Post by simonstormcloak on May 8, 2012 10:29:39 GMT -5
"Hey you, you're finally awake," said a voice as I woke.
"Huh?"
I looked up to see another Nord sitting in front of me. Right away, I noticed that we were on a carriage.
"W-where are we?" I asked. I was still dazed after what had happened last night. My brother Jonvar had invited me to visit him in Riften last month. I had been with my friends in my carriage driving towards Riften when the Ambush happened. A bunch of Imperial Soldiers had jumped out of the bush and killed my friends. I was captured, and thrown into a different carriage. That was when I passed out. They probably assumed we were stormcloaks. I just hoped I could explain what happened to me, and that they would let me go. Boy, was I wrong.
"You were captured," The Nord said, "Along with me and that thief over there." I looked to my right and saw another Nord. Then I noticed that the First Nord was wearing Stormcloak armor. "Damn you Stormcloaks," The thief said, "Everything was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and Lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could have stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell!" By then, my vision was all cleared up. I saw that the thief had a stocky build, brown hair, and was wearing tattered clothes. The Stormcloak was very muscular, with long blonde hair and a rough beard.
"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." The Stormcloak said. The thief looked at me and said:
"You and me, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."
"You're absolutely right." I answered. "I'm completely innocent. But didn't you steal a horse?"
"Well, yes. But if I'm on a cart with a bunch of Stormcloaks, there's bound to be trouble. I'll just get more than I deserve. If I steal a horse, I should be in prison a few days, yeah. But wherever there's Stormcloaks, there's-"
"Shut up back there!" Said the driver of the carriage.
"What's his problem, huh?" The thief nodded to a man with dirty blond hair, a fur cloak and a gag in his mouth.
"Watch your tongue!" The Stormcloak said, "You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true high king!"
"Ulfric, you're the leader of the rebellion! If they've captured you... Oh gods, where are they taking us?"
"I don't know... but Sovngarde awaits."
"No, this can't be happening. This isn't happening!"
The carriage passed through gates to a small village with lots of Imperial Guards.
The Stormcloak looked at a tall man with gray hair and golden armor with a red cape on a horse talking to two Altmer.
"Look at him," The Stormcloak said. "General Tullius, the military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him too. Damn elves, I bet they had something to do with this."
A little bit of silence passed, then the Stormcloak said "Hey, what village are you from, Horse-thief?"
The thief replied, "Why do you care?"
"A Nord's last thoughts... should be of home."
After I took a look around, I finally said: "Like I said before, where are we?"
"This is Helgen," The Stormcloak replied. "I used to be sweet on a girl here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with Juniper berries mixed in. Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers made me feel so safe."
I saw a boy sitting on the porch of his house, talking to his father, who, as the Stormcloak said, was named Torolf.
"Time to come inside little cub."
"But Papa, I want to watch the soldiers!"
"Get inside...now."
"Fine."
Suddenly the carriage stopped against a wall.
An Imperial Captain yelled "Get these prisoners out of the cart!"
"Why are we stopping?" The thief said, worried.
"What do you think?" The Stormcloak said. "End of the line. Come on, we shouldn't keep the gods waiting.
As we got out of the carriage, my legs wobbled a bit, then I collapsed.
"Easy there," said a Nord in Imperial Armor. "You haven't walked in a while, I presume." He helped me up just as the thief was getting out of the cart, saying "You've got to tell them, we weren't with you!"
"Face your death with some courage, thief." The Stormcloak said.
"Alright," The Nord said. "Step over to the block when we call your name." He motioned to a bloody stone slab in front of a Tower, where there were some villagers and a Priestess of Arkay.
"Imperial love their damn lists." said the Stormcloak.
"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm." The Nord called.
As I watched the gagged Jarl of Windhelm walk towards the chopping block, the Stormcloak said:
"It has been an Honor, Jarl Ulfric!"
"Ralof, of Riverwood."
The Stormcloak, Ralof, walked over to the block, grumbling.
"Lokir, of Rorikstead."
The horse-thief stepped forward and said,
"No, I'm not a Rebel, you can't do this!" He started to run.
"Halt!" said the Imperial Captain. But Lokir kept going.
"ARCHERS!" The Captain yelled.
"You're not going to kill me!" Lokir shouted. I almost thought he would make it... Until he was pelted by arrows.
The Imperial Captain turned to me and said "Anyone else feel like running?"
I shook my head quickly. Then the Nord Imperial spoke up.
"You, get over here."
I walked up to him and said "Yes?"
"Who are you?"
"T-Torgen, of Elinhir."
"A Nord from Hammerfell? You don't find that very often. You aren't on the list. What's your story?"
"I was on a carriage to Riften to visit my brother when I was attacked by some Imperial soldiers who thought we were Stormcloaks. I acted calm, because I knew that if I explain to someone, they might let me go. I'm Innocent."
