It took three weeks before Astaria could move her arm without it hurting, the healers staying for the first week to make sure it was all alright before she got too tired with them and told Ulfric to send them away, Ulfric reluctantly agreeing after more than a few arguments on the matter.
In that time, she'd managed to write a very shaky letter to Brynjolf telling him what had happened, who had then snuck in in the middle of the night to see her. Only once she had assured him and double assured him, did he go, promising to come back as soon as he could. This amused her but she said nothing as he left.
With the pain now behind her, Astaria started to build up her strength again, mostly through lifting various objects, but also through practising with her knives again, although this was done behind Ulfric's back, he wasn't at all convinced she was ready to wield weapons yet.
She learnt a lot in the time stuck in the Palace, not just about Ulfric, but about how it all worked, certainly much more than her father ever bothered to try and teach her, and she also found herself overseeing the war room every now and then, much to the annoyance of Galmar who claimed that it was no such place for a woman.
Astaria just argued that if a woman could fight on the battlefield, she could also plan behind the scenes.
Neither man disagreed with this.
She also had a lot of time to read, which she spent mostly into the book Arngeir had given her on the dragon language, something she was now becoming quite adept at, and books on the legends of dragons, while providing some useful information, proved to be mostly tales.
Skyrim was now well into winter, thus making it a very stupid idea to travel outside the palace walls, something that was becoming very agitating to Astaria. More than a few times, Ulfric had come across her alone in a room, pacing, and while this was keeping up her fitness and endurance in a lot of ways, he found it irritating, telling her so.
They mostly tried to avoid each other, something not easy to do, especially when she discovered that the room she was in was right next to his, something she had quickly pointed out he had failed to mention. He had merely shrugged it off. Their exchanges tended to end in awkward silences, Ulfric usually being the first one to walk away, and while neither mentioned it, it bothered them both greatly.
Galmar and Astaria still fought, although now it was on a level of comradery instead of bordering on hate, she still had a habit of getting him too riled up and that was when the threats flew into conversations.
It was quickly bordering on a month in Windhelm and Astaria was bored, she'd even taken time sitting with Wuunferth, discussing magic, something that both Ulfric and Galmar were less than pleased about, but seeing as it had saved her life, neither had argued. Astaria knew that there was a good chance she was going to need to be able to use it, and while her skill in frost magic was well learned, she decided to pick up some healing skills as well just in case the situation ever arose where she would desperately need it.
She was on her way to meet Wuunferth when Ulfric stopped her in the hall.
"Dragonborn."
She stopped. It was like this when there were people around, they both kept it formal.
"My Jarl?"
He approached her, looking serious. "How is your arm?"
She shrugs. "Fine. I've been able to pick up my sword again."
Ulfric frowns at this. "You haven't been practising with it yet, I hope?"
"A couple of swings here and there," A smirk tugs her lips. "I know not to overdo it, don't worry."
He doesn't miss the smirk. "You need to start light."
"I am, I told you, just a couple of swings, getting into the movement again. I'm not-"
"Come." He turns on his heel, not waiting for a response. Letting out an impatient breath, she follows.
They come out into the courtyard, a thick layer of snow covering the ground. It was freezing.
"A please would have been nice." She said now that they were in a more impersonal setting.
He ignores her comment. "Here." He hands her one of the wooden swords. "You need to start with this before trying to swing that steel sword around."
"If my Jarl commands." Her voice laced with sarcasm, she turns to go back inside.
"Out here, Astaria."
She looks back at him. "You're joking right? It's freezing."
But Ulfric just points to a training dummy. "You should be used to it. I want you out here, practising on that, at least once a day."
Astaria stares at him in disbelief. "Nord blood or no Ulfric, this is the coldest winter we've had in a long time, there's no way-"
"Would you complain on the battlefield?"
"I-what? What kind of question is that? Of course not, but you-"
"Then you will train out here." He frowns. "You are a warrior, are you not?"
Her mouth hung open slightly. She'd expect a comment like that from Galmar, but not him, she was about to tell him off for it when she saw the trace of amusement on his face.
"Ass." She went again to go back inside.
"Starting now, Astaria."
"But I-"
"Wuunferth left on business this morning."
She sighs, her shoulders sinking. "And what? You're just going to watch me the whole time?"
