We Are One and the Same: A Skyrim Story

Chapter Three: Is This the End?

The light from the sun burned into my vision, making me squint and tilt my head towards the ground so my overly-sensitive eyes could adjust. Although I was in bruisingly-tight shackles and was being harshly shoved forward by a beast of a man towards my imminent doom, it felt good to be back outside after two days spent restlessly pacing around the prison cell like a caged animal.

I had thought I was going to go insane in that itty-bitty room. I didn't eat their food - if that's what you would even call it - and I didn't sleep. I just waited, a flame burning in my eyes and soul, just waiting to let loose on someone.

Thankfully though, the man now standing next to me had saved me from getting into deeper trouble with the city. There was something about his voice - maybe the deep, sinfully attractive rumble in his tone, or the way his words seemed to hold so much emotion, even if he was only saying one simple thing - that made my whole body tingle and a calmness reassemble my broken nerves.

My golden eyes shifted up to the tall Nord beside me as I craned my neck to look at him. I hadn't noticed before how he had towered above me by at least a foot - but I was short anyway, only 5'0"; there was rarely anyone who was shorter than I was, except for children.

I found myself enthralled by his rough appearance; his glacier-blue eyes held such a deep capability of portraying emotions that I was startled when he returned my intent stare. His gaze was guarded, but I could tell deep down that his mind was creating a complex plan to get us out of there. We locked eyes for what seemed like minutes, before I was suddenly shoved forcefully towards a large, wooden platform, with an even larger Executioner standing there, waiting for me.

The collosal male was drenched in all black, except for a thin band of missing fabric that showed his soulless eyes observing me with a look of what reminded me of hunger. He slowly twisted his enormous war axe in his hand, the newly-sharpened blade reflecting the blinding light of the sun.

There was a crowd of people gathered around the platform, and I gulped as the guard practically threw me up the creaky steps towards my inevitable death. Archers and other patrolmen were posted at every exit in the city, in case one of us tried to escape.

My frantic eyes searched the large crowd, desperately picking through the bystanders for the other prisoner. I finally found him and he returned my gaze calmly. So discreetly that I know no one else noticed, he carefully dipped his head towards the chained shackles on his wrist, and then flickered his eyes towards the razor-sharp axe blade.

I instantly knew what I had to do.

Looking away from the man whose burning stare I could feel on my back, I met the eyes of Death itself, in human form.

The Executioner waited with an impatient gleam in his coal-black irises. I made my way slowly to the chopping block, making each step deliberately slow as I calculated what was going to happen after the deed was done. My focused gaze found each exit in the city, noted how many guards were at each, and what possible way I could go to get the farthest away from the city the fastest.

As I reached the wooden slab, dried patches of caked blood made my stomach reel. I thought about all the people that had previously died where my head was about to lay, and hurriedly shook the thought from my mind.

I needed to stay alert.

I knelt down, feeling the splintered wood poke and prod at my thinly-clothed knees. Resting my cheek on the dirty block, I closed my eyes and waited, listening for the perfect moment, the exact time that the axe would slice through the air with a soft whistling straight towards my exposed neck. Time crawled by, and anxious people murmured amongst themselves.

I could hear their conversations - some were eager, others were nauseous, and further more wondered aloud about what crime I had committed.

Steadying my breathing, I waited.

Finally, the time came. I concentrated on nothing but the sound of the pre-sharpened steel cutting through the tangible tension in the air. Right before it was about to lop off my head, I leapt backwards and held my wrists out so that the blade chopped straight through the thick chain links that connected the shackles together.

The Executioner was confused at first, as were all the people and city guards.

Pretty soon though, the entire town was in an uproar.

Guards came barreling towards me, swords poised and arrows taught. They screamed profanities in my direction, but before they could even get close to me, I sprinted off the platform and out into the streets.

I had no time to search for my fellow prisoner, but I hoped that he had made it safely out of harm's way and into the welcoming embrace of the shadows during the scene.

Pushing my legs faster than they had ever gone before, I ran and ran, with a group of at least fifteen guardsmen at my heels. Heading straight for the nearest exit, I noticed to my dismay that the gate was already locked and barred shut.