Lastspell Falls [A Skyrim Fanfiction}

Rose Glasses

There's no sign of Skorm, Thelessa, or Kaleb when we reach the bottom of the mountain. I suppose they're all travelling fairly light, only the clothes on their backs and the weapons at their hips, so they're probably able to move a lot faster. Gods, I hope they get somewhere safe.

Jorell seems... shell-shocked is the only way I can describe it. He barely acknowledges anybody, and Andrinius has taken it upon himself to help him back down the track. He didn't even speak when Brand asked if he wanted to stay, just stood up and began walking. I watch him now, at the back of the group, Andrinius walking silently alongside him in some sort of solidarity, I guess.

With Dragon Bridge just beyond the range, the legionnaires seemed eager to get home sooner rather than later, and Ondolemar refused to stay any longer than necessary, insisting that we depart immediately.. The Thalmor weren't the only ones working on the path, and the other diggers are staying back to work on the track, so the little hamlet was still a hive of activity even as we left.

Ondolemar didn't say anything when he saw the gash in the side of my armour, only pursed his lips as he studied me silently. He still doesn't seem eager to speak again – during our descent, I tried to quietly tell him the method of execution wasn't necessary. I know he's unimpressed, and I expect things to blow up again if we try to talk it out.

He sends the other four members of his entourage off to find the Stormcloaks. I want to stand up for them again, but I know I'm already on thin ice. He keeps Vaaria and Enysus, one of the younger guards, on hand to "help" as we return to the small farm. Maren, the farmer, is happy to lend a few horses for the legionnaires to get us back to Dragon Bridge – though it's not the longest walk most of the soldiers have done, some are still weak from last night's poisonous misadventure.

"It's the strangest thing," he says as I help him saddle up a couple of the mares. "Had a small garden of redwort, but sometime in the night someone came and cleared it out. I'm glad the path's fixed, but I'll bet it was one of them diggers. Gonna have to grow most of it from scratch, now."

I agree that it's weird – and a weird coincidence that we managed to find a lot of redwort in the forest patches. It nags at me, like some little detail I need to keep in mind, but I shove the thought aside; there's more pressing matters at hand.

"What's the boy's problem?" Ondolemar asks as we reach the main roadway. He nods back to where Jorell seems to be almost sleepwalking at the back of the group, Andrinius guiding him gently. I sigh heavily.

"Some... bad experiences convinced him to renounce his allegiance," I explain. "He's only fourteen; Skjoren, the guy you..." I struggle to say it properly, and instead clear my throat. "That was his father."

"Well, perhaps he'll think more carefully about where he places his allegiance when the time comes for such things." Ondolemar keeps his gaze forward, all but ignoring everyone else. I look over at him, trying to hide my own dismay. Sometimes, just sometimes, I wish he knew what empathy looked like.

"He was already scared shitless when Hadvar interrogated him," I tell him. Ondolemar looks at me, frowning slightly.

"Interrogated?"

"We both walked into an Imperial ambush."

"My, you have a tendency to find those in the worst ways," Ondolemar comments, but he sounds amused so I decide it's his attempt at a joke. "Not doing so well on your own, are you?"

Seriously? "I knew I was walking into a dangerous situation," I reply, keeping my eyes forward. "I didn't expect there to be Stormcloaks. Or the Legion, for that matter."

"Nevertheless, you've done an excellent job at getting yourself into trouble once again," He turns to face forwards as well, but I can see him smirking. "You are forgiven for your attitude, of course. However, I do think it will be in your best interests to stay close to me from now on."