If James had to point out the precise moment when events turned out of favor for him, the human would have to say it was during his interactions with an irritating devil that was refusing to answer his questions. He could distinctly remember a high-pitched screech, like that of a mountain lion in breeding season, before a rift tore open beneath his feet and he was free-falling into nothingness. He tried to control his momentum, but with no way to distinguish up from down and his mind too stunned from the suddenness of what happened to focus on casting spells, James could only hope that whatever happened to stop his descent was soft enough to prevent too many broken bones.
He doesn't remember when he had fallen unconscious, only the agonized pain of his collarbone shattering as he hit through trees and bounced off stone before rolling down a small hill and into cold water. The shock drove him to consciousness, and he managed a quick gasp of air before the currents pulled him below the surface and down the river. A sharp blow off of a rotten log that hung in the waters had him seeing galaxies, but he managed to stay awake.
'Shitshitshitshitshit! Badbadbadbad!' With a burst of adrenaline, James kicked in the water and fought towards shore, his limbs aching with the effort and his broken bones grinding. He could see the flashes of black spots beginning to swim in his vision. 'I WILL NOT DROWN DAMMNIT!' Hands grasped at water before finally hitting upon the rocky banks of the river. Scrambling at stone, he managed to dig his fingers in wet earth and clawed his way from the water.
James gasped for air as he forced his body to move further onto land before his shaking limbs gave out and he collapsed, biting into his tongue and tasting blood when he jarred his shattered collar. The flashing spots began to dance in his vision worse than before and he took a slow, deep breath to help steady his mind before muttering under his breath.
Trying to call on the magic within himself was like reaching into thick, cold honey. He focused as best he could and shoved harder until the familiar sense of power began permeating his body. With a final word hissed through clenched teeth, James felt the warmth spread through him and a sigh of relieved exhaustion passed his lips when broken bones became whole once more. He stayed where he was until his body no longer shook before slowly, oh so slowly, pulling himself further from the wild river and onto dryer soil. It wasn't until he was resting with his back against the base of a large tree that he was able to assess his situation.
Flickering eyes of cobalt and teal turned to glimmering topaz as he forced his mind firmly into the 'here-and-now'. 'Soaked to the bone? Check. No longer injured? Check.' He took in the surrounding woods and water. '…no fucking idea where I am?' James groaned and let his head fall back against the tree. "Check…" '…let's see…was trying to pry words from an irritation…weird noise…fell through a rift that was probably not from a spell…' "…and now I'm lost in the woods after almost drowning…"
James smiled grimly to himself as his voice echoed faintly for a short time before fading. He had to admit that this was shaping up to be a day he didn't much like. With a soft exhale, he let his eyes fall shut as he reached towards his power once more. It was odd that it felt so heavy, but he chalked it up to the stress from the recent ordeal and began muttering. As the last words fell from his lips, and nothing happened, his brow furrowed before he tried again. Flickering eyes snapped open and he shot up, spine rigid and body tense as he cast a spell similar to the previous two. When the scenery surrounding him stayed the same, he cussed with a growl and shut his eyes.
Silence filled the area around him for a few moments before the human snarled and hit the ground with his fist. His eyes flashed between teal and topaz until, with a forlorn sigh, they returned to their typical flickering of cobalt and teal. James fell back against the tree. "Great…if those don't work then I'm nowhere near the mortal plane…but,' his brow furrowed, 'trying to gate failed too so…what the fuck is going on?"
Hours passed as he tried to figure the current situation out, but as the sun began to dip low to the trees and the cold of autumn seeped into his, still, soaked clothes, James finally gave up and instead began to gather what he could to start a campfire. It took some time and, by the end of it, he was shaking from the cold. He grit his teeth to keep them from chattering and built the fire as quickly as he could, dropping twigs and branches as his hands grew numb. As the flames began to slowly come alive, licking at the fuel and growing in strength until he could feel the heat, the trials of the day finally caught up to him. Eyes heavy with exhaustion, he scraped together a nest of pine needles and dirt before allowing his weary body to finally give into its cry for sleep.
James didn't hear the many soft footfalls creeping closer.
Ralof shifted his position and stifled a yawn that threatened to escape, the rock he had chosen as his seat a mild discomfort that was slowly making him regret volunteering for watch duty. The stars shone brightly against the backdrop of the clear night and he only hoped that the distant clouds that had been seen earlier in the afternoon remained that way. They had been travelling for nearly two weeks now, sticking to the woods and off the main roads, only building fires when absolutely needed, and doing everything that could be done to stay under the Thalmor's radar.
Shuffling nearby had the nord tensing before realizing that the one approaching was only a fellow Stormcloak, a youth barely into his nineteenth winter whose name escaped him at the moment. The boy gave him a tired grin and motioned Ralof back towards the heart of camp, a silent message that they were changing the watch. The elder man nodded, gave a weary quirk of his lips, and stood from his post to catch some sleep. It was just as he was crouching down to slink into his bedroll that everything went to hell.
The Thalmor easily outnumbered them, and Ralof knew that the chances of surviving were zero, but he fought relentlessly; cutting down enemies that were within reach with a grim look on his face before rushing into the next fray. It seemed to last for only a short time before a strong voice echoed through the clearing, calling for a halt from the Stormcloaks. Ralof dodged back from his opponent's sword and cast a glance towards his Jarl before retreating to his side, dropping his weapon on the ground once he was there. The echoes of similar actions resounded throughout the clearing as his comrades followed the order.
