Chapter 10: Preparations


"Ruigus!?" Exclaimed my old mentor as I ran up to him and gave the man a hug.

"Secantius! It's great to see you again." I said, with an inescapable smile on my face.

"It has been many months since the last time I saw you." He said as the hug finished.

"By the Divines it has been months." I said with a realization of the time that had taken place since I had left home. An awkward silence took place for a few moments, I quickly noticed Alduin was standing outside the tent. I thought to myself for a moment.

"What brings you here Secantius? I thought you were done with the Imperial Army, er after leaving the Colovian army." I asked him, to where he chuckled.

"Ruigus, you never leave the Army. You may try but it will always stick with you, that's what happened to me." He said as I sat in a chair and stared at him. He gave a sigh.

"Tullius thought that you and the new tribune would need an adviser of sorts. I'm certain he had to pull some strings in order to place me and specifically me here." He said.

"It's funny how everything back home is catching up with me, here I came to go somewhere new and on my first day you know who I see? Tullius sent here presiding over an execution of some rebel leader Jarl I've never heard about until now surprisingly." I said.

"I've heard rumors about you getting in Skyrim, I just didn't know you were there when Helgen was destroyed. You were there when it was, weren't you?" He questioned.

"There's rumors about me coming here? Huh, I have talked to some people on how I got here but not many." Did only Hadvar and the rest of our group, his Uncle and his family, as well as Tullius and the Blades know? Alduin of course knew it, from her side of the story though I recall telling her once about it when we finished clearing out a cave, I think she did ask me. I don't remember anyone else knowing.

"With fame comes rumors and gossip." He said to me.

"I know that Secantius, I still remember your teachings." I replied, a tone of evenness in my voice.

"How's Mother?" I asked suddenly after an awkwardly long silence. He looked up at me again.

"She misses you. She's heard about all that has happened to you and your deed at Whiterun. And that you are the Dragonborn. She told me she near died of excitement." I blinked.

"I pray she really didn't near die of it!" I yelled. I noticed Alduin standing by me as I finished, her head leaned in slightly towards me, listening intently.

"You must be Alavia, the newly appointed commander of our little detachment here. The Legate wasn't able to disclose any of the details with me." He said, saluting Alduin with his arm stretched out in the Imperial salute. The salute was always aimed at the chest as tradition ever since the day that Tiber Septim himself created the great third Empire. May he be worshiped one day again in his own Empire.

"I haven't heard of your name." Alduin said to Secantius, his mouth was agape for a second, then he took a breath.

"Secantius, Rupert Secantius." He said to Alduin. "I am your liaison for your position here as a Tribune and perhaps other promotions in the future." I stayed in my seat, Alduin looked at me for a moment and then looked back at Secantius.

"Good to meet you. You seem well acquainted with Ruigus here, who are you to him?" I spoke up.

"He was my teacher back when I was a child. I haven't seen him in a year; close to a year."

"That's a broad statement dear boy, I served with his Father in the war with the Aldmeri Dominion and I then ended up helping with the boy when he was old enough. Until he didn't need my teachings anymore I was a transcriber for books. Now, I've been called back personally by General Tullius, my old commander, to assist you." He said, wiping his glasses all at the same time with little expression both in his face and voice. There were times he was more emotionless than Tullius, yet less so.

"It's good to know you are trustworthy, Ruigus always chooses to be with who and what is good for him." I tried suppressing my instinct of raising an eyebrow.

She looked at me with love in her eyes as she gave me a big evil grin.

"Do you think otherwise, love?" I smiled, embarrassed.

"No, I'm really happy that you think so Alavia." I said in response, now blushing.

"So the rumors are true, yet again. I'm happy for you two." Said my old mentor with a wry expression. I had nearly forgotten he was there in the moment Alduin spoke.

"There's rumors about the both of you being in a relationship, it was quite evident that a man who hangs around a woman for so long and in such an importance as the Dragonborn that a person.would be attracted to him. And then there is what I have heard you have done." He then said to Alduin. "Who has always followed Ruigus since the day you both joined without any separation. If that is indeed correct." My embarrassment hit a fever pitch and I bit on my lip.

"I do not see why many would care whether or not the two heroes of the battle for Whiterun are up to. Such things are beyond me." He said dismissively on the matter.

"Regardless, as I've said I'm happy for you both. Commander, as an informal note to you, you are lucky to have Ruigus as someone you are close to. He was always a good man. My only problem was that there were times he was as mischievous and careless as his father." I looked at him uncomfortably.

"I care." I said to him, somewhat offended.

"Not in that way." He said, his hand covering his eyes.

"Right." I said noncommittally.

"I mean your own life yo-" Secantius was cut off as the flap to our tent was opened, I shivered as the ice-cold wind blew in. A town guard of Solitude was there.

"Sir! The patrols have come back and they bring news! The Rebels have set up defenses along the way to Dawnstar. Notify the Commanders at once!" The man said with a salute towards Secantius, he looked at me and Alduin in confusedly.

"They are right here guardsmen, thank you." He finished dismissively. The Guard looked at and gave a nervous nod.

"Sorry, I have to go and tell the others. Before I go, the Legate wants you both to meet her in the main tent. There's a meeting going on." He gave a quick salute once more, and proceeded off.

"We'd best go then." I said to the Dragon in disguise next to me. She nodded in response.

"Don't let me keep you waiting, dear boy." Secantius said, licking the seal of a letter, I noticed there were tons of letters and papers on his little desk.

"We'll see you soon." I said to him, Alduin held the flap open for me. I attempted to stop my teeth from chattering but failed.

"Here." She said, wrapping her arm around my shoulder, a snowflake landed on her hair. I took the chance to get it out.

"You feel cold." She said as we walked towards the main tent, the biggest one in the whole snowy field. We could see soldiers standing next to campfires some seemed to be freezing to death out here.

"I can feel the icy grip of death out here." I said to her.

"Hm, I am afraid my love that I don't quite know what the meaning of 'cold' is."

"Oh shut it." I said giggling.

"My my, telling me to stop talkin-" She was immediately cut off by a voice.

"Wait! Ruigus!" I heard Secantius say. I turned around to look at him. He had something in his hand.

"Take this, your mother wanted to send it to you." He outstretched his hand to reveal…..

A locket.

Opening it I saw a portrait of my mother when she was young, her long brown hair had no gray streaks in it, her face was well shaped and beautiful in her youth. And I saw my father in the other. His hair reached down to his neck, it was also brown. My mother had always said that I reminded her of him just by my face. I suppose it may have been the fact that it was the first time I've ever 'seen' him but he looked like an ethereal figure. I stared at the representation of my father for a while. I stood in place, I could sense Alduin's eyes locked onto me.

"What did she want to give this to me for?" I said to Secantius, not taking my eyes away from my father.

"As a blessing I assume. I recall her saying to only give it back to her when you are done with the war and on leave." He said.

"Now, I'll head back in the tent. Oh and by the way, it's our detachment's tent." He said, and his form turned away from us.

Alduin's face hovered over me, her head threatening to lean on my shoulder.

"A Locket? Is that what one is?" She questioned.

"Yeah, it shows the marriage between two individuals who are indeed married." I said to her.

"Or something similar, my Mother told me a long time ago and I can't quite remember when. I don't think I've ever seen this one before." I said.

"So that is her….And your father….." She trailed off.

"You're very handsome, you know that?" She asked, but it came off more as a statement.

"And you know what?" Her body pressed into mine a little bit more, we were in a 'Blind spot' between two tents. I could feel the blood rushing to my….By Mara! I'm comfortable and uncomfortable.

"I'd like one for the both of us some day. I think it would be a nice thing, to be reminded of each other." She said dreamily.

"It would be Alduin. I would love to have one." I agreed.

"You make me happy Ruigus." She said, and I got a head pat. I don't know why she does that, but I kind of like it.

"You're making me blush." I said to her. We were facing each other once more.

"Am I? You've made me so soft…...Heh, give me a kiss would you?" Her voice came as a sweet song and I giggled, and then leaned upwards towards her as she leaned downwards. She was tall, but not unnaturally so.

Her lips accepted mine and we enjoyed a passionate kiss. My hands reached for her butt. She ended the kiss with a giggle.

