The jaws of the bear - 1st of Frostfall - 4 E 201 - Windhelm

There she was again… Windhelm, the glorious city of Ysgramor draped in her thick white snow blanket. A cold wind from the west started blowing over the city. Although much of Skyrim was cold and unforgiving, Windhelm was by far the snowiest city in the province. Eliana soon found herself grateful for her new apparel to be warmer than her old blue linen dress. She brought her hood up and kept walking the deserted streets enjoying the sight of the golden evening light on the ancient stones.

She had no shame to admit she was scared to death by the mere idea of facing the jarl again. She did not fear him - she somehow knew he would never hurt her in any way - but she was still deeply ashamed by their last encounter, and losing the little game of cat and mouse they had been through during her interrogation.

She hoped walking would soothe her anguish but nothing helped. She stopped by the Temple of Talos and left another bunch of thistle and blue flowers by the shrine before she headed to the Palace of the Kings.

1st of Frostfall - 4 E 201 - Windhelm - The Palace of the kings

The freezing air of the city was replaced by the surprisingly warm atmosphere of the great hall of the palace of the kings. Her gaze immediately fell on the jarl who was in deep conversation with his housecarl. Eliana let down her hood and hesitantly walked up the hall, not wanting intrude in any way.

"I am not giving them excuses.", she heard Ulfric's voice say. "Betrayal is something one should always be ashamed of. But I do understand. We've been soldiers a long time, Galmar… We know the price of freedom. The people are still weighing things in their hearts. Many I fear still need convincing."

"The people are behind you.", the rough voice of his housecarl said.

"They have families to think of."

"How many of their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters follow your banner? We are their families."

"Well put, friend.", Ulfric smiled. "Tell me, Galmar, why do you fight for me?"

"I'd follow you into the depths of Oblivion.", the bear-warrior responded, slightly offended that his friend would question his loyalty. "You know that."

"Yes, but why do you fight? If not for me, what then?"

"I'll die before elves dictate the fates of men.", he growled. "Are we not one in this?"

Ulfric let out a heavy sigh.

"I fight for the men I've held in my arms, dying on foreign soil. I fight for their wives and children, whose names I heard whispered in their last breaths. I fight for we few who did come home, only to find our country full of strangers wearing familiar faces." With each word, his eyes, at first only reflecting conflict and sadness started burning with resolve, his voice firmer and louder. "I fight for my people impoverished to pay the debts of an Empire too weak to rule them, yet brands them criminals for wanting to rule themselves! I fight so that all the fighting I've already done hasn't been for nothing. I fight... because I must."

Ulfric's grey eyes met hers. The jarl stood up in a welcoming gesture. His housecarl however ignored the visitor and kept going:

"Your words give voice to what we all feel, Ulfric. And that's why you will be High King. But the day words are enough, will be the day when soldiers like us are no longer needed."

"I would gladly retire from the world were such a day to dawn.", the jarl sighed.

Eliana stood half way in the room, completely mesmerized by the jarl's words.

"Aye. But in the meantime, we have a war to plan."

"Not yet, I'm afraid.", the Dragonborn said, closing the gap between her and the two men.

She respectfully bowed in front of the jarl, not once breaking eye-contact.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Dragonborn."

"The pleasure is mine, my jarl."

He couldn't help but feel saddened that she did not wear blue any more but soon found out her brown apparel only made her green eyes seem brighter.

"I heard of your last encounter with the Thalmor. Seems you can't step into a city without ripping it apart."

"With no false modesty, all credit goes to the Dominion, there. They were tracking someone through the Ratway Warrens… I just happened to run into them."

"Or did they run into you?"

"Same result. I spent the first twenty years of my life dreading them. It's about time it turns the other way around."

The jarl let out a sincere laugh and Eliana felt her heart skip a beat. She did her very best to maintain her composure but eventually blinked.

"Come to join the war, miss Evergreen?", he asked her, his grey eyes brighter from the laughter.

"I am sorry. Not today."

The saw, from the corner of her eye, the housecarl let out a snort. It was obvious the general did not like her, nor did he trust her… She could hardly blame him; their first encounter had not exactly been a peaceful one, not a perfect start for a friendly relationship. Luckily, Ulfric did not seem to mistrust her.

"I am sorry to hear that.", the jarl said climbing down the stairs of his throne to meet her. "What does bring you to me, then?"

Fate?

"I have a message from the Greybeards."

Ulfric looked taken aback. "It's about time they turned their gaze from the heavens, back to our bleeding homeland. What do they want?"

"They want to negotiate a truce… until the dragon menace is dealt with."

The jarl's eyes widened. "I have the greatest respect for the Greybeards, of course. And the dragons' attacks are a growing plague. But the political situation is still delicate.", he added, motioning her to follow him to the war-room, his housecarl following close, ready to unsheathe his weapon at any threat. "Not all the jarls are fully committed to supporting me as High King."

The girl stepped forward as the jarl leaned over the map, looking at their position for a moment before he looked up at her and gave her his final answer.

"I can't afford to appear weak. I can't agree to this, unless Tullius himself will be there."

"Politics be damned, Ulfric!", she exclaimed, slamming her fist on the table. "Alduin has returned! If we don't stop him, there soon won't be a Skyrim to be High King of!"

The jarl went fifty shades of white.

"Alduin. The World Eater of songs and legends…"

'And the Scrolls have foretold, of black wings in the cold,

That when brothers wage war come unfurled,

Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound,

With a hunger to swallow the world!'

The young woman nodded gravely.

"The Dragon who devours both living and dead.", she added. "I fought him, but he escaped. I asked jarl Balgruuf the Greater of Whiterun to help me trap one of his allies to learn as many things as possible on the way to find him and defeat him for good. But Balgruuf knows both you and the Empire are at his throat."

"So he hasn't joined the Empire, yet."

"No. And from what I heard at Castle Dour, I don't think he will. He wants Whiterun to remain neutral. But in the mean time, he will not help me until a truce is agreed between both sides!"

"Well it changes the situation, doesn't it?", the jarl breathed. "Even Tullius may be forced to talk sense in the face of such a threat."

The young woman smiled.

"He already agreed. The peace council is to be set on the Thirtieth of this month."

"Thirtieth of Frostfall."

She nodded.

"Will you come?"

"Yes. I'll give Tullius one more chance to quit Skyrim with his tail between his legs."

The girl couldn't help but laugh! Ulfric felt a wave of warmth surge through his veins. This simple sound, the sight of her smile gave him hope. The jarl pushed these thoughts out of his mind. He couldn't afford to let her distract him. But he couldn't help but feel attracted. There was no way denying she was desirable, but it was much more than that. It was not anything she did intentionally; it was the whole of her. Her attitude, her pride - very Nord -, her arrogance - very Elvish -, her temper, her nerve, the way she acted with him…

"I will take my leave.", she said, her lips curled in a sincere smile. "Until we meet again, my jarl."

Ulfric bowed in reply. "I look forward to it."

Eliana left the Palace of the Kings, only stopping on the doorstep to give him one last smile, and headed to the Candlehearth for the night. Tomorrow, the worst part of all would start. The waiting.

Ah-ha! Guess who's back! :) We hadn't seen Ulfric since "A matter of pride", it's been a little while... Though... I might Edit one of the previous chapters so he makes a little appearance... Still considering ^^

From now on, he will be present in most chapters, so, thank you for your patience! :) Hope you enjoyed and still are and still will ;)

Don't forget to review :)

Aaaaannndd...Freakish coincidence : Did you notice Martin Septim (from Oblivion) is voiced by Sean Bean... Sweet Talos, even when he does the voices, he dies in the end?! lol