Panic settled in as Jane struggled against her captor. She tried to get her arms free so she could grab her dagger but the soldier was stronger. Another man waited nearby and he wore a full set of Stormcloak armor. Anger rippled through her as Jane realized that this was probably pre-meditated and she knew exactly who it had come from.

She had no choice but to bite. Jane shifted her head back and when one gloved finger slid down far enough, she quickly clamped her teeth down as hard as she could. The man yelped in surprise and quickly snapped his hand back, giving Jane enough of a distraction. She pulled away, her arms still bent behind her back and a small burst of flames erupted from her hands. The second soldier rushed towards her as Jane tumbled to the forest floor and she quickly rolled away from the first guy but the other was faster.

In an instant he was on top of her and Jane glanced down, realizing her dagger wasn't on her body. Her stomach dropped when she noticed it had fallen and was several feet away from her, out of reach.

"He said this would be easy!" The soldier Jane had burned hissed as he patted his scorched armor.

"I guess he... was wrong," the second soldier grunted as he struggled to keep a hold of Jane.

"Guess so!" Jane snarled and she quickly whipped her arms back above her head.

Her chest felt like it was going to burst as the weight of the soldier on top of her was crushingly painful. She powered a spell between her hands and just as the soldier reached out to try and grab her wrists there was a burst of purple smoke.

Jane quickly brought the conjured sword forward and punched it through the soldier's chest. She grimaced as blood burst out from him, coating her in the warm red liquid, and his body fell forward. She groaned and pushed his body away, struggling to get up. Suddenly the first soldier grasped a handful of her hair and he began to drag her across the ground.

"You fucking bitch!"

Jane blindly swung her sword and she felt a small glimmer of triumph as it connected with the soldier's shin. He screamed as blood began to pour from the deep gash on his leg and he quickly let go of Jane's hair and stumbled down onto one knee.

She quickly scrambled to her feet, chest heaving. Her entire body shook with adrenaline. Jane's scalp burned where her hair been pulled and her chest still felt weird. She felt bad that she had ruined Bo's tunic but at the moment she was focused on the injured Stormcloak soldier kneeling before her.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Jane growled angrily, and she pointed her bound sword at his chest. "Attacking me like that?"

The man, a young Nord who barely looked like he was a grown adult, let alone a Stormcloak soldier, looked up at Jane with fear in his eyes.

"I-I was just following orders," the man responded quickly.

"Who?" Jane persisted, and she pointed the sword closer. "Tell me!"

"Ulfric!"

Back at the camp, Nara had woken up not long after Jane and she too stepped out from the tent to go relieve herself.

She could have sworn she heard a disturbance near the horses. Nara tensed, unsure of what she heard. She decided to check in on everybody just to make sure. Nara quietly pulled the flap to Lynne and Naz's tent. When her eyes landed on their sleeping forms she quickly pulled back and headed to the other tent. She pulled the flap back and when she looked inside she only found Bo.

Something didn't feel right.

"Bo?" Nara called out.

After a long moment, Bo grunted and his eyes shot open. He hastily pulled the blanket up his torso although there was nothing exposed. His cheeks darkened as he glanced around the tent, his eyes searching for Jane. He looked up at Nara with a confused expression.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well I'm not sure but I could have sworn I heard something near the horses just now."

"What?" Bo blurted back, and he tensed. "Where is Jane?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen her this morning."

Suddenly there was a distant shout. Nara's heart nearly leaped out of her chest and she quickly stepped back as Bo scrambled up from the bedroll, completely naked. He struggled to get his pants on, his heart racing as he thought about Jane in trouble. He didn't bother with a shirt and instead snatched up his sword and ducked out from the tent.

A moment later the rest stumbled out from their tents as well.

"Who was that?" Naz growled, and his red eyes glanced around.

"No idea but Jane's not here," Bo responded quickly.

He began to run towards the direction he thought the voice had come from. He could see a disturbance in the leaves and other debris on the forest floor and he ran faster; his heart racing. The others trailed close behind, their weapons and spells ready.

Bo rounded a tree and stopped dead in his tracks as he spotted Jane. She stood before a Stormcloak soldier pointing her conjured sword at his chest. Her tiny frame was dwarfed by his large tunic and it was completely covered in blood along with her face and hair. His eyes flickered over to the body of another soldier laying on his side on the ground with a fatal wound in his chest.

