Skyrim: A Tale of Two Dragons
Chapter 2: Escape to Riverwood
Helgen was chaos.
The air was sweltering and clogged with smoke that burned at his eyes. The dragon's every roar seemed to shake the world beneath him. Soldier's scrambled everywhere, ushering civilians away from the battle while trying to grab what survivors they could find.
General Tullius seemed to be everywhere all at once. The man, gleaming in his golden armor raced throughout the burning village on his horse, barking orders at his men and trying to form some sort of strategy against the dragon.
The dragon, with a wingspan larger than a house, tore through the sky above them, blasting rivers of fire as he went. He landed on top of a burning home, collapsing it beneath him. Nearby soldiers tried to swarm him, only to be torn apart by jaws that could engulf a mammoth.
Wulfric raced through the town, leaping over corpses as he searched for a way out. The dragon let out another burst of flame, scattering the group of Stormcloaks, before taking off into the air again. He ducked behind a burned out building as the dragon passed overhead, Ralof right next to him.
"Follow me; I think I know of way out of here." Ralof told him. "It's underground."
"Are you sure we can get out from underground?"
"As long as the dragon hasn't collapsed the tunnels under the city."
"Good enough for me," Wulfric said, eyes following the dragon's path through the sky. "Let's go!"
The two darted across the town, ducking and hiding whenever a squad of Imperials ran by or the dragon flew overhead. At one point they came across the ruddy faced man, Hadvar, who had been reading off the names to be executed. He tried to stop them but Wulfric ran right through him, slamming him into the ground, Rolaf stopping to kick him in the face for good measure. They continued running until Ralof brought them to a halt outside of a large stone tower.
Wulfric eyed it warily. "You didn't tell me the exit was through the Imperial barracks."
"Aye, but they're likely to be a bit distracted. Let's move before anyone sees us out here."
The two men entered the building, the heavy wooden door shutting out the deafening roar of the dragon as they slammed it closed.
Their world was plunged into darkness. After a minute or two, their eyes adjusted to the building's dimness. A few sconces hung from the walls, giving the room what little light they could. The room was circular and mostly empty, save for a small table and chair across from the entrance. Two iron gated doors blocked entry into the fort's interior halls, leaving them trapped.
"We can't stay here," he told Ralof as he checked the iron doors. "Either the dragon will bring the building down on us or the Imperials will find us."
He heard a sigh behind him and saw Ralof approaching the table. It was only then that Wulfric saw the body of a Stormcloak soldier. Ralof checked the man over and his hands came away stained red. He sighed again. "Go, my brother. Sovengarde awaits."
He turned and faced Wulfric. "Best to take his armor. He won't be needing it anymore."
Wulfric gave a curt nod and the two men quickly removed the armor from the fallen soldier, making sure to keep his dignity intact along the way. In just a few minutes, Wulfric now looked the part of a Stormcloak rebel, albeit one with armor that barely stretched across his frame, the armor too small to even be properly fastened.
"I'm Ralof by the way," the Stormcloak told him as he finished dressing. "I don't really consider my death sentencing as a proper introduction. I'm sorry that you've gotten all tangled up in this. Damn Empire really doesn't care much for details as long as they get their way."
"Wulfric White-Wind," he answered, trying to force his foot into a boot that was too small for it. "I'm seeing enough of that myself. It's strange; I never took much issue with the Empire before I crossed into Skyrim."
"Things have not been great in Skyrim lately," Ralof admitted. "With the Empire turning their back to their own people and banning worship of Talos…let's just say that Skyrim has seen better times."
He walked to one of the gated doors and peered through its openings. "Damn. We need to get past these doors to get to the tunnels I know of. I won't be saved from the block just to get sent back. Think you could break it down?"
"No," Wulfric answered, pointing to the metal near the door's hinges. "They've built the iron directly into the stone. I'd need a solid hammer or log to have a shot at it."
There was a clattering in the distance from the door behind them.
"Hide," Wulfric hissed and pressed himself against the wall near the door. Ralof did the same on the opposite side.
In the dim light, two Imperial soldiers appeared. A familiar voice rang out. "Hurry up and open that door!" It was the female captain who had tried to execute him. Ria, General Tullius had called her. "We know that they ran in here and I don't want them escaping."
