Astaria awoke with her heart pounding. For a single moment she'd thought she'd slept too long and dashed out to find Arngeir. Once he'd assured her that she'd only been asleep a couple of hours, she calmed down but still quickly said her goodbyes before hurrying back down the mountain.
It takes her half a day before reaches Windhelm and she hurries through the entrance and into the Palace. Ulfric and Galmar were in the war room going over last minute strategies, they look up as she enters.
"Dragonborn," Ulfric says. "I trust all went well with the Greybeards?"
She nods. "Yes sir."
"Rumour also has it that you beat another dragon in Kynesgrove." Galmar grumbled, turning back to the map.
"I did."
Ulfric watched her. Whatever had happened over those five days had changed her. She was holding herself with confidence now, a confidence that said she was not afraid of her power anymore.
"Good. The more you fight, the better you will get at killing them, and judging by reports, more are appearing." Ulfric says.
Astaria nods. She wanted to mention Alduin, but she felt that now was not the right time.
"We are almost ready to attack Whiterun Dragonborn." Ulfric says. "Galmar and I are finalising plans. Head to our camp there, Galmar will not be far behind."
She nods at first but then hesitates. "You are not coming sir?"
Galmar gives her a sharp look, but Ulfric shakes his head. "No. There is still much to plan for here. I have faith in all your abilities and trust that I will be given a successful report."
Astaria bites the inside of her lip to stop her retort. She didn't agree, but she wasn't going to say anything. Ulfric notices, but says nothing.
"Talos guide you Dragonborn."
Astaria bows and heads out, some of the remaining soldiers wishing her luck as she exits the city. She knew that this fight was going to be tough, she knew that people were going to die, but she also knew that this was for the greater good. It had to be done.
She was about halfway to Whiterun when she stopped to catch her breath, drinking from a nearby stream, she pauses after a moment and looks up.
The white wolf was opposite her. For a long moment, amber eyes stared into amber eyes, before once again it turned and calmly walked away. Astaria couldn't explain it this time, but she felt shaken, clearly this wolf meant something. Had she known anything about omens, she was sure she would be able to tell what it meant, whether that would bring her comfort or not, she did not know.
She hurriedly continued so as she didn't have to think on it.
Approaching Whiterun, she could all but feel the tension in the air, it made her lick her lips nervously as she approached the camp. Men and women were moving, preparing, they would strike as soon as Galmar arrived.
"Astaria!"
The voice got her attention and she looked around until she saw Ralof hurrying towards her and she broke out into a grin.
"Was wondering when I'd see you again." She laughs and was rather startled when he hugged her.
"When would you see me? Last I saw you, you were heading into that damn barrow!" He exclaims, letting her go. "I'm trusting that because we are here, that it all went well?"
"More or less." She says with a weak grin and notices Galmar walking through the nervous crowd of soldiers. "It could've been a lot worse, that's for sure."
Galmar sees her and frowns, walking towards them, Ralof stands at attention, but Galmar just looks at her.
"Ulfric feels that your help would be better at the front of the charge, Dragonborn." He says gruffly.
Astaria nods. "Yes sir."
Ralof looks between them. "Dragonborn?" He starts back. "You're the Dragonborn?!"
"That's right boy, so I'd suggest paying her careful attention on the battlefield." Galmar growled. "Come on, let's get this mess started."
Ralof was still staring at her. "Seriously?"
She nods. "Yeah. Nothing like a bit of responsibility right?" She follows Galmar, not looking back at Ralof, who just stares after her.
Astaria hears little of Galmar's speech, she plays with the hilt of her sword at her belt and stares at the city before them, something was bothering her, exactly what, she couldn't say, but she was unsettled and she knew that it was going to be dangerous going into battle.
"Are you ready Dragonborn?"
She looks at Galmar and nods, drawing her sword, the men start cheering behind her and she feels her adrenaline start, pushing everything else out of her mind.
The charge started, Astaria and Galmar at the front. There were Imperials waiting for them, luckily, they weren't overly good shots, although Astaria was narrowly missed.
The Stormcloaks hit them hard. There was shouting and the sounds of metal on metal and soon, a strong smell of blood.
Astaria was fighting three Imperial's up a path that lead to the drawbridge controls, she managed to trip one and send him tumbling down to the fight below, the other two attacked at once. She dodged one and blocked the other, before kicking out, knocking one to his knees and smashing her sword into his head, in that time, the other had swung again and now she locked blades with him.
His blade came into contact with her shoulder, but she ignored it, swinging her own sword in and catching him across the neck as he tried to leap back. He fell, so Astaria pushed on, making short work of the last archer on the wall.
