"...not only did I kill the sabertooth tiger, I used its ribs to pick my teeth and its canines to sharpen the axe I killed it with," Thorunn retorted. She was lounging in the chair of the Winking Skeever tavern, feet propped up on the table and a mug of ale in her hand.

Aela's eyes narrowed. "There's no way... You're just yanking me around again, aren't you?"

Thorunn laughed, mostly due to the alcohol making her tipsy. "That sabertooth kicked my ass. I was at the healer for two weeks."

Aela joined in on the laughter, then. Though she'd won the round and wasn't required to take a drink, she still took a long drawl of her mug. She'd been around the outskirts of Solitude taking care of a bear that got too close to the farms. Naturally, the first thing she and Thorunn did upon seeing each other was host a drinking game at the nearest tavern.

"How long are you going to be in Solitude?" inquired Aela once her laughter had subsided.

Thorunn traced her thumb around the rim of her mug, giving it some thought. Ulfric didn't need her at his side. That was Galmar's job. And since the Stormcloaks' position was nearly secured, there was no reason for her to remain here. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "Might take the road again soon. I hear talk of a Dawnguard." She had no interest in persuing Daedra, but with Alduin slain, the rightful High King on the throne, and the Companions at rest, there wasn't much else to do.

"You're aware you and I, in all technicality, are Daedra, right?" Aela raised her eyebrows.

Thorunn laughed, weaker this time. "The irony can provide some comic relief. I don't know. Too young to settle down, too old to safely assume a drinking problem." She looked down at her mug. "I swear, this is the first drink I've had in three months."

"Mhm," Aela didn't sound convinced. She held an amused smile.

The doors to the Winking Skeever opened and Thorunn looked over her shoulder to see who was entering. Judging by the cowl and the bundle of letters bunched into a sash around his shoulder, she guessed he was a courier. And he was heading for her.

"Letter for you, ma'am," he said, handing her a roll of parchment. The royal seal was wrapped around its midcenter.

Brows furrowing, Thorunn unrolled the parchment.

Stormblade,

Words cannot express how grateful I am for your assistance in the siege on Solitude, which is why I am formally inviting you to meet me in the Blue Palace for an official thank you. Please come as soon as you are able.

Ulfric Stormcloak

"What is it?" asked Aela, peering over the table in an attempt to see the letter's contents.

"A letter from the king," She never thought she'd speak those words with as much casually as she did. She got to her feet, leaving her mug behind. "I better see what he wants. Good to see you, Aela, and Talos be with you on your way back to Whiterun."

"Same to you, Shield-Sister." She nodded dismissively, and Thorunn took her leave.

Civilians regarded her fondly as she passed. Some of the guards bowed their head, some of them went as far as to kneel, others in red armor looked at her with scorn. Imperials who swore fealty were allowed to remain in the city to guard, but nothing more. She ignored them all in her trek to the Blue Palace.

Perhaps it was unprofessional to make a visit to the king wearing blood-stained armor, a dented shield, and a chipped axe, but she did the best she could, and Ulfric understood that. The two of them were more than comrades-in-arms, anyway. More than friends, even, and she happened to be the only person in Tamriel that could say that.

There was no romance in their relationship, of course. No emotional commitment, no strings attached, nothing that could cause any harm to either of their hearts. Between the sheets, they were equals. Neither of them left the bedroom without an equal amount of scratches, lovebites, and bruises from tight gripping. No matter how expensive the crown on Ulfric's head became, that would never change.

Thorunn opened the door to the Blue Palace, ignoring the guards who requested identification. She strode inside and up the staircase into the throne room, where she found Ulfric slouching in his throne with the smuggest of smirks on his lips. Galmar was at his side, looking almost as smugly.

Thorunn approached Ulfric, holding up the roll of parchment. "You summoned me?"

"That I did," he said. He stood, straightening his shoulders. He looked very kingly. "There is news of a dragon nearby. Near enough to be a threat to the city, in fact."

Thorunn tensed. She never did like killing dragons. She had a feeling this summons would be asking her to do just that. "And?" she prompted.

"I want to slay this dragon at your side."

Even Galmar was taken aback. She stared at him, mouth slightly agape. There was a long pause, and Ulfric waited patiently for Thorunn's response. Finally, she cleared her throat. "Why, exactly, would you want to go with me? Is there something significant about this dragon?"

"There is something significant about every dragon," He took a step forward, clasping his hands behind his back. "The most important being that they are becoming a natural part of Skyrim. As Skyrim's High King, it would be negligent of me not to explore even its most dangerous attractions."

She blinked.

He smiled. "Thorunn, will you assist me in this endeavor, or leave me to the wolves?"

Dragons could only be slain by the Dragonborn, which happened to be her. They were almost impossible to slay alone, on top of that, and if she knew anything about Ulfric, it was that he was one determined fuck. If he wanted to slay a dragon, he'd slay a dragon, even if it was a promise of death.

She clenched her jaw. "Alright, Ulfric."

"Good. Galmar will be coming with us as well. This dragon is located at Freedom's Redoubt, a peak of mountain just East of the stables. We will set out at dawn. You are okay with this?"

"Yup."

"Excellent. Now, there is another matter that I'd prefer to discuss within the confines of my private quarters, which have been a mass improvement from the stiff beds in Windhelm." He winked and nodded his head to the side.

Thorunn's lips twitched into a smirk and she followed him out of the throne room and into the living quarters. Once they were behind a closed door, safely out of reach and earshot of the common folk, he turned to face her and grasped her hand, smiling.

He started walking backwards, and she willingly followed. "Tell me about the dragons."

A staircase approached from behind, and on point, he spun around to ascend them, still grasping Thorunn's hand. She watched the back of his head. "They're... ferocious." There was no way to cram such a complex creature into a couple choice words. "There's different kinds of dragons, some stronger than others."

He opened the door to his quarters, guiding her inside then shutting the door behind them. "What kind of dragon would you place me at?" He started working the buckles of her steel armor.

She looked at him inquisitively, ignoring his hands. She picked up on what he was getting at and she smiled, bemused. "Legendary," she mumbled, then placed her finger on his chin and tilted his head up, wasting not a second more before locking their lips together.

She took the lead, as she usually did, and grasped his tunic. She turned them around and shoved him onto the bed, straddling his waist. Only then did she disconnect their lips and start working at the laces of his tunic. He watched her with a crooked grin, blond hair disheveled.

"Eager, are you?" he commented.

She grunted in acknowledgement. Finishing with the laces of his tunic, he sat up so she could pull it over his head, revealing the toned and thick muscles lining his stomach. Nordic tattoos decorated his chest and arms, too intricately designed for Thorunn to pay attention to while he demanded her attention elsewhere.

Within the next five minutes, they found their selves completely devoid of clothing and, in Thorunn's case, armor. She spent the rest of the night letting her mind be driven by movement; it was all skin and nails and teeth and lips thereon.

When she collapsed to his side, both of them having finished three times over, he snaked his arm around her waist and sighed with content as the last heavy breaths left his body. He ran his hands along her skin. "Goodnight, Thorunn."