Ralof gave him a quick nod and readied his axe. When the door sprang open, he lunged at the Imperial solider coming through. The captain spun to attack him but Wulfric grabbed by the back of the neck and hurled her across the room. She landed roughly, bouncing across the floor; helmet flying off but managing to avoid landing on her sword while keeping hold of it.
She quickly righted herself and faced Wulfric. "You," she sneered. "You're certainly looking the part of a rebel now." She spat the word rebel like a curse.
Wulfric snorted. "It's better than the prisoner's rags I was in before."
"I'll see your head roll before the day is out. For the Empire!" she lunged at Wulfric, blade fully extended.
Wulfric dodged her sword, sidestepping around her and trying to find something to use as a weapon. As strong as he was, his fists wouldn't do much against her heavy steel armor. He barely missed her next attack, the tip of her sword cutting through the blue fabric of his armor and exposing the chainmail below.
Ria pressed the attack again, swinging for his neck. Wulfric leveled her with a boot to the chest that sent her skidding across the floor before slamming into the corpse of the Stormcloak that he'd taken the armor from. 'Thank Shor for these long limbs.'
Before the captain could right herself, Wulfric grabbed the lone chair and swung it down into her head. The chair shattered and the captain dropped to the ground in a heap. Looking down at her, he saw that she was still breathing but was out cold.
Wulfric turned to see Ralof land a slash across the throat of the other Imperial soldier. Blood spattered at Wulfric's feet while the man gagged and fell silent. Ralof wiped the weapon clean on the Imperial and sheathed it with a grimace.
He glanced at the captain and smirked. "Nice work. Stick close to me. Watch my back, and I'll watch yours."
Wulfric stared down at the dead soldier. This was not his first time seeing a dead body or seeing a man die. He had to fight his fair share of desperate bandits in his travels and had even killed a few when he needed to. Still, it was never something he found joy in.
"You okay?"
Wulfric snapped out of his thoughts to find Rolaf staring at him. "I'm fine."
"Good," Rolaf answered as he bent down to pick up the soldier's discarded weapon. "We're going to need each other if we want to get out of this alive." He held out the Warhammer that the Imperial solider had been using.
Wulfric took Warhammer from him, hoisting it easily with one hand. "Understood."
The two men entered the hall where the Imperials had come from and disappeared into the darkness.
Wulfric walked next to Ralof, ears straining for any noise even as his mind wandered.
The journey through the fort had not gone well. The tunnel that Ralof knew about had collapsed from the dragon attack, forcing them to find a new way. Their searching had led them deeper into the fort's underground chambers. It was there they had found something that had shocked Wulfric to his core.
It was a torture room, complete with dead and dying Stormcloaks.
Ralof flew into a rage at the sight of his comrades. The two Imperial soldiers that were there hadn't stood a chance. One of them received Ralof's axe buried into his chest, the leather armor unable to withstand the furious Nord's rage. Wulfric's Warhammer had finished the second one in two blows, first shattering his shield before bringing it down on his helm.
They managed to save two of the Stormcloaks that had been there, but they were in rough shape. When they came across a small group of Imperial soldiers a few minutes later the two put up little resistance, falling to a volley of arrows before Ralof and Wulfric could fend them off.
Despite their loses, Ralof had managed to find a decent shield from an Imperial soldier while Wulfric had looted a better pair of boots (that almost fit him surprisingly) and a steel helmet. They each had grabbed a hunting bow and whatever arrows they could find. Ralof had even pulled the few from the dead Stormcloaks, grimacing as he did so.
If nothing else, the man was pragmatic.
Together they continued marching into the darkness. The stone tunnels and rooms had long since given way to packed dirt and tree roots. Without a better idea, they had decided to follow an underground river, figuring that it had to lead to the surface at some point.
The last few hours of his life had been some of the most hectic and dangerous of his life. Now, the silence gave him time to dwell on what he had seen.
Honestly, the Empire executing rebels was not surprising. That they would do so with little regard for who got caught in-between was concerning. But to resort to torturing and maiming the rebels…those were horrors that he expected from the Thalmor, not of Empire he had grown up in.
Just what in Oblivion was happening in Skyrim?
"Hey, I think I see something."
