Author's note:

First of all: a big thank you to Zero121 for their review. It was very nice to hear your opinion on my story :) A huge thank you also goes out to all those who are following this fanfic - your support is a wonderful morale boost to me.

Anyway, back to business.

Here we are - the 17th of Last Seed, aka "the day when it all began".

We all know what happened in Helgen, therefore I decided to avoid the usual boring description of Alduin's attack. I've also made a slight change to the original story.

Enjoy!

17th of Last Seed, 4E 201

To our next meeting.

Over the course of the following weeks, Agda couldn't get these words out of her head.

What kind of man would write her such things and then vanish into nothing?

Surely not a member of the Imperial Legion, the young Nord thought to herself. Surely not the mysterious S. C.

After their encounter, Agda often thought about the weird Imperial she had saved from Skyrim's awful weather; she thought about his singsong accent and his deep voice, about his broad shoulders and taut chest (especially about his broad shoulders and taut chest), about his clumsiness and his politeness. Yet, after many months of happy thoughts and merry daydreaming, Agda eventually gave up hope: although she had already chosen the names of their children, the stranger had probably forgotten her.

The realization upsetted her. Agda wasn't mad at S. C. for giving her false hopes – she was mad at herself for being such a stupid little girl.

She was almost 25, how could she still believe in fairy tales?

Out of rage, Agda burnt the handwritten note the stranger had left her. Nevertheless, she used his ingredients to brew a few potions.

She was angry, but she wasn't dumb – and S. C.'s canis roots were the best ones she had seen in a while.

"Hilde has just seen a dragon flying over the mountains", Orgnar muttered as he entered the inn with some firewood in his arms.

Agda couldn't help but roll her eyes. Over the previous months, Sven's mother had got even crazier than usual. Nonetheless, that was the first time she mentioned a fire-spitting lizard. If that meant anything, Agda was probably in for a sleepless night by her side.

Before the girl could express her opinion on the matter, the door of the inn creaked open again. Although Sigrid was doing her best to smile, Agda realized that the young woman was very worried.

"Agda, could you please come and check my husband? I'm afraid he has hurt himself with a hammer".

Agda immediately abandoned the bowl she was cleaning. Orgnar silently took her place behind the counter, whereas Delphine was nowhere to be seen.

The Breton had left the inn early that morning. As she got out of the front-door, she was wearing a skinny leather armor and a weird brown hood. Despite her surprise, Agda hadn't asked her anything – judging from her murderous gaze, in that moment Delphine was probably entertaining the idea of killing her for being up earlier than usual.

As Agda walked next to Sigrid, the other woman sighed. They were now in the main street of the village and could enjoy the clear summer sky.

"You know my nephew Hadvar, don't you?"

Agda snorted. Of course she knew Hadvar. The young soldier was sweet and kind and caring and on a particularly glorious occasion he had even asked her out on a date. Unfortunately, his shyness – combined with Agda's – had produced the most embarrassing evening the two young Nords had ever spent: they had walked to Helgen in perfect silence, then they had talked about dull topics such as the weather, the knees of the local guards, the type of blankets used by the Legion.

The memory of that fiasco was enough to make Agda blush.

"You must promise me that you won't leave my house as soon as Hadvar starts speaking", Sigrid said after Agda told her that she was well acquainted with the boy. "He's just come back from Helgen and has taken an injured woman with him. She needs your help".

Agda frowned. Apparently, sweet, kind and caring Hadvar had already replaced her with another woman.

As she heard the news, whatever little esteem Agda still held for the male population of Tamriel suddenly disappeared.

Despite her plans, Agda forgot the nasty comments she had prepared for Hadvar as soon as she reached Sigrid's house.

The soldier was pale and frightened and looked in need of a hug. He was standing by a bed on which a young woman was lying unconscious. When Agda approached her, she realized that her black hair were covered in blood.

Before she could ask anything, Hadvar muttered something about Helgen, a dragon and the end of the world.

Agda looked at Sigrid and Alvor, waiting for them to burst into laughter and tell her that they had organized a tasteless joke on her behalf. Much to her dismay, the two Nords remained perfectly serious.

"We didn't believe him either at first", Alvor admitted. "It was Hadvar's captain who persuaded us that our boy wasn't drunk. He mentioned a dragon as well, then he went back to Helgen to check if anyone else has survived the attack".

Although Agda firmly believed that Hadvar was high on skooma, she decided to postpone her questions - after all, the woman in front of her was in desperate need of help.

