Chapter 2 – Explanations

Faye approached the throne in the palace of Kings, the moment she had been dreading had come and now she had to explain to her friend why she had disappeared for the best part of a year.

"Storm blade!"

Ulfric spoke first, calling her by the name she was given when she helped the Stormcloaks gain victory over the empire.

She was aware that her reasoning for siding with them were purely selfish, there were many policies Ulfric had that she did not agree with and as magic using Breton she knew that her presence in their army was unusual. The reason she joined the stormcloaks was because the Imperial army had captured her and Mikael two years prior, they had stumbled into an ambush, and in the confusion Mikael was executed, she was next for the chopping block, however Alduin attacked and the rest was history, she escaped with a group of Stormcloak soldiers and had sworn allegiance to them ever since. Partly due to her growing hatred of the Empire for killing her mentor and protector without a fair trail and partly due to the fact that they were going to do the same to her!

"High King" she responded, sounding dejected.

"Are you ok?" The question posed quite a few potential answers. Physically she was fine albeit 6 months pregnant. She escaped Solstheim and took the ship back to Windhelm and collapsed outside of the palace, so she was not surprised by his concern.

"Well apart from the obvious" She gestured down to her belly and continued "Ulfric, I need to get as far south as possi-"

Before she could finish her sentence she was interrupted.

"Do not tell me what you need!" Ulfric was angry she knew it!

"You have been gone for the best part of a year! You come back half dead and pregnant, and tell me that you are wanting to leave again?! What in Oblivion has happened?!" Were you..forced?

She stared back at him, she knew what he meant. A part of her wanted to say yes, she was raped, however, she knew, that would be a lie. She was not going to be that person who would lie about something like that even if it would get her the sympathy and help that she required. No, she would have to tell the truth and explain how she had ended up in this condition and why now she was desperate to get away.

So she explained...

12 Months ago

"Board the vessel Northern Maiden docked at Raven Rock. Take it to Windhelm, and then begin your search. Kill the False Dragonborn known as Faye before she reaches Solstheim.

Return with your success and Miraak shall be most pleased."

Faye scrunched up the note in her hand and looked over at the three fallen cultist. This was the third attack by these cretins over the last year. The first time it happened she barely escaped with her life and it was only the quick thinking of the Whiterun guards that had allowed her to survive the attack.

This third attempt had annoyed her! She had felled Alduin, she was also the main reason for the Stormcloaks taking solitude, she had thought her life was now her own to live out in peace, and then this? Who in Oblivion was Miraak? And why did he want her dead?

She decided to take her questions to Paarthurnaxx, although the old dragons love for conversation often left her wanting to walk straight off the Throat of the World in sheer boredom, she knew if anyone had answers he would! She also had become quite fond of the old dragon, so much so when the blades had asked her to kill him, she told Delphine to shove her help, where the sun did not shine! Something that did not go down well with the leader of the Blades!

"Miraak you say?" Paarthurnaxx questioned Faye.

"Yes! What can you tell me about him?" Replied Faye

"He is Dragonborn like you."

"Wait, I though I was the last one? The only one left?"

"You are, Miraak does not live in this realm, he is trapped in Apocrypha, Hermaeus Mora's Realm" At the mention of that particular Deadric prince Faye's eyes widened, she had encountered this one already and was not particularly fond of him.

Paarthurnaxx continued with his depiction of who Miraak was. After about an hour Faye knew he was the first ever Dragonborn and that he rebelled against the dragon masters, he was also widely feared among dragons and was responsible for the fall of many of them.

He was defeated and before his enemies could land the killing blow, he was saved by Hermaeus Mora and transported to his realm of Apocrypha, where he has been trapped ever since. From the description given by Paarthurnaxx, he had a massive chip on his shoulder and rather than use his powers to help, he used them to further his own needs.

That was it, Faye had decided to confront Miraak, going against the advice of Paarthurnaaxx, who told her he was dangerous and could not be trusted, and she wanted to confront him. Why had he attacked her? Not only that she wanted to meet someone like her, ever since Mikael died, she was lonely, she had been given a title to live up to, one that she struggled with. If there was someone that existed like her she wanted to meet them!