Heartless

Chapter 5 - Part 6

'Ha! Hadvar, I'll bet you I've killed twice the Stormcloaks you have!' I yelled over the sound of training, grinning as my small group of archers continued to practice before me.

'Not a chance, Legate!' Hadvar yelled back, sparring with one of his men.

'Want to test that? I bet you 100 gold that I can win a one-on-one with only my bow against a Stormcloak Soldier.'

'Game on, I'll provide the Stormcloak, you provide the 100 gold because I know you'll loose.'

Shaking my head, I turned back to my troops and walked up and down behind them, correcting their positions and their postures. A good ten minutes of frustratingly bad archery, I was stopped by Legate Rikke.

'Legate Azure, you're needed for a one-versus-one with Hadvar's Stormcloak beefhead.' She informed me, smirking. I punched her in the shoulder as I left her in charge of my troops.

Hadvar was talking with two disgruntled Stormcloak soldiers in a sunny clearing a good fifteen minute ride away from the Imperial Camp. One was a sour looking ginger haired female with a greatsword on her back, and one was a strong blue eyed blonde Nord male with two wicked war axes at his sides. I was beginning to regret my decision.

'Stormblade Ralof, Stormblade Rijja. This is Legate Azure of the Imperial legion. She's one of our finest Archers and damn fine if you catch her in the marshes late at night near Morthal when she's-'

'Legate!' I barked, making Hadvar shut up. 'Let's get this over with, I suppose I'm fighting Rijja?'

'Right you are. Khajiit are you?' Grunted Ralof, looking me up and down.

'Yes she is. Softest Khajiit I've ever-'

'LEGATE!' I snapped at Hadvar, slapping his hand away as he reached for my exposed fur. 'Let us begin shall we? Are we using blunted weapons or just battling to the death?'

'Not battling to the death, but no blunted weapons.'

'Damn. There goes my bow.' I unslung my bow and removed my quiver of blunt arrows before handing them both to Hadvar, instead drawing my daggers. My opponent scoffed at my short ebony blades, while Ralof admired their cut and shapes.

We began to circle each other.

'Akatosh guide my hand.' I muttered as the ginger Nord charged.

I slowed her attack with my own blades, getting close enough to kick her in her stomach and send her flying backwards. The female Nord grunted in pain and massaged her front, glaring at me as she attempted to rise from the forest floor. My opponent clumsily held her greatsword in one hand as she massaged just below her stomach, where I could now see a slight bulge... oh gods... she was pregnant, and I just booted her in the lower stomach with a steel tipped combat boot. I'd just... I sniffed the air carefully. Yep.

Remorse washed over me as I sheathed my blades.

'I'm sorry.' I told her. 'If I'd known I wouldn't have fought you.'

'What are- what are you sorry for?! F-fight me!' The Nord coughed.

'I'm sorry because of the child I've killed today. You were pregnant, and now I've killed your child.'

'You'll pay for this!' Screeched the enraged Stormcloak, charging at me.

Lucky for me, Hadvar stepped in and tried to calm down the grieving mother by half-heartedly fighting her. Hadvar swiped left, but the Stormcloak woman struck him hard in his right side, taking a good chunk out of Hadvar's right flank as I leapt from my place and sliced upwards with all of the strength in my arms. A horrible squelch informed me that I had just helped the woman loose weight by relieving her of her left arm.

Ralof and I looked at each other and said the same thing.

'That's my best friend.'

'Hadvar, here. Drink this and you'll be fine.' I soothed my best friend, playing with his hair as he laid his head in my lap, weakly drinking the vile healing potion I handed him.

I quickly took off my Legate's Cape and ripped strips of red fabric off the bottom, dressing Hadvar's wound. Looking over at Ralof, I saw him trying to stop the bleeding from his comrade's  now stumpy shoulder. Turning back to Hadvar, I felt my fingers tingle as a powerful healing spell flickered to life in my hand, bathing my best friend in warm golden life. This feat made me realise how little the Rebels knew of how to run an army. In all the battles I had seen, no Stormcloak had ever done what I could do, which was heal my comrades during battle. I was trained, they were not. A shame, really.

I could feel Ralof's eyes on me as I helped Hadvar drink from my waterskin, my healing spell still working wonders for my comrade. I looked up and met his panicked gaze. He had no idea how to heal his fallen comrade, which meant she would probably die without my help. Propping Hadvar against an oak tree, I ran over and knelt beside the ginger woman, some strips of red in my hand until I thought better.

'Stormblade, your cloak please.' I said to Ralof, holding out my hand.

The Nord obediently removed his cloak, knowing this was no time to protect his honour. I tore strips from the blue fabric and securely wrapped them around the bleeding stump belonging to the ginger Nord on the forest floor, quickly uncorking one of my better healing potions and helping her drink it. I placed my cold fingertips over her bandaged wound and felt them tingle as a less powerful healing spell surged through them and worked on healing the woman's arm. Again I could feel Ralof's eyes on my smooth and sure movements, watching my completely stable hands, marvelling in how they never have so much as a tiny quake when I dealt with situations like this. It came with being an archer.

'I could kiss you right now, thank you!' Exclaimed the overjoyed Nord, grasping my steady hand in his shaking ones.

'It was the least I could do for the loss of Rijja's child. If anyone asks you, say you were both off scouting and a bear got her, understood?'

Ralof nodded and picked up Rijja bridal style, watching me to see what I did, and was shocked when I just hauled Hadvar to his feet.

'You do know that she can walk, don't you? I'm a trained healer, and she's perfectly able to walk, you know.' I informed him. 'Oh, and about that kiss...'

'Yes?' Asked the Stormcloak eagerly.

'I hope this will suffice.' I purred, pecking him on the lips.

Oh what a sneaky Legate I was.