"Come on, Hadvar. We need to move." I spoke gently. Hadvar nodded and resumed searching for a way through the gate. I murmured a few more words, shrouding both myself and Hadvar in magical protection. It would deflect blows, if we couldn't do so ourselves. It wouldn't last long, but enough to keep us alive.
Suddenly, the gate raised into the ceiling. Hadvar gave an exclamation of satisfaction, and gestured through. I smiled at him, and walked past him, through the archway and into a short corridor. We came through into another room with another gate, but this time the lever to open it was placed right beside it. Just before Hadvar reached for it, I grabbed his hand, stopping him pulling it. He looked down at me questioningly.
"Stormcloaks," I whispered, jerking my head towards the room on the other side of the gate.
"Maybe we can reason with them?"
"Maybe." I released his hand, and he opened the gate. We walked through, our hands in the air as the Stormcloaks raised their axes to greet us. "We don't want any trouble. We want to get out of here just as much as you do."
"Imperial dogs!" One of the Stormcloaks yelled out the phrase just before lurching forward and swinging his enormous battleaxe. I dodged nimbly away from the blow and drew Sol. Hadvar drew his standard-issue sword and attacked, and I swung at the female Stormcloak that was behind the one with the battleaxe. She had a sword, and we were more evenly matched. I struck swiftly and immediately, wounding her leg before she could raise her sword. She cried out and lunged for me. I deflected the blow easily and locked blades with her. Looking back, I saw Hadvar struggling to deal with the big man, so I raised my left hand and cast a powerful yet simple restoration spell. Light burst from my hand, temporarily blinding the woman and allowing me to swing around and embed Sol into the man's spine. He dropped like a ragdoll, dead instantly. I span quickly and let a bolt of lightning spark from my fingers to the blinded woman's heart, making her spasm slightly before she dropped just like her companion had. I breathed heavily as I grinned at Hadvar. He faltered again, but recovered quickly and grinned back.
"Thank you, Ly.... Lyara?" I laughed.
"Lyanna. You're welcome, Hadvar." Hadvar inclined his head slightly in thanks, then withdrew a key from his pockets and opened another door, and led me down a flight of stairs. It seemed strange to me that we were going down; we wanted to get out, not further in. But I supposed that the dragon couldn't get us here.
Or so I thought, until we came to a landing and a whole section of the roof collapsed in front of us.
"Doesn't give up easy, does he?"
"He certainly doesn't. At least there's still this door." I opened the door; it was the only remaining option. There was two Stormcloaks, arguing loudly about whether to get out or search for supplies. I didn't take any chances; I yelled as I charged, and decapitated the taller one in my first swipe. But that put me off-balance, and the other one was standing over me with his axe raised, and my eyes widened, waiting for the blow to come. But it didn't; Hadvar's sword struck first, stabbing through the rebel's chest and helping me up quickly. I hugged him tightly, with no words. Then I let him go, and searched quickly for anything I could use while Hadvar recovered from the shock I'd just given him.
Eventually, we left the storeroom, and went down another set of stairs to a chamber where a small battle was already going on.
"The torture chamber. Gods, I wish we didn't need these." I grimaced, and ran to help the torturers. Two more Stormcloaks; just as easily dispatched as the others.
"Glad you got here in time. These boys didn't seem too impressed with how I've been treating their friends." The head torturer's voice was a sickening, droning, arrogant voice that showed no fear.
"Don't you know what's happening?" Hadvar said.
"You know, the dragon attacking the town above you?"
"Dragon, pssh. The last day I feared myths, I was twelve."
I was irritated by this arrogant man's manner, and I let it show.
"This isn't a myth. A dragon is attacking Helgen; what do you think that shudder was earlier? Just a convenient earthquake?" The torturer didn't take any heed to my words, but his assistant did.
"Forget the old man; I'll come with you." Finally, someone with sense. The torturer ignored his assistant, and simply sneered at us as we sprinted down a rocky cave-like corridor towards what Hadvar said was an exit.
There were more Stormcloaks. We were in some sort of underground river, with Imperial stone walls surrounding and bridging the water. It was dank, dark and smelled of dead things. I wrinkled my nose up and attacked. The torturer's assistant took out two rebels with his daggers, and Hadvar took three. I found a particularly strong match in a six-foot man no older than thirty. He managed to block every blow I threw at him, and we fought for at least three minutes before enough was enough. I performed a particularly complex move with Sol in my right hand, while my left hand summoned flames and cast it into his belly. The man doubled over, trying to scream but winded, and I lopped his head off with one stroke. I brushed my hair out of my eyes and sheathed Sol. The only way out was a cave that was so covered in cobwebs that it was obvious no-one had gone down there recently, and Hadvar said that was the exit he remembered.
