Prologue
It was a stormy night in the small village in Valenwood one where all sensible bosmeri were asleep in their homes. You would expect the paths through the village to be empty but they weren't a solitary figure furtively moved along the paths trying to stay in the deepest shadows. The figure wore an oversized cloak that hid their appearance even their gender. It also carried a blanket draped basket close to it's chest. Suddenly the figure stepped off the path and onto the porch of one of the houses, the home of a young blacksmith and his family. His wife who was the village healer, and their three children six year old twin boys and a four year old girl they would have numbered four but the young mother had had a stillborn girl just days before.
The figure approached the front door and a stray gust of wind disturbed the hood of the cloak revealing the figure to be that of a middle-aged brown haired bosmer woman, she quickly readjusted the hood then knelt gently placing the basket on the doorstep before quietly unslinging a before hidden cloth wrapped bundle placing it next to the basket. Finally reaching into a pocket she pulled out a single folded piece of parchment and lifting a corner of the blanket tucked it into the basket then she stood knocked loudly on the door once, twice, three times before running off to disappear into the rain and shadows of the night.
Within the span of a few minutes the door creaked open slowly to reveal a bosmer couple a tall burly man holding a Warhammer and a much shorter woman. They stood in the doorway searching for the source of the knocks. The woman happened to look down seeing the basket she knelt and picked it up. Moving the blanket aside revealed a newborn baby girl with coppery red hair snuggled among soft blankets sleeping soundly. At the woman's sharp intake of breath the man turned to look at what she held and when he saw the tiny life in her arms he was as stunned as she. Noticing the parchment he picked it up and unfolded it to read the reason behind this small infant being left to them. Once finished he handed the note to his wife who read it. Clutching the basket and child to her heart, she spoke:
"Now my empty arms are filled."
She didn't need to say another word. The man hugged his wife with the baby between them. He took the bundle from the stoop then they went inside and closed the door.
10 years later
A young elfin girl, with coppery-red hair, ice blue eyes, and a serious frown stood exhausted next to a training dummy. She had spent the day battering it with a wooden sword.
Her thoughts drifted to the events of the last few months, and the man who had saved her 10-year-old self.
'Kodlak Whitemane'
After saving her life and staying for three months to help her heal, the sword for hire had left to head back to Jorrvaskr home of The Companions. She fiddled with the ring upon her finger, contemplating his final words to her.
"Come seek out the Companions when you can wield your parents' blades."
Laughter from further in the village snatched her from her thoughts,The other children. She gripped her sword tighter and reached to touch the medallion hanging from her neck that Kodlak had given her. She glanced down at the scars adorning her forearm.
After the attack, and the time spent healing, she had tried to reintegrate herself back into the group of village children. Instead, she was pushed away with mocking words and sneering insults, leaving her with only her two brothers and sister for company. She grasped the medallion tight.
"One day, I'll join the companions, and they won't care about my scars. I just have to keep practicing."
She raised her sword, and swung.
Nine Years Later
The sun rose slowly casting its golden light over the misty valley hiding a secret village of wood elves in Skyrim's mountainous borders.
"Amaliea it's time to get up your breakfast is getting cold!" Amaliea's Mother called from the kitchen of her home.
"Coming Ma!" Amaliea sleepily called back .
"Is it morning already?'' She grumbled to herself as she slowly sat up. Then it hit her today's the day She jumped out of bed and raced down stairs.
"Morning Ma, morning Pa!" She said to her parents as she sat down at the table. Ma smiled, placing a bowl of porridge in front of her.
"So are you ready to set off on your grand adventure?" She asked.
"Yes I just hope the Companions will accept me, what if I get there and I'm not good enough?" Amaliea asked quietly.
Pa shook his head and said "Amaliea you have spent the past nine years doing little else but training to be a Companion, you'll do fine and I'm sure Kodlak will be glad to see you. Now don't forget to bid farewell to your brothers and Briella before you head out."
"I won't, forget that is." She said feeling a little more confident.
"And remember to be careful on the road." Ma quickly added. Amaliea smiled and hastily finished her breakfast before going upstairs to put on her armor and get ready to go.
A few hours later She stood looking into the cave that is the only way in or out of the valley her village sat in. She had wished Her family goodbye and all that was left for her to do was go through that cave and She would be on Her way to Jorrvaskr and who knows how many amazing adventures, if She can get in.
"Helgen finally! Maybe I can get a coach to Whiterun from here or at least some directions." Amailea muttered to herself as she walked through the city gates.
Suddenly a line of carts rolled by with lots of armored men in the back and people started coming onto porches to stare.
"What's going on?" She asked of one of the guards walking by
He looked at her as though she was stupid and asked "Have you been living under a horker?! That was Ulfric Stormcloak the Imperials captured him and now he's going to pay for his crimes against the empire."
"Oh so it's an execution then, um is there any chance you could point me to the carriage stop or at least towards Whiterun?" She asked.
"What oh yeah sure just head straight down this road it's just outside the building next to the keep." he answered looking slightly miffed.
