~X~

~ Bruma - 4E 189 ~

You know… dying at the age of 28 to COVID-19 when we were past the pandemic was not how I thought I'd go.

Finding out that I was reborn in Tamriel, specifically the city of Bruma in Cyrodiil on the 1st day of Morning Star, 4E 182, was also completely unexpected. That I grew up in Castle Bruma as the adopted daughter of Count Desilus Carvain, his wife, Malaine Carvain, and younger sister of their first-born son and heir, Aldric, was one more unexpected fact.

And finally being the adopted older sister of Elisif Carvain, the future wife of High King Torygg was one last surprise. I had no idea she was born to the Count of Bruma, It was never mentioned in the game.

Also, yup, I said adopted.

Aldric was a carbon copy of Father.

Elisif had our mother's face and hair and our father's eyes.

I, on the other hand, had black hair and ice-blue eyes. Neither of my parents had those traits.

Also, Elisif and I were only six months apart. It is an obvious impossibility if one were to assume we share the same parents.

When I told them about these differences between us, they confirmed I was adopted, but they wouldn't tell me about my parents, just that my mother was a Nord. They said they would tell me when I was older.

Oh well. I'm in no rush to find out.

The next important event that happened was when I was seven. I found the family's Akaviri Collection. A previous Countess of Bruma, I think the one from Oblivion, was quite the avid collector of Akaviri artifacts.

My parents found me here and I expressed my interest in learning how to wield a Blades Sword, or katana as they are called in Akavir, lucky for me. Also, lucky for me, they found me a teacher. He was a former Blade. Although, I didn't find out about that until much later because the Thalmor was hunting the Blades. My teacher was relatively unknown for a Blade, so he was able to stay in Cyrodiil.

My teacher taught me many things, but the one I liked the most was when he taught me Iaijutsu. I seemed to have quite the talent because my teacher was astounded at my learning rate. Things that took someone months to learn, I picked up in a week. Things that took weeks, I learned in a day.

Aldric learned to wield a sword as opposed to the katana.

Elisif wasn't really one for fighting, no matter how much I tried to encourage her, but she at least learned the basics of a sword and knife.

~X~

~ 4E 192 ~

Three years later, when I was ten, I was already sparring with guard recruits and new guards and easily defeated them. It wasn't long before rumors of my prodigal talent made its way around the guards.

I wasn't able to beat the more veteran guards as they were much smarter with how they fought. Because I was only a kid, I had nowhere near as much stamina as they did. So, they simply fought defensively until I tired myself out while sneaking in some quick counterattacks when I was open.

Sparring against this defensive style had an interesting consequence. Because they would always go on the defensive, I had to find ways to break their guard before I ran out of stamina. One obnoxious guard thought it was fine to taunt a kid. After a while, the taunting got to me and I was pissed. Suddenly, this huge magical aura exploded from me and my physical strength and speed rose. With this boost, I moved fast enough that he couldn't react and stabbed him hard enough with my practice sword that it left a dent in his armor.

Everyone, even my father who was about to step in and admonish the guard, was stunned. I was quickly brought to a healer to check for injuries. I only had bruises.

I was resting in bed when I heard three people enter the infirmary. I couldn't see who because of the privacy curtain that surrounds the beds. I could tell one was Father because he was shouting when he came in.

"I want that man fired and out of this castle!" Father shouted. "How dare he insult my daughter!"

"It will be done, Father," Aldric said. I could hear the annoyance of the guard in his tone.

"Now, Anton, what is so important that you must speak even now?" Father said.

"It's about your daughter, my lord," Anton, the Court Wizard, said. "I wish to train her in magic."

"Does this have to do with that… aura that came off of her?" Father said.

"I have never seen such a thing like it," Aldric commented.

"Yes, that was magicka," Anton said. "I would like to help train her. I think she could be one of the most powerful mages in this generation."

"Truly?" Father said in surprise.

"Yes," Anton confirmed. "The fact we were able to physically see the magicka coming from her body… Also, that explosion of power, I never felt anything like it."

"I see…" Father slowly said. "I have no problems with it but it will depend on Ashe."

"I highly doubt she would deny the opportunity," Aldric said. "She always likes to learn."

"That she does."

I did end up agreeing to start up magical training. My prodigal skill with a katana and sword was also the same for magic. So, my martial training and formal education now included magical training.

~X~

~ Imperial University - 4E 195 ~

Another three years later, at the age of thirteen, my parents sent me off to the Imperial University to further my education.

I already learned as much as I could from the people they could bring in to tutor me. They were reluctant to have me leave at the age of thirteen but they didn't want to hinder my impressive progress.

So, off I left for the Imperial City with my former katana teacher, now bodyguard.