The nord cast another glance at his Jarl's stony demeaner, then turned his attention to the overwhelming number of elves that had them surrounded. A part of him wanted to continue fighting, wanted to die swinging, but it was a small part that was easily ignored in favor of knowing that Ulfric Stormcloak was doing what was best. If they lived long enough to be captured, then they could live long enough to escape.
With swift efficiency, the Thalmor had them bound, rounded up, and marched towards the main road where a small caravan awaited their arrival. Ralof could make out a few forms already in the back of one of the wagons; a dark-haired man who was likely around his own age that shifted nervously as they were loaded up, and another man unconscious with blood sluggishly dripping from a head wound. His focus turned back towards his fellow Stormcloaks, and the nord frowned when one of the women staggered beneath the blow of an elf's fist. A sharp order from a familiar voice cut through the clearing as the elf was reprimanded by a man in Imperial armor. The elf sneered but backed down and the woman was loaded into the neighboring cart by a different soldier.
Ralof and his Jarl were, themselves, prodded onto the cart with the two men he had previously taken note of. At a closer glance, the nervous man was likely arrested for reasons that didn't pertain to being on the 'blue' side of the war. He was too jittery for a seasoned soldier, and he lacked the scars in general that typically came with sword training. 'Likely a thief then, or he pissed off an elf.' Ralof shook his head and sat at the front of the cart while his Jarl was made to sit towards the back on the opposite bench. The elves had taken precautions and gagged the other nord's mouth so he couldn't use the Thu'um. Ralof shot a glare at a passing elf before he braced as the cart lurched forward.
The unconscious man across from him shifted and Ralof shot forward to keep him in place before he could fall to the floor of the cart. Once the ride smoothed out a little more, he did his best to adjust the individual so that he wouldn't slip again before settling back for a long ride to wherever the Thalmor were taking them. 'Probably the capital to parade us before the empire like it's a damn party.' With a sigh, he leaned further into his seat and let his eyes fall shut. 'May as well catch sleep while I can.'
There was iron ore in his gut as Ulfric watched everything with eyes of frost. He couldn't name why, but there was a creeping feeling that the situation was graver than it appeared. When he had called out the order to lay down arms and cease fighting, it had been with the assumption that he and his men would be taken to the capital to be mocked before their enemies, and there was no need to die if there was a chance of escaping to continue the fight.
However, as he studied the world passing by, he slowly crossed those thoughts from his mind and clenched his jaw, almost glad for the binding that covered his expression. If the enemy wasn't taking them to the capital, then it stood to reason that his men would have been better off if he hadn't given the order to stand down.
It was better to die in battle rather than slaughtered like sheep after all.
He had been up for a few hours, letting the scenery pass his vision without really seeing it, before a low groan caught the attention of the prisoners in the cart. Ralof focused his attention on the man in front of him as the stranger began to stir. The one at his side was the first to speak, an edge of desperation to his voice, but the nord didn't hear what was said as his breath caught, and his heart stuttered oddly. Eyes that held gems fluttered open and for a moment Ralof was drowning in the colors seen.
He could hear himself speaking, first to the stranger in front of him and then to the thief at his side, but for the life of him he couldn't tell what was said. 'Like warm seas…' The cart lurched rather abruptly, and his mind turned from the strange thoughts to take in the surrounding area. His heart stuttered in an entirely different manner when he realized that the carts had not been driving towards the capital. 'Helgen.' Ralof grimaced. 'So, we go to die then…'
James really wished that whoever was talking would just shut their mouth and let him focus on remembering which way was up, and maybe why his head hurt as bad as it did. 'I was asleep…there was a noise?' He winced when the cart hit a rough patch of road and his vision swam before righting again. The blonde ran through his memories but came up with little past hearing the noise beyond a sharp crack to his skull and the world going dark. 'Probably hit with a blunt object then.' Giving up on his attempt to remember more, James instead tried to focus on what was going on around him, but when that failed, he simply took stock of himself instead. 'Alright…wrists are bound but not my ankles, and my mouth hasn't been gagged either so…prisoner then? But not considered a threat.'
He almost chuckled derisively at that thought but kept it in. 'Not like I gave them a reason to I guess.' The pain in his skull was beginning to fade, and he could think a little clearer as he once more turned his attention to the world around him. There were four others nearby, three in the back of the cart with him and one at the front guiding the horse. 'So not the only prisoner then.' He quickly took stock of the situation, realized that there wasn't much he could do unless he wanted to cause a seriously awkward situation for himself, and settled in to wait.
When the prisoner across from him began to speak again, his cranium was no longer trying to play percussion as loudly as before, and he could focus better on the words. The confusion of his situation grew at the mention of Helgen. 'Helgen? What the hell is a Helgen?' He replayed the words through his mind again and realized that it was, apparently, the name of the town the carts were entering. The knowledge did nothing to ease his confusion.
James prided himself on his knowledge, especially of the more local and geographical variety, and 'Helgen' was not a place he was familiar with. 'Well shit…' He carefully tested the bonds on his wrists but found them to be decently tied. 'Double shit.' He could pick out the sounds of words being said from both the prisoners across from him and the people of the village, but he ignored it in favor of pulling his power closer to the surface. It was a little easier than the previous times, though the feeling of thick honey wasn't quite gone yet, and James let out a (small) happy sigh as its warmth helped to ease his aches a little more. It wasn't until the wagon jerked to a stop and the phrase 'End of the line' came from the man across from him that he fully focused on what was going on around him.
He saw the guards, the executioner, and the chopping block. 'What the…' "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!" Those around him jumped, and the dark-haired prisoner sharing the cart fell off and hit the ground, but James ignored it to glare at the guard walking past that had guided the cart. Without a second thought he had moved to the other bench, reached over the edge, and grabbed the man by the front of his uniform too fast for his movements to be stopped. The blond lifted the startled guard up to eye level and snarled in his face. "What, precisely, have I done to warrant a FUCKING execution?!" "Stand down prisoner or you will be fired upon!"
