"It's beautiful!" Rami appraises the lovely bright blue gown. It had silver tulips embroidered on it with golden trim. The silk and the cotton mixed so smoothly that it shined in the sun. The dress was of pure quality fashion. Only wives and daughters of nobles or royalty would wear a gown this perfect. "I got it at Radiant Rainment. The best tailor shop in Skyrim." Said Rohan.
"Only the rich shop there! Rohan this must of cost you a fortune."
"It wasn't that expensive." Rohan bites his tongue on that, the damn dress cost him 2300 septims. "Check out the bejeweled collar. The tailor point that out for me."
Rami looks at the little rubies near around the collar. She had never seen a dress like this at all.
"Wow, whats so special if you don't mind me asking?"
"Only dresses that has that jeweled stitched like that is from argonians. The dress came all the way from Argonia, the Black Marsh."
Rami's beamed of amazement. "You got me a dress straight from the Black Marshes! Oh Rohan!" She jumps on him with a deep hug, no one has ever given her a gift like that before. "I'm going to wear this at the Feast of the Dead festival tonight!"
"That's today?!" Rohan had been running around everywhere that he couldn't keep up with the days or holidays. The Feast of the Dead is a Skyrim holiday which celebrated on the 13th of Sun's Dawn. Celebrating the first day Ysgramor and the five hundred companions lead a war to the snow elves and conquered all of Skyrim. The festivities would be fireworks, songs, a great feast and the names of the five hundred Companions were recited and Rohan being the Harbinger had to be the one who recites the names. "Yeah, please tell me you haven't forgotten. This is supposed to be a special day for you and the Companions."
"Yes, Vignar isn't going to let me hear the end of it."
Rami shakes her head and smiles at her Rohan. He was always too busy helping others that he never really sat down and had some fun of his own. He needed a break. "I have to finish up my duties." Rami gives Rohan another hug and a peck on the cheek, "Thanks for the dress. I'll see you at the dinner."
Jorrvaskr was busy of preparations. The main course was being cooked for it was the Companions who were in charge of that. Two big oxen were being roasted over the firepit, three had been already finished. "Ox? Quite the meal." Said Rohan.
"We also got some Mammoth steaks cooked up, Aela got that situated." Said Vilkas. Decorations were being carried out of the mead hall to be put around the city. And the Companions were starting to get dress in their costumes to commemorate the first Companions. Vilkas was already wearing ancient Atmoran armor, small spikes and nedic engravings were on the broad stiff armor. It resembled ancient nord armor but was thick and had more detail. He had "The Wolf" painted on the right side of his face, written in Atmoran. "Have you prepared your speech?" asked Vilkas.
"I have a little sermon but do I have to say all of five hundred?!"
"Yes, it's the tradition. Just keep the speech short and read the names from the book."
"Kodlak made me Harbinger why?" joked Rohan.
He wanders off to his room where he finds Aela painting the side of her face with black Atmoran symbols on the right side of her cheek spelling "Blackblade", the name of Hrotti Blackblade her ancestor and one of the five hundred. She didn't have her usual face pain on and it really moved Rohan, for without the paint it really brought out the sparkle in her gray eyes more. The armor she had on was immaculate too, the black Atmoran iron was plated around her chest and she had a small opening revealing her tight cleavage, short spikes were on the shoulder pads, leaving the rest of her arms exposed. Her perfectly toned smooth legs were showing from the iron platted skirt that stopped halfway above the knees, and if Rohan were lean down a bit he could possibly see up it. Rohan couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Are you just going to stand and stare all day?" says Aela still painting her face.
"You are in my room."
"Relax, I was laying out the armor Eorlund made for you for the festival. I'm just finishing up my face and I'm going to do yours."
Rohan looks at the brass steel black Atmoran armor laid out on his bed. It resembled the same armor Ysgramor wore, full steel plated armor with Atmoran engravings and a long fur cape. The armor was heavy but it fitted Rohan perfectly. Aela helped with his cape and gets the black paint and small quill. It was part of tradition for every Companion to have a name or a phrase painted on their face in Atmoran. But since Rohan was Dragonborn he had to have his paint written in dragon.