My time here was…

Meh.

Sure, there were so many resources here and many things to learn but… I learned them all quickly.

Although, one thing I hated was…

"Oh, you gotta be freaking kidding me," I groaned as I saw my writing desk when I entered my dorm room.

It was piled with letters.

I waved a hand and ran a scanning spell to make sure there were no nasty magical surprises. When it came back clean I opened the first letter and groaned again as I read the contents.

It was another love letter.

So. Many. Suitors.

Of course, word of my prodigal talent got out and I hated it.

No one would leave me alone. People always came up to me for ulterior motives and I didn't make a single friend in this place.

I guess one good side effect was that I got to practice stealth techniques. You won't believe how many secret passages there are here.

With no friends to hang out with, I spent most of my time in the surrounding areas of the Imperial City exploring Ayleid ruins or going to the Colosseum and fighting in matches. Of course, I entered a false name.

My time here wasn't too long. I left after only a year because…

One, I learned all the magic I could. Professors would even teach me expert-level spells just to see how fast I could learn them.

Two, the many amounts of suitors that wouldn't stop.

And finally three…

I seemed to have gotten the Thalmor's attention.

Like everyone else, they heard of my talent. The fact that I was human annoyed them something fierce. Invisibility, my ever-rapidly increasing stealth skills, and the secret passages allowed me to spy on some secret meeting between a Thalmor Agent and some of the spies inside the University.

They wanted to know how it was I learned so fast and were talking about possibly kidnapping me.

I very quickly left the University and went back to Bruma when I heard that. It might've looked suspicious to them, that I left as they were talking about kidnapping me but I didn't want to be around strangers when I was in such danger.

~X~

~ Bruma - 4E 196 ~

When I got back to Bruma, I told Father all about that.

He was angry and nervous at the same time. He tried to calm me saying it was his fault this came to be. In his eagerness to help me reach my full potential, he completely forgot about the Thalmor. To be fair, I forgot about them as well.

From that point forward, we had to be careful. Father swore those who knew I went to University to secrecy. As far as anyone knew, I never went there. Fortunately, I never told anyone there my family name, and while at the University I used magic to turn my hair snow white and my eyes violet. I was experimenting with color-changing magic. These things should help throw the Thalmor off my trail.

It seemed to have worked as even to this day, we have not seen or heard anything about the Thalmor being in the area of Bruma.

Since I was fourteen, I started exploring the area of Bruma more. I've helped the people around the city and sometimes helped the guards take care of bandits.

I liked going out of Bruma to explore and camp in the wilderness.

I liked heading to the blacksmith to work as an apprentice.

I liked exploring the Ayleid ruins, finding old treasures, and killing whatever monsters were inside.

I even got to explore Cloud Ruler Temple.

…And helped some Blades who fought and died there during the Great War.

When I returned to the castle, Aldric noticed my new katana.

"Ashe, where did you get that blade?" he asked.

"Well, I went to Cloud Ruler-"

"You went to Cloud Ruler Temple?!" he interrupted me in disbelief and sighed. "Ashe, what did Father say about leaving the castle without telling anyone?"

"What does that matter? No one noticed I even left." I rolled my eyes.

"Still…" he said but stopped from saying more. He knew I wouldn't listen." Anyway, Cloud Ruler?"

"Right, well, there were some ghosts there that hadn't passed on. I helped them out and they let me keep Renault's Akaviri Katana," I unsheathed my new blade.

"Renault? Why does that name sound familiar?"

"She was the captain of the Imperial Palace Blades Garrison during the Oblivion Crisis," I said. "She was killed by the Mythic Dawn when the Blades were trying to escape the Palace with Emperor Uriel Septim VII."

"Right… I remember," he said and was silent for a minute. "You said the ghosts let you keep the sword."

"Yeah," I nodded.

"I see…" Aldric said. "The Blades believe their sword is an extension of their soul. When a Blade dies, their sword is placed in the vault in Cloud Ruler Temple. It's not meant to be wielded by anyone except the person it was made for. If the ghosts of the Blades let you keep it… Then it should be all right." he nodded, seemingly satisfied.

I already knew all of that. But I guess Aldric was trying to figure out a way to explain all of this to my bodyguard who was a Blade.

I'm more worried about how Mother will react.

~X~

~ Solitude - 4E 200 ~

I was eighteen years old now, Aldric was nineteen, and Elisif was seventeen.

Father had been slowly giving Aldric more and more responsibilities. By this point, he was pretty much running the day-to-day duties while Father was focusing on more long-term projects.

Like somehow betrothing Elisif to the new High King Torygg of Skyrim.

Which was why I'm here with my family in front of the Temple of the Divines in Solitude. The game didn't do this city justice. The capital of Skyrim was much bigger and better looking than what was shown.

