***Chapter 4***
*Lilina walks; the familiar cobbles of Dragonsbridge underneath, Lydia several paces behind, Shadowmere plodding between them. It had been two days since the incident with Adonato; it was chewing away at Lilina. On the night they spent in that inn Lilina slept poorly, worse than usual anyway. Questions rung through her mind; why would he do this? Was he hired by someone? Who is he anyway? As Lilina stares into the distance, Lydia is growing more worried*
Lydia: "Are you alright my Thane?"
Lilina: "I'm fine, they can't know my secret or they'll execute me on the spot."
Lydia: "I'm sure they wouldn't, you're a hero, and plus, as if they could."
Lilina: "You're the only person I can trust."
*A deep horn blows a long singular note, bandits blocking both exits of the bridge, coming out from behind the buildings of the Dragonsbridge village, from the other they file out of the foliage, from behind a building a chained and gagged Drauger is being pushed along, thirteen bandits, five on each side walking forwards with bows, nocking arrows and drawing them and taking aim, two struggling to restrain the Drauger, while another behind them is the obvious leader, a sword at his waist. Lilina and Lydia turn outwards, drawing their weapons, the Drauger is brought to the front, the cloth being removed from its mouth and head pointed to the occupants of the bridge*
Lilina: "Well, fuck."
Drauger: "ZUN HAAL VIIK!"
*Lilina and Lydia drops their weapons down to the water, their eyes following the armaments as they float down the river. A resounding voice echoes through the valley; "Release!" In an instant all arrows are sent flying: two hit Lilina while the others miss one hitting Lydia as four get stuck in her shield, Lilina and Lydia collapsing from the paralysis. Shadowmere rears up running towards the bandits while jumping over Lilina, a huge fourteenth bandit turns the corner around the pillar of the bridge, using the momentum to hit Shadowmere on the shoulder with a steel war hammer, sending him off the bridge down to the rocks below. The apparent leader walks forward behind the bandits, shouting orders but being overpowered by the Drauger, pulling his leg up he kicks it over the edge of the bridge, it falling and breaking its neck on a particularly pointy rock, exclaiming "Shut up!" While he grabs a mace from a nearby bandit, walking over to Lilina*
Bandit leader: "Well hello, and goodnight"
*He then raises the mace, slamming it down onto her head, knocking her out, he then repeats the action with Lydia*
Bandit leader: "Take them to the fort!"
*The leader turns and passes the mace back to the bandit, then the big bandit picks up Lydia, two others picking Lilina up, taking them to a cart and throwing them into the back, the driver starts the horses moving forward towards Fort Hraggstad*
*Lilina and Lydia awake shackled to opposing wall, taking in the room, to Lilina's right is a bloody table, as well as a torture device, slightly further to the left there's the open door, a guard can be seen on the other side, and then looking around her eyes fall on a still unconscious Lydia, and then to a burning cauldron mostly behind an extremely empty set of shelves, the Bandit leader walks into the room, slamming the door behind him, the loud noise awaking Lydia*
Bandit leader: "Awake, are you?"
Lilina: "Wh…what…happened? Where are we?"
*Lilina speaks with considerable effort, bringing her eyes up to meet his*
Bandit leader: "Your temporary home, don't worry, I hear Imperial jails are much, roomier."
Lilina: "What are you talking…about?"
Bandit leader: "We are going to hand you over to the Empire; they've been looking for you for a long time."
Lilina: "When I…get out of this…you'll be dead!"
Bandit leader: "You won't get out of this; you need to learn that your actions have consequences."
Lilina: "You…won't…get away with this."
*Lilina takes a deep breath in for a shout, the Leader pulls out a bottle and throws the liquid into her mouth, paralysing her tongue*
Bandit leader: "Don't be like that, you're the one who causes death and destruction in this world."
Lydia: "She…protects…us."
Bandit leader: "From what?! From dragons?! They still terrorise towns! From bandits?! Still plenty of those! From death? She causes more than she stops, if it weren't for her my daughter would still be alive, this bitch is the only reason the Stormcloaks attacked, killing dozens of innocents!"
Lydia: "She's trying her best to rid Skyrim of evil…I'm sure she didn't mean to kill your daughter."