"Tell me if this is accurate." Said Aela, she had a quill dipped in black paint in one hand and a small book on the dragon alphabet and words in the other. She painted the word 'Dragonborn' on his right cheek bone few inches under his eye and 'The Mighty' on his left. Rohan read the perfectly stenciled words, "Dovahkiin los sahrot. Dragonborn the mighty. Keep it generic why don't we."
"Oh shut it! As if Atmoran is hard to spell enough, this dragon language is even harder. It's all lines and dots and I have to be careful where I put the dots or I might spell an entirely different word."
"I was just kidding. It's actually pretty good."
"Really?"
Rohan stared deep in her eyes with a short smile and nods. Aela looked at him back. They stared at each other silence.
"Say something in dragon." said Aela softly.
"Hin miin kos ak brit vaan hio." said Rohan, his voice was deep and clear, like how a dragon would sound.
"What did you say?" Whispered Aela, her face getting close to Rohan's.
"Your eyes are just beautiful as you." Whispers back Rohan.
He snakes his hand up Aela's left upper thigh and leans in for a kiss. But Aela takes his hand off her and puts three of her fingers on his lips pushing him back gently. Aela wasn't stupid, she knew he liked other women. All the stories and gossips were true, all his bed mates were open, Ysolda, Olfina, Carlotta, Camilla, even some married women. And it wasn't just in Whiterun, young bar maids, dybellian priestess, servant girls from Jarls palaces from all Holds have all been on the list on Rohan's female conquest. Aela did not want to be just one of the girls he fucks, so she wasn't falling in with his sly moves.
Although she does harbor deep inside strong feelings for him, they were lovers once. Aela really wanted to embrace him again, she wanted to lay him back on the bed and just ravage him. Looking at his clear blue eyes just made her yearn for him more. Aela wanted Rohan's perfectly muscled arms wrapped around her. But she wasn't going to do that; if they were to make love again it would really mean out of love and not lust. And Rohan wasn't looking for love, not at the moment.
"Oh come on Aela, you remember how it used to be." Rohan leans for another attempted kiss but Aela stops him by slamming the thick book of the five hundred names in his chest. "Don't misread the names, its disrespectful." She gets up and leaves, her hips swinging as she walked, reminding him on what he was missing out and how he could never touch them again.
Vignar comes in the room, wearing a light Atmoran armor set with Atmoran for "Graymane" painted in white on the left side of his face. In his hand was a very important artifact. The helm of Ysgramor. The helmet was the exact helmet Ysgramor had worn and had been passed down from harbinger to harbinger, since it was so important to the Companions; harbingers only wore it for special occasions.
"Here" He hands Rohan the helmet and Rohan puts it on, looking in the long mirror in his bedroom. "The last one to ever wear this was Kodlak. How was he by the way, when you last saw him in Sovngarde."
"Same old Kodlak. There was a dragon attempting to eat his soul but he kept a strong brooding character. Typical old man. If you were there you'd probably scold Alduin to death." Rohan laughs and so does Vignar, "Careful boy before I reunite you with Kodlak." He looks at Rohan in the mirror and saw how majestic he looked in that armor; Rohan was in fact the youngest Harbinger in history. Mostly all the harbingers were in their mid thirties to upper forties, Rohan was only twenty six. It amazed Vignar on how much Rohan has done in this world and how young he was. "Well, the preparations should be finish, you should study up on those names. And Rohan…"
"Yeah Vignar."
"Try to keep it in your pants for just this night. It's supposed to be a spiritual day for you and the rest of the Companions."
"Ha! Sure thing old man. Sure thing."