There were many people here at the wedding. The reception itself was invite-only, while outside Castle Dour was a huge crowd waiting for the parade reception that would go from here to the Blue Palace.

"You look bored," Aldric said as he walked up next to me.

"I am," I said. I was standing off to the side a short distance from everyone else. I didn't want to mingle. "This isn't my kind of scene."

"Come on. At least pretend to mingle and make friends. For Elisif?" he nudged my arm and motioned to her.

She and King Torygg were sitting up in the front where everyone greeted and congratulated them. Looking at them, they were smiling and laughing with each other. They looked truly in love. I suppose that's good because this was an arranged marriage.

…But I don't know how to feel about this considering I know what's going to happen next year.

Aldric nudged my arm again. "Hey, look who's here," he pointed and whispered.

Well, well… Ulfric Stormcloak with his right-hand man, Galmar Stone-Fist, fashionably late. I watched as he went to greet the newly wedded couple.

Things already seemed strained between Ulfric and the King. Ulfric had a blank look, Torygg had a strained smile, and Elisif brushed her hair behind her ear, something she did whenever she was anxious.

I glanced at Aldric and he was staring at Ulfric with narrowed eyes.

"What's with that look?" I said.

"Ulfric was heavily against this union and made sure everyone knew it," he said.

"Why?" I continued to study the interaction between Ulfric and the King.

"There's a lot of resentment against the Empire here in Skyrim."

"Because of the White-Gold Concordat."

"Right. Ulfric is the one who's been the loudest with his displeasure."

"How many follow him?"

"...Not here," he said while looking around. He didn't want us to be overheard with this conversation.

…

It wasn't good. Aldric, with the little spies he had, knew that a civil war was on the horizon. This marriage was supposed to increase ties between the Empire and Skyrim. It made sense. Elisif was the daughter of the Count of Bruma, a long Nord line, and Bruma was well known for heavily following Nord culture, being so close to the border of Skyrim.

Even the Emperor helped facilitate this marriage but was mostly hands-off. Titus Mede II was incredibly unpopular in Skyrim. He did not want to get publicly involved as he did not want those against him to accuse the High King of Skyrim of being an Imperial puppet.

Unfortunately, things didn't turn out better.

~X~

~ Sundas, 17th of Last Seed, 4E 201 ~

I wish I had done something more back then.

I wish I worked harder to prevent the civil war.

Warn someone or had just assassinated Ulfric. I certainly had the skills to do it. But I convinced myself that there was no way I'd be able to have a good enough excuse to leave Bruma for Skyrim.

But I really should have done more.

…

Several months ago, we got the news that Ulfric had killed High King Torygg and started his rebellion.

We couldn't go to the funeral because, at the time, we didn't know if Falkreath was safe. Dengeir was Jarl at the time and he openly sided with Ulfric. My family was worried that if we went, we would be ambushed by Stormcloaks once we went through the Pale Pass. Elisif was upset we wouldn't be there for the funeral but she understood.

When I heard Dengeir stepped down as Jarl of Falkreath and his nephew Siddgeir became the new Jarl, I left Bruma to go to Skyrim. Elisif had sent me a letter.

She expressed her sorrow at Torygg's death, her anger at Ulfric, her misgivings about General Tullius being a bit too focused on putting down the rebellion and forgetting what might be best for the people of Skyrim, and her frustration with her court advisors, especially Erikur. She knows about his criminal activities but can't arrest him because she can't prove anything.

Anyway, she wanted me to come to Skyrim to be by her side. Reading in between the lines, I can tell she wants me there for something else.

…

So, I went north through the Pale Pass…

…And I ran into Stormcloaks.

…Who then got ambushed by the Legion like a few seconds later.

Unfortunately, It happened so fast and I didn't have my guard up, even though I always do. I've never fallen for an ambushed before, so this is a first.

I got ready to defend myself but an Imperial Mage got lucky with a fireball. It exploded close to me, I didn't get hurt from the fire, but I flew from the force and hit the one rock on the path and was knocked out.

… I blame Divine Shenanigans.

And then I woke up on the cart, on the way to Helgan.

You know, looking back, I'm upset that I didn't figure out who I really was until I woke up and heard that famous line.

"Hey, you. You're finally awake."

~X~

Author's Note:

Chapter Done!

In an old Author's Note, I talked about stories I wrote between my first and second fanfic. This is one of those that I feel I can make into a full story. The idea came about when I was doing a modded playthrough of Skyrim.

So, the main character of this story is the Dragonborn character I created before I got into fanfic.

Also, expect some Skyrim mods to make appearances.

As always, constructive criticism is appreciated.