Chapter II

Road to Whiterun

I ran into the keep with Ralof. The room was round with a small table, and chair opposite the door. A body was laying next to the table with a iron war axe next it. The walls of the room looked weathered with green moss, and the rug covering the floor looked like it had seen better days. There was two gates opposite each other. One was a wooden drop down, and the other was metal that looked like it led deeper into the keep. A metal Chandler lit the room with a bright yellow light. I walked to where Ralof was standing. He looked at me with relief.

"Looks like we're the only ones that made it." He told me.

"Yeah, I believe we are." I said to him.

"Here let me take those bindings off." He pulled a dagger out of a sheath connected to his belt. I raised my arms out in front of me. He cut the straps holding my hands together. I pulled off the restraints, and rubbed my sore wrist. I picked up the war axe. Felling the weight of the weapon in my hand. Ralof looked at the body then to me.

"You better take his armor. He won't be using it anytime soon." He told me.

I kneeled down, and began the task of removing the armor. Once I had everything off of him. I removed my foot wraps, and tunic. The armor was stained with blood, but I put it on anyway. With everything on, and every strap secured I put the war axe on my right hip through a belt loop. Ralof and I both checked each gate, but finding no way to open either one. I checked the doors we had first come through, but found they wouldn't budge. I suddenly turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps. I pulled the war axe from my side. Ralof told me to hide. We both crouched on either side of the wooden gate waiting for who ever came through. The gate slid down, and two imperials stepped into the room. They didn't see us. Ralof nodded to me. I snuck up behind the captain, and swiftly cut into her neck with my axe. Blood gushed, and stained my face. Her armored body hit the stone floor with a audible thud. Ralof had taken out the other imperial as well. I dropped the axe, and picked up the imperial officers sword. I took the sheath off her body, and placed the now sheathed weapon on my left hip. I looked at Ralof.

"We need to move there is bound to be more." I told him.

He bent down, and checked the dead captains body. He stood up with a key in hand, and unlocked the metal gate. I followed him deeper into the keep; our boots echoing off the stone stairs with each step. A skeever jumped up at Ralof. Who quickly dispatched the vermin. I drew my sword as we walked into the hallway, before I made if haft way down the corridor large pieces of roof caved in crushing the two that were unlucky enough to be standing there. I got to my feet, and picked up my sword. Looking around I spied a door, and walked through it. Two imperials stood near it, and turned around drawing there own weapons. The first one charged at me swinging his sword. I dodged; came up and blocked what would have been a fatal blow. He kicked me in the stomach, and sent me sprawling on to the ground. I got up, but before I could do anything the soldier stopped moving and dropped his sword. He crashed to the ground in a heap with a war axe sticking out of his back. I bent down, and retrieved my own weapon. Ralof nodded to me, and pulled his weapon out of the dead man. Blood dropped from the blade. I continued to follow him deeper into the keep. We came to a torture room where a fight was taking place between the torturer, his assistant, and a female Stormcloak. Who was holding her own with a iron war hammer. I charged at the assistant quickly cutting his head off, before he could react. I turned and charged at the last imperial. Knocking me back with a lighting bolt I found myself dazed every muscle felt heavy, and unable to move. I saw him kill the female Stormcloak with ease. He turned to me. His head suddenly disappearing from his shoulders, and rolling at my feet. I doubled over; the contents of my stomach presenting themselves. The pain had been to much for me to bare. I got to my feet, and again retrieved my sword.

"It looks like there is something in this cage." Ralof said to me.

I walked to the cage, and indeed there was something in it. A dead Altmer mage, spell book, magicka potion, but what I was interested in was the seven Septims inside. I looked around for some lockpicks. I spotted a knapsack on a table next to a stone support. Picking up two lockpicks on the table I opened the knapsack, and found four more picks; plus a book titled: Book of the Dragonborn. Looking around for more picks; I found five in a cage with a counter inside plus six septims. I unlocked the cage door. Grabbed the potion, book, and gold, and again followed Ralof. This time passed rows of cells into another room with a giant hole in the far wall. I stepped through the opening into what looked to be a cave system. I heard voices ahead. Tapping Ralof on the back we both crouched near the entrance into the large cavern. I poked my head around the corner counting our opposition.

"I counted five imperials: two with bows. Two swords, and one heavy" I told him in a whisper. He nodded.

"Do you know the flames spell?" He asked me.

"Yes, I do remember learning it, but I don't think I have ever used it" I said.

"You will use the spell on the heavy. I'll take care of the swords." He said to me.

"What about the archers?" I asked.

"You take one. I'll take the other" He told me.

In the back of my mind I knew this was the end, because all those archers needed was one clear shot, and we would both be killed. I looked around the corner. The heavy was in a good spot. "Wait here." I told Ralof. Standing up I went back to the torture room. Walking into the cage where the iron shields hung I grabbed one, plus a iron dagger off the counter. I walked back to where I had left Ralof. Looking, the heavy hadn't moved an inch, Perfect I thought. "Don't move. Only come running if you hear my yell for you to." I said to him. I held the shield with my right hand, and the dagger with the other. In a crouch I moved towards the first imperial on my hit list. I stood up and quickly slit the heavies throat with the weapon. The body hitting the ground alerted the others to my presence. Acting quickly I ran at the next imperial, a sword, and shoved the dagger up into his chin. He hit the dirt. I used the shield to deflect the arrows that came my way. Not missing a beat I charged the other sword, and used the shield to crush his throat with the force of it. I ran the length of a small bridge. Deflecting arrows as I went. I turned, and used the flames spell, left hand, and lit the oil a blaze that the archers were standing in killing them in a agonizing fiery death. I heard Ralof whistle. After the fire died out I throw the shield down, and collected the real prize. A quiver filled with arrows, and bow. I slung the arrows across my back along with my newly acquired bow. Ralof pointed to another tunnel that lead to a draw bridge. We moved on. I lowered the bridge.

