Chapter 1: Waking Nightmare
Authors Note!
I am quite aware that this is a trite and overused plot line, but I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. I know I decided to start out with another Helgen chapter, but stick around! It get's better, I promise c:
I really do appreciate anyone who reads this story and gives criticism. I just hope to keep any readers entertained and I apologize in advanced for my grammatical mistakes!
**Just a note: I am also going through some early chapters and tweaking them because upon reading them I sometimes want to puke.
Chapter 1: Waking Nightmare
Tuesday evening. The sky was clear and painted the purple shades of twilight. I slipped a paper bag of sweetrolls into my purse and slung it over my shoulder before locking the front door of the bakery. Tired, defeated, and ready to get home and collapse on my bed, I sauntered down the road leading back to my grandparents farmstead. It was a path I had travelled 3 days a week for the past 2years, my little slice of solitude as I unwound from the day's stresses. And it was such a normal day, my last one ever. I would never have guessed that it was such a plain, typical day that would change my life forever.
I wobbled my way down the alley shortcut, stopping once to retie my boots, when I heard a rustle in the tin trashcans behind me. Probably some cat, I reassured myself, but to my suprsise a little orange fox scampered out of the trash piles and down the alleyway.
"Now what are you doing this far from the forest?" I asked more to myself than to the fox that was now attempting to cross the street. My interest piqued, and feeling slightly more refreshed, I followed after it. I reached the sidewalk curb and spotted the fox sitting in the middle of the road staring right in my direction. What was that dumb critter, trying to do, wait for a car to run it over? "Hey, stupid! Get out of the road!" I called out, but obviously recieved no response. I looked around for some small rocks to hurl in it's direction, but even after narrowly missing the fox, it remained seagted in the center of the street. The fox followed me with its eyes, watching as I huffed and set my purse down, preparing myself to charge at it and scare it away like some snarling bear chasing off an unwanted camper. I hear the rumble of a car engine approaching from my right. "Alright dummy, time to get you to safety." I jogged up to it, waving my arms in the air and shouting at it like a crazy person to scare it off when the dardenest thing happeened; that fox looked right up at me, opened its mouth and said "Oi! Do you mind? I'm trying to do the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind."
I was smacked stupid, frozen in the road like an ice sculpture as I watched it retreat to the opposite side of the street. So shocked in fact that I completely forgot about the approaching vehicle.
"Oh, what an awful dream," I mumbled to myself as I rolled onto my left side. Something was awfully wrong about my bedroom. My bed, while arguably not the softest, was certainly never this hard. Had I left the window open last night before falling asleep? A whistle of wind pushed my hair over my face, shielding my unopened eyes. The scent of pine and juniper drifted into my nose. Since when had August ever been this chilly? I groaned to myself. My entire body felt beaten and bruised, as though I had been stepped on in my sleep. Then I heard it: The creak of old wooden wheels over rough terrain pulled along by the trot of hooves on soil. Before I could fully process the information my senses had taken in, I was tossed onto the floor of the rolling contraption as it hit a rock on the road.
"Oof."
"Hey, you're finally awake."
What, I'm still dreaming? Well this is a weird lucid dream. That accent, those word. It sounds almost like...
My body lay face down, spread out over a moldy wooden floor. Slowly, I lifted my head from the floor to gaze in front of me. At least the first sight of this strange dream-world I had been tossed into was welcoming: Boots, caked in what appeared to blood and dirt, maybe … feces.
"What were you doing trying to cross the border? Must've walked right into that imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there."
Wait a minute. This can't possibly be…
I didn't have to look up to know who he was referring to. This dream, This was Skyrim- my video game. Damn, I knew grandma said I played a lot but-
"Damn you Stormcloacks!" My thought was interrupted by a man's voice. "Skyrim was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and lazy…" The thief continued.
Okay… this dream is much too realistic for my liking. How do I wake up?
Not knowing what to do, I brought my head back to the floor and laid out like a pancake. Maybe if I just willed myself to disappear hard enough I would-
"You there!Girl on the floor," the horse thief grumbled, nudging at my foot. "You're too young to be a Stormcloak. You and me- we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."
I curled myself into a ball and slid up against the back of the carriage as we proceeded downhill. I refused to look up until everything around me was quiet, and I was back at home in my bed. What was the last thing I remembered? I left the bakery and then came home and passed out, right? Just went upstairs and fell asleep- nothing strange about that. The man who introduced himself as Ralof and the horse thief continued their banter back and forth while the wind nipped at my exposed skin. The horses slowed their pace, and human voices became louder and louder as we entered the stone gate of Helgen. Villagers whispered between one another and hushed the curious children watching from the safety of their homes. An Imperial Captain barked orders to her subordinate and soon the smell of smoke mingled with the smell of blood…fresh blood.
But this is just a game! A dream! I know how it plays out. I can't die.
