The legionary charged. The Stormcloaks scattered and the orc grabbed his crossbow and dove out of the way. The legionary's spear caught the nearest Stormcloak in the gut, driving him backwards with such force that it slammed him into the bar and punched straight through his mail. Another legionary came through the door, shield raised and sword poised, and the two remaining Stormcloaks backed away.
Issana shrank behind the table as one of the Stormcloaks bumped his back against it. The legionary was advancing on him, cold determination in his eyes. The Stormcloak raised his axe, clutching it with both hands.
With a wild yell the other Stormcloak charged. The legionary caught the blow on his shield and swung in return, his blade sweeping horizontally across the Stormcloak's unprotected throat. Crimson flecks sprayed onto the table and the man fell.
The last Stormcloak struck. His axe buried itself in the legionary's shield and stuck there. The legionary tugged and the weapon came free of the Stormcloak's grasp. "Surrender!" he commanded.
"A true nord never-"
The legionary's sword silenced him forever. His corpse fell back onto the table with a heavy thud, oozing blood across the woodwork. The two legionaries didn't hesitate and vanished through the open door.
Issana was frozen to her chair, wishing she could close her eyes as she stared at the dead man. Blood was pooling on the table and dripping off the side.
From the floor, something gurgled. Horrified, wishing she could stop, she peered over the table.
The other Stormcloak was reaching weakly across the floor with one hand. The other was pressed to his throat, soaked with blood that still splashed from between his fingers. His mouth opened and closed again and again as if he was trying to speak, trying to breathe, and through the blood Issana recognized him. The bully. The soldier who had cheated the innkeeper.
He coughed, a wet, slippery noise that spurted blood through his hand. His fingers reached out for her, twitching feebly, and his eyes were wide and pleading.
His head sank to the floor and he lay still.
Issana.
The voice seemed to be coming from far away.
Issana.
"Issana!"
Rune seized her roughly by the shoulder and spun her to face him. "We have to go! Now!" He pulled her upright and dragged her towards the door. She looked back over her shoulder at the corpses but Rune pulled her outside.
Sound rushed back into her ears. There was yelling, screaming, swords clashing, bows twanging, and the world around her seemed to be spinning. People ran, soldiers charged, someone fell from a roof. Rune was pulling her through the streets and she could hardly feel her own movements. The town blurred past; someone screamed at her-it might have been Rune. A fire was burning somewhere off to the left but she didn't know what it was.
"Issana!"
She jumped, startled. Rune had her by the shoulders and was shaking her roughly. "Issana!"
"I-" She began, but had no idea what she was saying. The noise of battle was gone. All around them was darkness. "I'm…"
Without warning she fell to her hands and knees and heaved into the grass. Convulsions wracked her body for several long seconds. "I…" she said at last. "I'm all right. I'm all right now."
Rune shook his head. "No, you're not. You're in shock. You've been in a daze for almost an hour. You need to sit down, stay calm. It's over now. We're far away."
"I…" Issana wiped her mouth on her sleeve and fell back against a tree trunk. "I saw him die. I saw them all die."
Rune sank down beside her. He said nothing. Issana couldn't stop herself. She fell against his shoulder, heavy sobs heaving through her chest as tears poured down her face.
"It's all right," he said softly. She felt his hand run through her hair. "It's all right. Everything will be all right in the end."
But she knew it wouldn't. The war had just begun.
And it would only get worse.