"Hey, you. You're finally awake." A voice rouses me from my forced slumber.
"Hmhuh?" I groan.
"You were trying to cross the border, right. fell right into that imperial ambush. Same as us, and that thief over there." the same voice says. I look up and see someone, vaguely familiar, wearing blue and grey armor. I look to my right and see a man in rags, and a man with his mouth bound.
"Damn you, stormcloaks. If it wasn't for you and your rebellion, I could've stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell by now." The ragged man says. He then stares at me and says "You there, you and me. We dont belong here, its these Stormcloaks the empire wants."
The man in Blue and Grey says " We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief."
The driver of the cart yelled "Shut up, back there!"
The man in rags looks at the gagged man and asks "And what's his problem. Did he make advances towards the female guards?"
"Shut your mouth." The man in blue spits out. "You are talking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true high king of skyrim!"
The man in rags pales at that statement, and stutters out,"Ulfric, the J-jarl of windhelm? y-youre the leader of the Rebellion. If you're here, then.. oh gods! where are they taking us?!"
"I don't know, but Sovengarde awaits." The man in blue says solemnly. Something clicks in my brain then, reminding me of who is the man in blue and grey.
"Ralof? ls that you?" I say.
He eyes me and says,"Yes, that's me. Why?"
"Its me, Sigrid Dovahdotter! You know my father, Auldun Dovahkiin!" I exclaim. His eyes go wide, and his smile widens greatly.
"Well, well. Last time I saw you, you were but a tyke." he says.
"So were you!!" I respond. We both start laughing.
We converse for a few minutes until the walls of helgen can be seen through the trees.
"What village are you from, horse thief?" Ralof prompts.
"Why do you care?" the horse thief snarls.
"A nords last thought, should be of home." Ralof says.
The cart is in silence for a minute, until the thief says,"Rorikstead. I-I'm from Rorikstead."
A soldier then shouts,"General Tullius, sir. The headsman is waiting."
The man, Tullius, responds with "Good. let's not keep him waiting."
The thief whispers "Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh. Divines, please help me."
Ralof snarls out,"General Tullius. The military Governer. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him, Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this."
I give Ralof a look, and say," Well of course they had something to do with this. They're in charge, Dumbass." I then sigh out. "Look around. We're in helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here."
"You think Vilod is still making that alcohol? The one with Juniper berries?" Ralof chuckles.
I hear a man tell his child to go inside. Good. No child should see people executed.
The wagon pulls up by two others, and stops in front of a wall. They unload us all, and start calling attendance. "What is this, primary?" I whisper to myself. Ralof chuckles next to me.
"Imperials and their damn lists."
The soldier with the clipboard says,"Ulfric Stormcloak." and the gagged man steps in line with the rest. "Ralof of Riverwood." Ralof sighs and follows. "Lokir of Roristead."
Lokir went to yell, no doubt something stupid, but I put my bound hands on his shoulder. "Just follow them. Itll be okay." I try to reassure him.
He starts crying, and steps in line with the rest.
The soldier then stares at me and asks,"And who the hell are you?"
I stare back and say "Sigrid Dovahdotter, first born daughter of Auldun Dovahkiin, inheritor of the Thu-um, and granddaughter of Akatosh himself." the sky itself shakes at that last part.
The solider pales and looks to his superior, and woman of shorter stature, and asks,"What do we do, captain, shes not on the list."
The woman glares, then, after a moment, says,"She goes to the block."
Now, as much as I would like to curse her out, or break my binds and go on a spree, my father taught me better. Pick the time, and choose your battles wisely. The enemy may be better off, or worse off than you.
I get in line with the rest, and grumble all the way.
Ralof nudged me when I got close and said,"Knowing your father, I bet you just want to get out of here for a pint."
"Or three." I chuckle.
"Might make this bareable." He said, nodding towards the Priestess of Arkay doing the last rites.
"Oh, for the love of talos, just shut up, and let's get this over with!" Someone to my left said. I look over as hes walking towards the front. I can tell hes a Stormcloak by his armor.
"..As you wish." the Priestess says, a little downtrodden.
The man, whose name I never know, is bent over his execution box. The Headsman pushes the soldiers hair to the side," For a clean cut." he says. The Headsman takes a step to the side. As he brings the Axe up, the soldier says, with defiance," My Ancestors are smiling on me, Imperials. Can you say the same?"
The axe comes down, and the mans body and head are separated.
"Next, The Nord in Rags." Ooh, I hate this Captain.
A noise, one like an unholy spawn of A troll and a werewolf, sends a shiver down my spine.
"I said. Next. Prisoner." The captain calls out again. Wow, shes definitely on my haunt list.
I wink to Ralof as I make my way to what is probably my death. Daughter of the Dragonborn, done in by an asshole Captain and her lady-boner for death. Itd make for an epic poem, but I dont think I've got time for that. Oh well.
I lean over the Headsmans block, and look up at my executioner. He raises his axe, and I hear a shout.
"What IN OBLIVION IS THAT!?!"
"Sentries, what do you see?!"
"ITS IN THE SKY!"The next line changes the world forever.
"DRAGON!?!?"