"Jane?"

Jane glanced up from the soldier and took a step back. She dropped her sword and it disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Tears welled up in her eyes and she quickly ran towards Bo.

She threw her arms around his neck and he held her close to him with a sigh of relief. Behind them, Naz and Ahmon had moved closer to the soldier and they aimed their swords at him with angry expressions.

"What happened, Jane?"

"I left our tent to go pee and this Stormcloak grabbed me."

Jane pulled away from Bo and he reached up to cup her bloody cheek, his brows furrowed together.

"Are you hurt?"

He watched as Jane quickly shook her head.

"No... I killed his partner but..."

Bo looked over at the second soldier. He now sat on the ground and it was then he noticed the man was bleeding from a wound on his leg. He growled and swiftly strode over to him.

"Bo, I already interrogated him," Jane called out after him.

"Who sent him?"

"Ulfric."

Bo swore loudly in Orcish and he pulled his sword out from its sheath. Jane's eyes widened and she stepped forward. She hadn't been able to kill the soldier herself, and for a good reason.

"Bo... listen to me," Jane started, and she grabbed his arm.

"Lynne," Bo called out. "Please take Jane back to camp."

"Don't you dare, Lynne!"

Lynne glanced between the pair with a troubled expression but she did not move.

"Bo listen to me," Jane insisted firmly. "Look at him. He's barely a man."

"Don't try and sway me, Jane. This man tried to kidnap you. He tried to take you from me."

"I know," Jane replied quickly. "But killing him won't solve anything. I already killed his partner because it was necessary. This isn't necessary."

Everybody was tense. The soldier glanced between Jane and Bo with widened eyes, but he remained silent.

"He's right," Lynne chimed in. "Bo, killing him won't solve anything."

"Then what will!" Bo snarled angrily, and he spun around. "What if this is only the beginning?"

"I know what we could do," Nara offered quietly.

She stepped closer towards the group, her eyes glued on the soldier.

"Patch up his leg and send him back to Ulfric with a warning."

Jane knew that Nara had no fondness for the Kingslayer, and she nodded in approval.

"That's a better idea. Bo?"

Bo sighed, and then he slid his sword back into its sheath in defeat. He complied but he was far from happy.

He stalked back towards camp and the men followed him. Lynne quickly strode over to the Nord. He tensed when she knelt down beside him and touched his leg. She cast a healing spell and handed him a potion.

"You were just following orders, correct?"

"Yes," the man replied stiffly.

"Well this is your new order," Lynne continued sternly. "You will return to Ulfric Stormcloak and deliver him a message."

Lynne stood up, and she nodded at Jane, who sucked in a deep breath.

"Tell Ulfric that if he ever tries to lay a hand on me again, either directly or indirectly then he'll have to answer to me and the Dragonborn."

"Dragonborn?" The man echoed.

"Yes. That Orc that just spared your life? He's the Dragonborn. Head back to Ulfric and tell him exactly what happened. Can you do that?"

"Yes... I will do that."

"You're young," Nara said with a frown. "Why have you devoted your life to a pointless cause?"

"I... I don't know," the Nord replied quietly. "My family wanted me to join."

"Well," Jane replied, "maybe you should reconsider."

She held out her hand. The man looked at it for a second and then he grasped her hand and Jane helped him up. His sword remained in its sheath and he didn't attempt to try and pull a fast one. Jane had seen the terror in his eyes and she knew that they had made the right decision.

"Go on. And if you even think about retaliating you'll regret it."

"I wouldn't dare."

They watched as the young soldier turned around and walked over to where his fallen partner laid. He knelt down for a moment and recovered a couple of personal items. When he was finished he stood back up and looked at the women one last time before he began making his way back to the Stormcloak camp where his horse would be waiting. He'd follow through on their request, and their advice stuck with him long after they were gone.

When the soldier was out of sight Jane sighed and glanced down at her body.

"Yuck, why do I always get covered in blood?"

"At least it is not your own," Lynne replied softly. "You gave us quite the scare."

"It wasn't my fault!" Jane pouted. "I just needed to pee."

They couldn't help but laugh, and the mood lightened considerably. Unfortunately, it wasn't the same mood for Bo. He silently paced around the fire as he waited for her to return and Jane could tell he was furious without even asking.

"What took you so long?" He demanded.

"Bo, why in the world are you so angry?"

