Three Hearts As One
Candlehearth Hall of Windhelm was filled tonight. The defeat of Ulfric Stormcloack had been hard on many Nords of the city. So many of them had come to drown their sorrow and disappointment. While others had come to celebrate.
But tonight the Hall wasn't only filled with just the Nords. The Argonians and Dunmer were also found there. Celebrating their new gained rights by city's new Jarl. But all three races stayed far away from each others.
The Nords simply because they didn't trust either race, and since many of them were former member or supporters of the Stormcloacks.
The Argonians still held the grudge to both Nords and Dunmer for treating them so poorly. And the same could be said about the Dunmer. Who still didn't trust the Nords to honor their Jarl, and Argonians who had invaded their land many years ago.
The atmosphere around the Inn was thick, but no one dared try to break it. The bard of the Inn had decided to silence herself because of the atmosphere and the tenseness around the Hall.
Soon, a door to the Hall opened and two more strangers stepped inside. The bartender tensed up immediately when noticing the new arrival, but was silenced by a waving hand that asked him to hold his tongue. The bartender obliged.
The strangers proceeded to upstairs, where everyone was. Many people's heads were turned to the stairs when they heard heavy boots hitting the wooden stairs. Many Nords eyes widened in shock immediately when seeing who had entered the Hall.
And same thing happened with the Argonians, to which many of them had pride in their eyes. The Dunmer also had the same reaction, but there was also small amount of fear in them too.
Before the three people stood an Argonian, dressed in an armor that was made out of Dragon bones. On his waist were the legendary blade of Dawnguard and all too familiar and frightful Daedric Mace. The Dragonborn had entered the Hall.
He looked around the Hall, and same did his companion. Another Argonian, but female. And she was dressed in purple robes with few bits of armor her body. On her waist, she had one single Elven blade, but it looked more twisted like that of Daedric weaponry than that of Elven design.
The Dragonborn then pointed at one of the tables that was far in the corner of the Hall, where no one had yet seated themselves.
Silently the Hall watched as the Dragonborn and his companion made their way. And as soon as they had reached the tables and seated themselves, everything seemed to return the way everything was before the Hero of Skyrim and his companion, the Fiery Dragon, as many Nords likes to call her, had entered.
But there was still the awareness about the two well known and dangerous Argonians being with them. Everyone was much more careful with what they say, or do.
After some while, the Dragonborn and the Fiery Dragon were talking about something. Something that the Dragonborn was rather emotional about and his companion showed interest and slight amusement.
Then he got up and walked to the bard. Who jumped a little when the Dragonborn came to her and she immediately started to stammer. But quickly stopped herself, when seeing the slightly annoyed expression on his face.
The Dragonborn then asked something from the bard, who gave him a bit of a confused look. Then asked something about the Dragonborn. He seemed to reply with a similar answer. The bard gave a thoughtful look. There was a short pause as the bard seemed to try and think of something.
She then finally nodded, taking her lute, playing it for a short moment a song no one seemed to recognize. She then looked at the Dragonborn with a questioning look, who gave her an approving nod. Then returning to his seat.
The bard then took a good stance and started playing her lute.
We tilled Skyrim's ground despite frozen toil.
We tended the Kuama beneath Morrowind's soil.
We hunted the Wamasu in Blackmarsh's glades.
We three hearts had no need for blades.
When the first lyrics were played, many of the Dunmer and Argonians were ready to leave, but when more familiar lyrics were sung, they halted themselves. This was something more than just a simply Nordic song of the Old Times.
The choice of the song was strange. No one seemed to recognize the words of the song, but there was still something familiar about it. And three races could feel it.
Then they came from the seas folded steel in their hands.
They burned down our homes and ravaged our lands.
Akaviri brought nothing but bloodshed and lies, our families were slain before our eyes.
Akaviri. A name that every species of Tamriel was familiar. A name that was both feared and hated. But those were the ancient times, but the songs were still around, but most of them were the tales about the bravery of the Nords about their conquest over their invaders.
With three separate people they shared a cruel joke.
A choice between death or the yoke.
But then our three people knew what must be done, to end the oppression our three became one!
Now the bard had everyone's ears. And many, if not all of them had turned their gaze on the bard and sometimes eyed each others. The sudden strength in the bard's voice brought something up from all three races. Something they seemed to have forgotten.
And they felt like joining in with the bard in song. Together.
Forged by war, the Ebonheart rose and drove the Akaviri back to the sea!
When the enemies begged for the mercy they lacked, three voices as one shouted Blood for the Pact!
"Blood for the Pact!" the Hall echoed. Mugs were raised and many of the people inside the Hall had gotten up from their chairs to join with the crowd and the bard.
Forged by war our story be told. No shackles can hold us whether moonstone or gold.
And much later the Candlehearth Hall of Windhelm was filled with roaring songs about the might of the Ebonheart Pact. And right in the corner, the Dragonborn watched the scene before him with great pleasure.
"You do know this will only last for this night?" the Fiery Dragon asked.
"And you do know that you are bit of a killjoy?" the Dragonborn remarked, with slight humour in his tone.
"You know what I mean." Dragon replied back.
The Dragonborn's humorous and happy expression soon changed much towards seriousness, but there was small flicker of enjoyment. "I know." he said with a sigh. "But even just one night, is worth something."
"And now just seeing all three people celebrating together, not caring about tomorrow, can be a strong thing." he then turned to his companion. "And maybe, one day, the rest of Tamriel might join them. Celebrating past victories, hoping for a greater tomorrow..."
"Maybe beloved. Maybe." Dragon replied. "But if we ever want that to happen again, the Thalmor are needed to be removed from the face of Tamriel."
Dragonborn nodded at this. "True. But I shall remain hopeful that one day, that might come to pass." he then allowed to smile again, while taking Dragons chin on his hand. Moving closer.
"And that is one of the reasons why I love you so much." Dragon said, leaning towards her life mate, closing the remaining distance between them.
Well, here is a small one-shot story that I pretty much got after listening Malukah's amazing "Three Hearts As One". It certainly was a amazing song as I'm now days fan of Argonians (my total favorite race), Dunmer and finally Nords (which I started to like in Skyrim). And if some of your are wondering, NO, no I unfortunatelly don't have Elder Scrolls Online and probably won't get it any time soon.
And if you have read my previous Skyrim one-shot, these two are the same characters from that. And I might do a larger story centered around these two.
But I hope you guys liked this one-shot, and if not, sorry. Till next time, THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!