LEGENDS DON'T BURN DOWN VILLAGES
I was jolted awake. I slowly sat up and adjusted myself. This seat was so uncomfortable. Every bump and stone we went over made the carriage shift and bounce. "You're finally awake." A voice in front of me said. I blunk my eyes a few times to focus them. A blond man in a blue uniform sat in front of me. Another man a larger dark haired man with a scar running across his face sat next to the blond man. Bad vibes seemed to iminate from this man. "Jarl Ulfric must really think something of you to let you sleep on him like you did."
Sleep on him? Jarl Ulfric? I was leaning over when I woke. Was I leaning on him? I looked over at the man sitting next to me. He was hunched over. His arms also bound but for some reason his mouth was gagged as well. He turned slightly and watched me for a moment with intense eyes. "I-I'm sorry." I stammered. After a moment Jarl Ulfric went back to watching the wooden floor.
"What's your name, little elf?" the blond asked. "I'm Ralof. The scary looking one next to me is Soldin. He's harmless though." I looked at Soldin. He kissed towards me and laughed. i didn't like him.
"I'm Rhew." I murmured. "I don't know why I'm here."
"Rhew." Ralof tested her name. "Cute name for a little elf." He said with a small smile.
"You have that horrible head wound. I'm sure that has something to do with why you're here." Soldin commented. I brought my bound hands to my injured head. Just thinking about it made it throb. Fresh blood. My wound has not closed yet. Getting knocked in the head multiple times can't be good.
"I don't remember how I got this." The three men stared at me. "I don't remember anything but my name and the man's name I was with." I shook my head.
Soldin seemed to get too excited about this. "You have what do you call it! That head thing."
"Amnesia." Ralof finished for him.
"Yes, I guess that is what I have." I said watching the floor. We passed through the city gates. I could feel the eyes of the villagers staring at us. If only I could remember what happened to me. Maybe I wouldn't be in this situation.
"That damned Tullius with the Thalmor!" Ralof exclaimed. "I should have known they had something to do with this!" I glanced up and saw a group of people on horseback. One was in the same uniform Basilio was wearing. The others were elves in a black garb. The Thalmor?
The carriages came to a stop in the city center. The only thing in the center being a chopping block. A female captain began to scream for everyone to get out of the carriages. The soldiers began to call off the names of the prisoners until I was the only one left in the group. "Who are you?" the soldier asked me.
"Rhew."
"Captain, she's not on the list." he said unsure of what to do. Maybe just maybe this will be my way out.
"Who cares! She goes with the others!" She yelled. My heart sunk. I was going to die.
"I'm sorry. We'll send your remains back to…" He thought for a moment. "um, to Valenwood." The captain pushed me towards the other prisoners. I tried to keep a blank face while the last rites were given but I felt tears slip down my cheeks.
"Oh for the love of Talos! Let's get this over with!" One of the prisoners yelled pushing his way towards the chopping block. As he laid his head on the block he cried out "My ancestors are smiling at me. Can you say the same?" The axe came down and his head fell into a basket next to the chopping block.
"Next! You, wood elf!" the captain screamed as she pushed the headless body aside. Was she talking about me? Am I a wood elf? I could feel everyone's eyes on me. "You! Elf! You're the only one here! Now!" I slowly made my way to the chopping block. My extremities were going numb. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat. I was pushed down onto the headless body. My head was slammed into the chopping block. All composure I had left at that moment.
"Be strong, little elf." I heard Ralof call to me.
The axe raised above the executioners head. "Auri-El No!" I screamed.
"Dragon!" Someone yelled as a dragon landed on the tower overlooking the center creating the ground to shake. The executioner lost his balance falling over. The dragon shouted. The clear skies was quickly covered by clouds and fire fell from the sky.
"Rhew! Get up! Now's our chance!" Ralof yelled. I stumbled to my feet and ran after Ralof. Fire rained from the sky. The dragon flew around shouting fire at the chaos. We dodged the raining fire and rain into a nearby tower where other prisoners were hiding. Jarl Ulfric and Soldin were among the group. "It's a dragon! I thought they were only legends!" Ralof exclaimed.
"Legends don't burn down villages." Jarl Ulfric said in his deep matter-of-fact voice. The tower shook from an explosion. "We need to move now!" Ulfric yelled.
"Come on, little elf, let's go!" I ran up the tower with Ralof and Soldin behind me. The wall exploded at the top of the stairs in front of me sending me flying back into Ralof. "You're ok!" He said helping me get my balance. We ran to the first landing. The rest of the tower was inaccessible now.
"What do we do now?" Soldin yelled over the fire rain and dragon shouts.
Ralof pointed out the giant hole. "We can jump into the next building from here! Rhew, you go first! We'll follow with the injured."
I looked out the hole at the long gap between the tower and the building. "I can't make that!"
Soldin picked me up like a doll, "Sure you can! I'll help you."
