Their trip to Helgen was quiet, only meeting a couple of wolves along the way. Ralof was surprised when Astaria apologised to them. He asked her why but she simply shrugged and moved on.
They had both agreed to stay together until they knew what was happening at Helgen. They could see it was definitely still burning now.
Ralof was nervous. "You don't think it's still around do you?"
"It was flying away when we saw it." Astaria sounded more confident than she was. "Let's just see why it would attack here." She starts toward the city, Ralof hesitantly following.
"This is ridiculous," He grunted. "I know fighting, not dragons."
She doesn't answer, keeping her feet moving forward.
There wasn't much left of Helgen, a lot of rubbled buildings and fire licking away at the remnants. The dragon had hit it hard.
"By the nine…" Ralof breathed.
Astaria's face was grim and they moved deeper into the ruin. There really was very little left, she doubted rebuilding was an option, even the keep looked like it would crumble.
"Should we go inside? See if anyone made it?"
The keep was dark, the torches having long burned out. Ralof couldn't supress the shudder as they moved deeper inside, their way being lit by gaping holes in the walls.
It was empty and they soon found their way blocked by rubble.
"Is there no one left?" Ralof whispered more to himself, a note of sorrow in his voice.
They left and stood blinking in the sunlight, no further along than when they had started.
"Why here of all places?" Astaria asked. "Why would it-"
"Shhh." Ralof held up his hand, listening.
Voices reached them, and Ralof, who was a lot taller, could see the figures in red approaching.
"Imperials." He hissed and pushed Astaria back into the darkest space of the wall.
Normally Astaria would have protested, but she found herself unnecessarily tense. They listened.
"-dragon came out of nowhere."
"We were all there, we all saw that."
"Did the Stormcloaks escape?"
"We haven't found all the bodies yet sir."
Ralof and Astaria looked at each other, recognising the voice. That was General Tulius.
"Well keep searching. I'll be damned if these Stormcloaks are going to get away because of some dragon."
"Sir, you don't think that this had something to do with them?"
"The dragon and Ulfric? I doubt it. The man may be powerful and have trained with the Greybeards, but being allied with a dragon is ridiculous. They are all meant to be dead."
The men stopped not far from where Ralof and Astaria were hiding, neither daring to move.
"What a mess." Tulius continued. "The Thalmor are not going to like this. Do a last search of the area, if you don't find anyone we'll assume they've escape. Meet back at camp and we'll return to Solitude as soon as possible."
They heard one walk away, the others waiting till he was gone.
"Yeah, right. We've searched how many times already?"
"Let's make sure we at least look like we're looking, camps not that far."
The men laugh and move away. Astaria and Ralof relax slightly.
He looks down at her and grins. "You really are short."
She shoved his chest as he laughed quietly.
"Keep laughing, just remember who left you flat on your arse." She looks after the Imperials. "We should go. Ulfric will want to know that the dragon attacked the Imperials."
"And that the Imperials were executing our men." Ralof frowned. "This is all very odd. Why would the dragon attack the Imperials?"
Astaria shook her head and made sure the Imperials were gone before leading the way out. They were halfway down the path when Ralof stopped, frowning.
She looks at him, he was looking off the path.
"What is it?"
He hesitates. "A friend and I used to sneak into a cave under the keep, we used to try and see what was going on and steal food." He continues to stare and Astaria could clearly see the indecision on his face.
"Let's go take a look."
He nods slowly. "Alright." And heads towards the hidden cave.
The cave looked untouched by the effects of the dragon attack, at least until they got further in and saw some of the walls crumbling away.
"We shouldn't linger." Astaria says quietly as Ralof continues forward.
"I know, it's just-" He stops dead before rushing over to a motionless figure dressed in red on the ground. "Hadvar!" He turns the unconscious man over."
"You know him?" Astaria asks in surprise.
"We grew up in Riverwood together." He looked heavily concerned even though his friend was on the other side. "Do you have any healing potions on you?"
