Chapter 3

Her heart raced as her breaths shortened into rapid pulses of air. Her head twitching at every sound, adrenaline pumping through her veins. He was never going to-

"Found you!" Njurik yelled with triumph in his velvety smooth voice. Majestic would have his right in front of him just to hear his sweet voice.

"Oh no." she feigned defeat, "Ok, it's my turn to find YOU!"

"I'm afraid I can't, my ma told me to be in when the sun touches the top ofthe church tower."

"Oh" she murmered, this time with real emotion, "will you be out tomorrow?"

"As sure as the sun in the sky." he said with that stomach-warming smile. Oh how she loved that smile, would have done anything just for a few seconds of it.

"OK, GOODBYE UNTIL TOMORROW." she yelled, walking back to her house.

"UNTIL TOMORROW." Njurik yelled back. Majestic's breath left her body for a brief moment as she walked into a wall of scales.

"Excuse me, young lady," the guard looked down at her, an unseen face hidden behind his helmet, "are you Majestic Hujrden?"

"Maybe."

"This is not the time for games, child" he said with coldness in his words, but behind them...a hint of regret...sadness. An emotion the guards of Whiterun hold were not permitted to feel.

"Yes, I'm Majestic."

"I'm afraid I have...bad news."

"My father says to get him whenever somebody says that."

"That's...the problem miss, I'm afraid your father is-"

-:-

"What's wrong with this one, then?" the voice of an old woman said.

"She passed out from the shock of hearing about her father, miss" a much younger woman said.

"And what happened to her father?" the old one wondered.

"He was killed by a Thalmor patrol, miss."

"Elven cocks, think they own everything. WAKE UP!" the old voice ordered with a sharp poke of Majestic's ribs.

"HHAHHH! FATHER...MY...MY FATHER...I HAVE TO SEE HIM...I HAVE TO..."

"QUUUIIITTTE YOU LITTLE CREATURE!" The old woman said, "My name is Grelod the Kind. This," she said holding her arms out by her side, "Is your new home...Honourhall Oprhanage, and I am your new mother.

"You will never be my-" slap. Grelod's hand raked across her face, scarring it and turning the pale skin a nasty shade of purple.

"You will listen to, and respect me. Do these things, and you may live to see your next year."

Majestic shot Grelod a look rarely seen in children so young.

slap!

-:-

One year later

8th of Sun's Dusk, 4E 201

Majestic the Mighty, Majestic the Mother, Majestic the Marvelous. She was all of these things now, Mighty for standing up to Grelod, Mother for being a figure for the other kids to follow, Marvelous for smuggling them food she'd steal from the market. She had scars on her face, bruises on her arms and still fresh cuts on her back, each a sign that Grelod was not as big and scary as she might like to think. She stood with the rest of the children, as Grelod rambled on and on and on and on...they standing there looking confident, placing that confidence in Majestic, she standing there looking downright hateful.

"Those who shirk their duties will get an extra beating, do I make myself clear"

Kids: "Yes, Miss Grelod"

Majestic: "..."

"Good, now what do you all say?"

Kids: "We love you, Grelod, thank you for your kindness"

Majestic: "..."

Dragonborn: "Aventus Aretino says 'hello'"

Looks of shock adjorned everybody's faces.

"Never did like her, anyway. Well, kids, I guess you're all free now" said the tall Nord in shining studded and Iron armour. A true hero and figure of epicness to these now free kids.

The Dragonborn casually walked out as Constance Michel went off one, screaming over here, running over there.

"Aventus Aretino...you fucking legend" Majestic uttered under her breath.

-:-

She hurriedely stuffed her belonings in her bag along side the other kids who had opted for freedom rather than take their chances with the guardsmen of the Rift.

"Hurry up" she hissed, "They'll be here any minute" The children sped up in responce. She threw the chair through the window and waited to see if anyone would react to it...no one. It was clear. She inhaled deeply, taking in the tantalizing sent of freedom.

"This is it" she said seriously, "we stop for no one, not even eachother."

"Not even eachother?" Samuel repeated.

"Not even eachother" Majestic repeated for the third time in a row. She helped the kids out first, since she was the oldest and strongest, the she hopped out the shattered window last, her dress ripping on the window. Her feet hit the ground and she froze on the spot, a strange sensation shooting up her spine. Freedom. Pure, unburdened freedom.

"Well," she breathed in, "Now what?" she asked herself, as all the other kids had scramble like skeevers. "I guess I'll umm...go for a walk then?" she said aloud, as she walked off, taking her first free steps in her life, bound for adventure across the vast province of Skyrim.

End here...

Next chapter posted tomorrow, as always.