Torbin
It took roughly two or three days for me to make my way back to Fort Dawnguard, by which time I discovered I had been beaten there by a messenger sent by Ralof, my second in command.
"Torbin," Isran said, nodding to me as I entered the great hall "I've been expecting you for some time, I don't suppose you have any good news for me?"
"I have news," I told him "But I wouldn't exactly call it good."
"Well spit it out," Durak said "We haven't got all day."
The only ones present in the great hall were Isran and Durak, and I knew Durak was a trusted advisor to Isran, so I figured it was safe to tell the whole story in front of him.
"I went to this Dimhollow Crypt, and while I was in there, I freed a young woman from her tomb," I began "She turned out to be a vampire carrying an Elder Scroll-"
"So you killed her and brought us the scroll?" Isran asked expectantly
"No, not exactly," I said, hesitating "I sort of….accompanied her home and let her keep it."
"What?" Isran exploded "You found and Elder Scroll in the clutches of one of those filthy night creatures and you didn't kill it?"
"Well by the time it occurred to me I was surrounded by Vampires," I snapped "I was allowed to leave with my life, luckily."
Isran was silent for a moment, contemplating his next words. It was in that moment I noticed a note on the table bearing the seal of Ulfric Stormcloak, but before I could ask about it, Isran spoke.
"I suppose there is nothing to be done about it now," He said "We'll need more than a scroll to stop them anyways."
"Is there any way I can help?" I asked
"No, unfortunately," Isran said, handing over the note in his hand "This letter arrived for you last night, seems rather urgent."
"Last night?" I asked, taking it and opening it
-Torbin
We've received our orders from Ulfric, he wants us to move down towards Riften and remove it from Imperial control. The river flows upward from there and we'll be able to move supplies all throughout Eastmarch and the Rift from there. I know you wanted some time away from the war to clear your head, but Riften is heavily guarded and there's a lot of Imperials between us and the city, we'll need your help to take the city. I'll hold the men where they are until your arrival, we await you on the banks of the River Yorgrin, Commander.
-Ralof
"It seems your duty calls then, Dragonborn," Isran said to me "I hope to see this war's end soon, I need warriors like you."
"I'll be glad to see it's end too," I admitted "Peace is what Skyrim needs in these dark times, with Dragons and Vampires running around."
"Indeed," He agreed "When will you be able to return?"
"Hard to say," I answered "If Ulfric is requesting my return, then the situation must be dire. Once the Rift is taken and the Imperial Garrisons cleared out I will send word, Ulfric will understand I'm sure."
I packed my bags and headed out about thirty minutes later, my destination almost all the way back to Windhelm. I mounted Midnight and headed out of Dayspring Pass, enjoying the fresh Skyrim air. I had snuck past thousands of Imperials to join up with the Dawnguard after telling Ulfric that I sensed the Dragonborn may have been needed elsewhere for a time.
"Very well," He had told me "We'll keep your men stationed outside the city under Ralof's command in your absence, they will await your return."
"I'm not sure how long I'll be gone," I told him "But if this Vampire threat is as serious as they claim, maybe I should help them."
"You have a great many burdens for a young man," Ulfric told me "The Greybeards have you hunting Alduin, you've volunteered your service to this war, and now you'll be dealing with the Vampires."
"I suppose it comes with the title." I sighed, mounting my horse
If Ulfric was requesting me to return, then the situation must be desperate, although I suppose Eastmarch and the Rift were important to staging an assault on Solitude. The supply roads ran from there all the way to the city, and it would be all the easier if we were able to walk right to the front gate. I stopped just outside of Riften and did some scouting, taking note of the Imperial positions so that we would have an advantage when we assaulted the city.
It was a little over a two day journey all the way back to Windhelm, but the city finally came into view, and the Imperial patrols disappeared. I had waited to change back into Stormcloak armor until I was sure that I was close, I didn't need to give the Empire another reason to take a second look at me.