Wulfric snapped out of his thoughts and looked around with more focus. "I don't see anything."
The winding path they were following split off in two ways. One was clearly a dead end, the river running directly under the stone. The other branched off to a separate path, descending slightly in to a larger cavern with boulders scatter across the ground. There was a bit of light filtering in through the roof of the cavern but not enough to see clearly.
"Look at the ground and the walls," Ralof said quietly. "Do you see the webbing?"
Squinting though the dim lights, Wulfric's eye slowly starting picking up the gossamer strings that littered the floor and the walls of the cavern below. There was enough webbing that there was either a lot of small things down in there or a few very large ones. Neither bolded well for them. "I see it now."
"I recognize it. It's Frostbite Spider webbing. We need to be careful about this. There's no telling how many are down there."
"How big can these things get?" Wulfric asked warily.
"Most get about as big as a wolf," Ralof answered as he pulled out his bow. "Some can be…bigger."
Wulfric sighed and drew his own bow. "I'm really beginning to wish I hadn't wanted to see the Skyforge." He nocked an arrow in place but held the drawstring loosely.
Ralof chuckled lightly. "Just be on you guard. They can spit venom from a good thirty feet."
"Lovely."
Together the two men snuck down the path, bows at the ready.
A shape flittered in the darkness. Ralof didn't hesitate, launching an arrow directly into the dark shape. There was a brief hiss that sounded almost like a scream before the shape stopped moving. Two more shapes skittered next to it before turning and charging at them.
Even in the dim light, Wulfric could see the beasts as they charge at him. Like something out of a nightmare, the two spiders were at least as large as a wolf, covered in rust-color hair with large fangs each the size of a dinner knife and glistening with green venom. Eight black eyes adorned their heads, two on the front of its 'face' with the other six wrapping around its head, each one as dark as a moonless night and full of savagery.
Wulfric buried his arrow directly into of the main eyes, killing it instantly. Ralof's second arrow caught the underbelly of the final spider as it tried to climb other it's dead brethren. Wulfric shot a second arrow into its face, just to make sure.
Both Nords nocked another arrow and continued to make their way down to the cavern. After a minute of nothing, Ralof let his arm relax, undrawing his bow. "Looks like that was it."
From behind him, Wulfric saw two large shapes drop from holes in the cavern ceiling. "I don't think so!"
He sent his arrow flying at one of the spiders but missed as it dropped to the ground. Each spider stood a good four feet tall and was as long as a man. The fangs had grown from dinner knives to full-fledged daggers.
Ralof drew his axe and shield with practiced urgency, blocking a spider's fangs and slashing it across one of its front legs.
The second spider charged at Wulfric.
He tossed aside his bow and grabbed his Warhammer. He leapt back as the spider lunged for him, avoiding it before slamming his Warhammer across the monster's face.
It reared back with a terrible hiss and launched a glob of venom at him.
Wulfric threw himself to the side as the venom bushed across his left arm, rolling back to his feet in one smooth motion, weapon at the ready. His father would have been proud.
Unimpressed, the spider shot another volley of venom before turning and heading after Ralof. The Stormcloak was handing himself well but didn't see the second spider coming.
"Oh no you don't!"
With a war cry, Wulfric hurled the Warhammer after the spider. It spun through the air like a blade before burying it's pointed tip into the spider's hairy thorax. The spider collapsed to the cavern floor in a heap, body spasming from the pain.
'And that would make Bashon proud.' Wulfric thought.
He pulled the Warhammer from the writhing spider before slamming it down on its head.
He turned to help Ralof only to see the man trying to yank his axe from the spider's head. Wulfric chuckled before shaking the gore from his Warhammer and repositioning it across his back.
Walking over, he asked. "Need a hand there?"
Ralof gave a tired laugh and slumped down against the dead beast. "Aye. Apparently, I don't know my own strength. Can't get the damned thing out."
Wulfric grabbed the axe's worn wooden handle and ripped it clean from the spider, sending a splatter of blood into the air. The large man wiped his face on his sleeve with a grimace. Despite being covered in mud and grime for who knew how many days, the spider's remains covering him made him filthy all over again.
