I had forgotten hold cold Winterhold was. The cold down South was nothing compared to this. It was strange, me being from around Bruma which is cold and snowy but still feeling the harsh nip of this cold. Nothing compares to Skyrim cold. I imagined myself sitting in this carriage with ice developing on my hair and all around my face, but it wasn't exactly that cold.

Speaking of sitting in the carriage, I didn't think I would do it, but then again Vilkas never really gave me the choice. The thoughts of that carriage bringing me to Helgen with the others and then that dragon coming to terrorise the town, ironically saving my life, but disrupting my sleep cycle.

But I have in fact decided that carriages are my least favourite means of transport. Not only because of Helgen but also for the fact that I can feel every little bump and crack in the road and it is incredibly uncomfortable.

Leaving Winterhold behind again wasn't very hard because as much as I like the College, it just doesn't feel quite like home. Not in the way Bruma felt or Whiterun feels now. But the thoughts of going to Windhelm were a little scary and I wanted to stay in Winterhold because I have no idea what Windhelm is like. I didn't know what it would be like and I was scared of meeting Mithra again.

-x-

Windhelm is grey. It is nothing more than grey and cold. There is no other hue in the city. The people are as miserable as the colour of their city. It is made of ruins and ruins built on ruins. I hate it and I want to go home, or anywhere, I want to go anywhere but here.

'This is horrible,' I muttered to Farkas.

'You should see where the Dunmer live,' Farkas replied. I shook my head; I didn't really want to see if it got worse. It was dark and I just wanted to sleep. So we went to the inn in the middle of the city; Candlehearth Hall, and Farkas rented two rooms and after something quick to eat we both retreated to our rooms.

I got undressed and tried to sleep but after a while I got uncomfortable just lying in the bed, staring at the ceiling waiting for sleep to take me so I got back up and dressed and paced around the room for a few minutes before relighting the candle and then running my finger through the flame.

I jumped and dropped the candle and the hot wax spilled all over the floor and extinguished the little flame. The scream was blood curling and it made my blood turn cold like the ice outside. I poked my head out through the door and looked up and down the inn but no one was there. I closed the door and sat back on the bed, curling my legs into my chest and hugging them tightly. The room was as dark as the city.

The door began to creak open and I huddled backwards in fear but it was only Farkas peaking his head in.

'Are you okay?'

I nodded.

'Did you hear that?'

I nodded again.

'I'm going to see what's going on, wait here,' he told me. I nodded a third time and he closed the door and disappeared.

It was definitely a girl who had screamed. It was so loud and so desperate, what could have happened?

I waited and finally Farkas came back and sat on the bed beside me.

'What happened?' I asked.

'Some woman was murdered, there's a serial killer in the town. They're locking the inn, just in case,' he explained.

'Is she dead?'

He nodded.

'This place is horrid,' I told him. 'It's disgusting. Something needs to change here.'

'Well if you want to ask Ulfric, be my guest,' he chuckled.

'Maybe I will,' I said.

'I can imagine you trying,' he teased.

'I could! I bet I could! I bet you ten Septims if I marched up there in the morning I could get this place to improve,' I said with a smirk.

'Yeah right,' he said giving me a playful shove on the bed.

'But really, this place could do with a change,' I said.

'I'd give you a thousand Septims to go tell Ulfric that,' an unknown voice said.

The both of us jumped and turned to the door where Mithra stood in black robes and a black hood hanging just at the back of her head.

'No really, I would love for someone to put Ulfric in his place, let him know he's brutal ruler who needs to have his face dragged through the streets of Windhelm. You should see his palace, so warm and cosy. And what do our dear Dunmer friends get? A bunch of Nords throwing them to the most horrific side of town,' she purred.

'It's not my business,' I said.

'Not your business?' she scoffed. 'It's everyone's business. You can't waltz in here, see the problems and keep your mouth shut because you don't live here.' She sounded like she was daring me to say something to Ulfric. But she was right, everyone who shows up here and says nothing about the abuse the Dunmer get are just as bad as the Nords giving the abuse.

