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Melsrayna couldn't help but scowl at the Stormcloaks as she climbed out of the back of the wagon. She was angry with them for having gotten her caught, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that eventually this could have happened anyway as she'd been planning on joining them to fight the Thalmar and the domination of the rest of Tamriel. She just thought she'd have a better chance at it. Instead, it had begun with her death.

She stopped beside Keth who snorted at her before turning his gaze to the soldiers in front of them. Mels did the same, wearing the same dour expression she had since she had woken in binds.

"Step toward the block when we call your name!" a small Imperial yelled. Mels only raised a brow at her. The woman had attempted to sound tough, but instead just sounded like a bitch. "One at a time."

Standing on the other side of Mels was Ralof who let out a heavy sigh. "Empire loves their damned lists."

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Yarl of Windhelm," Hadvar called solemnly.

Ralof said something to her side, but Mels was no longer paying him any attention. Her eyes were focused on the Yarl of Windhelm. He was the man who had raised all of the commotion here in Skyrim. She couldn't believe that her first day in this north land had ended her into custody with the man she'd been seeking to help drive the Thalmar and the Legion out. Despite being moments away from being beheaded, Mels couldn't help but laugh.

"Ralof of Riverwood."

Mels watched the Nord who had caused all of these problems for her. Suddenly she felt horrible for her words earlier. They had been said because she was angry, not because she disliked the young man.

"Keth of Narzulbur."

The Wood Elf watched the Orc step forward with pride.

"Wait, you there. Step forward." Hadvar studied her. Several times he looked her up and down before he found his voice again. "Who are you?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Mels responded.

Suddenly the Nord working with the Imperials leaned in close. "You never know what I might believe in," he whispered.

Mels chuckled. "Even if I told you, your General would never believe it." He looked to her but said nothing further. "My name is Melsrayna."

Hadvar looked toward the captain who was shouting orders; the woman Mels deemed a heartless bitch. "Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list." His voice sounded suddenly hopeful.

"Forget the list, she goes to the block."

Hadvar said nothing further for several moments. However, when he looked back at the Wood Elf he knew that he had to. This wasn't right. Deep down, despite General Tullius thinking he was crazy, he knew that this woman was the Champion of Cyrodill; that she hadn't died in obscurity; that she had just faded from history. And who could blame her? After receiving all the fame for essentially saving Tamriel, he could guess that she hadn't been left alone for several years. She had probably gotten tired of it.

"Ma'am," Hadvar said, turning to the Captain. "I have to disagree with you. This woman is the Champion of Cyrodill. She deserves better. This is all a mix up."

The woman stared at him coldly for several moments before grabbing him by the front of his armor and pulling his face down to meet hers. "If you have a problem with my orders you may join her!"

Hadvar could feel the Wood Elf's eyes on him. "No, ma'am," he muttered.

"Good. Now do what you're told," she hissed before shoving him back.

"By your orders, Captain." Hadvar turned toward the Wood Elf. At first, he couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye, but when he did, he found sympathy in her green eyes rather than hatred as he had expected. "I'm sorry. Would you like your remains returned to Cyrodill or Valenwood?"

Melsrayna hesitated briefly. She met Hadvar's eyes and at once she knew that he knew who she was. A small smile flickered across her pale lips. "Cyrodill will be fine. Thank you."

"I wish I could have done more for you."

"What?" the Captain demanded harshly. "Are you her lover?"

Hadvar turned a deep red from the absurd question. "Follow the Captain, Champion," he said softly earning him a shove of impatience from the Captain.

As they all followed the Imperial woman over to the headsman's block, Keth caught Mels eyes and smirked. She could tell that he had some kind of comment ready, but had decided to keep it to himself. At the moment, she thought it a good thing.

Their attention was brought to General Tullius, an old man who was bald. "Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." In response, as Ulfric's mouth is still bound, he grunts, trying to say something. "You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos! And now the empire is going to put you down…"

"Like the dog you are," Keth said in a whisper. Mels glanced over at the orc who nodded toward her in response. Although he was moments away from death, he seemed amused.

"And restore the peace," Tullius continued.

Suddenly a loud, obnoxious and angry roar stopped him. All around them, people looked toward the sky in confusion. Both Mels and Keth joined them. All of the amusement she had seen in the Orc had disappeared in that second.

"What was that?" one of the Imperial guards asked a bit timidly.

Tullius looked up at the sky again briefly as if he were afraid that if his gaze strayed from Ulfric too long that the man would somehow disappear. Mels would love to see that trick.

"It's nothing. Carry on."

"Yeah, it certainly sounds like nothing," Keth muttered so only those standing near him could hear.

"Yes, General Tullius," the Captain said in her annoying voice that made it sound as if she thought she was better than everyone else. "Give them their last rights."

"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the eight divines upon you…"

She never got to finish before one of the Stormcloaks from the wagon that had been ahead of Mels interrupted. She didn't listen to a word he said. All she could think of was why he didn't want to extend his life just a little longer. From where she stood in between Ralof and Keth, looking like a child when comparing height between them, she watched the Nord willingly lay his head on the headsman's block.

Right as the executioner swung down, Mels grimaced at the thwack sound of the axe hitting the man's head. Unfortunately for them, the head missed the basket below that was meant to catch it. Without really wanting to, they all watched the head roll along the ground into one of the Imperial soldiers stopped it with his foot.

Shouts from the crowd sounded all around them, but they fell deaf on Mels' ears. All that mattered was her and that axe. Although she had lived a long, eventful life she wasn't ready to die. She wasn't finished with this life.

"As fearless in death as he was life," Ralof said to her side. His voice brought Mels back to the present.

"Bring the Champion of Cyrodill," the captain said with a sneer as she glanced over at Hadvar as if he was the craziest person she knew.

The loud roar sounded again. Everyone looked toward the skies in confusion. Even Mels found herself looking about, expecting… well, expecting something.

"There it is again. Did you hear that?" Hadvar asked, looking toward the Captain.

Keth shook his head at the man and nudged Mels. "You'd either have to be deaf or crazy not to have heard that."

"I SAID next prisoner!"

"Crazy it is," the orc said chuckling even though within moments he would be dead. Mels couldn't help but wonder how he could take a death such as this so lightly.

"To the block prisoner. Nice and easy," Hadvar said looking to Mels with remorse.

She met his gaze and gave him a small smile hoping it said that she didn't blame him. She walked towards the headsman's block with her shoulders held high. If she was going to die, she wasn't going to die as a coward. Kneeling before the block smeared in the Stormcloak's blood, she lay her cheek against it, feeling the blood beneath it. As soon as her head rested fully on the stone block, the sound of that horrendous roar they'd been hearing sounded again.

Mels's eyes widened at the sight that met her. Coming from the mountains to her right, was the largest, blackest creature she had ever seen. From her experience back in Cyrodill, she knew it was a dragon, but the dragon was nothing like Akatosh. This dragon radiated with evil.

"What in Oblivion is that?" General Tullius shouted.

"Sentries what do you see?"

"It's in the clouds!"

"No, it's not. It's right there, dumbass!" Keth yelled.

"Dragon!"