"Do I really have to make nice with these people?"
"You said you would," Erissa muttered, flattening down her dress one more time. "This civil war is not helping."
Harry shrugged but nodded. "Fine. But I reserve the right to say I told you so when no one listens."
Erissa sighed, peering wistfully at her weapons trunk. "I feel naked without any weapons."
"I could teach you some useful spells," Harry offered, looking out at the hall down below them. "Didn't you plan on learning at least some while working with the Dawnguard?"
"I did and then… Ugh. The Stormcloaks got in the way and I was called back to Sky Haven temple for this exact purpose."
"What good is being the Dragonborn if you don't know any magic besides your thu'um?"
"Hey, you don't get the right to judge me. You already knew magic by the time we were crawling."
Erissa glared at him and Harry smirked at her.
"I was-"
"If you're about to say you were a wizard in your past life, don't. That's how you always end an argument."
Harry threw up his hands and smoothed out his dress robes, curling his cloak around himself tighter. It was cold all the way up in High Hrothgar and the two of them weren't even Nords. Being the twin of the Dragonborn did occasionally come in handy but now… If only the Greybeards hadn't settled on the highest peak in Skyrim. He just kept a low level warming spell about him and kept his cloak on as he walked into the hall behind her.
"I was though," Harry hissed, as they parted ways. Her to stand at the front of hall and him… He walked throughout the crowd of people ahead of them, spotting Elenwen, the Thalmor ambassador to Skyrim, in the corner of the hall. He veered away from her while keeping an eye on his sister, as she began to talk with General Tullius and the Jarl of Whiterun, Balgruuf.
Many of the Nord soldiers around him gave him the stinkeye and he ignored them, just as well as he had back in his first life. Though… he remembered hearing about all the people who had thought he was lying about Voldemort coming back and his lips curled up into a grin. Voldemort wasn't an issue here after all and everyone knew dragons were back. There was just… a pressing issue to deal with before getting back to dealing with Alduin, the dragon who was supposed to bring about the death of the world.
Or was prophesied to.
"Yet another unwelcome elf in this meeting. What is Skyrim coming to?"
Harry turned around and studied the man who had walked up. The man had two braids framing his dirty blond hair that fell almost to his shoulder, as well as a thick, heavy cloak around his shoulders. The blue eyes that stared at him were narrow and judging and yet there was a hint of power within. Thick boots covered his feet as well as thick leggings over his legs made quite the sight.
"You must be Ulfric Stormcloak," Harry remarked, as men and women walked around them. He spared a glance to where his sister was, seeing her still talking with General Tullius.
"Aye, I am. And who would you be, elf?"
Harry wrinkled his nose, his magic flowing around him and within him, sparking at his fingertips. "I'd be Harlon. My friends call me Harry. Don't you have better things to do than to insult people?"
"Insult people? I'm just calling you what you are," Ulfric remarked, crossing his arms. "You with our dear Elenwen?"
"I'm here with my sister," Harry responded, his eyes narrowing at the man's tone. "I didn't invite Elenwen here. I don't know who did but I'm not about to talk with the Thalmor. From what I've heard, you two have a history."
Ulfric stared at him, blinked, and raised an eyebrow. "That's common knowledge, elf. So I was captured by the Thalmor. So many of our people have been captured or kidnapped by you elves and I intend on stopping it. The Thalmor must be booted out of Skyrim and the Imperials along with them."
"You do know the Dragonborn is an elf."
"Aye, I do. She came to meet with me before I laid siege to Whiterun. It's an insult to all of us that the last Dragonborn is not a Nord. Disgusting."
Harry snorted and began to turn away. "You know… you're all attractive on the outside but… really. When one begins to talk with you, it's all Nord this and Nord that and all races except Nords are bad."
He made a hand wavy motion to all of Ulfric, taking a step closer to the man.
Ulfric blinked, spared a glance to the hall around them and sneered at him. "I wouldn't fuck an elf even if they were the last being on Nirn."
Harry stared at the guy, tilting his head a little bit in confusion. Ulfric reached out and grasped his shoulder, manhandling him over to the unoccupied corner to the east. The nook that Harry now had his back to was empty of all but the two of them and Harry raised an eyebrow at Ulfric, glancing down to the man's waist. No one wore a blade in this hall for the peace talks though Ulfric was not unarmed.
Ulfric knew some Thu'ums just like Harry's twin sister but he supposed Ulfric had to learn and practice and study for years until he became good at it. Only to leave High Hrothgar and go fight a war.