'I'll give you a thousand Septims to knock Ulfric off that high horse of his,' she challenged. Farkas threw me a glance, warning me to decline, but I accepted and Mithra strode forward and shook my hand. She gave me a wicked smile.

'Maybe give him a push to get those murders sorted out, otherwise he might just put me out of business,' she grinned, 'Anyway, I should warn you about this root. It's dangerous to say the least so don't be stupid enough to brew it in your morning tea. I doubt I need to remind you that you should let me know about all the goings on up in the College. Also just keep an eye on that Ancano fellow, I can't imagine any of you want him sniffing around in your precious experiments, but if he were to sniff something that might be fatal to him I don't think anyone at the College would tell on you.' She looked down at the small bag containing the Jarrin Root.

I took the bag in my hand.

'If you're still up for getting a thousand Septims up front then let me know and we can go up and see Ulfric,' she said with a wink before leaving the room, shutting the door slowly behind her.

'What is wrong with you?' he asked.

'What?' I asked.

'Making deals with people like her?'

'Farkas, in case you didn't know, I'm poor and you have been paying for my rooms, food and everything else for how long now?'

'So?'

'We have to get a boat tomorrow and I don't have enough money for that and I don't want you to pay for me again,' I told him.

'Why not? I don't mind,' he told me.

'Yes, but I do. I don't want to be rescued all the time, I feel like I can't do anything for myself.'

'Oh. Well I guess, if you want to…'

'I've met Ulfric before, briefly… It should be fine,' I said.

'What are you going to say?'

'I have no idea,' I sighed. 'I should have thought this through.'

I put the Jarrin Root into my rucksack with the rest of the collection of items for Neloth and then sighed.

-x-

It was incredibly strange to walk through Windhelm just as the sun was rising, accompanied by a big, burly Companion and a charming, yet deadly master thief/assassin. It was even stranger to walk through the doors of the Palace of the Kings with Farkas telling me how it was once the castle of Ysgramor.

The Palace was surprisingly warming. It was huge and grey and blue a little like the city, only warmer. The feast table in the centre of the throne room was laid out in front of me and beyond it sat Ulfric, his slouch just as lazy as his rule over this city.

We approached and Farkas and Mithra stood a little behind me as I approached the throne. Ulfric lazily looked toward us and then squinted at me. A man stood to the side of the throne and stared at me. He was huge and menacing with a bear draped over his head and shoulders.

'Only the foolish or the courageous approach a Jarl without summons,' Ulfric said, 'Do I know you?'

'I believe so,' I said, steadying my voice. He stared at me for a moment, pondering on how he knew me.

'Ah yes, you were with us at Helgen. Destined for the chopping block if I'm not mistaken.'

'I have no criminal past,' I told him. 'But I have a concern.'

'Oh?' he asked with his croaky voice.

'I'm concerned for your people. All of your people,' I said sternly.

'What of my people?'

'If you swear to help the dark elves in Windhelm then I'm willing to join your ranks if you'll have me. But things need to change for the elves because this is their home too and it's not fair that they're treated this way.'

'Luna,' Farkas hissed at me, but I ignored him.

'If you'll change it, I'll join the Stormcloak army,' I told him, 'But I'm not joining your army if you continue with your lousy rule.'

'Do you know whom you speak to?!' growled the man dressed in a bear.

'I know very well who I speak to; it was because of his poorly planned move that I got caught in an ambush and almost got beheaded,' I snapped.

'How dare-'

'Enough Galmar,' Ulfric said calmly. 'I'll change some things about the city and you can join the Stormcloaks. I believe you needed someone to retrieve this Crown Galmar.'

'You can't possibly want to send this Unblooded to find the Jagged Crown?' Galmar gasped in horror.

