Ulfric re-emerged from Castle Dour and immediately scanned the battlements for the Dragonborn. The court was still visible hurrying along, only momentarily slowed by a small group of Stormcloaks that had managed to beat the elf to the Solitude natives.
Galmar came up behind him and pointed towards a door. "Rikke and Tulius will stay where they are. That will take you up to the walls. You should be able to reach the Dragonborn before she does something drastic."
The jarl hurried towards the now obvious staircase to the height of the walls. Most of the men had moved farther into Solitude, leaving a trail of Imperials behind. Live or dead, it didn't matter at the moment. The important issue in Ulfric's head was the incapacitated leaders of the Legion behind him and the now vanished members of the court. Even the Imperials the Dragonborn had been battling had surrendered. Ulfric could just make out their smug attitude and the rage of the elf. Some tall Stormcloak with her seemed to be holding her back.
He was out of breath from racing up the spiral staircase within the walls and across the walls to catch up to the Dragonborn. She was leaning against the walls, staring down at the path, face impossible to read with her mask firmly in pace.
"Siltuzma-"
The cry of a scout interrupted him. The instincts of a predator turned her towards the horn cut off. She pushed past gathered Stormcloaks to gain a front-row seat to the action below. The court had found some secret passage down his spies did not discover. The scout that alerted everyone to the escape had paid for it with this life and now the court was hurrying along the path as Stormcloak scouts came racing on both sides towards the small group. In fact, the court was almost underneath the group on the walls. Ulfric turned towards the elf-
The Dragonborn growled.
"Siltuzma-"
"FEIM ZII GRON!"
With that Shout, the Dragonborn threw herself off the walls of Solitude.
Everything else went away. There was one horrifyingly quiet second of her body falling through the air, the echoes of her voice still fading. Someone was screaming near the jarl as each soldier on the battlements watched transfixed as the mer plummeted. She looked so small, so blue.
She hit the rocks that formed the base of the city and rebounded like a child's toy, a rag doll. She rolled away from the walls, as loose as a limbless creature.
The screaming continued.
To Ulfric's shock, the court stopped their dash before passing the body. Elisif separated from the small troop and took a few steps towards the pile of black armor as her guards moved to engage the scouts.
Elisif recoiled suddenly. Both groups watched in awe as the Dragonborn rose to her feet.
A steady arm lifted towards the Jarl as a contained flicker of flame formed in the center of the offered, upturned palm.
When questioned later, Siltuzma was adamant that she had simply asked for the Jarl's surrender. Other reports embellished the tale with real and imagined titles for the Dragonborn, with at least one claiming she was immortal or resurrected.
What was said did not matter, because Elisif still willingly accepted the hand of the Dragonborn, fire included.
She later spoke of a comforting warmth without a single burn.
"What sort of madness is this?" spat the lady Jarl.
"Jarl Elisif-"
She launched into a tirade at the man sitting in the throne she had previously occupied. Ulfric resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. The city had been his for a few precious hours. He needed to get peace settled in as quickly as possible while the most advantageous potential ally was providing one huge road block.
"-and I don't know from what pit of Oblivion you pulled that immortal creature-"
"I am no creature."
Fantastic. The Dragonborn in her flawless ebony armor brushed past Elisif, a pointedly obvious breach of respect.
"Elisif the Fair, widow of Late High-King Torygg of the city of Solitude of the province of Haafingar in Skyrim, Jarl of Solitude, may I introduce you to the Dragonborn?"
The elf turned to the shocked woman and gave a short bow, removing her mage's mask. "My lady, I am Siltuzma Thilinihle, daughter of Lylionniss of the House of Setting Sun from the city Dusk of the Summerset Isle, defender of Ulfric Stormcloak, Archmage of Winterhold College, Thane of Winterhold, and Dovahkiin. It was a simple parlor trick to survive the fall. If you were to devote your life to the study of the Thu'um, I am confident you would achieve something comparable."
Elisif hid the remnants of her surprise. "Naturally the Dragonborn would fight for what she thought would save Skyrim. I wonder if she thinks this new Skyrim will thank her after the fact, or ask her to go home."
"It would be a tragedy if my home was anywhere but the College, wouldn't it?"
"Dovahkiin, I am glad you arrived. I will need to speak with you in private later." Ulfric pointed towards a tall soldier. "This soldier will wait with you in my temporary office."
She gave a short bow and followed the helmeted soldier away.
"I wonder who will be your choice for High Queen should the moot choose you."
"Elisif, I do not want to be your enemy. I asked you to meet me here because Solitude needs peace and order. This war has ended, and now the Thalmor will come for us. We dared to stand on our own feet, and to protect the Dragonborn against punishment for crimes she is innocent of. Jarl Elisif, I am asking you to take your throne back."
"You mean this."
"Yes."
The two Nords stared at each other, before Elisif broke the silence. "I want to believe you. It will take some convincing. Solitude has become used to its position as capitol. You will naturally change that as High King."
"The moot might not choose me."
"Choose the widow of the last king or the man who defeated her? Yes, I might be able to argue effectively for some pity votes. Go speak with your pet."
"She'd kill anyone if she was addressed as such."
Elisif huffed as she turned away. "Doesn't make it false." Guards following, she vanished into her private quarters.
Heaving a sigh, Ulfric rose to his feet. Galmar, always at his right, echoed him in agreement. "At least General Tullius is on our side," murmured the larger man.
"We'll at least have his men then." He stretched out, taking lengthy strides along the hallways to the room he had chosen as his temporary office. It felt rude to take over Jarl Elisif's quarters, so he had allowed her to keep her personal chambers. Some breaches of privacy, of dignity, he couldn't bring himself to commit.
Both the Dragonborn and the soldier were quite relaxed when Ulfric entered the room. The general of the Stormcloaks slipped behind his desk while his soldier snapped into place by the door and the elf casually came to stand before him.
"Dovahkiin, as you know, Skyrim is mine. General Tullius surrendered as did Jarl Elisif. I need to keep Skyrim now. The moot will convene in one month. I have sent out warnings about the coming war with the Thalmor, or Dominion, or both. We will be ready. I am also hoping Hammerfell will provide some aid. They do not need another border open to attack. It may also prove possible to enlist support from Morrowind and even the Black Marsh. I would ask High Rock, but tensions still remain high due to the Reach."
"Look at you, looking outside Skyrim. I'm almost proud."
Ulfric nodded. "I have faith that my recent victories will give some weight to my requests. There is one small matter that could make my election as High King more secure, along with the aid of other nations." He looked Siltuzma straight in the eyes. "Marry me, Siltuzma, and be High Queen of Skyrim."