Vilkas pushed past Elisif, staring furiously at the woman.
“You???” he shouted, and Elisif had never seen him so angry before. “You traitorous bitch! Did Kodlak's words mean nothing to you?”
The woman turned and looked at him and Elisif's breath caught in her throat as she recognised her. Njada Stonearm, Talos-worshipping Companion who'd favoured Ulfric, and now clearly one of his officers. Elisif felt her inner dragon start to growl as she realised how the Stormcloaks had got wind of her pseudonym.
“You call me a traitor?” Njada snapped. “Kodlak said to stay neutral, and here you are with her?”
“It's not the same,” Vilkas growled. “Ulfric took one of our own prisoner, it's personal. I don't care if we're in the Empire or not, but you don't hurt my Shield-Siblings.”
“I was in prison in Windhelm for weeks, Njada!” Ria cried, also looking furious. “You were working for Ulfric all that time and never came to even make sure I was all right?”
“You made your choice when you went after the Dragonborn,” Njada shot back. “I knew you weren't being hurt. All you had to do was swear loyalty to Ulfric and tell us what you knew and you'd have been freed.”
“I'd as soon swear loyalty to Mehrunes Dagon!” Ria cried. “Ulfric murdered a king!”
Yes he had, and that was the sticking point, wasn't it? The rights and wrongs of Skyrim staying in the Empire could be argued all day – but he'd killed Elisif's husband. That was something she could never forget... and never forgive. He looked up to you, Ulfric. He'd have taken you seriously if you'd just asked. But you couldn't, could you? You wanted the throne for yourself.
Elisif stepped out into the light, slowly making her way over, cold anger trickling down her back as she prepared to face Njada and her Stormcloak friend.
“Why are you here, Njada,” Elisif said softly. “I can't believe Ulfric would waste his troops on a ruin like this just for the grave goods. The Walls only work for a Dragonborn, Njada. He isn't one.”
Njada's eyes widened a fraction as Elisif approached. Good, so she was afraid. So she should be.
“You don't know?” the Nord with her said, sounding incredulous. Blonde, looking a year or two older than Elisif, and already battle-hardened. “But why come here in person if you didn't know it was here?”
“Ralof, ssh!” Njada hissed. “If she doesn't know, don't tell her!” She turned back to Elisif, eyes narrowed.
“We're here for what's rightfully Ulfric's. You can't hope to stand against him, Elisif. Turn and walk away, and we won't kill you.”
“You think you can kill me?” Elisif laughed, feeling the dragon power pulsing inside, the Thu'um good to go, and this would be a fight to sing of, she knew it would be, Njada was strong but not very much stronger and some things even the Stonearm wouldn't be able to block. Get past her shield and Njada was no tougher than anyone else.
“You know you're not actually a dragon, right?” Njada said scornfully, raising sword and shield. “What are you going to do, breathe fire at me?”
Elisif drew her swords, Dawnbreaker in one hand, Dragonbane in the other. She'd show her.
“YOL!”
Njada shrieked, only just getting her shield up in time, and even then she wasn't entirely unscathed, staggering back and crying out at the burns on her legs. Straight into the Draugr on the throne. The one which, now that Elisif was closer, she could see was wearing some sort of helmet with dragon teeth shoved into it.
Maw unleashing razor snow, of dragons from the blue brought down, births the walking winter's woe, the High King in his Jagged Crown.
It couldn't be. It wasn't even real, was it? The legendary lost crown of King Borgas, the Jagged Crown, traditional badge of office of the High King or Queen, made from the teeth of dead dragons – and Ulfric had found it, or one of his people had. Ulfric clearly hadn't believed there was anything here either, or he'd have come in person, but he'd evidently been desperate enough to agree to Njada going in search of it.
Elisif saw it, Elisif wanted it, wanted it more than she'd wanted anything. It belonged to the true ruler of Skyrim, it was made of dragons, what was more fitting for her to wear than the Jagged Crown itself?