-later on in the city of Whiterun
Sundown was beginning and all the townspeople of Whiterun were out in the streets partaking in the festival. Kids wore mask and light fire crackers. Shopkeepers were selling novelty items, mead, cakes, pies and all sorts of foods. Music was playing and bards were singing, the people dancing and playing games. Only Whiterun and Windhelm did festivals, the rest of Skyrim would just be a feast in their homes. Windhelm did a festival for it was the city built by Ysgramor and Whiterun did the festival for Whiterun was the home of the Companions.
The feast was held at the great porch of Dragonsreach, Jarl Balgruuf's palace. A large table was were Rohan, Farkas, Vilkas, Aela and Balgruuf sat, with two larger tables coming down from both ends. Resembling on how a mead hall would look. Farkas and Vilkas sat on Rohan's left as Aela and Balgruuf sat on Rohan's right. The Companions sat on the left table, with some court officials, Rami and noble delegates sat on the right. All were watching Rohan reading out the names of the five hundred Companions.
After seven minutes he was almost done, "Runta Firestorm, Vaal the brawn, Klift Sure-wind, Hrotti Black Blade, Stansa Rockbeard, Jeek the River, Galfor Steel-face, Rodin the Wise, Falkar Axe-hand, and Grok Thunderblade." The name Thunderblade caught Rohan's eyes immediately, Thunderblade is Rohan's birth last name he realized that he had an ancestor who was part of the five hundred, and "All these heroes are honored this day. For their strength made Skyrim her brawn, for their bravery made Skyrim her fierceness, for their wisdom made Skyrim her teachings, for their sacrifice made Skyrim our home!" Rohan grabs his big goblet of brandy and rose it high in their air for a toast, everyone raise their smaller goblets as well. "Dink my Companions! Drink my Jarl, Drink everyone at this table and drink all of Skyrim! For this day we give thanks!" The dinner guest take a sip of their brandy but Rohan kept gulping his big goblet down for it was tradition for the Harbinger to do so.
"Come on Rohan don't choke!" says Torvar.
"Keep that bottom up!" says Hrongar.
The people cheered Rohan on as he kept gulping down the gallon, now holding the goblet with both hands. He slams the goblet down on the table now empty and opens his mouth wide flashing his tongue. The people clapped and shouted of praise. "Now let us feast!" says Rohan and in a sharp second, servants with platters of food come pouring out of the palace. "Grok Thunderblade." Said Aela, "So you had blood in this faction all along."
"I'm shocked as much as you. But then again I do remember visiting my passed on father in Sovngarde and him telling me that we come from a long line of warriors."
"He was the last one on the list, he must have made a big impact."
"All the five hundred made a big impact."
"True, but he is the last one to be named mostly means that he was special."
"I guess you can say that." Rohan was stuffing ox meat and melted mammoth cheese in his mouth. Aela giggles on how adorable he looked, like a toddler eating his first meal alone. Rohan glances over to Rami, she was wearing the dress he gave her and she looked astonishing. Her hair was done up in a nice bun and she had light make up on. She looked like she came from a wealthy family for most of the time she looked, tired from all the soldiers she had to deal with on the regular basis. Rami was having a conversation with Proventus Avenicii's nephew Lucas, the boy the same age as her. Rohan was glad to see her enjoy herself for once.
The feast lasted for almost an hour and just when everyone was finishing dessert the entertainment was about to begin. Plates and platters were being taken away and the servant was refilling everyone's cups for the last time before the play begins. The play was called "The ode to the Harbingers" A play preformed by the bard's college from Solitude. The play was basically a ballad starting out with Ysgramor singing his line and other very famed harbingers. The show begins and the music plays, a slim brenton actor dressed as Ysgramor sung the first line.
"I'm Ysgramor, the man of the men. The King of nord heroes, the warrior of Atmoran."
In comes a young nord, "I'm Jeek the River, The man of the water, the captain of the ship, my fabled Jorrvaskr ."
In comes an imperial, "I'm Mryfwill the Withdrawn, the man of the wars pawn, by my own decree the Companions shall not do harm."