Despite the reassurance I gave myself, the pace of my heart quickened dramatically, and I could feel my skin beginning to collect the moist droplets of sweat in pools under my clothes, which I noticed were not my fluffy purple pajamas. I listened from my ball on the ground as the opening scene carried on. Maybe the Dragonborn was on the cart at this very moment! The whole story was about to play out flawlessly, and my life would surely be spared.
Calm down, calm down. It's just a dream. A very, er, lucid dream.
But if one thing was certain, I was not about to let myself die here within the cold stone walls of Helgen. I was not the legendary hero, Dragonborn, I couldn't be. I was a just a young girl not even from Nirn. My thoughts were swiftly cut off as roughly calloused hands grasped my ankles and pulled me off the end of the cart. I cried out in pain before I was silenced. My knees cracked against the loosely paved stones, even louder than the crash of my head as my body fell forward.
My blurry vision slowly returned to me. The first thing I noticed was the immense pain throbbing in both my legs and knees.
"Damn this realistic dream," I grumbled.
Gazing upward from my spot on the ground, the majority of the sky appeared overcast, a gloomy grey. The wind continued to envelop my body in a harsh, cold embrace. I winced as a pair of hands guided my body onto its feet.
"We aren't killing the prisoners straight out of the cart, Dunius. Let the headsman do his job." The less authoritative voice belonged to the man currently stabilizing me. His grip was firm and strong yet slightly gentle, as though he thought if he squeezed my arm any tighter it might shatter. I whipped my head back to face the cart only to find it empty. Instead, the prisoners now stood surrounding a chopping block in a pool of blood and scattered hay. Behind the Nord in front of me, Hadvar as he was named, I could see the crumpled body of the horse thief, arrows protruding from his back and legs.
"And who are you?" Hadvar asked with a puzzled look on his face as he glanced back and forth between his papers and me. "You look a little young..." he added, flipping them once more.
I stood frozen in my spot. My mouth tasted of blood and dirt. Tangles of chestnut hair waved about my face.
"Speak, Nord." The woman on his right demanded, arms confidently folded across her chest.
"Nord?" I repeated, recoiling in genuine surprise. I gazed down at myself; I was still in my same earthly body. Was this woman blind? I was 5'4" and not even 100 pounds. I looked as much a Nord as a twig does a tree trunk.
Hadvar mumbled, flipping through the numerous pages of his list. I gazed to my left, wrists twisting and pulling at the ropes binding them. General Tullius, commander of the Imperial army paced in front of the collection of prisoners. Both men from my cart, minus the horse thief, stood tall. I recognized the rebel leader, Ulfric Stormcloak, whom General Tullius now stood in front of. From the roll of Ulfric's eyes, I could tell General Tullius was now lecturing him on his capture for his crimes of treason. I watched as the headsman leaned against his stubby leg propped on the chopping block. He spat on the ground in front of the prisoners, eyeing them as his gut spilled over the fur belt of his trousers. I shivered in my place, whimpering as the wind blew on my bare arms.
"What should we do? There is no one left on the list." Hadvar noted without breaking contact with the paper in his hands. He refused to look up at me.
I'll make it out…I know how this game works. If I time it just right Alduin will arrive and I'll be running free
"Forget the list. She goes to the block!" The woman insisted.
"Captain, she looks like a child," Hadvar protested. The woman shot him sharp glare. I stood rooted in place, mostly because I was not looking forward to the possibility of walking myself to my death, but also because my veins were beginning to turn to ice. Hadvar pushed on my shoulders.
"What, no! Stop! This is a dream, this is a dream! It will end any minute. Please!" The surrounding guards eyed me with several different looks. Some looked genuinely confused, others slightly guilty, some disgusted, and the rest wore indifference. What the hell could I do?
"I-I'm sorry. Just follow the Captain, prisoner. This will all be over soon."
Several bodies already littered the ground before me. The headsman's axe was painted with a fresh coat of blood. Both Ralof and Ulfric stood next to me. I noted that I hadn't heard Alduin's call yet.
"Next prisoner!" The Captain called beckoning me with a wave of her steel gauntlets. I shut my eyes, ignoring her shout. Just a few more minutes, I begged.
Any second. Here goes…
A shriek split the sky. I wanted to vomit my innards onto the floor.
"There it is again," Hadvar mentioned, turning his view to the sky "Did you hear that?"
Did I miss the first cries? Was I out cold? Is this happening too fast?
I couldn't die. I attempted to stall, simply staring at the imperial woman who was growing increasingly agitated by my behavior. Perhaps I could pretend I didn't speak Tamrielic.
"I said next prisoner!" I continued to stare at the Captain until a soldier pushed me forward and I began my slow saunter toward the chopping block. Unable to protest, I dropped to my knees.
This isn't it! I can't! I will not let myself die. I'll just- wake up! Wake up, godamnit!
I slowly lowered my head, pressing my cheek into the pool of warm blood. The executioner raised his axe. A droplet of blood began its descent towards my forehead. Behind the executioner, I saw him. The silhouette of the ancient winged reptile danced across the grey sky. Several soldiers, Stormcloak and imperial, screamed at the sight of the dragon as it perched atop the tower. I squeezed my eyes shut, awaiting Alduin's freeing roar.
