9th Heartfire, Tirdas, 4E 201

Hadvar arrived in Solitude right after the execution. They were cleaning up the body when he arrived, and one of the gate guards told him that Roggvir had finally been killed for his role in starting the rebellion. Hadvar didn't see the point of the execution—it felt a little like taking revenge on the poor man for a rebellion that he didn't really have much to do with- but he didn't say anything about it, making his way quickly to Castle Dour to report to General Tullius.

As he entered the courtyard and approached the door, one of the guards called out to him. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you. The General and Legate are in a screaming match with someone else who came in earlier. Some Breton. Might be good to give them some space."

Some Breton? Hadvar couldn't help but wonder. "Thanks for the warning. I'll see if someone new being in the room helps calm them down."
"It's your skin," the guard said, opening up the door for him. "Gods be with you."

The shouting match that the guard had warned him about had settled down, but the General was still glaring at someone in the war room.

"Guards, take them into custody. But put them in the Emperor's Tower. They aren't prisoners, not yet," the general said. The Emperor's Tower? Who was he putting in there? Hadvar nearly sprinted into the war room.

"Something I can help with, sir?" he asked.

"Ah, Hadvar! Perfect timing, friend." Hadvar heard Peryn's voice from behind him and got a clap on the back. "You see, General, it's like I told you. Hadvar and I got out of Helgen together, and he suggested joining up. And now he's here to confirm that."

"Is that true, solider?" The General asked.

"Aye, sir," Hadvar said. "Peryn saved my life. I wouldn't have made it out of there without his help."

"Stop that." Peryn admonished, though Hadvar saw a twinkle in his eye. "No need to exaggerate for my sake. I didn't save your life, though I doubt one man could have fought off all those Stormcloaks by himself."

"I'd be dead if you weren't with me," Hadvar said, shrugging. "I count that as saving my life."

"Hm. Well, Prisoner—"

"Peryn," Hadvar said reflexively.

"Peryn," General Tullius, continued, a little less confidently. Hadvar heard Legate Rikke snort behind him, and felt her give him a pat on the shoulder from her place against the wall. "Why don't you have a chat with Legate Rikke. She's the one trying to escape the room." Hadvar looked around, and saw that the Legate had indeed moved from his right shoulder to his left, closer to the door than she was before. She looked completely innocent and taken aback at the suggestion. Hadvar knew that was all a front. While Rikke was a good solider, she didn't like all of the general's plans and often managed to disappear when she was supposed to direct someone to do something she didn't like.

"I suspect we might have use for someone resourceful like you," Tullius said, attention switching back to Peryn. "Not many survived Helgen. Besides," he added, with a touch of dry humor, "I'm sure you're being imprisoned was all a terrible misunderstanding."

"Yes, sir," Peryn said.

"Good, and Hadvar, good to see you're alive. While Rikke explains the recruit's task to enlist, you and I need to talk. Come with me to the courtyard."

"Sir," Hadvar said, trying to keep the confusion out of his voice. Task? Most new recruits just had to take the oath and get their orders.

Out in the courtyard, Tullius explained what the task Peryn was being assigned to was. "I don't trust him," he said, simply. "We know nothing about him other than the fact that he got involved in that ambush that captured Ulfric Stormcloak. I know you say he helped you out in Helgen. How much do you trust him?"

"With my life," Hadvar said, immediately. It was a reaction as much as anything else, though when he thought about it, he did trust Peryn as though he'd known him for years.

"Rikke is going to send him out to Fort Hraggstad to clean the place up."

"Fort Hraggstad?" Hadvar asked, "But sir, we already sent a team up there and they got wiped out. We can't send one man in there, it's a suicide mission."

"If he goes in and cleans the place out, then he wants to be in the Legion and he could be really helpful to us, if he dies, then, well, that's all we need."
"And if he figures out you don't give a damn if he dies and heads over to Eastmarch?" Hadvar asked, bitterly.