"Commander Torbin!" A Stormcloak on horseback called to me, waving his hand
"Elegvir!" I laughed as he removed his helmet
Elegvir was one of my lieutenants, and a close friend. He had been cast away from his family for refusing to join the Thalmor and had exiled himself to Skyrim many years before we'd known eachother. He settled in well enough until the Thalmor found him. They came in the night and had butchered his wife and two daughters. I had found him in the tavern, drunk, nearly falling over. When he had sobered up, I offered him the chance to come with me and take revenge, which he gladly accepted.
Elegvir was a master swordsman and an even better archer, the Thalmor agents who had murdered his family didn't stand a chance. Afterwards, he followed me to Windhelm and took the oath of the Stormcloaks.
Naturally, an Elf in the ranks of the Stormcloak army wasn't at all received well by the general population and neither of us thought it would be, but Elegvir refused to shy away, glad at a chance to stand against the Empire and the Thalmor. Ulfric had seen him fight firsthand and begrudgingly put a sword in his hand and allowed him to fight under our banner, and his tune soon changed during our failed siege of Winterhold, where Ulfric's personal guard had been all killed and Ulfric himself wounded.
When he awoke, Elegvir was dragging him through the snow with one hand, parrying blows and slashing throats with the other. After we had returned to Windhelm, Ulfric overheard one of the other officers commenting that "the Dragonborn's dirty elf pet" must have been feeding the Thalmor and Imperial troops information, and he threatened to have his head for it.
Elegvir had endured no prejudice since.
Not to his face, at least.
Ulfric's past experience during the war with Elves and the Thalmor had left an understandably sour taste in his mouth, as it had with many, and so he would never admit it out loud, but Elegvir had begun to grow on him after that.
"It is good to see you," He said, pulling me into a hug " You need a haircut and a shave, my friend. How goes the Vampire hunt?"
"As well as you'd expect," I replied "Once the Rift is under our banner I'll need to leave again, the situation has taken a rather serious turn."
"Ulfric won't be happy," He warned me "He may not be willing to admit it, but you're one of the only competent officers he has, without you here we simply hold a stalemate with the Empire."
"By all means, send a courier to Alduin and the vampires in the north," I scoffed "Command them to cease their incursion on Tamriel so we may butcher one another for them."
"It isn't just the Empire," He told me "The Thalmor have personally been involved a few times as of late, we caught a spy inside the walls, he nearly escaped."
"What happened to him?" I asked
He nodded up to the archers posted along the city walls. The city hadn't changed much in the time I'd been gone, there were a few more ships in the harbor and some new faces among our ranks, but nothing else was different.
"Ulfric will want to speak with you before we leave," He told me "He should be in the Palace of the Kings."
I dismounted my horse and headed inside the gate, making my way for the Jarl's palace. The guards at the door snapped to attention as I approached. They turned and pulled the door open, allowing me inside. Ulfric sat in his throne talking with Galmar, he looked up and gave a grin as I entered.
"It has been some time since the Dragonborn graced us with his presence," He laughed "It is good to see you, my friend."
"I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me," I said, approaching the throne and kneeling "I've been away for quite some time, Jarl Ulfric."
"Rise, Commander," He laughed "How did the Vampire hunting go?"
"The threat is serious," I confirmed "Much more so than the general populace will believe. Once we have the Rift I must leave again. My men can garrison the city until you have the time to bring fresh troops down, by then hopefully this mess is resolved."
"The Greybeards?" He asked solemnly
"No word," I said, shaking my head "Nor from the Blades."
"Rikke has launched a campaign through Falkreath in an attempt to reinforce the garrison at Riften," Ulfric told me "Galmar will join you as far as the Rift, after that he will head to reinforce our men in Falkreath and bring an end to the siege."
"What of the Imperials in the Rift?" I asked "I didn't see many, most of them appeared to be inside the walls, anticipating the attack I'd say."
"No challenge then," Galmar scoffed "The city will fall in hours if not a day, your men are prepared, the Elf saw to that, we move at nightfall."
"Very well," I nodded "I'll make sure everyone is packed."