"Hmm...You're getting a little frisky." Her hands moved to do the same to me and I couldn't stop blushing.

"And so am I." She said once more.

"Uhm." I stated suddenly after she ended grabbing at me in silence, I figured it was time.

Just that, with my father and all the dead people around, it's just hard to not think about lately. Helgen keeps coming to my mind, it's something we'll have to talk about. May as well make it now before the time is lost.

"Alduin?" I asked her.

"Ruigus? What is it?" She said, one of her hands ran through my hair and I shivered, in delight.

"Remember when you first came back? You know when you attacked Helgen?" A worried look in her eyes came to light.

"Yes, I do." She said.

"Why did you attack it? A lot of people died in that….." I said sadly, remembering what happened the day almost everything changed.

"I…..Ruigus…..." She said and I waited, sharing my own look of concern. A few moments passed by. Rikke and the war could wait a little longer.

"When I was banished by those three traitors I was so angered…..I wanted to destroy so many things. I was so rash that I could have truly taken out the entire world. And then I could feel every agonizing moment that ticked and ticked on by. I could sense the time moving on but not how long. Ruigus, everything I ever worked up for, built for, fought for, bled for, suffered for, sacrificed for. Was made all into nothing in that single moment, and Dragon-kind was effectively eliminated. I knew little of how much time had passed. And when I sensed an aura of only a single Dragon in the area around me…..I became frantic, for all I known whoever it was could really have been the last Dragon. When I saw you at a distance, with you being a Dragonborn it reminded of the moments before I was sent through time. But when I laid my eyes on you…..I felt calm, and I couldn't help but say what I said to you." She stood motionless for a moment, then leaned into me, a small sniffle.

"Ruigus...I'm sorry." She said.

"I was still stuck in my rage and I-"

"Alduin. I think we can talk about this later. I picked a wrong time to talk about it now, especially here." I interrupted. It did make me so happy to see that she did feel remorse, but the mention of it brought back the burning memories.

Alduin was silent, the look on her face seemed as if I had wounded her.

I reached up and kissed her. She was stunned for a moment, but then got into it. Our lips soon parted.

"You Idiot, I can feel comfortable talking about it with you later." I reassured. She paused for a moment.

"I apologize. For my outburst." She said.

"Must I show you my feelings towards you again?" I replied. She brightened up.

"Of course." She pulled me into her chest for a few moments. It was so strangely peaceful in that time she did, it was as if the world around us froze for a moment.

"This is the third time we've done this today" I said to her. Breaking the strange peace.

"We're quite the mushy ones, are we not?" She asked.

"Aye, I suppose we are."

"Let's stay like this for a little while." I heard Alduin say with a small shake in her voice.

A minute passed by.

"We should get going, before we have to deal with the annoyance that is being yelled at." She said, ending with a soft sigh. We walked out of the alley.

"I don't think Rikke is going to get angry at us, especially after what we accomplished at Whiterun." I reminded.

"Tch, many will remember what you have done wrong, and will easily forget what you did right." She said with no amount of philosophy.

"Speaking of that…I just realized something." I said. We were getting closer to Rikke's tent. I noticed the increasing variation of our brothers and sisters in arms along the way. I saw mages using their magic to keep the fires burning.

"Oh?" Alduin said, curious.

"I'll tell you about it when we get out of here, I don't quite want to risk it with all of our fellows here."

"I think there's a place that will be perfect for us." She said.

"For some reason I have a bad feeling about that." I said, sarcastically.

"Oh? I'll be sure to ease any worries you have." She said with emphasis on 'worries'.

"Uh-huh" I said evasively. Her reply came as a chuckle.


"I'm gettin' sick of this post." A guard said as Alduin and I reached the main tent.

"Me too man, we have been standing here for too long" Said the other guard next to him.

"Dagnabit!" The first one said in an outburst.

"What?" The second Guard asked worriedly.

"It's like there's a bloody Skeever in my boots!" He said. The other one shrugged.

"And I can't handle the cold anymore." He replied. Then they both noticed us, a confused expression graced their countenances.

"Hey uh who are you two?" The first Guard said, looking at us. Upon closer inspection I could see he was an Imperial, one remarkable thing about him was his jawline, as it would be able to stand about from among a crowd of people.

"We're the new officers, we're here for the meeting." I said.

"Uh-huh, while you make look important an' all but er ah….where's yer papers?"

"Excuse us? Papers?" Alduin questioned, almost outraged.

"Yeah papers that tell us who you are so you can go rig-" I decided to cut him off.

"But we are allowed to go in. Legate Rikke will be furious if you disallow us to attend, you must understand the amount of importance this means to her and to the rest of this army that includes you and I. I'd highly suggest soldier, that you cease stalling us." I said to the Guard, I made note of how the man seemed to lack…..Intelligence.

"I think the man is right, besides…..They both look important anyways I mean they have the outlandish armor to suggest that anyways, not something you see on any normal bloke around here." The second Guard said sympathetically.

"Huh….well I suppose you make a good point. Well, er get on in then." He said. Nodding my head towards Alduin with a silly expression on my face the moment I looked at her, we walked on in past the guards.

"Well, that was interesting." Alduin said with an amused expression. The faces of Rikke and a few other officers, with Captain D'lliers among them now appeared around a long table. The Imperial Dragon hung as a small flag in the middle of the room. We all saluted.

"Trouble with the guards?" One of the Command staff said, judging by the adornments and a cape on his armor I could tell he was a Tribune.

"I think the phrase was 'Bureaucratic nonsense', sir." I spoke up loudly. The Tribune laughed and another man did the same, the man looked of a lower rank and he had an honest looking face.

"Tch, papers and all of that mess weren't required before the war. Damn rebellion's changing how we conduct war just like the Great war itself, wouldn't you agree Legate?" He said, ending the salute and faced towards Rikke who had been silent up until now.

"I concur Borrus." She agreed with stone cold emotion.

"Good to see you Alavia, Ruigus. You came at an excellent time and I must congratulate you on the rescue of Captain D'lliers here. I was just informing him on our situation." Rikke said.

"Thank you Legate, what is the status then?" Alduin said with an orderly tone similar to that of Rikke's usual tone. I took a seat next to D'lliers.

"Could be better, we are low on men, high on supplies, and good morale, and with you the morale will skyrocket." Rikke said, leaning over the table.

"We must be sure to make use of it." Alduin responded.

"Agreed Tribune, Captain D'lliers was just telling us what had happened to his stationing until you arrived. I am tasking you with getting it back. You must take a force and march back to Frostmere, afterwards your objective is to take Fort Dunstad….." She paused for a moment. "Reinforcements will arrive after it is taken." I widened my eyes incredulously. A few of the men and women in the room looked uncomfortable.

"The main force will have to stay and guard the path to Morthal, we cannot risk another large scale attack on any major location and if you fail we will be unable to make an assault for two more weeks. Is that understood?" Rikke asked. Alduin nodded.

"Understood." She replied.

"Excellent, Tribune prepare to move out in three days. The necessary men will be gathered in the meantime, Captain D'lliers, Captain Hilvette. You will be placed under Tribune Alavia's Command." Rikke stated.
"Yes sir!" The both of them said, Hilvette failed to say it in perfect unison.

"It seems that this meeting is adjourned, You four will receive a briefing on the day you leave I will have a messenger come to you. Everyone else stay here, we will discuss our plans for the front." She stopped.

"For the Empire." She said with the salute, we saluted back and walked out.

"Back into the fires of war it is then." Said D'lliers with a tired chuckle, rubbing his coarse temples.

"Yes and try not to get yourself captured again. I'd hate to see one such as yourself possibly face execution from the Rebels." Hilvette said, she was a Blonde woman with short; cut hair. An angular face, blue eyes and a height and name as well as the pale complexion of a Nord that only some Imperials, Bretons, and Wood Elves could compare to.

"I thank you for the advice and the concern. Just have to stay out of the ice too." He said before turning to us.

"Glad to be under your command this time, though I think with my failure at the village of Frostmere I am not worthy of an officer until I can prove myself once more." D'lliers said.

