4E 182, 3rd of Second Seed...

Gwen sat in by the fireplace, Thadis at her feet, drinking the tea that Beirand had brought her.

"Is something troubling you, my Thane?"

"Nothing, really. Missing home, I guess."

"Where are you from?"

"I suppose originally I'm from Dawnstar, but when I was younger I lost my parents to a shipwreck and was raised in Windhelm."

"Windhelm is where you call home, then?"

Gwen nodded. "Yes."

"What's your family like?"

"Torsten is my father, Hillevi my mother, then my little sister Fjotli. They own the Hollyfrost Farm just outside Windhelm's city gates. Tulvur, he's our farm hand. Mum works the market stand and Da manages the farm most days. I would help on the farm or in the market when I could."

"What did you do for fun?"

"For fun?" Gwen chuckled. "That was fun for me. I enjoy working and helping out wherever I can."

"There must be something more than that."

"I suppose. I would visit the library at the Palace of the Kings, read the books there, or I would take my mare, Ayasha, for a ride and stretch her legs. Then there was this time, not too long ago, that I went to the Bronze Water Cave and swam in the lake. It was just after I met my grandfather and the person I was with, he..." Her smile faded at that.

"This person the reason why you seem off lately?"

Gwen nodded. "He hasn't written to me in seven weeks and I have no idea why. I ask Mum and Da if he's doing alright, if they could check in on him for me and look out for him until I return, but..." She sighed and took a sip of her tea. "I don't know..."

"Perhaps he is simply busy?"

"I would hope it's as simple as that, but even so he would always write back immediately. But, that was before I became Igmund's Thane."

"Does he not approve of your position?"

"I would think he'd be proud of me for receiving such an honor, but he has some bad history with Igmund."

"Could there be another reason as to why he would cease communications?"

Gwen shrugged. "It could be that he's worried about the Thalmor finding out about our relationship."

"Why would that matter?"

"He's had some... unfortunate dealings with the Thalmor in the past."

"Did he fight in the Great War, then?"

Gwen nodded. "Perhaps he's worried that they will try to hurt me or worse because of what happened between he and the Thalmor. That our he's just being a git that can't see two inches passed his massive ego."

Beirand chuckled at that. "He can't be that bad."

Gwen sighed, her smile still present. "No, he really isn't. He's a good man, fighting for what he believes in just like any other would. He puts on a rough and hardened face, but beneath that is a sweet and caring man who just wants what's best for his people."

"And for you."

Gwen looked at him at that. "I suppose." She stood, stretching. "Though, with him having not written in seven weeks it makes me wonder if he still feels that way." She looked at him. "I'm going out for a bit. Look after the place while I'm gone?"

Beirand nodded. "Stay safe, my Thane."

"I will." Gwen smiled and headed out the door.

Neither of them knew at that point it would be the last time they saw each other for a very long time.

Gwen walked through the streets of Markarth, saying hello to the people she had come to know well since becoming Thane, and went out to the stables to say hello to Ayasha.

"Hey, girl. Wanna go for a ride?"

Ayasha whinnied and nudged her, causing Gwen to smile.

Gwen looked down at Thadis as he padded up next to her. "Think you can keep up?"

Thadis barked and Gwen smiled, hopping up onto Ayasha's back- not wanting to bother with her tack.

"Let's go then."

They made their way towards the Karth River, but they didn't get very far before Thadis began growling and Gwen sensed something was wrong. She sniffed the air, catching the scent of Thalmor accompanying humans, and slid off Ayasha's back.

"Thadis, take Ayasha and go home." She said, her hand on his head. When he whined, she shook her head. "I can handle this. Go home and fetch Beirand. Make sure that Ayasha gets back to the stables safely." She looked down and smiled. "I'll be OK, I promise."

Thadis seemed to understand and led Ayasha back towards the city.

Gwen turned when she heard a rustle and readied herself for a fight as a patrol of Imperials and Thalmor stepped out of the trees. "Good evening. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Gwenethra Mae, Thane of Markarth, you are under arrest."

"For what, if I may ask?"

"For conspiring against the Empire."

"I have not been conspiring against the Empire. What basis for this accusation do you have?"

One of the Thalmor smirked. "We know that you've been sending letters to Windhelm, communicating with the Stormcloaks."

"Oh?" Gwen scoffed, not dropping her guard. "If you know so much, then you'll already know that I have family in Windhelm. As far as the Stormcloaks go, I know men within their ranks as much as I know men within Imperial ranks. I hold no allegiance to either party."

"Then why do you have contact with the Jarl of Windhelm, Ulfric Stormcloak?"

Gwen's eyes narrowed. "That is personal and none of your business."

"Oh, but it is." The Thalmor said, his smirk growing into a wicked smile. "Take her."

Gwen turned and ran, trying to find better cover and lose them. An arrow zipped passed her head, narrowly missing her. She turned north, hoping that she could lead them far enough away from any populated areas. Making sure that there was no one who she wouldn't want to hurt around, Gwen stopped and turned back to face her pursuers.

"I will warn you once, and only once. I don't want to hurt anyone, so I suggest you back off and back off now."

"Not going to happen. You're coming with us."

"I warned you." She charged at them, shifting into her beast form and lashing out at them.

The men pursuing her screamed, trying to turn and flee only to fall to Gwen's fangs or her claws. Gwen ripped out their throats, flayed their skin from their bodies, leaving deep gashes wherever her claws caught. Blood soaked the earth, the screams echoing through the wilds.

An arrow struck Gwen's leg and she howled in pain, spinning and pouncing on the archer who shot her. She tore his throat out and turned on the remainder of her enemies, but to no avail. They shot her with harpoon like weapons, tearing her feet from underneath her. She collapsed on the ground, reaching down to rip the harpoons out, then reverted back to her human form.

"Secure her and take her to Northwatch Tower. See to it that her major wounds are treated, but beyond that do nothing. Just make sure that she remains alive. Gyrnian has much to discuss with her."

Gwen was too weak now to resist as they chained her and loaded her into a cart. With the Thalmor involved, she was certain that she would be taken prisoner and interrogated- her "crime" against the Empire nothing more than an excuse for them to exploit.

'Ulfric... I'm so sorry...'

Back in Markarth, Beirand was beginning to grow worried when Gwen hadn't returned and it was well passed midnight. He grabbed his sword and slipped into his armour before he went out and searched the city, eventually making his way down to the stables and what he found had him very fearful and worried.

"Ayasha!"

He ran down to where Cedran was bandaging Ayasha. "What happened?"

Cedran shook his head. "I don't know. Thadis brought her back with an arrow in her hindquarters and without Gwen."

Beirand looked at the arrow tossed on the ground and his eyes widened. 'The Thalmor!' He looked around for Thadis, finding him waiting near Ayasha. "Thadis, can you find her?"

Thadis barked and took off running.

"Look after Ayasha!" Beirand said, then took off after Thadis.

Thadis led Beirand to the last place he had seen Gwen, then tried to follow her scent to where she was last before the Thalmor and Imperials took her.

"By the Nine, what the hell happened?" Beirand looked around at the carnage he and Thadis came to, seeing Thalmor and Imperial soldiers scattered about. It was so gruesome that he nearly wretched in the bushes. "Can you find her scent?"

Thadis searched around, trying to catch her scent, but the blood was so strong that it clouded his senses and he looked at Beirand, whining.

"Gwen, where the hell are you?"