The Price of Vengeance- A Skyrim Fanfiction

Twelve: The Plan Begins

After leaving Whiterun, I rode to the Imperial Encampment nearby, and found Rikke. Without preamble, she asked, "So how went it?"

"I asked them to surrender. I told them that otherwise, they'd regret it, that we'd come one day for them." I handed her a sealed parchment that I'd helped Galmar write. She broke it open and gasped after reading it. I knew what it said.

The Stormcloaks appreciate the messenger's warning of retribution and in exchange, offer this: A promise to behead a captured Imperial Soldier a day as a return for those lives of ours you've taken. We hold Whiterun now. Run like the scared rabbits you are. We will come for you.

Rikke's eyes were filled with horror. I knew she genuinely cared about the men under her. But she still needed a reason to risk an army to save a few.

"We cannot let them do this." I said. "If the people of Skyrim see that we cannot even protect our own, that we do not regard them as important, they will all hate us. They'd no longer join us."

She didn't say anything but sat contemplatively. She suddenly asked me, " How many troops did you see in Whiterun?" There was actually only one platoon, about twenty soldiers. But I told here there were much more of them. The city was under lockdown, and there was no way for her to check. She asked me about the fortifications, of which there were very few, but I exaggerated them as much as I could. In conclusion, I made the city seem impenetrable. Unless you had an entire army at your disposal. I concluded by saying, "I'd estimate that about half the Stormcloak army is here now."

Rikke stared at me a while. "Ven, I need you to take a message to General Tullius. Tell him it's time." I blinked at her. "Time for what?"

"For us to confront the Stormcloaks head on. If we attack Whiterun with the Legion, we'd both gain control over the center, as well as wipe out half of Ulfric's forces."

"The time has come for open war."

I stifled a smile. The plan was working perfectly.

After getting more details from Rikke about what exactly to tell Ulfric, I wolfed down a quick meal and climbed on my horse, galloping in the direction of Solitude. Three quarters of the way there, I saw what I was looking for- a barely visible cave whose entrance was hidden by a couple of boulders. I only knew it was there because Galmar had told me about it.

I took off the blasted armor, and dressed in light leather instead, I walked to the cave, and knocked thrice before waiting, and knocking twice more. I heard a deep voice say "Enter", and I did. There were about a hundred soldiers in the deceptively small cave, and according to Galmar, about four hundred more scattered throughout the region. About a quarter of Ulfric's troops apart from the reserve. I was taken inside the cave, the men and women inside staring at me with open curiosity, before I was asked to wait a while. After a few minutes, I heard a familiar voice. "Nine preserve you, Ven."

Ulfric Stormcloak stood before me, arrayed in full armor and gear. As if he were ready for a fight. He shook off my bow with a muttered "No need for all that formality now", and we discussed the plan.

Phase one was complete. Whiterun was taken, and the Imperials now believed that the Stormcloaks had half their forces camped out there and in the surrounding areas. The little missive Galmar and I had cooked up had provoked them enough to send most of their troops to attack Whiterun.

I confirmed the details of the plan with Ulfric and we parted. I was about to put my Imperial armor back on, but decided against it, seeing that I could always say I didn't want to be recognized. I galloped towards Solitude again, working out minute details I'd need to attend to.

I entered Solitude and immediately ran towards Castle Dour, where I found Tullius in the courtyard barking at his men. I approached him and saluted. " Sir. I bear a message from Legate Rikke. It is of utmost importance, and I request a private audience."

We entered an empty room inside Castle Dour and I told him what Rikke had said. His face was furrowed, but he took the bait, and asked me to follow him back outside. He asked for the entire Imperial army to assemble outside Solitude in an hour save the reserve, and he, along with his officers debated on the best way to take Whiterun. I could only imagine with glee their expression when they found Whiterun practically abandoned.

Tullius' voice broke into my reverie- "Ven Dragonborn will remain behind and protect Solitude. In accordance with this, I raise her to the rank of Tribune and appoint her the Commanding Officer in my absence." I was genuinely surprised by this, and after a bit of thought realized this worked out to my benefit. I followed Tullius outside Solitude, where he prepared to give a speech to his troops.

"All right! It's time to deliver the final blow to the Stormcloak rebellion. You have all fought bravely, and sacrificed much to bring us to this point. This is the end for them, so the Stormcloaks will fight like cornered rats. They will be fierce and crafty. But they are no match for Legionnaires. You are the best and the brightest warriors in Tamriel. Professional soldiers, fearless and devastating. The Emperor will be paying close attention to what happens here today. Men who distinguish themselves will be well rewarded. Ready now! Everyone, with me! For the Empire! For the Legion!"

Not bad, I mused. I wondered what manner of speech Ulfric would give, and what Ralof would think about all this, then banished all thoughts of him from my head, because memories of our last encounter hurt too much.

The Imperial Legion rode off, and I knew that Ulfric's scouts would catch the sight. My part was tonight.

I waited for nightfall, and after making a show of retiring for bed, I put on my dark cloak, and belted on Stormfall and Mourning. After pulling the hood over my face, I climbed outside my window and carefully, holding on to the rough stones, climbed down the wall. The corridors were full of my guards and I decided it would be easier to sneak onto the first floor then make my way through the dungeons. I climbed through the first floor window and I looked left and right, making sure there was no one there before I cast a Muffling spell. Then I drank the Invisibility potion I'd got from Ulfric, and started counting. One, two, three...

I had two minutes to get downstairs without being seen. I walked briskly, the spell making my footsteps noiseless. I vaulted over a table, pressed myself against walls, and even crawled under a table to get to the staircase to the Dungeons. 79, 80, 81...

I passed the dungeon guards quickly, pausing only to pickpocket one of the cell keys. I reached the last pair of them, standing outside the room with the jail cells and knocked them out quietly by hitting the base of their heads. I dragged their limp forms out of sight, and after tying them up, I walked towards the cell doors. 118, 119, 120. Perfect.

There were about fifteen Stormcloak soldiers and I freed them all. "What's the meaning of this? Who are you and why're you freeing us?" I took off my hood and they stared in shock. "But... But I thought you were an Imperial scum?" The man suspiciously frowned at me. I held my hands out. "That was a mission Ulfric gave me. Just like this one is. Now stop talking, and two of you, grab the armor from the knocked out soldiers there!"

My hushed orders, and the urgency in my voice had the men scrambling to respond and soon, we were silently moving through the dungeons. We knocked out the rest of the guards and acquired their armor and weapons as well after binding them. One of the men sidled up to me and murmured, "Dragonborn, why are we leaving these men alive?" I pretended not to hear him and trudged on.

Because most of them fight for the same thing we do- at the end of the day, they want a better Skyrim. Because I don't want more Halfrogges and Erics. Because war doesn't always have to end in senseless bloodshed.

I doubted this was the time for such sentiments to be voiced though, and I kept quiet. We now appeared to be a small group of Imperials and I pulled on a helmet, hiding my face. We were stopped at the entrance to Castle Dour by a bored sentry. "Where are you going?" I quickly deepened my voice.

"We were asked by Tribune Ven to patrol the city." The man nodded and we walked towards the gates. It was almost midnight. Almost time. The gates were guarded by less than ten soldiers, all of whom we knocked out quickly and easily. I pulled the gates open, and waited.

A few minutes passed. And I heard it. The sound of footsteps approaching. Not one or two, but a huge number.

A familiar voice was at the front. And I looked into the faces of Ulfric Stormcloak and his army, and softly said, "The king is dead. Long live the king."