Prologue
It was a stormy night in the small village in Valenwood one where all sensible wood-elves were in their homes sleeping you would expect the paths through the village to be empty but they weren't a solitary figure move furtively along the paths trying to stay in the deepest shadows as to not be seen the figure wore an oversized cloak that hid their appearance even their gender they also carried a woven basket with a blanket draped over it clutched close to their chest suddenly the figure stepped off the path and onto the porch of one of the houses the home of a young blacksmith and his family. His wife who was the village healer, and their three children six year old twin boys and a four year old girl they would have numbered four but the young mother had had a stillborn girl just three days before.
The figure approached the front door and a stray gust of wind disturbed the hood of the cloak revealing the figure to be that of a middle-aged brown haired wood-elf woman she quickly readjusted the hood then knelt gently placing the basket on the doorstep the quietly unslung a before hidden cloth wrapped bundle placing it next to the basket. Finally reaching into a pocket she pulled out a single folded piece of parchment and lifting a corner of the blanket tucked it into the basket then she stood knocked loudly on the door once, twice, three times before running off to disappear into the rain and shadows of the night.
Within the span of a few minutes the door creaked open slowly to reveal a tall burly wood-elf man holding a Warhammer and a much shorter wood-elf woman. They stood in the doorway searching for the source of the knocks when the woman happened to look down seeing the basket she knelt and picked it up before moving the blanket aside to reveal a newborn baby girl with coppery red hair snuggled among soft blankets sleeping soundly at the woman's sharp intake of breath the man turned to look at what she held and when he saw the tiny life in her arms he was a stunned as she then noticing the parchment he picked it up and unfolded it to read the reason behind this small infant being left to them. Once finished he handed the note to his wife who read it. Then, clutching the basket and child to her heart, she spoke:
"Now my empty arms are filled."
She didn't need to say another word the man hugged his wife to him with the girl between them then lifting the bundle took them inside and closed the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~10 Years Later
A young elfin girl, with coppery-red hair, ice blue eyes, and a serious frown stood exhausted next to the training dummy with which she had spent the day battering a wooden sword against.
Kodlak Whitemane
Her thoughts drifted to the events of the last few months, and the man who had saved her 10-year-old self.
Kodlak Whitemane
After saving her life from the attack, and assisting with the subsequent healing, the sword for hire had left to head back to Jorrvaskr, the home of the Companions just a few days previously, after his 3 month stay in Wood Valley Village, her home.
She fiddled with the ring upon her finger, contemplating his final words to her.
"Come seek out the Companions when you can wield your parents' swords."
Laughter from further in the village snatched her from her thoughts.
The other children.
She gripped her sword tighter and reached to touch the medallion hanging from her neck.
She glanced down at the scars adorning her forearm.
After the attack, and the time spent healing, she had tried to reintegrate herself back into the group of village children. Instead, she was pushed away with mocking words and sneering insults, leaving her with only her two brothers and her sister for company.
She grasped the medallion tight.
"One day, I'll join the companions, and they won't care about my scars. I just have to keep practicing."
She raised her sword, and swung.
A Further Nine Years Later
The sun rose slowly casting its golden light over the misty valley hiding a secret village of wood elves in Skyrim's mountainous borders.
"Amaliea it's time to get up your breakfast is getting cold." .
"Coming Ma!" I call back sleepily is it morning already I think as I sit up slowly then it hits me today's the day I jump out of bed and race down stairs.
"Morning Ma, morning Pa!" I call to my parents as I sit down at the table. Ma smiles as she placed a bowl of porridge in front of me.
"So are you ready to set off on your grand adventure?" She asked.
"Yes I just hope the Companions will accept me, what if I get there and I'm not good enough?" I say quietly.
Pa shakes his head and says "Amaliea you have spent the past nine years doing little else but training to be a Companion, you'll do fine and I'm sure Kodlak will be glad to see you. Now don't forget to bid farewell to your brothers and Briella before you head out."
"I won't, forget that is." I say feeling a little more confident.
"And remember to be careful on the road" Ma said quietly. I smiled and quickly finished my breakfast then went upstairs to put on my armor and get ready to go.
a few hours later I stood looking into the cave that is the only way in or out of the valley my village sets in. I had wished my family goodbye and all that was left for me to do was go through that cave and I would be on my way to Whiterun and the companions mead hall Jorrvaskr and who knows how many amazing adventures if I can get in.
Helgen finally maybe I can get a coach to Whiterun from here or at least some directions. I best find the traders shop and get some supplies I'm running low. Suddenly a line of carts roll by with lots of armored men in the back and people started coming onto porches to stare.
"What's going on?" I asked of one of the guards walking by
He looked at me as though I was stupid and said "have you been living under a horker that was Ulfric Stormcloak the Imperials captured him and now he's going to pay for his crimes against the empire."
"Oh so it's an execution then um is there any chance you could point me to your trader shop I need to buy some supplies?" I asked.