"Have more faith in him," Tullius said, shrugging. "I think he'll have little trouble there between his own skills and his sworn sword."

"Aye, sir," Hadvar sighed. "Where should I report?"

"See if Captain Aldis needs anything from you for now. If not, return to me and Rikke and we'll find something in one of the Holds you can help with."

"Sir,' Hadvar said, turning away.

"And Hadvar," Tullius said. Hadvar turned to look at the general. "Glad to have you back, solider. Take care of yourself." He turned and went back into the castle.

Peryn watched as Tullius and Hadvar went out to the courtyard before going over to Rikke, who'd moved back to the war map.

"General Tullius told me what happened at Helgen," she said. "Not many people made it out alive. I've got a good feeling about you, and I don't get good feelings very often. A warrior knows to trust her gut. I'm not going to go through the normal process with you. I've got a little test lined up. Pass that, and we'll talk about you joining the Legion." Peryn got the distinct feeling that she was lying on at least one count, but which one exactly that was escaped him.

"What kind of test are we talking about?" he asked.

The kind that evaluates your usefulness during... duress." Peryn noted that she seemed to take a second to search for the right word. "I'm sending you to clear out Fort Hraggstad. If you survive, you'll pass. If you die, then I'll have no further use for your corpse."

Blunt. Peryn liked that. No point leading him on with promises of glory, just honest, kill or be killed work.
"What's at Fort Hraggstead?"

"The ancients built many of the fortresses that dot the landscape of Skyrim. Sadly, most have fallen into disrepair. And nearly all have been overrun with bandits or other vagabonds. Fort Hraggstad is one of the few that remains mostly intact. We're going to install a garrison there, but first, you're going to clean out the bandits that have moved in."

"Alright. Consider that fort already yours."

"Good!" Rikke said, letting a little smile show. "That's what I want to hear. Now go make it happen, solider."

"Spetim for your thoughts?" Peryn asked Lydia as they walked toward the inn near the gate. They decided after they left Castle Dour that they weren't going to leave for Hraggstad that night. The desire for a real bed was more than a small part of why they were delaying heading out until the morning.

"Sending out a new recruit to clear out of bunch of bandits seems a lot less like a test and a lot more like a way to get rid of the prisoner who escaped Helgen." She said, choosing her words carefully.

"I thought the same thing, honestly," Peryn said, "But I don't think Rikke expects us to get killed. Maybe before talking to her, but…" he gestured aimlessly at the air in front of him. "I don't know; I think we can actually do it. At least I think she thinks we can."

Lydia sighed. "I'm sworn to your service, my Thane, but that doesn't mean my self-preservation skills are gone. I'll help you, of course, but I'd make my peace with the gods if I were you."

"Have faith in us," Peryn said with a wry smile. "We've killed two dragons together, and the one at the watchtower. I'm sure that the bandits won't be any trouble as long as we're careful."
"Aye, but there's the catch. If we're careful. If we get a little headstrong or careless, well, then we'll be dead."

"You really brighten up my day," Peryn grumbled good naturedly.

"It's why I'm here," she said, a little lightness to her voice.

After getting their room from Vinius, Peryn and Lydia settled down near the fire with mugs of mead and bowls of stew.

"It's nice to be able to really relax without worrying about something coming out of the dark to eat us while we eat," Peryn said.
"Don't be sure someone won't, my Thane," Lydia said. "No bears, for sure, but some Nords make good enough substitutes: big, hairy, and grumpy."

"I know: I've been around you."

"Watch it half-breed," Lydia said, covering the raised corners of her mouth with her mug.

The next morning, they set out from the Winking Skeever at dawn after another bowl of stew. The sun was just climbing over the Karth River in the east, causing the islands in Hjallmarch that were visible in the distance to look as though they were floating as they water shimmered around them. Skyrim was a beautiful place, Peryn thought. Well, at least when the whole province wasn't trying to kill you.

