Chapter 1
"Secure those lines!"
"Hold fast! The waves are comin!"
"Quickly, tie up the barrels!"
The voices drifted down the stairs that led into the belly of the ship amidst the wind and the rain clear enough for him to hear what was being said, though he didn't understand it all. It wasn't that he was an idiot, he just was not a sailor by any stretch of the imagination. As he knelt inside his small cabin, praying to Talos to keep him safe and allow him to reach the shores of Windhelm without injury, he continued to tell himself that the Divines would not allow him to perish this way. He was a Nord and a Nord man should fall with a sword in his hand, not at sea.
Helgrim Frost-Blood was a man who enjoyed keeping his two feet on solid ground, but this trip was something of a "coming of age" journey for him. For the past sixteen years he had been living in Hammerfell where his parents had moved them to avoid religious persecution. When he became a man and heard what was going on in Skyrim, he vowed that he would return and join the fight. He would fight for the rebellion as well as the freedom to worship any of the Divines, not just certain ones allowed by the Empire. A month ago he went to his parents and told them of his wishes. They weren't happy with what he had decided, but supported him. His mother had cried for days before he left, which almost made him stay home, but in the end it was his mother who made him go. She understood that it was something he needed to do and they couldn't stand in his way. Saying farewell to his three little sisters was also very hard for him. The youngest, only five years old, couldn't understand why he was leaving. He held her and kissed her cheek, then pointed at the starry sky.
"Do you see those stars up there, Kenna?"
"Aye Grim. What 'bout'm?"
"Any time that you feel sad that I'm not here all you gotta do is look up there and know that I'm looking at the same sky. Alright?"
"How will I know?"
"You'll know in your heart, Kenna. Talos will keep me safe and bring me back to you. Have faith in that."
Helgrim had given his little sister another hug and kiss, then set her back on the ground. After saying goodbye to his sisters, he turned to Koli and held his hand out to his brother. Koli, who was only 12 years old, hesitated before finally taking Helgrim's hand in a strong grip the two shared. Then Helgrim pulled him close and gave him a hug.
"When Papa is away hunting, you'll need to be the man and keep your sisters and mother safe. Understand? Promise me."
"I promise, Grim. Stay safe, brother. Talos guide you."
Helgrim had taken a long time to say goodbye to his family, but it had taken even longer to say goodbye to Eir. Spending the last few hours before the caravan left Gilane in the arms of his lover, Helgrim nearly asked her to come with him, but he didn't think her father would let her. Actually, he was sure of it. The man was built like the forge he worked and it didn't matter that he was the man's apprentice, if he knew about the dalliance going on between Eir and Helgrim, he would have put Grim into the ground long ago. Eir cried as he kissed her once more, slipped out of her bedroom window and headed to the caravan station to start the journey that would take him back to his homeland. A homeland he knew only what his parents had told him about. At least they warned him to wear, and pack, warmer clothes. He climbed aboard the wagon and watched the village of Gilane disappear as the caravan headed out destined for Sentinel. They had started traveling before dawn, so Helgrim closed his eyes and drifted into a light sleep.
The trip to Sentinel from Gilane only took two days and that was with stopping a several times. Helgrim had been to Sentinel a few times in his life, but this time he had a purpose to be here. After he had a quick meal at the local inn, he headed to the docks to secure passage on a ship crossing the channel to High Rock. He spent three days in Sentinel before he found a ship that was willing to take his money for a spot on board. The trip to Wayrest was a little longer, almost five days because of rough seas and the rocks that lined the shores. Finally, however, he stepped onto High Rock soil and was that much closer to Skyrim. Though it had taken him almost two weeks to get to this point, it was easier than crossing the desert would have been. He had not looked forward to that at all, so he was glad that he'd not needed to go that route. That night Helgrim stayed in an inn to rest up before the caravan trip that would take him up to Northpoint.
