Divided Destinies: Act One
Chapter One: An Unintended Rescue
Morndas, the 17th of Last Seed, 4E201, 9:30 a.m.
The first sense that returned to Caelan was his smell, a change from Bruma's smell of wet dog, but it has been replaced with the pleasant smell of pine, a very familiar smell.
He had entered Skyrim's side of the Jerall Mountains, but not the way he was planning.
Caelan's vision was blurred and his head throbbed from the club that struck him in the forehead, when he instinctively reached for his throbbing temple, he realized that his wrists were bound tight and began to struggle, causing chafing.
After continuing his efforts for half a minute he realized that all he was doing was just rubbing his wrists raw, the bounds were far too tight.
Grunting, he lowered his head in defeat and stared at his ragged shoes and the floor of the poorly built carriage that he was resting in until a voice with a thick Nordic accent spoke to him.
"Hey, you're finally awake!" Said the voice in a friendly tone, but Caelan only snorted in response.
Glancing at him, what he could make out from his blurred vision was a large, possibly blond Nord male.
It could have been a woman as well; Caelan often heard from Imperials and High Elves in Cyrodil that some of the local woman could not be differentiated from their male counterparts.
The Nord let air out his nose in a form of laughter. "Not really the talkative type I see."
"Trust me, when he clears up, you will see how much he likes to talk." A more familiar voice replied
The Nord smiled weakly at the familiar voice's confidence. "I doubt we will have time for that" he replied, staring at their route.
The familiar voice nodded. "Yeah... I figured as much, but I wouldn't worry if I were you, my brother here tends to weasel the gang out of scenarios like this." He gestured towards Caelan.
The blond chuckled. "Let us hope so."
They sat there in silence for a few minutes while Caelan's vision cleared up, he turn his head right to see his brother and a large Nord in furs with a scarf covering his mount, when he looked forward he saw the Blond Nord with his friend, Orim on his left and a lean Nord with tangled burgundy hair on Orim's left.
Caelan's brother shifted toward the Blond Nord and began to break the awkward silence "You can call me Varic, Varic Ember-Shield. I would shake your hand, but..." He chuckled and raised his bound hands "it would be pretty damn awkward with these on our wrists, that Orc next to the skinny fellow there is Orim'Dul, and the big stereotype of a Nord next to me is my eldest brother, Caelan."
"I am Ralof, pleased to meet all of you." Orim nodded in response and Caelan murmured something intelligible.
Ralof paused, considering what Varic had said earlier. "You spoke of a company, are there any more of you?"
"Well..." Varic turned his head around, counting three more carriages, but could only see four of his company, not including himself, Orim and Cael, out of the eighteen total.
"Well, its seventeen now" he thought grimly. "We lost our Dunmer friend, Fraiol during the attack, and I can see Lukas over there... and there is Theron, our Healer Vel'akki, and I believe that is Baendolin over there, the rest managed to flee. Or they're dead."
Ralof looked at the yellow eyed Orc, he had never seen an Orc this up close before, and turned his head to Varic. "Well, I am sorry for your loss, I am sure this Fraiol died heroically."
Varic chuckled at Ralof's comment "No... No quite the opposite actually, he shot a few fireballs at the Imperials, to them it seemed as though we were in league with the Stormcloaks. I am certain Cael would have been able to explain our situation and walk away, or at least get sent to a dungeon instead"
Ralof nodded "Ah yes, he didn't really last long against the Imperial archers."
Varic laughed "For someone that claimed to be a master of the arcane, he wasn't all that talented."
While the two Nord's continued their conversation, Lokir the horse thief looked over to the now sober Caelan. "Damn those Stormcloaks, Skyrim was fine until they came along, the Empire was nice and lazy. Me and your friends, we shouldn't be here, if it weren't for them I could have stolen that horse and got half way to Hammerfell by now."
Caelan barely listened to a word the sickly thief said, and instead stared at the black furred feline figure that was hiding in the trees.
It was his fellow party member, Ma'Jarro.
And he had an arrow knocked right at the carriage driver, while his loyalty is appreciated, the prisoners wouldn't last long against the large number of guards.
So Caelan shook his head slowly, motioning him to stand down, at first Ma'Jarro looked confused, but then nodded and rejoined the shadows.
