The Cemetery at Southwind Sanctum

28th of Second Seed, 4E 205.

"Katla! They are tearing down the gates!" Rashall roared into Southwind Sanctum a cave just on the border of Skyrim south of Helgen. The past year they had rebuilt the gates that stood in the narrowest part of the mountain pass between Cyrodiil and Skyrim.

Katla called Naya to her and got her help putting on her armour. "How much time do we have?" she asked as Rashall came up to them. She had gathered a small force up in this cave just in case something like this would happen. The Thalmor had promised them a year. Three months remained until the end of that period yet here they were.

"You better hurry if you don't want them in Skyrim," Rashall said.

"This one is done," Naya said as she fastened the last strap holding Katla's armour in place. "This one will clear out space for wounded."

Katla and Rashall headed outside. Katla sprinted up the mountain path with her bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. She lit the arrow on fire and shoot it towards the spot where she had hidden the explosives many months ago. Nothing happened. Katla brought out another arrow as the gates cracked and fell. She fired it. Still, nothing happened. "I need to get up to the gate," she said. The Thalmor must have found the explosives and removed them. Behind her, Rashall called their men forward, and they prepared for battle.

Soldiers rushed down the mountain towards Helgen. The city was strong as long, as they could cut off the onslaught, the men and women stationed there would make it. Katla was more worried about the brave people she had with her. "FOR SKYRIM!" she roared as she led the small band of soldiers she commanded up against the enemies pouring in through the pass. She was glad she had realised that this might be necessary. It was a good thing now that they were so close. If only she could make it to the broken gates.

All around the Queen of Skyrim people fought. Many of the Thalmor's soldiers passed them by and continued further into the country, but they held up their fair share.

Blood stained the ground.

People screamed in pain.

Katla fought on; one step at a time. Always a little closer to her goal. She felled a horse that came running and sent its rider flying. Poor creature. The horse didn't deserve to die

She didn't stop to check what was going on around her. She didn't have time.

She hissed in pain as someone cut through her armour. She swung her greatsword and chopped their head clean off.

As she finally made it to the gates, she heard an explosion in the distance. Rashall's bomb had gone off. If she thought too much about it, she knew that Helgen had fallen. She pushed through up to the gates. "Gol Bah Alok Kreh Wahl Strunmah!" she shouted as she slammed her hands to the ground. She poured as much of herself as she could into the shout. This had to work or they were all dead.

She could hear herself breathing.

She could hear the clashing of metal against metal.

She could hear the cries of pain and somewhere she wasn't sure, but she thought she heard Rashall crying out.

Why wasn't anything happening?

Panic started setting in and Katla wasn't one to panic.

She stood up with her sword in her hand and chugged a potion that would take care of any minor wounds she had. She would go out fighting. She turned back towards the men already in Skyrim and started mowing them down.

Then as she moved away a rumble could be heard and the ground started shaking. Katla pressed herself up against the mountain wall as the very mountain moved and sealed the pass. Rocks flew everywhere. Katla started laughing. It had worked. She had sealed the pass.

She looked around herself as the mirth died down. They were still overrun. They were still not making it out of this battle alive. Not the way things looked now. She raised her sword once more and headed into the fray. She would defeat them, or she would join her kin in Sovengrade.

Katla hissed and clutched at her abdomen as she fell to her knees. Above her stood a Redguard with his sword raised over her head.

His sword was coming.

This was the end.

Katla smiled. She would join Kyne.

She didn't fear death.

She closed her eyes.

.

.

.

Death didn't come.

Katla could feel heat around her and the smell of burning flesh reached her nostrils.

"Give up or die!" a familiar voice called out.

Katla opened her eyes and looked around. In the distance, two figures came walking towards them. They were robbed and their hoods were up. She could tell by the way they walked that they were women. Then lighting started striking from the clear blue sky above. Anyone from the attacking army that had not dropped their weapons was struck down.

"What are you doing on the ground Queen of Skyrim?"

"Thanking my lucky star that I have friends like you," Katla answered.

"Things didn't go according to plan, I see," Rhavaniel said as she pulled her hood off.

"Things have a tendency not to," Katla responded. So many dead lay around her. Some were friends the others were foes. They would have to care for them or plague would sweep over Skyrim.

"Helgen looks like a crater," Rhavaniel said. "Lydia didn't make it, but most of the others are okay. You lost more people up here than down there."

Katla let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Lydia was dead. That was sad, but she couldn't help but feel relieved that it wasn't worse. Rhavaniel helped her up from the ground. "You need to get looked at," Rhavaniel said.

"We held camp in the cave," Katla said.

"Talos this is heavy," Vivianna said as she lifted Katla's sword.

"Well, Katla is quite strong," Rhavaniel said. "It isn't that surprising that her sword would be heavy is it?"

"I guess not," Vivianna said grumpily as she cast a feather-light charm on the sword so she could bring it along.

In the cave, Naya was ordering people around. She was tending to everyone she could, and she swore over her lack of Healers. Neither Rhavaniel nor Vivianna was any good with healing but they could take care of those not so greatly wounded. Before Rhavaniel ran off to help out, however, she aided Katla out of her armour. "You will have to make a new one," she said as he cut straight through it with a spell Katla didn't even know existed. Though, she had a feeling it was one that Rhavaniel had made herself.

Naya came over and hissed angrily. "This one has been worried sick," she said. "Rashall-dar was brought in with a huge gash across his chest and was barely breathing. Katla-do looks like she has been through a meat grinder. You will behave and do what this one tells you, yes."

"Anything you say Naya," Katla said.

"At least Katla-do means it. Rashall-dar is already causing trouble," Naya said with a deep sigh.

"I could order him to behave," Katla suggested.