"Just learn from your mistakes my friend, I think that you will get your chance to prove yourself once more soon enough with where we're going." I said, with no little amount of friendliness. Alduin smiled and so did the good Captain.

"And where we're going there will be skirmishes to be had. Captains, your enthusiasm for the task is comforting. We will earn our victory of that I have no doubt." She said confidently.

"I share the same thoughts Tribune." Hilvette replied. Alduin regarded her carefully as we stood on a small hill in the encampment, it was a less crowded spot.

"Well. We'll have to do the unit ordering and transfers." I stated. Hilvette nodded.

"I and D'lliers will sort to that, Champion." Captain Hilvette curtly replied, her form poised in a soldierly stance.

"And I will have to do it one day myself." I said lightheartedly. Alduin smiled once again and D'lliers chuckled for a moment while Hilvette suppressed a smirk.

"If you are demoted." She said. A giggle broke out into a laugh as I began laughing uncontrollably, not expecting the woman to say that to me. Soldiers and other persons stared at me as I kept laughing for a good minute.

"Only on my death Captain." I said wiping away a tear as I smirked viciously.

Alduin was visibly uncomfortable at those words while Hilvette smiled.

"That's the spirit." She said simply. An awkward silence broke out for a few moments.

"Well, it seems that we'll be set in the next couple of days to go. I'll prepare the siege weapons as we will need them." D'lliers said. I perked up at that mention of the siege weapons.

"We should know what we've been allocated, at the very least we'll need two Catapults." I said.

"They would be nice to have, what do you think Tribune?" Hilvette asked Alduin.

"I see no reason not to bring them." She said neutrally. I paid little attention to her words as I notice her black hair flew beautifully in the wind, the cold wind that was starting to make me shiver once again.

"Good thinking." She added.

"Agreed! And we'll need battering rams. I think that the Catapults should be used to eliminate any Catapults or any other Siege weapons that the Rebels have along the way." I said, thankful for his initiative.

"Siege weapons to counter their siege weapons." Hilvette said, almost as if saying it to herself.

"Admirable tactic." She added. I grinned.

"Indeed it is. While we will need to maintain such weapons, it will be worth it. And make sure the crews are skilled enough." Alduin said, a small smile on her face. A couple thoughts crossed my mind.

"Speaking of skill and siege weapons….Do we have any Battlemages in our army?" I asked Hilvette.

"Yes lord. A sizable corps of them will come with our force. 20 to be exact. However limited to what a bigger army would get." She said stoically.

"A powerful addition. But we will see how well they preform." Alduin said, looking up at the Captain with a certain expectancy.

"As ever, they'll do what the oath swore them to do." Hilvette replied.

"The same that we took as well." I reminded her.

"We'll remember it." Said D'lliers.

I smiled. "So will I."

A few moments passed by once more.

"Well." I said initiating a conclusion our meeting.

"We shall see you soon. Talk to Secantius in our tent for some assistance, he should be able to help you with anything in our absence." I concluded.
"Yes sir." The two Captains said with a salute. I then remembered something.
"One question before we go….Do you know where a man named Hadvar is?" I asked. D'lliers understandingly looked towards Hilvette. She seemingly thought for a moment while Alduin stayed in place, arms crossed over each other and monitoring us.

"I know of him. He's over in your section, I will lead you to him as I saw him not too long ago." The blonde said.

"Let's get going." Alduin said. Hilvette nodded and started to head towards we had previously came through.

We passed through similar sights as we did before, I recognized some of them as those that we saw as we passed by earlier, and those that fought alongside us at Whiterun. I smiled at all of them as we went. I noticed that we even had some Elves with us at this encampment.

Soon enough we came upon a fire with the forms of Hadvar, Marcus, Aethan, and Hans sitting before us. I shook hands with Hilvette and D'lliers and thanked them, I was almost surprised that Alduin did the same.

"Alavia! Ruigus!" I heard Hadvar's voice yell, they all had turned to look at us, with comforting smiles. They had previously been cooking some venison and some other food.

"Marcus, move a little." Aethan said, clearing a small spot for us both on logs.

"I'm not the fat one here, Aethan." Marcus said, shifting over.

"And I am not the hot-tempered one." He snapped back.

"And you are the fools who decided to befriend a Dragonborn." I said taking my seat.

"Well it's turned out well for us so far." Hadvar said with a smile.

"Not that it wasn't going to in the first place, why is that?" Marcus asked.

"Being such a rare individual as the Dragonborn means much." Alduin said.

"While a great blessing to the beholder. Remember that there is great threat to one, whether by the simple nature of the Dragonborn or the will of others."

"We better not end up like the Blades and Martin Septim then." Aethan said.

"I don't think Ruigus will become the living incarnation of Akatosh anytime soon." Hadvar remarked.

"I pray not. If I do, I'll be dead." I said un-amused.

"Ha! As if it will happen. Yet I think ever since the day of the Dragon things have been getting more taxing." Marcus said.

"Now that you mention it, it seems as if we are in a war." I said with a grin.

"Ha ha ha." Came his deadpan response. Hans, the old soldier seemed unimpressed.

"Young'uns." He said almost tiredly.

"What's the matter with you?" Marcus asked.

"All of you talk, and you never enjoy a moment of silence." He said.

"Ach, you're just hungry." Marcus said, stoking some of the meat above the fire.

"If I was I would had have taken some already."
"One of these days I'll get tired of your arguing." Hadvar said with a slight smile.
"Why the smiling? It's the deconstruction of a good, skilled team of warriors as they fall into a cycle of endless bickering." Aethan said.

"I'll have to keep that joke for later." Hadvar said with a laugh.

"So, how about you two? What have you been up to?" Hadvar asked.

"A little bit of this and that." I replied humorously. Alduin giggled.

"We've been doing some work in the background. Can't tell you about it." She said.

"We've become Penitus Oculatus agents and are here to ask of your involvement with the Gray Fox." I joked once more. Hadvar and Marcus began laughing.

"Haha that'll be the day." He said.

"Good that you mention them, I wanted to become one back when I was a kid." Marcus said.

"I wanted to as well, a lot of children wanted to." I said.

"Yeah, back in Leyawiin I got to see them quite a bit. Hunting for Skooma dealers from Bravil mostly." I raised my eyebrows.

So he's from Leyawiin eh? The Southernmost province of the Empire and a decent city that has to deal with the strange curse that is the blackwood jungle. I never have seen such a thing like that jungle that stretches out to Elswyr and our city of Bruma. It is a strange and curious thing to see for sure, but the people that live in Leyawiin are as near strong and hardy as the Brumans and us Kvacthians. They're quite special for being Nibeeans.

"You're from Leyawiin then?" I asked to which Marcus smirked.

"Born and raised. Had to poach there since I was a child. How about you?" He asked.

"Kvatch." I told him.

"Ha! That explains it." He said.

"Oh?" Alduin asked.

"Toughest and most enduring men in the entire empire, hardest to kill too especially considering the fact that it's been razed and fought over the most." Aethan said.

"Winterhold may be close to them in terms of toughness, but they've never had Daedra take the city twice as well as had the Dominion take it along with the other provinces attacking the county and city back when the Empire was just a bunch of bickering provinces with their wars for the throne up until the point we truly united. And more for sure. Nothing ever seems able to stamp the life out of it." He finished.

"Best men I've served with have come from Kvatch, it is good to know for certain I do so now." Hans stated.

"Thank you Hans." I replied, I noticed Alduin staring at me once again, I shrugged it off.

"Mhmm, I am from Solitude." He said.
"Heh the name of it fits you." Marcus snickered.

"Shut up." The old man replied.
"Hey, when I first got here I liked it." He replied.

"When I was there Roggvir was executed." The others looked at me.

"Didn't get to see it myself, how did it go?" Hadvar asked.

"They just killed him, all there was to it." I replied.

"Good riddance." Hans said.

"Aye, he started this whole war." Hadvar said.

"I blame Ulfric more." Aethan stated.

"There were many causes that led up to this, Roggvir was just one of them." I said.

"I think the same, though the Dragon that stopped the execution and slaughtered our men, we have a score to settle with it." Marcus growled.

"Hope you're hunting it down my friend, I'd join you if I could." He added.

