Eimile awoke to Ulfric on the other side of the cell door. She knew she would have to think fast to convince him that she was not a traitor.

"Storm-Blade!" exclaimed Ulfric.

Eimile answered in a groggy voice, "Ulfric, I'm well aware that the Stormcloaks are not happy with me, but you need to listen."

Ulfric interjected, "I got your note and immediately knew what was going on. You were ordered to be put in jail to avoid suspicion."

Eimile sat up and exclaimed, "Really? Thorald made it look like I was going to be hanged for what I had to do."

Ulfric shook his head and responded, "He's under Grisar's command, so Grisar may have worded things a bit differently."

Eimile nodded understandingly. She and Grisar never really got along.

Ulfric then stated, "It is time to get you out of here. Let me find the key."

While he looked for a key, Eimile laughed, "Last time, I broke out of prison using a thu'um. It killed my jailor in the process and I took her armor."

Ulfric responded, "That sounds like the Storm-Blade I know. Here we are!"

He unlocked the cell and Eimile walked out, thanking him as she did.

Ulfric asked, "You remember where the armory is, girl? Go get some armor and give them a taste of that axe!"

Eimile grinned, "Right away, sir!" and sprinted down the hall.

In the armory, she discarded her Legion armor and put on her Stormcloak armor. Before putting her helmet on, she tied her hair into a neat plait.

She stormed outside and fought amongst the remaining Stormcloaks outside. She swung her axe and the imperials were at her mercy once again.

Both sides were weakened, save for the commanders and a few soldiers. Eimile did not like the looks of the outcome, and thus ordered her men inside.

Eimile shouted, "Imperial commanders come forth! Fight for the men and women you so ruthlessly command if you care for them!"

The four remaining commanders, including Captain Aldis, stood before Eimile.

They drew their swords and pounced on Eimile.

Eimile easily cut down three of the four assailants. One swing sliced one man clean in half. Another removed another man's head. The third sunk deep into that man's chest and the man lay on the ground bleeding.

Eimile calmly inhaled, and dropped her axe. Aldis ran at her with his sword, ready to take her head.

He came within a foot of her when she shouted, "ZUN!" which ripped his weapons from him.

He raised a fist to punch her, but she caught it and threw him to the ground still holding his wrist. The throw broke his wrist and rendered his hand unusable.

She made a 'tsk' sound at him and laughed, "That's why you never punch with your sword hand, dear. Have fun fighting with that!"

Eimile grabbed him by the armor and dragged him inside in front of Ulfric who sat on the throne. He nodded and she threw Aldis to the ground.

Ulfric snarled, "As the last surviving commanding officer of the Imperial Legion, I am charging you with all of the crimes the legion has recently committed. You will have a public trial and Storm-Blade, Galmar, and I will judge you based on facts we find and testimony we hear."

Aldis asked, "What of my men?"

Ulfric answered, "I have already ordered Galmar to round up as many as he can and execute them. They will die because of your foolishness."

Two soldiers took him off to a prison cell while Eimile turned to Ulfric.

Eimile began to say, "Ulfric, I am honored to be named a judge but what good…"

Ulfric interjected, "You were a victim of his crimes. You will give your statement and judge him all in one swift motion. Though biased in the eyes of the law, I trust you and Galmar most."

Eimile nodded, though she was unsure if she agreed with this idea.

Ulfric continued, "When he is sentenced to death, I would like it if you swung the axe instead of the executioner."

Eimile smiled, "Nothing would please me more!"

Ulfric then said, "You must have had a rough couple of weeks. My servants will prepare a bed for you to stay in until the trial is over."

He grabbed a bottle of ale and split it amongst the two of them.

Ulfric held up his mug and said, "To your victory!"

Eimile held up hers and responded, "To your health!"

They tapped mugs and drank the ale. More bottles were placed on the table as the night went on.

Later on, a serving girl came to the throne room and motioned for Eimile to follow her. She gladly went upstairs, collapsed onto the bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

The morning came all too quickly. Eimile opened her eyes and sat up in bed. On the table at the end of her bed sat her freshly cleaned armor.

A handmaid came in and announced, "The king wishes for you to get cleaned up for the trial. A bath is set up and I will wash you."

Eimile got up and followed her to the tub. She wondered how long it had been since she had last washed.

She stepped into the scalding water and sighed with relief. The girl lathered on some lavender soap and cleaned the grime from her body.

Once Eimile was sufficiently clean, the lady helped her put her armor and boots on. The lady tied some small plaits around the crown of Eimile's head and secured them with a small clip. Eimile put her helmet on and handed the lady some gold.

She walked down the stairs to have some breakfast with Ulfric. Ulfric looked at her and smiled.

"You look like a new woman, Storm-Blade!" he exclaimed.

Eimile smiled and filled her plate with as much food as she could. It felt wonderful to be amongst her brothers again, though she was eager to return to Riften.

