Hours have passed and the sun was now behind the mountains and the sky was becoming dark fast. Gromar had his back against a tree as he listened to the plan. He watched Ginji walk by him, ever since they met Ginji has barely said anything to him let alone look at him. Gromar wondered what his relationship with June was. Seradia walked by him but before she could get far he quickly grabbed her arm stopping her.
Seradia looked at him a bit surprised. "How do June and Ginji know each other?" He asked. "They grew up together." Seradia answered him. "Grew up together?" He furrowed his eyebrows down confused. "Yeah, apparently after her home got destroyed Ginji's family saved her and took her in. You could just ask him." She gave him a small smile and walked away. Gromar blinked as he watched her and than turned his head to Ginji. He was in the distance talking to Vilkas.
Gromar had heard enough. He didn't want to ask anymore about it but knowing that June wasn't truley alone growing up made him smile. "Sir!" One of the scouts ran right past Gromar and into the tent. "Everything is ready. Just as you ordered." The scout reported. "Finally." The commander walked out of the tent. Gromar stood up straight and followed him. Vilkas and the others saw that everybody was gathering around so they joined them.
"Is it time?" Vilkas asked. "Just about. I want to go over the plan first." The commander answered Vilkas. He walked to a crate and set down the map of the area. He had circled where they found the base. "A few of my soldiers will stay hidden in the trees and take out what guards they have posted outside and than after that you four." He pointed to Vilkas and the others. "Can head inside with the rest of the soldiers and take care of what ever Thalmor are inside." Vilkas sneered at him.
"We don't care about the damn fight, we just want to get June." Vilkas leaned forward on the crate. The commander glared at him a bit. "We have given you the location of this base and not only that we are letting you come along. I say you owe us this." The commander leaned towards him. Vilkas sneered again and quickly turned away from him. "Besides that I'm not taking any chances of you messing this up. We have to do it fast and we have to do it right." The commander stood up straight. "Now soldiers follow me." He started to walk and the others followed him. 'This better work..' Vilkas was feeling anxious. June was so close and yet he still couldn't reach her.
Ancano was still sitting in the room with June. She had passed out from either starvation or exhaustion. Either way he knew that she wasn't going to last much longer. God's only knew how long she had been with out food. Ancano sighed as he took his eyes away from her. He supposed that he could help her but he knew that the Thalmor would have his head.
Though he didn't agree with what they were doing he was still loyal and would die for them. 'How long has it been?' He wondered as he looked up at one of the small windows. He could barely see through it but it looked like that it was now well dark outside. Ancano got up from his chair and looked at June one last time. He was relieved to see that she was still breathing and walked away leaving the room.
As he walked up the large stairs he started to hear strange noises from upstairs. He furrowed his eyebrows down as he tried to figure out what it was. It didn't take long for him to realize that it was the sound of battle. He could hear the clashing of swords and the yelling of his kin. Ancano broke out into a run up the stairs as he summoned his magic. 'How were we discovered?' He finally reached the door and quickly opened it.
"Over here!" He heard a familiar voice yell from the other room. "I found another door!" He heard the voice again. He quickly entered the room and saw that they haven't reached this part yet but this part of the base was usually empty due to the fact that that is where they brought their prisoners. He jumped as he saw a Thalmor's body fell threw the door. He stood there and watched as four people ran through the door. They stopped and looked at him.
He tensed up once he saw that one of them was Seradia. Their eyes met and they all just stared at each other. "What do you want to do?" Farkas asked her quietly. "He's in our way." Vilkas growled. Ancano quickly looked away from for a moment and than let out a sigh. He slowly approached them, as he did they readied their weapons. Seradia just stood there watching him.
"Through that door and down the stairs you will find June." Ancano pointed at the open door he came from. They all looked at him surprised. "How do we know it's not a trap?" Vilkas asked. "Do you really have time to be worried about that?" Ancano sneered at him. "At any moment our generals will return and you will be defeated." Ancano stepped to the side. "Also I know June doesn't have much time left. She's had a lot taken out on her." Ancano slowly looked down.
They exchanged looks and than looked back at him. "Why are you doing this?" Gromar asked. "Does it matter!" Ancano yelled. "Just go already!" He yelled again. They all nodded and than took off running past him, except for Seradia. She walked up to him and their eyes met. "Thank you." She whispered. He just nodded. "Also, you may want to wait a bit before going outside. The Nord's will probably kill you." She warned him. He looked at her surprised and than nodded again. She looked at him one last time and than took off running after the others.