The woman's voice grated on his ears and he turned his glare on her, taking in the raised arm that was ready to give the readied archers their orders. He weighed his options before letting out a low growl and dropping the guard. The man scrambled to his feet and hurried away from the cart, shaken and face pale. "Don't much see a difference here!" He jumped down from the cart and slowly stalked towards the woman as his eyes slowly sharpened to topaz. "Shot or chopped, what does it matter?" James stopped in front of her, eyes mere slits as he towered over her smaller frame.
The two stared each other down and a part of him was slightly impressed as few in his life could match him glare for glare. He shot a swift glance around and took notice of one of the audience members. If he had to take a wild guess, then she was likely a priest. The blond chuckled darkly as he realized the purpose of the warning. 'So that's how it goes then…don't want the guilt of letting a soul pass on without final rights.' His eyes returned to her and darkened. "Death is death and there's no way to make it less than that. Dress it up, say some prayers for the departed, make it a show even…,' his voice dropped to a hollowed whisper that had her taking an unconscious step back, 'it is still death, soldier…"
He watched as her hand dropped to her hilt and gripped it tightly, ready to draw against him. His eyes shifted to teal before a charming grin crossed his lips, his voice turned cheerful, and he spun on his heels to head back towards the other prisoners. "But don't take me at my word if you wish." There was an edge of steel towards the end of his words, but the grin never slipped from his features.
The grounds were dominated by silence before the captain cleared her throat and slowly informed the man on her left to begin calling names, her voice growing in confidence when there were no further interruptions. His name was skipped, but that was to be expected as he knew that it wasn't on the list, and when the man calling forward prisoners made a motion to mention it his superior officer ripped the board from his hands and threw it on the ground with a fierce scowl.
James never let his grin slip, but he could feel the hot ball of rage blazing within his chest at the cowardice of it all. The horse thief had been shot dead when he had attempted to run, the one called Ulfric Stormcloak wasn't allowed to utter a word for himself in his final moments, and the anger that had flashed across Ralof's eyes had held the look of one who was dying simply for the benefit of cowards. It was that look that turned the ball in a fiery inferno. It reminded him of times best forgotten, and he cursed ever landing on this gods-forsaken…wherever he was.
When the woman dressed as a priest stepped forth at the command of the soldier-woman from before, James closed his eyes; and when one of the prisoners spoke brashly and stepped up to the headsman's block of his own volition, James flinched before the axe had even swung. His eyes opened to watch the skies as the head rolled, and weariness placed an edge on his grin at the roar of a creature so similar yet so different from what he knew.
Murmurs and worried whispers began to rise from those in attendance, but James could clearly hear the soldier as she called for the 'impudent bastard' to step forward. His grin widened at the person to his right, Ralof. "That's my que." The other man blinked, dumbfounded from all appearances, and James couldn't help but focus fully in the present moment, knowing that his eyes would shift to what they had once been so long ago. Blue eyes widened in surprise, whether it was from the color change or the teasing wink that was sent his way, James didn't know, but he felt his cheerful mask turn a little more genuine as he sauntered towards the headsman's block.
A rough kick to the back of his knee forced him to the ground, and the slam of a boot against his back shoved him forward hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs. James closed his eyes and listened as the events he had already seen within his mind played out with hellish accuracy. The roar of the dragon, the screams of the people, the smell of burning wood and flesh, all of it was as it was meant to be. James wanted to feel sorrow for the innocents of Helgen, those who simply were present because it was their home, but there wasn't time now.
As soon as the roaring heat from the creature's words struck, he was already rolling off of the headsman's block and stumbling to his feet. There wasn't even a chance for Ralof to speak before James was throwing his bound hands over the other blond's head, past the shoulders, arms settling around the waist, and hauling him up as he sprinted towards the open door where safety lay; however temporary it was. A passing thought through his mind noted that the blue-clad male made a cute squeaky noise when caught off-guard.
Once passed the threshold of the doorway, it was slammed shut by the one called 'Ulfric' and James skidded to a halt. He set his cargo on their feet and, with a quick flex of his wrists, snapped the bonds that would make getting out of Helgen a little difficult. He spun on his heel and flashed a crooked grin at Ralof's stunned face, said 'that was fun,' and turned towards Ulfric. Flickering eyes met green and for a moment James felt the world drop from beneath his feet.
Seeing one of his men being carried like a sack of potatoes by a stranger who was distinctly not one of his own was moderately disconcerting for the Jarl of Windhelm but could be excused as one being helpful if not for the fact that Ralof was not visibly injured. Ulfric filed the odd sight away for later analysis and slammed the wooden door of the tower firmly closed before turning his gaze towards those who had managed to make it in. A few sported injuries, and one looked likely not to survive the situation, but the nord's face stayed firmly stone.
He watched as the stranger set Ralof down and hid his surprise when bound wrists were easily freed from their restraints. 'If he is capable enough to do that, then why not earlier?' The Jarl met the strangers gaze, quirking an eyebrow when the man seemed to almost stumble, before turning towards Ralof as his soldier gathered himself enough to speak. Ulfric frowned in thought as he was asked about dragons and legends. "Legends don't burn down villages."