"Don't worry, I believe you." He turned to the Captain and said "I think he's telling the truth. We should let him go. Maybe-"
The Captain interrupted him. "Are you out of your mind, Hadvar? How do you know he's not lying? He could be spying for the Stormcloaks! Why do think he's not the list?"
"But Captain-"
"Forget the list. He goes to the block."
Hadvar sighed and said "By your orders Captain."
He turned to me. "I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Hammerfell."
I decided to say more.
"I have a family in Dragonstar. If you could send me there, they'd appreciate it."
"I will."
The Imperial Captain said "Come on!" and walked towards the crowd, where everyone else was. I followed.
General Tullius was standing in front of Ulfric.
"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a Hero. But a Hero doesn't use a power like the voice to MURDER his king and USURP his throne!"
Ulfric grunted.
"You started this war, and threw Skyrim into chaos. Now the Empire's going to put you down, and restore the peace!"
Just then there was a strange sound coming from the sky, like a distant, medium-pitched roar.
"What was that?" Hadvar asked.
"It's nothing," General Tullius answered. "Carry on."
"Yes, General Tullius!" The Captain said. She turned to the Priestess of Arkay. "Give them their last rites." She said.
The Priestess started talking.
"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the Salt and Earth of Nirn, our beloved-"
A Stormcloak interrupted. "For the love of Talos, SHUT UP and let's get this over with!"
"As you wish."
The Stormcloak stepped over to the block.
"Come on, I haven't got all morning!"
The Captain pushed him down.
The headsman raised his axe.
"My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials. Can you say the same?"
Those were his last words.
His head rolled off, into the basket.
One voice said: "You Imperial Bastards!"
Vilod yelled "JUSTICE!"
Ingrid said "Death to the Stormcloaks!"
Ralof said "As fearless in death as he was in life."
The Captain shouted "Next, the Nord in the rags!"
Then the roar came again.
"There it is again. Did you hear that?"
"I said, NEXT PRISONER!"
Hadvar shot a sorry look at me.
"Alright, prisoner. To the block. Nice and easy."
I walked towards the block, trying to act calm. But by the time I had gotten there, I had broken out in sobs.
It was all over, I knew it. They were going to kill me, kill Ralof, kill Ulfric, and end the Rebellion. Stupid Elves were going to rule the world. It can't get any worse, I thought.
Then the Dragon attacked.
"Huh?"
I looked up to see another Nord sitting in front of me. Right away, I noticed that we were on a carriage.
"W-where are we?" I asked. I was still dazed after what had happened last night. My brother Jonvar had invited me to visit him in Riften last month. I had been with my friends in my carriage driving towards Riften when the Ambush happened. A bunch of Imperial Soldiers had jumped out of the bush and killed my friends. I was captured, and thrown into a different carriage. That was when I passed out. They probably assumed we were stormcloaks. I just hoped I could explain what happened to me, and that they would let me go. Boy, was I wrong.
"You were captured," The Nord said, "Along with me and that thief over there." I looked to my right and saw another Nord. Then I noticed that the First Nord was wearing Stormcloak armor. "Damn you Stormcloaks," The thief said, "Everything was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and Lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could have stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell!" By then, my vision was all cleared up. I saw that the thief had a stocky build, brown hair, and was wearing tattered clothes. The Stormcloak was very muscular, with long blonde hair and a rough beard.
"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." The Stormcloak said. The thief looked at me and said:
"You and me, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."
"You're absolutely right." I answered. "I'm completely innocent. But didn't you steal a horse?"
"Well, yes. But if I'm on a cart with a bunch of Stormcloaks, there's bound to be trouble. I'll just get more than I deserve. If I steal a horse, I should be in prison a few days, yeah. But wherever there's Stormcloaks, there's-"
"Shut up back there!" Said the driver of the carriage.
"What's his problem, huh?" The thief nodded to a man with dirty blond hair, a fur cloak and a gag in his mouth.
"Watch your tongue!" The Stormcloak said, "You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true high king!"
"Ulfric, you're the leader of the rebellion! If they've captured you... Oh gods, where are they taking us?"
"I don't know... but Sovngarde awaits."
"No, this can't be happening. This isn't happening!"
The carriage passed through gates to a small village with lots of Imperial Guards.
The Stormcloak looked at a tall man with gray hair and golden armor with a red cape on a horse talking to two Altmer.
"Look at him," The Stormcloak said. "General Tullius, the military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him too. Damn elves, I bet they had something to do with this."
A little bit of silence passed, then the Stormcloak said "Hey, what village are you from, Horse-thief?"
The thief replied, "Why do you care?"
"A Nord's last thoughts... should be of home."
