Where the legends meet - 4th of Heartfire - 4 E 201 - Windhelm - The Palace of the Kings
Eliana felt her senses fade in a blur… caught red-handed in the jarl's bedchambers…
For all he knew, she could be a thief, a murderer sent by the Dark-brotherhood, or even a Thalmor Assassin. She just couldn't think straight as Ulfric's piercing steel-grey eyes scanned her, trying to distinguish her face under her hood.
She desperately tried to collect her thoughts but she felt like she stammered on her words… Should she lower her cape in hope that he'd recognize her? Should she bow and apologize for her intrusion? Should she…
A bolt of fear surged through her veins as the tall figure of the jarl advanced on her, his hand on the hilt of his ax. In panic, she chose the worst option: she tried to run!
She blocked a strike of his ax with her dagger but it had enough force to send her crash against the door.
She regained her balance just in time to see the jarl face her and take a deep breath.
"Fus Ro DAH!"
The door slammed open and Eliana crashed downstairs. She felt her ribcage crack. No wonder how he had killed Torygg! The power of his Voice was terrifying! Her breath taken away, she crawled back in fear as Ulfric Stormcloak closed the gap between them. Grabbing her by the front of her robes, he slammed her against a wall, the edge of his ax pressed under her throat.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?", he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
The young woman chocked on her words. She felt her consciousness fade, her heart rate slow as the lack of air was plunging her in the darkness. Ulfric loosened his grip on her throat, allowing her to suck a needing breath.
"Feim!"
The jarl went right through as she ran down the stairs and through the war room. She thought she heard the jarl order the guards to stop her but she did not pay attention! The only thing that mattered was reaching the main door before she became physical again.
Just a few more strides!
The Ethereal state failed her.
She slammed her fists against the door, defeated, and did her best to maintain her composure before she turned to face her fate.
Three guards circled her, weapons drawn while the jarl approached, his housecarl walking two steps ahead, shielding him.
Eliana raised both her hands in surrender.
The guards seized her and tied her wrists behind her back. The young woman winced in pain but did not resist.
"Show me her face."
She felt her hood fall back on her shoulders. The jarl's eyes met hers as he studied her features intently. Fair golden skin, emerald eyes, long red hair, a deep thin scar running on her right cheek…
"I recognize you…", he breathed. "Helgen."
The young woman nodded.
"What is your name?"
"Eliana Evergreen, my jarl."
There was no fear in her voice, Ulfric noticed, only uncertainty… She knew not what fate lied ahead yet she did not waver nor did her voice falter.
"Which Divines are you praying today?", he taunted, remembering her constant prayer to the same four Gods in the carriage they shared to Helgen.
"There is no god for 'stupid mistakes', my jarl. I will have to face the consequences of my actions on my own, today…"
"Yes, you will."
The jarl frowned, unsure of what to do with his prisoner. The girl did not fight back and did not seem much of a threat but her intrusion alone was still to be questioned.
Galmar, however, noticed something that had yet escaped to Ulfric.
"Pointy ears… are you elven?"
"Half-elven.", the young woman answered truthfully.
"Breaking in the Palace of the Kings… The hubris of you Thalmor knows no bound.", the housecarl spat, his features distorted with hatred.
The girl's eyes widened as she came aware of the misunderstanding and foresaw the consequences. But before she could defend herself, the jarl turned to the guards.
"Lock her up. And gag her, in case she'd think of shouting her way out. We'll see to your sentence tomorrow, miss Evergreen."
5th of Heartfire - 4 E 201 - Windhelm prisons
The guards made sure the ropes ensnaring her wrists were tight enough and locked her in the last cell. Their footsteps echoed for a moment along the corridor before the unmistakable sound of a door closing broke the silence, and she dared lower her guard.
The young woman sat, her back against the wall and brought her knees close to her chest as she cast a dejected glance to her surroundings. Black ice was forming where humidity gathered in poodles on the irregular cobblestoned floor. The light of torches flickered in the damp cold air, casting an almost unwanted light on the dark hall. Gusts of ice cold wind carrying flakes of snow and hail whipped through three tiny windows, high enough to be reached by tiptoeing but not nearly wide enough to let even a skeever pass through – just a reminder of how light and freedom tasted like...
So, after all she had been through, after escaping the custody of the Dominion – twice! - was this where she was meant to end? The mere fact of having elven blood in her veins was enough to condemn her, label her as a Thalmor… The file would only be one more proof of her guilt. Then… what would become of her?
A cold wave of horror washed over her as she noticed, in the dimly lit hall before her cell, the tall and threatening shapes of two wooden racks. The gears and leather straps and the darkened marks on the wood left her no doubts about their use. Bile rose to her throat at the mere vision of her possible future in these halls.
She struggled to loosen the knots by rubbing the ropes against the stone but the cord was too thick, too tight... Gagged and hands tied. She felt so helpless…
She violently blinked the tears away, laid her head against the wall, closed her eyes and prayed.
The cold night eventually faded in a freezing morning. Eliana heard the door to the jails open and woke up with a start.
