Opening her eyes Ayeera looked around.

The three men in binds were all Nords. Something didn't add up here. She tried to recall what had happened.

The last thing she remembered was shouting; cursing. She had been traveling, off the road, knowing full well the dangers she could run into on an open road. Faint cries had piqued her curiosity and drew her towards the road.

Imperial Legion soldiers came into view and they were surrounding lightly armored men and women but one of them stood out. A snapping of a twig had startled her and she swiftly turned her head. An armored hand caught her face and she blacked out.

"Woah, easy there lass. Can you hear me?"

Ayeera blinked a few more times and looked at the Nord sitting across from her. She nodded.

"Good. Though it seems a bit of misfortune landed you here."

"More than you know." She said under her breath. Her eyes saddened as she looked up at the distant mountains.

He was trying to make conversation but she wasn't thinking about her current situation. She was trying to piece together just how she had managed to go from one tragedy to another in just a few months. She had lived a quiet, simple life in a small village in Elsweyr. She was an upstanding citizen, never caused any trouble for anyone.

But being a good person apparently isn't enough to stop bandits from raiding villages, slaughtering decent people, and burning childhood memories to the ground. When it began some fought, some ran, and some hid. Though some had hid better than others. She was the only one to leave that blackened village. For the next few months she had drifted on the road, eventually finding herself in Skyrim and in her current predicament.

Ayeera brought herself back to the present and looked at the Nord sitting next to the blonde one. His face was bruised and covered in fear. She couldn't blame him, she too was confused and frightened. Surely they would realize she was not meant to be here.

He looked at her. "You there. You and me - we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." The blonde Nord said.

"I'm sure-" Ayeera began.

"Shut up back there." The cart driver called back.

They rode the rest of the way in silence.

When the cart finally stopped the realization that she was moments away from death set in. Her heart rate quickened, her breathing became shallow and staggered, and she couldn't stop blinking. The Stormcloak noticed her uneasiness and tried to calm her down. She tried her best to relax but she couldn't settle her nerves.

"Step towards the block when we call your name. One at a time." The Imperial Captain ordered.

The Legion soldier next to the Captain began calling out names. "Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm."

The man in the nice clothing stepped forward. "It has been an honor Jarl Ulfric." The Stormcloak prisoner said.

"Ralof of Riverwood." The soldier continued. "Lokir of Rorikstead."

"No, I'm not a rebel. You can't do this."

Ayeera glanced over at him. What's he going to do? She thought.

He took off running. The Captain ordered the archers to fire. The thief was taken down.

The soldier looked at her and then down at the list, then back at her. "You there step forward."

She did as she was told. Her whole body was trembling.

"Who are you?" He asked.

She tried to steady herself before speaking. "A...A..." She couldn't speak she was so scared.

"Are you with one of the trade caravans, Khajiit? Your kind always seems to find trouble."

She shook her head.

"Captain. What should we do? She's not on the list."

"Forget the list. She goes to the block, same as the rest."

At those words her eyes began to well up. Her fate was sealed then. There was no way out of this.

"I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Elsweyr." The soldier said trying to comfort her.

His words meant nothing to her. She had traveled for so long from one disaster to another. She wasn't religious by any means but she began to wonder that if the Divines truly watched over the people of Nirn then why was she about to be so wrongfully executed? Or was it simply bad luck? She guessed it didn't really matter one way or the other.

Her thoughts were interrupted by an echo from the sky.

"What was that?" The Imperial soldier asked.

"It's nothing. Carry on." The Imperial General answered.

"Yes General Tullius. Give them their last rites." The Captain ordered the priestess.

One of the Stormcloaks marched forward exclaiming his annoyance at the Imperials for taking too long. He stood before the block still taunting them. The captain pushed him to his knees and slammed his torso onto the block. The Stormcloak continued to insult them. The headsman brought his axe down and severed his head.

Ayeera closed her eyes wishing for it all to end. The wind picked up and a chill crept up her spine, she began to shiver. She had never felt so vulnerable, in all of her life, then she did at this moment.

"Next the cat." The Captain barked.

Is that all I am to them? Just some stray cat they picked up on the side of the road?

Another echo from the mountains. It was louder this time.

"There it is again. Did you hear that?" The soldier with the list asked.

"I said next prisoner."

"To the block prisoner. Nice and easy."

She couldn't contain her fear as she walked to the block. The captain showed no sympathy. She pushed her onto the block and Ayeera looked up at the headsman trying to look into his eyes.

She saw it before she heard it. A great black dragon flew out from behind the mountain. Her eyes opened wide. What in Oblivion is going on?