"That I am. Haven't seen any in a while however." I told him, telling a half-lie.

"Strange that. It's as if you scared them off." Hadvar said.

"I sent them a message worth remembering." I told him.

"Did you shout it to them?" He asked and I laughed.

"Ha sort of, but I must say you would never believe me." I said remembering the special night with Alduin. I felt a want for that again.

"Maybe sometime then." He said. A short pause.

"Well, I am from Riverwood." He said and I smiled. It was a nice, peaceful village.

"It reminds me why I like the village far more than the city." Hans said.

"There are towns." Marcus said.

"I know, but I would prefer living in a village like Riverwood." Hans said.

"I can say I agree with that notion." I said.

"I wouldn't mind it either, it's peaceful." Marcus agreed.

"I am from Riften." Aethan said.

"That place has become a mess." Aethan laughed sadly.

"And something could have been done about it if only…." He trailed off.

"What?" Marcus said, blinking.

"I swear it! Maven Black-Briar killed my family!" He said with a fury in his voice.

"What!?" Marcus asked again.

"Aethan?" I asked.

"My family was a bunch of nobles that were against that damned corrupt cesspool that is the current state of Riften, we were even contending for position as Jarl. But the thing is, we crossed that damned daedra in disguise of a human. She knew we were bad for business. And I imagine that she knew that we will win. And I think she wants to be Jarl so she can turn the whole city into her damn meadery. She knew we would try to vie for Jarlship, so she had us all killed, I was just lucky enough to have been transferred to Helgen where they would have to go through Imperial troops." I felt a rage towards Maven once again like I had all those months ago.

"She will pay." I said to him, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"That she will, I never got to say goodbye to my family. My brother, sisters, mother, and father." He said.

"How do you know she did this?" Hadvar asked softly. Aethan shook his head angrily.

"I saw what happened to them, there is no doubt in my mind it was her." He said.

An air of silence, I think Aethan was tearing up.

"Riften shall recover. We'll see to it when we make it there." I reassured.

"Your determination is an inspiration you know that?" He replied with a laugh.

"That is the goal." I said with a smile.

"What inspires you then?" Hadvar asked.

I regarded him for a moment, puzzled at my own self. Then I smiled and said.

"Many things. It is more than just the will and gifts of the Divines that push me onwards."

"Then what is one?" I heard Marcus asked, the others stared at me.

"I love this land too much, I do not want to see it go waste itself away, I'll tell you that."

"Wish I had more of the same love for it." He replied.

"What's your reason?" I asked him. Marcus smirked.

"Many things." He said. Nobody else said anything about that.

I now noticed that the sky was starting to turn dark, the sun began to set admist the beautiful clouds among us.

"Well, the food is finally done." Aethan said.
"You'd all better eat some." He added.

"Thank you." Hadvar said as he grabbed a piece of meat from a wolf. Hans grabbed some soup, Marcus had the venison, Alduin grabbed some meat belonging to a troll.

"Do you want to share?" I heard her ask.

"You're staring quite a bit." She added.

"I never had troll meat before." I told her.

"Now you get to enjoy it with me." She held her piece out to me.
"Eat it with me." I bit onto it with her at the opposite end of the meat. It was strange eating the same piece of meat with someone else, in a very weird and strange way it was romantic.

The meat tasted wonderful. Aethan had burnt it just fine, it gave a reminder to me of a more Skyrim-esque version of Minotaur meat, this one had hard bones and tough meat to bite into. Yet it was still so delicious and worth every bite.

I saw Marcus shake his head.

"You two. Are so damn sickeningly romantic it hurts." He said. Finishing up I glared at him.

"You're just jealous Marcus." I said and he laughed.

"Damn right. When I get back to Cyrodil though, I'll be doing that same sick act too." He said.

"Are you married?" I asked him.

"Nah." He said.
I felt Alduin's fingers cup my chin.

"We should get going darling." Marcus scoffed at that.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." I kissed Alduin right then and there

"I'll have your tongue for being so annoying Marcus." I said joking to my own self.

"What would I be without it? See you later cap'n." He said. The others noticed we were departing.

"Stay wary." Hans said, reflecting some of the wisdom the old warrior had.

"Be safe." Aethan said.

"We'll hold the fort my friends." Hadvar said himself.

"We will back soon." Alduin said. A rare time where she spoke to them. I gave them a smile and a wave as Alduin turned and walk towards one of the constructed gates.

"I know a place we can go to that is up on a mountain. I think it to be untouched by anyone, do you want to go there?" She asked.

"No, let's go to Oblivion." I said sarcastically.

"You arse." She said with a grin.


Climbing up the rocks was diffucult, but Alduin showed me a secret path that led into the mountain. The path itself was lined with ancient Nordic architecture, it was amazing how that this path had been hidden, and such wonderful work had been placed into this.

"My workers created this tiny little path inside this mountain. It was an impressive feat at the time when they did it Ruigus. But I expected them to do it and they did as was required by my rule. It is good that it still stands." She said. We gazed upon the walls for a bit.

"Are those torches?" I said noticing them.

"Yes….Left alone for such a long time. And I see no cobwebs around them either." She said. She brought her right hand up to one and summoned flames to light the torch, she continued doing this as we went upwards.

"I had many great things built back in my time, in your time you will do the same. I am sure of that." My eyes scanned the inscriptions and the writings upon the hall.

"Let's keep walking the steps up to the summit. There's a great sight to be seen." She said. Starting to walk once more, I took to her side.

At a pace almost like two praying priests we reached a set of double doors.

"Through here, but first..." She covered my eyes.

"Is there a surprise out there?" I asked, giggling along with her.

"Of sorts." She said. Taking my hand we walked outside of the stairway.
I could feel the cold wind again brushing against my whole soul.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Show me." I said, laughing at her silliness.

Taking her hands away from my eyes I opened them.

What l saw looked like a pool of water yet there was a strange air around it, a mystical atmosphere around it. Is it some sort of magical water?

"Would there happen to be some sort of magic sword in there?" I asked with sarcasm.

She smiled wryly.

"Sometimes it is only the magic that is the power that lies in such a place. Do you feel the sensation too?" She asked.
"A strange tingling! It's magic giving me this feeling?" I inquired. The pool was doing something to the air that few other places didn't, only one that was similar was the Paarthunax's spot up on the summit of the Throat of the World.

"Good observation darling, we are at a focal point of magic power. The world tears itself apart ever so lightly here in particular." She said.

"And you used this place back in your time?" I asked.

"My Dragon Priests did, aside from the Labyrinth which we ought to go visit some time." She said. I never heard her mention a labyrinth before but I do know of the Dragon Priests.

"I wanted to come here for more than just romantic reasons, Ruigus I know you have an aspect towards Restoration magic, if that is the term that is used by everyone. I want to teach you more about it, and your Shouts which I say are far more important than the former, though this is the only place we can safely do it." She said.

"Being quiet is not a specialty of mine." She added.

"That would be perfect if you could teach me all of what you know." I said, quite pleased with her decision to train me. It will be practice that would undoubtedly save my life one day.

"If I taught you everything there was about magic, it would take perhaps nearly a hundred years to do it." Said Alduin with a grin. I gave a dismissing hand-wave.

"I can get the full lesson some other time, give me the necessities." I said while playing along with her little joke.

"It will be good to teach you some day. Disregarding that, you know how you summon your spell?" She asked.

"Of course, you both think and will the spell to come to you, almost like how you put feeling into a Shout when you do it." I said.

"Excellent as always, that is how you get a spell or a shout. It is through your own emotion and thought, but with both you will these things but you never seem to get anything else than what you already know or are used to. You know what I mean?" I nodded at that.

"I do, I always get the same healing spell all the time, only able to heal myself just barely by cleaning the wound and that of anyone else I put my hand on. And with Shouts it is what I read from the word walls or it is taught to me by granting me a new Shout is how I learn new ones, Shouts are more simple to me than magic is." Alduin placed a hand on her head in thought for a moment.

"I intend to pass on my knowledge of assorted healing magic through feeling and knowledge and the same goes with Shouts. Others may have simply planted the words on the ground or imprinted it into your being but if I am to teach you both, I will do it my way. Come meditate with me by this water."