He'd been lucky when they docked in Wayrest because a caravan was looking to hire on guards on their way north. Helgrim knew that he would have to earn some money before reaching the next shore so that he could buy passage on another ship that would then take him to Skyrim. He was a pretty hardy guy and was no stranger to work, so when he saw the caravan looking for guards, he offered his service. The journey only took two days from Wayrest to Northpoint, but Helgrim could feel the air getting progressively colder. He was glad for the warm clothes his parents had told him to pack. After reaching Northpoint, he thanked the caravan leader, got his pay and searched for a ship that was headed to Windhelm. The Skinny Horker, the name of the ship, was not a very pretty boat, but it would at least get him where he needed to go, or so said the captain. It would not be that easy, however, as he soon found out.
He sent the last prayer to Talos and stood once again, rocked with the waves and gasped as the water began to enter the cabin. He shook his head to clear it and decided to take action. Quickly, he turned and grabbed a knapsack, stuffing whatever clothes he could into it as well as his coin purse and the little food he had left. He slung that over his shoulder and opened the door. Immediately he was hit with a wave of water that knocked him backwards and down. Coughing to clear his lungs of the water as he stood up, shakily, Helgrim determined that he needed to get out of the cabin. Stepping out in thigh-high water, he saw that the bottom was full of sea water and the door leading to the top deck was flapping in the wind. Unchecked. Not a good sign.
He strained his ears to hear for the voices of the sailors only to be met with silence other than wind, rain, thunder and the flapping door. Just as Helgrim was about to make his way to the stairs leading up the ship rocked violently to the side, tossing the man back into the freezing waters. As he struggled to right himself once more, he became disoriented and fought the rising panic inside his body. He fought it long enough to find the surface and make for it. As he broke through and gasped for air, he opened his eyes and was shocked. As he had been underwater, the entire ship had turned, rolling over so that the bottom was now the top. He tread water, keeping his head above the water in what he realized was only an air pocket, made when the ship capsized.
After checking his knapsack to ensure it was still on his back, he shivered and watched his breath fog in the air before he looked through the hold and gathered what he could. He said prayers to those who did not survive that he saw through his search and found his way through the ship. As he reached the surface once more, he gulped air and looked around. Bodies of the sailors remained floating near the ship and he lifted his eyes to the still-cloudy skies, cursing the Divines for sending a storm that day. Gathering his courage, Helgrim climbed out of the water and onto the hull of the ship which was sticking out of the water. He hugged his arms around him tighter as the frosty air hit the water on his body and caused him to shiver in earnest now. He would have to get back in the water once more so he could make his way to the shore. He had to focus on survival right now. He couldn't think about the fact that he had no idea where he was.
Twenty very long minutes later he climbed back out of the water and onto the icy shore, shaking even worse than before. He was glad that he'd paid a little extra before leaving Hammerfell to get the waterproof knapsack. He walked away from the shore as he spotted a few trees and figured he should make a fire to get himself warm. The wind whipped around, slapping the frozen hair strands against his face, but he managed to shuffle to the trees and find some dead twigs on the snow covered ground. He jerkily picked up the wood and piled it together. He took off his knapsack and ruffled through it, all the while shivering wildly, until he found what he was looking for. His tinderbox. Lucky for him it was still in there and wasn't wet. It took several tries, but he finally managed to catch the twigs on fire.
Once he felt the warmth start to build, he searched around until he found a few larger branches that would work as firewood, not just kindling. He broke them up with his feet and hands, then laid two on the fire he'd made. After that was done, he realized that he needed to get out of his wet clothes. Quickly. He stripped down and went back to his sack again and grabbed his change of clothes from inside. It took him a couple minutes, but he finally finished dressing. Hugging himself tightly to keep warm, he looked around and wondered where he was and if anyone even lived out here that might be able to help him. Without knowing the area, Helgrim was at a complete loss. He sat down beside his fire and contemplated his dilemma.