A young nord with a papier-mâché nose on comes, "I'm Kyrnil Long-nose the man of tradition, the savior of honor and a harbinger's position."
A brenton dressed in a wolf armor costumes comes, "I'm Kodlak White-mane the man of the blood. The bringer of light of the Circle's dusk."
Then in comes a nord boastly walking in with whats look like to be wearing a makeshift dragonbone helmet. The people laugh knowing who he was trying to portray, "I'm Rohan Satilus the man of the dragons, you'll hear thundering a noise! When all Skyrim shatters at the power of my voice!"
Al the actors sing in a melodic tenor style chorus, "Let all the land know. our allies and foes, a companion's broad stance, a harbinger's ode!"
The opening number finishes and the people cheer and clap. "Excellent!" claps Rohan, "I love all the Harbingers! Except the one in the goofy bone helmet! That's my least favorite Harbinger." The people laugh at his joke and the play moves on. The play was about the harbingers battling a horned beast summoned by a Daedra. The Ysgramor actor would swing a Wuuthrad prop around and the Rohan would do a tenor libretto resembling of a Shout. The play ends and the people stood and clapped. The festival closed with a big firework show so the dinner guest remained standing and watched the bright colors explode in the sky.
Fireworks blew in amazing patterns. Bright flashes covered the sky. Balgruuf was standing in the mix of the party guest. No one not noticing a young nord boy slightly sneak behind him. The flashes blew over as he got nearer and nearer. "For Ulfric!" shouts the boy and just then he plunges an iron dagger deep in Balgruuf's shoulder. "The Jarl has been attacked!" shouts one of the guests. And everyone springs into action. People rush to the Jarl's aid and the guards make a move to the boy. Rohan sees the boy and realizes how young he was, "Wait!" he takes off the helm of Ysgramor and tosses it to Vignar who was standing close. Rohan quickly grabs the fleeing boy and pins him down. The guards stop chasing after him but Irileth ignores and was still charging with her sword ready to kill the nord boy. "ZUUN HAAL VIIK!" shouts Rohan and Irileth's sword flies out of her hands. She glares at Rohan who was glaring back. "Irileth, he is a child!" said Rohan.
"Who just made a move on the Jarl's life!" snaps Irileth, "The penalty is death!"
"Stand down!"
"I don't take orders from you!"
"Irileth!" shouts Balgruuf, blood was spilling near his neck as Aela applies pressure to it. Rami begins to heal him slightly. "A harbinger's words are respected, that is the law." Irileth does a loud sigh and steps away from Rohan going to help with Balgruuf. "Take him to a cell, and don't do anything to him. Wait till I get there." Said Rohan to a guard. Two guards drag the boy off to Dragonsreach Dungeon, "All hail to Ulfric! Skyrim's true son!" shouts the boy being pulled away.
"We need to take him inside, so I can heal him further." said Rami.
"To his bed chamber. Come on." said Irileth, she helps Balgruuf up in Hrongar's arms and Hrongar carries him inside.
-Dragonsreach, the Jarl's bedchamber.
Balgruuf coughs down the potion Rami gives him. He lost a lot of blood and was pale and feeling weak. Hrongar, Proventus and Rohan stood around his bed while Irileth stand guard outside the door. "The mixture should help make your heart and veins strong, so you can get your blood pressure to normal." said Rami.
"Thank you… my dear." Said Balgruuf, he was still short of breath. "Rohan" he calls faintly, Rohan walks over to the side of Balgruuf's bed. "Yes, my Jarl."
"A side from this unprecedented matter, I like to congratulate you on an excellent ceremony of the recital of the five hundred and a well cooked ox. Today's feast was excellent."
"Thank you my Jarl. But I'm afraid this attempted assassination has made this year's feast bittersweet."
"Yes…I'm afraid so."
"I have our rouge assassin locked in a cell and I'm going to have a word with him."
"Please let us know the legitimate reason why the feral brat just went and jammed a dull knife in my shoulder ruining my evening."
