Song of the Dragon and the Bear

Chapter 16

A/N Here's another chapter for you lovely people, enjoy!

"All hail the Stormcloaks, the true sons and daughters of Skyrim!"

"All hail the Stormcloaks, the true sons and daughters of Skyrim!" Vara echoed and her words rang through the still air, carrying with them the weight of a binding promise. But they also provided a sense of peace; she was a Stormcloak now. She no longer hovered in the foggy realm of indecision. She had made her choice.

Vara looked over at Ulfric and saw that the man had a faint smile dancing across his lips. "Welcome to the Stormcloaks," he said in a deep rumble.

"Thank you, Ulfric," Vara said gratefully. "I realize that this situation isn't exactly ordinary."

Galmar snorted. "That's for sure. I've never sworn in a brand new soldier who had already been promised the positions of officer, scout, and advisor."

"True," Ulfric replied, and the smile on his face grew slightly. "You've also never sworn in anyone who has High Elven blood running through their veins."

"Aye, there are plenty of firsts to go around today," the grizzled general replied. "Speaking of which, I have to go and oversee the new recruits' first drill." The man turned to Vara. "Once Ulfric is done with ya, feel free to help me whip these farmers into soldiers."

Vara chuckled and shook her head. "At this point, I think I'm supposed to be joining those farmers." As she said that, the realization sunk in. She was a soldier now. Not exactly a regular soldier, but a soldier nonetheless.

Galmar shrugged. "Maybe so, but I'd wager you could put any of those men into the ground without much trouble, even if your sword arm is a little rusty." Vara didn't have a reply to that, but the general didn't seem to expect one. He nodded to Ulfric, who returned the gesture, and then left the room, the bearskin on his back rustling faintly as he walked.

Once the general had left the room, Ulfric turned to Vara. "The Stormcloak colors fit you," he stated and Vara looked down at the fur armor she wore. The blue and brown fabric was comfortable, although Vara had declined the helmet that Galmar had offered. "You could have accepted an officer's uniform, you know that?"

Vara shook her head. "The bearskin is more of Galmar's thing," she said. A moment later she added, "Besides, it doesn't feel right. I haven't seen any more battle than those men in the courtyard right now. What right do I have to that uniform?"

Ulfric smiled knowingly but didn't say anything more about the matter. "Your first assignment will be to take this newest batch of soldiers out to the border of the Rift. The Empire has been ambushing patrols there in the past few weeks," he stated, his tone becoming more formal and commanding. "You'll stay with them for a week or so and help them with scouting an such; I'll give you more details later."

Vara nodded solemnly, although she wasn't sure how she was supposed to lead these brand new soldiers when she had the exact same amount of experience as they did in war. "Yes, my jarl."

A strange look came to Ulfric's eyes that was tinged with sadness. "I've told you before, call me Ulfric. 'Jarl' is what everyday citizens and overeager diplomats call me."

"'Jarl' is what the people who respect you call you," Vara countered. And it was true. Despite his faults, Vara trusted and respected the man who stood before her; she wouldn't have joined his army if she didn't.

"Perhaps," Ulfric mused, and Vara saw several emotions pass through the man's eyes. A sense of resignation lingered in the blue depths that saddened Vara in a way she couldn't describe.

"But respect isn't everything. Perhaps 'Ulfric' is what people who know who you truly are call you. People who see you as more than just a leader Windhelm." Vara said in a thoughtful voice.

Ulfric tilted his head slightly. "And do you?"

"Not quite," Vara admitted honestly, "but I think I'm learning." She said with a small smile that she hoped could convey her sincerity.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke, but a silent understanding passed between them. Eventually, Ulfric nodded slightly before saying, "Galmar could use you in the courtyard. The faster we get these men into shape, the sooner we can fortify our southern border."

Vara nodded and turned to leave. She stopped before the open door and looked over her shoulder. "Thank you again, Ulfric," she said then she slipped from the room, leaving Ulfric with a small smile tugging at his lips.

The sound of clanging metal filled the courtyard once more as Vara stepped through the gates. Spread across the cobblestones in front of her were men practicing in pairs. Plenty of grunting, not to mention the occasional curse, floated through the air, and a grin crossed Vara's face when she caught sight of Galmar. The general was standing in the middle of the chaos looking exhausted as the men around him struck stone more often than metal.

Carefully, Vara wove her way through the pairs of men, dodging the occasional errant blade. When she finally made it over to Galmar she said, "You know, I think this batch might be even worse than the last one." Her tone was joking, but the general scowled anyway.

"Ulfric wants these farmers on the Rift border in two weeks, and only three of them can even swing a sword properly. The assignment isn't too dangerous, and they can continue to train while they're there, but I don't like it," Galmar grumbled. "We can't waste any time. Are you here to show them that their feet are just as important as their hands?"

Vara couldn't help the predatory grin that crossed her face at the suggestion. "I am. Would you like to do the honors, General?"

Galmar snorted, then clapped his hands together. Somehow, the sound rang through the courtyard over the noise of everything. All at once, the men stopped what they were doing and turned towards the center. "Men, this is Vara Oaken-Song," Galmar bellowed. "Before you ask, her love for Skyrim runs as fiercely through her veins as it does in yours, no matter how pointed her ears are. She will be teaching you how to use your feet when you fight."

Vara watched the men's face flit between emotions before settling into a generally confused look. She shot a half-serious glare at Galmar before striding out into the middle of the men. "Footwork is important, vital even, to your success," Vara began and then launched into her demonstration, allowing the uncertainty she felt to fade away and her voice to ring with confidence.