“She surrendered once she saw Jordis cut down and you gone. I think they took her prisoner. I don't know what they'll do with her.”
Nothing good, Elisif was sure of that. Ulfric's forces weren't friendly to Imperials and Ria would never join them. It was a good thing Ria didn't know much – only that Elisif was Dragonborn... and that the Companions had been helping her, oh gods if Ulfric got that out of her...
“I can't go back to Jorrvaskr,” Elisif realised, horrified. “If Ulfric finds out Ria's one of you and was helping me – I suppose Ria could say she was just hired for the job, or volunteered even after Kodlak told her not to get involved... oh but then he'll think she's an Imperial sympathiser!”
“She is an Imperial sympathiser,” said Aela, faint smile on her lips. “She was horrified when war broke out, nearly ran off to join the Legion. Kodlak talked her out of it. Told us all there'd be precious little honour in this fight and that as there were too many among us on both sides, it was best if none of us went out to fight. I didn't agree but I do respect the old man, so I stayed.”
“Which side would you have joined?” Elisif whispered. She didn't think Aela was a Stormcloak, not now anyway, but best to make sure. Aela actually laughed to herself.
“That was the other problem. I couldn't decide. I don't worship Talos, can't stand the Thalmor, but I don't like Ulfric's methods either. I guess I didn't care about the politics, I just wanted the glory and didn't care who I fought.”
“And now?” Elisif asked. Aela did look up then, smiling gently at her and putting an arm around her.
“Now, little sister, you and I have a score to settle. That bastard's men killed my Shield-Brother. This is personal now. I'll help you any way I can.”
Elisif could have cried, but she didn't think Aela would appreciate that. So instead, she settled for hugging her. To Elisif's surprise, Aela hugged her back, one warrior to another – one Shield-Sister to another. It felt good to have someone at her back, and Aela was a very capable seasoned warrior – and a werewolf. Shor's teeth, a werewolf! She'd not have expected that, but one of those on her side, that she could live with.
“Thank you,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. Jordis and Skjor dead, Ria a Stormcloak prisoner – already this had claimed casualties. That Aela still wanted to help her after all this was welcome indeed, and Aela was far less likely to get herself killed.
“Don't thank me, we look after our own,” said Aela. “Come on, let's get back to Jorrvaskr, break the news to Kodlak. Then it's time to plot our next move – do we have a next move? What did the Greybeards tell you?”
“I've got to go to the ruins of Ustengrav in Hjaalmarch. Imperial territory so at least Ulfric can't come in force there. Then I've got to retrieve some ancient artefact from there and bring it back to them.”
“Sounds easy enough,” said Aela, getting up and helping Elisif to her feet. “Come on, let's get going. There's rumours of vampires in this cave, and while I'm not afraid of them, fighting them right now would be inconvenient.”
Elisif wasn't arguing. Glancing nervously at the cave mouth, she hurried after Aela.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Ria will be all right, don't worry. I feel so bad about Skjor and Jordis though, but Elisif was having it a little too easy. So now things just got that bit more serious.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 4.7
Nothing good, Elisif was sure of that. Ulfric's forces weren't friendly to Imperials and Ria would never join them. It was a good thing Ria didn't know much – only that Elisif was Dragonborn... and that the Companions had been helping her, oh gods if Ulfric got that out of her...
“I can't go back to Jorrvaskr,” Elisif realised, horrified. “If Ulfric finds out Ria's one of you and was helping me – I suppose Ria could say she was just hired for the job, or volunteered even after Kodlak told her not to get involved... oh but then he'll think she's an Imperial sympathiser!”
“She is an Imperial sympathiser,” said Aela, faint smile on her lips. “She was horrified when war broke out, nearly ran off to join the Legion. Kodlak talked her out of it. Told us all there'd be precious little honour in this fight and that as there were too many among us on both sides, it was best if none of us went out to fight. I didn't agree but I do respect the old man, so I stayed.”
“Which side would you have joined?” Elisif whispered. She didn't think Aela was a Stormcloak, not now anyway, but best to make sure. Aela actually laughed to herself.
“That was the other problem. I couldn't decide. I don't worship Talos, can't stand the Thalmor, but I don't like Ulfric's methods either. I guess I didn't care about the politics, I just wanted the glory and didn't care who I fought.”
“And now?” Elisif asked. Aela did look up then, smiling gently at her and putting an arm around her.
“Now, little sister, you and I have a score to settle. That bastard's men killed my Shield-Brother. This is personal now. I'll help you any way I can.”
Elisif could have cried, but she didn't think Aela would appreciate that. So instead, she settled for hugging her. To Elisif's surprise, Aela hugged her back, one warrior to another – one Shield-Sister to another. It felt good to have someone at her back, and Aela was a very capable seasoned warrior – and a werewolf. Shor's teeth, a werewolf! She'd not have expected that, but one of those on her side, that she could live with.
“Thank you,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. Jordis and Skjor dead, Ria a Stormcloak prisoner – already this had claimed casualties. That Aela still wanted to help her after all this was welcome indeed, and Aela was far less likely to get herself killed.
“Don't thank me, we look after our own,” said Aela. “Come on, let's get back to Jorrvaskr, break the news to Kodlak. Then it's time to plot our next move – do we have a next move? What did the Greybeards tell you?”
“I've got to go to the ruins of Ustengrav in Hjaalmarch. Imperial territory so at least Ulfric can't come in force there. Then I've got to retrieve some ancient artefact from there and bring it back to them.”
“Sounds easy enough,” said Aela, getting up and helping Elisif to her feet. “Come on, let's get going. There's rumours of vampires in this cave, and while I'm not afraid of them, fighting them right now would be inconvenient.”
Elisif wasn't arguing. Glancing nervously at the cave mouth, she hurried after Aela.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Ria will be all right, don't worry. I feel so bad about Skjor and Jordis though, but Elisif was having it a little too easy. So now things just got that bit more serious.