'Oh!' Mithra exclaimed behind me, 'This should be fun! I happened to see some of your plans the last time I was here Galmar, and just so you're both aware, the Crown is real, but it's not in Korvanjund anymore. You see, I also found out the Imperials knew where the Crown was, so I thought I'd have some fun while I was deciding who should get it.'

'You took the Jagged Crown?!' bellowed Galmar, huffing and puffing in a ball of rage. Mithra calmly walked forward and smiled at the two men.

'You know me, I like games. Anyway, I suppose I could hand it over to little Luna here and then she could maybe hand it over to you, but then she might feel compelled to hand it over to Elisif if the changes you make aren't up to her expectation, isn't that right Luna?' I didn't reply, but Mithra didn't need a reply.

'I don't like this,' Farkas whispered to me.

'Politics,' I muttered back.

'Hand the crown over and fight in the name of Skyrim and you can have what you wish,' Ulfric said, looking past Mithra to me.

'Change the discrimination of the dark elves in Windhelm and how other races are treated throughout Skyrim. Also I want you to swear you will not destroy any of the cities in Skyrim. You can't destroy people's homes. It's not to happen,' I told him.

'If I'm going to liberate Skyrim, I will be moving into the cities. We will take over the cities to insure they are with us,' Ulfric said.

'You're going to destroy them,' I proclaimed. 'You're going to march into Whiterun and burn it down if the Jarl doesn't side with you, aren't you?'

'If you can sway the Jarl in Whiterun to join us then I won't have to touch your home,' he said with a slight roll of his eyes.

'Okay,' I told him. Mithra looked at me questioningly and I nodded.

'Well, now that you both know what the other wants I think it's settled and Luna will hand over the Jagged Crown,' Mithra said with a large grin.

'Where is it?' Ulfric asked.

'Luna if you wouldn't mind opening up your rucksack, I believe you'll find there's something you didn't pack,' she said. I pulled my bag off my back and opened it and here sat this weightless Crown sitting atop of my other items for Neloth. I picked it up and examined it for a minute; it was not weightless at all. The large teeth that coated the Crown were blunt and yellowing.

'Now, Ulfric don't forget your promises!' Mithra exclaimed as she pulled a coin purse from her robes and plopped it into Farkas' hands before walking down the throne room to the huge doors of the palace.

I handed the Crown over to Ulfric with an awkward smile.

'Speak to the Jarl of Whiterun and then report back with his decision,' the Jarl ordered.

'It could take a while, I'm going away for a few days, I should be back in the next week or so, then I'll speak with him,' I told him. He nodded and took the Crown in his hands. I turned to Farkas silently and the two of us left without a word. Farkas carried the coin purse from Mithra and paid no attention to me.

His eyebrows were knitted together in anger as we walked into the snow and through the grey hue of Windhelm. He didn't speak a word to me as we walked out of Windhelm. I pretended not to notice and kicked my way through the snow. I glanced around us every now and then to pretend I wasn't aware of his silence towards me, until we reached the docks and I couldn't take it anymore.

'I'm sorry,' I told him.

'I can't believe you did that. You just signed up to the Stormcloak army because Mithra dared you to say something to Ulfric?' he said angrily.

'Farkas I know it was a little stupid, but at least now Ulfric is going to do something about the racism in Skyrim!' I said.

'And is that really worth being forced to go to war and possibly die out there!' he exclaimed at me. 'You're so impulsive!'

'So! Farkas, Brelyna told me about how Ulfric treats other races! It's horrible! Someone had to say something! And I need to say something because those people are suffering and no one cares enough to help them or say anything! I know how it feels Farkas! To be cast out because you're different because of your race and it's not fair! You don't know anything about suffering so why would you understand!' I yelled, pointing a finger at my chest.

I could see it in his eyes; that hint that was now screaming at me that I had gone too far. I had pushed him too far. I shouldn't have said that.

'What do I know about suffering? Right,' he scoffed. He dropped the coin purse on the icy dock and walked away.