I proceeded to sit down by the pond. I could feel the raw power of magic in the air tickling my body. Alduin followed suit and sat opposite, facing towards me.

"This should take us only an hour. Stare into my eyes and think of a bad wound that must be healed, of your friends injured and in need of your help immediately." Staring into her brilliant brown eyes I could see the emotions she spoke of reflected in them as if they were my own. I felt as I was out of my own body as I imagined this. My own soul was being tickled too now so much I had to repress giggling, I could tell it must be working.

"Keep gazing." I heard her say without moving her mouth. Her voice was in my own head! No way it could not have been. I did not let my eyes wander off her own any further.


Meanwhile in Whiterun, City of Jarl Balgruff.

"This confirms what I already expected." Came the voice of Tullius as he read a small dossier.
"The Thalmor ensure that Ulfric gets into power because they know they will need someone to weaken our Empire so we become nothing but bugs to them when they finally decide to finish us off, the cowardly bastards." He said as his adjutant perked up.

"That Ruigus and Alavia can win us the war without having us weakened, perhaps even stronger general." Said Legate Pius. An Imperial man from Cheydinhal who had recently joined Tullius's command staff, a fair fellow with brown eyes and short blonde hair that was almost shaped like a mustache in the front. A freshly made scar from the battle of Whiterun across the temple of his left cheek.

Tullius put the dossier down onto his desk and stared into the face of the man in front of him.

"That is assured Pius, that with those two in particular we will win. I even trained Ruigus myself years ago, as a former student of mine I know that he will do great feats as he already has done in martial combat with the traitors. Yet the question is when we will Pius. We will eventually get worn down, though perhaps I underestimate the will of the Empire like Rikke has said to me in the past and perhaps it is that we Imperials still love a good war such as this." Said the general, he felt a bit thirsty all of a sudden.

"I must agree with Rikke then general. With our victories our desire to fight raises, if the Thalmor wish to fight us again they will be sure to pay for their sin as these rebels will too. With Ruigus and Alavia we will win." Tullius eyed the Tribune curiously.

"You seem quite inspired by them." Said he. Pius brimmed with energy.

"Am I not supposed to be? I saw first hand Champion Ruigus speak of how the Divines wished for our divine Empire to win and witnessed his glory as he charged the enemy bravely, and Alavia had with her incredible skill if she had not joined him we would have lost. I think the two must be a sign from the gods themselves." Pius said, with hope in his eyes.

"Believe me Pius, I believe in them as well, just remember to keep your end of the fighting. And remember to be careful when it comes talking about fighting about the Thalmor, I have nothing to fear but divine's help me, you or anyone else may get dragged off by them even all this way far enough from the Imperial City." Said Tullius with a grim air.

"Aye general. I'll keep that to personal meetings." Pius replied.

The two laid eyes upon a well dressed officer in non-combat clothing come and sit down with them. He had short black hair that was combed backwards, a handsome man with a well defined jaw and blue eyes. He placed some wine down onto the desk.

"Legate Oskar, it is good to see you here. And thanks for the wine." Tullius said, he then motioned towards Pius.
"Oscar, meet Legate Pius Forianus, Pius meet Legate Oskar von Fromm who's just arrived after a long journey from the isle of Direnni." Tullius explained casually.

"Pleasure to meet you Pius, and you governor-general. It is about time I get into the fight after being posted for so long at that glorified vacation resort."

"Likewise Oskar, I've heard tales of the laziness of the men over on that island." Said Pius.

"Indeed, High Rock's been too nice on the men and they've all gotten complacent, General Antus tries his best to get them into shape but ultimately fails at that, no doubt his lack of authority will bite him if the Bretons decide to no longer welcome us as the Redguards have." Replied Oskar, his hands playing with a wineglass.

"You speak of complacency yet you bring us wine." Tullius mentioned to which the dark haired tribune nearly laughed at.

"It is a drink for men who fight, not those who take it easy and party and ignore their orders." Said Oskar cooly.

"Smart man. Tell me now Legate how many come with you?" Asked the governor-general.

"About 8,000, well-equipped but all fools from Dirreni. They will get slaughtered in combat I have no doubt." Replied the man.

"A good commander will make them go back to their usefulness." Said Pius suddenly to which the other two regarded in approval.

"Agreed friend, speaking of usefulness. I have heard of the two so called 'Saints of Whiterun'. Are they still here? I would like to get a good look at them to see if they live up to their reputation of being great fighters." Said the man.

"I promoted them and ordered them to go with Rikke's forces who I ordered to besiege and take Dawnstar, afterwards I shall have both them and both of your forces by splitting that 8,000 into half for each of you to go and take out any resistance from the rebels that remain, if they do." Replied the general with tiredness in his voice.

"I'll have to meet them myself over there then." Oskar paused for a moment. "You seem to be handing promotions out quite fast to them."

"I will not lie about that, I intend on getting good soldiers through the ranks as fast as possible. Experience counts for much, as well as natural skill that one may posses at it. You know of Ruigus's father yes?" Tullius said.

"Very few of you old men do not know, half of the young men do not know as well. I do happen to know of Andred. What about it?" Peaked the curiosity of Oskar and Pius.

"I ensured he and his friend made it so quickly because I owe it to his father, I will not see his son forever stuck as some permanent trooper. Ruigus does not deserve that and nor do I think it is respectful towards a good friend, and excellent citizen of the Empire for such a fate for his son." Said Tullius.

"I never took you for the sentimental type of person general." Pius said slowly.

"You've yet to stay at my side long enough to know me fully Pius." Was his reply.

"Fair statement there general." Replied he, who now picked up his wineglass. "Let's enjoy this last drink before we go to war." The three men clanked their bottles together and began to drink.


"Ambassador!" Yelled the voice of a Thalmor soldier that disturbed Elenwen. The Ambassador sighed.

"I am praying to Auri-El, what is it Serdan?" Said Elenwen. Serdan Permaer saluted at her.

"Sir, we've news of the artifacts the Supreme Justicar has ordered us to find. We can no-"

"Let me finish my prayer." Said she, ignoring any protest of her staff member.
The Ambassador whispered parts of the Thalmor prayer to Auri-El. Elenwen herself was not as religiously devoted as others when it came to the worship of their god, yet she showed dedication all the same as the rest of her subordinates and superiors.
After what seemed to be an hour of wait for the quite patient Serdan, the Ambassador raised herself up.

"Continue." She ordered.

"We can now hunt after them, their locations have all been narrowed down into small areas in both Skyrim that Skaal island and some bizarre uncharted territory that the document and map shall show. Notably that Eye of Magnus in close proximity to where Ancano was previously stationed, retrieving it will be difficult with the Stormcloak scum everywhere." Informed Serdan, he then handed her the report to which she quickly looked over.

"When the Imperials led by Ruigus and that ever so curious, Alavia break-through and take Winterhold after Dawnstar, their armies will be spread too thin to notice our operation, or be able to do anything against us at all unlike the other vermin." She said to Serdan.
"Get Rulindil, Valmir and Ancarion, I need to discuss what we should do in the absence of the others. Especially if Ancano is still gone on that assignment that the Supreme Justiciar is giving a Justiciar in Skyrim a task that a Justiciar in Cyrodil should be handling. I do not quite like it when he interferes into my business here. But if it is the will of the Dominion so be it." Serdan blinked a few times as the last part of her monologue.
"Do you wish it was boring here?" He asked, breaking the mask he usually forced himself to wear as Elenwen scoffed.

"I would rather be enjoying the many luxuries we have here, that is all. Now go get the three. Check their quarters first. If Rulindil is not there then he is in the dungeons or interrogation room. Valmir might be getting a drink with the others. Ancarion should be in his room, as usual." Serdan gave the Ambassador a quick salute and left.

Walking his way first towards Ancarion he thought about the Ambassador, having only been here since a few months ago when the Embassy was raided by the Dragonborn he'd grown used to being ordered around often by her. He had not been able to quite form an opinion or gain any true insight into Elenwen despite knowing a bit of the man who sent him to her; Elenwen's older brother, but what mattered to him was that there was a strange amount of respect between the two of them.