His eyes began to drift shut as he stared at the fire and he stopped feeling cold. It should have been a clue that something was not entirely right, but all he could think about was the fact that he wasn't cold anymore. While he sat on a cold rock, arms crossed in front of him, his head dipped and he fell asleep. Had he been fully in control of his wits, he would have known not to fall asleep, but surviving a shipwreck was something that one couldn't control. He remained this way until his body nearly fell forward into the fire and jolted him awake. He shook his head and got to his feet once again. By now he could see the light of dawn rising in the sky. That would be good for him, he hoped. It was usually warmer during the day. He walked toward a tree and urinated, then washed his face with some snow. He had taken a few trips during his childhood and one of them had been to the mountains in High Rock. While it wasn't like this as far as having snow everywhere, it still had some snow. He at least knew what snow was. He also knew, because of his parents' teachings, that snow and the areas that were full of snow could be very cold and dangerous.
His stomach rumbled and he realized just how hungry he was. As if on cue, his mouth went dry as well. With an "oh well" smile on his face, he bent down and picked up a handful of snow and ate it. It melted in his mouth and he sighed. This would help, at least, he thought. After a few more mouthfuls of snow, he moved to his backpack and dug into it to find the jerky he'd hurriedly packed before the shipwreck. He sat down on the rock again and chewed on it slowly. The fire had died down to just coals and so he placed more twigs onto it to restart the fire. Once it was going well enough, he put another few pieces of wood on top. It would help keep the chill off for a little while. He saw to his drink needs, he saw to his food needs, now he needed to tend to the issue of being lost. He would have to find his way to Kynesgrove, his home village. He still had family living there and they could give him a place to stay until he could get a place of his own. Provided he survived the war.
The morning was bleak. With little to do and little urge to go too far from the fire, he found himself falling asleep again and again. Each time, he jolted awake at the last moment and felt refreshed. He got to thinking that perhaps he should explore the shoreline a bit. Who knows, he might end up finding a hunter or fisherman. Someone who lived here could tell him where he was and how to get to Kynesgrove. It would help him stay awake if nothing else. After the fifth time falling asleep and waking up, he packed his backpack again and kicked the fire out. Then he stuffed twigs and branches that were easy to carry into his backpack, put it on and headed along the shore in the search of, well, anyone.
Two hours later he held the branch in his hand like a club and walked carefully. He was already shivering with the loss of the fire's warmth, but willed himself to go on. He'd had to put down two wolves and something that looked like a seal with badly overgrown front teeth, a creature that he would come to find out later was called a horker. His entire body felt like it was being stepped on with each step he made, sore from his shipwreck ordeal and being in the frozen water. When he made it to a village, he didn't care where it was, he was taking a few days to rest up before moving on. He was lucky, however, in being able to harvest some of the meat, teeth, tusks and furs from the animals. If he made it to a decent stopping point, he'd be able to make a nice meal he surmised. For now, however, he continued to walk carefully, ready to bash the heads of those that wish to kill and eat him. He understood enough to know they were just acting on instincts. He was an interloper here and they were just showing their displeasure at that fact.
The cold was perhaps the worst and he realized now that it was something his parents could never have prepared him for. Without emerging yourself in it there is no way you could. Not effectively. As he huddled into the warmest clothes he was able to get together before leaving Hammerfell, he thought of home and his family. He missed them dearly and wished he could send a message to them, but since he had yet to find a village and a courier, there was little chance of that happening anytime soon. He remembered days of running through the sand on the warm beach in Gilane as a child. Barefoot and wearing just a loincloth for swimming in, he was nearly as dark as some of the Redguard because he had spent so much time outside in the sun. He had become a superb swimmer. Growing up living near the beach did wonders for him and was probably in part what saved his life when the ship wrecked off the coast here. He had been able to find a pocket of air and regain his wits. If he had panicked and let it gain control, he would have surely drowned and been gone. Though, he did wonder if surviving was the correct choice. He was feeling very lost and alone. He had no idea where he was or where he would find a town or even if he would be able to fight off the next thing that came after him as he traveled. He just made himself keep going, for his family and for himself.