The tower shook dangerously as the creature outside continued its destruction and the Jarl's eyes snapped towards the others, commanding his men with a voice that demanded allegiance. "We need to move, now!" He watched his men gather their comrades and head up the steps of the tower slowly while Ralof addressed the stranger that had carried him in. The man seemed as if he was coming out of a daze before a look of contemplation crossed his face, and Ulfric watched with intrigue as those unnervingly shifting eyes seemed to glow teal before those eyes narrowed and the stranger shot up the stairs with a grimace.
'Fuck this day!' James shoved a soldier out of his way, knowing the man would be steadied by the others, and grasped at his power firmly, pulling it to the surface. He made it to the soldier that was clearing the rubble and slammed into him, throwing them both against the wall of the tower and casting two spells just as the stone beside them exploded inwards and fire blazed inwards. James kept the panicked soldier pinned as the flames licked at their sides but caused no damage beyond singeing their cloths. The soldier stared at him with wide eyes filled with confusion as his struggles lessened before stopping completely.
James kept his attention mainly focused on the snout that was only inches away from him, teal eyes bright before dimming to their typical shifting as the creature left to terrorize some other part of the doomed town. He glanced down at the paled face of the soldier and quirked his lips. "Well that was a bit of a close call, don't you agree?" A shaky nod was the only response given as footsteps hurried to their position and Ralof stopped at the hole to stare at it with wide eyes. James pulled away from the soldier and glanced outside, leaning through to get an idea of what to do next. "…roof looks pretty stable, if a little on fire at the moment."
He gave the arriving others a cheerful grin. "Shall we jump across or wait for the creature to come back for another go a-round?" There were nervous looks amongst the group before James just rolled his eyes, grabbed the soldier whose life he had already saved, swung the poor man up into his arms like a damsel, and jumped. He laughed at the small yelp that sounded as he landed on the roof below and set the soldier down. Arms reached out to steady the man before James turned to look up.
"Well? Are you all going to get your asses down here or are you going to wait to be cooked?" The glares he received from a few of the stragglers made him smirk. 'This is a shitty day, but at least I have some entertainment.' "Move it or die!" The bark that came from behind the soldiers in the tower had James wincing a little in sympathy for the men. Ulfric seemed like the type who was used to being obeyed when he gave an order, and the caster shuddered as it brought to mind a similar individual. Pushing the horrid recall from his mind, James shifted his stance and helped steady the soldiers that started jumping down; making sure that they didn't fall of the roof from a misstep and assisting them with getting into the ruined attic of the house. "Get down to the first floor and wait." He gave each soldier a friendly smile. "Try to avoid dying."
The next person to come down slipped on a loose part of the roof and James' hand shot out to grab them by the front of their uniform, pulling them into his arms by habit and looking down to see who he had caught. Once again, he felt the world drop beneath him and he met the stony demeaner of Ulfric with a dazed look before shaking his head to clear his mind. He stepped back and let go of the taller male, making sure that there wouldn't be a chance of him slipping from the roof, and motioned to the soldiers. "Is that the last of them?" "No,' indignation marred proud features, 'Ralof…pushed me ahead of himself."
Quirking a brow in surprise, 'Not what I was expecting to hear,' James glanced up towards the hole and frowned. "…something is wrong…,' eyes dimmed to cobalt, '…get to the first floor with the others and stay there." Ulfric scowled and made to rebuke but stopped short when eyes flashed topaz and glared at him. A growl parted tanned lips as James spoke. "Stuff your pride Ulfric until your men are safe." The nord returned the glare before slowly nodding and moving to join his men. James watched him leave before dropping down to the ground below and running around towards the shut door of the tower. It took a few, hard, kicks to get it open but once it was, he was racing up the stairs to get to Ralof.
He found the man unconscious near the hole. A small gash on his head confirmed the vision that had James returning to the tower in the first place, and judging by the discoloration beginning to form the soldier was going to have one hell of a headache when he came to. James sighed and shook his head before taking a knee. Holding a hand out to hover over Ralof's head, the blonde's eyes hooded and he muttered under his breath a few words that had the injury healing over. A crooked grin crossed his lips as blue eyes fluttered open, a low groan coming from the prone man, and said eyes squinted up at him. "Maybe next time you try not getting hit in the head by the debris when pushing someone out of a hole, hmm?"
Ralof blinked slowly and shook his head before taking the hand offered so that James could help him to his feet. The caster steadied him until a nod let him know that the soldier was good to stand on his own before stepping back. "Shall we?" James motioned dramatically towards the hole, and chuckled when the other blond rolled his eyes before jumping. With a humored shake of his head, the caster followed after before taking the lead to get to the first floor.
Ulfric fought the urge to pace, and instead stood firmly with his arms crossed, every inch the Jarl his men expected him to appear. His mind was racing, however, running through everything that had happened since the ambush and trying to come up with ways to ensure that as many of his men survived to see the next dawn as he could. With the dragon destroying all that it came across, the future didn't look so grand.
"My Jarl?" Ulfric turned to look at the soldier who had called out to him. Judging by the boy's appearance he was barely into manhood, and under the gaze of stern eyes Ulfric could see the boy flinch slightly before speaking again. "Why are we not getting out of here while we can sir?" There were vocalizations of agreement from his other Stormcloaks, and Windhelm's jarl bit down the desire to scowl. Why haven't they escaped yet?
He made to give the order, but stopped as an image of brilliant topaz eyes flashed through his mind. Ulfric couldn't name the sensation that gripped his lungs in an iron hold and made breathing difficult…however, the idea of leaving just yet suddenly seemed unsavory and the jarl stated the first thought that came to mind. "We will not leave behind a comrade willing to sacrifice themselves for their fellow brothers." His eyes hardened and his spine stiffened. "We wait for the stranger and Ralof." "Now aren't those just the sweetest words I've ever heard."