He flicked the axe clean and offered a hand to Ralof, pulling the Stormcloak to his feet. Taking the axe, Ralof sheathed it and the two took a better look around the cavern. Wulfric quickly noted that what he believed to have been rocks were actually discarded corpses that the spiders had devoured and sucked dry.
"You alright?" Ralof asked him. "You've a nasty looking burn on your arm."
Wulfric shot a glance at his arms and did a double-take. His left forearm was an angry red color and blistered. Evidently some of the spider's venom had found its mark. Wulfric prodded the wound with a gentle finger and hissed in pain. With the rush of the spider attack fading, the pain was becoming more and more prominent. It wouldn't kill him right away, but an infection – or worse, poison – would bring him down eventually if left untreated.
"Nothing I can't fix."
The larger Nord placed his right hand just above the wound and closed his eyes. He imagined a surging golden glow emanating from his hand, of blood pumping through his body and of clean, clear water. Almost immediately, he felt a pull from somewhere deep within him and he pushed it along, directing it down his arm to his hand.
Even through his closed eyes, he saw the golden glow illuminate his hand. He felt the burnt and blistered skin begin to relax and cool. The pain subsided and he opened his eyes with a small gasp. A light sheen of sweat made his blonde hair stick to his forehead.
Ralof look on in mild surprise. "Healing magic. You don't see many Nords that deal with Magicka and even fewer blacksmiths that do." There was a clear question in his tone.
Wulfric flexed his arm, rotating his wrist and elbow. There was pain but it was minimal, especially considering how the rest of his body felt. He'd manage for now and let it heal on its own.
"My mother was studying to be priestess of Kynareth before she met my father," Wulfric explained. "She never finished but is an accomplished healer. She made sure I was able to heal myself before I was able to leave home on my own."
Wulfric offered his newly healed arm to the sitting Stormcloak and helped him back to his feet. "I'm good enough to heal most minor things, especially burns," he laughed and held out his heavily callused hands. "That's actually how I got so much practice in. I can't tell you how many times I've burnt myself at the forge."
Ralof nodded in understanding. "You are a very unique man, my friend. Let's get out of here before something else finds us."
"Aye, let's move," Wulfric agreed as he walked and retrieved his bow from the ground. "I think I see a path that way."
The two men left spider den and continued on, the path quickly opening up to another cavern after only a few minutes. The underground stream they had been following was here, bursting from a cavern wall and cascading into a waterfall. The cavern was much larger than the one filled with the spiders but even more dim save for a single beam of light that broke through the ceiling, creating almost a spotlight effect in the dark cave.
Ralof led the way, peering into the darkness. Stopping abruptly, the Stormcloak held out an arm to stop Wulfric.
"There's a small bridge over the water here," Ralof told him quietly. "We should take it. I can't make out what it is yet, but there's something on the far side of us. I don't think it knows we're here yet."
"Good," Wulfric whispered. "Let's keep it that way."
Ralof crouched down and began to quietly sneak across the bridge. Once across he hugged the far wall of the cavern, putting as much distance as he could between himself and whatever was still hidden in the darkness.
Wulfric followed his lead as best he could, cursing silently as he did so. His size offered him many advantages in life but going unnoticed was not one of them. Each step he took sounded thunderous compared to Ralof's.
Both men froze when they heard something move in the darkness. It sounded heavy as it padded across the floor. Ralof drew his bow while Wulfric pulled his Warhammer free, both expecting the worst.
Both men immediately relaxed as a large brown bear moseyed into view, flopping down to rest in the warm sunlight peeking through the ceiling. Ralof drew his bow taught again but Wulfric held up a hand to stop him.
"It hasn't noticed us yet," he said in a loud whisper. "And I've had my fill of adventure for one day. Let's just get out of here before it wakes back up."
Ralof nodded and relaxed his bow again, dropping the arrow back into his looted quiver. As quietly as they could the men crept across the cavern, sticking to the shadows of the far wall. There was a nervous moment as Wulfric's foot stepped on a large but thin bone, the sharp snap echoing through the quiet. The bear stirred for a moment before returning to its slumber.
"There!" Ralof exclaimed in an excited but hushed tone. "I can see a way out!"
Sure enough, the cavern narrowed back into a single path with a large beam of light bursting through an opening large enough for a bear to fit through. The exhausted men, infused with a surge of adrenaline and hope, dropped all pretenses of sneaking and rushed for the opening.