She shoves the controls for the bridge and it falls with a heavy crash, the Stormcloaks not locked in battle charging through and they wait for Galmar to give the next order.
"Get the ram in here!" He yells.
Astaria jumps down and eyes up the gate. "I can do it."
"Dragonborn, now is not the time to be showing off." Galmar growls angrily, his face sprayed with blood.
"I'm not, I'm offering the quicker solution." Ignoring him, she stands before the gate and braces herself.
"Fus Ro Dah!"
The gate splintered first before slamming backwards with a load bang, the guards and soldiers behind had also been knocked back, standing there stunned as the Stormcloaks, only taken for a moment, charged through.
Astaria let them charge past, using the moment to catch her breath, Galmar still next to her.
"Next time you ignore my orders, I'll have your head." He says before following the soldiers.
She rolls her eyes and follows.
It was clear that the residents of Whiterun had had plenty of warning of the attack, they were all holed up in their homes, simple wooden guards in front of some of them so as the Stormcloaks were barred from some ways. This was of little worry, they had no interest in the civilians, they were focused solely on Dragons Reach.
The resistance in the city was minimal, a few scattered groups tried, and failed, to stop them from reaching Dragonsreach. Astaria faced the door, wasting no time, she shouted it open, and once again, the Stormcloaks cheering, charged inside.
It appeared that most of the guards were by the Jarl's side, defending him. The Jarl too was fighting alongside Irileth. It was here that the Stormcloaks lost most of their men, the close quarters and skill of the Jarl and his housecarl, meant that most of the soldiers were no match.
The Jarl turned to Astaria, his face full of anger. "You will pay for this Dragonborn!" He yelled and charged at her.
Astaria had to react quickly, the Jarl was good with a sword, and she was of no real match with her own. He disarmed her quickly, luckily her knives were still easily at hand. Now, in her own element, she pushed back.
She matched him blow for blow, faster than he was, he was now pushed back, looking more and more outraged. Neither were aware that the battle was being watched, Galmar and Irileth, locked in their own fights, were watching out of the corner of their eyes.
The Jarl went for a wide blow and Astaria acted, ducking into him and hooking her foot around the back of his, swinging him down to the ground.
Balgruuf panicked as her blades came down, he dropped his sword and held his hands up in surrender. "Enough!" He yelled. "Enough. Stand down."
Astaria stood still, breathing hard, her blade still at his throat. Galmar rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Stand down Dragonborn." He growled.
Slowly, she removed her blade and stepped back, she felt almost giddy, and the battle had ended so suddenly. Sheathing her knives, she moved and retrieved her sword.
"Glad you saw reason before there was more bloodshed Balgruuf." Galmar says, leaning on his own weapon.
Balgruuf got to his feet, seething with fury. "Like I had a choice."
"You had a choice when the Dragonborn brought you the axe." Galmar growls. "Don't act like this isn't of your own doing."
Balgruuf's eyes flickered to Astaria and back. "Getting a bit desperate calling on legends for aid, aren't you Galmar?"
"If I recall correctly-" Astaria started, but Galmar cut her off.
"The Dragonborn was with us before all that began. If I'm not mistaken, it was because of the mission you sent her on, that it happened." Galmar gave a twisted smile.
Balgruuf's face turned very red. "I should've just thrown her in prison and been done with it!"
"Such a noble thing for a Jarl to do." Astaria muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.
"You're lucky I don't have your head girl." He snarled.
"I'd like to see you try old man." Her grip tightened on her sword, which was still in her hand.
"Enough." Galmar stepped between them, clearly not trusting Astaria. "There is a city out there that needs government. Dragonborn, return to Ulfric with the news we've secured Whiterun."
Ralof, who'd been standing just behind Astaria stepped forward. "But sir-"
"No Ralof, the Dragonborn can handle this." He glares at her, and she returns the look, fuming.
"Yes sir." She says stiffly, sheathing her sword, turning and running out.
Astaria's blood was pumping, she knew she needed to calm down, but the battle had left her agitated. It had left her wanted more. She forced herself to stop when she thought stop, and she sat down for a moment drawing in deep, almost painful breathes.
A good fight was in every Nord's nature, but wanting, craving more, was something else.
Shouting. Hadn't she been warned that the peaceful way was easier said than practised? Both Ulfric and the Greybeards had warned her and now she understood why. It fuelled her need to fight. She was a weapon, her voice a weapon, and she wanted more than anything to use it.
Astaria stood, and walked. She knew she should keep running, but for the time being, she felt it necessary to bring herself peace by walking. She had to keep herself calm.
Night was falling and the air growing cold, it wasn't until she shivered that she realised she did not have her cloak with her. Sighing in the night, she began to run.