"Where are we going once we get out?" I asked him.

"My sister Gerdur owns the lumber mill in Riverwood. We will head there as soon as we leave this place." He said with a smile.

We continued on, until he stopped suddenly, and crouched. He pointed ahead of us. A bear was laying asleep ten feet away. He tapped me on the shoulder, and pointed left. I nodded, and we slipped passed the animal. We again moved down a tunnel, and stopped at a spiders nest. Pulling the bow from my back I began to mercilessly kill the spiders until the big one came down from a hole in the ceiling. I quickly killed the beast using flames spell in each hand. Ralof and I moved passed the still soldering corpse. We ran the rest of the way until we saw light shinning through a large split in the wall. Emerging from the darken caves took my breath away. No time to admire the view, because the dragon that destroyed the town flew overhead, and to our right. Ralof sighed in relief at the creatures passing.

"Come on. Riverwood is just up this road." He said as he began to walk down it. I followed behind, and listen as he explained what Bleak Falls Barrow was, and that there was a mine filled with bandits that I should avoid at any cost. Riverwood was getting close, because we picked up a jog until we passed into the town itself. Riverwood was a decent sizes town from what I was seeing. The main street stretched out in front of me with a blacksmith forge off to my left, and the mill just past that on the other side of the river that ran parallel to the town. An alchemy, general store, plus the tavern was down along the street to my right. We walked over a bridge spanning the waterway. Ralof called out to his sister. Who made her way around the sawmill to meet us.

"Mara's Mercy, its good to see you! But is it safe for you to be here?" She asked her brother relief filling her voice.

"Gerdur..." Ralof tried to speak, but was interrupted by his sister. "We had heard that Ulfric had been captured..." She told him. "Gerdur... I'm fine. At least now I am."

"Are you hurt? What's happened? And who's this? One of your comrades?" Gerdur looked me over. I stood there in silence. Letting Ralof do the talking.

"Not a comrade yet...but a friend. I owe him my life, in fact. Is there somewhere we can talk? There's no telling when the news from Helgen will reach the Imperials..." He told her.

"Helgen? Has something happened...? You're right. Follow me. Hod! Come here a minute. I need your help with something." She called to another person working the mill.

"What is it, woman? Sven drunk on the job again?" A man called down in a sarcastic voice.

"Hod. Just come here." She told the man.

"Ralof! What are you doing here? Ah...I'll be right down!" He said surprised.

I stood there waiting for Hod to come from the mill, and finally got a good minute to look over Skyrim's landscape. A mountain stood off to my right far into the distance, but large enough I could faintly see small details on its face. The Nordic ruin Ralof mentioned was visible from my vantage point. It loomed out of the fog on the mountain like a thief in the night; ready to take what is yours, and keep it forever. I wondered what secrets a place like that could hold? Hod had come down from the mill, and I watched as Ralof explained that, "Yes, Ulfric had been captured, and they had us lined up to start chopping." The screams of dying men was all I could hear. I ran, but alas I was to late. The dragons fire consumed me. I snapped out of my daze. Someone had spoken to me. It was Gerdur, she wanted me to go to Whiterun, and get Jarl Balgruuf to send troops to defend Riverwood.

"Where is Whiterun?" I asked.

She pointed to the Norther part of town. "Not far" she told me. "Just pass the ridge; in the middle of the plains." "Oh…and here is the key to our home. It is up on your left when you go down the street." She pointed where the inn separated from the other buildings. "Stay as long as you like. You helped my brother; now we will help you. If you need anything just let me know."

I took the key from her. She gave me a necklace to sell when I get to Whiterun. I looked at Ralof. He smiled, and nodded. "You be careful friend. Put in a good word for the Stormcloaks to the Jarl." He asked me. He stood up from the stump. "and watch for imperials. If they catch you they'll have you back on the block." I shook his hand, and looked at the three of them. "I will bring help. I promise." I said with a smile. I walked to the norther gate of Riverwood. Ok, Skyrim let me see what you've got. I thought as I began my journey north. Walking across the stone bridge I felt the wind start to pick up. I stopped, and watched as the sun slipped into the western horizon plugging Skyrim into darkness. Only the twin moons guided my way. I stopped again at the top of the ridge. The view took all the breath from my lungs. The land stretched on to the east, and west, and stopped where the norther snow began. The real gem that caught my eyes was the city of Whiterun, which stood like a beautifully sculpted piece of stone setting in a sea of grass. Standing there I took stock of her many buildings. The largest structure caught me immediately with its large baronial roof, and haft-timbered walls gave it a very prestige, but sound look. I walked down the road by a tavern going by the name Honningbrew Meadery. The place was closed, so I keep moving. As I keep walking a sense of dread came over me; what if that dragon attacks Riverwood before I can summon proper help, and is that help going to be of use against it. These thoughts took over. I quickened my pace until I came to the main gate. A guard stopped me.

"Hold, cities closed with the dragons about. Official business only." He said to me.

"Riverwood has sent me to request aid from the Jarl. It is in imperative that I see him." I said to him.

He looked me over, and nodded. He went to the gate; unlocked it. As I passed him he placed a hand on my shoulder. "we'll be keeping an eye on you." He let me continue on through the open gate into the torch lit city of Whiterun.

Should the dragonborn join the companions? Comment below.