Having been underground for Shor only knew how long, Wulfric's eyes couldn't stand the bright light of the sun. He slammed them shut with a wince, but breathed deep the cool and fresh mountain air. In the distance he could hear birds chirping and trees rustling in the winds.
For the first time since he had woken up on the bottom that damned wagon, Wulfric felt free.
Gradually, he was able to open his eyes. They widened as he took in the majesty of the landscape around him. There were vast snow-covered mountains in the distance and a large river that looked like it flowed into a crystalline lake. Tall pine trees jutted out of the ground everywhere, their brilliant green needles dusted by white snow. The ground was rough and rocky but there was a visible path for them to follow, various ferns and brightly colored flowers littered alongside it.
Ralof gave him a large grin and gestured to the world around them. "Welcome to the Throat of the World, Skyrim!"
Wulfric chuckled and made to move down the path when a familiar roar ripped through the air.
Both men paled and down back to the cover of their mountain exit even as a flurry of songbirds burst into a frantic flight.
Seconds later, the massive black dragon that had saved them by attacking Helgen flew overhead. Despite fighting a small army of Imperial soldiers, it appeared no worse for the wear. It bellowed out another world-shaking roar before it vanished behind one of the distant mountains.
Ralof was the first to creep out into the sunlight again. He stared at the sky for a moment before looking back at Wulfric. "I think it's finally gone now. By the Nine, how is that damned beast still alive after it attacked an entire village full of Legionnaires?"
Wulfric walked out in the open now, eyes never leaving the sky. The dragon seemed familiar to him somehow and he took that as an ill omen. Be to put it behind him and be on his way. "It doesn't matter now. Do you have any idea where we are?
Ralof gradually took his eyes off the skyline and looked around. After a moment, he snapped his fingers in understanding. "Aye, we're just a few miles from Riverwood. My sister, Gerdur, runs the lumber mill there with her husband. We'll head there until things die down."
"She won't mind? The last thing I want is to bring trouble to strangers."
Ralof laughed. "I'd hardly think she'd turn someone in our position away. Besides that, I'd never hear the end of the it if I didn't let her help."
Wulfric looked at him warily. "If you say so."
Ralof laughed again and began walking down the path. Clearly, escaping to freedom had brightened the man's spirits. Still, now in the bright light of the sun, Wulfric could see large swathes of brightly pinkened skin covering the man's arms and neck. Having burned himself a number of times, he was familiar with that color as well as the pain that came with it. Ralof, if he even noticed it, was clearly paying it no mind.
Wulfric started after him, having no better options in front of him.
"We'll get to Riverwood and hang low for a bit," Ralof told him as they walked the stony path. "After that I have to get back to Windhelm and Jarl Ulfric. He'll be needing greater security with the way we got ambushed at Darkwater Crossing."
"You think he made it out of Helgen?" Wulfric asked, lumbering behind Ralof.
"I'm positive he did," Ralof said, voice proud and fierce. "Ulfric Stormcloak is one of the most powerful men in Skyrim, if not all of Tamriel. It was only to protect his men and the innocents nearby that he surrendered without a fight."
Wulfric frowned but held his tongue.
Ralof face twisted into a look of disdain and he spat on the ground. "Damn Empire. Ulfric challenged for the throne and won it fairly according to Nordic tradition. Instead of allowing things to be as they should and accepting his as the new High King, they turned on him, called him a king slayer and labeled his supporters as rebels."
Wulfric nodded, taking in the man's anger as well his obvious bias. He knew that things were rarely black and white, especially when the Empire was concerned. "Ulfric didn't seem like the kind of man to take that very well."
"Aye. Really all of this – Ulfric, the Markarth Incident and the civil war – all go back to that damn White-Gold Concordat that the Empire agreed to."
Now that was a name that Wulfric knew well. The White-Gold Concordat had been a treaty signed by the Thalmor and the Empire nearly 30 years prior. It ceased a massive war between the two factions with the Empire outlawing worship of Talos – the ascended Hero-God form of Tiber Septim and the Ninth Divine – in all of Tamriel.
"Is the outlawing of Talos so strict in Skyrim?" Wulfric asked, following Ralof down the winding path. "I know many who continue to worship Talos throughout the Empire, some not too secretly."
