The Tale of Zooryuvokogan
Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim or anything involved with it.
It's been a year since Nonvul and I defeated The World Eater under Sovngarde's never ceasing sunset. During that time, my father has risen to power over all of Skyrim. He was announced High King at the moot not long after the world was saved. There have been many objections, mostly from Imperial stragglers and the families that supported the Empire. Revolts around the country have sprung up as well.
My father has started to change things for the better but some people, including myself, think that they may stir up trouble in the near future. He planned a construction project on the Palace of the Kings that was finally finished weeks ago. I still find myself getting lost among the chambers and rooms. We now have more than 50 bedrooms, an enormous kitchen that replaced the dungeon, a war room the size of the Great Hall, a room for feasts as well as a smaller one for the less ceremonious meals, and a whole indoor crafting room complete with a forge, alchemy table, enchanting table, some tanning racks, benches, and grindstones. It really is a palace fit for a king.
The old dining hall that was joined with the throne room and entry hall has been transformed into just the throne room. There are three thrones, the king's is the largest and the original throne, a smaller one made for the queen, and one that is just a bit smaller which is for the child of the royal pair. They are all different but they are never less regal than the next throne in the line.
Another big thing for Skyrim was that as High King, my father could do pretty much anything he wanted. The first thing he did was make Windhelm the capitol of Skyrim instead of Solitude. Maps had to be rewritten along with some of the Fourth Era books that will be coming out soon.
One of the things that bugs me the most is that I must be present along with my father when visitors that have a high status come to visit. This includes Jarls along with their families and some of the clans spread across Skyrim. The most annoying thing about this is my new title. I am now addressed as 'Princess' or 'Princess Hunbrii'. I hate it along with some of the other requirements when I am supposed to be present or out in public. No more armor or dirty faces. I must always be clean and in a dress made of silk or the other fineries that we can afford. There are also no more secrets between me and the world. Everyone knows who I am and my story along with my father's. It sickens me.
Although it's been rough and a pain in the ass the first year of my father's rein, I know it's going to get a lot worse.
Each day provides another problem that I have to take care of. More and more vampires show up at our doorstep, each carrying a letter from the Listener. Sometimes the sun turns blood red as well. I haven't lost touch with my beast side and my powers seem to be growing.
The most puzzling thing is that there has been no word of Nonvul. There have been no reports and no letters concerning him or his whereabouts. It's like he dropped of the face of Nirn.
Other than trying to keep sane about this whole ordeal, I've been doing various deeds across Skyrim. Half of them have almost gotten me killed. Over the course of this year, I've unleased my beasty side in Solitude's underbelly by smiting Potama the Wolf Queen who was being resurrected. I've solved the string of murders in my own city, killed Mercer Frey and restored the Thieves's Guild's luck, became Thane of every hold, made it so that Khajiit caravans could enter the cities, and killed a lot of bandits. I also started to make a dragon army because I fear that something big is coming. Something I won't be able to handle by myself.
The dragon army is a secret little side project I've been putting together. The Aldmeri Dominion has been attacking us more frequently now, the threats getting worse. So far, I've recruited Ohdaviing and a few other dragons. Paarthurnax is kind of on the fence because something in his head is telling him the advantages and disadvantages. The dragons I've recruited aren't aware that I am human, besides Ohdaviing, but I can tell that they get a bit jumpy around me. I don't know whether it's fear or just nerves that cause them to act strangely.
Other than that, life has been okay in a strange way.
"Hunbrii." Ulfric's voice reaches my ears and so does the knock at my door.
I turn around in my chair to see him walk in. He sits in a chair across from me at looks at me with serious eyes.
"We need to talk."
"About what?" I ask as I shove my diary in a little alcove in my desk.
"About you being... Dragonborn."
"Really? You're really just bringing this up after a year of you and basically the whole country knowing?"
"I've been very busy. You never told me you were Dragonborn, so it was a surprise to me when I found out you held that power at the negotiations last year."
"I never knew I was Dragonborn until last year too. After training with the Greybeards, Arngeir started acting weird and then I left. When I killed my first dragon after Alduin rose again, I found out that I was Dragonborn. You happy now?"
"One more question."
"Yes?"
"How did the Imperials capture you? You were always so elusive when our rogues and sneaks were around."
"There are many things you don't know about me and one of them is my manner of skill in the way of a sneak. The only reason why the Imperials captured me was because I misjudged their abilities. They had a dog, my dog, that would rally information to them. He would go back and forth between my hiding place and the capitol, leading them to where I was. In the end, he died defending me for a purpose that still puzzles me to this day."
I leave my room quickly, leaving my father to ponder in it as I walk the halls silently to exit the palace. The guards greet me as 'princess' even after telling them over and over not too. They snicker at my reaction because they know how to get under my skin. I leave them to their teasing and go to the new training yard that replaced the Gray Quarter. I had my father build a bigger and better place in the city for the Dunmer so they would feel welcomed and a bit more respected.
