Hello! I hope everyone had a super duper wonderful Christmas Day yesterday :3 Word of warning for the chapter Ulfric's dialogue isn't included because we don't get to appreciate the awesome wonderfulness that is Ulfric Stormcloak (or his voice :3 ) much so I decided to leave it out.


Force.Balance.Push.

Surviving

''Come on Breton, the Gods won't give us another chance.'' Shouted Ralof over the chaos.

The ground trembled under foot as Lianna sprinted after the Nord, she noticed his hands were no longer bound and wondered how he had freed himself. Above the once blue picturesque sky was now a swirling mass of red and black, fire was falling from the sky. Screaming from men women and children buzzed in Lianna's head as she stumbled into the keep. Panting still and slightly dazed she turned to finding Ralof speaking with Ulfric who was freed from his gag and bindings. She tried to make out words and failed. The trembling of the keep and the roaring of the Dragon drained out any other sound.

Lianna felt an arm hook under her armpit turning she saw Ralof pulling her towards the stairs of the keep, quickly unhooking herself she bounded after the two rebels. Nearing the top of the stairs she saw a Stormcloak waving them up. Suddenly there was a deep rumble of something like thunder; the keep's wall caved in front of them, there came a roar and a flash of hot red flames. As the dust cleared Lianna saw the wall that had previously stood to their right was now blocking their path, the Stormcloak who had waved them up has vanished under the rubble. Lianna felt her stomach clench. Turning away she looked out of the gaping hole left in the wall and saw a burning inn below.

''See the inn on the other side? Jump through the roof and keep going.'' Ralof shouted.

Lianna sceptically noted how far away the inn was and that it was on fire, plus heights weren't her thing. She would take her chances with the Dragon.

''Go!We'll follow when we can!'' Commanded Ralof, Lianna sucked in a breath and dutifully jumped into the roof of the burning inn.

...

''So why did you cross the border?'' Asked Ralof turning his head over his shoulder. They were in Riverwood in Gerdur's home. Lianna was currently healing a rather nasty burn on Ralof's back; some of the Stormcloak's leather armour had apparently melted from the heat of the fire and so had gotten welded to the Nord's skin. Lianna was thankful her clothing was simply cloth.

After jumping down into the burning inn she had ran outside and had followed an Imperial Soldier. Then having found Ralof again she and the Nord had escaped into a keep. They had encountered many Imperial Soldier's all baying for their blood. She had also picked up her current attire, from a dead man's body. She had pulled on the Mage's robe and hood feeling disrespectful and also far more comfortable, a very strange concoction of feelings indeed. They had escaped out of a labyrinth of tunnels into the weak morning sunshine. They had travelled to Riverwood; Ralof had found Gerdur and told her everything over dinner. Gerdur had insisted they stay for the evening. Both had agreed, and now the two survivors sat tending to their wounds in front of the dying fire.

''To get into Skyrim.'' Lianna responded offhandedly, her brow creased as she focused her magic on a rather nasty burn. Ralof snorted.

''That's not an answer.''

''Yes it is.''

''No, you were just stating the obvious.'' Ralof smiled slightly over his shoulder at her.

''But it answered your question didn't it?'' Lianna removed her gold glowing hands and wiped the blood on a towel ''Your all done, though I wouldn't wear your armour for a while. Your skin will still be raw for a while.''

Shrugging on a simple flannel shirt Ralof turned to her.

''You didn't heal me completely then?'' Ralof asked, the burns twinging with pain when he moved a bit too quickly. Lianna was sat on chair besides the fire; she drank deeply from a tankard.

''No, a bit of pain never did anyone harm. Besides then your body will finish healing itself.''

For a long while the two sat beside the fire talking quietly, Ralof mostly supplying the conservation while Lianna only half listened as she stared into the depth of the fire, her hand absently scratching the ear of the large war dog Stump, whose head rested blissfully on her lap.

''Lianna you haven't been listening have you.'' Dazed from being brought out of her thoughts she turned to him.

''Sorry.'' She apologised softly, suddenly becoming fascinated with the dog in her lap. Ralof offered her a sympathetic smile. Rising from his chair stretched and rested his hand on her shoulder and squeezed slightly.

''It's been a long day friend, you should get some sleep.'' Lianna nodded and rose slowly carefully trying not to wake the giant sleeping dog.

...

Once Lianna made her way to the room Gerdur had offered her, she had been given the basement and had taken it without any hesitation. It was clean and despite being a storeroom, it still held the very welcoming feel that the rest of the home radiated. She pulled off her robes and then removed the rough skin tunic. She cleaned herself of the grim grit dirt and blood and healed any burns that had been left due to them being in rather private areas. She then pulled on the loose shirt and trousers Gerdur had given her and collapsed into the hay pile/bed, pulling the warm cow skin blanket over her. She lay in the darkness and stared at the ceiling. The events of that morning seemed to have happened years before not hours as Lianna lay safe in her hay bed. Had she dreamt it all? Was she actually dying of hypothermia in a forest ditch somewhere? Maybe she had never even left home and she would wake in the morning in her room and the maid would call her down for breakfast and she would live her normal uneventful life. Dragons not included.

...

Lianna woke hearing the scraping of chairs on stone above her head. She lay in the silent darkness listening to the rumbling of conversation above her. Deciding it would be impolite to pretend to sleep for any longer she rose and dressed in her robes (and hood, though she chose to keep this down)and made her ascent up the stairs to the main room. The fire burned away merrily and above it hovered a cooking pot with the day's breakfast brewing inside. Gerdur was deftly laying the table, while Ralof was regaling Frodnar and Hod with a recent campaign of an Imperial barracks. Gerdur flashed Lianna a genuine smile.

''We were starting to think you would never wake.'' Hod remarked kindly as they sat at the table.

''Leave the girl be she had quite an adventure after all.'' Ralof said

Breakfast was served and it was one of the best things Lianna had eaten in a very long time. Stump all the while sat with his head on her knee drooling slightly, Lianna eventually put the dog out of his misery by sneaking him a hunk of bread which he devoured heartily and noisily, alerting the family who only laughed and said Stump could make a Khajiit part with the fur on his back if he begged long enough.

When everyone was finished the table was cleared and the family went about their daily business. Which left Lianna with the predicament of not knowing what do with herself, luckily she was saved from simply floating around the house by a slightly nervous Frodnar.

''Lianna, can you show me some magic?'' He asked. Lianna's gaze met Gerdur's, permission was granted with a shake of the head and a slight smile.

Lianna presented her open hand to the boy palm to the ceiling. Frodnar watched excitement and anticipation rolling off the boy burning in his eyes and from the slight pink ting from his cheeks. Lianna made a small flame form; she let it swell and grow to a few inches high and snuffed it out by gently closing her hand. Frodnar eye's burned with wonder he thanked her. He was about to ask her to do it again when his mother interrupted him.

''Lianna I need to ask of a favour,'' Lianna was happy to do what even she could to repay Gerdur's bottomless generosity and kindness. ''Riverwood is unprotected and if that Dragon is still hiding up in the mountains...Could you speak to the Jarl in Whiterun for us.''

''Of course Gerdur.''

Gerdur gave Lianna a rather worn and used map and basic directions of how to get to the city. A with the sun on her back, a belly full with food and coin in her purse the little Breton set out for Whiterun.


UGH! This chapter was a pain to write. Of course I had fun writing as I always do :) But this chapter was just boring to write, I promise after this it gets interesting.