"It wasn't always this way," Ralof admitted. "It was banned for years, but it has never been easy for the Empire to try and tell the people of Skyrim how to live, let alone force to doing something. It wasn't until the Markarth Incident that things got bad."
From behind him, Wulfric saw Ralof's sag as if carrying a heavy weight. After a moment, the man sighed and looked over his shoulder at Wulfric.
"Enough with such grim things," he said, brightening as he did so. "Tell me about yourself. Outside of being a blacksmith and the size of a small bear, I don't know anything about you."
Wulfric let out a bark of laughter. "If you can imagine, I used to be a runt."
Ralof stopped walking and turned to face him. "You're joking."
"Not a bit," Wulfric told him as he stopped as well. "I was a tiny little thing when I was a boy. My father always teased that I'd have to be a seamstress because I couldn't even lift his axe."
Ralof eyed the man and really took in how large he was. Ralof knew that he was a good-sized Nord himself, standing about a couple of inches over six feet which put him larger than most of the races in Tamriel. Of the Orcs he had met, he was taller than some and shorter than others.
Wulfric, however, towered over him. He was easily taller than the largest Orc he'd ever met and was every bit as broad. The Warhammer was strapped across his back like it was a toy and he could see the leather of his boots straining to contain the man's size.
"Really man, just what in Oblivion are you?"
Wulfric laughed again. "I'm just another Nord. My parents were from Whiterun but left before I was born. I grew up in the Wrothgar Mountains near an Orc Stronghold. My father had done a lot of traveling and was familiar with the different Orc tribes. He became their Blood-Kin before too long and helped them with trading."
"So, you grew up around a lot of Orcs then," Ralof asked. "I met a few throughout Skyrim. Great warriors, but they can be a bit savage."
Wulfric shrugged. "They can be, but they usually have their reasons. War and fighting are breed into their very culture. For the most part, they're good honorable people and their smithing is something to behold. The things I learned watch the oldest orcs tend to the forge was what helped me get my apprenticeship in the first place."
Ralof nodded and started walking again. Wulfric fell into step beside him.
They came around a turn and spotted a well-worn stone dais near the edge of a cliff with three cone like stones placed upon it. While the dais was covered with ferns and overgrown with moss, the stones were well maintained, inlaid with iron and intricate etchings on their bases. Each stone also had a large hole near it's top, about the size a man's head.
"Ah, the Guardian Stones!" Ralof exclaimed, jogging up to the stones. "I'd forgotten that they were so near Riverwood."
Wulfric kept his pace as he followed, looking at the stones intently. Whatever type of iron they had used to decorate the stone was ancient enough that he couldn't identify it. Each stone had a different etching; one was a warrior holding an axe and shield, one of robed man with a staff and the last of a cloaked figure wielding a dagger with a large coin purse tucked under his arm
Ralof stepped on to the dais before turning back to Wulfric. "These are the famous Guardian Stones of Skyrim. Each one is engraved with a constellation – the Warrior, the Mage and the Thief to be specific – and is said to grant the constellation's power to those who pray before it."
Wulfric stepped onto himself. "Do they work?"
"As much as praying to any of the Nine as does. The Warrior Stone," he gestured to the etching of the man holding the axe and shield. "Is said to lending strength and battle prowess."
He pointed to the robed man etching on the stone beside it. "The Mage stone blesses magicka users, like yourself, with a sharp mind and increased ability."
"And the Thief helps make you extra sneaky?"
Ralof shrugged. "I would have said stealthy, but yeah."
The Stormcloak walked around the stone, touching each one as he passed. "I haven't visited these in years. Truly, it is a blessing to come across them after Helgen."
Ralof stopped and knelt before the Warrior Stone. After a moment, he stood back up and gave Wulfric a bright smile.
""The Stones don't discriminate if you want to pray to one."
Wulfric shrugged and approached the Warrior Stone as well. While he could harness his magicka, he'd hardly call himself a Mage and he was certainly no Thief. Kneeling before it, Wulfric closed his eyes and bent his head.
He felt a slight tingle in the middle of his back but it was gone before he could really process it.
Wulfric glanced around for a second before standing again. Turning to Ralof, he asked. "How much further do you think."
