Mature Content, implied themes of extreme violence.
Ralof didn’t know how long he had been out for, he tried sitting up his head was aching; instinctively he went to rub it and realizes his wrists were bound. Confused and trying to remember what happened he looks around they are in a wagon but he isn’t sure which direction they are going. Panic sets in Jarl Ulfric, where’s the Jarl. Gods, please let him be safe! He sees him at the other end of the wagon, bound and gagged!
The sun is so bright. It hurts, narrowing his eyes a bit they feel so heavy. His head is hurting and waves of nausea wash over him making him feel weak. Dropping his head between his shoulders he drifts in and out of consciousness.
Hours later Ralof’s head is still pounding his throat soar and dry. The smell of camp wood burning hangs heavy in the humid evening air. Trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness he takes a look around there are two wagons and a bunch of his comrades are tied to a nearby tree. He thinks they are by Ivarstead judging by the Throat of the World but he really isn’t certain. He hears laughter in the background, Imperial Bastards, the rumors were true! I shouldn’t have gone to sleep! I should have maintained more patrols! I failed… The pain makes him weak the darkness seems to swallow him whole.
Upon entering the Imperial camp Bagrak recognized some of the faces; these were the soldiers who helped them! How did they get captured?
“Stop dawdling!” The Imperial pulled on the rope making the girls trip.
Jumping down from his horse he pulls them towards a tree and secures them. “Captain, look at what we found! Two more traitors!”
“We are not traitors! You idiot her father is a military leader for the Empire, General Codell!”
“SHUT UP ORC, YOU HEATHEN BEAST!” He raises his arm in a menacing pose; Bagrak holds her head high almost daring the solider to strike.
Captain Clilia catches the soldiers arm. “Cool down boy.” She looks them over; they are wearing the seal of the bear and she doesn’t have the time or the resources to sort this out here and now, maybe at Helgen. “Don’t leave them here bring them over and secure them with their buddies. I want to keep a four man watch at all times on them tonight, General Tullius went on ahead looks like a change of plans, Elenwen is in Helgen and we are to execute the traitors upon arrival!”
Pulling harder than necessary he drags them over to the other Stormcloaks. He recognizes a familiar Imperial…“Ah Lucret tell me what I missed, how many Stormcloaks met their death?!?!”
“None, dammed coward Ulfric surrendered! No blood was shed; we had them surrounded like and they fell like a pack of thieves!!! A few struggled but we just clocked them on the head knocking ‘em out cold.” He smirks!
“Well here are two more to add.” He gives the rope a real good tug, the girl’s wrists are bleeding, but neither will let out a cry.
Shorrlak notices the two new arrivals, his face is grim. When the two Imperials walk over to the cooking pit Bagrak finally gets to whisper to him “What happened?”
“I should ask you the same?”
“We were headed north few hours passed Half Moon Mill this patrol ambushed us now your turn, where is Ulfric?”
“He is in the wagon, not enough room so some of us are walking to our death. I don’t know why he just surrendered like that.” He shakes his head and adds… “I would have rather fought and died with honor then surrender and walk to my death in shame.”
Nervously Nin asks “Where’s Ralof?”
“He is with Jarl Ulfric on the wagon. He had given them some trouble and they knocked him out. There wasn’t much of a fight like I said; Jarl Ulfric stopped it before it really started.”
Nin survey’s the camp she sees the wagons and a few Stormcloaks on it, she can’t really see Ralof.
In the back close to the fire pit the Imperials were celebrating. Mead and wine flow…
Sometimes when war is raging the casualties are not always the number of dead soldiers, sometimes it’s what was done to the survivors… Nin remembers this saying from Minnia as the next several hours take a toll on the prisoners.
A few of the Imperials decide to have a little fun as seeing these women would only be executed tomorrow what difference did it make? Coming over to the group the one of the Imperial soldiers touches Reliele, spitting in his face, you can hear her muttering… “Dog”…
“I’ll teach you” He strikes her face his gauntlets causing small cuts across her cheek…
A handful of the Imperials took their turn some more violent than others…
Shorrlak was shouting at them “YOU ARE FAITHLESS COWARDS!!! YOU BASTARDS BRUTALIZING DEFENSELESS WOMAN!” He tries to head butt one of the Imperial guards who walked over, but being restrained there isn’t much he could really do.
“You better shut up if you know what’s good for you.” Punching Shorrlak in the stomach and gagging him the guard just keeps watch...
Ralof woke with a start forgetting for a moment where he was trying to stand and jerking back down to the bench. What was that? Screaming… No… Yes… someone in pain…was that Eigma? Men laughing… More cries… Hanging his head, he knows. Thinking of Reliele and Eigma his friends… “Talo by the Nine please have mercy on them.” Bile rose to his throat he forces it back down. He looked over at the Jarl. Ulfric had a pained and angry expression as well. They both knew and could do nothing to stop it.
