Skyrim's Saviors

6: Xylene

Vorstag and I ride to Druadach Redoubt. I tell him to wait with the horse, while I go inside the cavern. He wasn't too keen on me going in alone, but I insisted.

I walk into the cavern where the Forsworn are, and I see Madanach, working on a letter or something like he was when I met him in Cidhna Mine. Madanach looks up as I approach, and a smile that unnerves me crosses his face. He stands up and walks up to me, and claps me on the back like we are old friends, but I suppose we are, in a way.

"Hello, Xylene," he says conversationally.

"Hi," I say. "What did you need me for?"

"Come with me," he says.

We walk through the cavern and towards the back. I see lots of Forsworn standing around me, and when we stop in front of a cage, I see a female Orc bound and gagged. She looks at me from inside her cage, her eyes wide with fear. I look at Madanach, my heart racing. What is he doing? Why did he imprison this Orc?

And why is he showing me her?

"You are here because I need your help. Xylene, we need to retake the Reach, and you are going to help me."

"How?" I ask, not knowing what else to say. I can't just say no, as I'm surrounded by them and I know too much. So I have to just get through this, making him think I'm wholly on his side.

"By helping to lead my army," he says.  "You and I are going to make the Reach ours again."

Then, I hear someone familiar yelling my name. I turn around, and my heart stops. Two Briarhearts are dragging Vorstag between the two of them, and they throw him down in front of me and Madanach.

"And who is this?" Madanach asks, leaning forward and looking down at Vorstag.

"Leave her alone," Vorstag hisses.

"Oh, that's who you are." Madanach looks at me. "Idea. You will work with me, and you will be the general in my army. You will lead them to glory, Xylene. Or your friend here is dead."

"If you want me to cooperate, you will not hurt him."

Madanach laughs.  "You're not in a place to make demands. You either join us, or he dies."

I sigh and look down at Vorstag. His brown hair is stuck to his face, his beautiful green eyes locked on me. He is scared, as the two of us are outnumbered and he will likely die if I say no. A tear falls down my face. Madanach chuckles.

"You really think that you can fight me? All by yourself? Xylene, you have no choice here. You have to join us or he will die. Is that what you want? Your lover to die?"

"I'll help you," I say quietly.

Madanach snaps his fingers and they throw both of us into two different cages.

"Get used to your new home, Xylene," Madanach says, his eyes gleaming with victory. "I hope you enjoy your new view." He then walks away, talking with the Briarhearts.

"Xylene," Vorstag whispers. I look at him. "It's going to be okay. But please don't pick me over everyone else in the Reach. We can't let him win. Please, don't lead his army."

"And let them kill you? No," I say.

"One man's life doesn't matter in comparison to thousands of others, Xylene."

"Well, to me, you matter. You're all I have, Vorstag. I can't lose you."

He scoots closer to me as best he can from inside his cage. He tries to reach out to me.

"I love you, Xylene."

"I love you too."