The assistant wished us luck, and went back. He'd had a change of heart; he was going to try and convince the old man to come with them and live. We wished him luck in return, and Hadvar slashed through the cobwebs to let us through the cave. He quickly found a lever and dropped a drawbridge into a full-on cave; with the river flowing through it, the mushrooms growing in the dank corners and the muddy ground. And no sooner had we crossed the bridge than another rockfall caused the bridge to snap behind us, leaving us no way out. We were forced to go through the cave.
"No way back that way."
Hadvar vaulted over the handhold, dropping to the ground and walking along the flow of the river. I followed him, using the water to clean off my boots. We followed the cave for a long time; fighting off frostbite spiders at one point, sneaking past a bear the next. By the time we emerged into the fresh air, I was quite glad to be rid of the cave.
But before we could even relax, Hadvar ushered me down and looked up. The dragon was circling overhead, apparently searching for any survivors. It didn't see us, thank the gods, and it flew off, roaring as it went. I sighed with relief, then stood up again, stretching my back to get rid of my cramps. Hadvar looked to me and smiled, then began to speak.
"Looks like he's gone for good this time. My uncle Alvor is the blacksmith just down the road in Riverwood. Come on, he'll help us out."
"Riverwood? Isn't that a mill town?"
"Yes, it's where I was born. It's a lovely little place."
"Well then, let's get going." I gave Hadvar a smile and kissed his cheek. He blushed slightly, then smiled back awkwardly. Then he began to walk north. I followed him closely, making sure to stick with him.
After about five minutes' walk, Hadvar stopped and pointed up at an old Nordic tomb.
"Bleak Falls Barrow. I used to have nightmares about that place. Draugr climbing down the mountain to kill me at night, that sort of thing. I admit, I still don't much like the look of it."
"Those ruins always creep me out. I don't blame you." He smiled and set off again. Less than five minutes later, he stopped again, pointing me towards some old standing stones.
"These are the Guardian Stones. Three of thirteen. See for yourself." I did so; I looked at all three. The far left one held a carving of a cloaked and masked man wielding daggers. The middle was a man in robes wielding a staff. The far right had an armoured man with a battleaxe. Although I didn't use a battleaxe, I most certainly wasn't a thief or a wizard. I stroked the stone slightly, and a strange blue light burst from the top of it, reaching up to the heavens and making me feel suddenly more adept in my abilities.
"Warrior. I knew you shouldn't have been in that cart." I smiled at Hadvar and we set off again, stopping only to defend ourselves from an aggressive pack of wolves.
I could see Riverwood just over the hill.
"Listen, as far as I'm concerned, you've already earned your pardon. But until we get General Tullius to confirm that, you should probably stay clear of any Imperials."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"And when we're in Riverwood, just follow what I do. Don't draw attention to yourself." I nodded.
We entered Riverwood by around two in the afternoon. Hadvar led me to the smithy and called up to his uncle.
"Hadvar! Gods boy, you look like you lost a fight with a cave bear. Aren't you supposed to be with-"
"Shhh! Uncle, I will tell you everything inside. Lyanna is a friend; she helped me escape."
"Of course, nephew. Come on inside, I'll get you both some food."
We entered Alvor's house, and Alvor called his wife, Sigrid, up to bring us some food.
"Now, tell me. What exactly happened to you two?"
I tuned out; I didn't want to hear the story again. It had been horrible enough the first time, so I simply ate and ate and ate while Hadvar explained everything to Alvor. By the time he finished, I was completely full and laid back in the chair. Then Alvor spoke to me instead of Hadvar.
"You're welcome to stay here as long as you like, and take what you like, within reason of course. But I ask this of you; the Jarl needs to know about this. Could you go to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun and call for help? If Riverwood's attacked as well, we stand no chance."
"I thank you for your hospitality. I can go to Whiterun for you, but why not Falkreath? Riverwood is part of Falkreath Hold, isn't it?"
Alvor blanched.
"Aye, it is. But Siddgeir has a reputation for doing nothing but drinking and whoring. I can vouch for it myself. Balgruuf is a reliable man, honorable and true. He will help us, Jarl Siddgeir will not." I nodded.
Before I left, I decided to pack some food and drink for the journey. I might even decide to go on an adventure after returning to Riverwood, so I would need as much as I could get. My bags were full, and I laid down on a bed to rest my legs for a moment. I felt myself slowly drifting off, fully clothed. I didn't fight it, I simply fell asleep, ready to be perfectly able again once I woke up in the morning to go to Whiterun.