"No, although I will check on you occasionally to see how you are going. Only once you are comfortable with your real sword again, will I train you properly."
"Gee thanks, I feel honoured." She said it under her breath, but he still heard.
Nodding at the dummy, he smiles. "Go on then."
Sighing and bracing herself against the cold, Astaria starts to work on the dummy.
Another three weeks past. It didn't take long for Astaria to get back onto her sword, becoming more and more confident each day, the only thing stopping her was the occasionally wrong movement which sent pain spiralling down her arm.
She got away with it at first, not allowing anyone to see when it happened, but when lessons started with Ulfric, she wasn't as lucky.
He was furious when he first found out about it, a harsh disarm on his part had sent her collapsing to the ground in pain.
"Why didn't you tell me Astaria?" He asked angrily.
Astaria was holding her arm on the ground, her face screwed up in pain. "It's not that bad."
"Bull." He snapped and knelt down next to her. "May I?"
She looks away as he takes her arm, applying pressure along it until she winces, just above her elbow. Biting her lip, he presses firmly into it.
"You're lucky, it's just a knot." He said and continues pressing firmly into it. "You need to be stretching more, especially since the injury."
"I do." She growls. "Do you have any idea how much that hurts?"
"I figured." But he doesn't relent, watching her carefully.
She tries to pull away, instead he pulls her closer. "Ulfric, it really-" She groans in pain, dropping her head to hide her face.
"I am sorry Astaria, but this is the only way that you are not going to be in pain every time you move it wrong." He said it gently, even as he applied more pressure.
With a huff, Astaria rests forward on his chest, causing him to freeze for a moment. "Astaria-"
"You're warm." She mumbled. "And it's freezing out here."
He sighs and relaxes, working his fingers up into her shoulder, finding her very tense. "So I was told that you've been practising with your knives as well?"
At first she says nothing. "Who told you that?"
Ulfric smiles. "You can threaten my men all you want Astaria, but they are still loyal to me, when I ask a question I expect them to answer truthfully."
She snorts as he stops. "Is that meant to be a dig at me?"
"A little." He pushes her away gently, looking down at her. "Are you right to continue?"
She looks up at him, they were close, his blue-grey eyes concerned. She wasn't sure what made her do it, but she leaned up and pressed her mouth to his. Ulfric froze for a moment, stunned by what she was doing, before he groaned and pressed into the kiss, his hand catching the back of her head.
They were locked like that for a moment, forgetting where they were and what they were doing. Ulfric pulled away, looking at her, a mix of emotions going across his face.
Astaria's face went red. "I…um…sorry?"
Ulfric blinked. "For what?"
She wanted to move but she was too nervous about how he would react, his hand still on her head. "K-kissing you?"
"Oh." His eyes move to her lips and back up. "I can't say I mind."
"I…I thought we were going to talk about this first?" Her voice was no more than a whisper, his hand was lightly brushing down the side of her face.
"Aren't we now?"
"N-not really…"
He went to kiss her again when the door burst open, Galmar coming out.
"Ulfric-" He stopped, staring at them. Even though Ulfric had moved away, it was clear that they had been close. Galmar was looking suspicious. "What are you doing?"
"The Dragonborn's arm had seized up, I was showing her how to get rid of it." Ulfric said calmly, standing and holding his hand out for Astaria, who took it, wishing her face wasn't on fire.
"On the ground?"
"I may have been a bit harsh on a disarm." Ulfric was frowning at him. "What is it Galmar?"
"Those nobles you wanted to speak to have arrived early sir." He said, still looking between them, Astaria doing her best to hide her face, pretending to fix her hair.
Ulfric sighs. "Alright. We will continue this later Dragonborn."
They left Astaria there, heading back inside, and she was left wondering whether he meant the lessons or something else.
Much to her relief, it was the lesson's, something that she was becoming very proficient at, Ulfric struggling more and more to disarm her, although he was still able to land bruising hits, but at least she managed to keep her sword in hand.
However, their little moment had left Ulfric to try and get her to talk, something that she was very quick to run away from, much to her own shame and embarrassment. She didn't know exactly what she was trying to avoid, she knew how she felt, she just had no current way of telling him without feeling ridiculous. Ulfric hid his frustration at it well.
