Chapter 12

Tirdas, the 19th of Second Seed, Year 202 of the 4th Era

Daenerys waited impatiently upon Nightwind for the parade to start. Horses were not usually allowed inside Whiterun, but Jarl Balgruuf had insisted upon it for the parade. So, she waited atop her black stallion while Jarl Balgruuf sat upon a white stallion beside her. They had exchanged the usual pleasantries. Jarl Balgruuf had congratulated her again on assembling the Dragonguard so quickly and especially for her ability to gain allies from both the Empire and the Stormcloaks. She had thanked him again for all his support. Neither of them mentioned their differences because they really weren't that far apart. They were more closely aligned than any other power in Skyrim. Together they were the moderate faction in the civil war. While Daenerys wished that Balgruuf had been more active in supporting her, he had still done quite a lot. This parade would benefit both of them. However, she was tired of the hurry-up and wait. Summer was almost upon them and this parade would waste the better part of a day. Seeing Aela approach with a pack on her back was a surprising, but welcome, distraction.

The red-headed huntress came up to her and thumped her chest in salute. "Hail, shield-sister. When will be leaving?"

"Soon, shield-sister. I take it you have decided to join us?" That much was obvious. Why else would Aela be wearing a pack? The real question was why. Aela had vanished for days after Skjor's memorial service. She had only returned two days ago, and they hadn't done more than exchange glances and passing greetings. While Daenerys had been very busy, she thought the lack of conversation meant that whatever had passed between them had been a one-time affair. At least she hoped it was only a one-time affair, and Aela was not coming to continue it.

"I have." She glanced at Jarl Balgruuf briefly and then returned her gaze to Daenerys. "Kodlak wasn't happy about it, but he didn't object. I owe you. When I asked you to stay, you stayed... You were also right about the Silver Hand. Skjor and I were foolish. We should have brought more… men. You knew that, but you came anyway."

"Of course, I did." While Daenerys appreciated Aela admitting she had been right, she certainly wasn't going to rub her nose in it. "I'll stand at your back, so the world may never overtake us."

"And that is why I am here, shield-sister. Even with these troops you have assembled, it will be dangerous. I will raise my bow in your honor."

"Good." Daenerys leaned down from her horse while keeping a grip on the pommel. It was much harder to stay in a saddle without stirrups. She couldn't quite grasp arms properly, but they did clasp wrists. "Thank you, shield-sister. We'll talk more later. I would place you over my scouts. I can think of no one better."

"I will seek you out upon the road, once all this pageantry is over." She gave a nod and sashayed off.

Daenerys watched as Aela walked away into Whiterun. She couldn't blame the huntress for not participating in the parade. She also thought the sway of her hips hinted that honor wasn't her only reason for accompanying them.

"So that makes three Companions joining you?" asked Jarl Balgruuf. "Torvar, Vignar and now Aela?"

Daenerys gave him a slight nod. "Correct, you're well-informed."

"Whiterun is my city. Being well-informed is my job."

Daenerys continued to make small talk with Jarl Balgruuf until the parade started. A dozen of the jarl's best troops led the way holding the banner of Whiterun. Fultheim followed after them leading the raw recruits that he had forged into soldiers. Despite their earlier conversation of having two sets of armor: light leather for marching and heavy armor for exploring barrows, the logistics of two armor sets just hadn't worked out. In the end she had decided on light armor for her troops. They still looked distinctive as they all carried tower shields, which were notpopula in Skyrim. The shields were all painted to match the cloaks worn by all the Dragonguard, a black dragon in flight upon a red field – inverting her house colors. They were armed with spears, also an unusual weapon for Nords, but well-suited for being able to harm a dragon while keeping distance.

After a small gap came her political statement. Her loaned Imperial troops led by Gaius Paulinus marched alongside Ull and Val dressed in full Stormcloak armor. She had expected there to be more tension between the two parties, but they all understood exactly what was being communicated and approved of the message. However, they still kept a notable gap between them. Stormcloaks on the right and Imperials on the left. Included in this statement were Jon Battle-born and Olfina Gray-mane. Jon Battle-born walked behind the Imperials and carried a banner with the Imperial dragon on it. Olfina Gray-mane walked behind the Stormcloaks and carried the Stormcloak banner, which was really just Ulfric's banner.

