Child (Book 2)

Chapter 19

Although I'm tired, I make it through the night without sleeping. The longer I sit in my chair though, the more comfortable it gets. I do everything I can to keep myself from nodding off, but it doesn't seem to be working.
Suddenly someone bursts through the door. For a moment I panic. 'Ulfric was right, the Thalmor are in the city,' I think. In seconds, I'm out of my chair and I'm ready to swing, but then I see that the person that's entered is not even close to Thalmor; it's a little girl in a nightgown.
"Nova!" She shouts. I drop my sword and Sofie jumps into my arms. I try not to fall, but I'm too surprised to hold her up and I fall backward into Ulfric's bed. She lays on top of me and giggles until her face is red.
"Someone's feeling better, I believe." Ulfric grunts tiredly.
"Sofie! You woke Ulfric—" I start.
"But I always wake 'im up." She says defensively, crossing her little arms over her chest.
"It's quite alright Nova, I believe I've overslept anyway. But as for you—" he says as he picks her up and slings her over his shoulder, "—you need to go down stairs and get your breakfast from Jorlief. Go on, now." He tells her as he sets her down and gives her a gentle nudge towards the door.
We stay silent for a few moments as she trots down the hall until we hear the door click shut. I suddenly realize that if anyone else saw me laying in the Jarl's bed in my sleeping clothes, they wouldn't understand the situation. I flail around in the fluff of the mattress and blankets as I try to get up. When I finally pull myself up, Ulfric is laughing at me. Annoyed, I pick up my sword and swat at him lightly with the flat side. He flinches away slightly but doesn't stop laughing as I stomp back to Sofie's room.
After changing into my armor, I head downstairs to eat breakfast with everyone. Sofie sits at the table between Ulfric and Jorlief, swinging her short legs. As soon as she sees me, she insists that Ulfric change seats with her so she can sit next to me. Breakfast is enjoyable as Sofie tells us about the strange dream she has, but something tells me that the dream wasn't unrelated to the potion Wuunferth gave her. I eat quickly and head back up to my room to get my bag, then I attempt to explain to Sofie that I have to leave again. Little tears form in her eyes, but she blinks them away.
"I don't want you to go, but I'm happy you didn't go while I was asleep again. I wanna see you before you go from now on, okay?" She demands as she wipes her nose. I smile and promise her this, and begin walking towards the door.
The courtyard is filled with sunlight, and it seems today is one of those rare, stormless days in Windhelm.
"Nova! Nova, wait." I hear Ulfric shout behind me. He's running out of the doors, but suddenly he stops and holds out his arm to shadow his face from the sun.
"I... I suppose it's been too long since I stepped outdoors." He says, blinking quickly to adjust his eyes. I laugh at him, which I suppose is payback for him embarrassing me earlier. I notice he's not wearing the famous fur cloak that he's named for, and without it shadowing his face and covering his body, he looks much younger and less, well... Fat.
"Nova, I wanted to thank you for guarding my quarters last night. I slept very well." I smile at first and think of telling him that I believe Sofie thinks she could guard him just as well, but something stops me. What he's just said sounds very similar to something Vilkas once told me after I'd spent a night sleeping with him in his bed, and my heart aches. I nod slightly and look at the ground before mumbling,
"You're welcome, Jarl Ulfric." He seems a bit taken aback by the formality, but continues nonetheless.
"There is also something else I'd like to mention... I want to warn you that I know Galmar will be sending you into battle... And I don't want you to go." He says. My eyes dart up to him, but before I can protest he explains further. "I don't say that because I'm not convinced of your skill and capability in battle, I say that because I... Worry for you, I suppose. I miss your presence in the palace when you're away. When you were hurt in Whiterun, I was so terrified that nothing else mattered." The king stutters. Suddenly, I can't meet his eyes again as a blush creeps up my cheeks; what's wrong with me? He gently grabs me by my shoulders and forces me to look at him. He doesn't look back at me though, instead he leans forward and gently kisses my forehead, his beard tickling my nose.
"Please be safe, and know that I wish for you to come back through those doors alive."