When it began to get dark, Helgrim stopped walking and searched for a spot to spend the night. He found a small grove of trees and figured it would do, so he made his way over there and cleared a spot about five feet from the trees and started to build his fire. He knew enough to know that a fire was the more important thing right now. Warmth, and he would be able to cook the meat he had gotten off the animals that had attacked him earlier that day. A fine meal for someone who needed to use the land to survive right now. He put his backpack down and started to pile the twigs up, then he dug out his tinderbox and started to strike it to get a fire going. Once the twigs were caught he put a couple short branches on the small fire. He waited until they caught fire and then sat back and held his hands up to warm them. He shivered and looked around. It was already turning dark and getting very cold.
He must have dozed off because when he opened his eyes again it was even colder and he saw why. The fire had died down to just coals. He growled under his breath as he once more got the fire going so he would be warm. He scooped up some of the snow and ate it, closing his eyes as he felt it melt in his mouth and go down his throat. It was a very nice feeling to know that he would at least always have water. Now that the fire was going again, he dug into his backpack and pulled out the meat that he had wrapped in the furs to keep the blood from soaking everything inside. He unwrapped it and found a sturdy stick, stuck it through the meat, stuck the other end of the stick into the snow so the meat was over the fire. He would just have to wait now until the meat was ready, then he could eat his well earned meal. Once that was going, Helgrim leaned back again and dug into the sack once more. He pulled out a journal and a piece of charcoal, then started to write about his rough start in Skyrim. He began with the shipwreck, writing about how afraid he had been that he wouldn't make it out. He wrote about his first hours on the shore of Skyrim and how he'd needed to build a fire and strip out of his wet clothes in the freezing cold. He then wrote about his travel from that first camp to this one, the wolves and horker that he'd had to kill to survive. Writing it all down made Helgrim feel better about it all. At least if something happened to him, someone would know who he was and where he came from. Someone could get his journal back to his family and give them closure.
When the meat was done cooking, he moved it from over the fire to over the snow and waited for it to cool down. He was so hungry that he supposed anything would have tasted good then, but to him the meal was one of the best he'd ever had. As he ate, he looked up into the sky and was amazed. He'd seen the stars in Hammerfell, of course, but here... Well, the stars just seemed brighter somehow. He took a deep breath and then sent a prayer up to Talos, thanking him for the protection and asking that it continue. He also sent a small prayer to his sister, Kenna, to whom he had promised that he would be looking at the same stars when she was. Knowing that she was undoubtedly looking up at the skies every night hoping to see him made his eyes water a bit, but there was little he could do about that. He felt the right thing to do was come to Skyrim to fight for their people's freedom. He hadn't expected to shipwreck and get lost. No one ever does. As he fell asleep that night, his thoughts were on Kenna and the rest of his family, especially his love, Eir.
He'd met Eir when he was just a lad of eight years old. His father had been laid up for a while due to injury and couldn't work, so Helgrim had decided to look for a job. What he found was a blacksmith that was looking for an apprentice. That first day had been the hardest. He had used muscles that hadn't been used before and the blacksmith hadn't exactly been easy on him either. It had been a test, of sorts, and he had passed. Since that day he had worked for the man, from sun up to sun down he worked the forge from Morndas to Loredas. Sundas was reserved for worshiping Talos with his family. He still remembered the day he met her for the first time, too. He had been working at her father's forge for a week and a half. He was headed home after a long day and just as he turned the corner of the shop ran smack into someone. He stumbled back and reached for the other person, finding their arm. He lifted his head and saw her. She was only six at the time and wore a very nice light red dress. He smiled and then helped to brush off the grime of the forge from her dress.
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
"It's alight. I ain't hurt," she answered as she stepped back and put a distance between them.
"No, no. I shoulda been watchin. Did I get ya dirty?"
"No, ya didn't. Hey, yer the one helpin Papa. I'm Eir."
"Nice to meet ya, Eir. I'm Helgrim, but ya can call me Grim if ya wanna."
"Alight, Grim. Well, I gotta go. Bye!"
Helgrim had waved as she walked around him and then hurried in the direction she was heading when they had collided. It was from that day that he had developed a soft spot for Eir and it only grew as they aged. When he was twelve and she was ten, he took her to the springs. Their parents didn't know or they would never have let them go. The springs were not a place children went. Helgrim held her hand as he helped her climb the rocks to get there. As they reached the top and looked down he started to understand why children didn't come here. Helgrim held Eir's hand as they both watched a couple in the water, writhing in what looked like pain.
