*Ugh... My head...*

I slowly open my eyes. My head spinning...

*Where am I?*

My vision clears and I see that I'm in a cart.

I reach my hands to my face to rub my eyes but they are bound together.

*What the..?*

"So your finally awake?"

I look up and see a handsome blonde nord looking at me.

"Yeah" I reply

"You were trying to cross the border with the rest of us. Fell into the empires trap"

*Trap? Wait are these...? Are these Stormcloaks?*

"You're a Stormcloak solider?" I asked

"Yes." He replied

*Oh gods Umbra... What have you gotten yourself into now?*

"What's the matter with him?" I looked up and saw a young nord with dark hair staring at a attractive nord with a gag in his mouth. The sight of him took my breath away...

*Thats Ulfric Stormcloak...*

"Watch your tounge!" The blonde nord snapped "That's Ulfric Stormcloak leader of the rebellion"

"But if your here... Gods where are they taking us?" The dark haired nord panicked.

"I don't know where they're taking us but Soverngarde awaits" the blonde nord replied.

"Ulfric..." I muttered he turned and looked at me. "Sorry" I said blushing "Just thinking... What are your names?" I asked the two nords.

"Ralof" the blonde nord replied

"Lokir" the dark haired nord answered.

"I am Umbra." I said watching them all carefully. "And I know where we are... I grew up not far from here. This is the road to Helgen"

"That makes sense..." Ralof mused "They must be taking us to Cyridil to parade is in front of the emperor"

A silence fell over the cart each of us thinking about our soon demise.

Our silence was broken by the sound of an Imperial solider.

"General Tullius the headsman is waiting"

*Well never thought it would end like this... Oh well Divines take me!*

As we entered the gates there were two people on horse back

""Look at him, General Tullius the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this." Ralof muttered.

"This is Helgen is it not?" I asked

"Yes this is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. I wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in."Ralof said staring off into the distance

I lent forward and placed my hands on his

"I'm sorry"

"Sorry for what?" He asked surprised.

"That you didn't get to settle down. Take a a family."

He smiled " Are you offering?"

I blushed a deep red

His grin widened "I am just jesting with you"

The cart stopped suddenly causing us all to lurch. I looked around and saw a priestess and the headsmans block.

"Better not keep the Gods waiting" Ralof joked standing up and jumping out of the cart after Lokir and Ulfric.

My stomach is bubbling with fear but I try to keep my composer. The solider reads names and villages

Jarl Ulfric Stromcloak of Windhelm takes his place by the block.

Ralof of Riverwood.

Lokir of Rorikstead.

"I'm not a rebel you can't do this!" Lokir cries and begins to run away.

*No! Lokir!*

"Archers" a female captain cries.

I gasp as an arrow plants itself in Lokirs back.

"Anyone else feel like running?" She mocks.

"Who are you?" The male solider asks.

*I glare at the female captain*

"Umbra. Umbra of Riften." I spit back.

"You picked a bad time to come home to Skyrim kinsman" he says as he scribbles my name down. "Captain what should we do? She's not on the list?"

*Whats this? Is there hope? I could leave here alive!"

The captain looks me straight in the eye "She goes to the block."

I try not to look upset but I know it shows. I thought I might get out of this one...

The solider looks sad "You heard the captain. To the block prisoner nice and easy..."

"It's Umbra. Not prisoner." I glare at him. Then turn and walk proudly toward the block.

*if I am to die today. I will die with my honour."

I stare at the bloodied basket... Soon my head will be in there... And for what? Choosing a bad time to cross the border? A ringing filled my head blocking out all the noise. I see the General talking to Ulfric but it all seems so meaningless. The priestess
starts to talk. As if we want to hear what she is saying. Only the divines can judge us now.

A Stormcloak soldier steps forward and walks towards the block. Everything seems to get slower. His body pushed down onto the block the axe swings and...

"Talos preserve you..." I whisper

"Next Umbra of Riften!" The female captain shouts.

My whole body is numb I take shaky step after shaky step forward till I reach the block. I feel a knee in my back pushing me forward till my neck rests on the bloody block. I look up into the face of the headsman.

"Give it your best." I shout at him "Talos will judge you all"

The axe swings up I shut my eyes then...

Nothing.

I open one eye and see the headsman on the ground, I look and the tower and I can't believe my eyes...

"Is that a..? It can't be a real dragon can it...?" I mutter

I look around. Everyone's looking at the dragon... I could run. Then I see Ralof yelling at me.

"Quickly! Into the keep!" And I run after him slamming the door behind me. There is an injured Stormcloak on the floor I lean over her.

"Shhh your gonna be okay" I say stroking her hair. Her eyes start to close and she slowly drifts off. I stand and look around. One Stromcloak solider, Ulfric, Ralof, the injured solider and myself. Then Ralof said what we were all thinking.
style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;""Could the legends be true?"

"Legends don't burn down small villages." Ulfric replied. I still can't believe he doesn't remember me...

"Up here!" There's a shout from upstairs and Ralof and I glance up. Another Stormcloak calls down "if we move a few rocks we could escape through here!"

Ralof and I look at each other then run up the stairs.

"What can we do to..." Then the side of the tower burst open and flames filled the stair way. Once they had gone I rushed to the Stormcloak but he was gone.

"Quickly!" Ralof shouted " Jump through and into that inn! We will catch up!"

*thats a hell of a long way... But if rather jump to my death then get burned alive by a dragon... Or lose my head for that matter*

"Wish me luck!" I shout as I leap out of the tower and into the inn below.

* I'm not dead...* I thought as I stood up and looked back. Ralof was gone. *guess it's just me now...* I jumped down of the inn and saw the solider from earlier.

"Still alive prisoner? Stick with me if you want to stay that way!" I glared at him "Umbra was it?"

"Yes" I snapped.

"Follow me then!" He yelled above the noise. We ran through the battle dodging arrows and fire balls.

*so many people hurt... And I can't even help.* we reached the keep in no time and Ralof reappeared.

"Come on let's go!" Ralof shouted. And I ran into the keep with him and didn't look back.