"No, Katla-do needs to lay still," Naya said. "This one will heal you and give you potion. Then Katla-do will sleep. Rhavaniel-dra and Vivianna-dra will take care of the fallen."

Katla nodded and lay down. Naya was right. There was nothing more that she could do now.

30th of Second Seed, 4E 205.

It was a sad proceeding that walked north from Helgen. Most of their fallen comrades had been laid to rest in Southwind Sanctum. Their enemies had been burned in a big bonfire just north of there. The only body they carried with them was Lydia. She would be buried with the other great warriors of Whiterun. She had done everything in her power to save as many of her men as possible.

Lydia had died a hero.

Around Katla song rose from the soldiers. She wondered briefly how they had come up with one so quickly, but she didn't comment on it. As they passed Riverwood the soldiers sang:

"At Helgen they fought bravely

Through arrow rain and fire

In song we leave their memory

Of times most dark and dire

The Thalmor us must conquer to gain their final goal

They hunt us down, they kill us but can not take our souls.

Upon the wall stood stoutly. Lydia the Brave

She fought the foes of Skyrim holding them at bay

Her sacrifice them hindered in their steadfast march.

And saved us from their lethal use of fire's blast

Oh, Katla Queen of Skyrim the gentle and the just.

She fought the armies bravely and did all that she must

With shout most strong and daring she rushed the broken gates

With power of the dragons she mountains moved and raised

Oh, gentle dames of Skyrim your sacrifice for peace

Moves our hearts and save us, our courage it release

Lydia the Brave we'll remember what you've done

Your courage and your wisdom has guided our sons

The Thalmor will not beat us we will protect our home

They can not take our memory we'll write it down in tome

We'll carry on your memory as we all fight hard

For Skyrim we will conquer or dine in Sovngarde."

"Lady Katla there are men coming from the west!"

Katla turned around. They had almost reached Whiterun. Would they make a run for it? Had the Thalmor rounded the mountain and gone down between Falkreath and Lakeview? Had they destroyed Falkreath and Rorikstead?

They couldn't have. Nowhere near enough time had passed since the battle.

"They are orcs!"

A murmur of fear went through Katla's forces. What would she do? They weren't unfriendly with the orcs. "Hold your weapons!" she ordered. She walked out in front of her men with Naya by her side. For a tense moment, they stood there watching the approaching army.

Then out of the mass of orcs came a single rider. His black hair blew in the wind. He wore a moonstone armour that Katla would have recognised anywhere since she had made it herself. "It's Harry," she said. The relief was evident in her voice.

More riders appeared out of the gathered orcs and they, together with Harry, approached Katla and her men.

"What has happened?" Harry asked as he got close enough.

"We lost Helgen," Katla said.

"But you won the battle," Harry said. "Or you wouldn't still be here."

Katla rolled her eyes. "I don't know if I would call it a victory, but I sealed the pass," she said. "They can't come through there anymore."

"Queen Katla moved the mountain," one of the nearby soldiers called out.

Harry nodded. He could understand Katla. She wouldn't see a major loss of life as a victory. "I brought us allies," he said. He motioned to the orcs that had come with him. "These are the Chieftains of the Orcs." He introduced them all. There were seven Chieftains. The four that had strongholds in Skyrim and another tree from Highrock. The Chieftains from Highrock had much bigger strongholds. In their strongholds, several men were allowed wives, but they had to prove themselves to gain them. The hope was that one day the Skyrim holds would be able to do the same. Working with the people of Skyrim to defend them would hopefully make that easier since they would one day need more land if they were to grow.

The strongest of the Chieftains, Zerdrax, dismounted from his horse and walked up to Katla. "The Orcs will fight for you Queen of Skyrim. We couldn't possibly stay out of the greatest battle of our time."

"We would be honoured to have you," Katla said. "Now the only path into Skyrim from Cyrodill in the Rift Pass."

"Then Largashbur will be our closest Stronghold," Zerdrax said.

"Naya will you be ready to ride tomorrow?" Katla asked.

"This one can set up communication between Zerdrax-do and Ulfric-do, yes," Naya said. "If we leave tomorrow, then Rashall-dar will be well enough to go as well."

Katla nodded. She turned to Zerdrax. "Naya and Rashall are my seconds in command. They will set you up with Jarl Ulfric who leads our forces down there. I will come personally soon, but I have some healing to do and there are a few other things I have to deal with. The bother of politics you see," she said.

"Understandable. It might be good to have some liaisons. Nords can get a little stingy otherwise," Zerdrax said. He looked at the Khajiit next to the Queen. It was interesting to see that the Queen's most trusted were Khajiit.

"Here I leave you Chieftains of the Orcs. I have other things I must attend to, but I will see you again on the battlefield," Harry said.

"Go with Malacath's strength Harry Dragonheart, Prince of Skyrim," Zerdrax said.

"Will you lead the men to Whiterun Harry," Katla said. "Lydia must be buried."

"Lydia died?" Harry said. That was sad. Lydia had been a good person. He would miss her. He rode up and called for the soldiers that Katla had been leading to follow him.

1st of Mid Year, 4E 205.

Harry sat in the great hall in Dragonsreach. He knew that he would one day return to Earth. When he did that he might need a disguise. He had no idea what year it would be when he returned. He was watching Katla as she spoke with Balgruuf. If it was a disguise for Earth then he could look like Katla, right? The first earring would hold the brown colour of her hair and the amber colour of her eyes. That wasn't the problem. He now needed to figure out how to make his face look more like hers without him looking feminine. He had tried and failed miserably earlier. Now he was studying her face and noting more specific things. Like the curve of her nose and the shape of her eyebrows.

Later that evening he sat in front of a mirror and changed his appearance until he was happy with the way he looked. The next day he enchanted a new pair of earrings. He packed the old pair away in case he would come to need them at some point.