The Bears Shortcoming

Chapter 24 - The Pale

This chapter is dedicated to elpis-the-dark-elf who left a really kind comment about how they love the book.Thanks for all the support<3

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(4E 202 15th Mid-Year)

I had been with the Imperials for a few months now, at first it was hard fighting against the Stormcloaks whom i once called my brothers and sisters, but slowly I had begun to realize just how good General Tullius and Legate Rikke were for Skyrim.

We had taken over numerous forts, and overrun Stormcloak carriages full of weapons and gold. The empire was starting to gain the upper hand in the war.

I had not heard from Ulfric, I missed him dearly. I missed his voice, I missed waking up next to him in the morning, I miss my old life, but I knew I had to think about more than just myself.

I was in the pale imperial camp with Legate Rikke, discussing our next mission.

"Legate" I asked Rikke "Do you have a moment?"

Rikke turned to me "What is it soldier?"

"Why do you fight for the empire?"

Rikke's brow furrowed at the odd question, but she answered anyway: "I am a loyal citizen of the Empire. I am a daughter of Skyrim and I wish to see her made whole again"

"You sound like a Stormcloak" I chuckled.

"I've been a daughter of Skyrim all my life" the legate replied sharply "I love this land and her people, so do all the nords that serve the empire. Ulfric too, once. He wasn't always a self-serving ego maniac"

My heart ached at the sound of my ex-lover's name "What makes you say that?"

"Ulfric and his 'Stormcloaks' are deluding themselves" Rikke said sarcastically "If there's any hope of a long term victory against the dominion, it's with the empire"

Legate Rikke's comment about the dominion peaks my interest "So do you consider the Thalmor the enemy?" I ask her curiously.

She looks at me sternly "I consider this conversation over"

Me and Rikke spent hours after that planning our next move against the rebellion, we needed to stop reinforcements being sent to some of the Stormcloaks' main forts and the only way to do that was to give a Stormcloak general some false information.

"You're the best person for the job soldier. Over the past few months you've proven yourself more than worthy to be an imperial" Legate Rikke had said to me "So; I'm sending you on this mission. Don't fail me"

It was my job to go to Dawnstar and give the Stormcloak general false documents containing information that would strengthen our position.

I was honoured to be sent on the mission, but little did I know everything I knew and loved was about to be turned upside down once more.

(4E 202 17th Mid Year)

I had arrived in Dawnstar with no problems, and I was soon on my way to the home of the Jarl of Dawnstar, where most of the Stormcloak operations in the pale took place. I breathed out slowly and tried to calm my nerves before going inside.

You can do this Aiden. They're not your friends anymore.

I pushed the door open quietly and stepped inside. The room was cold but there was a huge roaring fire in the center, the Jarl's throne was empty and I breathed a sigh of relief.

One less person I have to talk to. 

I walked through a doorway on the left hand side of the room and found a particularly deadly looking stormcloak general hunched over a large map on a table, he had long brunette hair and a flowing beard, and he was kitted out in the traditional brown leather armor with animal bones and studs.

"I have important documents for you, sir" i said, trying to muster up some confidence.

"Ah...wonderful" the general said, his accent was thick and northern, and it almost reminded me of Galmar stone-fist's. The general took the documents before looking me up and down suspiciously and I could almost feel myself starting to sweat.

"What happened to your stormcloak armor?" he asked me, the suspicion rising.

"Ditched it for this, I thought-"

I was suddenly cut off by another man walking into the room, who had a painfully familiar voice.

"So Frorkmar, if we send those extra men over to the reach then we can-"

I looked up to get a face to match the familiar voice, and my blood turned to ice in my veins.

Dirty blonde hair and beautiful eyes that you could get lost in, a strong jawline and a face with tiny scars etched into the skin. A low northern voice and a broad figure that could only belong to one man. My eyes met his and  for a moment I thought I saw sadness in his eyes, but his expression soon twisted into one of anguish.

"You" he said, darkly.

His voice went right through me, and I could almost feel the hatred and anger he harbored towards me.

"Ulfric-" I began, but he cut me off before i'd even started.

"Arrest her"