"Because I wanted to run that Nord through with my sword. He deserved it."

"Hey," Lynne cut in, frowning. "Let's just calm down."

"Calm down," Bo scoffed, and he threw his hands up. "Am I the only one taking this seriously? Ulfric just tried to kidnap Jane!"

"Of course not," Ahmon responded. "Bo... we're all in this-"

"Jane could have been taken from us! She could have been killed!"

"But I wasn't!" Jane shouted back, and she clenched her hands into fists. "I defended myself, all on my own! Why must you think so little of me when it comes to fighting?"

"I don't think little of you-"

"You're not the only one suffering, Bo-"

"I know!" Bo roared.

Jane flinched as he yelled at her. The tension was almost unbearable as everybody stood close by, unsure of what to do or say. Jane wanted to remain angry but she couldn't handle it. Between almost getting kidnapped earlier and fighting with Bo it was too much. Hot tears slipped down her bloodied cheeks and she began to cry. Bo's eyes widened as he realized what he had done and he reached out for her but it was too late.

Jane lurched out of reach and disappeared inside Lynne and Naz's tent. The healer sighed, and she pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment. Then she glared over at Bo.

"Why must you act like this?" She whispered angrily. "We're all trying to help you."

Before Bo could respond she swiftly turned around and ducked inside the tent. Nara followed a second later and Bo was left with Ahmon and Naz. The two exchanged a silent glance with each other and then Ahmon stepped forward.

"Bo-"

"Don't Bo me!" Bo snarled. "I know I fucked up."

They watched as the Orc strode away from the camp. Ahmon made to follow him but Naz quickly stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Let him go," Naz grumbled. "Talking to him right now will get nowhere."

Inside the tent, Jane had collapsed onto the bedroll and she covered her face with both hands as she sobbed. Lynne and Nara sat down beside her and Lynne rubbed Jane's back, wishing there was more she could do to comfort her.

"I-I just don't get it!" Jane stuttered angrily, and she choked on her own sobs. "W-Why is it al... always me!"

"I'm not sure sweetie," Lynne murmured softly. "You're closest to him. Perhaps that's why."

Nara rubbed Jane's arm, her brows furrowed together. It saddened her to see Jane cry.

"I-It's like I don't even recognize him anymore. This Drag-Dragonborn shit is tearing h-him apart."

Jane sucked in a shaky breath and then she grimaced and quickly pulled the soiled tunic off of her body and tossed it across the tent. Lynne stood up from the bedroll and began searching for a waterskin while Nara remained seated beside Jane.

"This is temporary," Nara offered hesitantly, not wishing to upset her further. "Bo probably doesn't recognize himself either, now but once all of this is over, he'll be himself again."

"W-What if he's... not?"

Jane peered up at Nara with bloodshot eyes. Her expression made Nara's heart ache and she was at a loss for words.

"I... I'm sure he will be," she replied lamely. "Stress can make people act badly but you know Bo loves you, right?"

"I don't know," Jane replied glumly.

" Jane! " Lynne barked. "I know you don't mean that."

"No..." Jane sighed, and she looked up at Lynne with a meek expression. "I don't mean it. I know he loves me."

Lynne began wiping at Jane's face with a wet cloth. They were still a two day's ride from Rorikstead and so the birdbath would have to do. Jane sniffled quietly but did not say anything more as Lynne cleaned the blood from her body. When she was finished she helped Jane change into a clean set of clothes and they returned to her tent. Lynne assisted with putting Jane's armor on and then the women finished packing up their belongings and began dismantling the tents with Naz and Ahmon.

When they were ready, Jane sat on Bo's horse with her head bowed. She had considered riding with somebody else to give him space but quickly decided against it.

He needs to get over his need to protect me from every little thing. It's getting in the way of what's really important.

They patiently waited for Naz to return with Bo. Jane continued to stare glumly at the horse while the others exchanged silent glances and sighed quietly. Then the two Orcs returned and Bo quickly strapped the satchels to their saddle before getting up behind Jane. He reached around her and grasped the reins, his arms hovering above her thighs as the horses began to trot towards the main road. Jane noticed the way he didn't touch her but she remained silent, and she stared out at the road with a sullen expression.

Eventually, Bo's arms started to tremble as they hovered above Jane's thighs. She almost laughed at how stubborn he was being, and was impressed by his commitment, although it was childish. After a while he admitted defeat and he lightly rested his forearms down and let out a sigh.

