Hilda spent nearly a day and a half searching Solstheim for just the right dragon. She wanted one of those smooth-looking dragons that they didn't have in Skyrim. She wanted one of those, and she wanted it to be one that would really put on a show. No mild-temperamented dragon for her. This one needed to let people know of its fearsomeness and importance. She found just the one she was seeking.
This dragon was aggressive and impressive. She observed him from a distance before approaching him and using the bend will shout to calm him down. She climbed on and directed him towards Solitude. It was a relatively short time before the dragon was circling high above Solitude. Hilda brought him down low enough that she could check the road leading into the city. She located the group she was seeking, and then pulled the dragon back up into the sky until she was sure her group had made it through the city gates. As Ulfric, Galmar, and Calder were walking down the main street in Solitude, Hilda brought her dragon down and landed right ahead of them.
Some people gawked - they had never seen a serpentine dragon before. Some ran for cover. There was also a fair bit of terrified screaming. While circling above the city, waiting, Hilda had convinced her dragon that in order to receive the best possible reception for such a powerful creature as himself, he would have to make a lot of noise and really show off his size. So after Hilda climbed off, he stretched to his full size and let out the loudest roar he could muster. This caused further screaming and running for cover. Hilda watched the dragon leap back into the sky and leave, then she turned towards her companions.
"Well, that's one way to show up!" Galmar said.
"Gotta keep them respectful!" Hilda responded. "What's the plan here?" she asked, gesturing towards the interior of Solitude.
"The Strong-Shield family, who previously supported the Empire, appears to have seen the wisdom in changing loyalties. They have asked me to come here and meet with them and some of their associates," Ulfric began. "I am to spend the next three days meeting with them and attending the party at the Blue Palace in the evenings. We will be surrounded by those who would see me dead and replaced by one of their own. Bringing too many warriors would be a show of distrust, so I have invited you to join my company as an esteemed guest. If anything bad should happen, I'm sure you know what to do."
"Of course!" Hilda replied. The rest of the walk through Solitude was spent catching up on each others' recent adventures.
The Strong-Shields were very proper in their welcome. Their house was massive and thoroughly decorated. Hilda had always found the architecture in Solitude, while fascinating, to be cold and uninviting. Between the elaborate details on the structures, to the grand furnishings placed in every open wall space, the buildings here always felt to her more like showpieces than homes.
The guests were given two side-by-side rooms. Each room had a small closet-sized room with a bed for a servant or guard between the main part of the room and the exit. Hilda and Ulfric each received a room, and Calder and Galmar took the respective mini-rooms. The guests were told that they could just notify a nearby servant when they were done settling in and taking any necessary rest and were ready to be shown around the home, and a family member would be procured to do the honors.
Hilda got cleaned up a bit - she hadn't had a chance to do so before her dragon-ride, and her hair definitely needed some tidying after. Never one to rest when there was a new building to explore, Hilda was stepping out of her room a few minutes later. She considered not notifying the servant and just having a look around herself. That was her usual method. Locked doors were just to deter thieves, right? The Dragonborn had become quite handy with a lockpick and let herself into anywhere she pleased. But she thought there might be some important tidbits she might miss out on if she didn't take the official tour. She could check out the off-limits rooms later. She informed the servant that she was ready to see the house.
The family member that was brought for her tour was Arne Strong-Shield. He appeared to be maybe a few years younger than Hilda. He had dark hair, bright blue eyes, and a charming manner. He showed her around the family home, sharing little tidbits of information and generous smiles. Was he flirting with her? He was definitely flirting with her. Hilda played along a bit to keep him talking. She wondered if the rest of the family knew how much personal information he dumped about them to complete strangers. Apparently the family consisted of his parents, his older brother who thought the world of himself but was a complete bore, his sister, Signe, whom he seemed to really admire, and a child sister that didn't sound like she played any great role in his life.
At the conclusion of the tour, Arne asked Hilda if he could give her a tour of Solitude after lunch. Getting out of the oppressive, pretentious building did sound better than being indoors, so she agreed that if Ulfric didn't need anything of her, she would spend the afternoon seeing Solitude with him. To be honest, she felt like she knew the city fairly well, but she had been led to believe that you always discover some new gem you wouldn't know about otherwise when you let a native of a city show you their favorite places. It turned out that she wasn't needed that afternoon, so she went out to see the city with Arne. His mask of charm slipped for a moment when she asked Calder to come along. Hilda smirked internally. Just the reaction she had expected. She wasn't going to meekly give him what he wanted.