"Thank you." She said then started off to where he had directed, off to her left she could see the imperial soldiers unloading the prisoners and getting them sorted out. She stopped to watch when they came to a holdup they had a prisoner they had no record off.
"Name?" a guard asked of the women
"I am Lokira Ravenwing bard extraordinaire, at your service." The woman grinned at the soldier, flipping her head to the side to remove the coal black hair from her face.
As they led her to join the other prisoners, Amaliea wondered what the woman had done to end up in an execution line, before quickly deciding she didn't want to know.
She hurried over to the shop the guard had directed her to having no interest in watching an execution.
She heard a distant sound, it was like a roar, but not like the roar of a saber cat, it was more ancient and primal like the stones themselves were crying out in rage. It sent chills up her spine as She quickly looked around trying to find the source of the sound. When She spotted nothing She continued on to the carriage only to discover the driver nowhere in sight when She heard the sound again, this time closer. As Amaliea turned around she saw a huge monster out of a nightmare. It had large black wings like thoses a bat and claws like swords of ebony. You could feel the rage and hatred flowing off of it and somehow She knew that this monster was pure evil.
As it landed on the tower every particle of her being screamed run but she was frozen in horror as the name for the beast came floating to the front of Her mind 'Dragon.'
The monstrous beasts from the old tales that would devour you as soon as look at you. As it called fire rained from the sky and the ground itself seemed to tremble. Then the dragon called again and a wave of pure power seemed to rush toward her knocking aside everything in its path. as it hit Amaliea she was flung backwards into the side of the carriage so hard her vision swam as she tried to regain her feet. Suddenly She felt someone grab her arm and haul her up. She looked and saw a blond man in a blue cuirass he seemed to be saying something but it was as if he were talking from a long way off.
She had to focus before she could make out his words "Are you alright? We have to move."
"Um yes I think so." She said dazed
"Good." he responded "this way we have to get to the keep."
Amaliea hurried along after him noticing the imperial woman was with them too. Pretty soon they saw an Imperial soldier directing people to the keep when he saw them he called "Ralof go to the keep there's a back way out of the city through there."
Ralof called back "why should we trust you Hadvar a few minutes ago you were putting our heads on the chopping block!".
"Because right now we are not Stormcloaks or Imperials we are men and women trying to stay alive in a fight against a monster from the old tales!" Hadvar barked back "now come on!"
They all made their way through the caves picking up refugees as well as soldiers along the way. By the time the group found the exit Amaliea's head was pounding and she was wishing they could stop so long enough to grab a healing potion from her pack.
Once they were out of the cave Ralof stated "We need to stop a lot of these people are injured and need to rest."
Hadvar quickly nodded and then called "Alright everyone, we'll rest here for now. Does anyone need medical attention? if you do raise your hand!"
A lot of people raised their hands most with burns, a few with weapon wounds from the fights Ralof and Hadvar had broken up along the way.
Amaliea watched as a woman with a medic emblem on her cuirass went to Hadvar and said "Sir I only have five healing potions and a few stamina most of the wounded will have to be helped along."
Amaliea glanced at her pack remembering her mother packing healing potions into it like mad and brushing off her protests with "Now don't you take these out you'll thank me for them later."
'I guess it's later.' she thought to herself as she walked none too steadily towards the trio shifting her pack off as she said "Um I couldn't help but overhear that you're a little short on healing potions so maybe I can help?"
Upon reaching them Amaliea removed the medical bag from inside her pack and passed it to the medic.
The woman quickly undid the clasp and pulled a bottle out holding it up to the light of the setting sun, then tasted it before turning to Amaliea to inquire "These are high quality potions. Did you brew them?"
"No my Ma did She is the village healer back home. I can't brew a potion to save my life" Amaliea shook her head smiling as she responded.
The healer quickly looked Amaliea over, her eyes locking on the slowly bleeding gash on the side of her head, before quickly pressing one of the small red bottles into her hand saying "drink that you're as pale as the snow."
The healer then walked off to distribute the potions among the rest of the wounded. Just then a roar sounded and everyone saw the dark shape of the dragon fly overhead heading off into the mountains.
After it had flown past Ralof and Hadvar said almost in sync "We have to warn Riverwood!" They then asked Amaliea and the imperial woman Lokira to come with them and just like that they were on their way to Riverwood.
It's kind of funny how things work out once they reached Riverwood Ralof and Hadvar quickly sought out their families. Ralof his sister who ran the mill and Hadvar his uncle who was the smith both agreed that someone needed to tell Jarl Balgruff in Whiterun about the dragon so both Amaliea and Lokira volunteered.
When asked why they volunteered Amaliea answered "I'm heading to Whiterun anyway so it makes sense."
While Lokira replied "Just feels like I should besides two messengers stand a better chance of getting through then one."
Before they headed out Amaliea piped up "um I have one question before we leave how do we get to Whiterun from here?"
Hadvar answered "Just follow the road downriver and cross the bridge just stay on the road it will take you right there."
"Thank you." She called as the two young women set off.