Then came her two ballistae and their crew. Twelve men to man two ballistae was excessive. Three each was enough, but she still hoped to gain more ballistae. Having trained men would help, and the ones not needed to man the ballistae were still archers of varying skill. While arrows individually did little to dragons, enough arrows in the wings would ground them.

Next came her irregular forces, those that weren't sworn to either the Dragonguard or House Targaryen: Faralda, Jenassa, Salim Bashir, and Elolir, the Bosmer poacher who had just joined her forces. Following them came their housecarls with the banners. Irileth, the same efficient and suspicious housecarl that had interviewed her months ago, carried the banner of Whiterun. Sofija had the honor of carrying the banner of the House Targaryen: a red three-headed dragon in a spiral on a black field.

Danerys and Jarl Balgruuf rode side by side immediately behind the banners. Daenerys thought their mirrored stallions in black and white was a good touch. She waved to the people but did not blow kisses like Jarl Balgruuf. From the cheering of the crowd, she gauged that they were more excited to see her than their jarl. She wasn't surprised. Despite having been in Whiterun for six weeks now people still stared and called out her name everywhere she went. Very few of them went as far as kneeling any longer. While she had agreed to this parade for the political benefits, she found herself being buoyed by the adoration of the crowd. While the people of Whiterun did not have the same fanatical devotion to her the freed slaves of Dragon's Bay did for Mhysa, they truly did adore her. She found their faith in her both inspiring and intimidating. She had only killed one dragon. There were more out there. Her task had only begun.

.oOo.

Once they left the farmlands surrounding Whiterun behind, Daenerys loaned her horse to Camilla so she could ride ahead to Riverwood and confirm the arrangements for them to camp outside of the town. She didn't mind walking. Since becoming a werewolf her body seemed to crave more physical activity. It was also important culturally to be seen walking with her men. Nords liked to see their leaders sharing their burdens and being involved. While it wasn't a custom, like rowing on a Nord ship, Fultheim confirmed that her walking alongside her troops would be well-received. She spoke to some of them as she walked. She didn't want to become too close. As a leader she needed some distance, but she asked them their names and why they joined. Most of them told the same story, they wanted to follow her. Several of them had trouble talking to her they were so in awe, but she shared a few words with each of them.

When she scented wolf, she looked about and spotted Aela. She finished up her conversation and turned to Aela. "Hello, shield-sister. Would you walk with me?"

The huntress nodded. "Perhaps a little off the road?"

They were up into the hills now with the White River to their left. The road was an Imperial one and an easy march, but the adjacent woods were full of trees and underbrush. "Lead the way."

Aela led them up the slope so that they were walking through the woods, but still in sight of her forces. She glanced back and frowned. "I meant you, not you and your housecarl."

Daenerys shrugged. "I have no secrets from Sofija. She is my chosen successor. If I fall in battle, she leads the Dragonguard."

"I will also die before I betray any of her secrets," added Sofija. "I already know you are both werewolves if that's what you're worried about."

Aela grinned. "I was more concerned about you knowing that we were lovers."

"I hadn't told her that yet," said Daenerys. "However, she can be trusted. Is that the real reason you came?" Because that didn't sound like Aela.

"No, what I told you was true. You stood by me. Now I will stand by you. Also, because Farkas and Vilkas are following the lead of Kodlak. You're the only true wolf-sister I have left. She laughed. "Besides, I've hunted dragons twice and come up short. It's time to change that."

Daenerys nodded. This made more sense. "And if that was all, why even mention our one night?"

Aela made a huffing sound. "Because of this right here. I don't want this lingering between us, like the smell of last night's kill. The night we spent meant something, but Skjor was my mate, and I still mourn him. I'll see him again in the Hunting Grounds." She looked at Daenerys with a bit of hunger. "I wouldn't say no to another night if it could be kept quiet, but don't get attached."

"Kept quiet?" That was odd. Nords didn't think it was at all unusual to have lovers before marriage.