"I believe he was doing it for Ulfric Stormcloak's 'freedom fight'." Rohan chuckles at his words.
"Freedom fight', pah!" spat Balgruuf, "I curse Ulfric for destroying our youth with his greedy schemes."
"The boy looked to have been acting on his own. I don't think Ulfric just sent the boy out to kill you."
"Yes, but the boy felled victim to Ulfric's propaganda and that's what's killing our children today."
Balgruuf began coughing uncontrollably. Rami held his head so he could lean off the bed to cough. She gives him some water to drink as she lays him back down. "The Jarl need's his rest. Please." She says, everyone leaves the room while Rami stayed behind nursing Balgruuf.
-Dragonsreach Dungeon
The boy's wrist were bind tightly behind the chair he was sitting on. The cell was dim and damp, it had a thick must in the air. The boy squirms trying to break free, rocking the chair side to side until it fell on left. Now the boy was laying on the floor his wrist still bind and his face now a little dirty on the side. He attempts to break free again but the sound of a door being swung open makes him stop. Loud footsteps come to his cell and the boy can see black metal boots at the bottom of the cell door. The chair is brought back up and the boy's eyes meets a pair of bright blue eyes staring icily. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't rip your tiny balls off boy!" snarled Rohan.
"Go ahead and kill me! I'll die happily knowing that I helped free my homeland!" The boy was glaring back at Rohan.
"Is that so? And how is it that you helped hmmm? The Jarl is still alive."
The boy looked bewildered, he didn't know how to answer the question.
"Exactly, you just made an attempt on the Jarl's life, such a punishment is death. Your death would've been done in vain."
"So what if is! I'd rather be dead than live in a world having some imperial dictator tell me what to do!"
"Really?" Rohan starts chuckling, "What's your name boy?"
"Alfhed, Alfhed Bull-bone!"
"Farm boy aren't ya? Where from?"
"I lived in the Rift with my father. It was a perfect place to live until imperials came out of nowhere and took over."
"How old are you?"
"I'm thirteen."
"Thirteen? Hmmm, quite young for a Stormcloak."
"I'm not a Stormcloak… yet! Come my fourteenth birthday I'll be in Ulfric's ranks. My three older brothers are Stormcloaks. Except my sister, she's the milk drinker of the family."
"She isn't so moved by Ulfric's 'strong and 'just' words?" said Rohan sarcastically.
"The bitch went and joined the legion. She went around saying that Ulfric's a liar, Ulfric care only about himself. And Skyrim is part of the empire, Talos created it." said Alfhed, a small smirk goes on his face, "I'm glad my father kicked her out and disowned her right after he gave her a good beating that is."
"Why are you so convinced that Ulfric cause is just?"
"Why?! Cause I'm a fucking nord! Don't ask me why! All nords must support Ulfric! All nords must die for Ulfric. He is the true High King of Skyrim and is Skyrim's favorite son! All nords like you, Balgruuf, my cunt of a sister and every nord who is in the legion have turned your backs on Ulfric, meaning you turned your backs on Skyrim!"
"Really now? I turned my back on Skyrim after I just slain the World Eater I turn my back?"
"Ulfric can shout too! He could've bested Alduin, like he did when that dragon attacked Kynesgrove!"
Rohan begins to laugh loudly. "Ulfric was at Kynesgrove! HAHAHA! That was him!?" small tears form on Rohan's eyes, as he kept laughing hysterically. Alfhed kept looking at Rohan confused.
"Ulfric is the REAL Dragonborn!" said Alfhed, "You're just a phony!"
Rohan keeps laughing, Alfhed just stared now angry.
"Well Alfhed, I apologize for fencing your hero's glory." Said Rohan wiping a small tear away, "But the real question is what would killing Balgruuf do for Ulfric?"
"With Balgruuf dead Ulfric can have Whiterun, thus making his position towards Solitude even stronger!"