They hurried down the stairs, Vilkas felt like it was never ending and they just couldn't get to the bottom fast enough. But when they finally did reach the bottom he was the first to enter the room. He quickly looked around and in the distance he saw June tied to a table. He felt his heart leap and than quickly ran over to her along with the others. "June!" He called to her. Vilkas placed his hand on the side of her face but she didn't move.
When Gromar reached her he felt like he was going to be sick from the site of his daughter. She had been beaten, starved, and injured in so many other ways. He could see the anger in Vilkas's eyes by seeing it as well but right now he was just focusing on June. They found the keys hanging on the wall nearby. Seradia handed them to Vilkas and he started to quickly unlock the cuffs that held her down to the table.
He finally got the last cuff off and once he started to slide his arms underneath her she suddenly jumped and started swinging at him thinking it was one of the Thalmor. "June! June!" He quickly grabbed her wrists. June struggled but she slowed down once she saw who it was. "Vilkas?" She whispered in a weak voice. "I'm here." He placed his hands on both sides of her face. "Finally." She replied with a weak chuckle. Vilkas smiled and sighed. He quickly scooped her up into his arms and seemed like once he did she fell back asleep. She was too weak to move on her own.
Gromar was watching from the distance, she hadn't seen him yet and he wasn't sure if she should. He was just relieved to see that she was still alive. "Alright now let's hurry and get back to the camp." Gromar quickly walked up to them. "Why the camp? We should get her to a healer." Vilkas furrowed his eyebrows down. "She won't last that long. We need to get her some food and actual rest." Gromar argued. "I can heal her to the best of my abilities when we get there." Seradia assured Vilkas. He looked at her and than nodded.
They quickly made their way out of the room. Seradia saw that Ancano was now gone. She wondered why he decided to help them but that wasn't important. What was important was getting back. It seemed like most of the fighting was finished, for a Thalmor base there wasn't that much resistance which was very odd. Seradia felt like it was too easy. As they left the base she couldn't help but feel like something was off about it all. They thought that they were in the clearing when really something off in the distance was watching them, and waiting.
Once they made it back to the camp the stormcloaks prepared a tent for June. Vilkas laid her down in it and Seradia got started on healing her while the others gathered healing supplies for her. Seradia removed June's armor and placed her hands over June and began her healing magic. It took the others a moment but they were able to get what they needed. Vilkas brought the supplies in and set them down next to Seradia.
"Thank you." She said slightly looking at the supplies. She saw that Vilkas was jus standing there. She looked up at him. Vilkas looked at her as well. "Is there anything else?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "No." He shrugged. "Well than you should go." She turned back to June. Vilkas furrowed his eyebrows down a bit confused. "I'm going to have to remove all of her clothing in order to heal her properly and I don't want a peeper in here while I do it." Seradia quickly explained as she looked back up at him. "Peeper?" He scratched the back of his head as he walked out of the tent and closed the flap behind him.
He looked around and saw Gromar was standing in the distance talking to Ginji. It seemed like now that they finally had June and knew that she was okay that the tension has gone down a bit around them. Vilkas walked over and as he did they both looked at him. "Is she okay?" Gromar asked. Vilkas nodded. "Good." Gromar looked down relieved. "I'm probably going to head out soon." Gromar rubbed the back of his neck. "Why?" Vilkas furrowed his eyebrows down. "Don't you want to see June?" He asked.
Gromar let out a small sigh. "I do. More than you could ever know but..It's probably best that she doesn't see me. Who know's what could happen." Gromar spoke quietly. "But that's right." Gromar looked at him a bit confused. "You don't know what could happen. Not today nor tomorrow. That's why you should see her as soon as you get the chance. I never knew my father. He died in the Great War just as she believes you have." Vilkas spoke in a calm voice. "She could be angry about seeing you or happy. Either way at least she knows you're alive and out there." Vilkas crossed his arms.
Gromar just stood there and stared at him for a moment. He slowly looked back down. "You..have a point.." He admitted. "I'll think about it." With out another glance Gromar turned and walked away. Vilkas and Ginji both watched him. "You're going to stay right?" Vilkas looked at Ginji. "Of course. There are many things that June and I have to discuss." Ginji stood up straight and walked away. Vilkas watched him and than looked up at the night sky. For the first time since this all started he felt like he could relax.