"You cast a big shadow, wolf-sister. I'm a Companion of Jorrvaskr, a hero. I don't want to get lost in your shadow and known only as your mistress. I want to be known for my deeds, not who I sleep with."

Daenerys nodded her understand. Honestly, it was a relief to have this settled. She had already suspected that it had been a one-time thing. "I understand. We're still sisters. Thank you for coming with me." She reached out her hand and clasped arms with Aela.

"Where else would I be than my sister's side?" Aela gripped her arm in return. "Wolves hunt in packs."

"You'll still lead my scouts?"

"I've already started. I talked to Fultheim." She released her clasp. "Now that we've spoken, I will go back to sneaking up on them to see just how alert they are."

Daenerys laughed as Aela hurried away into the woods. She turned back to Sofija. "Questions?"

"So, you prefer women?" asked Sofija.

"Gods, no. I prefer men. I like them dangerous and competent. It doesn't hurt if they have a little bit of political savvy, like Jarl Kraldar. I might have been interested in more with him until he manipulated me to improve his standing with Ulfric. He's still an ally, but he burned any chance he had with me. Aela just needed me after Skjor died. It wasn't my first time with a woman, but all-in-all I'm relieved she doesn't want to take things further."

Sofija frowned. "I don't see the attraction, but it's not my business."

"Your business is to learn. Ask questions. You're my second. This isn't a lesson, but maybe it should be. To be honest, I am relieved for many reasons. First, because our one night together was more to comfort Aela than because of any attraction. Secondly, I have to be careful about rumors. Less so here in Skyrim than in my homeland. Nords know that young people have sex, and they don't give a damn. They don't really care about women staying pure and virginal like they did back in Westeros. What matters to Nords is fidelity in marriage. Still, I have to be careful of my perception and commitments. There may come a time when I need to seal an alliance with marriage. It would be awkward if I were known to be committed to a lover."

"Alliance by marriage? I know that noble houses do that, but would you?"

Daenerys laughed. "I already did once. I married my second husband, Hizdahr zo Loraq, to soothe the nobles of Meereen. It helped some…" She sighed. "If I had the wisdom to marry Jon Snow maybe many things would have worked out differently. However, that is in the past."

"And if it comes to me to lead the Dragonguard? What alliances would be worth sealing in marriage?"

"I can think of two reasons. First, if it would gain the full support of either the Empire or the Stormcloaks for the Dragonguard. Not lending a few men. It would have to be a true commitment. Whatever troops the Dragonguard needs, we get. The second thing that I would marry for would be to see my compromise to peacefully end the Stormcloak Rebellion pushed through. A political marriage might be enough to swing one side or the other to the table."

"I see." She was silent for a while. "Should I break things off with Ull?"

"What?" She turned and looked Sofija in the eye. "Don't you dare. Seize your happiness while you can. It's not a burden you need to bear. I'm placing enough on your shoulders."

Sofija bowed her head. "Thank you."

.oOo.

Daenerys moved quietly as they approached Ilinalta's Deep. Despite the scouting reports it still felt like they were walking into a trap. Where a thriving town had once stood surrounding an Imperial fortress there was now nothing but a few abandoned huts and a keep so sunken that only the battlements peeked out above the lake. She knew the story of this place, having heard it from Gerdur even before she left Riverwood.

The town of Ilinalata had once been a major settlement, one of the most important in Falkreath Hold. It had been the central point for fishermen on Lake Ilinalta as well as a stop on the trade route through Brittleshin's pass. The way Gerdur told the story the fortress had been built too close to the lake and had always leaked. It had started sinking into the lake before construction had even completed. The Imperials who built it hadn't been too concerned as it sunk no more than the width of a thumb in a year. They merely installed pumps in the dungeons to bail out the water during the spring floods. As years turned to decades the slow subsidence remained more a nuisance than a danger.

