Jasper awoke to an icy nip in the air and sat up from his bed, the soldiers barracks were near empty. Donning a heavy cloak, Jasper's feet touched the ground and felt their way over to his boots which had been dropped unceremoniously upon the ground the night before. Tugging his boots on, Jasper stumbled across the barracks and towards the door, bright morning light already peaked through the cracks in the heavy wooden door and a chill nipped in the air around the door.
The nord didn't even need to open the door to know what was outside, it had snowed. Snow was a rare occurrence in Whiterun Hold, normally a winter would be filled with icy rains that would last for days on end and maybe a few days of strong winds, but snow only came every once and a while.
Pulling his helmet over his head, Jasper grabbed the remainder of his gear and opened the door, blinded by the bright light that reflected off the already broken white snow. It wasn't Windhelm snow, it would melt within a few days or so, sighing, Jasper trudged through the crisp white blanket towards the gate. The remnants of the dragon attack still loomed upon the old wooden gates, claw marks and scars where the ice had struck dotted the gates, snow already sticking in the cracks.
The guard Jasper was with that day was fairly young and wore a newly repaired set of armor, although there still were several bloodstains upon the tunic. His arm was in a sling, two flat rods braced his arm and were held in place by tightly wrapped bandages. Once bright blue eyes were now dulled and his mousy brown hair was tousled as he was missing a helmet.
Jasper recognized him as the young guard from the night before, he knew the guards were stretched think but allowing an injured guard to work came as a shock. The only weapon the young guard bore was a battered old war axe and a simple leather shield, it wouldn't do much against a dragon but it might hold off a few bandits.
Taking his place on the opposite side of the outer gate, Jasper heard the young guard take in a breath, as if coming to an important realization, and watched as his dull eyes became wide with shock.
"It's you!" He exclaimed, "You're the one who sent me to the temple! Thank Kynareth for you!"
"It wasn't a problem." Jasper replied, embarrassed slightly by the remark, "how's your arm?"
"It's seen better days, but it'll pull through." The young guard replied as Jasper let a sigh of relief escape, "my name is Torr, if you were wondering."
"Jasper." He responded, putting the young guards name away in his memories.
"I'm glad that dragons gone." Torr added as Jasper nodded.
"I'm just thankful that the Thane was able to make it in time."
"The Thane? Oh you mean the Dragonborn!" Torr hesitated.
"Well yes, the Thane is the Dragonborn after all... Haven't you seen her?" Jasper inquired watching as Torr shook his head.
"Not really..." Torr sighed, "honestly I started guard duty yesterday."
"Must have been a terrible first day." Jasper sighed as Torr nodded.
"At least I survived, and that's what matters." Torr nodded before growing tense as a roar sounded off in the distance, Jasper listened long and hard to the sound as it faded away.
"It's further off in the hold!" A guard shouted from his position atop the watchtower.
"Alright!" Jasper shouted back before glancing at Torr, "The dragon is far off, but it's best if we notify the Thane."
"You should go and notify her, I'll stay watch just incase." Torr nodded, shakily as Jasper slipped back through the gate and into Whiterun.
Cymbeline's home was warmer than the Bannered Mare, the said Imperial keeping her Housecarl tending to the flames while she scrambled around the Breezehome, moving ingredients upstairs and then back down, pushing baskets filled with dried roots and herbs into the corner.
"Ah Jasper! Be a dear and pull down that staff for me? Thanks!" Cymbeline called from her alchemy room after catching a glance at the guard that stood there, Jasper turned and gazed up at the staff that hung above the door, it was a simple staff that seemed to be made of an iron like material. The metal curled towards the top, shaping three faces, reaching up Jasper grasped the staff and pulled it down listening as the Imperial made her return and grasped the staff from him, tying a fourth heavy cloak as she barraged towards the door.
"Lydia! Make sure Onmund gets something to eat, you know I hate it when he skips meals!" Cymbeline called as she opened the door, glancing as Jasper.
"We're going dragon hunting!"
Imarrine halted as she heard the door to the house nearby her creak open, she watched as the small Imperial Thane skipped out of the house, a staff slung across her back and at least four cloaks shifting at all times, she dragged a Whiterun Guard with her that she recognized as Jasper.
Her guards were absent from her presence, an act that was quickly becoming more common than she preferred. They were most likely back at Dragonsreach's Dungeons and watching their prisoner, she was slightly stunned the Stormcloaks hadn't come for their courier, but no more stunned than she was after finding herself being dragged against her will by the Thane.
"How dare you!" Imarrine protested, digging her heels into the ground in an attempt to slow the Imperial into releasing her strong grip on her gloved wrist,"Release me at once!"
"No can do! We're going dragon hunting!" The Thane sang, glancing back at Imarrine with blazing golden eyes filled with excitement.
Minutes later the High elf found herself outside of Whiterun's capital city and quickly moving towards an empty expanse of Whiterun's Tundra, bitterly gripping her dagger and attempting to level her emotions in order to channel magic.
"I'm surprised, there's lots of dragons appearing now all of a sudden! It cuts off on my time in Bravill!" Cymbeline cried, releasing both of her sudden companion's wrists.
