Sorry for the delay.
The beast was huge. Grey-black scales covered its whole body, save for the wide wings. Spikes and horns jutted out from its scarred hide. In its head, two eyes gleamed hot and red, and when they met mine, my soul felt scorched by the ancient rage and power they held.
Suddenly Miraak stood next to me. "Run!", he screamed. And then the impossible happened: The dragon's fiery gaze left me and fixed on the man. It let out another roar, but it didn't sound like a beast's cry. No, this were…words?
"Run!", Miraak shouted again as stones started to rain out of nowhere. "To the tower, now!"
I followed him to the huge building while the ground shuddered beneath me. Or were it my knees? I tried to focus on survival for now; my sanity was a minor problem.
Inside the tower, I met Jarl Ulfric and Ralof, who scowled when he saw me. He was from Riverwood too and used to treat me pretty bad, like everyone else. Still, he cut my bonds with a small dagger. I paid my respects and thanks to the Jarl, who didn't listen to me but discussed the dragon matter with Ralof.
Rubbing my chafed wrists, I turned to Miraak, who was staring out of the entrance. "What was this beast?"
"Later", he answered absent-minded.
"Tell me! Was it a dragon? Why could it see you?"
"Alduin."
My eyes widened. ...And the Scrolls have foretold, of black wings in the cold, that come unfurled when brothers wage war. Alduin, bane of kings, ancient shadow unbound, with a hunger to swallow the world. … "No…"
"Yes. I'll tell you more later, but you have to get out of here." With these words he vanished.
Ulfric and Ralof stared at me. "Sorry", I said.
"We have to leave Hel-" The Jarl was interrupted by loud rumbling from above, followed by mortal and dragon's screams, and the sound of flames. When it had been replaced by groans and the scent of burned flesh, I dared to sneak upstairs. The soldiers wouldn't give us problems anymore.
The men followed me. "You", the Jarl said, "jump through the inn and try to get out of here. If we don't meet again, make your way to Windhelm and report to Galmar. We can't stop now."
They were sending me away. I didn't like it, but this was my King. I had sworn to obey him. "Talos guide you!", I said as I jumped out of the huge hole in the wall the dragon had made with his head. Somehow I managed to get through the roof, land on my feet, and with little burns and scratches I left the building. I blinked and tried to find the exit.
"Come", said Miraak and we ran down the street. I kept looking at the sky, in case the dragon came again.
And he did. Alduin landed on the ground between two houses. Miraak vanished and I threw myself on the floor behind a building, along with a boy, an old man and – Hadvar? I had no time to wonder about the games the Nine played with me today, for the beast screamed fire in our direction. Again I wasn't able to understand his words properly.
When the dragon decided to look for prey elsewhere, we rose to our feet. "Still alive?", asked the man from Riverwood who had sided with the Imperials when the Civil War had started.
"Thanks to him", I said with a smile and pointed at the sky. The man looked guilty for a second or two, but then he turned around and ran. Since I had no better idea and Miraak was still absent, I followed him. If Alduin came down again, Hadvar could be a nice distraction.
I made my way through a small passage between a wall and a burning building. Suddenly a shadow passed overhead and the dragon landed. He screamed fire on the street. His right wing, resting on the wall, was so close to me. More out of instinct than of wanting I stretched out my hand and touched the black-grey skin. It was cool but not cold, soft but still firm, scarred and jagged but somehow smooth, all at the same time. In this moment, the realisation finally hit me: This was not a dream. This was real. I wasn't mad.
The dragon was real.
Alduin turned his head and looked at me for a second, then he took flight again with a strange motion – like a shrug. Air and dust hit me in the face, clouded my vision and made my cough.
I just have a black hole after that. There are some pictures but nothing one would count as memory. Fire. Arrows in the air. Screams. Men burning, dying, snatched up and torn apart in the air by wings and claws and jaws. More fire. So much fire.
The next I can clearly remember is Ralof's voice saying my name over and over again. I looked up from my shaking hands and he sighed relieved. "I thought you would pass out. Can you continue? I'd like to get to Riverwood soon."
"Was it real? Did you see that", I was too frightened to say 'dragon' or 'Alduin', so I just jerked my head towards Helgen, "too?"
Ralof's expression softened. "Yeah. I guess I saw a huge flying scaly thing as well."
"Good. Good."
"We have to go on. Riverwood is near. You have a shock. Do you understand?"
"Yes…"
With his help, I managed to stand up and walk next to him on wobbly feet towards home. On the way, my mind cleared a little bit.
"Is the king well?"
"Yes. I brought him out and then went back to search for other Stormcloak survivors. You were the only one I found."
"Why didn't you leave me behind?"
"What?"
"I'm not stupid. I know what people say about me."
"You're a sister-in-arms. We look after each other."