That changed shortly before the Great War. A series of earthquakes struck the area. In a matter of months, the fortress sank beneath the waters of Lake Ilinalta along with much of the town. The whole event reminded Daenerys of the way that half of Winterhold had fallen beneath the waves. Although no one seemed to think that there had been anything mystical about the earthquakes. In fact, the only magic had been an attempt by Imperial mages to shore up the fortress which had somewhat worked. The main keep was still preserved despite being almost completely underwater, but their efforts had been ultimately futile. That was when people started calling it Ilinalta's Deep instead of Ilinalta's Keep. With the onset of the Great War, the fortress had been written off as a loss and abandoned. The half-sunken town of Ilinalta had lived on as a trading post and fishing village, but a little more than a year ago rumors of the old keep being haunted had started. While Daenerys couldn't be certain, she was willing to bet that was when Malyn Varen and his followers had decided to make Ilinalta's Deep their new home. In the months that followed villagers, boats, and trading caravans started disappearing.

It bothered Daenerys that few people seemed to care much about what was happening at Ilinalta's Deep. Gerdur had at least tried. She had sent messages to Jarl Balgruuf. He had refused to send troops into Falkreath Hold. While she couldn't blame Jarl Balgruuf for that when he was trying to stay neutral in the matter of the Stormcloak Rebellion, she felt that he should have at least stationed more men in Riverwood. She could and did blame Jarl Siddgeir. While the fallen fortress had little military value and the village no longer saw much trade, it was still part of his holdings and his responsibility. However, it fit an overall pattern she had seen in Tamriel. The Empire and Skyrim in particular were in decline. Maybe it took an outsider's eye to see it, but the signs were everywhere. Even before the dragon attacks trade had been faltering. People were abandoning the wild unsettled lands to huddle around the major cities and towns. Great fortresses that must have taken generations to construct lay in ruin and disrepair. Everywhere men were turning to banditry rather than honest work because there was little honest work to be found. The Great War had decimated a generation and the Empire was still recovering. It was no wonder that so many Nords flocked to Ulfric Stormcloak's banner. He offered a simple story. The Empire had turned its back on Talos and that's why everything was so bad. It was always much easier to blame someone else than to do the hard work of building.

What was more important now was that the village of Ilinalta simply didn't exist any longer. There were a few houses and huts, but no people, no animals, and no supplies left behind. According to her scouts, the village had been stripped clean of anything of value. There were no boats left behind either, so Daenerys hoped that most of the remaining inhabitants had fled. However, the alternative that Malyn Varen's coven had rounded them all up to be used as ritual sacrifices seemed equally likely. Although she had no proof that the coven was still here, just Nelacar's word from months ago. Her scouts had found no tracks or signs of anyone nearby. They hadn't even found any rune traps. It had rained two days ago. That could have washed away older tracks, but it didn't add up. Either the coven had moved away, or they were hiding in Ilinalta's Deep without even posting sentries. Regardless, they were able to occupy the roof of the sunken fortress without encountering any opposition.

"The roof is clear," reported Fultheim. "Your orders?"

Fultheim knew the plan as well as she did. They had gone over it often enough with input from both Vignar and Gaius Paulinus. However, he always allowed her to make the decisions.

"Assemble the assault team on the roof. I'll lead the attack. Gaius, set up and hold a perimeter."

Gaius Paulinus saluted and started barking orders to shift some of the rubble to form barricades.

Choosing the assault team had been difficult. They were assaulting a coven inside a fortress. Mages were devastatingly powerful on the offense, especially when they had the advantage of distance. However, most of them were specialized in magic and had little melee skills or armor. The key was to close the gap quickly and strike hard – things that werewolves did very well. Daenerys wanted Aela to come with them for that reason. Unfortunately, that meant limiting her strike team to those who had been with her at Dustman's Cairn when Farkas transformed. She didn't want to make the same mistake as Gallow's Rock and take too few men, but the reality of close-quarters fighting meant that bringing her entire army in wouldn't help much anyway. In the end she made added Salim Bashir, the Redguard she'd saved from the Whiterun dungeons and three men from the Dragonguard that Fultheim claimed were the most loyal.

