that he was worried. I carefully dog-eared my page and stuffed the book in my knapsack. How long had I been gone from the village?

"I've just been here, it's only been about an hour now if I'm not mistaken?" I looked to the sky to see the sun almost setting over the horizon; perhaps I had been gone longer than I thought. "Oh shoot! I've missed work again haven't I." I felt my cheeks burn red and covered my face with my hands.

"Yes and it's the third time this week, what's gotten into you?" His voice was harsh as we began the short trek back to the town.

"Well a new shipment of books came in..." He sighed.

"I suppose that's a better reason than others." His glass eye twinkled. "But some regiments are coming up soon and we need more ore than ever."

"I promise I'll work three times as hard tomorrow." His hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"It might need to be a night shift." He said and pointed towards the open gates with soldiers piling in.

"Gods, this many?" I straighten the bag on my shoulder. "An execution I bet. The wars' really taken its toll since the murder of the high king."

Thankfully, Helgen had a large keep that could support this amount of infantrymen. There was really no other area where this many soldiers could reside without camping besides the Castle Dour in Solitude. I assume that these prisoners were captured closer to here than there. I wondered if there were any soldiers I had seen before. Occasionally young men from Riverwood, a close town which I had become acquainted with through travel ventures, would come through and recognize me.

I always loved my trips to Riverwood. Mostly because working in the mine was dreadful and I always felt quite inspired by the beautiful forests. Sure, the occasional wolf was rather tiresome but I could handle myself. You would be surprised by how well a pickaxe can work as a weapon. And I would continue to use it as the means to defend myself until I could afford a sword myself (even simple short swords are expensive if your wages are the bed you sleep in and the crusty day-old bread from the inn). But I can't complain, Gunnar was generous to take me in. I was left on the poor miner's porch as a mere baby with barely any covering. I was left unnamed until I was 6 and opened my first book, The Aetherium Wars. I couldn't read but Gunnar saw my infactuation with the book and named me after the dedication. My surname is just a pleasantry. At times I almost loathed it because it was a constant reminder that my parents didn't want me. But I've always loved my first name. I was taught to read because of it and have loved books ever since.

The soldiers bid Gunnar and I a cheerful hello which made me smile. I brushed some remaining grass off of my skirts and looked for familiar faces in the crowd. Most just held the same gruff expression of a generic nord or imperial male and I was slightly disheartened that I hadn't seen anyone that I knew yet. The last few groups were rolling in and I thought is was nearly hopeless to expect I knew any of them and then there he was. Hadvar. The same Hadvar I had met in Riverwood and often spent my time with as his uncle was a frequent customer of Gunnar's. He saw me in the crowd and waved, he kind smile grazing his face.

"Katria!" He hopped off the carriage he was commuting in and jogged to meet me in the road. "I was hoping I would see you here!"

"And here I am," I smiled back at him. "Although I doubt you will be seeing much of me. I've been a little lax with my work in the mines."

"Very true, young lady. In fact, you best be working now." Gunnar eyed Hadvar and motioned towards the mines.

"Promise you'll meet me in the inn when you've finished? I feel like I haven't talked to you in ages." I pretended to ponder as to if I would meet him or not.

"Hmmm, let me think..." I tapped my chin and Hadvar laughed, playfully nudging my arm.

"Please?"

"Of course." His grin grew wider.

"I look forward to it." We said our goodbyes and Gunnar let out a gruff snort at his leave.

"You've got the poor soldier-boy smitten. Good thing you aren't planning on leaving this mine anytime soon." His eyes narrowed in a fatherly way.

"We're just friends and that's probably all we'll ever be, you don't have to worry about me leaving."

"I suppose I can count on the war to keep you two away. Now get to work."

The work in the mines was as grueling as ever. Ore after ore was depleted. As I wheeled in my last cart of iron, Gunnar gave a nod of approval and I went to clean myself off in our home. It crossed my mind to dress in one of my nicer dresses for my outing with Hadvar but I soon realized how ridiculous that sounded. We were just friends and it wasn't like any of my dresses were especially nice. They were all hand-me-downs from Ingrid, the nord woman who worked in the inn. I tugged on a simple blue dress and braided my light hair back before leaving for the tavern.

It was not hard to find Hadvar as it seemed he really had been waiting for me and waved me over to his table as soon as he caught sight of me walking in.

"Finally, I have so much to tell you."

Hadvar was right, he did have a lot to say. I patiently listened to his exploits as a soldier and all of the enemies he had encountered. It was quite cute if I were being honest. Most of the tavern had filtered out but we remained alone with a few of the town's resident drunks and older soldiers.

"So how are 'ol uncle Alvor and aunt Sidgrid doing? I haven't received word from them in awhile. Have they bought any ore lately?"

"They're fine, I visited a few weeks ago, Dorthe's getting so old, you should see her, she's almost as tall as me!" Hadvar laughed.

"It's not that hard to be taller than you, Kat, I hate to break it to you." I playfully glared at him.

"Some day you'll realize being short is an asset." I puffed out my chest and lifted my chin haughtily.

"Whatever you say." He took a slug of his mead. "Read any good books lately?" I smiled at his thoughtfulness. I knew he really didn't care what books I read.

"Actually yes, a cart came in at the start of this week, I'm currently reading Azura and the Box and plan to start Of Fjori and Holgeir and Song of the Alchemists within the week." He held an amused smile and rested his head on his fist, gazing sleepily. "It's actually part of the reason I'm so behind on my mine work."

"As amusing as those books sound, can you spare me of the details? I need to have my wits about me tomorrow and the gods know I can only handle so much... Literature." His nose crinkled and I felt a soft giggle escape my lips.

"Would you like to retire for the night? We've been talking for a long while."

"I suppose its for the best if we part for the night. We have a few... Vital prisoners coming tomorrow." We rose together and moved to exit.

"Like whom?" He looked around as if to look for potential spies.

"Hmm, not here." He put a gentle hand on my back and led me a few yards behind the tavern so we were hidden.

"Whoa, if it's so sensitive you can't tell me in an imperial affiliated citadel should I really know?"

"I'm sure the word will be out within the next few days when he's here for the execution." He spoke low and continued to check our surroundings. "What, should I not trust you?"

"Of course you can trust me but back up a bit, 'He'?" I spoke with the same tone, fearing his next response. "Who exactly do you have?"

"I heard word that General Tullius himself, accompanied by Legate Rikke, are coming for the final execution of Ulfric Stormcloak himself."

"But... That would mean that... Is the war truly ending?" my heart swelled, Hadvar would be rather close again.

"If what I heard was true then yes." His eyes were filled with a hope that I hadn't seen since before the war when I first met him on my first trip alone to Riverwood.

"Oh Hadvar! This is amazing news!" I couldn't stop myself from pulling him into a hug. He grinned and pulled back. "Then you certainly do need your sleep Mr. Legionaire. I won't keep you any longer."

"Will I see you at the execution?" He asked. I was doubtful, I always hated public executions, but perhaps if he were there and I got my chance to see the end of the war...

"I'll think about it."

"I know you aren't a fan of um... Beheadings. Well, I'll try to stop by before I'm called back to base if I don't see you there." His eyes twinkled in an unrecognizable way. "Goodnight, Katria."

"Goodnight Hadvar."