"What oh yea sure just head straight down this road it's the building next to the keep." he answered looking slightly confused.
"Thank you." I said then started off to where he had directed, off to my left I could see the imperial soldiers unloading the prisoners and getting them sorted out. I stopped to watch when they came to a holdup they had a prisoner they had no record off
"Name?" a guard asked of the women
"I am Thor, son of Odin, son of Bor, Crown Prince of Asgard, at your service." The woman grinned at the soldier, flipping her head to the side to remove the coal colored hair from her face.
As they lead her to join the other prisoners, I wondered what she had done to end up in an execution line, then I decided I didn't want to know
I hurried over to the store I had been going to, I did not want to watch an execution.
I heard a distant sound, it was like a roar, but not like the roar of a saber cat, it was more ancient and primal like the stones then selves were crying out in rage. It sent chills up my spine as I quickly looked around trying to find the source of the sound. When I spotted nothing I continued on to the shop only to discover it closed when I heard the sound again this time closer. As I turned around I saw a monster out of a nightmare huge black with wings like a bat and claws like swords of ebony. You could feel the rage and hatred flowing off of it and somehow I knew that this monster was pure evil. It radiated off of it in waves.
As it landed on the tower every particle of my being screamed run but I was frozen in horror as the name for the beast came floating to the front of my mind dragon. The monstrous beasts from the old tales that would devour you as soon as look at you and as it called fire rained from the sky and the ground itself seemed to tremble. Then the dragon called again and a wave of pure power seemed to rush toward me knocking aside everything in its path as it hit me I felt myself fly backwards into something hard my vision swam as I tried to stand up when suddenly I felt someone grab my left arm and haul me up. I looked and saw a blond man in a blue cuirass he seemed to be saying something but it was as if he were talking from a long way off.
I had to focus before I could make out his words "Are you alright? We have to move."
"Um yes I think so." I said
"good." he responded "this way we have to get to the keep."
I hurried along after him noticing the imperial woman was with us too. Pretty soon I saw an Imperial soldier directing people to the keep when he saw us he called "Ralof go to the keep there's a back way out of the city through there."
Ralof called back "why should we trust you a few minutes ago you were putting our heads on the chopping block!".
"Because right now we are not Stormcloaks or Imperials we are men and women trying to stay alive in a fight against a monster from the old tales!" Hadvar said back "now come on!"
We all made our way through the caves picking up refugees as well as soldiers along the way. By the time we found the exit my head was pounding and I was wishing we would stop so I could get a healing potion from my pack.
Once we were out of the cave I heard Ralof say "we need to stop a lot of these people are injured and need to rest."
I saw Hadvar nod and then call "alright everyone we'll rest here for now does anyone need medical attention if you do raise your hand!" a lot of people raised their hands most with burns a few with weapon wounds from the fights Ralof and Hadvar had to break up along the way.
I then saw a woman with a medic emblem on her cuirass go to Hadvar and heard her say "sir I only have five healing potions and a few stamina a lot of the wounded will have to be helped along."
I glanced at my pack and remembered my mother packing healing potions into it like mad and saying to my protests "now don't you take these out you'll thank me for them later."
How are mothers always right about stuff like that. I walked forwards towards the two men shifting my pack off and said "um I couldn't help but overhear that you're a little short on healing potions maybe I can help." as I talked I reached into my pack and pulled out a package of potions and handed them to the medic.
She quickly undid the wrapping and held one up to the light of the setting sun then tasted it before turning to me saying "These where brewed by a master alcamist. Did you brew them?"
"No my Ma did she is the village healer back home I can't brew a potion to save my life" I smiled as I said it.
She looked me over and her eyes locked on the side of my head as she questioned "Did you hit your head your bleeding?" even as she asked she pressed one of the small red bottles into my hand and said "drink that you're as pale as snow." before walking off to distribute the potions among the wounded. Just then we heard a roar and saw the dark shape of the dragon fly overhead heading off into the mountains.
After it had flown past Ralof and Hadvar said almost in sync "we have to warn Riverwood!" They then asked me and the imperial woman Lokira to come with them and like that we were on our way to Riverwood. Hopefully I can get directions to Whiterun there.
It's kind of funny how things work out once we reached Riverwood Ralof and Hadvar quickly sought out their families. Ralof his sister who ran the mill and Hadvar as it turned out his uncle who was the smith both agreed that someone needed to tell Jarl Balgruff in Whiterun about the dragon and both me and Lokira volunteered.
When asked I said "I'm heading to Whiterun anyway so it just makes sense."
Lokira replied "it just feels like I should besides two messengers stand a better chance of getting through then one."
I quickly spoke "um I have one question before we leave how do we get to Whiterun from here ?"
Hadvar answered "Just follow the road downriver and cross the bridge just stay on the road it will take you right there."
"Thank you." I said setting off.