Once everyone was gathered around the trap door, Aela and Lydia went in first hurrying down a ladder, then everyone else filed in as fast as possible. Daenerys was prepared for a fight instead they were all standing in an empty room. The room was certainly unusual. The keep had tilted as it sank so the angles were all off. The floor sloped downward, and the walls and ceiling all leaned. Water poured in from the lake cascading down the walls filling the room with a few inches of water that flowed down into the deeper parts of the keep. A skeleton on a cross greeted them. It was a macabre warning, but she had seen worse. Compared to the hundreds of children crucified on the road to Meereen this was nothing. It was also staged. Rats and skeevers would have torn apart someone who had really been left here to rot. In fact, as she looked closer she noticed that the skeleton had been wired together to keep it from falling apart.

"Is that it? Just a warning for intruders to keep out? Faralda, any magical traps or alarms?" She kept her voice low, but the running water acted to their benefit to cover any sounds they made.

Faralda walked around for a bit and felt the walls. "Nothing that I can tell. Some kind of Alteration magic was enchanted into the walls, and this place has a necromantic feel to it, but I can't detect any traps or alarms. Also, whatever was done here was patchwork and it's not holding together very well. The keep isn't going to sink into the lake today, but I certainly wouldn't live here."

"Thank you." So, the place was unsafe, wet, and smelled of mildew and dead fish. Had Malyn Varen and his coven assumed that would be enough to deter invaders? Certainly, it probably kept out visitors, but people had noticed the disappearances. Surely, they had some defenses set up or guards posted. She sent Aela, Ull, and Jenassa to scout ahead and waited. Not long later they returned.

"Another large empty room like this one," reported Alea. "After that some corridors and there are people beyond. We could have taken them, but there are probably more beyond them."

Daenerys nodded. "You three move up close to them. Don't attack yet. Let us get into position first."

She kept expecting something to happen, but they were able to sneak up close before one of the mages heard something. He walked in to investigate and died when Jenassa, Ull and Aela filled him full of arrows before he even got off a spell. The next few rooms proved to be similar. There were a few mages in residence just living there. They also had a few animated skeletons for defense. Both the mages and skeletons died quickly. They moved on and found what appeared to be a dining hall and a kitchen, along with some dormitories. Most of the time they were able to take the mages without them getting off a spell. The running and dripping water made enough noise to cover the noise they made invading.

The next few rooms proved the same and then they got lucky and captured a mage who was only severely injured instead of killed. Daenerys was unable to muster up enough sympathy for the mage to perform the Seeming for healing, but a healing potion saved his life.

"Dragonborn," interrupted Fultheim. "May I have a word with you?"

Daenerys nodded. Fultheim never contradicted her where anyone else could hear, but his discrete advice was usually worth hearing. "Walk with me." She led him back to the kitchen that they had already cleared. Sofija stepped inside and closed the door behind them.

"Lady Targaryen, were you about to question the captured mage yourself?"

"I was. You know as well as I do it could save us from walking into a trap." Why was he even questioning this? Fultheim was a Nord but he understood that war was dirty.

"Yes, he needs to be questioned, but you should not be the one to do it. The men will accept that it needs to be done, but you need to keep your hands clean of it."

"Like Jarl Korir kept his hands clean when he sent me to be repeatedly raped?" She liked and respected Fultheim, but she couldn't keep the frost out of reply.

"I've heard that story. I know what it means to you, but yes. That you handle your own executions is commendable. Your men respect you for that, especially with how you phrased it. However, torturing prisoners will not earn you respect, only fear. I'll do it. They're supposed to fear me. Let me do it, or don't do it at all."

Daenerys pondered that for a moment. She didn't like it. Her hands were already soaked in blood. She had no doubt the mage had participating in sacrificing innocent villagers. She didn't like the pretense of letting Fultheim do the dirty work when the decision was hers to make. However, the more she thought of it, the more she realized the sense of what Fultheim was suggesting. "You're right. It shouldn't be me. I can't let him live with what he's done, but if he talks give him an easy death. Since I can't be there, ask Faralda to join you."

Fultheim nodded. "I'll do that." He walked on out.

Daenerys looked to Sofija. "You understand what happened just now and why?"

"Yeah," replied Sofija. "I get it. It's not just about being a badass. People look up to us. It's like you said. We're symbols and stuff, right?"