While he might have just turned down one of the only chances of escape, he would not risk what was left of the group so a few could escape.
His thoughts were interrupted when Varic and Ralof jumped into Lokir's one-sided conversation "We are all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." Ralof remarked at Lokir's whining.
"By the Eight will you all shut up?" The young carriage driver groaned "You're all giving me a headache"
"Good" Caelan murmured.
There was silence for a minute until Lokir looked at the Nord with a scarf covering his mouth, who was staring at Skyrim scenery, as though this would be the last time he would be able to bask in it
"So what's with him, huh?" Lokir inquired, hoping to change the subject.
"You should probably watch your tongue, he looks to be this band's leader" Caelan warned.
"Damn right you should!" Ralof barked at Lokir, "That is the true High King you speak of!" Causing Lokir to flinch
Lokir was taken aback. "The Ulfric Stormcloak? The Jarl of Windhelm?" He turned his head to Ulfric, "You're the leader of the rebellion." A realization dawned on him, "If they have you... then where are they taking us?"
Ralof returned to the calm, brotherly demeanor once again "I do not know, but Sovengarde awaits us."
Lokir's eyes widened with terror as his breath became rapid. "Oh Gods, no! This can't be happening!" and began to babble, with tears leaking from his eyes.
Ralof smiled warmly at Lokir. "Hey, where are you from, lad?" Lokir stared at his feet, ashamed to show his face.
"Why would you care?" Lokir sneered.
"Everyone's last thoughts... should be of their home" he replied calmly.
Lokir stopped panicking, at least for the moment, and turned his head to Ralof. "Rorikstead. I'm from... Rorikstead."
"I knew Mralki, he's a good man." Ralof turned to Varic and Caelan, "And what of you two?"
"We were born in Falkreath hold; we were raised by a friend of my father in the Imperial City after our parents died." Caelan replied.
"Same here" Said Orim. "It's where we met".
"I was told of the cities' beauties" said Ralof.
Caelan chuckled at that. "The view is nice, but the people... not so much."
"With all those nobles there, I do not doubt it." Ralof replied, all of them laughed heartily in response, with Lokir giving a nervous chuckle.
The scenery changed when the group looked to see a large settlement controlled by the Empire, happening to be crawling with Imperials and a few High Elves.
"General Tullius, Sir! The Headsmen is waiting!" A soldier called out to the General leading the carriages.
"Let's just get this over with" the General muttered, and rode off to speak to a group of High Elves on horseback.
When Caelan realized that was indeed General Tullius, he considered calling out to him, even if the chances of him recognizing the Nord was slim, but was interrupted by Ralof.
"Look at him." He sneered. "General Tullius, the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him."
Caelan twitched at the sound of that faction's name; they brought painful memories back from the depths of his mind. "Damned Elves, I bet they had something to do with this cowardly attack."
Nobody wanted to comment on the Thalmor, they have brought torment to everyone somehow on Tamriel, but Orim broke the silence after staring at the stone walls. "Are we in Helgen?"
"Aye." Ralof replied still looking at the keep and laughed softly "I used to be a sweet on a girl from here. I wonder if Vilod is making that mead with juniper berries mixed in." Ralof wasn't sure if he was trying to comfort his new friends or himself. "Funny... when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers made me feel so safe..." he mused.
No one spoke for a while after that, trying their best to ignore the crying, the curiosity and the jeering of the residents.
Once they reached the center of the city the driver began to slow down.
"Get these traitors out of the carts! Move it!" a harsh but feminine voice called out, the drivers replied with a "whoa" to slow the horse down, parking beside the rest of the carriages, while the rest containing their group parked on to the left.
Lokir looked around, terrified. "Wait, why are we stopping?"
"The hell do you think?" Orim replied.
"It's the end of the line." Varic sighed.
"Arkay, Stendarr, Mara, Akatosh, Divines! Please save me!" The cowardly Nord begged.
"Face your death with some courage, thief" Ralof replied, and then referred to the rest of the prisoners. "Let's go, best not keep the gods waiting."
As they moved past Lokir he began to scream "No wait! Were not rebels!"
"Do you seriously think they give a damn?" Varic replied.