"Wait! At least cut these ropes first!" But it was too late. I was flying through the air towards the building. Some how I managed to land on my feet taking a few stumbling steps at my landing. Ok. How do I get out of here? I hopped down from a hole in the floor and ran out the building. The soldier from earlier was ushering civilians to safety from the dragon.
"You're still alive prisoner? Stay with me if you want to stay that way!" he yelled towards me. "Get down!" The dragon landed in front of us.
"Yol Toor Shul!" the dragon shouted fire. Those words sounded so familiar but thinking about it made my head hurt.
"Elf, run!" the soldier snapped me out of my thoughts. I ran after him as we made our way through the smoldering ruins of the city. "Get back!" He yelled as the dragon landed on the wall above us.
"Yol Toor Shul!" It yelled. There it is again. I know that word but how?
"Come on! Let's go!" We ran through another center where soldiers tried unsuccessfully to shoot down the dragon with arrows. Ralof and Soldin came running from another direction towards the same building. "Ralof you traitor!" the soldier yelled.
"You are the traitor, Hadvar!" Ralof yelled back, "Come on, little elf! We're getting out of here!" Before I could decide what I wanted to do Soldin had grabbed the back of my tunic and dragged me after them. I couldn't help but believe that soldier was not a bad person.
"Please survive this, Hadvar!" I yelled to him as I was pulled into the building.
Inside was eerily quiet compared to outside. The building would tremble occasionally but there was no other sound. We ran to a small opening where a man in a blue uniform lay dead. Ralof kneeled down next to him. "We'll meet again in Sovngarde." He said quietly. He stood up and walked up to me. "Here let me cut those ropes. Sorry we didn't earlier." He said as he cut the ropes binding my arms. I rubbed my aching wrists once they were freed. "You need better protection than those rags you're wearing. You must have had a rough life before the Imperials caught you. Why don't you take his armor. Don't worry. I'll turn so you can get dressed."
"I won't" Soldin said with that creepy look in his eyes. Ralof pulled Soldin across the room with him and forced him to stare at the wall.
"I'm sorry," I whispered to the dead man as I pulled his armor off of him. I quickly changed keeping my eyes on Soldin. I did not trust him even with Ralof keeping his eyes on him. The armor was huge on my small frame. I felt like a little child in the armor. "Ok. I'm dressed." I called out.
Ralof laughed when he saw me, "I'm sorry. It's cute really but maybe we should find something that fits you better later." He said with a chuckle.
"Something that fits you real good." Soldin said nudging me in my side.
I looked at him with disgust, "You're a pig,"
"I'm a Nord but close enough." He said winking.
Ralof placed a hand on Soldin's shoulder, "Ok, ok. Let's find a way out of here. Do you have a weapon, little elf?" I told him I use magic. I really hope I use magic. "Magic, huh? You elves and your magic. Alright let's get going."
We followed the twisting halls of the building that seemed to lead us deeper underground. Could we really find a way out of here? "Shor's bones! It's a torture room! Those damned Imperials!" There were bodies in swinging cages like they were animals. What did these men do to deserve this kind of treatment?
"Prisoners are trying to escape!" An Imperial soldier yelled. Two soldiers came rushing at us. Ralof took out an axe while Soldin started swinging with a mace. They skirmished for awhile. I need to help them! I concentrated on some magic. What do I even know? Frost? Why frost? Ok. I felt my hand chill as a faint blue light glew above it. I shot a spray of frost at the soldiers accidently hitting Ralof and Soldin as well.
"Hey! Careful with that!" Soldin yelled. He bashed one of the soldiers with the mace. Ralof cut the other one down. I guess I wasn't much help.
"Magic?" Ralof asked skeptically.
I shrunk into myself, "I feel like that's what I used but-"
"Amnesia. Yes?" Ralof looked around the room and grabbed a shield that was hanging on the wall. "How about you hide behind this and we will protect you, ok?" I didn't like the idea of being protected like some delicate flower but I nodded in agreement. We continued further into the building. We entered a room that seemed to be connected to a cave. "This has to be a way out." Ralof explained. As we entered the cave more Imperial soldiers attacked us. "Rhew, stay back! Let us handle this!" Ralof yelled as he ran at the closest soldier. Soldin bashed a second soldier in the head. He crumpled to the floor. Dead I'm sure.
"You're dead, elf!" A soldier got through Ralof and Soldin and swung his sword at me. I hid behind my shield as it hit. The force made me stumble. I fell to the ground dropping the shield. The soldier raised his sword. There was a crazed look in his eyes. Oh, gods what do I do! "Yol toor shul!" I screamed. The soldier burst into flames. Dropping his sword he screamed as he ran. Falling to the floor he rolled around trying to stop the flames. But they would not go out. After what seemed like agonizing minutes he stopped moving altogether.
Did I do that? Was that me? I thought in horror. Ralof ran up to me and pulled me to my feet. He handed me the shield. "Maybe you are a mage." He commented. Soldin watched in silence. The way he looked at me seemed different than before. Intrigued almost. Why did I yell what the dragon had yelled? Was that what made the man burst into flames?
