Chapter 4
We push the large gates open and I'm immediately taken aback. It had been such a long time since Erik and I had been to Helgen. Mralki brought us here many times as kids to visit Vilod and his family. We would run around, using the buildings to play hide and seek with the other children.
Now, everything is destroyed and on fire. The houses are in ruins, the stone parts of the buildings are painted with scorch marks, and the wooden buildings are still glowing with embers. The keep is the only thing left standing. The heat from the burned down town melts the snow all around us.
Erik and I immediately begin running frantically through the town, yelling out for any survivors. Suddenly Erik spots a foot poking out from behind a boulder next to the wall and points to it.
"Ellie, look!" He yells. We both rush towards the person. We when we get there, the sight is devastating, and the smell, sickening. When we get closer to the boulder we see that it's just a foot missing from the rest of it's body. But that isn't what causes me to double over and puke my breakfast out. Hiding further behind the boulder, was two burnt corpses. The only thing I could tell from the bodies was that they were a woman and child cowering in the corner. The woman was cradling the child close to her chest. That was it. That was all I could tell. I couldn't tell if they were Nords, Bretons, Redguards or Imperials. I couldn't determine the gender of the child, or the age of the woman. Their skin, their hair, their clothes- everything was burned off, leaving only a shiny gloss over their burnt pink and white bodies. Tears streak my face as I gag and throw up again. Erik comes over to me, rubbing my back trying to soothe me. This image will always haunt my dreams for as long as I live.
"Fuck…" Erik whispers as we walk towards Vilod's house. A new wave of emotions overcomes me as we walk closer to the burnt home. Vilod is- was one of Mralki's oldest and dearest friends. How are we supposed to tell him that his friend is dead, let alone that we saw a dragon. A dragon!
"Erik…" I say quietly, speaking for the first time since we arrived. "That was a- a dragon." My voice still soft. Images of the demon's glowing red eyes stare at me in my mind.
"I still can't believe it…" Erik croaks, he enters the burnt house and looks around with sad eyes. I climb in through the opening in the side of the wall and notice an open knapsack. Sticking out of it was a leather journal and couple of bottles of Vilod's juniper mead. I kneel next to the bag, and reach for the journal, reading a few entries.
"... there are normally a few Imperials here and there throughout Helgen, but lately there have been waves of them migrating in. Something big is going to happen. I must find out what they have planned. For Hamrod's sake, I need to warn my pig-headed Stormcloak and keep him out of danger…" a flashback of a young boy, smiling at me plays in my mind. Hamrod was Vilod's son. Despite his father being all for the Empire, Hamrod must've chosen to side with the Stormcloaks. I continue reading and turn the page to the next entry. "They're planning an ambush! They somehow managed to figure out the location of a Stormcloak patrol at Darkwater Crossing. That's where my idiot son is stationed… Gods please let that fool be safe. If not, I'll somehow manage to free him and we'll use the underground passageways, under the keep to escape. They lead out to the caves just outside the main gate." My heart leaps at the mention of the of the underground passageways. They had a chance to escape! There was hope.
"Erik!" I call out to him as I pack the journal and grab the bottles of juniper mead, stuffing them into my knapsack. Erik comes running from the other side of the house.
"What? What is it?" He asks with his hand on is weapon, and a concerned expression. I explain to him what the journal had said and we sprint to the caves that Vilod mentions.
We enter the cave, taking a moment to let our eyes adjust to the darkness. I look down and see blood covering the ground. That's definitely not a good sign. As we walk deeper into the cave we notice a pile of bones piled high in the corner. There were a few human bones, but it was a majority of deer skulls, antlers, and smaller critters. That either meant trolls or bears. I'm hoping for neither. We round the corner and see a man curled in a ball, covered in dirt and soot, gripping his sides in pain. I rush over to him and gently roll him on his back. This man was a Stormcloak soldier. He opens his eyes and groans.