Lokir turned his head to Ralof "You have got to tell them that this is a mistake!"
"Silence!" The Captain called out, "Walk towards the block when we call your name, one at a time!"
Ralof sighed "Empire loves their lists more than our home" he muttered as they walked single file towards a young Nord with the list.
The young Nord holding the list briefly glanced at Ralof before reading of the list.
"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm" he called out, and the Jarl marched off.
"It has been a true honor, Jarl Ulfric" Said Ralof, while many other Stormcloaks lowered their heads in respect as he walked by.
"Ralof of Riverwood" he called out next, flinching as he spoke.
Ralof walked without hesitation. "May we meet again in Sovengarde, friend" Caelan murmured.
While Ralof marched he turned his head to the Nord with the list "I hope all of this was worth it, Hadvar." Hadvar didn't reply, tightening his jaw before he read the next name on the list.
"Lokir of Rorikstead" he called out.
"Wait I'm not a rebel, you can't do this" he yelled as he began to run off.
"Archers!" the captain called out, the Arched nodded and aimed for Lokir.
"You're not going to kill- bwargh! "Lokir was interrupted by an arrow in the knee and the heart, and laid there bleeding until two soldiers dragged off his body to a place where they would pile the bodies for a time; a spot seemed to be reserved for Ulfric.
"So, anyone else feel like running?" the Legate asked mockingly.
There was dead silence until Orim walked up Hadvar. "Fuck it... Orim'Dul gro-Karesh of Imperial City."
Varic could only look on while Orim was dragged off along with the rest of the party and met eyes with Hadvar, who raised his eyebrows.
"And who... are you?"Asked Hadvar curiously, prepared to log in his name.
Before Varic could reply, Caelan pushed him aside and stepped in front of the two soldiers, wanting to stall his little brother's fate for as long as he could.
"I am Tribune Caelan Ember-Shield, son of Stolv Ember-Shield, retired solider of the Imperial Legion, I have served the Empire for 4 years across Tamriel, and my Service code is 65761." Caelan could not help but look smug, regardless of whether or not they would be imprisoned or not, it was improbable for them to be executed.
The young soldier took a deep breath and turned to his superior. "Captain, what must we do? That is a legitimate number and he and his companions are not on the list."
But the Captain's mind was already set on the prisoners' fate. "To hell with the list, they all go to the block."
The young solider looked shocked but complied "By... your orders, Captain" He turned to Caelan. "I am sorry, but at least you die here, in your homeland."
Caelan was far too furious to hear the Nord's apologies. "You cannot be serious!" He walked right into her face, making her flinch for a moment, then compose herself before he continued "I spilt the blood of countless for this Legion and this is my reward? Do you do this to all your retirees or I am I special case?"
The Imperial Captain stared at him with pure loathing. "Get your filthy face away from me." She snarled.
Caelan replied by spitting in her face, just before a burly Redguard intervened by punching him in the kidney and began to drag him to the group of prisoners.
"Molag Bal take you all..." Caelan growled as he was dragged off.
Caelan turned his head to Varic, who was now being called up as well. "Don't you worry brother! I know what I'm doing!"
"I hope so" Varic muttered.
Ma'Jarro looked on in the distance, not too far from the keep itself.
"This is getting worse that Ma'Jarro would have thought"he whispered to himself, he shook his head
"Enough with the musing, Ma'Jarro has to find a way to get everyone out alive, fire runes? No, no... Could conjure atronach maybe? Yes... "His line of thought was interrupted he a small but strong hand grabbed his shoulders, nearly causing his to jump.
He turned around to see Raevara, one of the group's talented infiltrators staring at him with her intense gaze.
Upon seeing her Ma'Jarro began to relax. "Ah, your tallness. You have become even sneakier than Ma'Jarro, and that says something.
"I was always quieter than you. Fact" the High elf replied, and turned her head towards the prisoners "I see they are all alive. Well, except Fraiol, of course."
"He did have it coming."
"He always had it out for Cael, I don't understand why he would risk his own hide though." She replied, but then shook her head, "Anyways, what's the plan? "
Raevara covered Ma'Jarro's mouth with her hand before he could answer. "Right. You said you wanted to summon an atronach? No that's a stupid idea, it could turn on us, Maybe we can cast a mass illusion-what?" She snapped to Ma'Jarro's muffled calls.