Bandit leader: "She was 3! She barely discovering the world when a boulder was catapulted into my home, she was trapped beneath it, my poor little Anina"
*Tears begin streaming down his face, he stutters a little but takes a deep breath*
Bandit leader: "All because we lived in a hold loyal to the Empire, I'm a Nord too, my name is Alik, the only reason I didn't join you Stormcloaks was because I had a daughter in Whiterun to look after, I trained the guards which helped defend against invaders, whether Nords or not. Many good men died defending that town, none of them would have if you didn't get involved! This isn't a game! People matter, but I'm sure other's lives mean nothing to you"
*Alik turns, walking away, opening the door and slamming it behind him as he leaves, tears start to well up in Lilina's eyes*
Lydia: "It wasn't your fault Lilina."
*1 hour later, the feeling returns to Lilina's mouth*
Lilina: "I'm not a hero Lydia; I'm a murderer, a cold blooded murderer!"
Lydia: "You're a hero, you killed Alduin."
Lilina: "I killed a child, how can I live with myself?"
Adonato: "You move on."
*They both raise their heads to see Adonato crouched on top of the bookshelf*
Lilina: "How'd you get in here?"
Adonato: "I walked."
*Adonato hops off the bookshelf, pulling out a lock pick, undoing both of the women's wall shackles, pulling a bag off his back, passing Lilina her axe and Lydia her sword, Lilina notices Adonato is clad in the Nightingale amour*
Lilina: "I didn't need your help."
Adonato: "Looks like you did."
*Footsteps are heard outside the door, Adonato nocks an arrow and points it at the door, counting*
Adonato: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5."
*He then releasing the arrow, it flies across the room, breaking through the door and into the man on the other side, Adonato runs to the door, opening it and catching the bandit before he falls, laying him down gently. Adonato puts away his bow and draws his daggers, Lilina and Lydia sneak up behind him, Lilina whispering*
Lilina: "How we getting out of here then smart guy?"
Adonato: "We walk."
*Sneaking to the door, Adonato pries it open with one of the daggers, sliding through. After five minutes pass the girls wander what has come of Adonato*
Lilina: "What's he doing?"
Lydia: "Maybe he walked out."
*Adonato comes through the door and gestures for the girls to follow him into the room and they make their way across the room, around them are several dead bodies, all with their throats slit, with awe Lilina whispers to Adonato*
Lilina: "Shit Adonato."
Adonato: "What?"
Lilina: "You killed all these people?"
Adonato: "Had to, they're all hired thugs, simple bandits that would never stop this line of work, I mean they have now, but you get my point"
Lilina: "Alright let's just get out of here."
*They go out the door into the courtyard, sticking close to the wall, sneaking to a horse nearby, another is behind a few shrubs nearby, Lilina and Lydia get onto the horse*
Adonato: "Ride it back to Solitude, I'll take care of things here"
Lilina: "Hey Adonato?"
Adonato: "Yeah?"
Lilina: "Thank you."
*They ride off down the mountain towards Solitude, the phenomenally large bandit runs from the gates and charges at Adonato, swinging the giant Warhammer at Adonato horizontally. Adonato dives away just in time, the girls turn back around ride towards Adonato, they jump off, standing behind him, Adonato pulls out his bow drawing, aiming, and releasing 5 arrows in as many seconds, all landing dead centre of the big guys chest, Lilina thrusts the axe into his gut, as he keels over Lydia plunges the sword downwards into the man's back. The same horn from earlier can be heard*
Adonato: "Damn it, on the horse!"
*Adonato runs to the clearing a bit away with the second horse, all three get on their respective horses*
Lilina: "Come on!"
*They ride down the mountain, galloping. At the bottom of the mountain they slow to a trot. As they ride over Dragonsbridge Lilina spits on it. They bring the horses to a halt near Solitude stables where they dismount. Adonato tosses the horse handler a small purse of gold, exchanging nods*
Lilina: "Thanks for the help Adonato."
Adonato: "No worries."
*He pulls out Lydia's bow, shield and arrows from behind some hay and pass it to her*
Adonato: "Sorry, I couldn't sneak these in."
Lydia: "Thanks, and it's alright."
Adonato: "Welcome, you should be fine from here, now I'm going to the inn."
Lilina: "We need to head home; I've got things to do."
*They all walk towards Solitude; Adonato goes to the Winking Skeever, sitting at the bar ordering a drink of mead, tossing a gold piece to the bard who starts a rendition of 'the Dragonborn comes. Lilina and Lydia walk to Proudspire Manor, picking up the bag of meat from the table, walking outside. Lilina and Lydia walk through back streets until they arrive at the gates*
[The universe and characters of Skyrim belong to Bethesda and associate corporations, the only things owned by my girlfriend and I are the non-lore friendly characters, equipment, and actions that are required for the story to make sense.]
