Torbin
"Our men are dug in here," Galmar said, indicating to where Darkwater River and White River intersected "We'll continue to press south until we hit Shor's Stone. From there, I'll have to take my men through Lake Geir and liberate Ivarstead, then I'll be helping Alvairek by defending Falkreath."
"We'll have to move quickly," I said "I doubt her men can hold out for much longer, it seems the Empire's game is to completely surround us, forcing us to fight on all sides."
"If we lose Falkreath we can kiss The Rift goodbye as well," Ralof said "What if I took some men through the Velothi Mountains and got into position above Shor's stone? In the confusion of the battle by the watchtower, we'll be able to come from behind and take the village."
"You really think that would work?" I asked Ralof
"It's possible," Galmar said "However, it would divide our forces."
"That being considered, we'll link back up before long," I replied "Besides that we've got more than enough men to take Shor's Stone."
"The Imperials wouldn't suspect it either," Vilkalf said "They'll be expecting us to come directly from the front, which gives us the advantage."
"The Empire is always watching," I warned them "There are spies watching us right now."
"Let them!" Vilkalf laughed "The Rift is cut off from the rest of the Imperials, they don't have the strength to withstand another push, we've almost taken all of Eastmarch as it is."
"That's what makes this so dangerous," I told them "Shor's Stone is the last line of defense in Eastmarch, they'll give it up to defend The Rift. They've pulled all their men back, I'd be willing to bet every Septim I have that taking The Rift won't be as easy as Eastmarch. The Empire will be dug in and waiting for us, they'll fight to the last man."
"They'll be met with the steel of our blades and the strength of our resolve!" Ralof said, slamming his fist on the table and causing us all to burst into laughter
"Sir," A panicked voice spoke from the tent opening "Commander Torbin, Elegvir has captured a spy!"
"Another one?" I asked, rolling my eyes "They don't make them like they used to."
The four of us left the tent and headed outside towards where the soldier was running. As we cleared through the gaggle of men I noticed the "spy" wasn't wearing Empire colors, or any actual armor for that matter.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" I called "STAND DOWN! ALL OF YOU!"
Everyone froze, Serana had her dagger pressed to Buramog's neck. Buramog was an Orc who had come to me some months before I had left for Fort Dawnguard, cast out of the settlement over a quarrel with the chieftain. With nowhere else to go, and his only skill making corpses out of men, I offered him a place in my army that he gladly accepted.
"Buramog?" I asked, disappointed "Come on, she's got a dagger and you let her beat you? You're a better fighter than that."
"She surprised me, Commander." Buramog managed
"Of course she did," I laughed "Serana, let Buramog go please and come with me. Elegvir, have her horse tended to."
"Very well." Elegvir replied
"Ralof," I said, turning to Ralof "See to it everyone is prepared, we march at nightfall."
With this, I turned away and headed back towards my tent, Serana following close behind. Once we were inside and I was sure nobody was attempting to listen in, I rounded on her, cocking my head and giving her a look of irritation.
"Are you mad?" I demanded
"I requested to see you," She shrugged "Your friend, Elegvir, he was….less than agreeable."
"Of course he was, we're in the middle of a campaign here," I said, frustrated "Serana, nobody knows or cares who you are. You can't just go marching up and-wait a second, what are you doing here?"
In response, she took a roll off of her back and laid it on the table, unfurling it and revealing the Elder Scroll she had been carrying when I had freed her from her tomb. I raised my eyebrow, surprised, although it had not answered my question.
"I'm glad you were here," She told me "I probably wouldn't have made it into Fort Dawnguard on my own."
"How did you find us?" I asked her
"One stop by a tavern will tell you almost everything you need to know, nobody can seem to talk of anything but the war," She said "Your camp wasn't hard to spot, I could see the banners a mile off."
"You still haven't told me what you're doing here." I reminded her
"My father," She began hesitantly "He's troubled, you've seen that."
"You don't say," I remarked "Sorry, go on."
"I need your help,"She told me "My father discovered a prophecy, called the Tyranny of the sun, some years before my mother sealed me in the tomb. It tells of a time when Vampires may control the sun, when we would need to fear it no longer."
"That…" I stuttered, taken aback "That shouldn't be possible."
"It has something to do with this Elder Scroll," She said "We have to find a Moth Priest, we'll never be able to read it without one."
"We'll have to find one," I muttered "Where can we find a damn Moth Priest?"
"I don't know, but someone will have to have seen one," She assured me "Torbin, I know you're busy with the war, I'm sorry to drag-"
"You don't need to apologize," I said gently, turning towards her "This is what I do, I'm Dragonborn."
"What will you do about Riften?" She asked me
"We need to get to Fort Dawnguard, this is more important than the war," I began, my brain immediately starting to spin "But I can't just leave my men while we're on Riften's doorstep, we have to move and attack now."
Without another word I left the tent, Serana trailed behind me, saying my name but I was too deep in thought to hear. As I emerged I noticed Ralof standing nearby with several other officers, trying to seem as though they had only been standing around inspecting defenses and a makeshift forge.
"TO ARMS YOU DRUNKEN MAGGOTS!" I barked "TO ARMS!"
Instantly the camp began repeating the order and jumping up, grabbing their weapons and armor and putting out fires. Hestida approached, removing her helmet and heaving her warhammer onto her shoulder.
Hestida was as large and broad as she was fierce. She'd already been a hardened soldier for many years before I'd even come to Windhelm for the first time. Her dark hair had begun to turn gray with age but with her helmet on you'd never know she was nearing fifty. She stood at least two or three heads taller than the average man, with great broad shoulders and a massive Dwarven warhammer, a war trophy she had secured after a Dwarven centurion had knocked her original one from her hands while raiding a Thalmor outpost near some Dwarven ruins.
She moved faster than you'd have expected for someone her size and I'd seen many men fall trying to dance around her thinking she was just some great lumbering oaf.
When you heaved large boulders around for a workout a warhammer really didn't weigh that much.
"What's happened?" She asked "Are we being attacked?"
"No," I shook my head "The woman that arrived earlier, grave news, very grave news."
"What news?" Elegvir asked
"Concerning the Dawnguard and Vampire clan I told you about last night," I told him "We have to take Riften by daybreak, I need to return to Fort Dawnguard."
"Ulfric won't be happy." Ralof warned
"Ulfric is never happy," I replied, waving him off "Elegvir, take thirty bows and head around Shor's Stone, scout what defenses you can from the city and return once we have taken Shor's Stone."
Without another word Elegvir turned, barking orders to a group of soldiers nearby. I turned my gaze back to the other officers and waved them to move and begin preparing the men to march.
"Hestida, I want ten of our best killers guarding Serana and my tent until you receive word from-"
"Torbin!" Serana snapped, startling me as I turned "I can fight, I can help."
I paused for a moment, stopping myself from telling her she had no place on the battlefield. She had handled herself against the bandits we'd met along the way of taking her home, if I kept her close she might actually be of help. Either way, I couldn't order her to stay behind, she wasn't a soldier, and she had far more at stake in this than I did.
"Very well," I nodded, turning to Ralof "Find her a sword, that dagger won't do much good against Imperial armor."