The dragon's shout sent me rolling over the chopping block and onto the body of a headless Stormcloak. My ears were ringing and my arms were convulsing. My eyes opened to a blurry view of balls of fire pouring from the sky. The sky bled a sickening red hue and the scent of burned flesh consumed the air. The towers and houses of Helgen shattered as if made of glass. The villagers cries rivaled that of the crashing buildings. A few soldiers sank to their knees praying to the eight divines; some were begging for forgiveness from all Nine.
Shakily, I climbed to my feet. Dream or not, I knew my path. I spun in circles searching for a familiar face. Ralof, the blonde Nord from the cart motioned for me to follow him. His bulky frame straddled the doorway of a crumbling tower.
"Come on! This way!" He crouched lower upon recognizing me and desperately waved at me to enter the building.
Ralof shut the door behind us, as though it might preserve us from the nightmare outside. A dead stormcloak lay at Ulfric's feet. In my best attempt to avoid the two, I sprinted to the base of the stairs as far away from the door as possible. Ralof and Ulfric exchanged words with the other two stormcloaks in the room. Through all the shock and continuous pounding of the collapsing buildings, nobody noticed as I purged the contents of my stomach in the corner, only stopping to gag and wipe at the tears pooling in my eyes. A soldier ran ahead of me, disappearing into the spiral up stairs. Ralof sliced through my binding ropes with the dagger of a dead soldier. Ulfric and Ralof followed the soldier up, tugging at my arms to join them.
"Wait! Stop!" I cried, desperately pulling at Ralof's arm to save him from the death awaiting him at the top of the stairs. I dragged him down a step and fell to the hard stones, screaming. "The dragon, the dragon is com-"
"Are you mad girl!" Ulfric snarled at me. "We've got to get moving! We can't stay here!"
I raced in front of them, crawling up the stairs on all fours as I stumbled about. "You can't. You'll die!" Ulfric pushed passed me while I manicly tugged him back by his cloak.
"We'll die if we-"
Less than 5 feet ahead, a soldier smashed against the opposite wall as Alduin blew the side of the tower in, hurling chunks of stone through the tower. Ulfric let out a deep shout as another stormcloak crumpled beside him. He whipped around to face me, eyes struck with horror and facial expression identical to Ralof's.
"How could you possibly have…" I shook my head and bear crawled up the steps past the two Nords.
"There is an Inn just across the way" I stepped onto the edge of the newly made opening and gripped the sharp stone edges. I stared straight across. Unnatural swirling clouds obscured the view of the snow-capped mountain ranges. Thick smoke rising from the dying town blocked the view of the surrounding forest. I turned to face the two remaining stormcloaks once more as I prepared for a painful landing. Their mouths were still open and their blue eyes probed every movement of my limbs. "Jump across and make your way to the keep. Don't wait up. I - I think we'll meet again." Without waiting for my rationality to stop me, I took a deep breath and threw myself onto the lower building, singing my hair upon the burning straw roof. My upperbody landed on the burning ceiling beam, forcing all the air out of my lungs as my legs dangled in the air. I held on to the crackling wood but the weight of my body forced the beam down, throwing me onto my back.
Video game, dream, whatever the hell this was, it all hurt like reality.
Scrambling to my feet, I dropped from the collapsing second floor of the Inn and onto the fiery Helgen ground. I didn't recognize where I was. Everything was moving far too quickly. To my left a young buy ran from a house, engulfed in flames and to my right, his mother's head was pinned to a dead horse by the red hot shrapnel of an iron blade. I continue through the maze of half-houses and burning carts until I was shoved between a chest plate and a wooden wall.
"Prisoner! Still alive?" Hadvar shook me by my shoulders and roughly lifted my chin, inspecting for fatal wounds. I let out a squeak from his touch and nodded my head. The brown and sooty tangles of my hair have become blood-crusted mats by now. he pushed me behind him and immediately scanned the area for an exit. "Keep with me if you want to stay that way."
A young boy raced across the vacant lot from an alley across the way. Hadvar immediately called to him, beckoning him to safety and abruptly roaring into my ear. As soon as he released me I sprinted across the lot toward the alleyway. I knew there was only seconds before Alduin came and squashed me flat. Hadvar raced after me but the shadow of the looming dragon stopped him in his tracks. Instead, he grabbed hold of the young boy, and pulled him behind the wall before Alduin could deliver another fiery breath. I raced to the edge of town, only stopping when villagers and soldiers dropped dead in my path. Ahead of me stood what was once the keep. Hadvar and Ralof spotted me running towards the entrance and followed in my lead. They stopped upon reaching middle ground.
"Ralof you damn traitor. Stay out of our way." Hadvar ground his teeth. The sword in his hand just as sharp as his stare.
"We're escaping, Hadvar. You can't stop us this time," Ralof said. His eyes followed in suprise as I continued to run past them and disappear behind the keep doors.