"Peryn!" he heard from down the street. He turned to see Hadvar running, full sprint, toward the gate. He stopped to catch his breath once he reached him.

"Hadvar? What are you doing?" Peryn asked.

"I'm coming with you. I persuaded Captain Aldis to give me a couple of days "recovery" time. This thing Rikke's got you on is more than likely to get you killed. Either you prove loyalty and usefulness or a threat is eliminated." Hadvar said, mostly in one breath. Peryn ignored the pointed look that Lydia gave him. "Tullius is a good man, I honestly believe that, but this war has got him on edge, especially since Helgen, from what I've heard. When we get back, you'll see a better side, I promise."

"Either way, we're glad to have you along, Hadvar." Peryn said. "It'll be good to have the aid, even if Rikke isn't too pleased with me having help on my 'test'"

"To Oblivion with your test," Hadvar said with intensity that surprised Peryn. "You're no good to anyone dead, and gods know I can't just sit by and let you die."
"You don't owe me for Helgen," Peryn said quietly.

"No, but I'm not one to let a friend walk to his death," Hadvar said, gripping Peryn's arm fiercely. The two of them stood there in silence for a minute, eyes locked, before Lydia coughed impatiently.

"Are we going to kill some bandits or aren't we?" she asked.

13th Heartfire, Loredas, 4E201

Fort Hraggstad was tucked against the side of a mountain some distance from the road that snaked along the inland side of the mountains that ran along the coast of the Sea of Ghosts. Despite the mountains and fort blocking most of the wind, it was cold. Peryn hated it, though the temperature didn't seem to bother Lydia or Hadvar much.

The first sentry was easily dispatched by a well-placed arrow. Peryn figured they had five minutes at most before someone noticed the body, less if the other sentry looked over from her post. She was too far away for Peryn to be able to hit, and through a wordless conversation he understood that neither of the Nords would be able to either.

That meant there was a problem. The bush they were crouched behind was the last good spot for cover before the fort itself, and they had no idea how many bandits were in the courtyard or close enough to hear the sounds of fighting. If there were only a few, then it would be easy, and if not, well, there'd be three more corpses in the place. They also had no guarantee of making it to the courtyard without being spotted by the other sentry, and if she raised an alarm, they were as good as dead.

Peryn had a thought, not a very good one, but better than standing around waiting to be killed. He summoned his familiar, a wolf-like creature. It was a daedra of some kind, everything summoned was technically from Oblivion, despite its natural appearance. The creature ran up to the gate and in to the courtyard, using the light reflecting off the snow and its own spectral appearance to prevent the sentry from seeing it. Peryn released a breath he didn't know he had been holding. If the sentry, who was now falling from her post, had noticed the wolf and fought it, they would have been in trouble.

The three of them moved quickly to the gate, glancing inside to see how many of the enemy they were going to have to face. A lone bandit, a large Orc clad in heavy armor, stood over the campfire, stirring something in a pot. Peryn couldn't see the other half of the courtyard from his position, but he didn't hear any other sounds from his blind spot. Even if the Orc wasn't the only bandit in the courtyard, he didn't think there was likely to be more than the three of them could fight.

Peryn readied an arrow and loosed it at the Orc. His aim was true, but the shot wasn't enough to kill the Orc, although the bandit did scream in pain and curse. Peryn heard a couple of other bandits spring into action from other parts of the camp. Of course they wouldn't be so lucky.

The Orc didn't see Lydia until she was too close for a reaction to do any good. The other bandits came rushing in from the walls and were met by Hadvar and Peryn, who had exchanged his bow for a sword and shield. There were only two of them, and they fell quickly. The courtyard was silent.

"There's probably ten more inside the keep," Hadvar said. "Otherwise, we'd have been able to take the fort by now."

"Rikke wouldn't have sent me if she thought it was easy," Peryn agreed. "Wouldn't do the job of seeing if I'm willing to die for the Empire."

