Chapter 8

Day 22

Days had passed since the mage ambush and it was like it never happened. I had helped some soldiers who had been wounded while mining into the nearby mountain. I guess the plan for the fortress was to have a large armory and supply stash carved into the mountain. Rumors where going around that the Valtheim towers were to eventually be a large fortress for the empire. I had begun to wonder exactly at what the empire was planning. More importantly, what the Thalmor where planning.

How had they informed Yval and the other three of the attack on the road? Had they used some magic to enhance their bodies? If so then did that mean that they where Thalmor agents? I knew from the game that the Thalmor had agents everywhere and searched for worshippers of Talos as well as keep an eye on all things. They where even more powerful than the empire and I wondered if maybe it was a wise idea to stay submitted to them.

Windhelm was just a few miles away from here. I could take what I know and tell Ulfric and help the stormcloaks. If Skyrim developed it's independence then maybe there would be a fighting chance against the Aldmeri Dominion.

I shook my head. Such thoughts would end up getting me killed. I was here in the middle of an imperial camp with Thalmor agents and soldiers stationed here. I wouldn't even make it close to Windhelm before soldiers cut me down. If I left I knew they would send someone to tail after me. I'm an unknown in all this and I knew that the Thalmor knew.

Damn, I was making my head hurt just spinning all this around in my head. I needed some air and time away from the injured and dying. I walked out of the ten and to my usual thinking spot near the stream on the outside of camp. Groaning loudly I removed my hood as I sat myself on a rock, checking to make sure I had my knife properly sheathed in my sleeve and staring at the stream. I needed to gather my thoughts and put together all the information I had so far. I knew that I should have just stayed out of this. Stayed back at the inn in Riverwood and not accepted to go with Yval. I tried praying to Akatosh last night but received no answer. I needed answers and all I seemed to be getting where more questions.

Frustrated I picked up a large rock and slammed it into the stream. Water splashed all around and got the lower end of my robe wet.

"Dammit!" I shouted then slumped back down on my rock with a pout. What was I going to do? My whole situation was already confusing. Now add all this political and power struggle drama and things just get even crazier. Was this nightmare ever going to end?! Though I had given up on thinking this was just a dream, I still thought of this as a nightmarish situation.

"Sounds like you're having a bad day." The familiar voice of Yval brought me out of my confusing thoughts.

"Well I have been kept busy the last few days." I retorted, reaching into my satchel and pulling out my water pouch.

"Right, the cave-in and all that." I hadn't even spoken to Yval since the ambush, in fact I had made a point of it to avoid him and the rest of the men that I had arrived here with. There was an awkward silence between the two of us before he turned and began to walk away. "I can understand if you no longer want to be here. But be careful. Skyrim is full of dangers."

Was that a threat? Was he warning me? I had believed this man to be a friendly face but already find that there may be no one I could trust here. I would need to stay even more on my toes now and tread very carefully. I hadn't known him for very long, a few days in fact but still. I had thought that maybe I could have found a friend in this hostile world. I should have known better though.

I laughed at myself with how sappy and pathetic that just sounded when I thought about it. I really needed to get myself adjusted. Being this sentimental was going to eventually get me killed. I sighed heavily, put my hood back on and returned to the medical tent where I helped the surgeon to fix up wounds and bring food to the injured.

Later that night I received my first payment for assisting the empire. I had a hefty coin purse of five hundred pieces. It was much more than I thought it would be for just a short amount of time I had been there. But the surgeon had told me that it was also an advance in hopes I would stay around until the fortress was completed. I asked how long he believed it would take but he said he was unsure. At the progress they where going it would take them a month or two to get the basis of the structure up where they could move their camp within the outer wooden walls. I had then learned that the Imperials planned to make it a multi-leveled fortress. Having an outer wall, inner wall, and keep. The keep was to be held within the mountain like the armory and storehouse. It was to be a grand feat and show the Empire's presence in Skyrim.

I retired to my tent and lay on my cot. I lay there and look up at the tanned roof of the tent, the light fading as the sun went down. I fixed my dagger to be comfortably under my pillow and wrapped myself in the heavy furs I used for blankets. With darkness came colder air and my body was not yet used to the climate of Skyrim. If I got sick it would mean even more trouble for me. No modern medicine to rely on and who knows what someone might put into a potion that would be meant for me. Not even a month after waking up in Skyrim and I've already dug myself into a hole. I was thankful though that I had made it this far. It was much more than I would have expected from myself. I closed my eyes and did my best to get some rest, as I would need every bit of what strength I had in the days to come.