"What do ya spose it is, Grim? Ya think the water's too hot?" Eir asked him softly, keeping her voice at a whisper.
"I dunno, Eir. They ain't gettin outta the water, but they're makin a lotta noise. Maybe they're stuck?" he answered her in the same whisper.
"They are movin round too much to be stuck," Eir said and he had to admit that she had a point there. Before either of them could say anything else, the couple separated. The woman then knelt and leaned forward on her hands and the man came at her from behind.
"Eir, we should go," he told her, turning her around. He knew enough to know what they were doing now. He'd seen several animals mate this way and understood now why children weren't allowed up here.
"I don't wanna go, though. I wanna make sure they're alright."
"They're fine, Eir. Remember Danmar this spring? We saw her stuck to another dog, then a little later she had pups?"
"I remember, what's that gotta do with th... Oh. Yeah, let's get outta here." Eir took his hand and let him help her back down the rocks.
Helgrim may have only been twelve at the time, but he had seen enough to give him pleasant dreams for several weeks. After that he made sure to be more careful where he and Eir hung out. No need to have her see more than she should. She would grow to be a woman, after all. He didn't want her to be afraid of sex like so many turned out to be during these times. When he was sixteen and she was fourteen Helgrim took Eir on a trail ride. He'd been allowed the use of two wagon horses that were in to get new shoes and arranged a trip with Eir. They were both accomplished riders, having been around horses since they were little, so it wasn't a horrible thing. Helgrim intended this to be their first date and he wanted it to be memorable. She had been so happy when she heard they were taking a ride that day and chattered along the way. He loved to listen to her talk so he didn't mind that she did so almost the entire way. He smiled and then pulled them up when they reached the clearing. He dismounted and then turned to help her, but she was already on the ground.
"Oh, I forgot. You like to do things on your own," he teased.
"Ha, ha. Come on, Grim. Let's sit for a while and let the horses graze."
She took his hand and walked further into the clearing. He held her hand, not letting it go, because he liked it. He liked her. They moved a few more steps into the grass and he stopped, turned her toward him and looked into her eyes. Before she could say anything, he lowered his head to hers and kissed her. His lips claimed hers softly, his arms holding her close to his body. As he kissed her, his tongue ran along her lips and shocked her enough that she opened her mouth as well. Then he touched his tongue to hers and felt the sparks rise between them. It was her who growled softly and pulled him closer, snugging his excited groin right to her. His heart was pounding in his ears and his mouth mated with hers, tongues dancing together. After a few minutes, they both pulled back and looked at one another, their chests rising and falling with the intensity there.
"That was..." Eir said, placing a hand upon her slightly swollen lips.
"I'm sorry, I just... Well, I've wanted to do that for a while now and..."
"Grim, shut up and kiss me again," Eir said with a sultry smile.
He chuckled and then swept her up in his arms, laid on her on the soft grass and kissed her again. Deeply, tenderly, passionately. He had finally taken the plunge and shown his feelings for a woman and she had shown them right back. His arousal was evident, but he did his best to keep it off her so she wouldn't get scared. He moved from her lips to her earlobe, then her neck, kissing and suckling softly. He was very careful in his attentions, always keeping his hands from roaming over her body which had grown over the last two years. His nighttime dreams of the woman in the springs had been replaced by thoughts and fantasies of Eir in those positions beneath him. Just thinking about them now nearly caused him to come undone in his clothes. That would have been embarrassing, so he attempted to tamp it down. He wasn't about to ruin her, he just wanted to kiss her. To hold her in his arms for a while before they needed to return to life back home. After a while, the two of them sat together in the grass, just holding one another. Eir dozed in the sunlight and felt comforted. This was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. At least until he heard about the trouble in Skyrim. He promised Eir he would return for her, however.