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 22.8
“You???” he shouted, and Elisif had never seen him so angry before. “You traitorous bitch! Did Kodlak's words mean nothing to you?”
The woman turned and looked at him and Elisif's breath caught in her throat as she recognised her. Njada Stonearm, Talos-worshipping Companion who'd favoured Ulfric, and now clearly one of his officers. Elisif felt her inner dragon start to growl as she realised how the Stormcloaks had got wind of her pseudonym.
“You call me a traitor?” Njada snapped. “Kodlak said to stay neutral, and here you are with her?”
“It's not the same,” Vilkas growled. “Ulfric took one of our own prisoner, it's personal. I don't care if we're in the Empire or not, but you don't hurt my Shield-Siblings.”
“I was in prison in Windhelm for weeks, Njada!” Ria cried, also looking furious. “You were working for Ulfric all that time and never came to even make sure I was all right?”
“You made your choice when you went after the Dragonborn,” Njada shot back. “I knew you weren't being hurt. All you had to do was swear loyalty to Ulfric and tell us what you knew and you'd have been freed.”
“I'd as soon swear loyalty to Mehrunes Dagon!” Ria cried. “Ulfric murdered a king!”
Yes he had, and that was the sticking point, wasn't it? The rights and wrongs of Skyrim staying in the Empire could be argued all day – but he'd killed Elisif's husband. That was something she could never forget... and never forgive. He looked up to you, Ulfric. He'd have taken you seriously if you'd just asked. But you couldn't, could you? You wanted the throne for yourself.
Elisif stepped out into the light, slowly making her way over, cold anger trickling down her back as she prepared to face Njada and her Stormcloak friend.
“Why are you here, Njada,” Elisif said softly. “I can't believe Ulfric would waste his troops on a ruin like this just for the grave goods. The Walls only work for a Dragonborn, Njada. He isn't one.”
Njada's eyes widened a fraction as Elisif approached. Good, so she was afraid. So she should be.
“You don't know?” the Nord with her said, sounding incredulous. Blonde, looking a year or two older than Elisif, and already battle-hardened. “But why come here in person if you didn't know it was here?”
“Ralof, ssh!” Njada hissed. “If she doesn't know, don't tell her!” She turned back to Elisif, eyes narrowed.
“We're here for what's rightfully Ulfric's. You can't hope to stand against him, Elisif. Turn and walk away, and we won't kill you.”
“You think you can kill me?” Elisif laughed, feeling the dragon power pulsing inside, the Thu'um good to go, and this would be a fight to sing of, she knew it would be, Njada was strong but not very much stronger and some things even the Stonearm wouldn't be able to block. Get past her shield and Njada was no tougher than anyone else.
“You know you're not actually a dragon, right?” Njada said scornfully, raising sword and shield. “What are you going to do, breathe fire at me?”
Elisif drew her swords, Dawnbreaker in one hand, Dragonbane in the other. She'd show her.
“YOL!”
Njada shrieked, only just getting her shield up in time, and even then she wasn't entirely unscathed, staggering back and crying out at the burns on her legs. Straight into the Draugr on the throne. The one which, now that Elisif was closer, she could see was wearing some sort of helmet with dragon teeth shoved into it.
Maw unleashing razor snow, of dragons from the blue brought down, births the walking winter's woe, the High King in his Jagged Crown.
It couldn't be. It wasn't even real, was it? The legendary lost crown of King Borgas, the Jagged Crown, traditional badge of office of the High King or Queen, made from the teeth of dead dragons – and Ulfric had found it, or one of his people had. Ulfric clearly hadn't believed there was anything here either, or he'd have come in person, but he'd evidently been desperate enough to agree to Njada going in search of it.
Elisif saw it, Elisif wanted it, wanted it more than she'd wanted anything. It belonged to the true ruler of Skyrim, it was made of dragons, what was more fitting for her to wear than the Jagged Crown itself?