For All of Skyrim

Chapter 2: Elisif

Elisif sipped her spiced wine and watched the sun disappear behind the stone walls outside. The sky was casted in oranges and pinks, every stone and tree glowed, reflecting the last bits of light that the day had to offer. Once, Torygg had compared her to a sunset, he had done so earnestly but flattery always made her feel uncomfortable so she laughed him off. He had doubled down then, grinning mischievously. He wrapped her in his arms and whispered into her ear, "You're right to laugh, you're far more beautiful than any sunset." She remembered him brushing her strawberry blonde hair aside reverently and kissing her neck. It had made her stomach flutter. She touched the spot where he had kissed her years ago, tracing the memory with her fingers.

A sharp knock on the door pulled her away from her past. She steeled herself, and called out, "Yes? Please come in."

General Tullius' second in command, Legate Rikke, stepped through her bedroom door, carrying a tray of pastries and sweet rolls. Rikke smiled and lifted the tray, "An apology for what the general put you through today."

Elisif smiled back, though it did not reach her eyes, "You really didn't have to, but dessert actually sounds perfect right now." It was hard for her to admit that anything sounded good, to indulge in anything that would bring her even a small happiness felt like a betrayal of Torygg. Rikke placed the tray gently on the small table that sat beside the window, and unapologetically plunked herself down in a chair across from Elisif "I brought all of your favorites, even those braided wreath things you like."

"You know me well." Elisif said through bites of the said pastry. Rikke had known her very well, they had become fast friends when Elisif arrived at Solitude years ago. Legate had been twenty two swiftly working her way up the ranks of the imperial army, and Elisif was only eighteen, nervous to be away from the home she had known her entire life and to marry a man she had never met. Elisif had fond memories of Rikke training, thrashing her sword against a straw target, all the while she embroidered sitting on the lush grass near her. Eventually, Legate taught Elisif the fundamentals of swordplay, and her embroidery hoop was abandoned. Elisif had been horrible at first, finding even her wooden training sword too heavy. Rikke never laughed at her though, even if the soldiers who happened to pass by during her training did. No, Rikke was an excellent teacher, patient but unrelenting. She took Elisif seriously, and knew her potential before Elisif herself did. Elisif was taught how to stand, and how to best move quickly against stronger and larger opponents. In a few years time, she had gotten so good that they both had been panting and sweating by the end of their training sessions.

Elisif looked to her friend who was helping herself to some spiced wine and a sweet roll, and couldn't help but smile. Rikke glanced up catching her in the small act of comfortable happiness, but she didn't say anything, didn't tease her or make a deal out of it, she simply grinned back.

"I'm not sure how you deal with that man on a daily basis" Elisif sighed sitting back in her chair.

"Why do you think I go so hard at the training dummy?" Laughed Rikke, "Who's face do you think I picture?"

Elisif's eyes went wide and she almost spit out her wine. "Rikke!" She coughed a little, the picture of a demure Jarl, "You can't be serious, don't let anyone hear you say that!" Rikke just shrugged, "I owe my position in the army to him in many ways. Though, his face has been replaced by another as of late." It took Elisif a beat to realize who she meant, when she did, her reality and grief came crashing back into her and her smile faded. She was talking about Ulfric's face. His horrible triumphant expression after killing Torygg haunted her every day. He had used a dragon shout that shattered the windows and splintered the doors. Her husband's body had been turned to gore in a matter of seconds. She had never heard a dragon shout until that moment, and she would never forget how earth shattering it felt to be near it, how terrifying. For a mortal man to hold such power in his voice was unnerving, but for a man as unhinged as Ulfric Stormcloak to hold such power, was a threat to the entire realm. She remembered him taking a menacing step towards her, covered in Torygg's blood. The way he looked at her, like he was a wolf and she was nothing but a rabbit, like he was ready to rip her to pieces next, shook her to her core. She hated herself for just standing there, horrified. Ulfric hadn't advanced on her though, he had turned on his heel and fled the city. He skirted capture and convinced a Solitude man to open the gates for him. That man, Roggvir, had since been put to the headsman's axe. He pleaded that Ulfric had committed no crime challenging Torygg to a duel, that it was his right as Jarl of Windhelm. Elisif had understood this, but she knew that Torygg had been put in the impossible situation of facing his inevitable death dueling Ulfric or giving up his throne to him. Torygg was a Nord himself, he had a heart for Ulfric's cause and hated the presence of the Aldmeri Dominion in Skyrim and the outlawing of Talos worship as much as Ulfric did. But he was a man of peace, he was a man who thought of every citizen of Skyrim, not just the Nords. There was no way he would allow such an aggressive man to rule in his stead and turn his land into a war zone. Her husband had no choice really, and she could see in his last smile and in the sad way he looked at her before standing to meet Ulfric's challenge, that he knew that too.

No, Ulfric was not a criminal for asking for a duel, but he was a criminal in declaring war against the Empire. He was a heartless bastard who felt no remorse for what he had done to her husband, and that was enough for her to want his head on a spike. It was more than enough. She felt no guilt for taking the man's life who had aided Ulfric, her sympathy had died with her husband.

Rikke reached for Elisif's hand.

"Oh gods, I'm sorry El." She said, worry etched on her face.

"I shouldn't have said that, I shouldn't have brought that bastard up at all."

Elisif shook her head, resurfacing from her traumatic thoughts, "No, I'm alright," she gave her friend's hand a reassuring squeeze, "It's something I have to face. Truly, it's alright."

Rikke stared back at her unconvinced, but she let the matter drop. They both looked out the window in silence, gazing at the streams of stars that had taken over the sky.

As Rikke stood in the doorway, offering her goodnight and well wishes to her friend, Elisif only felt gratitude to have her in these terrible times. She was starting to find her footing once again, thanks to Rikke and her council members like Falk. Little did Elisif know, another knock at her door, a more desperate panicked one, would arrive a week later, and it would cause more upheaval than she was prepared for.