Chapter 1 - Flight and Capture
As a Priestess of Kynareth you learn the mystical arts of healing, what the mages in their erudite ignorance classify as the School of Restoration. Some of us even learn the subtle arts of the Storm, again the mages call it in their obsession the School of Destruction.
I was such a person.
Though was a secret Priestess of Talos Stormcrown, and touched by his hand, it was only approriate I supposed. "Talos looks after the faithful", my father and I would say to each other before we went to bed each night.
It occurs to me fair reader that you may at this point be curious about my family, particularly my mother who is quite notable for her absence so far in my tale. Well, I shall simply say that I had no mother just a person in my life who fell in love with the wares of a caravan from Elsweyr. Fortunately, Arkay sought ease her disease and welcomed her to his arms before I even entered the Temple has an acolyte in training. Of siblings I had a brother who left home to make his fortune in Solstheim, yet his plans were cut short by Reavers who attacked and killed him. My father and I would have never known, accept for a kind letter informing us of my brother's fate by a Captain Veleth.
With that I shall pick up my telling once more.
For eight years I studied the magics of my gods and worshipped Kynareth in public, Talos in secret. They despite the danger were glorious years. Or perhaps they were glorious because of the danger. I appreciated my time and life, and did not see fit to waste them as they could all be gone quite soon. Which they were.
In the 201st year of the 4th Era on the 18th of Sun's Height Thalmor agents broke into the home of my father one day when we were both away and discovered our Amulets of Talos. Thus, my world was destroyed and almost my life. I still, years later, do not knowthe reason why the Thalmor searched our home. Perhaps they merely wished to destabilize the government of the Empire more by exposing traitors within its echelon. It is quite possible that even if they had not found our Amulets of Talos, they may have simply planted false ones for our conviction.
With their discovery they quickly acted and moved first to arrest my father. It saved my life. A friend of my father, a young Imperial guardsmen named Valus saw the Thalmor carry my father off. He rushed to find me at the Temple of the Eight Divines. I at the time was healing the broken leg of a young Khajiit boy of seven. Valus, who I have come to realize later loved me, grabbed me by my arms and dragged me out of the Temple. I was at first confused and then scared at why this young man was dragging me away. My shouts and questions echoed down narrow alleyways as Valus tried to led me out of the city.
Eventually Valus deeming it safe stopped and told me what had occured. How we had been discovered as worshippers of Talos and thus traitors to the Empire. He spoke of my father's arrest and his undoubtedly swift execution. He bade me run.
"Where?" I asked.
Valus was silent for a long moment before he spoke, "Hammerfell or Solstheim."
"Solstheim," I said.
A queer decision you may say considering my bother's fate on that island of Dunmer and Skaal. But when I opened my mouth that was the word on my tongue. Perhaps it had been placed there by Talos, or perhaps I had placed it there so I could try and find if my brother truly had died upon its shores.
Whatever, was the cause, my path was set. "I need to get to Skyrim."
Leaving the city was dangerous but Valus and I managed it without violent confrontation with the Thalmor. It had been a close thing as several Imperial Guards tried to stop us, but they proved loyal to their comrade and let us slip by them.
Once we were away from the shores of City Island we headed north to Skyrim through the Pale Pass. Our plan was to first go to Helgen, then continue on to Ivarsted. Once at Ivarsted we would prepare for the long road to Windhelm, where we hoped to find a boat to Solstheim. Yet it was not to be.
As we relaxed at our good fortune at finally making it into Skyrim Province safe, Valus's throat bloomed red as an arrow pierced it. All around me the world became chaos and madness as if the mind of Sheogorath had been turned upon me. Armored figures fighting one another erupted from the trees all around me. Then as sudden as the violence and death came it was over as one man called out. "We yield. Stormcloaks stand down."
Not that I cared much for the historical moment before me, or even truly recognized it. I only had eyes and cries for Valus. With a roar of rage I bellowed at the archers in Imperial legion lorica and charged. A huge Nord in legion lorica with sad eyes quickly knocked me out. Undoubtedly he saved my life.