Daenerys gave her a nod of approval while overlooking her 'and stuff' comment. While Sofija didn't have an intuitive grasp of politics, Daenerys rarely had to repeat lessons. Unfortunately, Sofija lacked eloquence. Daenerys found it ironic that despite being an outlander she spoke like a member of the upper class. Probably because she had modeled her way of speaking off Faralda and Brelyna. Sofija's tongue betrayed her peasant upbringing. Daenerys had tried correcting it, but when she pointed it out Sofija became flustered and her speech became even more common. So instead of pointing it out, she just rephrased and repeated.

"Yes, Sofija, it's about being a symbol. A symbol of honor and hope. It's better to just be honorable and do the right thing, but it isn't always simple. For instance, Fultheim is torturing a man. He may find out that this coven has been foolish and are as easy to kill as they have been so far. So, this might be for nothing, but they may also have traps. We need to know."

Sofija shrugged. "I think this is easier for me than you. I don't have any problem with torturing necromancers. A clean death is too good for them. I get why we should keep our hands clean, but I'd gladly torture them all if it saved one life."

"Good," she gave Sofija another nod of approval even though she had misgivings about how bloodthirsty Sofija could be. As her bodyguard it was appropriate, but not as a leader. Although she couldn't condemn Sofija with all the blood that was on her own hands. The necromancers certainly deserved it more than the people of King's Landing. "I understand how you feel Sofija, but there is a difference between justice and vengeance. We'll talk more about that some other time. Come on, let's rejoin everyone else before Lydia gets worried."

They had to wait a little while, but Fultheim eventually walked out and reported to her. "It's done. The coven started with more people, but there are only about a dozen of them left. They started by sacrificing villagers and fishermen, but have now moved on to sacrificing failed apprentices. Malyn Varen, this leader they all followed, he killed himself and put his soul into Azura's Star. He thinks he'll be immortal that way. The rest are feeding him souls to stabilize it. They all want to join him. If we hadn't shown up, they might have all sacrificed each other in a few weeks."

Faralda nodded her agreement. "I know madness is Shegorath's demesne, but people who cross Azura have a habit of destroying themselves. This fits that pattern."

"How many did they kill?"

Fultheim scowled. "Every man woman and child who still lived in the village. They sacrificed the children first, then the women, and the men last. He guessed around fifty."

Daenerys clenched her hands into fists but stayed calm. She hadn't expected the number to be so high. She should have come here sooner, but Fultheim was merely the messenger. "What about their defenses? Any traps or ambushes that we need to worry about? And did they know anything about the Glenmoril witches?"

"Not much in the way of defenses," replied Fultheim. "There is a room up ahead where the center is sunken, and they have a drawbridge over the deep water. It will be hard to attack across the central pool if the bridge is up, but that's about it. The way he described it, the room is big enough we can spread out and have our archers clear the other side. Then someone can swim across. So, not a big problem. As for the witches, he claimed the Forsworn might know something. Apparently both the Glenmoril Witches and the Forsworn worship the 'old gods'. I would normally say something about daedra worshipers, but considering we're helping Azura…" He sighed. "However, compared to these death cultists, Azura is tame."

Faralda nodded her head in agreement. "The practice of Necromancy draws those chasing the mirage of immortality. They give all mages a bad name. Let's kill them and be done with it."

Daenerys nodded. "I can agree to that." She raised her voice. "Everyone, get ready. We're finishing them off."

The rest of Ilinalta's Deep proved to be just as easy as what they had already explored. The mages were spread out in various rooms in twos and threes with a few skeletons backing them up. The one room that might have been difficult with the drawbridge wasn't a problem. She got all her archers, herself, and Faralda into the room before anyone noticed. The mage who spotted them managed to get off one ice spear that hurt Ull, but she healed him as soon as the fight was over.

Before long they reached the final room where the decaying corpse of Malyn Varen rested on a throne with Azura's Star in his lap. The room was scattered with bones and decaying corpses. This was his idea of immortality? Trapping himself inside a daedric artifact? Maybe there was a lesson here, but all she saw was madness.