"Yes, well that is a perfect strategy boy. Ulfric having Whiterun will make a good standpoint on his center flank but you left out one thing. If Balgruuf were to abruptly die, Hrongar would take his place as Jarl. And Hrongar doesn't like Ulfric neither. He'd be having troops right at Windhelm's front gates in minutes. It's actually because of Balgruuf that's keeping Hrongar from doing anything."
"Ulfric could kill Hrongar easily!" barked back Alfhed.
"Yes the man who sits on his thrones letting angry nords fight his fight for him can kill Hrongar, Hrongar the one who has never been bested in a fight."
"Just you wait fake nord! Ulfric will be victorious, he'll be storming down the gates of Solitude taking Tullius's head and then barge in the Blue Palace making dead king Torygg's wife his personal cunt!"
Rohan's amused look quickly gets serious and a sharp slap goes across Alfhed's face. Rohan leans in close to Alfhed, Alfhed's lip was bleeding when he gets frighten at Rohan's cold stare.
"You will not talk of Jarl Elisif in that manner." Said Rohan in a soft stern tone, "Do you hear me boy?"
Alfhed nods his head, daring not to utter another word. Rohan gives Alfhed a pat on the head and leaves the cell. A guard locks the cell door, "So he's just a Stormcloak puppet is he?"
"Not a Stormcloak puppet an Ulfric puppet. But I don't think it's his fault, judging by his family I think he was raised into believing that."
"How's that?"
"He's got three brothers in Ulfric's army and a sister in the legion. He said his father beat and disown his sister for not supporting Ulfric. The boy was probably scared into believing it."
"Damn shame, what about you? What are you going to do?"
"Me? Have the Jarl have word on what happens to the boy. I'm taking my phony nord arse to bed. But there is a red haired beauty I like to say goodnight to in Jorrvaskr first."
The guard laughs, "Typical Rohan. And to think you were our only hope once."
Rohan grins and leaves the dungeon.
-Jorrvaskr, Companions Quarter.
Aela was now undressing after washing the face paint from her face. She took of the shoulder plates and gauntlets and now was removing the chest plate and silk undershirt, revealing her breast.
"I miss looking at those." Says Rohan standing in Aela's bedroom doorway. Aela rolls her eyes and continues to undress, "How's the Jarl?" she says nonchalantly, not caring that Rohan was looking at her nakedness.
"Fine" Rohan walks further in the room, "Rami said that it was just a minor laceration it didn't cut an artery or anything. He'll make it through the night."
"And the boy?"
"Just a victim of war propaganda. He's hold up in a cell."
Rohan takes Aela's arm and gently pulls her close to him, grinning and looking at her perfect body up and down. "Remember how we used to share our nights together?" He giving her a slight kiss. Aela wasn't moved, she kept her eyes away from him not returning any affection even though she wanted. Rohan believed she need more convincing so he quickly picks her up and lays her on her bed, kissing her neck. "Stop" moaned Aela trying to push him off but Rohan kept kissing down her neck, removing her underwear for her. "Stop…please." whimpers Aela, but Rohan was moving further down sucking each breast and then kissing down her stomach.
Rohan was moving his tongue lower, right in between her legs. Aela's body was squirming slowly, her mind was saying no but her body was saying yes. She closes her eyes and runs her fingers through Rohan's short hair of his shaved head. "No….no, Stop, By the gods….Rohan…just stop."
Rohan's tongue was doing wonders and Aela was literally shaking. The faces of the women Rohan's been with over recent times flashes before her eyes as the reason why should won't go back to him comes back to her mind. "Rohan….no…stop." she protest now getting angry, "I said fucking STOP!" A hard punch goes into Rohan's left ear.
"AH! The fuck!" said Rohan rubbing his now ringing ear, "Think I might be getting deaf now because of that. What the fuck is your problem?"
"You're my problem!" barks Aela, "I'm not one of your call cunts! Get the fuck out of my room!"
"Call cunts? Aw shit Aela, don't tell me you are jealous. With you it's special."
