Into the Storm

Chapter 1: Arrival

Dusk was drawing in over the mountains surrounding Riverwood as Ashe made her way into the village. She supported a Nord named Hadvar with an arm under his shoulder. Their near escape from a collapsing tunnel had left with a badly injured ankle. Although he had managed to make it through the keep and out into the mountain range surrounding Helgen, she had offered to support him the rest of the way. Both of them were covered in a good amount of dirt and blood splatters. Hadvar had told her that his Uncle, the local blacksmith, would be able to help them out and frankly Ashe couldn't wait. She felt disgusting and desperately wanted to get out of the leather armour she'd pulled off a corpse. They passed underneath the raised walkway, entering the village proper. She could see and hear the blacksmith and headed towards him without needing prompting from Hadvar.

"Uncle Alvor!" Hadvar called out.

The blacksmith paused in the work he was doing and turned to face them both. His eyebrows raised as he took in the sight of the two of them. Hadvar's Imperial armour was torn in several places and he couldn't stand fully on his twisted right ankle. Next to him, Ashe wasn't in a much better state. Her dark blonde hair was matted with blood and her plait had started to come undone. Blood and dirt had darkened her complexion from it's already tanned colour and partly obscured the tattoos on her forehead. She wore a set of imperial leathers that did not fit her at all. Despite being half Bosmer she was a decent height, almost as tall as Hadvar, but she did not have the wide shoulders that most Imperials and Nords had. The armour hung largely on her shoulders but tight on the chest, leaving her feeling incredibly uncomfortable and impeding her ability to move.

"Hadvar, lad what happened to you?" his uncle questioned. He put his tools down and stepped down the stairs to support his nephew.

"It's quite a story... but if you don't mind, me and my friend could do with some rest first."

Alvor glanced at the silent elf, noticing a shallow cut on her cheek under exhausted-looking green and blue eyes.

"Of course, any friend of my nephew is always welcome in my home. Come on in then." He moved back up the stairs, supporting Hadvar easily. Ashe took a quick look around the village. Noticing some of the villagers looking at her with intrigue, she ducked her head and followed after the two Nords. Inside she was greeted by the smell of meat cooking over the large fireplace. Ashe's stomach grumbled as she took in the homely looking house. Alvor helped Hadvar into one of the seats at the table and gestured for Ashe to take another.

"Sigrid, we have company!" the blacksmith called down the basement stairs. Moments later a friendly-looking middle-aged Nord woman appeared at the top of the stairs, wiping her wet hands on her apron.

"Hadvar! We've been so worried about you! Come, you two must be hungry, I'll get you something to eat." She moved over to the cooking pot, collecting a couple of bowls along the way. As the bowl was placed in front of her, Ashe said "Thank you, this is very kind of you" she smiled weakly at Sigrid before digging into the stew. She was pleasantly surprised to find it to be rabbit, one of her favourites.

"Now then, lad, what's the big mystery? What are you two doing here looking like you lost an argument with a cave bear?" Alvor sat opposite his nephew, a mug of ale in his hand.

Hadvar proceeded to recount what happened at Helgen, luckily omitting the fact that Ashe had been a prisoner when they had met. Ashe had explained her situation to Hadvar on the way down the mountain and he had promised to write a letter to General Tulius on the matter as soon as he was back on his feet. As he talked, Ashe's mind flashed back to the events of only hours ago. It seemed so unreal. Crossing the border into Skyrim had somehow landed her neck on a chopping block only to be saved by the appearance of a black dragon. Although she was saved from her execution, she almost hadn't escaped the destruction of the town by said dragon. She absentmindedly rubbed at her throat while Hadvar told the last of the story.