The Captain kept walking through the halls and found Ancarion's room.
Serdan knocked on the door.
"Justiciar! The Ambassador needs you!" He yelled. He heard through the door some shuffling.

"In-In a moment." The Captain waited for a good minute by the door before it opened. And out came Ancarion fully dressed.

"I assume it is something important that the Ambassador thinks I must temporarily ignore my studies for?" He asked.

"She said she needed you as well as Rulindil and Valmir." Serdan replied

"Good, must mean she is finally sending me out to that island. I was just reading up it's history." The Justiciar said as followed Serdan.

"Oh?" He asked.

"Distinctly long and complicated like any other part of the world, filled with tribal Nords and the Dunmer. Interesting place." The words bored Serdan in the sense that he knew them, but he liked the subject of those people himself.

"But my purpose, if the Ambassador is going to do what I think she will. Will be to study and gather the island's unique Stahlrim weapons, very potent as far as I have heard." The mention of weapons perked up the Captain. As they passed by some rooms, other Altmer and Bosmer saluted them.

"Well I would like to get my hands on them if they are potent, but are they better than ours?" The Captain asked to which the Justiciar smiled.

"Much so." He replied.

The pair came up upon Valmir, having a drink with a bunch of soldiers who were drunk and singing.

"Valmir! You'd best not be drunk!" Yelled Ancarion. The younger Justicar fumbled out of his seat at the bar.

"No no no no not this time!" He replied, speaking quickly.

"Get up and come with us, we're going to get Rulindil." Said Ancarion.

"Ach! What are we going to get him for?" Asked Valmir.

"Elenwen has summoned you as well as him." Serdan informed.

"We're finally getting that assignment?" The three began walking towards the dungeons.

"Seems to be that way." Serdan replied.

"Well I'll sure miss my drinks then." He concluded with a laugh.

"Come now we can't do the Eagle King's will and that of Auri-El's will with you drunk." Said Ancarion.

"I cannot argue with that Ancarion." Replied the younger Justicar with a light hearted look to his face.

"Say, Serdan you've been grovelling over Elewen's nephew haven't you?" Serdan with an angry look on his face glared at Valmir.
"Where did you hear this?" He asked. Valmir smiled humorously.

"Oh….Just the word from some of the troops." Replied Valmir.

"More discipline for the garrison it is then." Said Serdan.

"Come now Captain, we mustn't be cruel to our brethren. That is something both the Ambassador and Rulindil must learn, the nature of Thalmor is to put Altmer above all." Came the response belonging to Ancarion.
"Auri-El's sakes Ancarion it was dark humor." Said Serdan.

Not else was said between the three as they entered the dungeons.

"There better not be a mess in here. Having the men clean this place is demoralizing as it is." First said Serdan, speaking to himself almost.

"Rulindil? Get over here right now and do not force us to walk into your hellhole." Said Ancarion.

A few moments were waited before a door opened in front of them and out came the bearded Justicar, Rulindil, his clothes were slightly bloodied.

"Good timing." Said Rulindil, he then pointed with his finger back towards the door he came out of.

"Just finished with a prisoner, I can tell you about the experience if you are curious." Serdan raised his hand, not comfortable with that in the slightest.

"No thanks, we're going to see Elenwen." Rulindil looked with interest.

"An assignment it would seem." Serdan nodded his head slowly.

"Right this way." He motioned himself with the others throw the door.

"She's having us all go there, only one's that aren't are Vander and Saria." Said Ancarion.

"Indeed, those two aren't quite as skilled or as experienced as we are." Replied Rulindil.

"Met them myself, they'll get as good as we are someday." Said Valmir.

"In a century it may be however." Said Valmir, to which Rulindil laughed at.

There were some more talk between the Justiciars Serdan recalled as he brought them towards the meeting room. Upon arriving he found Elenwen and saluted, placing his hand by his covered brow.

"Well sir, I've brought them. I shall see myself out." Before he could take any more movement. Elenwen spoke.

"You shall stay here Serdan and listen." She paused before regarding the summoned Justicars.

"It is good that you are now here as we now have the exact information on those artifacts and other important objects the Supreme Justiciar mentioned all those months ago. I have the full report in my hands. Ancarion." The man nodded in acknowledgement.

"Obtain the Stahlrim weapons from the isle of Solstheim and learn of their secrets, I should not have to say to you how much it would mean to the Dominion that we acquire them, this attempt should be successful given our earlier progress." Ancarion smiled.
"What I've been waiting for, it is about time I get cleared to go. How many men with me?" He asked.

"I can give you 16." She replied.

"Wonderful, it shall be done one way or another." The man said.

"Valmir, investigate that tomb with the Dragon Priest, bring 30 with you. If the report is correct there could be undead. Even the ancient one may rise against you, brittle and pathetic as it may be." She said. A surprising hint of worry in the Ambassador's voice.

"We'll all come back alive you'll see." Said Valmir reassuringly.

"That indeed better be so. You and the men will be needed for other tasks."
"And you Rulindil, secure the Eye of Magnus located here." She handed out a map towards the Justiciar, one with a particular location featuring prominently. He received it and reviewed it quickly.

"By Winterhold." He paused for a moment.

"If only Ancano were still stationed up there this would have been done already." He finished with a sigh.

"And I suppose I am to wait for backup when I and my men are done?" He asked.

"To wait for Ancano when he arrives back here I shall inform him of your task and then he shall aid in transporting it back to yet another specific location where it shall be shipped." She said.

"And the location is?" He asked, his question trailing. Elenwen handed out another thing, a few papers.

"Follow these instructions to the letter, I made them myself and you shall not deviate them unless under extreme circumstances." Serdan could not see what Rulindil was reading in particular, but he heard the Torturer-Justiciar laugh.

"So we are counting on that Ruigus and his….Well whatever she even is to win this war for the Empire then." Elenwen nodded slowly.
"We're using them now?" Questioned Ancarion.

"To a degree. We can no longer touch Ruigus after what happened to Estmoro if my suspicions are correct and he did indeed kill him after Ondolemar's group razed the Talos worshiping village." Serdan shook his head.

"The two of them should have stayed together, if they had; Ruigus von Kessel would have been killed and the Supreme Justiciar wouldn't have come and gave us all these plans of his." The Thalmor Captain said.

"I am none too sure about that. All of what we are searching for are for the long term effects it will have on our Dominion. It has to be done.

"I can agree on that but remember that the Dragonborn is a long term problem, one that will come back at us badly Ambassador, he should be dead." Said the Captain once more.

"There is nothing we can do about him currently Serdan, he has joined the Imperial Army and I doubt any assassins will be of any effectiveness either, we must make do." Finished Elenwen. Serdan's expression was still agonized over the issue. He believed that one day he himself would have to face off against Ruigus someday.

It was for some strange reason he felt that his path, and that of many others would be intertwined with the young Imperial. Rubbing his forehead while Elenwen began talking about something broke him out of his thoughts.

"Rulindil will take 40, and when Ancano arrives he shall take 20 to assist." She said, looking at Serdan.

"A quarter of the garrison will be gone, I'll inform the men." Serdan said.

"Very good Captain." Said Elenwen. The eyes of the three Justiciars returned to Elenwen.

"Any further questions Justiciars? I am starting to get both bored and tired." Said the Ambassador.

A moment of silence passed.

"None Ambassador." Said Ancarion with a bright reflection in his voice.

"Prepare yourselves for the tasks then, night." Said she as she herself stood up and proceeded out a door as the other members in the room did the same.
Serdan decided to follow Ancarion and Valmir out of the room.

"It appears that we will all be busy for quite a long time Serdan, I doubt I and Valmir will be seeing you for quite a while. You best not end up getting bored as our dear ambassador is without us." Came the friendly voice of Valmir.

"Eh. I'll just have to train the troops a bit harder to make up for it. I shall miss two good drinking buddies." Replied Serdan, adjusting his helm.

"Was that sarcasm I just heard at the end there?" Said Valmir.

"No, I can try sarcasm more often if you think it will lighten the atmosphere." Replied Serdan with a witty smirk.

"Bastard. You should join us in the bar one last time before we get going." Replied Valmir.

"You should come Serdan." Said Ancarion.
"That will be good, I'll just have to go get some of the soldiers ready for you for next week." Said Serdan.