"This girl is a Redguard", Agda said as she carefully examined her exotic features. "Is she one of your colleagues?"

Hadvar unexpectedly blushed.

"Not really. When the dragon appeared, we were about to execute her".

To Agda's surprise, Hadvar told her about Ulfric Stormcloak's capture and the sudden arrival of the dragon. The girl pinched her cheeks, as if to check that she wasn't dreaming.

"You were about to end the war when a massive dragon arrived", she repeated. "How's that even possible?"

The soldier shook his head.

He had no idea.

As Agda started to cure the unconscious woman, she asked Hadvar what had happened to her - judging from the nasty gash on her forehead, the unlucky Redguard had probably taken a hard blow to the head.

"When Adaeze was about to be executed, she started fighting and spitting and insulting everyone she saw", Hadvar grimaced. "Since she wouldn't calm down, a colleague of mine hit her with the hilt of his sword".

"I thought men from the Legion to be much better than that".

Embarrassed by the mortified look in Hadvar's eyes, Agda immediately regretted her comment.

"I know it wasn't your fault", she reassured him. "If it weren't for you, Adaeze would have been killed by that dragon. She owes you her life".

When Agda realized that Hadvar was on the verge of tears, she forgot her usual shyness and gave him a hug. As the soldier pulled her closer, she couldn't help but smile.

Adaeze had been lucky to meet such a wonderful man.

As Hadvar went on to tell her about Helgen, Agda quickly resumed her work. The young innkeeper wasn't as skilled as the famous priests of Kynareth, but she could hold her ground against light concussions, broken bones and common diseases. Therefore, the nasty-looking gash on Adaeze's forehead didn't worry her at all.

Half an hour later, when the Redguard's eyes finally shut open, Agda was quick to soothe her.

"Don't panic, Adaeze", she said after placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "My name is Agda and I'm here to help you. You've received a bad blow to your head, but a friend of mine has aided you. Soon you'll be back to your usual shape. How do you feel?"

As Adaeze listened to Agda, her hazel eyes were full of worry and confusion. With her black hair, her delicate features and her tanned complexion, the Redguard was one of the most beautiful women the innkeeper had ever seen.

"I feel like I've just wrestled with a troll", Adaeze admitted in a whisper.

"You'll get better in a few hours. You just need to rest".

Still worried despite the innkeeper's reassuring words, Adaeze looked around in order to take in her surroundings. When she noticed Hadvar, she unexpectedly lost her temper.

"You overgrown Skeever, you horrible Slaughterfish, you stinky barbarian! -, she screamed as she sat up on the bed. – It was you who hit me on the head, wasn't it? You Horker-brained soldiers, you can't even understand the difference between an innocent woman and a dangerous rebel! Do I look like a Nord to you? Do I look like one of those smelly Stormcloaks to you? Do I…"

Adaeze abruptly stopped screaming and brought a hand to her mouth. Sensing what was about to happen, Agda gave her a wooden bucket, so that the Redguard could throw up inside it.

"Hadvar saved your life, Adaeze", she explained before Alvor could take his nephew's defense. The blacksmith and his wife had been sitting by the fire ever since Agda had entered their house. "He could have abandoned you, but he risked his life to save yours. You should be thankful to him - and you should also try to remain as calm as possible. It will take a few days before you finally stop feeling dizzy".

Too giddy even to protest, Adaeze decided to lay down again. Sigrid, who had watched the scene with terrified eyes, immediately approached her.

"I could make you a makeshift bed in our cellar", she volunteered. "It is quieter there".

Adaeze nodded, causing Sigrid to smile.

Her daughter already knew a lot of bad words and certainly didn't need to add any creative Redguard insult to her already impressive list.

Agda spent the rest of the day at Sigrid's place. She helped the woman with Adaeze's makeshift bed, then she convinced the Redguard to gulp a few potions. Later, as the injured girl finally fell asleep and Alvor went back to his forge, Agda remained in the cellar and tried to comfort Hadvar. The soldier was extremely troubled: if General Tullius had been killed, the war would have undergone a drastic change.

When the door of the house suddenly burst open, Hadvar abruptly stood up and reached for the sword strapped at his waist. He had met his townsman Ralof in Helgen, so he was expecting him or his sister to make enquiries at his place.

Despite his fears, Hadvar let out a sigh of relief as soon as the newcomer reached the cellar. Agda, on the other hand, froze.

In front of her there was the mysterious S. C.