The thoughts of Eir and memories of their time together had given Helgrim a night of rest, but in the morning he woke up shivering and teeth chattering. He had been in such a deep sleep that he hadn't realized the fire had gone out. He was now paying for that mistake. He couldn't feel his feet and his hands were going numb. Knowing that it wasn't good that he couldn't feel parts of his body at all he sat up and looked at the bloody furs. He needed to get them dried so he could at least use them as a blanket of sorts. With that in mind, he decided to stay at his camp for the day. If his feet were frostbitten, he shouldn't be walking anyway. He got the fire going again and sat until the warmth began to thaw out his hands and the rest of his body. Holding his feet up, he let them get a little feeling back before getting up and gathering branches. He was glad that he'd had the thought to bring leather strips with him on this trip, to tie back his hair or anything that might have needed fixing. They'd also survived the wreck. Once he made a makeshift tanning rack, he stretched the wolf fur over it to dry. Then he grabbed a dagger that he'd taken from one of the dead sailors and began to scrape the hide. It would take several days for the hide to dry, but at least then he would have a blanket. As he worked on the furs, he warmed the leftover meat over the fire and ate that, scooped more snow for water and rested. He discovered he could use the horker tusks as well by using the dagger to shave the ivory into a spearhead. After this, he fashioned a spear using the horker spearhead and a long, straight branch and more of his leather strips to lash the spearhead to the branch. He wasn't right on the shore, but he was within decent walking distance and could go fishing there if he needed to. With a spear, it would help with hunting also. He would survive this.
Helgrim stayed where he was for the next week, each day he would write in his journal about what he had done that day, mostly just to know how many days had passed so he was not entirely adrift in the world. The first hide had dried and was used as a blanket at night and the second hide was nearly finished drying. Perhaps he would be able to take them to a furrier and get it made into a proper blanket to remember his journey, but for now he would do with what he had, which wasn't a lot when you thought about it. At least he was a lot warmer at night when the temperatures dipped below freezing. The days weren't much better, especially if a storm came in. It had done that a few days ago. He'd woken up to the snow piling around him. Unsure of what else to do, though, he remained where he was and huddled into the fur which had just come off the rack at the time. He was almost sick with the smell, but he dealt with it. It would be better to be sick than dead, he reasoned. He wasn't sure how, but he had fallen back to sleep during the storm and when he awoke again he was buried in the snow. This had shown him that although the snow could be cold, if you covered yourself with it, you could almost make a "hole" in which to huddle in and keep warm. That morning he dug down in the snow using the other horker tusk he had and made himself a little hole in the snow where he could lie down at night, out of the cold wind and away from any snow storms that might arise. With the fire right outside the hole, it gave him the heat he needed. Now that the second fur was almost done, he could use that to lie on and have the other fur on top of his body. These used together with the fire would surely keep him warm.
When he had been at the site for eight days he awoke in the morning and decided it was time to move on. He needed to find a town. He had to get warmer clothes, more food and directions to Kynesgrove. He wasn't sure where the ship wrecked, just that it was past Solitude. He had stayed on the ship while they had delivered goods there, not wanting to get off and meet up with any Imperial soldiers. He wouldn't have been able to control himself, he knew, so he had remained. After that, they had sailed onward. He was bound for Windhelm, as that was where Ulfric, the Jarl of Windhelm, lived. It was also in the right direction. Kynesgrove wasn't too far from there, if his parents were to be believed and he did. He remembered that the captain had said they would dock at Dawnstar briefly to exchange goods on the dock, then sail on. They never made it to Dawnstar, however. The storm hit and that was that. Perhaps he was near that place. He had to believe that Talos was guiding him. Otherwise, what else did he have to believe in. He had faith and his faith would get him through this. It would get him back home.