They quickly checked the courtyard for anything valuable, but found little before moving in to the keep. They were met immediately by another Orc, who put up little resistance against three fighters. They held their breath as they waited to see if the quick fight had attracted any attention, but heard nothing.

The trio proceeded to move through the keep, Peryn shooting any bandit who hadn't spotted them and all three working to take down anyone who survived that first shot or they couldn't sneak up on.

The bandits clearly believed in the principle of might makes right, as the leader of the group was by far the hardest to take down. Still, she had been outnumbered three to one, and that didn't include the atronach shooting firebolts at her from behind. She did manage to give Lydia a nasty bruise on her sword arm, forcing her out of the fight while Peryn and Hadvar finished the deed.

17th Heartfire, Middas, 4E201

"Thank you for the help," Peryn said as they reached Solitude. "But you should probably report in before anyone starts wondering where you went."

"Aye," Hadvar said, a tinge of sadness in his voice. "It was good to fight with you again, but I've been gone longer than I told Aldis I would be. Hopefully he doesn't ask too many questions."

Captain Aldis, it turned out, had noticed very quickly that Hadvar was gone for almost a week. Hadvar respected Aldis enough to actually apologize and explain where he'd been the whole time. After the requisite speech about how he was technically disobeying orders by being gone for so long, and had he just asked Aldis would have let him go, he was sent to the barracks.

"Though I can't say I'm too upset about it. You refused to let a friend take on a suicide mission by himself. That loyalty to your fellow soldier will serve you well, and it probably earned you some favor with the gods. Everyone could use more of that."

Hadvar slept the sleep of the just that night, convinced that Rikke and General Tullius would either not have known about the third member of the team or wouldn't hold it against them. He'd delivered them a good soldier, and one who would be loyal to the Empire in a new province.

When he awoke the next morning, a sentry entered the barracks.

"They want you at the castle," he said, and Hadvar felt his stomach drop. Rikke knew, that much was obvious. He wasn't anybody important enough to get called up to Castle Dour for any reason besides a dressing-down from the highest of the high in the Imperial Legion. He half-considered pretending he hadn't been told for the briefest of moments, before kicking himself for even thinking of doing something that would just make this whole thing worse.

He decided not to play dumb, either, since it wasn't going to make him look any better to act as though he didn't know he'd been found out. He wasn't ashamed of what he'd done, and would tell General Tullis he'd do it again and the General could piss right off if he cared.

Well, maybe not that last part. He didn't doubt Tullius would kill him if he said that.

When he reached Castle Dour, Hadvar saw Peryn sitting in a chair in the front room. He gave Hadvar a small, almost sheepish, smile when he saw him, and stood up.

"Morning," he said. "I have a feeling that I was waiting until you showed up before I get to go see them."

"What do you mean?" Hadvar asked, cocking his head slightly.

"They told me to wait out here for a bit," Peryn said, shrugging. "And then you show up…well, two and two makes four. Oh, and there's been a rather interesting argument floating through the door." Hadvar looked at him expectantly, but before he could explain what he meant by that, Rikke stepped out of the war room. "Excellent," she said. "You're both here. General Tullius and I have some things to say to the two of you."

Hadvar tried very hard to resist the urge to look at Peryn. He only partially succeeded.

"I'm assuming from the looks of you two that Fort Hraggstad is clear?" Tullius said when they entered the room.

"Yes, sir," Peryn answered.

"Good. A garrison will be dispatched shortly. The fort should help us ensure that rebels aren't able to make it close to Solitude."

"But there's another matter to discuss," Rikke said. "That's the third member of your party."

"Lydia?" Peryn asked, and Hadvar to restrain himself from slapping the man. This was not at all the time to be smart with the General and Legate Rikke. They were getting reprimanded, for Talos' sake.

"No, I meant Hadvar," Rikke said, thankfully choosing to take the diplomatic route. "You were told to report to Captain Aldis, were you not?"