"Cael just spat in the Captain's face." He blurted out.
Raevara scrambled to get a better view. "Oh my gods he didn't."
"He did."
"How did he ever become our party's leader?" she groaned.
"Because he's smart when he stops and thinks"
"I'm smarter than him without thinking-"both were interrupted when two large hands clasped around their mouth, muffling their loud curses.
Both of them looked up to see the ageing Sparatus, who released their grip.
"Will you all stop with the grabbing and the muzzling?" Ma'Jarro exclaimed.
"Lay down and shut up, the both of you." Sparatus whispered harshly, pulling them both down to the floor with immense strength.
The trio lifted their heads to listen in to the distant conversation: "What was that?" A young Nord voice asked.
Another voice, more feminine replied "Ignore it, it's just a bear, the place is crawling with them."
"Yes, Captain." The younger voice responded.
The three waited for a moment, and then began to move to cover when the Nord started ordering the prisoners to follow the Captain.
Once they reached cover Sparatus glared at the two "Is he alive." He whispered.
"Who?" Ma'Jarro asked.
"You know damn well who. My boy, Cat." He snarled as he breathed through his nose deeply. "Is my son alive? I heard a lad get shot with arrows, was it him?" even his whispers were intimidating."
"You need to elaborate more, there are a lot of "he's" in our gathering." Ma'Jarro replied, Sparatus growled. "Yes. Yes. Ma'Jarro saw him alive and well" He continued, looking hesitant, "Fothemomentatleast" he blurted out.
"What?"
"Caelan spat in the Captains face, Ma'Jarro thinks she means to send our group to the block first." Ma'Jarro explained.
Sparatus covered his face with his palm. "By the nine what was the boy thinking?"
"Probably that the Captain is a total bitch" Raevara replied.
Sparatus let a long, drawn out sigh and tugged his balding pony tail. "There's too many for us to take head on, any kind of spell won't work on a crowd this large, we need a bloody miracle to pull this off, I just hope Caelan knows what he is doing."
"We could jump in, actually, maybe the prisoners free themselves and the Stormcloaks join the fight, hell maybe even the villagers might join in, at the very least: we die with dignity." Raevara suggested.
Sparatus scratched at his moustache. "That's sounds mad enough to work, but a distraction wouldn't hurt, and frankly, I could care less if this said intervention was divine or otherwise."
A loud roar echoed from the distance, the trio peered their heads to look a gigantic creature flying towards Helgen, causing everyone to in Helgen to look up.
"Is that a-"
"THEESE HAS DRAG ON LONG ENOUGH, I SAYS." A Khajiit with a thick accent called out. "YOU MUST BE DOING THE EXECUTIONS OF THEM NOW!"
Caelan rubbing his temples, this Khajiit was distracting him, he couldn't come up with any ideas to escape, and they were outnumbered two to one, unless they had some kind of miracles it would be a blood bath.
In other words, Caelan had no idea what he was doing.
And what the hell was a Khajiit doing in a Nord village anyways?
He could have sworn he heard something that sounded like a bear...
"Follow the Captain, Prisoners." Hadvar ordered.
There was nothing else the prisoners could do but comply; they all walked to the small group behind Ulfric Stormcloaks, where they waited to be sent to their Gods.
General Tullius quickly glanced at the prisoners, and then turned his head to Ulfric,
"Jarl Ulfric... some here in Helgen would call you Hero and King, but either would use a power like the Way of the Voice to murder the king you pledged your loyalty to for the sake of usurping his throne."
Ulfric growled, as the scarf covering his mouth would muffle anything he says, words of power or otherwise.
"You started this war! You divided Skyrim and plunged it into chaos! And now the Empire shall put you down, and restore the peace-"
Before the General could finish, his speech was blocked by a peculiar roar from the distance.
"What the hell..." Varic muttered.
"General, what was that?" The soldier asked.
The General waved his hand in dismissal. "Nothing" He turned his head to the Captain "Carry on."
"Yes, General Tullius!" the Captain replied "Give them their last rites" she said to the Priestess of Arkay, whom nodded in acknowledgement.