Most of the group startled at the voice from above, and before they could look up Ralof and the prisoner that had caused such a ruckus before jumped down to join them. Ulfric glowered at the stranger as a crooked grin was shot his way. "Honestly, I felt a warmth in the general vicinity of my heart." A few of the soldiers laughed awkwardly, but their jarl's voice turned their attention away from the odd man. "Let's get moving." "Of course." Another hard look was shot at the stranger, but Ulfric focused on the task at hand and pushed his irritation back to be handled later.
He peered outside to evaluate the area and snarled when he noticed the uniforms of the men trying to usher a small boy from, what was likely, his fallen father. "Imperials-""Are the least of our concerns right now." Green met topaz, and the smile directed his way was dagger-sharp. "Don't you agree, Jarl Ulfric? After all,' a motion towards the sky as a roar rent the air, 'giant flying ass-fuck seems a lot more hazardous to the health than two soldiers trying to save civilians."
The air between the men was tense, and the Stormcloaks behind them seemed to hold their breath, before Ulfric scowled and addressed his men, eyes never breaking contact with the other's. "We're aiming to get out of this alive. Do not attack unless they draw arms first-" "And att-" "-and attack." The nord's voice was tight and his eyes blazed as he continued speaking. "The dragon is the only enemy at the moment, understand?" His soldiers nodded, but the stranger's eyes turned incredulous. "Dragon?"
James quirked a brow, face showing his confusion. He strode out of the damaged building without a word, made his way over to the little boy that wasn't listening to the soldier in red, picked him up, dumped him in the arms of said soldier who hurried to hide around the side of what was left of a home, and turned to look at the creature just as it landed. The caster quickly set off a spell to keep from burning alive and then watched as the 'dragon' took off again without noticing that its target wasn't ash. He wordlessly made his way back to Ulfric and his men who were staring at him in horror at what they had just witnessed, looks that matched those of the Imperials, and slowly blinked at them. The silence lasted only a short moment before a small noise escaped his mouth. The looks of horror turned to confusion as James doubled over laughing hard enough to flush his face.
The caster tried to get words out but found the endeavor far too difficult, and simply allowed his humor to fade on its own until he could speak again. He wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eye and grinned at the looks on the faces around him. "Shall we get going?" Ulfric's eyes narrowed and he held a hand up to halt his soldiers. James raised a brow at him, his grin taking on an icy edge. "How about this then, oh paranoid one,' the caster stepped closer until the two of them were mere inches away, 'any questions you have running around in that head of yours get answered to the fullest capacity that I am able, but only after everyone is safely out of this cursed town. Agreed?" "…agreed."
The mounting tension eased, but remained beneath the surface, setting the soldiers on edge. It was the clearing of a throat from a few feet outside the doorway that diverted all attention to the red-clad individual who had braved coming closer. Hands flew to sheathed swords, but Ulfric's raised hand stilled them. The jarl answered their confusion with a firm glare. "Not unless we are attacked first." All eyes turned towards the Imperial, who visibly forced himself to relax before turning his gaze to James. "…thank you for saving the boy." "Of course,' a friendly grin, 'no need for unnecessary deaths after all." Ulfric had a sense that the last comment was more than its face value, and the edge to the voice sent his survival instincts on alert. 'Just who in the name of Talos is this stranger?' A loud roar ripping through the air brought the group's attention back to the danger that circled Helgen, and Ulfric straightened unconsciously, appearing every bit the jarl he was as he reiterated previous words. "We need to move, now, before the dragon brings the whole city down on us." There were agreements amongst his men, but they continued to eye the Imperial with distrust, and tensed further when an older Imperial came to stand by the first, the young boy from earlier firmly held at his side.
"Oh, for fucksakes!" Everyone jumped and attention turned to the caster whose hands had been thrown up in aggravation. "Will everyone take a moment away from whatever damn issue there is to be had and fucking relax?" James turned to Ralof, the only one who seemed to have at least some sense of the situation as well as the only one who didn't seem ready to strike just because someone was wearing different colors. "Are you good with distance?" "…what?" "Distance, beautiful, distance. I need to know the location of a safe place for everyone here." Ralof failed to fight back the flush on his face from the caster's comment, but answered, ignoring the smirks from his comrades and scowl from his jarl. "Riverwood would be the best place, if the Imperials are involved, so…" He trailed off as his mind quickly ran through how far from his sister's home they were before telling the blond.
James nodded before stepping further into the smoldering house they still occupied, silently impressed by the craftsmanship that ensured it had yet to cave. He could feel the others watching him, but paid it little mind as he came to a stop in the middle of what was left of the downstairs. His eyes flashed topaz as he reached within and pulled his power to the fore. It had, thankfully, been growing easier to draw upon it since arriving to…wherever he was. A small part of him worried that he had perhaps fallen into another realm altogether, but it was a worry that was firmly pushed aside to focus on the immediate task at hand. 'Now then,' a hand held out towards the burning ceiling and another towards the floor with open palms, 'please let it work this time…'
The caster felt the power surge forward as his hands made a sweeping motion, steady in the execution of the spell, and his lips twitched up in a satisfied smirk as the familiar pastel blues and greens took shape to form a large circle that floated perpendicular inches from the floor. He was careful to remain focused on the energies that flowed so that it wouldn't close, and cocked his head to look over his shoulder. "Any who want to get their asses to Riverwood safely had best step through and wai…pick your jaws up, it's not that strange to see a gate…' a furrowed brow, 'is it?" At the slow nods from the soldiers, he groaned and fought the urge to rub his forehead, not wanting to recast the spell just because he broke the flow of power from himself to the gate. "Wonderful,' he muttered darkly.