"What? Shor's bones…" He says weakly he stares up at me. "Am I dead? Are you an angel of sovngarde?" He asks reaching for my face. I grab his hand and gently squeeze it.
"No, soldier. I'm no angel. You're alive." I say as I dig around in my bag for a healing potion. I lift his head and pour it little by little in his mouth. He slowly but surely gains his strength back.
"Need to get… Riverwood… tell Gerdur…" He says as he drifts off to sleep. I look up at Erik and frown.
"We need to get to Riverwood and find Gerdur." I say quietly. I examine the man in my arms and push strands of dirty blonde hair out of his muddy face. What happened to this poor soul? Erik lifts him over his shoulders and we start for the entrance of the cave. I run ahead to search for Allie. Poor horse… we haven't even had her for a whole day and she's already terrorized. I find her munching on a patch of grass near the Guardian stones, and quickly lead her back to Erik and the Stormcloak soldier. Erik and I carefully load him onto Allie, he slumps forward in the saddle but we're sure he won't slide off. He mumbles incoherent things as we make our way back to the little village. Erik and I are only able to make out a few words like, "Ulfric," "escape," and "Dragon."
As we approach the quiet town, an elderly woman and her son argue about something that she saw. I walk up to the two people and gently clear my throat. They stop talking, their attention now falling on me.
"Excuse me, but do you know where I could find Gerdur?" I ask politely. The young man stares at me for a short moment before answering.
"Over there," he points at the lumber mill. I look and and notice a man cutting logs. "She's probably on the other side gathering firewood." He answers me, his eyes never leaving my face.
"Thank you, kindly." I say as I nod to the woman and the man. I look back to Erik and gesture over to the lumber mill. We cross the little bridge beside the gate and round the corner of the mill. Sure enough we spot a pretty Nord woman leaning against the fence, staring at the water rushing by.
"Gerdur?" I ask softly, not wanting to startle her. She turns her head to look at me, smiling.
"Yes?" She asks. Her smile falters when she sees the soldier on the horse.
"Ralof?" She cries as she rushes towards Allie's side. Ralof's eyes open and he lifts his head from Allie's neck.
"Gerdur?" His voice is small at first, but when the woman's face becomes clearer and his surroundings become familiar, he snaps to attention. "Gerdur!" He exclaims hopping off of Allie and hugging the woman, spinning her around. It makes me smile and reminds me of Erik and myself.
"Brother! Mara's Mercy, it's good to see you!" She says with tears in her eyes.
"Gerdur…" Ralof begins, but his sister cuts him off.
"But is it safe for you to be here? We heard that Ulfric had been captured…" She rants. Ralof now cuts her off in a gentle tone.
"Gerdur, I'm fine. At least I am now." He says giving her another hug, and smiling at me.
"Are you hurt? What's happened? And who's this? Some of your comrades?" She asks after breaking the hug.
"Not comrades yet, but friends." He says as he nods at me and Erik. "I owe them my life, in fact." He states as our eyes meet. Before I can protest he speaks again. "Is there somewhere we can talk? There's no telling when the news of Helgen will reach the Imperials…" He asks his sister. Her frown deepens.
"Helgen? Has something happened?" She pauses for a moment before continuing. "You're right. Follow me." She says as she begins to walk away. "Hod!" She yells at the man that's splitting logs. "Come down here a minute. I need your help with something!" She shouts up at him. His head snaps up an he directs his attention towards Gerdur when it's safe to look away from his work.
"What is it, woman? Sven drunk on the job again?" He chuckles. Gerdur sighs and rolls her eyes.
"Hod, just come here." She feigns annoyance, but I could see the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips. The man finally notices Ralof.
"Ralof!" He says shocked to see the man. "What are you doing here? Ahh… I'll be right down." He says as he hastily climbs down the lumber mill.