"Does Elenwen's nephew ever complain to you about your focus on the job all the time? You're more oriented to work than we are." Said Ancarion.

"When you are at a rank such as a Captain you find yourself being imposed with work everyone in the world wants to give you. I just want to take it easy." Came the Captain's reply as the group went out to the courtyard to cross over to the housing area.

Valmir gave a light hearted chuckle. "You ought to become a Justiciar then, the whole world kneels to you." The younger justiciar said.

"Too much work to become one, and too much devotion." Shrugged Serdan.


A nasty headache overcame me as I awoke with Alduin still across from me. Getting up I could not help but feel weightless as I felt more energetic than ever. A gratifying feeling swelled up in my body.

"Are you alright Ruigus?" She asked with a beautifully curious expression.

"I feel good, slight headache." I replied with a smile.
"Do you think it worked? Right at the end I got woozy and passed out like how you saw." Alduin nodded, sharing her own great smile.
"Yeah, I think it did but we are going to have to do a physical test to be sure." She paused for a moment and reached her arm out to touch my forehead.

"You aren't sick that's good, does your head feel a bit weird?" I chuckled.

"Like it exploded, in a good way." She had a serious expression.

"That's terrible my love. You mustn't joke like that." She said.

"I wasn't, that is how I felt like when we did it." I said with a reassuring smile.

"It must mean the imprint worked." Raising my own eyebrow at this I gave a half-smile.

"Oh an imprint? I haven't heard of that before." I stated.

"It's what we just did with each other. I gave you my knowledge through an imprint. A passage that you can think of what dear Paarthunax did to you except more advanced because I am capable of doing it safely." She explained as she stood up, reaching her hand out to me.

Accepting it I stood up. "Ah so that is why you were so concerned in particular. If anyone else could have tried it with me my head could have exploded for sure." Alduin nodded quite vigorously.

"Yes, and even then the chances of it causing any effect are often none too good. Yet I know that I am better than that with what I do." Said she.

"Figured you for a professional." I said. Ignoring the joke she merely kissed me on the cheek.

"Aren't you curious to ask how you could hear my voice in your head?" She asked slyly.

"How are you able to do that?"

"Through that I managed to do a sort of mental bond with you if it makes clear sense. It's something you can do through magic normally as well, which I ought to try with even though it is quite tricky and requires someone to know mysticism." She said.

"That will be hard to get you to know that if you gain an aptitude for it, it is a type few know now." I pondered it, Mysticism was first given creation by that Psijic Order, I think many coveted it since only really them know it. It seems that of course, the Divines were the ones that created it. One could think that the Daedra could have done but I don't think so. Solaris, that priest who was so exceptionally benevolent to me with his teachings has made my realize that the Daedra do not create, they steal.

Bringing me out of my thoughts was Alduin.

"So what about it? Want to see if you learned it?"

"Yeah, how are we going to go about this?" I asked her.

She unsheathed her sword, I gave her a confused look. She then took the blade and cut and exposed part of her arm, blood was on the blade and was pouring down her arm.

"Why did you do that to yourself?" Alduin had a smile, as if the pain were nothing.

"Only way to try darling. Summon the spell and heal my arm." She said. Doing as what I would normally do when I seldom summoned the healing spell to get a wound.
My heart pumped a tad bit faster when I healed her arm like this. There was a certain novelty to it that I usually got with Alduin when we got passionate about something. I felt a bit of shame thinking about this just suddenly. Not for her, it was just about doing the crazy things that we said and did with the other, it wasn't exactly proper. Though the best thing in the world was knowing that there was a strong love between us.
I had surprise when her wound healed faster than they usually do.

"It's gotten better than before, that's good." Said Alduin, pleased with her arm being cleaned.

"Will it be fine for when we go?" I asked.

"It shouldn't bother me, after all I am not dead. Only that would stop me." I looked into her eyes.

"Make sure that won't happen." I said. She smiled and then ran her hand through my hair.

"It won't ever happen. It's you I have to worry about." She said.

We were both quite silent for a moment as I took it to going back to lie down on the grass and look at the sky.

"We should take it easy for now." I said as I took up one of my favorite pastimes as a child, staring at the stars of night as I thought to myself.

Alduin took a spot so close to me we were touching on the sides.
"Staring at the stars? They have always been magnificent and enigmatic to look at." She asked.

"Our existences are nothing compared to those wonders up there." I replied.

"I always wanted to go to them Ruigus. That is one thing I look forward for doing when we finally have the world in our hands I promise that to you." Alduin said.

Alduin's promise was similar to one I made a long time ago, when I was 13 exactly. I choked up a bit at the memory and felt some tears leaving through my eyes at the remembrance of when I made it back then. How I so nearly forgot about it brought back memories and emotions. I remained in control of my own self as I continued to look at them.

"Are you okay Ruigus?" I heard her ask.

"I am. Just remembering something." I said. Wiping off the tears and thankful she didn't notice them I thought of an a thing I would like to say.
"I think that one day we will hold the stars themselves in our hands." I could see out of the corner of my eyes Alduin turn her head towards me. I turned my head towards her. We did not say anything after what must have been minutes.

"Ruigus do you want to consummate love again?" She asked boldly.

"I do." I replied.

"I want to choose what we do this once." I said to her as she still looked at me, silent.

"Do you not like it when I am so loving and bold to you Ruigus?" She asked.

"I like it when you are aggressive Alduin as you usually are. It's something that makes you so endearing to me. I look forward to it when you do that more." I said with a smile.

"I don't think I will enjoy it as much when you aren't, I want to experiment in this case for just one time." I continued.

"I have one thing I want to say though." I said.

"I can't quite say I like being called that nickname you have for me, it's adorable. Yet it just feels odd to hear you say it in such a way and in such a thing. I'd like it if we stopped with that." I admitted, feeling shame towards some of the weird things we said during our first time. Alduin listened intently the entire time.

"I will not call you that again, I did not wish to bother you it. Yet I am more than pleased to hear that you like me being the way that I am. It's so...intimate." Alduin said, her eyes filled with a passion.

"How do you want to do this?" She asked. I shrugged off any nervousness I had, it was pointless to feel so when being loved.

I whispered something in her ear as I blushed madly, she cocked her head in curiosity.

"What is that?" She then asked, would have been innocent if her voice weren't a tad bit husky.

I explained it further to her. I would have been clueless as her if my own mother hadn't told me these things before I left. I wonder if she believed that I was going to either come home with a woman or get married and stay in Skyrim. It would have been fine by Imperial traditions since I was a Colovian. It was common to sink back to our Nordic roots. I wonder what my mother was thinking back then, it sure embarrassed me quite a lot when we had this talk. Perhaps it was that she wanted me to come to Skyrim in the first place as a trial of becoming a man. That's what coming here must have been, a trial. As we consummated our affections I couldn't help but realize I still had been a child when I arrived, I think that I still may have been but I was getting better.

I wonder if Alduin is a bit childish herself, she may be the oldest being to walk this world but with how she first showed her affection without courting me at all. How she acted sometimes one could think she was a brat. I know better than this but to anyone outside of her circle could assume such a trait of hers. Considering how she's been around for so long I wonder what runs through her complicated head whenever it comes to being with me. It's a bit cute. She is so dark and grim when it comes to fighting but when it comes to me there's a lighter side of her that blossoms like a flower in spring, a beautiful rose far more natural and purer than all others.

When we get the world in our hands Alduin, all that live here shall be in awe of us both..


We awoke the next morning, we took it upon cuddling with one another to sleep soundly. I felt more contented with myself than ever.

I waited for Alduin to awake, I took in the features of her face while waiting minutes for her.

"G-Gooood morning." She said groggily, rubbing her own eyes.
"Good morning to you." I said, smiling.

We ended up staring at the clouds for quite a while.

"They look best when they have the color of the sunset." Alduin said, stretching herself out. I yawned.

"We have the clouds for now." I said. My thoughts returning to the stargazing last night.

"I wonder how long we'll be content with it." Said Alduin.

"I doubt for long." I replied. She giggled.

"I doubt for long too." Said she.

"Do you want to head back or spend some more time together?" I asked her.