The party traveled until noon without stopping. Nobody said a word and the tension still lingered. Jane wanted to talk to Bo, to work through things, but she knew it wasn't the right time. Around midday, they navigated their horses off the road so they could rest and eat. Bo got down from their horse and Jane followed suit.

Bo was ashamed by his behavior but he knew there was nothing he could do to take it back. He wanted to apologize to Jane but she barely glanced his way so he remained silent. He knew he had messed everything up, but at the time he couldn't control himself. The stress was getting to him and Bo knew it had only been a matter of time before he blew up. He had half a mind to make a detour to Windhelm and deal with Ulfric once and for all but he knew that would only land him in jail or worse. Then nobody there would be nobody to protect his family and Skyrim from Alduin and his army of reanimated Dragons. That thought alone kept him in check, although it had been very hard.

When they were finished eating and the horses were watered the group began to ride again. It was a mild day in the Whiterun hold and they now traveled across wide open fields dotted with grey boulders and scraggly trees. The closer they grew to Rorikstead the more Jane looked forward to a hot bath and warm meal.

As the sun started to dip behind the mountains, they took refuge behind a huge cluster of rocks for the night. Ahmon started building a firepit while Naz and Bo put up the tents. Lynne and Nara tended to the horses leaving Jane with nothing to do, so she wandered away from the group and climbed up the boulders until she reached the top. She had a good view of the land from up there and for a while, she simply gazed out at the rolling plains, deep in thought.

Bo had noticed Jane disappear up the rocks but he waited until he was finished setting up the tents before he went after her. When he reached the top, it was slightly windy but the cool air felt good against his warm skin. He shuffled closer and Jane glanced over at him, tensing for a moment before she relaxed and turned back around. The sky was alight in hues of beautiful shades of pink and purple and it took Jane's breath away. Her eyes roamed across the sky, searching for any sign of a Dragon, but there was none.

The Orc took a seat just beside Jane, leaving a small gap between them. He stared down at the landscape for a while, and then he nervously rubbed his neck, unsure of how to even start. He sucked in a deep breath.

"Jane..."

Jane turned her head towards him and the wind played with strands of her brown hair. She reached up and tucked some of it behind her round ear but it was futile and a moment later it began to dance across her face again.

"Yes?"

"I'm... I'm sorry for how I behaved."

Jane rubbed her thighs with both hands and looked back up at the sky while she stretched her legs out. She was silent for a long time and for a moment Bo thought she was still upset with him.

"I accept your apology," Jane replied finally, and she glanced over at him. "I really don't like fighting with you, Bo."

"I am... s-struggling to control my emotions," Bo continued thickly, and he stared down at his lap. "I don't know why it's so hard. I feel like I don't know myself anymore."

"Bo..."

Jane slid her body towards the Orc, closing the gap between them. She reached up and wrapped her arm around his broad shoulders. Bo's brows furrowed together and he was silent as Jane affectionately rubbed his arm.

"You're not made of stone," Jane murmured softly, and she squeezed his shoulder. "Anybody in your position would be feeling the same way."

"How do you know?" Bo replied glumly. "I'm sure there's somebody more capable than me out-"

"Don't say that," Jane cut in firmly, and she tipped his chin towards her, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Bo..."

"Jane," Bo croaked, his voice breaking.

Bo lurched forward, wrapping his arms around her waist. He buried his face into the crook of her neck and clutched her tightly, his body trembling. Jane planted a kiss on his shoulder and rubbed his back. They sat upon the rocks for a long time, not saying a word. Jane never failed to amaze Bo with her soothing touch and how much comfort it brought him continued to take him by surprise.

Eventually, it grew too dark and so Bo pulled back and they embraced for a moment. Jane kissed him softly, her lips like velvet. Then Bo took Jane's hand and together they climbed back down the rocks and joined the others around the fire. Lynne shot Jane a smile which was weakly returned. Jane knew that Bo was still feeling troubled and would continue to struggle within himself during this journey. She thought about her conversation with Arngeir some months back and she once again glanced up at the sky.

I don't even know if my suspicions are true but he'll be even more upset once he finds out what I've been looking into behind his back, Jane thought with a small sigh as she sat beside Bo with their hands clasped firmly together.

But if it relieves the burden on him even a little bit, I won't regret it. Bo doesn't have to endure this alone.