"Uncle Ralof!" A young boy named Frodnar exclaims. He gushes over his uncle, asking him question about how many Imperials he's killed and asks to see his axe. Erik chuckles at the eager boy's tenacity. Ralof is patient with him, and hugs the young lad, speaking with him for a bit as Hod makes his way over to us. Gerdur 'shoos' him away to watch the Southern road for any Imperial soldiers. Frodnar whines, wanting to talk some more with his Uncle. Ralof encourages him to listen to his mother. The lad gives him one last hug, before turning and running towards the southern road to keep watch. When he's out of earshot, Hod speaks.
"Now, Ralof, what's going on? You three look pretty well done in." Hod crosses his arms and waits for Ralof to answer. Ralof takes a seat on a large tree stump before he tells his tale.
He explains to us about the how the news about Ulfric was true. The Imperials managed to ambush them outside of Darkwater Crossing two days ago. And how they stopped in Helgen and lined them all up at the headsman's block, ready to end it all right then and there. Gerder was furious and had tears in her eyes.
"The cowards," she says under her breath. Ralof frowns and crosses his arms. He continues by stating that they weren't even going to give Ulfric a fair trial. That Ulfric had committed treason by fighting for his own people. Suddenly his eyes grow wide and distant as he recalls a terrible memory. Erik and I exchange a knowing glance, as we continue to listen quietly.
"But then, out of nowhere… a dragon attacked!" Ralof shutters. Gerdur and Hod stare at Ralof like he had grown a third eye.
"You don't mean a real, live…" Gerdur asks, her brows creased with worry. She glances at me and Erik for confirmation. We both nod with grave looks on our faces. Gerdur sighs and looks down at the ground, millions of questions running through her mind.
"I hate to put your family in danger, Gerdur…" Ralof begins, but his sister interrupts him again.
"Nonsense! You and your friends are welcome to stay here as long as you need too." She says giving us a quick smile. "Let me worry about the Imperials." She tells her brother with a gentle tone. She turns to me and Erik, "Any friend of Ralof is a friend of mine. Stay as long as you like. If there's anything else you need, just let me know." She offers to us.
Before we turn to walk way, she grabs me by the arm and leads me closer to the river. Erik watches us curiously as he moves to stand near Allie, and hold the reins. "Thank you. Thank you for saving my brother." She says as she surprises me by wrapping her arms around my neck, and hugging my tightly. I hug her back just as tight. "You and your husband are always welcomed here. Always." She says as she let's go of me and holds my hands.
"Oh, Erik?" I say as I glance at Erik, our eyes meet for a brief moment before he looks down to pet the mare. "He's not my husband. He's like my brother." I explain. Gerdur's eye's light up even more and she gives me an odd smile, like she has an idea.
"Oh, I just assumed…" She trails off. "I know that my family is already in your debt, but there is one more thing you could do for me. For all of us here." She explains to me. "The Jarl needs to know if there's a dragon on the loose." A worried look twists her pretty face. "Riverwood is defenseless… We need to get word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun to send whatever soldiers he can. If you'll do that for us, the entire town of Riverwood would be in your debt." She asks me with a pleading look. I look at Erik and meet his inquisitive gaze before turning back to Gerdur.
"Of course, I'll help." I say without a second thought. Gerdur lets out a breath that she was holding, and smiles a smile of relief, her shoulder visibly relaxing.
"Thank you, friend." She says as we walk back towards the group. She walks towards a chatting Ralof and Hod, but I stop to speak with Erik. He looks down at me, still petting the ebony fur.
"What was that all about?" He asks quietly. I fiddle with one of the bag's pockets.
"She just wanted to thank us, and she asked for one more thing." I pause to meet his curious stare. "She wants us to go to Whiterun, warn the Jarl of the dragon and to ask for soldiers to defend Riverwood." I explain to him. Erik nods and a fire is now lit in his eyes.
"Of course we can! I mean it's right there on our way back home. There's no time to waste. We should head out immediately. People's lives are depending on us." He announces.