"Aye, ma'am," Hadvar said.

"And you were not in the city, is that so?"

"Aye, ma'am."

"Why is that?"

"Because I felt that you had given Peryn insufficient resources for the mission you had assigned him, showing, if I may be blunt, ma'am, a disregard for his life." Hadvar started calm, but became more and more heated as he continued. "Asking two people to clear out that fort, even if they are two of the best fighters I've ever seen, was going to get someone killed, and I wasn't going to let a friend die just because it let you remove an unknown from this war. You're a Nord, ma'am you know that I couldn't just sit here while he goes off on a suicide mission, trying to prove himself to someone who isn't acting as though they care if he's alive."

Rikke didn't move while his talking started to dissolve into little more than rambling. "War, gods, war is awful, and I…" he sighed, "Gods damn those rebels and now the dragons, and… he's a good one ma'am, just believe me. And he saved my life too, I don't care what he says. He's too good a man to die forgotten somewhere."

"Almost everyone who dies in war doesn't deserve it," she said, quietly. "But I do believe you," the warmth in her voice surprised Hadvar. He hadn't thought he was that persuasive. "I wouldn't have sent him there if I didn't think he and his sworn sword couldn't handle the bandits. Look, I'll be straight with you here: you're a damn good solider and I trust your judgement. But that judgement had better be right if you're going to go behind my back again, is that clear?"
"Ma'am" he said, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

"And for you, Peryn," she said. "I can't exactly say it's how I wanted it to go, but you did do what I asked. Even with Hadvar's help, clearing out that fort was impressive work. It's time you officially joined the Legion."

Peryn stood on the walls, by a watchtower that was currently unused, looking out at the mouth of the Karth River. Rikke had sent him to get outfitted, and told him to report back in the morning. Hadvar had left to report back to Captain Aldis.

Beirand was a decent man, trying to keep Peryn distracted while he made adjustments to the standard Imperial armour, but after an hour of being fussed over, Peryn just wanted to get away. Lydia was off replenishing their food supplies, something that Peryn knew could take all day if she wanted it to. He got the feeling she was going to enjoy a market until he came and collected her.

"Septim for your thoughts?" he heard, and turned to see Hadvar approaching along the walls.

"I'd take one, but there aren't any thoughts to give you," Peryn said. "Just getting away from the bustle for a while."

"I understand," Hadvar said. "It's a lot sometimes."

"So, what brings you up here?"
"Aldis sent me to take a look at all of the walls, make sure they weren't quietly falling apart on us. The city hasn't been under siege in a few hundred years, but, well, there is a war on." He paused for a second. "You haven't seen the view from the top of the tower, have you?"

"No, why?"

"It's even better than this one. The little extra height works wonders." Hadvar said with a grin. "Come one, follow me."

Peryn had to admit that Hadvar was right about the view being even better. He could see Morthal faintly in the distance, and Dragonbridge when he turned to the south.

"If you haven't heard it yet, welcome to Skyrim," Hadvar said, placing a hand gently on Peryn's back.

"It's a beautiful place," he said, drinking in the entire view.

"Aye," Hadvar said. "Skyrim isn't quite like any place else, or so I've heard. It's a good place to call home."

Home, Peryn thought. Wouldn't one of those be nice again. And, he thought before he had a chance to shut down the thought, wouldn't it be nice to have one with the man next to him.

I notice, to my chagrin, that I have reverted to my old habits of lots of detailed writing in a chapter instead of what I was going for with this. C'est la vie, I suppose, especially when it takes a while to write each chapter. Hopefully, I'll be able to get back to the style I want in the next chapter, although I may in the end be happy with just writing a good story and being done with it.

In the meantime, here's a second chapter. It's really interesting trying to figure out how much I want to stick to the script and how much I want to deviate from what really happened for the sake of my plot. Taking dialogue from Bethesda is nice, but it is rather limiting, so I decided to try going off the rails a bit.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

Fox