"I don't care what it is! Why don't you go fuck one of your whores!"
Rohan gets up and mumbles under his breath, "Yeah I'll do that, and why don't you go fuck wolf then."
"What was that?!"
"I said good night!" says Rohan cheerfully with a sarcastic smile he slams the door angrily grumbling to himself. He decides not to sleep in Jorrvaskr tonight and goes ahead to sleep at his house Breezehome. Lydia was already there laying her head on the table trying to sleep off the mead she had drank during the festival. She wakens to see Rohan coming in. "Hello my thane." She mumbles.
"You know you have a bed upstairs." Said Rohan looking at the shelves for a drink. He picks out a big bottle of brandy. Lydia sees a small stream of blood coming from Rohan's left ear. "My thane! What happened?"
"Rohan!" snaps Rohan, "How many times do I have to tell you!"
"Forgive me." Lydia takes a breath and goes into the behavior Rohan prefers her in, "Rohan, the fuck happen to your ear."
Rohan smiles and giggles, "Aela." He walks upstairs to his room.
"Aela did that to you?! Should I go and remind her that she is not to put her hands on you?"
"Aela can always put her hands on me!" call Rohan from his bedroom. He takes a white cloth and wipes the blood from his ear, relieved that the punch didn't do any initial damage such as his hearing and takes off his ceremonial armor. He puts it in chest so he could return it to Eorlund tomorrow. Wearing nothing but his leathered under trousers, Rohan takes a seat at the foot of his bed drinking down the hard brandy. The noises of the still festive party hits the streets but it was really drunken rabble. "No lady to warm your bed tonight? There is a party in the streets you know." Said Lydia standing near the doorway.
"No not tonight. You can go and enjoy yourself, I know you want too." Said Rohan, Lydia leaves and Rohan lays down on his bed closing his eyes. He imagines Aela riding on top of him, and a deep grin goes across his face. He wasn't in the mood for other women tonight, all he kept thinking about was Aela and noting more.
Word from the writer: Sorry for the delay, won't happen again. As I'm sure I hope you know who Rami is by now, if you read my previous stories Thank you. This is just telling how the relationship is between Aela and Rohan, we are still on the Civil War track don't worry. Now the Feast of the Dead is an actual Skyrim holiday, there were no holidays in the Elderscrolls V: Skyrim but there were in Arena Daggerfall, I'm sorta bringing the holidays back.
Now I also hope that you know that this is a Legion side, story (spoiler) So if you support the Stormcloak, sorry to disappoint. When I first started playing Skyrim I joined the Stormcloaks numerous times. But then as I kept on playing I notice some hints on Ulfric that made me question why I kept joining his side. I thought it was all for the freeing of Skyrim to worship Talos but as it soon progress I come to realize that Ulfric really just cares about himself.
First Talos was banned because it was the only way for the Dominion to agree to a truce with the Empire. Empire was already crippled from the war so they just went ahead with it. It was really much of a big deal until Ulfric started making a scene about it ( first hint from Alvor the blacksmith from Riverwood).
Next was him and Torygg, by Nord tradition the Jarl who beats the High King in a duel gets to become the new High King or Queen. Ulfric knew he could defeat Torygg (hint by Balgruuf), now I believe him when he said that killed by his sword and not by his Shout but I know for a fact he used his Thu'um when he fought in the war, he's not the Dragonborn so he was not allowed to use the Greybeard's teachings by force. (Hint from Ulfric himself)
Another reason why is anyone who claims the imperial side says it openly that Ulfric only cares about himself. Jarl Laila law-giver's youngest son says it. Even Laila says it herself even Dengeir says it if he is made Jarl again. (Hadvar is the first to hint it.)
Finally Sybille Stentor gives you the legitimate reason why I sided with the Empire from then on. I actually quoted her in the description box. Talos created the Empire so why must we fall away from his legacy?
Also I like Balgruuf and I didn't like to see him dethroned.
Tell me what you think and THANKS FOR READING!