He packed his bag once more and looked at the last strip of meat that he had cooked last night. It hadn't tasted that great and he knew that it had gone bad. However, he also knew it could be used as bait. He wrapped it in a small piece of clothing and stuck it into a pouch on the bag. He was taught never to waste anything and he wasn't about to start now, especially since every little bit can help in his situation. Huddling into the fur that he was wearing as a cloak, he packed the other fur into his backpack to be used later. He made sure not to forget his horker tusk snow shovel nor his horker spear. He attached the spear to the backpack with the little bits of leather strips he still had. After making sure his extra clothes, which had dried finally, were packed away and breaking down the tanning rack and stowing the leather strips used, he kicked the fire out and covered it with snow. Then he put the backpack on and looked out at the dawning sky. A moment later he had started to walk.
Walking in the snow by one's self wasn't really that great. It was very boring and tiring. A lot of times he wanted to sit down and sleep, but he couldn't do that. If he did, he would surely freeze and then he'd never get home. It was that thought that made him walk on. More than once his mind had wandered and he began to talk to himself. Though to be honest he wasn't really talking to himself, he would be talking to Talos. It was as if he could actually one day meet the god that was once a mortal man. Perhaps when he went to Sovngarde he would be able to sit down and have a chat with him. For now, however, he had to focus on what was important. Survival.
As he traveled near a game trail, he decided to attempt to catch his meal for when he stopped that night. He set about making a snare out of thin branches that were green and flexible and his leather strips. Once he had it set, he placed it in such a way that the rabbit would simply walk through it and be caught. Then he found himself a tree to climb to wait. He had learned snaring skills when he was ten years old and went hunting with his father. His father was one of the best hunters around and had taught each of his kids, even the girls, how to shoot a bow with the accuracy to hit a rabbit from two hundred yards away. He could sneak up on deer and had even watched his father take down a grizzly bear before. He hadn't been allowed on that hunt, but had gone anyway. He couldn't help it. He heard that his father was going after a bear and asked to go, but his father told him that he was too young to go, which was true since he was only eleven years old at the time, but he had still wanted to go. So badly that he had gone anyway. Though he had stayed hidden. His father had taken the bear down with three shots from almost three hundred yards away.
Helgrim had never planned on being a hunter, but now that he had been taught, he was very glad for the skill set. Especially now as he watched a rabbit on the game trail heading straight for his hidden snare. He remained still and held his breath until the snare tightened around the animal's neck. He let out his breath and then slowly descended from the tree. When his feet touched the ground, he used the spear to put the rabbit out of its misery and then tied it to his backpack. At least he would have a meal that night and gloves, too, if he skinned the rabbit right. He dismantled the snare and put his leather away, then stood up and looked around. There was still another hour or so of daylight left. Too early to stop for the night. He needed to get as far as he could before stopping.
Turning to head back to the "trail" he was walking along, he heard the crunch of footsteps on snow approaching. Sneering at his bad luck, he thought quickly and made his way back up the tree he'd waited for the rabbit in. He stayed still and watched as a small group of Imperial soldiers walked near, crashing through the brush without a care as to the natural world. Typical, he thought. There was one in the front, another behind them with one bringing up the rear, but in between the second and third soldier was a man in rags with hands bound in front of him. The soldier in the back was pushing the man repeatedly. This caused Helgrim's eyes to narrow and he fingered the spear in his hand with an urge to bury it into the soldier's skull. Carefully, slowly, he reached into the backpack until he found the dagger he'd been using to tan the hides of the furs he had gotten. It would work just as well as a weapon. He saw the man stop and try to fight back after being pushed again, only to be ganged up by both the second and third soldier, the first soldier watching. This just ticked him off!
As they passed by his tree, he dropped down on the second soldier, the dagger already buried into the soldier's neck. He pulled it out just as quickly and stepped away, tossed the spear to the man in rags and dodged to the right to avoid the first soldier's sword. Deftly, he moved in with the dagger and caught the guard in the armpit, an area not protected by their stupid armor. He twisted the knife before pulling it back out and stepping away from the man. By this time, the man in rags had gotten himself free and used the spear to skewer the third soldier. Helgrim was impressed by the man and smiled, righting himself and wiping the dagger off on his clothes.
"Name's Helgrim," he said as he offered his hand to the man.