"Wait!" Gerdur calls over to us. We stop what we're doing and turn to face Gerdur. "Please meet us at the Sleeping Giant so we can replenish your supplies. It's the least we can do." She begs. I glance at Erik, he's already staring at me, waiting for me to decide what we should do. I return my attention to Gerdur, my shoulders relax and I smile.
"Sure." She gives me a bright smile and clasps her hands together.
"Okay! We'll meet you there in fifteen minutes." She says as she tugs her brother off somewhere. Hod sighs and turns to Erik and I.
"You two go on ahead. I have to put a few things away, and I'll catch up." He says as he walks back to the mill. I look at Erik and catch him with a scowl on his face. I frown and tap his shoulder.
"Erik, what's wrong?" I ask. His grip on the reins tighten and he begins to walk away.
"Nothing." He walks across the little bridge to get to the inn, with Allie in tow. I let out a huff and rub my temples with my fingers… his attitude is really starting to piss me off. I take a moment to calm myself, staring at the river. After a while, I trudge after them and make my way to the inn.
I see Allie tied to the post outside and make my way up the steps. When I open the door, the first thing I notice is Erik in the corner drinking by himself. I ignore him and walk over to the counter.
"Can I get an ale, please?" I ask the bartender. He nods and presents an ale in front of me. I pay him and as I turn I accidently bump into a woman.
"Watch it! Hey, you're that visitor that's been pokin' around." She says as she eyes me up and down. I frown and stare at the Breton.
"What? No, I just got here." I explain. "Sorry, for bumping into you by the way, it was an accident." We're around the same height, the Breton and I. She eyes me up and down and opens her mouth to say something but Gerdur cuts her off.
"Delphine, it's okay. She rescued Ralof. We're here so we can buy a few provisions for her and her brother for the journey to Whiterun." Gerdur smiles warmly as her arm wraps around my shoulder. I smile back at her warmth. Is this what it feels like to have a sister?
"Whiterun? Why? Is that where you live?" She now asks suspiciously. Her whole body tenses up, like something is wrong.
"No ma'am, I live in Rorikstead. I live at the inn with Mralki and Erik. They're like my family." I explain to her. Her shoulders relax, but only a little.
"Well why are you going to Whiterun then?" She asks still wanting an answer. I'm not entirely sure if I should tell her. I don't want to scare her. Gerdur suddenly speaks up, after glancing around the room to make sure nobody is listening to us.
"You probably won't believe this, as crazy as it sounds, but she's on her way to Whiterun to warn the Jarl about the dragon she, her brother, and my brother saw." She whispers quietly. Delphine's eyes widen and she looks at me.
"Is this true?" She asks quietly. I nod my head, a grim expression on my face as I recall the evil red eyes in my mind. Delphine's expression turns as grim as mine. She looks to her barkeep and shouts at him.
"Orgnar, give Gerdur and her friend here whatever they need for free." She says as she turns on her heel, and walks to her room, mumbling obscenities under her breath. She slams the door shut and I glance at Gerdur who is just as confused as me.
"That Breton is an odd one." Then she looks at me and blushes, smiling apologetically. "Not all Bretons are like that of course." I shake my head at her.
"Oh, I'm not a Breton. I'm a Nord. Albeit a very short Nord." I shrug at her. She chuckles and glances at something over my head.
"I'll go get everything squared away with Orgnar, you go have a seat." She ushers me away. I thank her and when I turn around my heart stutters. I notice a man in fine clothing sitting on one of the benches near the fire. And he's absolutely handsome. This man could give Thor, the God of thunder a run for his septims. His cerulean blue eyes watch the flames dance, as he contemplates things in his head.