She laughed and joked with her men as she ate her fill of bread and meat and she drank enough ale to kill a bear.

A soldier somberly came in and announced, "Aldis is secure, my King!" Ulfric looked at Eimile and she nodded.

The two got up and joined with Galmar, who was ready to serve some justice. The doors opened and the ceremonial procession began.

Galmar held his hand out and took Eimile's. Together, they walked up to the two chairs set up next to the throne. Everybody in the throne room stood up when they saw the two judges enter. Ulfric followed behind them.

When the judges were seated, two soldiers dragged Aldis in and made him kneel before the judges.

One man shouted, "High court is in session! Aldis versus Skyrim is in session!"

Ulfric asked, "You are being charged for conspiracy, rebellion, false imprisonment, murder, and fraud. Do you have anything to say before we proceed?"

Aldis spit, "Fuck Talos, the Divines will watch me and see me walk out a free man."

Ulfric sighed, "I call the first witness, Eimile the Dragonborn."

Eimile stood in front of the magistrate and asked, "Yes, my King?"

Ulfric asked, "You were his prisoner; why did he have you in his cells in Solitude?"

Eimile moaned, "That man ordered his mages to paralyze me when I tried to leave Castle Dour!"

Galmar snarled, "I sent men under your command to protect you. Why weren't you protected?"

Eimile looked at the floor and answered, "They were killed and turned into road markers. When he ran out of my men, he used the men Jarl Balgruuf the Greater had sent to help me."

Galmar drew his sword and barked, "And you call us savages! Let us end this trial and take his head!"

Ulfric put a hand on his shoulder and said, "We must wait and hear all testimony, Galmar. Let us continue."

Galmar sat down and muttered curses under his breath. Ulfric shot a glance at him but decided to continue asking questions.

"What would cause him to need to imprison you?"

Eimile answered, "He made Fasendil send orders to me to come before the other remaining imperial legates in Solitude. When I arrived there was a job waiting for me."

"What were your orders?"

"To kill the king. When I refused and moved to defend my king, I was imprisoned."

"How was your stay in prison?"

"I awoke in a cell bare as Talos made me. My engagement necklace was stolen along with my weapons. He and a woman tried to get more information out of me."

Ulfric straightened in his chair, "Did you say anything?"

"I vehemently refused but they fed me wine laced with a traceless truth potion and continued asking questions."

"Did you give any information then?"

"Only on my intended husband. They then threatened to kidnap him and make him watch me be publically executed and shamed."

Aldis spit, "I DID NO SUCH THING!"

Eimile decided to play the crowd. Though she did not agree with underhanded tactics when it came to justice, she wanted to watch that man die.

"You willed it! I heard you discuss with the woman that you would rape me in front of the town before hanging me!"

"You're Ulfric's little whore! You'd probably like it!"

Ulfric slammed his fist onto the armrest of his throne and snarled, "First you try to murder my men, but now you insult my commander? You are not helping your cause. Return to your seat, Dragonborn."

Eimile nodded and returned to her bench.

Ulfric asked a few other soldiers to step forth and give testimony. These soldiers gave testimony in exchange for pardons from the king.

He asked each of them, "What were your orders when you marched on Windhelm?"

All of their responses were basically the same: "Kill the king and the Dragonborn."

It was time for Aldis to give his testimony. He looked Ulfric dead in the eye. Ulfric motioned his hand, summoning a court alchemist to come into the room.

The man held up a selection of potions, and Ulfric selected a truth potion. He ordered his men to force it down Aldis' throat.

Ulfric frowned, "Since you wish to do that to your prisoners, I shall do it to you."

Aldis swallowed the potion and continued to glare at the king, as if he were daring him to continue the trial.

"What have you done with my men?"

"Used 'em as road markers so the Dragonborn wouldn't get lost."

"You ordered my own soldier to kill me?"

"We were unaware that she and the Dragonborn were the same person."

"You then ordered mages to try to kill her?"

"She drew her axe at me after I spit on Talos."

"Enough! Every word that comes out of your mouth continues to irritate me! Court will recess and return shortly for sentencing."

People promptly left the room and two soldiers dragged Aldis back to his cell. The three judges looked at each other.

Eimile broke the silence.

"There is no doubt he's guilty. His own men damned him."

Ulfric responded, "That is not why I recessed court. We need to discuss a proper sentence. I have already decided that Galmar will announce that he's guilty and you will execute him, but he needs to feel our wrath before being cleanly put down by you."

Galmar added, "We've killed his men so that's retribution for the men we lost."

Eimile demanded, "Let me publicly shame him before ending him. He wanted to do that to me, so I want to do it to him. Let me drag him through the streets nude so the people can hiss and jeer at him."

Ulfric nodded, "I permit you to do so. Let us tell the people." He called upon one of the soldiers to usher men back into the throne room.