"Let's spend a few minutes. We have time to spare." We spent some time enjoying each others company. I thought to myself in the time that passed.

"Say Alduin." I said.

"What is the matter?" She asked.

"You've got an odd group of friends." I said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" Said Alduin, bewildered.

"That Faas one is weird but I like her a bit, but good. Viing seems decent as well as Kinbok, and Kriaan? I think I got her name right, she's decent." I said to her. My tone unintentionally matter of fact as I spoke the short versions of their names.

"Oh them. What makes you say that?" She replied neutrally.

"I've only met them once besides Odahviing, I think I'll just have to start calling them by shorter names but going back to what I was saying I do not know too much about them from your point of view. I'm particularly curious of that Faaskunven in particular. I want to know if she and the rest are trustworthy by you." I said.

"We shall fight with them many times someday. They fought with me many times against the Daedra and many other creatures and things that none in this part of the world have recorded or have seen. My experiences with those four are countless and they are my trusted and loyal servants. They may have flaws but their positives outweigh them." Alduin laughed loudly.

"And Faaskunven? She has the problems that I used to have until I took you, she has no dragon to love. She helped me get you, first thing that came out of lonely maw was that I take you, the first thing when you were the subject of conversation after there was an explanation about what we knew about you. It helped solidify my motion to see you for myself, the true you. Both she and Lokyolkriaan helped." Alduin said with strong emotion. She was convicted and sure. A sign of her trust in them, that was a good thing. Alduin's greatest fears would have to be betrayals from others around her, and I do not want to but I think I may have to fear the same. I must make sure we are surrounded with individuals we can trust.

"You're impassioned Alduin. I wanted to know whether you trusted them or not. If you can trust them so much I shall do the same." Was my reply.

"They shall earn your trust too, they like you quite well, I think we both already know that." She said.

"You come first above even them." I had difficulty suppressing a smile.

"And I must ask what are your thoughts on the Blades? Do you trust them?" I then asked.

"We can trust them so long as when I reveal myself they do not become idiotic and attempt to attack a dear ally. They're devoted to you, you should spend more time with them if the chance ever arrives. We need a bond with them, if they are reasonable they will prove to be the greatest help we may have for a while." Said Alduin, her idea was sound and was an act I was already playing by.

"No doubt. I ought to find a messenger to see if I can meet with any of them soon. I've got a couple ideas for orders and it'd be nice to see how things are going for the organization, we have the same plan on them." I remarked. I thought back to the time when Alduin picked up that Lydia that one time, it was a harmless and silly memory and I could not help but grin.

"What's making you grin?" Asked Alduin.

"Just a memory." I said. I stretched myself out and headed to an edge and gandered at the background, able to see more of the Pale as it stretched out as a forest that turned into a tundra.

"We should split up." I said.

"Split up?" Asked Alduin.

"Divide and Conquer, that whole thing. We can do it."

"I don't quite like the idea of you being away from me like this." Said she.

"I'll be fine Alduin, I need to lead the men on my own for the countless amount of battles that may be ahead of us as you say. I do not doubt that I was born to fight and I shall do it more effectively with my own group." I told her.

"You seek to divide and conquer!" She realized. "Tell me about it and I shall make a decision."

"I think that if I lead a group of our soldiers myself I can learn more about commanding. You may find it risky but I am certain if I can get a good group of soldiers with me we can handle ourselves. Now if I can make sure that the lot of them survive and come to like me I bet you that will be the foundations of an army that will follow me when the time comes, the same goes for you too without me there." I said, thinking for a moment.

"Politically, back in the Empire and here we will be even more famous because we will do what many other officers are too…...incapable of. I hate to say this but I think that the lot of our superiors and constituents are greedy for glory." I said.

"Where will you plan on going?" Asked Alduin.

"I was thinking of flanking more to the South, closer to the front lines down there but there's quite a bit of chaos going on around this area so I ought to take advantage of it. I should be staying in the forest mostly. Don't think I would like that tundra to Dawnstar all that much. We can do a pincer movement and siege the fortress, now if I am quick enough I can do some raiding on any supply lines." I explained my insight. Alduin's expression was wonderfully pleased.

"Just wonderful Ruigus. I admit that in my entire life I have never heard of anyone make such a bold plan. You're intelligent, I like that about you too. Anyways I will still reluctantly go with your idea because I would rather have you fight at my side but if this is as you think to be to our gain then we shall go forward with this." Said Alduin with a tinge of pride, one that I shared with my own self because of her words.

"I appreciate this approval of yours Alduin. I must ask another thing of you." I said.

"Do not ever hesitate to." She replied.

"I think I shall take a good 600 with me. I think that in preparation for our attack you could get a couple dragons to quickly harass the fort so that when we get there we can take it with little bloodshed. I do not want to be forced to have to climb the walls over a pile of our men's corpses. A bloodless siege would be good for us." I said. I felt unusually excited as I talked more about this, it was like I was a child again making silly decisions in a play fight with a friend. I want to go home soon and see everyone again.

Alduin's features were curved into a wry and pleased expression.

"Never thought you would ask for the assistance or our kin. A good use too, do you think anyone will suspect anything?" She then asked.

"If they do, it shall not matter." I then thought about the Blades, but I think that their suspicion will be won over by both me and Alduin's slowly turning noble heart, if it was not noble now it was beginning to become that way. I believed in her redemption as a person, the daughter of Akatosh had the blessing of this servant of Stendarr and I think he would do it himself too despite her past crimes, she may have to pay for them again. Such a thought bothers me.

Stendarr. I have to go visit a priest or shrine of his, it's been too long since I have prayed to him, the one who I worship the most. May the god of mercy, compassion, and strength be ever kind.

"I would still hate to separate from you immediately." Said Alduin.

"Then we should go follow those orders first and march out to that village we passed earlier and take it. We'll get a clue of how things in our company will go and then we can reach a final decision." I said to her.

"Good then. We've truly arisen up in rank in this military haven't we?" Remarked Alduin.

"I imagine it's because we have been in the right situations at the right time." I replied.

"There's been many right situations at the right time, they shall continue." Said she.

"Well, let's get going now. We have a lot to do now." Alduin added, maneuvering to the set of double doors.

"It is time that we now fully commit ourselves to this war and win it quickly and favorably." I said. Following her down.

"There is a saying among my people in Kvatch Alduin, it is victory or death." Said I. Alduin stood silent for moments as we went down each step.

"It is a strange irony, I remember once living by that saying a long time ago."

"If it was once held, it is worth living by once again if it worked." I said. A small smile crossed her lips.

"Yes. Perhaps I shall take it into my heart once more. Regardless there shall be many battles, and there will only be victory in the end so long as we remember to be superior above all others." I nodded to that statement.

"Of course Alduin." I replied.

Walking outside now, I grabbed my locket and wrapped it around my neck. Victory or death, my father had many victories too, some defeats, some great triumphs, but in the end he died to the hands of a Dominion soldier. I shall avenge him some day, I promise that to him now. And shall uphold my old one, one that I thought a couple years ago was something that only a foolish child would make.

I will take the world into my hands, and I shall rule and protect it. Nobody shall ruin that dream, that promise of mine to hold it all. And it is now that I can finally share it with someone fully. The very person who shall rule it with me. With her there shall be nothing that can stop us. I am truly grateful for that.


Author's note: Apologies it took me a year (and a month longer) to get this done. I have been very very very lazy (Yet again) and buzy over this time and have wanted to get this chapter finished the entire time so I did it bit by bit at a snail's pace.
I promise that the next chapter shall come far faster and as good, I don't want to rush myself doing this but I want to be consistent at the same time.

That being said, I will finish this story one day no matter how long it takes me to. And I intend to improve myself on the way through it all.
Speaking of which I decided I'd go and fix some very bad mistakes I made in the first few chapters, surprised myself to my own embarrassment. So if you ever want to re-read I may have added in some nice flavor to things and fixed the awkward sentences and all, fixed some Author's notes and all which made me want to hit my own head because of how silly it was that I missed it or now disliked. So small changes to some things in short. Some things I will be changing over time however, nothing that will change the general part of the story or a scene however.

That being said as always, thank you!