It didn't take long for Seradia to fix up June. A couple hours later and they all saw June walk out of the tent and back in her armor. Seradia furrowed her eyebrows down and quickly ran to her. "What are you doing up? You should be resting!" Seradia examined her. "Shouldn't I say the same of you? It's well past dark." June walked past her. "June I'm serious!" Seradia quickly went after her. "You shouldn't push yourself!" Seradia had to walk fast the keep up with June.
June suddenly stopped making Seradia run right into her. Seradia stumbled back and looked at her confused. "Where are we?" June looked around at all the soldiers staring at her. "Where at a Stormcloak camp." Seradia answered. "Stormcloaks? I guess that explains how you were able to get through the base." June looked around some more. "Your armor is all banged up why aren't you wearing the cloths I had set out in there for you?" Seradia asked noticing her armor. "I'm more comfortable in this." June answered still not looking at her.
Seradia rubbed her forehead and sighed. "Don't be stubborn." June jumped from the sudden deep voice. She turned seeing Vilkas walking up to her. "Stubborn? No I'm not stubborn. At the moment I'm starving." June crossed her arms. "There's food over there on that table." Vilkas pointed back with his thumb. June looked over and than started to walk past him. "Oh you're welcome by the way." Vilkas crossed his arms. June stopped and turned around looking at him. "For?" She raised an eyebrow at him. Vilkas turned towards her. "For saving your life." Vilkas gave her a crooked smile.
"Oh right. Yea thank you for taking so long and almost getting me killed." June placed her hands on her hips and leaned forward. Vilkas furrowed his eyebrows down at her. Before he could get another word out she quickly turned around and walked to the table. Vilkas sneered and turned around walking away. "Ungrateful little.." He mumbled as he walked past Seradia. She watched him and than looked back at June, she couldn't help but chuckle a little at the situation.
Moving did cause June some pain but she knew if she didn't get something to eat she wouldn't get too far anyways. She couldn't remember the last time she had a meal. She filled her plate up and started to dig in. "June." She jumped and looked to the side. It was Ginji. "Ginji?" She slowly put her food down. "It's good to see you're okay." Ginji smiled as he took a seat next to her. "What are you doing here?" She asked him.
"I got your letter." Ginji answered her. June slowly looked down at the table. "The one who kidnapped you. Was it the same one who-" Ginji cut himself off. "Yes." June quickly answered. "Her name is Maven." June looked down at her plate. "I see." Ginji tapped his nail on the table. "What are you going to do about it?" He asked quietly. She quickly looked up at him a bit surprised. "What do you think?" She furrowed her eyebrows down at him. "So you're going to get revenge?" He asked.
June clenched her jaw and looked back down. "More than that now." She answered quietly. "What will it solve though?" Ginji let out a sigh. "What do you mean!? You know-" She stood up from the table and yelled at him but he quickly looked up at her making her stop. "I know that I have moved on. As much as I have grieved my mothers death I know she wouldn't want me to dwell on it. She wouldn't want you to dwell on it either." He slowly stood up.
"I did move on." She quickly looked away. "But than.." A flash of memory came to her mind. The memory of when her and Brynjolf returned and Maven had them fight each other. "She's never left me alone.." June whispered. "Until she's dead. She'll never leave me alone.." June clenched her fists. "If you kill her than you know that others will look at you like a murderer. She is the Yarl of Riften, you would be branded a criminal." Farkas had walked up and inturrupted them.
June quickly looked away. "I don't care.." She said quietly. "Yes you do. I know you do." Ginji crossed his arms. He examined the large scar on her face and the look in her eyes. She had definitely changed over the years. "You don't know me anymore Ginji.." She kept her eyes down. "You got to grow up with family back in your home land but I...I didn't have anybody for a long time." June clenched her fists. June suddenly felt like she wasn't hungry anymore. She could feel eyes on her and it made her feel very uncomfortable around him now. "I think..I think I'm going to call it night." With out another glance she turned and started to walk away.
"Wait." Ginji tried to stop her but she just ignored him and kept walking. Gromar had been watching from the distance. He couldn't believe how beautiful she had grown, to him she was a spitting image of her mother. He thought about intervening and talking to her when Ginji and her were arguing but he decided to stay out of it and that he would speak to her in the morning. For right now, she had been through enough and needed her rest.