Ralof V

It had been three years since he had first heard about a traitor in the midst of the Stormcloak leaders. I had at first put it off as rumor, the Legionnaire who told me had merely been a sore loser but now, now I was truly beginning to wonder.

Every move we made in this war the Legion was just enough ahead to survive. They should have been defeated last summer, but held out until winter came. When the snows first fell we thought we could end the war in time to weather out the cold in Solitude.

It was like Legate Rikke had known we were closer than we let on. We acted like we would take Morthal before marching on Solitude, but instead took ships from Dawnstar and landed at the East Empire Company Warehouse in solitude and went from there. It should have been completely by surprise.

Even the Jarl of Morthal had no clue we were not going to attack her. Jarl Ulfric had arranged a marriage between Idgrod the Younger and Edric so he did not want to risk killing her in the crossfire. Galmar said he could find Edric any other woman. He would just need something wet and willing to get a son and carry on the Stormcloak name. Ulfric said he would not go back on his word to Jarl Idgrod the Elder.

I did not point out that the Legion swears an oath to the Emperor. Not the specific man, but to whoever sits the throne.

It was like Rikke knew we were going to be there when we first showed up and I pointed it out to Ulfic's war council. The various thanes of the court all nodded in agreement until I brought up the suspicion of a traitor.

"Ah, not that again. Ralof, you have been on about that since Whiterun." Brunwulf Free-Winter cleared his throat and spit at my feet.

"Aye, and everything is only proving my point. Open your damned eyes your old bastard!" I shouted back.

"Enough!" Ulfric shouted and the room shook. "Brunwulf, it is my place to yell at my soldiers. Ralof, I see your point. I give you the task of finding this informant. When you find him, come to me."

That had been when we first came back from Whiterun. Edric had been fighting in Falkreath and the Rift against any bandit or Imperial he could. Well, that was the official mission. Really he was hunting the missing Dragonborn. No one had seen him in Skyrim in three years and he had disappeared from Solstheim not long after.

Now I was investigating a Dunmer tavern, they call them corner clubs, inside the Gray Quarter. I had talked to any Dumer who would reply to my inquiries. They mainly whispered about "The Butcher," an urban legend. He was like the guy with the hook hand who kill teenagers who sneak off for sex. Don't go off alone at night in the city or "The Butcher" will get you. Ridiculous.

I hit pay dirt when I went to the back room and found Imperial Legion armor behind crates. "What are these doing here?" I looked to the owner.

"Several of us were in the Legion before we came here and are proud of our service." He gruffed.

"Yeah, I heard that in Dawnstar. Except that veteran wore his armor everywhere he went. This 'proud' display of your armor in the back room along with these weapons," I lifted a bow. "Give me enough reason to haul your ass to the Palace and put you before Ulfric." My threat was not for nothing. The man began to panic.

"It was Brunwulf Free-Winter. He sends people to the court of Solitude. He has these in case he thinks the Empire will lose and the Argonians and Dark Elves are supposed to revolt."

Only when we got to the Palace to speak with Ulfric a different story came from the Dark Elves mouth. It was only too late did I notice Brunwulf standing next to the Jarl.

"It was him, my Jarl." The Dunmer pointed at me. "He has been sending his scouts ahead to inform Legionnaires what you are doing. He had the Dunmer and Argonians prepared to revolt and kill you and your son. With the two of you dead he could take the throne." The Dunmer pulled out several parchments. It was supposed correspondences between myself and Hadvar.

"This is the Legionnaire you had me spare at Helgen, yes?" Ulfric raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, my Jarl." I lowerd my head. I should have let him shout Hadvar into a thousand pieces. Looking back up, "My Jarl, I did not do this."

"According to Brunwulf, you have been bringing this up in order to pin everything on him. He has the respect of the Dunmer. This tavern keeper came to him and gave him evidence that says you are the spy." Ulfric lowered his gaze to not show how angry he was.

"Sir, I have served you faithfully and loyally since the day I left Riverwood." I stammered.

"Aye, it looks better when you bring in your men to put down the rebellion. A loyal soldier seeking revenge, vengeance, or whatever. Justifies it." He stood then and held out a hand. A large great sword was handed to him. "Ralof, of Riverwood. I sentence you a traitor's death. Save some face and take it with dignity."

Then his doors were thrown, no shouted, open. A man in Nordic steel walked into the room. Jarl Ulfric glared at him. "Who are you?"

"I am the only man alive who could walk into your court and take your throne." Came the reply.

"Dragonborn?" Ulfric did not seem pleased.

"Aye, you can call your son home. Better yet, send him to Karthwasten. A rogue group of Reachmen have been sacrificing people to Namira."

"Oh its Namira now? I heard Hircine last week. The week before that they kidnapped the Sybil of Dibella." Then a small object hit the Jarl in the chest. The guards all drew their swords, only for the swords to be shouted from their hands.

The Jarl bent forward to pick up the object. Then the Dragonborn was standing over him. No one even saw him move. How did he move that fast?

"Listen, the Hircine thing is a lie. Namira does have a cult active within the city. Contact a Nord named Thorin. He was a Thane of Igmund's court. Also, the Sybil of Dibella being kidnapped is true also. She is a child from Karthwasten."

"Why did you come here to tell me this?" Ulfric looked confused.

"If you think you are going to be High King of Skyrim you need to act like it." He told the Jarl and everyone cringed.

"So says the legendary hero who forsook us all to hide for years." The Dragonborn never even flinched at this. He shouted something and his body lit up into flames. The flames became armor and a shade wearing the same armor appeared near him.

"Jalr Ulfric, you know two shouts. You play at being Tiber Septim reborn, but I am the man you wish you were." The shade held an axe to the Jarl's throat. "I am leaving your petty war alone. I will go to Solitude and speak with Elisif there. I come to end the threat of Dragons and bring some peace back to the people. While you are waiting to fight the Legion take care of the Reach. I will not ask again." The shade drew its axe back like it would swing when it disappeared and the axe dropped to the ground. The Dragonborn picked it up and handed it to me.

"Come with me, Ralof of Riverwood. Your time as a Stormcloak has come to a close." I did not need to be told twice.