It was one of the longest nights of Ralof’s life screams of pain lasting for hours… It was agony! He couldn’t wait to just have this be done with!
Morning finally came another humid day, the sun blistering… His throat was so dry his lips cracked and bleeding, head pounding… They started to load some of the bruised and beaten women into the carts; most were in no shape to walk. Pulling some of the soldiers off the wagon and shoving the beaten on was too painful to watch, so he closed his eyes until the wagon lurched forward. It was then he saw her. Ingoknin!!! How, where… NO his head screamed NO!!!! She was unconscious clothes torn and bloody her neck and face bruised… The rage he felt was almost unbearable he never hated the Empire or the Imperials before, now he did. He sat watching her willing her to wake up begging the Gods…
Moaning… Coughing… Crying… She couldn’t stop the tears they just streamed down and she wished she was in Sovngarde already.
Nin knows that voice… “Ingoknin, Ingoknin wake up you must… just try don’t give up?” And much softer she hears “I’m sorry, so sorry please wake up, please…”
Her spirit wills her eyes to open…
“Ingoknin you’re awake” he mummer “thank Talos!”
“Shut up back there.”
She attempts to sit up and the pain envelops her.
Blinking through her tears his faces comes into view his smile is filled with pain; his eyes try to give comfort … But she cannot look into those eyes. Looking away she sees the Jarl to her right another woman next to her on the floor one to her left and another prisoner babbling about some nonsense and stealing horses. Where’s Bagrak? They beat her so bad. She wants to stop crying but she can’t… By the Eight please let Bagrak be OK.
The ride is a blur. Ralof mentions something about Helgen, oh where in Helgen, how Imperial walls made him feel safe once, she lets out a sob, isn’t that an understatement! Damn Imperials they wouldn’t listen! Bagrak tried to tell them …
They are unloaded like cattle two of the women can’t even walk one is Bagrak! Oh Gods… no… she’s dead… They just dump them into a wheelbarrow and take them into the keep.
Slowly, for she is still in terrible pain she limps forward with the rest.
“Lean on me Ingoknin I’ll help you.”
She wants to but doesn’t… He moves forward and presses himself into her she falls backwards they slowly make it to the front jumping off, she doubles over…
“Who are you?” She hears the Legionnaire ask.
She can’t say anything trying to speak her voice is horse. Ralof answers for her… But he doesn’t know who she really is just her first name, not her clan. But she can’t get anything out above a whisper so she keeps repeating it “I’m Ingoknin of the Williowdales, my poppa is, was a General.” Over and over but no one hears her.
“She isn’t on the list, Captain?”
Looking at the shape the Nord is in along with a few others the captain knows what happened. These women cannot be left as evidence they have to be executed. The General would give her 100 lashings for letting that happen on her watch. Making the rash decision… “She goes to the block!!!”
Nin feels a strange heat flooding her body… Almost like a healing potion it doesn’t burn; it’s more like a warming sensation one she has never felt before almost a strange energy coming over her…Her pain ebbs slightly…
A strange screeching sound comes from the distance… What is that?
General Tullius damns Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak for his rebellion and murder of the High King and starts chanting about restoring peace…
Nin looks over with disgust at the Imperials peace what a joke!
More mumble from some priest giving last rites…
The feeling is growing… She feels a powerful surge of energy in her veins she starts breathing heavy…Pain now just a mere throb.
Hodlin cuts the priest off, “Let’s get this over with. “ He walks to the chopping block…
She sees Ralof speak but the energy filling her seems to have blocked out all sound. Feeling as though she wants to explode from the energy coursing through her she shakes her head trying to clear her mind!
“There it is again” one of the soldiers comment.
“Never mind you the red head Nord you there the one in rags step forward.” The captain points to Nin. So she slowly walks towards the block but looks back at Ralof one last time.
He holds his head higher she sees his mouth moving he is saying something to her but she can’t hear for the pounding of energy consuming her…
These Imperials do not even execute in honor! Poor Hodlin’s body and head still there… Feeling a kick to the back she drops to her knees. Oddly her tears have stopped, she feels no fear, nor any pain!?!
A much louder roar can be heard by the rest. Whatever it is…It’s very close…
Placing her head on the block she is calm.
She feels forces within her crying out she wants to scream her rage but can’t… Are these my ancestors in Sovngarde calling to me?
WHAT IN THE HEAVENS!
Panic reigns… A dragon!!! By the GODS a dragon!
The energy she felt seems to have given her a surge of power. She hears Ralof calling her, SHE HEARS!!!
Running towards him they make it to the tower. She is quite… Ralof cuts her ties on her wrists he sees the rope burn and dried blood… He hugs her gently. “I’ll get you out of here stay with me.”