"I never said anything about fucking," Harry said, shrugging and licking his lips as he studied the man. "Though I could be persuaded."
Ulfric stared at him, a flush entering his cheeks. "Elves. I dare you to try anything. You talk as if the war between Skyrim isn't important to you."
"It's not particularly important," Harry offered. "Not when the end of the world is at stake."
"What world would we come back to?" Ulfric questioned, dropping his hands to his weapons belt. "The Thalmor must be pushed out of Skyrim and shown the door. Instead the Imperials want to make peace with them and offer them tea."
"Yes, and this civil war is doing you and your people no favors. Besides, I suspect there are generations of Nords who have slept with other races. Hybrids and such. What do you think of those men and women? Are they lumped in with the Thalmor? The Orcs and the Argonians and the Red Guards. They're not Thalmor. Anyway, Skyrim would be a boring place if it was just Nords. Attractive, sure, but boring."
Ulfric stared at him. "Why do you even care, elf?"
"My sister cares," Harry answered, before snorting. "At least a little bit. The people of Skyrim keep on pulling her back from her girlfriend. I'm here to make sure she's safe."
"So unlike the other Altmers I've met. I should get back to my place at the table."
Harry carefully stepped to the side of the little nook and as Ulfric swept past him, he reached out to grasp the man's shoulder. Ulfric stiffened under his touch and met his eyes, looking at him expectantly. Harry was about an inch or two taller than Ulfric but not enough to require Ulfric to look up to meet him.
"You really should get out more," Harry said, grinning in thought. "There are some who say you were or are a Thalmor asset. What would you say to those words?"
Ulfric blinked and crossed his arms. "I am not and never will be a Thalmor asset."
"So you weren't let go willingly? You escaped?"
Ulfric glared at him.
"And then were recaptured and gagged, I heard," Harry continued, loosening his shoulders idly. "You must have looked quite the sight. You do even now but gagged…"
Ulfric growled and reached out to pin him against the wall behind him. Cold stone met his back and Harry looked on Ulfric in amusement. "How do you know these things?"
"My sister."
"Your sister must be deep in the Thalmor embassy to hear those things," Ulfric retorted. "You and your sister are traitors to Skyrim."
"Or are you? Are you leading this rebellion because the Thalmor want you to? Distract the peoples of Skyrim so that the Thalmor can infiltrate the country and take it over?"
Ulfric blinked at his words and Harry leaned in, pressed his lips quickly to Ulfric's mouth, and then danced out of reach. Ulfric spluttered and glared at him, opening his mouth. Harry winked at him and then walked away, back to where the Greybeards were gesturing for everyone to take their seats at the table.
"I am leading this rebellion to free the people of Skyrim!" Ulfric shouted at him.
"Yeah. Sure. Come talk to me when that includes everyone, not just the Nords," Harry yelled back, as he walked into the group of men and women that included his sister. He could hear Ulfric muttering to his second in command in heated tones and he rolled his eyes, catching every second word. Something about Altmers that didn't know their place or some such thing. Harry grinned and turned to his sister.
Erissa glared at him and elbowed him.
"What? I wasn't doing anything."
"You were exacerbating the situation," Erissa remarked and then sighed. "Diplomacy is not particularly my strong suit."
"I was… flirting."
"I've seen you flirt. That wasn't flirting. That was you already making the decision to get into Ulfric's pants," Erissa muttered. "I don't need this right now."
Harry dipped his head in a nod as everyone took their seats at the round table. "I'll save it for later then."
"Make sure you do. I can't have Ulfric deciding he doesn't want to have anything to do with the talks because someone was teasing him."
"He has a thin skin," Harry offered, shrugging. "Attractive skin but thin nonetheless. Definitely has a temper."
Erissa let out a noise of consideration as they both glanced over to where the Stormcloaks were sitting. Ulfric was looking between the two of them with wide eyes and Harry grinned at him.
"Why is he looking at us like that?" Erissa muttered. "I can't believe I signed up for this. I could have been helping Serana adjust to modern Skyrim."
"I may not have told him who exactly my sister was," Harry responded, his grin widening when Ulfric continued to stare at them.
Erissa snorted. "Ah well. I'll leave you to whatever fate has in store."
"Besides," Harry started quietly. "You didn't sign up for this. I said I would help."
"I may or may not approve," Erissa whispered just as quietly. "If it gets him to think."
Harry let out a startled laugh and elbowed his sister right back. Erissa's lips curled up into a small smile and then straightened, putting on her game face.
"General Tullius, Ulfric, let's start now. Alduin needs to be stopped. Call truce, just for now."