It was very late by the time she reached Windhelm and she was very tired. She was hoping that Ulfric would be up so she could simply tell him and head to find somewhere warm, she was praying that he didn't ask for a blow by blow account.
However, the Palace of the Kings was empty when she entered, there weren't even any guards on the door. Astaria sighed, her shoulders sinking, and she sat down at the table to wait, she didn't even have the energy to eat even though she was hungry as well.
Slowly, before she'd even realised what was happening, her head drooped forward onto her arms and her eyes closed as she drifted off into a deep sleep.
Ulfric came downstairs in the early hours of the morning, no more rested than usual, sleep being hard to find these days. He was planning to start their next move, once he'd heard that Whiterun had been taken of course, he was slightly surprised that no one had returned yet to tell him, he knew it would be a fight, but his faith in his soldiers was insurmountable.
He decided to try some food before coming into the war room, and he was surprised when he entered the hall to see a figure slumped on the table.
It wasn't until he moved closer that he realised it was Astaria, her black hair a mess across her face as she slept peacefully.
A small grin tugged at the corner of Ulfric's mouth and he shook his head. Well, at least now he knew they had won. He slipped his coat from his shoulders and placed it over her, she stirred slightly but did not awaken. He wanted to know all the details, but for now, she was better left to rest, she deserved it after all she had been through in the last weeks.
He left her there as he headed down the kitchen.
It was many hours later that Galmar, Ralof and a few men burst through the door with loud cheers that Astaria finally awoke. She sat there for a long moment, very confused at what was happening, it seemed to be just all noise and it was making her head hurt.
"It's good to see that many have returned." Ulfric's voice cut through the rest and helped her work out where she was.
"They did well Ulfric, we still lost good men and women, but now we hold the central position of Skyrim." Galmar was the happiest that Astaria had ever heard him. "I trust the Dragonborn told you everything?"
Astaria felt herself go red as she rubbed her eyes. She couldn't believe she'd fallen asleep, and worse, out in the open.
"No, but I got the gist of it."
She felt Galmar's eyes suddenly burning into her back. "No? I told her to report back to you."
"And she did, when I found her fast asleep on the table in the early hours of the morning." Ulfric's voice was calm, if not slightly amused.
"You fell asleep girl!?" Galmar roared.
She went to get up, but the heavy coat on her shoulders caught and brought her crashing down to the floor as she tripped.
"It wasn't intentional." She mumbled from the ground, her face burning red with embarrassment.
Galmar was furious but Ulfric just shook his head at his friend. "It's alright Galmar, there was no harm done. Her presence enough told me that we succeeded." He walked over and helped her untangle herself from his cloak and then to her feet. "Are you alright Dragonborn?"
She nodded once and then tried not to notice as he put his coat back on, realising he must have put it there while she was sleeping.
Ralof stepped forward then, looking concerned. "No you're not. You're wounded."
Astaria blinked at him. "I'm fine Ralof."
Ulfric noticed it too then, a deep gash in her shoulder, which looked like it had been bleeding a fair bit. "I didn't realise that you were in the habit of sending wounded soldiers on errands Galmar." He growled, gently leading Astaria back to sit down.
Astaria was staring at the wound, she hadn't even known about it until Ralof had brought it up. "I feel fine." She says.
"It's the adrenaline." Ralof says, looking worried.
"She'll be fine," Galmar growled. "It's just a scratch."
Ulfric touched the wound and that was when she knew it hurt. She jumped and would have leapt away had Ulfric not still been holding her arm, but now it felt like fire licking at her arm and shoulder and she clenched her jaw in pain.
"Get Wuunferth." Ulfric ordered.
Ralof dashed off to the stairs at the end of the hall, returning moments later followed by an elderly man dressed in wizard's robes. Astaria was biting her lip heavily, trying to control the burning in her arm, she still couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed and they that she had, she wished she hadn't.
Wuunferth looked over the wound calmly, gingerly touching it and causing her to wince each time. "Hmmm, it's going to require cleaning, lest it fester, then you'd had a lot more problems than just a wounded shoulder."
"Great, can you just fix it now?" She half growled, half moaned.
"Alright, bring her up to my room, I'll have a look at it." He said it casually, almost blaze about it all it.
Astaria went to stand to follow, but her head spun and she found two strong pairs of arms holding her on either side, both Ulfric and Ralof having grabbed her.
"I've got her sir." Ralof said, placing her arm around his shoulders.
Ulfric let her go and watched as Ralof followed Wuunferth back up to his quarters, Astaria looking very pale. He shoots a dark look at Galmar.
"You're going to blame me for this?" He asked defiantly.
"You should have noticed." Ulfric turned to go to the war room, Galmar grudgingly following, but not saying any more.