Astaria dug around in the small the pouch on her hip and pulled out a small red vial, handing it to Ralof. Ralof took it and gently lifted Hadvar's head, letting the potion run down his throat.
Slowly, Hadvar's eyes opened. "Ralof?" He croaked. "What are you doing here?"
"Saving you as usual it seems. What happened?"
Hadvar blinked weakly. "A dragon attacked. We were executing prisoners and it just flew in out of nowhere." He frowned and stirred, trying to sit up. "Ralof you bastard! You can't be here! You-"
Ralof places a firm hand on Hadvar's shoulder. "Stop it Hadvar. We need to get you out of here before the place collapses."
There was a rumble through the cave.
"Speaking of which." Astaria said and rushes over to help Ralof pull Hadvar to his feet, they half dragged him out of the cave as there was a loud crash and dust surrounded them in the sunlight.
Breathing heavily, the three of them looked back, the cave surrounded by dust.
Hadvar pushed himself away from Ralof. "Well, thanks, but I need to get back-" He winced as he tries to move and only doesn't collapse as Ralof grabs him.
"Hadvar you are in no condition to be going anyway." Ralof frowns. "Look, we can take you to Riverwood-"
"No, they need to know-"
"Hadvar, if we take you to the Imperial camp they will capture us and kill us, naturally we can't do that, so we are taking you to Riverwood whether you like it or not." Ralof was stern, making it clear that Hadvar had no choice in the matter.
"Ralof, this is going to take a lot of time-"
He gives her a look and she shuts up. It was clear no one had a choice in the matter.
Letting silence falling over them, Ralof helped Hadvar along the road. Astaria followed, her sword drawn and her eyes constantly scanning the road. They passed where they could see Bleak Falls Barrow, neither man commenting on it but passing it nervous glances.
By the time they reached Riverwood, night was setting in. Ralof stopped just outside, hesitating.
"Stay here with him for a moment." Ralof said, setting Hadvar down on the nearest rock. "I need to go ahead."
Astaria blinked at him. "Ralof-"
But he'd moved on, leaving her with Hadvar.
"It's a good thing I'm wounded," he grunted. "Otherwise I would-"
"Would what? She snarled. "You think I'm defenceless? I've proved myself to get into this cause so don't think I'll hesitate to kill you Imperial."
They glared at each other and turned to mutual silence of dislike.
Ralof's footsteps quickly returned with another pair, an older man coming around the corner with him. He glares at Hadvar.
"You're family's currently out of town Hadvar, but we will take you in for old times sake." He walks over with Ralof and they both hoist him up, an arm over each shoulder.
"Don't expect any leniency Hod." Hadvar growls.
"I would expect nothing from you." Hod says.
They head in and go to a house at the back, a woman standing waiting with her eager son by her side. Ushering them in quietly, they get Hadvar seated and Ralof too collapses into the nearest chair.
Astaria stands there anxiously, Ralof notices.
"It's alright Astaria, this is my sister Gerdur and her husband Hod. They will help in any way they can."
"And him?" She nods at Hadvar, who was being forced to lie down by Hod.
Ralof sighs. "It will be fine, Hadvar owes me too much to turn us over."
Gerdur looks between them with a worried frown. "Brother, I know you have been through a lot, but we are defenceless here, we need to ask Whiterun for aid."
He nods. "One of us is heading there anyway, we can warn the Jarl at the same time."
Astaria stared at the tiredness on Ralof's face. "Give me the axe Ralof, I will go."
Ralof looked at her. "Astaria, you can get back to Windhelm quicker than me-"
"Yes but you are in no condition to be continuing on now. I can be in Whiterun quickly and get an answer from the Jarl and probably meet you back here in time before you leave in the morning. You need to rest. I can get this done."
They looked at each other. Ralof finally sighs and pulls Ulfric's axe out of his belt.
He hands it to her. "Be careful and get a response as soon as you can."
She nods, taking it. "I know how to deal with these people, remember?" She gives a small smile. "Any problems and I'll let you know." Without waiting again, Astaria heads back out into the night.