Imarrine rubbed her wrist gently releasing a soothing healing spell into the sore muscle, halting her spell, Imarrine glanced up as wings flapped overhead. A shadow passed along the ground, growing closer and closer as she drew her blade, prepared a shock spell and took a deep breath. Her amber eyes glazed over as her body grew numb, preparing itself already for battle.
The moment the dragon landed she stepped back and released her spell, electricity sparked and crackled forth, landing on the dragons blood red scales and sending them flying. She could see the Thane dance around the dragon, shouting when she could and drawing the fire towards her with a blast of energy from her staff, Jasper aiming his blade towards the Dragons hind legs, hoping to cut through the thick hide.
The dragon fell, but not before giving its tail one more powerful swing towards Imarrine, it crashed into her side, tearing into her robes and slicing across her abdomen, tossing her unceremoniously towards the ground where she felt a pair of arms wrap around her shoulders and her fall became cushioned as her vision danced.
She watched as the Thane pushed herself off her staff and ran towards them, already digging in her cloaks.
"Imarrine?"
Imarrine gazed forth, eyes cold and face stern, the signature Thalmor Robes held onto her body through buckles and buttons. Dark gloves adorned her hands, hiding the bruises on her knuckles from a brawl.
Around her other Thalmor sat, gazing forewords at the center of the slanted room, a nord bound and gagged in a wrought iron cage, the battle torn armor of the Imperial Legion hanging off his thin body in rags.
The interrogation hall was silent as the Justiciars gathered at the head of the room muttered in the High Elves language, deciding, plotting, waiting. All sat still like a statue, awaiting the verdict of their leaders as the candles burned and the captured nord came to.
"Imarrine." Her name was spoken, as all eyes on the room turned their gaze on her. She stood, walked down the steps, keeping her gaze steady and holding back the urge to glance at her companions.
"Guide the prisoner back to Skyrim." One Justiciar instructed, voice flat and without emotion as the high elf simply nodded her head.
"It will be done." She replied, listening as the cage's lock was removed and the door swung open. The prisoner was dragged out and to his feet as Imarrine turned and walked towards him, without looking his dead blue eyes she walked past him and he followed instantly.
Days passed and turned into weeks as the Thalmor Agent and the war prisoner walked ceaselessly through the vast wild life off Cyrodiil, the border to Skyrim fast approaching.
Imarrine did not speak, neither did the war prisoner, she kept a dagger close and an eye open during the nights as the prisoner slept uneasily till the dawn rose.
The border came quickly as she finally turned back to her prisoner and was met with a dagger near her neck.
"I will never forgive you filthy high elves." The nord seethed, eyes blazing with rage he had held back, the ropes previously binding his wrists were snapped, burns crossed his wrists, some already bleeding.
"Then why don't you just kill me?" Imarrine asked, keeping her voice even as the nord smirked.
"Who would deliver the message?"
And he left without another word, drawing the dagger away and storming past her across the border and vanishing down the trail, leaving Imarrine to shiver violently as she realized what had happened.
But where had he gotten the dagger from?
She looked down at her belt and found her own steel dagger missing.
"She'll be fine Jasper!" A hushed voice hissed, "I'm sure I used the right potion this time." Imarrine registered the voice as that of the Thane's, but it was weary and the hype she had heard earlier seemed strained, almost forced.
"Are you sure?" This time she recognized the voice of Jasper and began to hear what was going on around her, there was the clank of glass bottles on stone, the echo of water swishing and settling, the near soundless crackle of far away torches.
"Yes, I'm sure. Now please. Go and sleep." The thane sighed, her forced hype faltering as Imarrine felt a damp cloth removed from her forehead, the door of the room swung open and shut as a silence befell the room. Imarrine felt the sudden sting in her abdomen and bolted out of the daze she had awoken to, sitting up and causing a shock of pain to rivet through her body, how could have she been so stupid?
"Woah there!" The thane exclaimed, grasping the Thalmor by her shoulders and forcing her back into a resting position, "You're injured, don't move quickly!"
"Injured? what do you-" Imarrine tried to say before she felt pain shoot up her abdomen once more.
"Easy, that dragon did a number on you. You're lucky Jasper was able to carry you here in time."
"Jasper?"
"You should have seen him, he ran faster than a horse even while carrying you." The Imperial explained, picking up a small red bottle and uncorking it, taking a sniff and grimacing at the smell before putting it down, "I should have marked these..." She sighed, picking up a second bottle and repeating the action, but this time handing it over to Imarrine, whom had managed to prop herself up into a sitting position.
"Where am I?" Imarrine asked, taking a sip of the potion and tasting the foreign ingredients that belonged to Skyrim.
"The temple of Kynareth." The Thane answered as she packed up her various potions into a leather satchel, "You should get some rest, I'll be back in the morning." Imarrine nodded, laying back down, taking care to mind her wounds as the Imperial fell out of her line of vision.
"Wait."
Cymbeline halted her stride and looked back at the injured High Elf with a confused look on her face.
"Give Jasper my thanks."
"I will." Cymbeline nodded, a smile passing her lips as she left the temple, practically bouncing back to her Breezehome. All was going to plan.
Hello once again readers! Well, chapter five is up and running. Next chapter will be here on Wednesday hopefully, reviews and constructive criticism is well appreciated as it makes the story that much better. Till next time my lovelies.