Another two weeks past when Astaria came down the stairs for breakfast to find Ulfric and Galmar already in the war room, seemingly waiting for her.
"Ah, finally awake Dragonborn? We were waiting to speak with you." Galmar said but his voice was too friendly.
Astaria looked between them suspiciously, taking in both their expressions. "Why?"
Galmar frowns. "We are your commanding officers, we can talk to you when we wish."
"Sure, but it doesn't rid you of those guilty expressions." She looked at Ulfric, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable.
"Guilty? How do we look guilty?" Galmar asked, confused.
Astaria rolls her eyes. "Look, spit it out, I'm starving and would like some food before the morning is over." She folds her arms and waits.
Galmar looked at Ulfric, who clears his throat.
"I don't know whether you are aware Dragonborn, but the Winter Ball is approaching." He starts.
She raises an eyebrow. "I was born and bred in this city, and after attending too many of the damn things, yes, I know it's coming up." She didn't mention that it just happened to fall on her birthday as well, which was her real reason for despising the event.
This didn't seem to ease Ulfric. "Well, we need you to attend."
"I would've thought that as a given seeing as how I'm still stuck here." She said it nonchalantly, but the men still shared worried glances.
"Not as a soldier Dragonborn." Galmar said as Ulfric hesitates to answer.
This confused her. "What do you mean?"
"We need another voice with the nobles." Ulfric said, preparing himself for her reaction. "Most here are not equipped to handling nobles with the right tack, we need someone else out there that does know how, meaning you."
It takes Astaria a moment to process this, just staring between the two men. "No."
They were taken back. "What?"
"I said no."
"You can't just refuse this girl." Galmar growled. "This isn't-"
"You are not putting me back into that mess." She didn't care if they got angry, she wasn't going to do it. "I don't care what you two were thinking about it but I will not be doing it." She turns to walk out, to go and enjoy her breakfast while she still had an appetite.
"Astaria." Ulfric's voice stopped her. "In any other situation, we would not be asking, however, we are becoming low funded, we need the resources, and to do that, we need the money from nobles backing us."
"Then find another lap dog." She snarled, turning back around to face them. "I will not do it. Part of the reason I did this was to get away from that chaotic mess of worthless blunder heads! You cannot expect me to do it!"
"I do expect it." He said harshly. "Not just because you are from a noble line but because you are the Dragonborn."
Her eyes flash dangerously. "You swore that you would never use that against me."
"And I am not. Certainly, your name alone has given us extra supporters, but putting a face to that name, a face that is not clad in heavy armour and wielding weapons, will bring even more. You need to show the people that you can be feared as both a warrior and as of a higher member of society. You have handled the warrior well enough, but now is the time for that extra action to be taken." He did not break eye contact with her, even as her gaze got darker.
Astaria took a moment to think about this, still having a horrible feeling that she was being used, even if his words made sense. "Most of the nobles dislike me Ulfric, for varying reasons. I'm not sure what use I would be."
Galmar snorts. "You haven't heard them talking in the streets? They don't give a damn who you used to be Dragonborn, they just want to know you now."
She had heard and she didn't like it.
"We would not be asking if we didn't really need the help Dragonborn," Ulfric said it as calmly as he could, he knew that her anger still wasn't entirely in her control. "You normally would be on guard duty like the rest, but we do need you out there, talking with them, no matter how much you detest it, we need you to do it."
Astaria's appetite was gone and she scowled angrily at the two of them. "Fine, but don't expect me to like a single second of it."
They both relaxed. "Thank you Dragonborn."
"Don't thank me yet." She goes to walk out again with the intention of going outside.
"Make sure you are back by this afternoon, a dressmaker will be by." Ulfric called after her.
She froze. "A what?"
"A dressmaker. You will need a proper-"
"No." She rounded furiously, stunning both of them. "I will not be subjected to-to that nonsense! I have plenty of suitable dresses already made that I can retrieve, as long as my father is not home. I will not-"
"You will because we still need you represented as a Stormcloak." Ulfric said darkly, tiring of her defiance. "So be back by this afternoon. No arguments on this Dragonborn."
Astaria didn't hide the growl as she stormed away and they both winced when they heard the main door slam.
"That went well." Ulfric growled.
"At least she didn't shout at us."