[A/N] Once again, I apologize for another short, crappy chapter... it seems as though April is trying to see how much more shit I can take in a single week. In between keeping up to date on everything going on in the Boston area - and my deepest condolences to anyone who was there throughout this horrible tragedy - and dealing with bomb threats at my own school (not to mention the obligatory week-before-vacation deluge of schoolwork), I didn't even sit down to write this chapter until Friday.
But everything's (more or less) all good now. Thus: I have posted the chapter :)
[DISCLAIMER] I do not own The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or anything related to it; that's Bethesda's deal, not mine (sadly). However, Kajsa Red-Blade is my original character, and she belongs to me.
CHAPTER XXXXIX – Preparations
The cobblestones clattering underneath his horse's hooves gave way to thudding dirt studded with stones worn smooth. Raising his hand to signal to the carts and the men behind him to stop, Ulfric dismounted from his horse and took his first real look at the hustle and bustle around him.
It had been a long time since he'd last seen this homestead – the small farm that served as Solitude's stables – but it seemed so very different now. Hide tents had been pitched around the outskirts, and there were more than a few campfires with spits full of meat turning over them. Stormcloaks were everywhere: rushing from building to building with sacks of food and supplies, leading horses from the stables, sharpening weapons and restringing bows. As the jarl watched, a pair of soldiers pulled a cart full of large stones past his party and up the road – likely for the catapults up nearer to Solitude, he reasoned.
Some Stormcloaks had finally looked up from their own tasks and noticed the new arrivals. With shouts of jubilation, they rushed towards Ulfric and the others, clapping them on the backs and greeting them warmly, calling their names with excitement.
The jarl smiled. Despite his weariness from spending the whole day on the road, the enthusiasm of the soldiers gave him new strength. They have awaited this day for Talos only knows how long... and they are more than ready to march on Solitude now.
"Jarl Ulfric!" A broadly grinning Ralof elbowed his way thought the throng, pausing in front of him to salute. "You've finally made it!"
"Aye." Handing off his horse's reins to another Stormcloak, Ulfric shook the other's hand and fell into step beside him; the other soldiers parted to let the two of them pass. "Congratulations on your promotion, by the way. Galmar has told me that you were integral in taking Fort Hraggstad.'"
The younger Nord flushed with pride. "Thank you, Jarl Ulfric, but I think that the general might just have been – er..."
"Exaggerating?" the jarl laughed, finishing the sentence for him.
"No, my jarl. I was only going to say that I think that the general might just have been impressed that I was able to kill the legate at the fort single-handedly."
"Even so, it is no small feat. Take pride in the fact that you turned the fight in our favor." Ulfric patted him on the back proudly. By the gods... it's like seeing myself as a younger man in another's form. "Speaking of the general, do you know where he is? I'd like to speak with him."
Ralof pointed towards a tall wooden house with a shingled roof and a stone foundation. "He and the Dragonborn are in there, finalizing the battle plans." His eyes glowed with delight. "They say that we'll be able to take Solitude soon."
"Yes." The jarl gazed off towards the house, almost speaking to himself rather than the soldier. "We will."
Arms crossed over her chest, Kajsa stared into the crackling fire in the hearth. Even with her back to him, she could still feel Galmar's disbelieving eyes boring into her – and even though she couldn't see him, she could still imagine his face: completely dumbfounded and shocked and maybe even a little disgusted.
Then: "Are you shitting me, Red-Blade?"
"You asked," she said, not turning around. "I just told you the truth."
The housecarl sighed heavily. "So... are you honestly expecting me to believe that the Circle are werewolves, that Aela in this – this 'beast form' saved my life during the battle for the Embassy, and that you were once one as well?"
"Not only that, but keep it secret as well."
"Oh, I'll do that," the general muttered. "If I breathe a word of this to anyone else, they'd think I was touched in the head."
The Dragonborn laughed quietly. "Thank you, Galmar."
Galmar let out a non-committal grunt, and there was a creaking of wood from behind her that indicated he was leaning back in his seat. "If you don't mind me asking... does Ulfric know? About any of this?"
"Not about the Companions: just about me. What's relevant to you is not always relevant to him, and vice versa."
"Well, you can keep your other dark secrets to yourself," the housecarl retorted. "I'm already beginning to regret asking if you knew anything about the wolves."
Before she could answer, she heard the sound of the door opening and then thudding shut, accompanied by heavy footsteps on the wooden floorboards. Uncrossing her arms, Kajsa turned around to see who the newcomer was.
"I trust I'm not too late," Ulfric said, smiling slightly. "I only just received your missive yesterday, Galmar."
"Well, it took you long enough," the general growled, but the corners of his mouth were quirked up. "Sit down and we'll give you the debriefing."
"That would be best." Shrugging off his robe to reveal plain traveling clothes underneath, the jarl draped it over the back of a chair, then pulled it out and sat down in it. "There seems to have been much that you didn't mention in your letter."
Galmar shrugged. "I couldn't tell you all the best parts, now, could I?" He glanced over at the Dragonborn. "Red-Blade, why don't you start?"
Kajsa nodded and faced Ulfric, his eyes expectant. "We reached the Stormcloak camp near Fort Hraggstad roughly a week ago. The men had already amassed there and the catapults from Falkreath had already arrived. Scouts had begun combing the area to bring us back intelligence, and Galmar and I used that information to put together some battle strategies.
"We struck at night with a sudden attack: archers and catapults from afar and soldiers storming the main gates. The element of surprise gave us an edge at first, but there were many more Imperials than we'd expected, and they came close to overwhelming us a few times. However, we finally managed to beat them back in the end and captured the fort."
The jarl rested his chin on his curled hand thoughtfully. "And where were you?"
Of course he would ask that. "Directing the archers at first, then once we'd won the fort, I helped to clear out the lingering Imperials inside." She motioned towards the housecarl. "Galmar and Ralof led the charge."
"Ah, yes. I understand that Ralof had some excitement in this battle."
"'Excitement'?" the general snorted. "He killed the commanding legate! The Imperials might have had nearly backed us against a wall then, but by Talos, they lost heart after that!"
Ulfric smiled. "And what of after Fort Hraggstad was taken?"
"We received a message from the lead ship in Jarl Skald's fleet saying that the ships were in place. As of now, they've now been blockading Solitude for the majority of this week," Galmar continued. "With that detail taken care of, we began to surround Solitude by entrenching ourselves in the settlements around it. Dragonsbridge, the docks outside the city, and these stables here were abandoned by the time we got to them; the people must have fled to Solitude. Some of the crops here were put to the torch, but there's still a fair amount of food."
"Only to be expected," the jarl said. Such is the way of war. "And you've been at the stables for how long?"
"A few days." The housecarl grinned fiercely. "With Skald's fleet watching the harbor, our men watching the roads, and the catapults around the city, we've got Solitude caged now, Ulfric. Believe me when I say we're ready to march on it and end this war once and for all."
The Dragonborn examined Ulfric's face, watching it become pensive and thoughtful as he thought it over. Then, he leaned back leisurely in his chair, an almost-cold, calculating smile on his face.
"Galmar, I believe you're right." His eyes flitted up to her, but still he spoke to the general. "Go to the men and tell them this: tomorrow night, the end will begin."
[A/N] Review, everyone! The next chapter is going to be good... I think you'll like it ;)