"Thanks for the help, Helgrim. I'm Fjolnar. If it wasn't for you I think I would have lost my head today." He had hesitated for a moment before taking Helgrim's hand and shaking it, then handed the spear back to him. "Nice spear."
"You're welcome, Fjolnar, and thanks. I made it."
Helgrim reattached the spear to his backpack after wiping the blood off it. Fjolnar began to search the body of the soldier he had killed and so Helgrim decided it was fair enough. He bent and began to do the same with the second man he had killed. Though he had money from the trip still, he pocketed the coins he found on the soldier as well as any food and drink. He contemplated taking the armor as well, especially if he was going to meet up with anymore of these soldiers, but decided against it. He didn't need to carry the extra weight. He took a sword from the first soldier and a bow and quiver of arrows from the second soldier. They would be useful in his travel.
"So, where are you headed, Helgrim?" Fjolnar asked him after they had both gone over all of the soldiers and got what they needed or wanted.
"I'm not really sure. I'm trying to get to Kynesgrove. Came from Hammerfell, ship wrecked a little over a week ago now. Been walking along the shore, trying to find a village or something. Do you know where I am?"
"Kynesgrove huh? That's a long way off from here. You're about a day's travel from Dawnstar now. It's pretty safe in town, but be careful when you're not in town. I got nabbed on the road out headed to Rorikstead. Those damn Imperials are putting down every Stormcloak they find."
"You're a Stormcloak?" Helgrim's excitement showed through his voice a little bit.
"Aye, I am. I was headed home to Rorikstead for a little time off when those three picked me up. You really saved my life there. Quick thinking. You might think of joining up yourself," Fjolnar patted Helgrim's shoulder as he passed by him.
"I was planning on it, Fjolnar. Thanks. I just need to get home to Kynesgrove first. My cousin is waiting for me. I wasn't even sure where we wrecked because it happened during the night, so I was in my cabin sleeping. You've helped me more than you know."
"Same here, Helgrim. Look, there's not a lot of light left tonight to get to Dawnstar safely, but if you want, I could get you started tomorrow morning, provided you'd share that rabbit you got there." He motioned to the rabbit hanging from Helgrim's backpack.
"Of course. We helped each other. It's only fair to share my food. Come on, let's find camp then," Helgrim said with a small smile, finding being with someone else made the journey less bothersome. Less weary.
He led the way out of the grove and back to the trail he'd been following. It was easier to find camping spots along here. He could use the trees as a windbreak and had the clear area for a fire. As the sun began to dip down they found a spot and started to make camp. The work went much quicker with another set of hands. He started to skin the rabbit, carefully so he could use the hide to make warm gloves, then got another stick and stuck it in the snow over the fire that Fjolnar had made. While that was cooking, he showed his new friend how he discovered it was warmer to sleep when one dug into the snow to make a sort of cave. Once both "beds" were made, they sat down to eat the rabbit which had finished cooking. They talked of little things, how they got to where they are and Fjolnar gave Helgrim an inside look at being a Stormcloak soldier. It made him want to be one all the more. He had enough skills that would make him useful as a scout or even an assassin for the Stormcloak army. He worshiped Talos and wanted the freedom to be able to do so wherever he might be. His parents had told them how it was before and why it had caused them to leave Skyrim. They'd had to worship in secret and if it was ever discovered that you were a worshiper, even your neighbors and friends would turn on you to get on the good side of the Empire.
Helgrim learned that not only had Fjolnar been in a few battles already with the army, he had even earned a command for when he returned to Windhelm. That was part of the reason he was heading home, to wed his sweetheart. It was so bittersweet that Helgrim couldn't help thinking of Eir and if he would ever get to return to Hammerfell to wed her or if he would eventually lose his interest in her. If he would let her go and find someone new. He didn't want to do that. He wanted Eir and only her. They both decided to sleep and said goodnight to one another, then went into their holes. Helgrim had a hard time falling asleep, attributing it to having someone else with him even if it was only for a little while. It was different. He had been alone for so long. His last thoughts before he fell asleep were about Eir and what she would look like with his child in her belly. Those dreams were some of the best he'd ever had.