No sooner had Indovar Maros, a Dunmer apprentice mage, crossed the border into Skyrim in order to start his new life away from the troubles his people faced in his homeland, Morrowind, which horribly ravaged by the eruption of the Red Mountain and the fall of the Ministry of Truth after the death of the Tribunal was now occupied by the Argonian invaders. He'd already got himself in trouble, he had walked right into an ambush that had nothing at all to do with him, he was knocked unconsciousness in the skirmish and didn't get time to regret his decision.

"Hey, you"… a thick Nordic accent broke the silence and dragged the Dunmer back to consciousness, he was on a carriage and his hands were bound… "Finally awake?" The Dunmer slowly lifted his head, wincing at the sharp pain in his head, he'd been knocked unconscious… hard, and met the gaze of the owner of the voice. "You were trying to cross the border, right?"

The Dunmer remained silent and nodded as he thought about his situation and how he ended up like this, how could I be so stupid? He thought to himself as he recalled the idiocy that got him into this situation he'd walked into a trap and worst of all it had nothing at all to do with him.

The Nord across from him continued speaking "Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us and that thief over there." he nodded towards the 'thief' to his left.

"Damn you Stormcloaks, Skyrim was fine till you came along, the Empire was nice and lazy, if they hadn't been looking for you I could've stolen a horse and been halfway to Hammerfell" the thief spat then turned his gaze towards the Dunmer "You there, you and me we shouldn't be here, it's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."

The Stormcloak who appeared to be taking the circumstances a lot better replied "we're all brothers in binds now, thief."

"Shut up back there!" the driver of the carriage fired over his shoulder.

"My name is Ralof." the Stormcloak carried on ignoring the driver's annoyance.

"And mine is Lokir, not 'thief'!"

The Dunmer then spoke for the first time, "My name is Indovar Maros" as he said his name he thought of home and how his new life wasn't exactly going to plan, "and I think there has been a mistake."

"I think you may be right!" Ralof laughed

"What's up with him, huh?" Lokir said looking at the other man on the carriage who Indovar had only just noticed.

"Watch your tongue; you're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak!" Ralof growled angrily "The true High King!"

"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm?" Lokir was suddenly very anxious "You're the leader of the Rebellion" as the situation sank in "But if they've captured you… Oh Gods, where are they taking us?"

"I know not where we are going but Sovngarde awaits" Ralof added in a futile attempt to calm Lokir down.

"No this can't be happening, this isn't happening" Lokir was clearly more agitated than ever now.

"Hey, horse thief, what village are you from?" Ralof asked to distract him from the situation.

"What do you care?"

"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home"

Indovar's thoughts wandered back to his home, Tel Uvirith, the stronghold that was built for the Nerevarine as he rose through the ranks of the Great House Telvanni, his grandmother was now the keeper of it, she claimed that the Nerevarine had left her in charge but he had always doubted this claim as well as her claim to have once met Sotha Sil when she was still young. His family had stayed in Morrowind, his brother stayed with his mother and father near Balmoral and his two sisters left not long after him to go to Cyrodil. His father had taught him how to fight with and without a weapon but it was his grandmother, the old witch of Tel Uvirith as the people knew her, that taught him magic, she used to boast that she was the most powerful witch in Vvardenfell and that she personally closed an Oblivion Gate which had opened nearby during the Oblivion Crisis, 200 years ago. His thoughts of home stirred up strength in him, if only he could get free he could escape… could? No he WOULD escape this fate; he had promised his family that he would not die in Skyrim after all.

"Rorikstead, I'm… I'm from Rorikstead" Lokir had finally answered.

"What about you?" he asked now looking at Indovar.

"Morro…"

"General Tullius, the Headsman is waiting!" a guard up ahead shouted cutting Indovar off.

"Good, let's get this over with." a gruff, gray haired man in a bronze cuirass with gold flourishes and the Imperial dragon symbol on the chest answered.

"Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh" Lokir started "Divines please help me!"

"Look at him, General Tullius, the military Governor" Ralof said looking over his shoulder at the gruff man in the armour "and it looks like the Thalmor are with him" he continued "damn elves, I bet they had something to do with this!" He took in his surroundings "This is Helgen, I used to be sweet on a girl from here" as he thought back "wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in". "Funny, Imperial walls and towers used to make me fell so safe" he sighed.

Nearby there was a young boy asking his father "where are they going?"

"Go inside the house" his father answered.

"But I want to watch the soldiers."

"Inside the house, now!" the father replied annoyed.

"Yes papa" the boy relented and headed towards the door.

The carriage pulled slowly to a halt next to the other one that was ahead of it "Why are we stopping?" Lokir blurted out.

"Why do you think? End of the Line" Ralof answered grimly as the Imperial soldiers started to get them off the carriage "let's go, shouldn't keep the Gods waiting for us"

"No wait we're not rebels" Lokir pleaded

"Face your death with some courage, thief" Ralof spoke harshly, he wasn't too happy about this either but he didn't show it.