Stormcloak soldiers are everywhere. Some are practicing while others are smithing and taking breaks while sipping mead, another thing that bugs me. I'm not allowed to drink anymore because of a little 'incident' I had a month ago. It was early in the day and I had a few bottles of mead. Not enough to make me drunk but enough to affect my walking. I had walked into the palace to sleep off the alcohol but the place was filled with people. Crowds still make me nervous and I threw up all over the floor. Now I'm on a strict no drinking diet. The only thing I can have is a bit of wine on special occasions.
From the corner of my eye, I see movement and turn quickly, my senses always acting up no matter how many time the guards tell me I am safe.
Ralof slows a bit as he approaches, knowing what happens when people try to sneak up on me. I bet he still remembers just a few months ago when he learned that very important lesson. He lightly slaps me on the back and hands me a sword. "Ready for a bit of sparring?"
"Just let me get my armor." I run over to the smithing area and into my own personal weapons and armor locker. The door swings open as I push on it and I walk in, surprised at the emptiness. My special armor is gone from the mannequin along with my specially made weapons. "By the Gods." I mutter as I stalk over to the palace doors and throw them open myself.
"Why do you have to be so violent?" Ulfric shouts from his throne as he sits there, slouched. One of his advisers scurries away as I approach him.
"Where. Is. My. Armor?" I growl between clenched teeth and then calm down.
"The blacksmith is replicating it for the our army. For now, use the regular Stormcloak armor or anything else you can dig up from your closet." He says without batting an eye.
I turn around and head back out the doors after I fish out one of the old uniforms. Ralof dumps the sword in my hands once again and we begin our sparring. We circle each other, swords drawn and stances ready. Ralof lunges first and I dodge, swinging my blade to the side to counter. Then I spin, knocking Ralof in his side with the sword before he can block.
He recoils a bit and laughs. "The army is no place for dancing."
"Princess Hunbrii!" Someone shouts urgently from the gathering crowd. I stop momentarily which I regret.
Ralof pounces on me and pins me to the ground, knocking my sword from my hands. The blade skitters out of reach and I can feel cold steel against my neck.
"You win this time Ralof. Now get off of me!" I laugh and he releases me. Ralof gives me a hand and helps me to my feet.
"Princess Hunbrii!" The same male voice shouts out again and the crowd seems to part. A bulky Nord in steel plate armor approaches out of breath. Four other people follow at the same pace behind him, carrying a cot with a crumpled form on it. Blood stains the fabric and a moan is admitted from the person on it.
"What in Oblivion happened?" I walk over to the form, looking over the body and examining the wounds.
"It's Nonvul. We were trying to kill the giants just outside of Kynesgrove. He was sent high in the air and when his mangled body hit the ground, he was still alive." The man explains to me as the other four set Nonvul down gently. He groans and his blood starts to drip on the cold, stone ground.
"You idiots! Didn't you read the notice on the post by their camp? They're allowed to be there!" I yell at them but get to work right away. After healing the soldiers that were in the army for a year, my healing skills have advanced to a very high level. "Give me some space."
I start with the basic Healing Hands spell but that barely does anything. I step it up to a stronger one and see progress. His flesh repairs itself and his bones reset and fix themselves. After a pressing few minutes with a large crowd staring over me, the deed is done and Nonvul is now recognizable. He opens his eyes and starts to get up but I push him back down.
"Well hello. You just can't wait to touch me after a year, huh?" Nonvul wiggles his eyebrows at me and I put my hand on my forehead, and instantly removing it after feeling his blood on it.
"You don't change do you?" I laugh and help him up after healing him a bit more just to be sure.
"You mean my good looks and charming personality obviously."
"Obviously." I roll my eyes at him and go over to one of the wells to wipe the blood off of my forehead and my hands.
"Are you going to introduce me to your daddy?"
"I don't think that's a good idea. He DID kill you when we took Solitude. And don't you hate Stormcloaks? I'm surprised you've been able to hold yourself back for this long. Oh, and how is the Listener? I bet he has better abs than you."
"Since when did you see my abs?"
"You don't remember?" I cough and speak in a very high and girlier voice. "Commander, this is a letter of enemy troop placement and a request for more troops. And please, your sheet has dropped."
"What the? How the- You know what, I don't even care."
"Oh yeah, you seem to be all talk about that down there." I point to his lower zone and walk over to my sword that skittered away earlier. One of the trainers takes it from me and places it back into the training armory.
"Well if my down there was as big as your up there, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"Excuse me?!"
"That's right, I said it. No wonder you have men oggling you all the time."
"Come on you bastard. You said you wanted to see my father and you will." I walk towards the palace, a little steamed at the previous conversation. Nonvul follows closely behind and the guards open the doors before I can push them open again.
"And make it blue with the silver emblem." My father says to the blacksmith as we reach the three thrones.
I walk over to mine and sit down, crossing one leg over the other. "This is-"
"The other Dragonborn, I know. Now boy, why have you come here?" Ulfric interrupts me and addresses Nonvul as 'boy'.
"I wish to join the Stormcloak army."
Author's Note: After a long break from this story, I'm back and ready to write with new ideas! I hope all of my readers have enjoyed this story so far and it makes me happy to see how many people read this story plus my other ones.
Hunbrii has gotten an attitude and a more violent personality. This is going to cause some new conflicts. Unfortunately, I won't be able to write another chapter for this story for awhile. Don't worry, the wait won't be as long as last time.