When night fell, Ullia was ready to leave. Her father had already passed out in the kitchen, so it would be no challenge to sneak out. She went to his bedroom and unlocked the safe. There were several bags filled with coins inside but she refused to take them all. Ullia didn't want to deal with the guilt associated with possibly sending her father to live on the street while she lived happily. After she closed the door of the safe, she went to his bed and left a note, saying that she had left and was no far away so there would be no point in trying to look for her. She then wandered through the house. This is the home she grew up in, with her mother and father who were always happy. Now the house was nothing but a shadow of its former self and she knew in her heart that it was time to move on, no matter how much it hurt.
"I'm so sorry father," she muttered to herself, "I will miss you very much."
Ullia put the bags of coins in her knapsack that was already filled with food from the kitchen and carried it to the front door. After a final look at her past life, she walked out onto the streets of Windhelm and didn't look back.
Like always, Ullia found Athal at the stables, holding onto the reins of a horse. When he saw her, he quickly embraced her with one arm.
"Let's going. We shouldn't delay," he said. Athal helped her up onto the horse, then he sat behind her. With a tight hold on the reins, he commanded the horse to go, and they began to travel south towards the tundra.
"We should be at Riften by noon, then we can take a path through the Jerall mountains and make it to Bruma by nightfall. Then tomorrow, we should be able to reach the Imperial City," said Athal.
"I can't wait," said Ullia. She tried to smile, but tears welled in her eyes as she watched Windhelm grow smaller and smaller behind them.
"I know how much you'll miss Windhelm. I'm sorry," he said, pressing his face to the back of her head.
"Don't be sorry Athal. I know that there is nothing left for me there. I must go forward now," she said. Athal kissed her hair.
"I think you should sleep, it'll help you feel better," he said, and so she did in the safety of her lover's arms.