"We're only about two miles now," Ralof assured him. "We'll be there in a matter of minutes."
He peered past Wulfric and looked at their path with a frown. "We should probably stick to the trees from here on out. I'm sure these roads will be swarming with Imperials looking any Stormcloaks before nightfall."
The bigger man shrugged. "Lead the way."
The rest of the journey was fairly uneventful. A pair of wolves tried to attack them but after all they had been through, the wolves were more of a nuisance that anything. Their continued towards Riverwood, hiking up closer to the base of the mountain, following the path but hidden from its view. It's wasn't long before the small settlement came into sight.
It was fairly obvious where the town had earned its name. It was nestled in between a large flowing river on the left and thick woods on the right. A large wooden overpass guarded entry to the town. There was no gate but an archer would have a clear and easy sight of anyone coming if they needed to.
A row of buildings followed the main path throughout the town, most decorated with an iron sign displaying their type of business. While he couldn't see the names, he recognized a blacksmith sign as well as some kind of general goods store.
"We'd best wait here until nightfall or at least until the light dims a bit." Ralof said. "The fewer people that know we're here, the better."
Wulfric nodded and slumped down to the mossy ground, removing the Warhammer and resting his back against a large tree. Despite the bright sun when they exited the cave, it was actually later in the day and the shadows were already beginning to grow longer. He estimated about an hour before it was dusk.
Ralof kept a steady eye on the path. Other than a few guardsmen occasionally walking on the overpass and peering down the path, there was not a soul in sight. Wulfric didn't know if that made him more or less concerned.
'Surely word hadn't reached Riverwood about the attack on Helgen yet?'
Before long day turned to dusk, the sun falling behind mountains in the distance. Wulfric stood back up and replaced his Warhammer.
"There's a guardsman there right now," Ralof told him quietly. "He's trying to light a torch. As soon as he leaves, we'll head my sister's."
They watched from the darkness as a light burst from the dimness on the overpass, the guard lighting his nightly torch. He patrolled the walkway for a minute before heading back off into the town. Ralof wasted no time, setting a brisk pace with Wulfric right behind him.
They had to duck behind a few small cobblestone cottages as they moved throughout the town, but avoided any truly close calls. In only a few minutes there were standing in front of a simple but well-maintained home with a small gate surrounding it. A few chickens were nested nearby and there was a large hairy cow was grazing quietly in the corner.
Ralof tapped at the door twice, just hard enough to be heard by the people inside. The door opened lightly and there was a surprised gasp before Ralof pushed the door open the rest of the way and dashed in, igniting a squawk of surprise. Wulfric was right on his heels, closing the door quickly behind him.
The inside of the cottage was much like the outside; simple but welcoming and surprisingly large. A sizable hearth dominated the wall across from the door, illuminating the cottage and giving off a warm glow. A pot of some type of stew cooked over it in a large cast iron pot, filling the home with a delicious fragrance that nearly made Wulfric drool. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten.
The stone walls were lined with decorative animal furs while two chandeliers made of some kind of horn hung from the ceiling. A dining table sat near the health with spare wood stacked behind it while a second table, this one covered in various vegetables and loaves of bread, was positioned in the kitchen area. A large man sat at the table, confusion evident on his face. A small boy stood next to him, peering around from behind the large man's figure.
"Ralof!" the woman who answered the door said. "What are you doing here? And in uniform no less!"
She swatted the larger man on the shoulder before hugging him tightly. As filthly as Ralof was, Wulfric could still see the resemblance immediately between the two. This had to be Ralof's sister, Gerder. The large man from the table approached with the small boy peering out from behind his leg. Wulfric assumed that they must be Gerder's husband and child.
"It's a long story," Ralof explained. "I'll tell you everything but can we have a bit of food first. It's been the better part of three days since we've eaten."
Gerder quickly set about getting a bowl of hot stew for each man along with portions of a thickly crusted loaf of bread. Watching the two men fall upon the humble meal like starving wolves, she sent her husband Hod down to the river to collect water so that she could make a heated bath.
"You'll have to take turns," she had insisted. "But you'll need the heat and a lot of soap weed if you're ever going to get that grime out."
