They might be on opposite sides of the war, but the fate of Skyrim meant more to her, Galmar and Ulfric than it did to Tullius. Through a fog of pain, head spinning, she finally permitted herself to give voice to the nagging thoughts that had plagued her since the day she had first joined the general's service - the same day she had hidden her Amulet of Talos under her smallclothes. There was a gulf between her and Tullius. There had always been. The last few weeks had proven that beyond all doubt.
She was reminded of something her father had told her once: When a Nord drinks himself stupid, he does so with his comrades, in celebration; an Imperial does it alone, and in despair. Maybe there was some truth in that. It was surely true of Tullius.
"You're a fool, Galmar," Rikke said, summoning her strength. For all his faults, while Tullius lived, Solitude was not beaten. By the Nine, let my general take strength from my voice, she prayed.
The next moment, Ulfric and the Dragonborn Shouted together, and the castle shook to its very bones. It felt like a direct rejection of her prayer. Momentarily deafened, she clutched her wound and looked up. Tullius had been knocked to the ground; Ulfric and the Dragonborn stood over him, weapons levelled at his throat.
Galmar stepped closer to Rikke, standing over her. He was saying something, but it was muffled beneath echoes of the Shout that had knocked her general to the ground. She shook her head, but it didn't clear. Her vision swam with red. Rikke realised her hearing had returned when she heard her own heart thudding in her ears. Sovngarde was calling her. She pictured her father's face, and her brother's; both dead by Stormcloak blades, both waiting for her.
Galmar Stone-Fist's eyes met Rikke's from under his grizzled bear's head helmet. His axe dripped with her own blood, and his craggy face was grim. "Damn you, woman," he said, his voice rough. "I told you to stand aside." Rikke could see he gained no pleasure from watching her bleed out on her knees.
She caught sight of the stranger, his blade raised over Tullius's neck. Was her general to die before she did? Death was inevitable; a true Nord never feared it. But if Tullius was slain before she was, the shame would follow her to the next life and beyond. Galmar saw the despair in her eyes, and called out.
"Wait, Dragonborn," he said. The stranger looked up in confusion.
But Ulfric understood. "Yes. Wait," he ordered. "She deserves that much."
"Thank you," she said. "Talos..."
She was dizzy, spinning. Through the pain came a deep feeling of peace.
"Talos be with you, Rikke," Ulfric said, and Galmar's axe swung down to meet her neck.
Re: Fill: Civil War Angst - Rikke POV [2/2]
She was reminded of something her father had told her once: When a Nord drinks himself stupid, he does so with his comrades, in celebration; an Imperial does it alone, and in despair. Maybe there was some truth in that. It was surely true of Tullius.
"You're a fool, Galmar," Rikke said, summoning her strength. For all his faults, while Tullius lived, Solitude was not beaten. By the Nine, let my general take strength from my voice, she prayed.
The next moment, Ulfric and the Dragonborn Shouted together, and the castle shook to its very bones. It felt like a direct rejection of her prayer. Momentarily deafened, she clutched her wound and looked up. Tullius had been knocked to the ground; Ulfric and the Dragonborn stood over him, weapons levelled at his throat.
Galmar stepped closer to Rikke, standing over her. He was saying something, but it was muffled beneath echoes of the Shout that had knocked her general to the ground. She shook her head, but it didn't clear. Her vision swam with red. Rikke realised her hearing had returned when she heard her own heart thudding in her ears. Sovngarde was calling her. She pictured her father's face, and her brother's; both dead by Stormcloak blades, both waiting for her.
Galmar Stone-Fist's eyes met Rikke's from under his grizzled bear's head helmet. His axe dripped with her own blood, and his craggy face was grim. "Damn you, woman," he said, his voice rough. "I told you to stand aside." Rikke could see he gained no pleasure from watching her bleed out on her knees.
"You've doomed our homeland, Galmar," Rikke said. "Ulfric won't hold Skyrim."
She caught sight of the stranger, his blade raised over Tullius's neck. Was her general to die before she did? Death was inevitable; a true Nord never feared it. But if Tullius was slain before she was, the shame would follow her to the next life and beyond. Galmar saw the despair in her eyes, and called out.
"Wait, Dragonborn," he said. The stranger looked up in confusion.
But Ulfric understood. "Yes. Wait," he ordered. "She deserves that much."
"Thank you," she said. "Talos..."
She was dizzy, spinning. Through the pain came a deep feeling of peace.
"Talos be with you, Rikke," Ulfric said, and Galmar's axe swung down to meet her neck.