"Oh looky there, Ralof is here. You should go talk to him." She says in a sing songy voice and gives me a light shove on the back. I slowly walk over to him as I drink in his features. Nords are known for their fair skin, light colored hair, and their height. Ralof was no exception. But something about him made me feel… different. I've never felt this way before. I just wanted to go over and be near him. I wanted to run my fingers through his shoulder length hair, and feel his short beard under my fingers. This feeling is completely foreign to me, and I'm not sure if I like it. His eyes flicker to mine as I approach him, a smile slowly appearing on his face as drinks me in. I can feel myself blushing as I sit next to him.
"Hey there, lass." He says, his usually booming voice, now soft and gentle. His voice caresses my ears, and makes my tummy tremble.
"How are you feeling, Ralof? You look much better." I point out. This is the same man that was covered in filth earlier, hiding under all that mud, soot and grime? This couldn't possibly be the same man. His eyes become softer, more vulnerable as he answers me.
"I'm doing fine. My body will heal. But… I can still hear the thunderous roars of that beast. And I can still hear the cries and screams of the people… the women and children that all suffered." He says quietly. My eyes fill with tears as I listen to him. "There was nothing I could do but run like a coward." I forget my feelings from earlier and wrap my arms around his shoulders, in an attempt to hug him. My heart bleeds at the sound of the agony in his voice. His shoulders are huge, they're broad, I can't exactly wrap my arms around him, but he still understands. He lifts his arm and wraps it over me with a small chuckle. He pulls me close to him in a tight hug, and he rests his cheek on my head. We stay like this for a couple of minutes before he releases me.
"Thanks, lass. Your hug helped heal me a little." He grins. I give him my best smile and I hear his breath hitch. His hand cups my cheek and he stares at me a moment longer before whispering very sadly, "...in another life…" and places a warm kiss on my forehead. I frown at him not understanding any of this, but I don't say anything. I remain quiet until Gerdur walks over to us.
"Look at you two, hitting it off." Gerdur beams at us. Ralof exhales a sad breath, and turns to his sister.
"Gerdur…" He says softly, giving her a knowing look. "Ellie needs to hurry to Whiterun and I need to be on my way to Windhelm. We both have duties to our people." He explains to her. Gerdur looks away and frowns.
"Here are your supplies." She says sadly as she hands me a bag with a few provisions. I stand and thank Gerdur for her kindness and turn to face Ralof. He smiles down at me, so many emotions swirling in his eyes. I'm not entirely sure what I want to do, so I reach up and bring his face closer to mine, placing a kiss on his cheek.
"Farewell, lass. Take care of yourself and come back to Riverwood." He says softly as he gently strokes my cheek with his thumb. He lets his hand fall to his side and moves to the side to let me pass. I stride past him and towards the door, stopping just before I open it. I turn and look for Erik, but he's not where I first saw him when I entered. I open the door to inn and see Allie still tied up to the post. Frodnar runs up the steps to the inn.
"Frodnar." I call out to him. He stops and looks at me. "Did you see the man that was with us a while ago, did he leave?" I ask him softly.
"Aye, I saw him leave a little while ago, that way." He points towards the road to Whiterun. My eyes widen in alarm, that fool! Why would he leave by himself when it's so close to night time.
"Thank you, Frodnar!" I say as I rush and leap onto Allie. As I dig my heels into Allie's side to make her go, Ralof, Gerdur and her little family walk out of the inn. Ralof asks Frodnar what's wrong as Allie flies by. I can feel my chest ache a little as I steal a quick glance at Ralof. I probably won't ever see him again. I don't look back as Allie zooms back towards Whiterun.
Hola, muchachos! So, Ellie just experienced her first crush. And it seems Erik wasn't to thrilled about that. *Sigh* Poor Erik, Ellie just sees him as a brother. It's not like you can force these things, amirite? Lol I hope you're enjoying the story so far! I know it's starting off kind of slowish, but be patient young grasshoppers. Elle's adventure is only just beginning. Also would like to point out that this story is also on Wattpad. There you'll find pictures of who I would cast as characters! If you have any ideas, PM me and let me know and maybe I could post their picture as the chapter picture! :) Thank you so much.