As she began stoking a fire for the tub, Ralof gave her a summarized version of their capture and break out. Gerder's son Frodnar sat on the floor by his uncle, enraptured by the man's tale of dragon attack and prison escape. Gerder did not look nearly as amused, concern evident in her eyes as Ralof described the devastation that the dragon had wrought.
For the most part Wulfric was quiet. Despite the hospitality, he felt out of place in the quiet family setting. Riverwood was clearly not a large town at all, little more than a large mill with a small population around it. The last thing he wanted was to bring trouble to these kind people.
He'd immediately taken a liking to Gerder. She was a strong Nord woman and her direct way of speaking reminded him of his own mother. Hod seemed like a good man as well, humble and kind.
"And I suppose I owe you a debt of thanks as well," Gerder said, jarring him from his thoughts. "My brother is a brave and smart warrior, but I know that anyone would have struggled to make it out of such a dangerous situation on his own."
Wulfric felt a small flush on the back of his next from the implied praise. "Really, it was nothing. I could easily say the same of him about myself. If anything, I owe you a debt for taking me in like this."
Gerder waved him off as she directed a protesting but yawning Frodnar to bed. "Nonsense. Anyone who stands with Ulfric is a friend here."
She disappeared down a hallway with her son, returning shortly after with a hand full of thick green ferns in her hands. "Hod's got the water hot enough now so whoever wants in first is welcome."
Wulfric cut Ralof off before he could speak. "I am both your guest and your sister's guest. Please go first." He made sure his tone brooked no argument.
Ralof scratched at his beard for a moment before relenting. "Aye, if you insist." He took the greens from his sister and disappeared down the hall.
"I know that you plan to leave Skyrim after all of this is said and done," Gerder began. "Before that, I was hoping I could ask one more favor from you."
"You've given me food and shelter; I don't see how I could refuse."
"Riverwood is a small town," she explained. "We have few guardsmen and no walls to keep out something as fearsome as a dragon. With Helgen so close to us, it is very possible that the dragon may strike here as well."
Wulfric nodded. He'd thought as much while they had waited for night fall. "I agree but what can I do to help you?"
"Someone needs to inform Jarl Balgruuf of the dragon attack and the danger it poses to Riverwood. Riverwood falls under his domain of Whiterun Hold. He can send additional guards to protect the village should the dragon return."
"Jarl Balgruuf?"
"Balgruuf is the Jarl of Whiterun, like how Ulfric is Jarl of Windhelm." Gerder explained. "He is a good man and sensible leader. He hasn't chosen to help Ulfric but at least he's smart enough to remain neutral."
Wulfric focused on the map of Skyrim he had studied as he traveled. The city of Whiterun was almost dead center in Skyrim. In the midst of a civil war, having such a central hub location would be incredibly valuable.
With a frown, Wulfric asked. "He hasn't shown support for the Empire or the Stormcloaks?"
"Neither one," Gerder told him, frowning herself. "He says he's focused on protecting Whiterun and his people more than choosing a side."
Wulfric nodded. "I'm surprised but I can understand where he's coming from. Why do you need me to seek him out?"
"Because of the mill, my family is too well known around here. We supply a large amount of lumber for most of the Hold. But they also know that Ralof is a Stormcloak, so he can be arrested or killed just by being spotted."
"I thought you said Balgruuf was neutral?"
"He is, but many in Whiterun are not. The Battle-Borns and Gray-Manes had a massive falling out over the rebellion. Most of Skyrim is up in arms right now and all it would take one person to…." She trailed off for a moment. After a brief shake of her head, she continued. "But you, you are not from Skyrim. No one knows who you are."
"I see." Wulfric could see her point. He was a complete outsider to Skyrim, making it far less difficult to reach Whiterun quickly. "Very well, I will leave at first light."
"You have my thanks," Gerder told him with a slight bow of her head. "Ralof should almost be done. While you clean yourself up, I'll see if I can't fix up some of Hod's clothes to fit you."
That earned a laugh from Wulfric. "That'll be easier said than done!"
Thank you everyone for reading! While we will be following Wulfric through some of the early missions in Skyrim, this is not going to be a complete re-telling of the game. It won't be long until we branch off into original content.
I just feel like the game has an exciting opening and introduces a of key characters immediately in a fun way. What better way to introduce a new character to this world than the way we all original experienced it?