A/N: Hello readers, thank you for checking out my story. This is a story based on my current playthrough of Skyrim. Since I write after I play a session, updates to this may not be consistent (I'm a university student at the moment, so naturally updates will lessen when coursework deadlines are approaching). When I know issues are incoming I'll include it in an author's note.

Chapter 1 – Prologue

12th Last Seed – 4E201

"Dammit Woman, why don't you ever listen to me!" bellowed Erald, as he slammed his fist onto the table; which rather surprisingly didn't break. Erald was a nord living within Cyrodil, with his wife Kirsten and his two (adult) children, the eldest being his daughter Anina, and the youngest being Jurgald. "Father… what's wrong?" a rather timid voice asked quietly. Erald sighed, "Read this note your mother left." Anina took the note and read it.

Husband

I know you disagree with me wanting to travel to Skyrim to fight in the civil war, but it is my homeland. You may not be able to understand as you were born in Cyrodil despite being a nord, but Skyrim is my homeland and I cannot bear the thought of some usurper plunging my homeland into chaos. I may be starting to get on in years but I am still a capable fighter Erald. I will assist the Empire in keeping its lands unified, and then I shall return alive. This I promise. I love you.

Kirsten

"I need to stop her." Erald declared. "But what about the blacksmith here?" asked a rather confused Anina, her mother had just left and now her father is planning on doing the same "how is the blacksmith meant to operate with its head blacksmith?" While gathering his armour and weapons Erlad simply grunted "Jurgald can smith items for a few days, he needs to start doing proper shifts anyways." Before Anina could say anything further Erald ran out the door at a blistering pace, shocking Anina. "How can he run that fast in heavy armour?" she asked aloud, although no one would answer, as the fourth occupant of the family house, Jurgald, was away, doing only lord knows what.

A Few Hours Later

Jurgald arrived home to find just his sister there. "Where's Mother and Father Anina?" asked Jurgald, rather surprised at the empty house. "Both have gone to Skyrim" replied Anina, in a surprisingly cold tone, "now it's just me and you." "What's with the cold tone?" asked a rather bemused Jurgald. Over the last few years Jurgald and Anina had grown a little distant. Both of them were expected to run the blacksmith once their parents retired, Jurgald crafting the weapons in his father's stead while Anina would take her mother's job of keeping track of the finances and making sure the inventory was stocked. Anina had taken her job very seriously, given how she was a very dedicated worker as well as a dedicated learner before she started to shadow her mother, this didn't come at a surprise. Jurgald however had not taken too kindly to being forced to being a blacksmith. He certainly enjoyed crafting weapons and armour however he did not like the feeling of his life being on rails, as if the choice of what to do with his life had been completely taken away, therefore he would put in far less effort into his work, resulting in him working far less hours than his sister, which was something that drew her ire. As far as she was concerned, he was more or less walking out on his family obligations, as it was their parents who had given them a good start to life, and the least she could do was help keep on their legacy by ensuring their parents blacksmith continues to be a success, and she always failed to understand why her brother didn't feel the same way.

Jurgald, sensing this as an opportunity to strike out on his own, was certainly not going to let said opportunity pass. Rushing to get his weapon and what little money he had, Jurgald was soon ready to strike out on his own, well, at least try to.

"You can't leave me on my own, how am I supposed to create weapons to sell?" asked a frantic Anina, who was desperate not to be left with the entire blacksmith on her own. She never trained as a black and still struggled with some of the account keeping, how was she supposed to run the family business on her own?

"Surely you can just hire a few people from around town?" replied Jurgald, who was far more concerned with getting out before his sister gained enough confidence to try and physically stop him.

"We're not made of money, and do you even know how to use that sword of yours?" asked Anina, who was desperately thinking of anything and everything she could do to get her brother to stay.

"Of course I can use weapons, what sort of blacksmith can't?" replied a confident Jurgald, however his confidence was certainly misplaced. Jurgald had been taught a few of the basics, but only enough to be able to defend himself against animals; in a one on one dual against a human opponent, or an large animal (i.e. a bear) he would most likely end up with separated limbs.

"That doesn't….. hey HEY STOP!" Anina yelled with urgency, however Jurgald hat already sprinted out of the house and down the street, and Anina stood no chance in catching him, as he was the faster sibling by some distance.

Having gave chase for some time before giving up, a fatigued Anina sluggishly returned home. I will not give up, I will fulfil the obligations my family has abandoned, I will keep this business going Anina thought to herself as she returned home, hoping to find the resolve required to take care of the burdens that had just been placed onto her.

Jurgald on the other hand headed north. His town wasn't that far south from the Cyrodil/Skyrim border, and with civil was raging within the Skyrim province, then that's where there was glory to be had! Jurgald travelled north, using what money he had to stay at local inns and help pay for travel to speed up his progress.

17th Last Seed – 4E201

It took five days, but Jurgald finally arrived at the Skyrim border. I finally made it Jurgald thought to himself, with his head swelling with pride. He had next to no money left and just a measly sword with him, but that didn't matter to him. Shortly after entering the Skyrim province however, Jurgald came across two groups fighting each other. As it were a group of Stormcloaks were engaged with a bunch of imperial soldiers, however the imperial soldiers easily outnumbered the Stormcloaks, and it was clear who was going to win this fight.

"Enough" commanded Ulfric Stormcloak, leader of the Stormcloaks and the person who initiated the civil war. "It is clear that we cannot win, we surrender."

The Imperial in charge of the cohort that had engaged simply laughed, as the victory most certainly went to his head with little delay, "you hear that men? The Stormcloak commander himself has surrendered to us, round them up for execution!" declared the lead imperial.

Jurgald had watched the battle under the cover the trees nearby in order to avoid the battle. He of course currently had no part in this and getting involved with his basic sword and while wearing civilian clothed would certainly be a bad idea. Unfortunately for Jurgald, an imperial soldier had spotted him after the battle had concluded.

"You think you can hide Stormcloak?" asked a grizzly voice from being Jurgald, prompting Jurgald to almost jump out of his trousers.

"Wait wait wait" pleaded a desperate Jurgald, as the Imperial raised his sword. "I'm not a…." Jurgald continued to say. Before the Imperial struck Jurgald's head with the blunt side of his sword, knocking Jurgald clean out.

And that's how Jurgald winded up on the way to his execution, dumped in the back of a carriage with the Stormcloak leader, one of his key soldiers and a horse thief, who had wounded up in the same situation in a similar manner.