Chapter 9
Battle for Whiterun
In the morning I find all our stuff ready and breakfast at my table on the side I was sleeping on. Conan sits drinking something warm in the corner.
"You sleep forever," he says sipping the drink. I lift myself up and look down at the porridge.
"Thank you." I say and realise it's slightly cold along the top. I mix the cold in with the warm and swallowing it all down leaving the bowl on the counter as we leave for Windhelm.
We decided to walk this time so we could get exercise...bad idea. We were attacked by a road robber, bandits, vampires, a dragon, wolves and a troll! Once we were even attacked by a vampire bandit that tried to rob us. My sword had never met so much blood. I claimed arrows and gave them all my mark. A simply pattern along the wood that everyone in Cyrodiil can recognise since I've been around for years.
"The Jarl of Whiterun returns your axe." Conan says handing back the axe.
"Then I was wrong about him." He says taking his axe and rising. "You were right Galmar."
"Again?" Sighs Galmar.
"I'm not in the mood to joke." Ulfric growls.
"Give the word, my Lord, and Whiterun is yours." Galmar says loyally.
"Whiterun is only a means to an end." Ulfric informs him on the other side of the map where they mark the Imperial camps and theirs.
"I've toured our camps, Ulfric, we're ready... Whenever you are." Galmar promises leaning on the map.
"Is any man ever ready to to give an order that will mean the deaths of many?" Ulfric wonders aloud. I truly hated it when they talked for so long.
"No. But neither is every man able to give the order when he must." Galmar confirms. "But you're that man Ulfric, you were that man before and you'll be him again. And these men and women- call themselves Stormcloaks because they believe in you. They are the meanest and toughest son of bitches Skyrim has to offer. And they want this. They want it as much as you do, maybe more." Galmar speeches.
"You're certain we're ready?" Ulfric hesitates. "Whiterun's army will no doubt be bolstered with Legionnaires. And those walls are Whiterun are old, but they still stand."
"We're ready," Galmar repeats, "and I may be old myself, but I'll kick those walls down with my bare feet! - if you'd ask me to!" Galmar assures.
"And I'm sure you could do it." Ulfric replies humourless. "Alright. This is it."
"Yes!" Galmar begins to roar.
"Send the word: 'A new day is dawning and the sun rises over Whiterun'." Another poetic speech a bit like the Stormcloak oath.
"Aye, the sons of Skyrim with greet that dawn teeth and swords flashing."
"So it begins. Make haste to our camp in Whiterun, I want you two on the front lines." Ulfric says to both Conan and I then turns to Conan himself. "I have a feeling about you. Your place is on that battlefield. I need you there."
"Yes sir." Conan replies.
"Fight well, or die well. Talos be with you!" He calls as we leave.
"So this is it." I whisper as we stand at the top of a hill watching the armies circle Whiterun.
"I guess so. And I have an idea for what you can do." Conan smiles turning to me.
"If you say stay and watch I'll hit you." I warn.
"Go around and climb the wall, flank them." I nod and smile.
"Fight well if you die I'll see you in Sovngarde." I promise before he takes my hands and drags me into a hug.
"Don't get yourself killed you have to still meet the old men up there." We laugh and I run off down the slope and around the city. The walls are old which means it's easy for me to stick my daggers into the stone. I take a quick peep and see that I'm at the guard's quarters. Men rush out to defend their city. I climb up and onto the quarters. None of them are looking up since they all run down to the Plains District for the front lines. I spot the Stormcloaks running towards the gate and begin. I take out my bow and aim. First I hit the oil with my unique flame rune arrow, the oil burns up and all the Imperials back away. Next I hit the wooden stand under the pot to make it smash and pour onto the first barricade. I fall from the building gracefully and make my way to the next barricade. I see the drawbridge from here...it's up they'll never get through with it up. I run across and jump from building to building until I'm on top of the wall. I run along dodging sword swings and arrows before kicking the first lever and then the second. The drawbridge crashed down and the Stormcloaks burst through.
"Die!" I heard the screams. Smoke and fog covered the land but fire was the dominant power in this battle. Catapults send balls of fire over us and into parts of the Wind District. I killed men along the walls while Conan was ahead of the army below. Once the opposing army was dead or members had surrendered we stormed into Dragonsreach.
When we got there three guards came at us from the steps but were taken down with single swings next we made it to the fire before another three ran at us. Irileth and I met eyes making some sort of agreement that we would fight. She ran at me but I bounced onto the table and kicked her in the head. She spun around and tried to swing at me but I jumped above her blade releasing my arrow that found her knee cap. She screamed and held onto the table for support while swinging at me again. Another kick to the head and she was down and out but not dead.
"Enough! I surrender...I surrender. Stand down!" Balgruuf ordered his men. Another man entered the hall weaponless. "Vignor Gray-Mane! Your family was noticeably absent from the walls, and now I know why. Wouldn't a dagger in the back have sufficed?"
"You think this is personal? The Empire has no place in Skyrim and you have no place in Whiterun." Vignor hisses back.
"A convenient position to hold now. But mark my words, old man, in the days to come Ulfric will spread his rebellion thin. What then? We need the Empire as much as it needs us. We Nords are the Empire! Our blood built it. Our blood sustains it. You of all people should know that." Balgruuf said trying to reach Vignor Nord to Nord.
"If this was my Empire, I'd be able to worship who I damned well pleased! You wish to see an Empire without Talos? Without a soul? We should be fighting those witch-elves, not bending the knee to them. The Emperor is nothing more than a puppet of the Thalmar." Vignor explains. "Skyrim needs a High King who will fight for her and Whiterun needs a Jarl who'll do the same."
"Tell me Vignor. Was this all worth it? How many of those corpses lying in the streets wear the faces of men who once called you friend? What about their families?" Asks Balgruuf.
"Enough! Both of you! There's a burning city out there that needs a government!" I could have kissed Galmar for all the times he got things done.
"He's right, Galmar come, let us restore order." Vignor says passing by Balgruuf.
"This isn't over. You hear me you old fool! This isn't over!" He turns and sees Conan at that moment his eyes go wide with both shock and another I can not quite place. Regret? Disloyalty? "And you. A Stormcloak? I thought better of you. You'll all come to regret this day." Men escort Balgruuf around while he leaves.
"Go to Windhelm and inform Ulfric our victory here." Orders Galmar. Conan and I sprint off taking horses from the stable without the need to pay but leave a sufficient amount of gold for them anyway.