"You've got to tell them, we weren't with you"

"Step towards the block when we call your name" the female Captain told the prisoners

"Empire loves their damn lists!" Ralof said venomously while looking at the Captain

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm" called a Nord in Imperial armour checking his list

"It's been an honour, Jarl Ulfric" Ralof declared proudly

"Ralof of Riverwood"

"Tough break" Indovar said under his breath as Ralof walked forward

"Lokir of Rorikstead"

"No, I'm not a rebel, you can't do this" Lokir pleaded and then surprising everyone he ran "you're not going to kill me!"

"Archers!" the Captain bellowed as 3 men nearby drew arrows and let loose, Lokir jolted as the arrows pierced his back and dropped lifelessly to the ground.

"It appears you were wrong on that count" Indovar said under his breath as the Nord soldier looked at his list and then Indovar, something was wrong

"Who are you?" he said

"Indovar Maros, I don't think I'm supposed to be here" Indovar replied with a grin

"Another refugee? The Gods really have abandoned your people, dark elf" the Nord said and then turned to the Captain "he's not on the list, what should we do?"

"Forget the list, he goes to the block" the Captain responded

"By your orders, Captain" the Nord turned back to Indovar "I'm sorry, we'll make sure your remains are returned to Morrowind."

Maybe the Imperial soldiers aren't all bad Indovar thought to himself, a grin returning to his face the Captain's a bitch though.

"Follow the Captain, prisoner"

As he followed the Captain he noticed that Tullius was standing in front of Ulfric "Ulfric Stormcloak, some here in Helgen call you a hero but a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder his king and usurp his throne"

Ulfric attempted to say something in response but his mouth was gagged and resulted in an unrecognisable muffled grunt.

"You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos" Tullius continued "and now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace!"

A roar penetrated the air from afar "what was that?" someone nearby asked.

"it's nothing, carry on" Tullius said before it could get out of hand and delay the execution.

"Yes, General Tullius" the bitch Captain replied, a little too overzealous for Indovar's liking, "gave them their rites"

At her request the priest standing nearby starting to give the rites, praising the Eight Divines.

Previously the Nine divines thought Indovar, until some treaty with the Thalmor outlawed the worship of Talos, the founding father of the Empire, the first man to become God. Indovar had always wondered why the Thalmor even cared what Gods the Empire worshipped and why they were so adamant that he was not to be regarded as a God. I'd rather have the Four Corners of the House of Troubles judge me, Indovar concluded silently Nerevar guide me.

"For the love of Talos, shut up!" a Stormcloak soldier interrupted the priest "let's get this over with!"

"As you wish"

"Come on I haven't got all morning" the Stormcloak added impatiently

Indeed you haven't, Indovar added to himself as the Captain lowered the Stormcloak to his knees with his head on the block.

"My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials, can you say the same?"

The Headsman's axe raised high up in the air, no glint or shine was present on the blade, it's foreboding presence silenced the crowd aside from a few people who shouted "death to the Stormcloaks!" and then the axe fell as if prompted by the shout and cleaved through the mans neck, his head fell into the basket in front of the block, it was over, at lest for him.

"As fearless in death as he was in life" Ralof said as he looked at his comrade's lifeless body.

"Next, the dark elf" the Captain shouted after kicking the body of the previous man over.

Another roar came from the distance "there it is again" a nearby guard said.

"I said, next prisoner!"

Technically you said 'next, the dark elf'

The friendly Nord soldier spoke again "to the block, prisoner, nice and easy"

I wonder if it hurts, it sure looks like it would hurt; I'm really starting to dislike that Captain. That last thought gave Indovar a defiant smile as he walked towards the block. That's it, now I really hate her, he thought as she used her foot to push him down, now I've got blood in my hair.

Indovar's smile disappeared as he noticed something flying down from the hills, fast.

"What in Oblivion is that!" Tullius yelled as the Headsman's axe was fully raised into the air ready to meet Indovar's neck.

Then he saw it, Indovar saw what the Headsman could not, a massive black dragon was landing on the tower behind the Headsman, the impact of the dragon landing shook the ground and caused the Headsman to lose balance and luckily for Indovar not drop the axe on his head.

The dragon made a noise that sounded as if it was speaking, but Indovar could not make out the words, and knocked everyone off their feet while Indovar got to his.

"Guards, get the townspeople to safety!" Tullius commanded the soldiers.

Indovar's vision was blurry due to the sudden change in the atmosphere, it was suddenly darker and stormy, when he heard "come on, Dunmer, the Gods won't give us another chance!" it was Ralof "this way!" he shouted over the racket and lead Indovar towards a nearby tower. He led the way in and both were greeted by Ulfric, who had managed to get away and have his bindings removed. "Jarl Ulfric, what is that thing? Could the legends be true?"

"Legends don't burn down villages!"

"No, but that thing does!" Indovar quipped.