Raising his voice so they could hear, the caster gave them a friendly grin. "I would explain what this is, but at the moment we really need to get our asses out of here, so I promise to answer ALL questions that I can once everyone is safely in Riverwood." His tone grew gentle, a coaxing lilt to it, and most of the soldiers stepped closer without realizing it. "It's safe, just step through and wait on the other side until all of us are there." Ulfric, the only one that hadn't followed with the others, growled suspiciously. "I have a feeling that the first one through isn't going to be you, stranger." James could see the hesitation in the others at the jarl's words and, at that moment, really wanted to punch the man in the mouth. The caster took a calming breath and spoke. "The gate closes as soon as I step through as I am the one doing the spell that keeps it open. Now,' topaz met green, 'can we please get a move on before the house collapses?" "…you heard him men, move it!"
At the sharp command, even the Imperials couldn't help but obey, and soon the only ones left were Ulfric and James. Green eyes narrowed at the blonde. "If this is a trick-" "You'll hunt me down and gut me yourself, yeah." James returned the glare with one of his own. "I've met your kind before Ulfric Stormcloak, and I have better ways to waste my time than trying to prove myself trustworthy to someone who refuses to listen so,' a shark's smile stretched his lips, 'pardon me." Lightning quick, James grabbed the aggravating man and hurled them both through the gate just before it could close, laughing at the threats hurled at him.
They landed, sprawled, at the feet of the others, and Ulfric quickly untangled himself to spring to his feet, hand flying to his sword. He snarled, "I should cut you down where you stand!" "Well then, it's a good thing I'm not standing isn't it?" The jarl gripped the hilt of his sword but paused as one of the soldiers spoke up. "By Talos! What is that?!" Everyone turned their eyes to where the young man pointed, and James tensed before scrambling to his feet and casting again, eyes a brilliant topaz as they stared at the rapidly approaching beast. "Something that'll kill us. Sorry for the landing!" Yelps, and a few impressive shrieks, echoed from the group as the caster opened the gate under their very feet.
The closing gate cut off the enraged howl from the beast, and the soldiers gave a variety of noises as they hit grass-covered ground. James let his knee buckle so he would roll with the landing and end the movement on his feet. He would have let out a whoop of pride over his flawless form, but the press of steel against his neck had him stiffening as he glared at the one who wielded the sword, shifting eyes slowly turning into glimmering topaz gems. "Are you always this charming Ulfric, or am I just special?" Green eyes narrowed and the stern-faced man scowled at the mocking edge of the stranger's voice. "Answers,' the blade pressed harder and the edge drew a faint line of blood, 'now." "…am I going to get a question, or should I start from when I was a twinkle in my father's eye?" Ulfric scowled but acknowledged that the stranger had a point and withdrew his weapon, but did not sheath it. "Who are you stranger? Why were you a prisoner? How did you…do…everything that you did?"
"…Okay…let's answer the first question you asked and go from there." James could sense the eyes of the other soldiers, and a wry smirk crossed his lips when a quick glance around confirmed that everyone was so focused on him that the 'blues' and 'reds' were ignoring each other. 'So I guess that I am more interesting than fighting…lovely.' His attention returned to Ulfric and he planted his hands on his hips with a frown. "First off, I have a name and it isn't stranger, it's James." "I don't care wh-" "James or I leave right now." Green and topaz stared each other down before the jarl gave a short, conceding nod. "…James then…why were you a prisoner?"
Releasing a sigh, the caster ran a hand through his hair. "I have no idea." "Str-James." Said blond sneered at the jarl. "Ulfric." The air between them tensed, setting the rest of the group on edge, and for a moment there seemed to be a chance that Ulfric very well might have ran the other blond through. It was Ralof who stepped in between them, an easy smile on his lips and hands raised up in a placating manner. "Perhaps we head to Riverwood and rest. We have all had tiring trials recently, and it would do all of us good to relax for a moment." He nodded respectfully towards his jarl and his voice softened so that the only ones who could hear him were the two men. "It looks like the weather may turn, sir, and the men have suffered enough so a warm bed and a hot meal would do much for them."
The jarl stared at the soldier, keeping his face carefully blank to hide the surprise inside. There were only a handful that were brave enough to call him out on his actions, and to do so in a manner that was respectful and allowed him to not lose face with the group was impressive. 'Perhaps there is more to Ralof than just his loyalty.' Ulfric relaxed his stance and, finally, sheathed his sword, levelly a cool stare at the one setting his nerves on edge. "Ralof is right, but this isn't over James. I still want answers." "And I…will refrain from smartass comments as best I can when providing those answers."
Ralof bit back a sigh of relief as the two men backed down from each other and the tension in the air returned to more tolerable levels. For a moment, he was certain that he was watching two great beasts poised for a bloody battle against each other, and he was grateful that the moment had seemed to pass by with his intervention. 'Thank Talos.' He bit back a yelp when James focused on him with a friendly smile, eyes mere slits with the width of it. "So, lovely, where is this 'Riverwood'? It looks like I was a bit off target." "I-it's..' a quick glance around the area, '…less than a mile that way, but the terrain is rough so it would be best for us to follow the main road." Ralof glanced around the group before a small frown marred his brow. "…it would probably be best if the Imperials and Stormcloaks walked separately. We are on opposite sides of the war." There were words of affirmation from many of the others, and even more glares of distrust.