'Farkas!' I called, grabbing his arm. He stopped in his tracks, but it wasn't because I had pulled him back.

'Vilkas was right,' he said.

'I'm sorry,' I told him. 'I didn't mean that.'

'Luna I care about you, I really do, but you keep pushing me away so you can prove that you don't need someone to come running to your aid, and when you do that you need someone even more,' he told me sternly. 'You just joined the Stormcloaks. You went to Riften with no one with you. You could have been killed!'

He sat down on the edge of the docks, looking out across the water. I sat down beside him and took in a deep breath.

'I'm sorry.'

'I worry about you. I really care about you.' He sounded and looked like a sad puppy.

'I know. I care about you too. It's just…,' I paused, 'I've lived alone for a while now and I've been fine, I've never needed anyone. And then Helgen happened and then I was alone. I mean, I've always kind of been alone since my parents, but this time I felt really alone. And I was lost. And then I met you and Vilkas and Aela and you guys were so nice to me and you helped me. And then Dunstad happened…'

'That wasn't your fault,' he told me.

'Yeah, I know, but after that you guys came and saved the day again and then I promised you that I would help you because you helped me and I am still going to do that. I'm going to get this cure for you and Vilkas. But I just keep feeling like ever since I met you I can't do anything for myself anymore and I need to do that. I need to do something for myself. I really need to be able to be my own hero. But I just keep doing stupid things and getting myself into bigger messes. Like that trip to Riften. See Bruma is not like that and I was not expecting to get mauled by a bear.' We both chuckled lightly.

I sighed.

'I'm sorry for being stupid and worrying you. But I'm not sorry for joining the Stormcloaks. The Legion almost killed me for no reason,' I told him.

'Fair enough,' he shrugged.

'But yeah, almost threatening Ulfric Stormcloak was a little stupid. But it was funny, you can't deny that. I was expecting to get thrown out and only for Mithra we would have been kicked out,' I laughed.

'Yeah it was funny,' he said with a smirk. 'You're still stupid. But at least you know you're stupid.'

'Don't tell anyone in Jorrvaskr that you got to call me stupid,' I smiled.

'Just promise you won't go doing anything really stupid again. Promise me that talking with Ulfric and joining the rebellion is the stupidest thing you're going to do. No more stupid,' he said.

'I promise, I won't do anything worse than that,' I told him.

-x-

The boat trip was cold, but Solstheim is not cold. It could be warmer, but it is definitely not cold like Skyrim. It's brown with a warm hue in the air. The air is heavy with the warmness from the brown. Everything looks like it was covered in dirt.

'Welcome to Raven Rock,' the Captain of the ship said. Farkas and I got off the ship and stood on the docks for a moment. My stomach was lurching from the trip and I was instantly dreading the ride home. I wasn't sick, but I felt as if I was going to be.

We walked into Raven Rock, the city in which we had just docked. It was just as sandy and brown as the outside looked. Some orange lanterns hung along the pathway and we walked up to find the inn.

'I don't know where he lives, we'll have to ask around first,' I said. Farkas nodded as we entered the inn. The buildings here are strange. We walked through the door into the inn and then we went down a stairs to get to the main part of the inn. I walked up to the counter and the Dark Elf who stood behind it turned to me.

'What can I get you?' he asked.

'I was wondering if you could help me, I'm looking for Neloth of House Telvanni?' I asked. He laughed.

'You're looking for that old coot?' he snickered.

'Yes?' I said wearily. 'I'm just looking to get to his house.'

'It's on the other side of the island, on the South-East corner. It's about a two hour trip,' he said.

'Oh, okay, thank you,' I said. I left the counter and went back to talk to Farkas.

'Well?'

'It's on the other side of the island, about two hours to get there. I think we should just get two rooms here and head off tomorrow,' I told him. He nodded and we sat at a table and waited to get something to eat and drink before heading to bed, Farkas a little drunk by this point.