We continued deeper into the cave following a spring. after a few minutes Ralof grabbed my shoulder to stop me. "Hold up. It's a bear!" He whispered. "I'd rather not tangle with her. Let's sneak by." Soldin snickered. "If you want to fight her, Soldin, go right ahead. We will wait here for you."
"Nah, I'll let her live today." Soldin whispered. Ralof exchanged looks with me. Soldin acted big but was he really as strong and confident as he pretended to be? We slowly crept by the sleeping bear and made our way towards daylight. We ran the rest of the way through the cave excited to finally be free of the chaos. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the sunlight. We watched the dragon fly over the mountain and disappear.
An image of a dragon attacking me from a mountain flooded my mind. Freezing. Running. A club to my head. My head began to throb. I tried to ignore it. Were these images of things that happened to me before my amnesia?
"I can't believe we survived that. Let's hope others have too. But we need to keep moving. Who knows when the Imperials will show up." Ralof said. We started following the cobblestone path down the mountain side. I couldn't believe I was alive after everything that had happened. I started laughing at the luck. My laughter soon changed to sobs. Sobs I couldn't stop. I collapsed and cried in my hands. I tried to stop but I couldn't. As I sobbed my body grew hot. My vision started to blur. What was happening to me? I couldn't think straight. I felt as if I was about to pass out. Ralof and Soldin stopped and watched me for a moment. Ralof kneeled next to me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Calm down, little elf, we're safe now." I looked up at him with what little vision I had when I was able to control my sobs but his concerned face made me cry more.
Soldin sighed with exhaustion. "Let's just leave her. We're exposed on this road."
"I'm not leaving her after all we went through." Ralof stated. "I think she's in shock. Who can blame her?" Ralof picked me up and continued down the road. After a few minutes we entered a small town next to the river. "This is Riverwood where I grew up. I'm sure my sister, Gerdur can help you." He told me. I nodded but I couldn't concentrate on his words.
Another Nord stopped Soldin as we started across the bridge towards a lumbermill. "Hey, could you help me with something?"
"Sure! Anything for a brother Nord! What's your name?" Soldin asked.
"Sven….."
Ralof rolled his eyes. "Soldin always does little things for people to make him look better than he actually is." As we rounded the corner of the lumbermill an older blond woman came running up to us.
"Ralof! What are you doing here!" She exclaimed. She took a look at me. "The poor girl! She's in shock! What happened to you?" As Ralof explained what we went through he sat me down on a tree stump. I laid my head on my knees and stared at the grass. I was shaking uncontrollably. My face felt like it was on fire. I tried to calm down but I just couldn't. "No wonder she's in shock! After everything you've been through."
"What can we do though to help her?" Ralof asked.
"Maybe my employee can help her. He's a wood elf as well." Gerdur said. I glanced up from my knees. Another wood elf? But calling myself a wood elf seemed weird. Wrong even. Across the lumber mill was a man leaning on the fence watching the river. Gerdur started to call him but stopped when another woman stormed up to him. We couldn't hear what she was saying but was indeed mad. She slapped him and stormed off before he could even say anything. "I wonder what in Talos happened between them?" Gerdur said more to herself. "I feel bad now but we need his help. Faendal! Could you come over for a moment." He jogged over to us and asked what was needed. "There's a female wood elf in shock from everything she's been through. I didn't know if there was anything you could do for her. I'm sorry for asking this after what happened."
"Another Bosmer?" He sounded excited. He kneeled in front of me and looked into my eyes. What a handsome man. I could tell he was older from his long silver hair and aged face but his eyes were filled with a gentle nature. "Wood elf?" He seemed skeptical too. He placed his fingers gingerly on my temples reminding me of my injury on my left temple. All the worries in my head seemed to melt away. The world had a gentle glow of a setting sun. Faendal smiled "Do you feel better now?" He asked.
I nodded "Thank you."
"What's your name?" He asked gently.
"Rhew."
He smiled "You're not a wood elf, Rhew."
"I know," I chuckled.
"I didn't know you knew illusion magic, Faendal." Gerdur exclaimed.
He stood up but didn't leave my side. "I know a couple. They've saved my life more than once."
"We need to warn Whiterun of the dragon attack. but I cannot go. It is too dangerous for me to travel." Ralof explained.
"I'll go." I said. Everyone looked at me with surprise. "It's the least I could do. Besides I just feel like this is something to do with me."
"Are you sure you have amnesia? And not just "forgetting" to tell us something important." Ralof asked.
I shook my head. "I don't know why I feel this way. But I will go."
"I think it's the calming spell that's making her think this way. Maybe it's best if she gets some rest." Faendal suggested. I tried to stand up but my legs wobbled and I fell to the tree stump. "That is definitely the calming spell. I'll help you. You can use my cabin for tonight."
I agreed although I don't think I would have if I wasn't under the spell. He helped me to his cabin and into the bed. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