James groaned and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the dark blond locks and revealing the shaved left side. "It never changes,' he muttered before shaking his head and speaking loud enough to be heard by everyone, 'there is a dragon on the loose, one that just raised a town to ruin and likely slaughtered most of the citizens, and the only thing that any of you seem to care about is your GODS' CURSED WAR!" His voice rose to a thunderous roar, and the air grew heavy as his power pushed against his skin. For a moment a dark thought wrapped around his mind, an echo of times long past that spoke of hatred and disgust and rage. Topaz eyes flashed over the paling faces of those around him before landing on green that seemed to pierce James to his core. With a shaking breath, the caster closed his eyes and forced himself to calm, head bowed.
Silence ruled the small clearing before James raised his head, a friendly quirk to his lips that gave him a roguish air. His eyes had lost their sharp edge and flickered lazily from teal to cobalt and back. "Sorry about that, I just find it irritating that prejudice from war is more important than a murderous monster flapping through the sky like a fire-spitting scale-covered pigeon." There was a spattering of nervous chuckles, and the soldiers slowly relaxed once more while avoiding the eyes of the opposite side. Whatever it was that had just passed, it seemed to be a silent unanimous agreement that it not be risked repeating.
"Well then,' a hard voice cut through the awkward gathering, 'let's get moving." The group turned towards Ulfric, and the elder Imperial opened his mouth with a glare before being stopped by his younger counterpart with a shake of the head and a pointed stare at James. The soldier grumbled but refrained from causing trouble as Windhelm's jarl turned and began heading down the hill towards the road. His own men followed without question, and a flat stare from shifting eyes soon had the Imperials following after, the younger soldier reaching down to pick up the child from Helgen so that the boy wouldn't be lost.
Travel was relatively quiet with the group making little conversation or unnecessary sounds and, other than a short encounter with a small pack of wolves that was dealt with fairly quickly, their arrival to Riverwood was uneventful. Most of the villagers cast odd glances towards them, surprised that soldiers from both sides were so calmly traveling together, but none were brave enough to confront them. The group paused at just past the gate and separated from each other, Stormcloaks to the left and the two Imperials with the young child still clasped tightly in the younger soldier's arms. Both sides stared each other down, and for a brief moment the nearby villagers feared that a fight would break out. "If I have to take heads and start shoving them up into smelly and dark places, then that is what I will fucking do!" The group quickly ceased their glares and instead made a point to watch butterflies, clouds, the wind through the trees…anything that meant neither side angered the blond striding through the group with a strained pleasant smile on his face. It was a strange sight to the citizens of Riverwood, but what was stranger was that there were two who seemed relatively blasé to the events, and instead spoke in hushed tones to each other.
Ulfric listened intently as Ralof spoke, his stern features taking on a contemplative demeaner while his soldier explained that his sister and her husband would be willing to allow the Stormcloaks to rest at their home. "…and the Imperials?" The blue-eyed soldier quirked a brow and shot a glance at the younger of the Imperial soldiers before shaking his head. "Hadvar has family here that will be willing to let them stay, and judging by the grip he has on the boy I'm sure that the kid will be welcome there." The jarl nodded absently as he studied the Imperial holding the boy; while he loathed to trust someone who swore loyalty to the Empire with the safety of a child, taking the boy into Stormcloak care was not an option. Resources were scarce, and many families were stretched so thin with their own blood that to force them to take in another would be cruel. As much as it physically pained him to admit, the boy would be better off with the Imperial.
Biting down a sigh, the jarl returned his attention to Ralof. "Take the men to your sister and rest. We will stay for a few days, at most, and then head to Windhelm." "Yes, my jarl." The soldier moved to quickly follow his instructions, and a hard glare from Ulfric ensured that the rest of his men followed just as fast. Soon it was just Ulfric, the Imperials with the boy, and James standing inside the gates of Riverwood; and the elder of the Imperials glared at the jarl. "Don't think this means peace Stormcloak. As soon as a message is sent to General Tulius you'll be back in Imperial custody." The soldier took a threatening step forward and Ulfric tensed, hand coming to rest on the hilt of his blade as his eyes narrowed. Before anything further could be said, a hand came up and gripped the back of the Imperial's neck tightly.
James smile was a razor's edge as he shifted his hand to make the iron grip appear friendly to any onlookers, but his voice was steel when he spoke. "None shall be sending messages, at all, for any reason." His hold tightened further and the Imperial bit down a wince of pain as the caster continued to speak. "Now, I believe that everyone has had an extremely long day, and I'm sure that some rest and a nice mug of ale will be best for everyone." By this point his grip was almost too much for the soldier to stand, but it was gone quickly after James finished his sentence. The blond cast a friendly grin towards the one holding the boy. "Kid looks a bit tuckered out too. You should probably find him a place to sleep that's more comfortable than your arms."
Hadvar glanced down at the child, and his gaze softened when he was met with the sleepy face of Haming. He could also see the sorrow and loss that lay beneath the surface, and it cut a dagger into his heart. 'Torolf and Matlara…by the Divines...' With a weary sigh, Hadvar nodded his agreement to James and slowly made his way to his uncle's home, stopping only once to give a command to his comrade to follow. The other soldier grumbled, but seemed grateful to get away from the grinning blond.
Both James and Ulfric watched as the men retreated to a wooden home attached to a smithing area before turning on their heels in an unspoken agreement and making their way out of the town gates. They didn't go far, Ulfric taking the lead and guiding them down to the banks of the river so that the imminent conversation could be held with a bit more privacy. The two men stood silently abreast, a few feet between them, and gazed out over the waters shimmering red beneath the light of the setting sun. It felt strangely peacefully, given the early undertones of hostility that had been present from both men, but Ulfric brushed it off as a sign of fatigue and simply enjoyed not being in any immediate danger for once in what felt like weeks.