She raised her hands and began to speak. "As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the salt and-"
"For the love of Talos, just shut the hell up and get this done with" a Red haired Stormcloak interrupted as he marched in front of the block.
"Earth of Nirn, our beloved- as you wish." the priestess sneered, staring at the defiant Nord with disdain.
The rebel turned his head to the Captain and scowled at her. "Come on! I don't have all morning!"
The Captain grinned ear to ear, and shoved him down in front of the block.
The Nord began to laugh. "My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials. Can you say the same?" This made every soldier feel a sense of discomfort, everyone except the headsman, who brought the axe down upon him, slicing through his neck like butter through a heated knife, blood sprayed out of the now lifeless stump.
The Captain looked at the body for moment, then she nudged his body off the block with her foot as nonchalantly as one could, and then motion for two guards to drag him body with Lokir, though not bothering with the head- leaving it for the next prisoner to stare at.
"You heartless, imperial bastards!" a terrified Nord woman screeched.
"Good! Justice!" a male voice cried out.
More began to join.
"Another!"The Khajiit cried out.
"Death to the Stormcloaks!"
Ralof stared at the severed head in sorrow. "As fearless in death, as he was in life..." he whispered, his eyes appeared to be reddening.
Varic began to struggle with his bonds, managing to loosen it with his clever hands, and reached for the small blade he had hidden in his belt, ignoring Caelan's frantic gestures telling him otherwise.
The Captain noticed the commotion and point to Caelan. "Next, the Nord turn cloak!" when the soldiers reached for Ulfric the Captain rolled her eyes, "The one in rags, the blond one, damn it!
Another loud roar echoed in the distance.
"There it is again!" Said Hadvar.
The Captain glared at him. "I said. next. prisoner!" Making Hadvar flinched as spittle flew in his personal direction.
The soldier sighed "To the block, Tribune- nice and easy."
Caelan scoffed at the title, he would have never even considered enlisting if he knew this was his reward for his service.
He began the slow walk to the block, the head in the small basket could be smelt from where he was, and the Priestess had no interest in giving anyone else's their rights now.
The Captain brought him down onto his knees, and then pushed his back to the ground with her foot, planting his neck right on the block.
Turning his head to the left instead of the right like the previous prisoner did, he saw Varic was free from his bounds, and made a mad dash at an archer that was aiming an arrow at him, and drove a concealed dagger into his neck.
All soldiers turned to him and pulled out their blades, with full intent to run his down.
The rest of his party did likewise, untying their bonds with ease and attack the guards.
Caelan was never good with knots and was forced to improvise, bolting up and head butting the executioner, knocking him down to the ground.
"Just kill them! Kill them all!" The Captain screeched, but her orders were muffled by the chaos.
Caelan charged at an Imperial in a brawl with Varic, tackling him to the ground, by blocking off his common Carotid Arteries on either side of his neck with both hands, causing syncope in seconds.
While he was distracted with choking-out the soldier, the executioner rose and aimed his massive axe at his neck, but was distracted by a surprised voice.
"What in Oblivion is that!?" the General called out.
"Look it's a Bird!" A male villager yelled.
"No you idiot it's a cloud!" A female villager replied.
"It's IN the clouds!" A third villager called out.
"It's... COMING RIGHT FOR US! RUN!" The Khajiit exclaimed.
Now there was town wide panic, with everyone running, while the Captain tried to control the situation.
"Calm yourselves you fools! You're acting like you just saw a-"she was interrupted by a massive black lizard landing on top of a tower, shaking the earth
"DRAGON!"
A.N.
I noticed that there wasn't much detail, and I thought adding Ma'Jarro, Sparatus and Raevara would be neat as well.
I plan on fixing Chapter 2 as well, maybe adding some more paragraphs to it, and then I'll get working on Chapter 3 first chance again.
I understand how people might feel about having fifteen main characters, it might feel a bit crowded, especially with seven and possibly more coming to join the party later on (and then theres the antagonists). But don't worry, this won't be like The Hobbit with everyone all scrunched up and only having little moments here and there, the party members are going to be heading to their own separate ways (For example some of them will join the companions or become the Thane of a certain Holds, or join the Thieves Guild), and later I am going to kill off quite a bunch.
I look forward to all of your feedback.