After I took a look around, I finally said: "Like I said before, where are we?"
"This is Helgen," The Stormcloak replied. "I used to be sweet on a girl here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with Juniper berries mixed in. Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers made me feel so safe."
I saw a boy sitting on the porch of his house, talking to his father, who, as the Stormcloak said, was named Torolf.
"Time to come inside little cub."
"But Papa, I want to watch the soldiers!"
"Get inside...now."
"Fine."
Suddenly the carriage stopped against a wall.
An Imperial Captain yelled "Get these prisoners out of the cart!"
"Why are we stopping?" The thief said, worried.
"What do you think?" The Stormcloak said. "End of the line. Come on, we shouldn't keep the gods waiting.
As we got out of the carriage, my legs wobbled a bit, then I collapsed.
"Easy there," said a Nord in Imperial Armor. "You haven't walked in a while, I presume." He helped me up just as the thief was getting out of the cart, saying "You've got to tell them, we weren't with you!"
"Face your death with some courage, thief." The Stormcloak said.
"Alright," The Nord said. "Step over to the block when we call your name." He motioned to a bloody stone slab in front of a Tower, where there were some villagers and a Priestess of Arkay.
"Imperial love their damn lists." said the Stormcloak.
"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm." The Nord called.
As I watched the gagged Jarl of Windhelm walk towards the chopping block, the Stormcloak said:
"It has been an Honor, Jarl Ulfric!"
"Ralof, of Riverwood."
The Stormcloak, Ralof, walked over to the block, grumbling.
"Lokir, of Rorikstead."
The horse-thief stepped forward and said,
"No, I'm not a Rebel, you can't do this!" He started to run.
"Halt!" said the Imperial Captain. But Lokir kept going.
"ARCHERS!" The Captain yelled.
"You're not going to kill me!" Lokir shouted. I almost thought he would make it... Until he was pelted by arrows.
The Imperial Captain turned to me and said "Anyone else feel like running?"
I shook my head quickly. Then the Nord Imperial spoke up.
"You, get over here."
I walked up to him and said "Yes?"
"Who are you?"
"T-Torgen, of Elinhir."
"A Nord from Hammerfell? You don't find that very often. You aren't on the list. What's your story?"
"I was on a carriage to Riften to visit my brother when I was attacked by some Imperial soldiers who thought we were Stormcloaks. I acted calm, because I knew that if I explain to someone, they might let me go. I'm Innocent."
"Don't worry, I believe you." He turned to the Captain and said "I think he's telling the truth. We should let him go. Maybe-"
The Captain interrupted him. "Are you out of your mind, Hadvar? How do you know he's not lying? He could be spying for the Stormcloaks! Why do think he's not the list?"
"But Captain-"
"Forget the list. He goes to the block."
Hadvar sighed and said "By your orders Captain."
He turned to me. "I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Hammerfell."
I decided to say more.
"I have a family in Dragonstar. If you could send me there, they'd appreciate it."
"I will."
The Imperial Captain said "Come on!" and walked towards the crowd, where everyone else was. I followed.
General Tullius was standing in front of Ulfric.
"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a Hero. But a Hero doesn't use a power like the voice to MURDER his king and USURP his throne!"
Ulfric grunted.
"You started this war, and threw Skyrim into chaos. Now the Empire's going to put you down, and restore the peace!"
Just then there was a strange sound coming from the sky, like a distant, medium-pitched roar.
"What was that?" Hadvar asked.
"It's nothing," General Tullius answered. "Carry on."
"Yes, General Tullius!" The Captain said. She turned to the Priestess of Arkay. "Give them their last rites." She said.
The Priestess started talking.
"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the Salt and Earth of Nirn, our beloved-"
A Stormcloak interrupted. "For the love of Talos, SHUT UP and let's get this over with!"
"As you wish."
The Stormcloak stepped over to the block.
"Come on, I haven't got all morning!"
The Captain pushed him down.
The headsman raised his axe.
"My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials. Can you say the same?"
Those were his last words.
His head rolled off, into the basket.
One voice said: "You Imperial Bastards!"
Vilod yelled "JUSTICE!"
Ingrid said "Death to the Stormcloaks!"
Ralof said "As fearless in death as he was in life."
The Captain shouted "Next, the Nord in the rags!"
Then the roar came again.
"There it is again. Did you hear that?"
"I said, NEXT PRISONER!"
Hadvar shot a sorry look at me.
"Alright, prisoner. To the block. Nice and easy."
I walked towards the block, trying to act calm. But by the time I had gotten there, I had broken out in sobs.
It was all over, I knew it. They were going to kill me, kill Ralof, kill Ulfric, and end the Rebellion. Stupid Elves were going to rule the world. It can't get any worse, I thought.
Then the Dragon attacked.