"…as nice as the quiet is,' the caster's voice was soft and wearied, 'shall we get on with the questions-answers so I can build a camp and sleep?" When Ulfric cast his glance sideways towards the taller man, he was greeted by an expression that gave him pause. There was no razor-edged smile or infuriating grin. James looked…tired…in a way that reminded the jarl of long nights far from home, at war with whoever the empire had told him and his men to be; of weeks and months being stretched far too thin in hope and faith and spirit; when it seemed that bandits, and Forsworn, and Thalmor were only one more Nord corpse away from winning the battle. '…damn the Concordant…' "I know I have a handsome face, but I really just want to get this over with and sleep." Ulfric blinked, wondering when he had turned his head fully towards the other blond before frowning and sitting down on a nearby fallen log. He motioned towards a large rock close by with an expectant stare at James, and the caster gave a rueful glare in return as he followed the unspoken request. "Or we can sit and enjoy the growing chill together…fun."
The following silence still held that odd peace from before, and Ulfric absently wondered if perhaps there was more to it than simple fatigue, then shoved the thought away for later contemplation as he began speaking, voice firm. "Who are you?" Before James could respond the jarl frowned and a growl entered his voice, the peaceful feeling beginning to fade. "What are you?" Mouth opened to respond; the caster froze as a look of confusion crossed his face. "I'm…that is not a question I was expecting. Why would you wonder what I am? Human, by the way, but seriously…such a strange question." "You faced a dragon without flinching, performed magic that I am certain has never before been used,' green eyes narrowed at the other as the jarl recalled the blond racing up the tower stairs and saving a soldiers life before the dragon broke the stone in, 'and you seem to know how something is going to occur,' an image of James rushing back to help Ralof, 'or has already happened."
"…" Eyes flashed teal for a few moments before returning to the usual shifting patterns and James sighed tiredly, running his hands over his face, shooting a rueful smirk at the shorter blond. "I would blame it on great instincts and a caring nature, but you won't believe it so…I may as well try and explain it." "You make it sound as if it will be difficult to believe." "…depends on how willing you are to…take a leap of faith, I guess?" The caster fell silent, his brow furrowed while he thought of how he could explain himself, and brow furrowing further with each flash of teal before he huffed and glared at Ulfric. "You are a pain in the ass to get a read on, you know that?" The jarl's confused stare was brushed off and James instead chose to just hope for the best. "Just so we're clear, if you interrupt me I will throw a rock or something at you, understand?' a nod, 'Good…okay, so…" The caster cleared his throat and got comfortable as best he could.
"I guess I can start with where I'm from and how I got to…wherever the hell I am right now." "…Riverwood." Faster than Ulfric could dodge a small rock hit his forehead and he cursed, hand pressing against the bump beginning to form. He glared at James with a snarl. "What the fuck?!" The caster leveled an irritated sneer at him in return. "I warned you, Ulfric, that I would throw something at you if you interrupted me. Now,' James reached down to grab another rock and calmly tossed it up and down , 'shall I continue? Without further disturbance from you, of course." Annoyed grumbles were the only response, and the caster took it as a 'yes'. "Alright…now, I'm from Valynfjior, which is a country I'm fairly certain people hear have never heard of if I'm correct in my assumptions." He silenced the jarl with a lazy wave of the rock. "It's a real place, and no talking, so…Valynfjior…that's where I'm from. Now, I was in the middle of…asking for information about an old comrade of mine when I hear this horrid noise, and the next thing I know I'm falling through a rip between planes…' a blank stare directed at the sky that slowly trails back down to look at Riverwood, 'or maybe realities, but anyways, I'm falling and pretty sure I blacked out because I go from nothingness to pain when I hit trees, ground, then water."
James fell silent with a faint shudder, free hand rubbing at his healed collarbone, a dull glaze to eyes slowly shifting to cobalt. "That was…unpleasant…,' a flat smirk and his eyes returned to the usual swirls, 'so, after pulling myself from the water I made a camp and fell asleep, heard a twig snap, and woke up only to be hit so hard with something that I passed out. I came to in the cart, with you and Ralof…and the other guy that took an arrow to the back, which is not a fair way to kill someone in my opinion; shooting someone when their hands are tied is a cheap way to beat them." '…maybe I should test that spell on his corpse? I know what his face looks like and his name….Look-hear? Lock-hear?'
James blinked and gave Ulfric a friendly smile. "Answer me this and I'll stop with the rock threat, what was the name of the fourth guy in the cart with us on the way to Helgen." "Why the hell would you want to know that? The horse thief is dead and it seemed like he didn't have anyone back home who would care." "…" "Ow! Why did you do that?!" "Because,' an irritated glare from brilliant topaz, 'you, Ulfric Stormcloak, are an insensitive jackass." Green eyes narrowed and said male rose to his feet, stalking forward to tower over the sitting caster. "I am growing tired of your disrespect stranger. It would be wise of you to address me as Jarl Ulfric before you find yourself in a messy situation." James returned the glower with one of his own and slowly stood until the two were nose-to-nose. The caster's voice was velvet-wrapped steel as he softly responded, "It would be wise of you to stand down, Ulfric Jacka-AUOFF!"
The two hit the ground as Ulfric slammed himself into James, and rolled down the short embankment into the shallows of the river where the jarl pinned the other by the neck beneath the surface in rage. He didn't register the struggles of the body beneath him or pain from the nails that clawed at his hands and face, all he saw was red from his anger, all he heard was the echoes of those who mocked and tortured him years before. Pale hands tightened.