"Up!", a guard ordered as he unlocked her cell. "The jarl demands to see you."
They untied her gag.
"Just so you know. Guards have been posted to every exit and are allowed to shoot you on sight and hunt you down if you ever try to run away. Ethereal or not, you will not leave this city alive."
The girl swallowed hard and nodded. They seized her by her upper arm and lead her upstairs and to the main hall of the Palace of the Kings.
5th of Heartfire - 4 E 201 - Windhelm - Palace of the kings
Ulfric and his housecarl remained silent as the guards escorted the prisoner down the hall and forced her on her knees at the foot of the throne.
The young woman repressed the nausea overwhelming her and forced herself to look up at the jarl.
"I believe this was intended for me.", the jarl stated, showing her the red leather covered file.
The young woman nodded, earning a heavy sigh from the jarl.
"You seem to have a certain talent for trouble, Miss Evergreen…", he murmured. "You owe me some answers, I think."
"Everything you want to know…"
"Who are you?"
"Eliana Evergreen.", she repeated.
"This is just a name. I want to know who you are. Who do you work for?"
"No one."
The jarl tensed, unpleased with the answer.
"Who sent you?"
"I came here at my own initiative.", Eliana answered. "I… This file… came in my possession. I thought… I thought you deserved to know…"
Ulfric remained silent for a moment, looking for any trace of lie in her eyes. The young woman fought hard not to blink.
"What are you relations with the Thalmor?"
"Disturbingly close…", she whispered, her voice for the first time unsteady. "And most unfriendly."
A few long seconds passed before she spoke again, addressing directly to Galmar this time.
"Half-elven is not exactly up to the standards of the Thalmor. I am mistrusted by Mer because of my human inheritance, and distrusted by Men because of the crimes of the Dominion. This is why I couldn't just find you and give you the dossier.", she explained, turning to Ulfric. "I wanted to avoid… well… this exact situation."
"You could have left it to a guard or a courier."
"It's hard to trust anyone when it comes to the Thalmor… No one but you had to know about that file. I thought it would be better if I could sneak in and leave it where no one else would find it."
The jarl looked at the red-leather covered book with disgust and handed it to his housecarl.
"Why should I believe you?"
"Because of Helgen.", the young woman answered.
"It proves we may have a common enemy… but does not make you worthy of my trust... or mercy.", he stated calmly. "How did you get this file?"
"I stole it.", she admitted, dryly.
"That makes you a thief, then.", the jarl pointed with a wry smile.
"Some would say robbing the Dominion is a good deed.", the girl countered.
"You must be very skilled in the arts of shadow, or very well-informed to find yourself a way inside one of their headquarters and escape unnoticed."
"You assume I did.", she answered grimly.
A few long seconds passed in a deafening silence before the jarl spoke again.
"I'm afraid we're at an impasse… Unless you stop holding the truth back, I cannot let you go."
"I am telling the truth!"
"Maybe… But not all the truth. You are hiding something…"
The young woman blinked. The jarl waited a few seconds in hope she would finally open up and tell him the whole story but she just remained silent.
"I am willing to give you a chance to explain yourself, Miss Evergreen, but do not try my patience."
The girl stared up at him, her eyes filled with defiance.
"Or what? You would have to force the truth out of me? For Talos' sake, I have told you everything you wanted to know! Now, free me or execute me, jarl Ulfric, but don't you dare to threaten me!"
"You are in no position to yell at me, Miss Evergreen.", the jarl spat. "I did not mean to threaten you.", he added, his voice softer, for he understood her outburst was due both to fear and weariness. "I only wish to understand why you don't claim what you are."
The young woman gasped and blinked, defeated.
"I am not your enemy, Dragonborn, so why are you trying to fool me?"
Eliana stared at the man with pain-filled eyes.
"Because I do not want to be used."
It was a fair answer, Ulfric thought. Both sides of the Civil war could sure use the Dragonborn joining their ranks, and soon, all of Skyrim, and all of Tamriel would prey on her. If she wanted to remain anonymous in order to stay true to herself, how could he blame her?
"It is a noble reason.", he sighed. He then turned to the guards: "Help her up and release her. Thank you for bringing this… enlightening piece of information to my attention, Miss Evergreen. You are free."
The young woman remained still for a while, massaging her wrists, unable to stare away from the jarl.
"Does… being the Dragonborn… make me any more trustworthy, then?"
"No. But burning down the Thalmor Embassy, I will call that a goodwill gesture.", he added with a smile.
Done! It's done! You cannot imagine how hard it was for me to write this dialogue! It's not that I wasn't inspired... I was TOO MUCH inspired and found myself with three different versions... no wait... four! four different versions and trying to get the better of each one in order to build fifth!
Well... hope you enjoyed :) Have a good week end, next chapter will come by Monday I think :)
Don't forget to review ;)
Edit : Ah-ah! The end of the dialog seemed a bit weird to me, so I edited it a bit (edit may 2015 : twice! ) Hope it's better like that :)
