Dragonstone in hand, I journeyed to Whiterun on foot at a measured walking pace. Ever since I'd left Riverwood, I'd been hustling through the world, desperate to obtain enough power to be ready for the trials to come, and eager to see how deep my power could go.

"I love the trees. What a beautiful land. I suppose it's true that snowy and cold places have some of the most beautiful scenery." I said aloud with a smile.

Step by step, I could see through the foliage and fauna to the city of Whiterun, which maintained a large clearing around it where the trees were sparse.

That clearing allowed me to see the truth of the matter at hand, as Whiterun was a battlefield. Waves of blond and red haired men with blue cuirasses, Stormcloaks, surrounded the walls of Whiterun. Rough-hewn ladders were being placed at walls, though the guards inside were knocking them off or pouring tar and boiling pitch down to keep the invaders at bay.

I shoved the Dragonstone into my Inventory, pulled out my weapon, and Shouted my way inside.

"Tiid Klo Ul!"

Striking from behind, I slaughtered. Nord after Nord, man after man, I killed. I was not sick or ruinously upset, "frozen" like so many fiction writers liked to say they would be. In fact, killing people was easy. Not because I was a sociopath, or because there was some moral groundwork I was missing, or even because it was physically easy to accomplish, but because the easiest thing to do in the world is to pick an enemy and kill them for being your enemy.

Barbaric, sure. Cruel, not necessarily. Savage, yes. I didn't like killing people, not even the bandits or brigands I'd encountered before, but the only difference here was numbers. The only reason to be upset at killing someone is because you didn't intend to do so, or you didn't understand that you were doing something that would. When killing someone who would kill you? Well, you were the survivor. The victor. The corpses of the men in your wake would serve as a warning or a lesson.

When I stirred from my simplistic thoughts and musings at the last repelled invader, I ignored the river of blood and corpses behind me to clean my blade with some stealthily conjured water, and sheathed it. The guards over the gate watched me with some fear or hesitation in their eyes, but called out bravely.

"What manner of man are you?"

"I am Dragonborn. I have come to speak with the Jarl. Apparently, I have also come to repel his political opponents."

Another guard chuckled. "Were every man here able to repel several hundred soldiers single-handedly, there would be none to repel."

The gate opened, and the Jarl himself met me just inside.

"You again? The messenger from Helgen?" the Jarl asked, astonished. "They say you slaughtered two hundred men on a leisurely walk to the gates."

"A powerful man once said that in a crowd of a hundred enemies, you need only defeat one opponent a hundred times." I replied. "I have proven his words today."

"Ah... right then. You have my thanks, Dragonborn. The guards say that you needed something from me? Before I forget, I also want to make you Thane of Whiterun for your service, and give you permission to buy property in the hold."

"I'd heard rumors that your court wizard needed a certain tablet from Bleak Falls Barrow. I retrieved it for him, and came to offer you my assistance." I replied.

"It couldn't have come at a better time, my friend. Those damn Companions locked themselves up in their mead hall, claiming they were neutral in the War. Aye, they'll be plenty neutral once they have no place to sleep. If it wouldn't cause a riot, I may actually have kicked them out... not that I blame them. I wanted to be neutral in this damned conflict myself."

"Stormcloak has a point, but the wood is rotted. He doesn't realize the consequences of his actions, but the Empire doesn't realize that they can't afford to surrender even temporarily to the Thalmor either."

The Jarl frowned. "You speak wisely. Do you have any advice you'd be willing to share?"

"I have one better. I have a plan. If the Reachfolk come to you soon in search of an alliance, you should consider giving it to them. We'll make an independent Skyrim, and try for a new system. Something more stable than what has come before."

Balgruuf looked at me with a surprised, unbelieving eye. "You're serious? Reachmen? They've never allied with anyone as a group. You think they'll approach me? Why?"

"More than serious, Jarl Balgruuf. And it'll be because I mentioned it to them. The one Jarl in Skyrim who stands by his beliefs, and takes advice from his idealogically different advisors. I don't know of a single Jarl in Skyrim who has a better head on his shoulders than you."

The Jarl looked surprised at the sudden praise. "Surely Elisif seems to have her head on her shoulders. If she doesn't, it's likely how recent her rise was."

I shook my head. "She could have potential. Hell, so could Maven Black-Briar, depending on your personal preferences for goals, but Elisif is under too much direction. She sits on the chair, but her words are given to her. I don't trust people who act as couriers for whoever's opinion was given to her lastly. It doesn't help that Tullius is stationed there as well."

"I see. But how is it you have some reputation with the Reach?" Balgruuf asked.

"The Reachmen have a singular uniting philosophy. Freedom. An Empire, a High King, a Jarl, Great Houses, none of those are appealing. Singular leaders with unlimited authority. It's no wonder that there's never been a unified Reach. All I did was tell them the truth. Another option, where the power was disseminated to the individual, and only given to other people when it comes to working together, until theres one person at the top who's only job is making sure the people below him can play nice, and not to tell people what to do. It isn't going to be perfect, but the Reach is going to undergo a change. One where they accept on some level to actually organize."

The Jarl grew silent in thought at that, and I nodded my farewell to him as I went to find Farengar.