Another Skyrim story, because I can't get enough of that game!

This chapter is really just to give you an idea of how Helgen went, and how certain interactions went down.

Her legs throbbed with each step as she maneuvered herself onto the first floor of the burning structure. She slid quickly through a gap in the wood, giving a small grunt as her legs took the brunt of the sudden drop. She wished the Stormcloaks had been quick enough to cut her bindings before they had all started running. Bound as she was, she could neither brace her hands on the floor from her landing nor properly heal the consequent injuries to her legs.

She endeavored to keep her back straight as she burst out of the building, choking on the black smoke that filled the air. Her body was beginning to ache terribly and her head pulsed painfully from the head wound she'd sustained in the early hours of the morning. If only she could free her hands and properly heal herself-

She brought herself to an abrupt stop at the sight of the red haired soldier crouched in front of her. He paid her little heed, his attention focused completely on the scene before them. Aneira tore her eyes from the back of his head to stare past him and the armored old man beside him. The legionnaire shouted for a young boy to come to them just as the black monstrosity landed behind the prone man on the ground. The child dashed away from the creature toward the legionnaire seconds before they all rushed to the side of the dragon's path of fire.

The soldier turned his soot and sweat stained face to her as the monster took to the sky again. "Still alive, prisoner? Keep close to me if you want to stay that way." He turned to shout an order to the old man to look after the child before putting a hand on her arm. "Come on!"

And then she was sprinting behind another stranger as they evaded the flames and debris that Helgen had become. The Nord seemed constantly aware of her presence, shouting instructions and grasping her arm to put her out of harm's way. They slammed into a stone wall together as the black dragon's wings rammed into the ground on either side of them, and the soldier cleared a path for them both as they dashed through the remains of a burning house.

She cursed breathlessly when they came upon a group of soldiers led by the aging general. She took a few panicked steps back, worrying she would need to sprint away should they decide her failed execution mattered when a city was burning. But they didn't care, too focused on sending arrows in the dragon's direction, and the soldier turned back to her when his general told him to head to the Keep and retreat.

"It's you and me, prisoner. Stay close!"

Aneira didn't need to be told twice, thanking the gods for his protection as the world around them went mad and her bindings rendered her powerless.

They raced to the Keep together, stopping only when the remains of the Stormcloaks met them in the open courtyard. Ralof of Riverwood and Hadvar, as she came to know the soldier's name, threw sharp words across the space before both looked at her to follow them.

"With me, prisoner! Let's go!"

The blonde Stormcloak raced past her, heading for a door to their right. She wondered for a moment if she should follow him instead. Didn't the legionnaire keep calling her prisoner? Shouldn't she flee him while she had the chance? But Hadvar yelled to her from a closer door, and told her he would cut her free once they were inside. She cast one last look at Ralof before charging after the Imperial soldier, praying she was not chasing her own death sentence.

His words contemplating the end of the world were breathless as he quickly pulled his dagger through the ropes around her wrists. Her hands and arms were red from the small rivers of blood that had opened under the coarse bindings.

"Gods, you're a mess. I'm sorry, there wasn't time to do that sooner." He went to pick up a white cloth on a table near them when she enveloped her wrists with restoration magic.

"It's alright," she breathed, closing her eyes in relief as the cuts closed. Her hands moved to her aching skull, and she felt her headache disappear as the head wound was treated.

Hadvar stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Useful skill to have, I guess. Well, take a look around. There should be plenty of gear to choose from. I'm going to see if I can find something for these burns.

"Don't bother," Aneira stated, reaching out to carefully take his sword arm. The skin was red and blistering, likely to leave the flesh permanently discolored and warped if not treated quickly. Hadvar exhaled a little shakily as her magic washed over him, branching out to cloak his body in its golden glow. His skin healed and grew over the wounds, restoring his arm to its normal condition. Aneira nodded to herself, satisfied that he was fully healed, and moved further into the room to find better protection.

The keep rumbled ominously as the dragon continued its assault. She hurried to don the Imperial soldier's armor, grateful to have found a woman's chest and possessions. Hadvar brought her a sword from a rack against the wall, and she tested it briefly. It wasn't a terrific blade, but it would do.

They found a key and unlocked the door, hurrying through the stone corridor until they heard voices beyond a gate. Peering through the bars, Hadvar grimaced at the Stormcloaks resting in the room.

"Maybe we can reason with them," he whispered, carefully raising the gate. Aneira nodded, lowering her sword as they stepped into the room together. The Stormcloaks immediately rose to their feet, weapons rising quickly despite their obvious fatigue.

"Hold on, we only want to-"

"This is what you want, huh?" The male shouted, charging at them with a greatsword that both dodged.

The skirmish was over fairly quickly given Hadvar and Aneira's superior combat skills. As she relieved the woman of her gauntlets, Aneira wondered if all the Stormcloaks had such poor battle sense and how the rebellion could still be a threat if they did. As they moved deeper underground, Aneira was grateful she had chosen to follow the red head. He had acted rationally, trying to avoid conflict with the Stormcloaks while they had wasted time attacking them. With all the insanity unraveling around her, at least she'd chosen someone with a level head on his shoulders. He reacted quickly when the ceiling in front of them collapsed, shouting for her to take cover as he hit the floor.

They found only continued hostility from the Stormcloaks when they entered a storeroom and found two rebels rummaging through the barrels. Dispatching of them, Aneira picked up the sack they'd partially filled and shoved the food lying around the room inside it. Ridiculous, but at least now she had some possessions and sustenance if she made it out of Helgen alive. Hadvar waited while she gathered the items and gold held by Ulfric's men, even calling out to check the barrels for potions. His instincts were good, and they ran further down the sloped corridor with a least some protection beyond her magic.

It didn't take long for them to find more trouble in the keep as they came upon a group of Stormcloaks dueling in what, to Aneira's disgust, appeared to be a torture room. Hadvar reflected her distaste, but he still warned the torturer of the danger while she looted the room and dead for supplies. She flinched at the mage lying dead in a cell, but even Hadvar saw the need to collect whatever they could carry. He gave her some lock picks to get inside when the torture master refused to provide help, and he didn't flinch when she popped the door open with ease. The clothes and hood on the body were free of blood or damage, and she realized from the discoloration around the mouth and eyes that the man had been poisoned to death. She tugged the enchanted clothes from the body quickly before turning back to the torturer.

"You aren't even clever enough to stop yourself from killing someone? What kind of a soldier are you?" Aneira demanded, slamming the cage door behind her as Hadvar came to take her arm.

"Watch your mouth, girl, or I could just as easily put you in there to join him." The Imperial sneered, crossing his arms and leaning back against a wooden pillar.

She snorted in disgust, daring him to try it before moving away from the vile man, slinging her pack over her shoulder. Hadvar led the way down another corridor, ignoring the torturer's snide remark that there was no way out.

Hadvar slowed in front of her as they heard the sound of running water and hurried voices. Peering carefully around the corner while Hadvar waited, Aneira was dismayed to see more than half a dozen Stormcloaks spread across a cave like room. She slipped the pack quietly from her shoulder as she readied her blade. Hadvar tightened his jaw before heading into the room. The two Stormcloaks standing near the door lifted their weapons as they came into the light, but weren't quick enough to block their swift cuts. The men fell to the ground as their Stormcloak comrades cried in outrage, advancing on the two in a fury. Aneira cast her newly acquired shield to the side, freeing her left hand to bath the oncoming Nords in a spray of fire. The fabric of their armor quickly caught, distracting the first man long enough for Aneira to change her position and send her sword into his chest. His armor, though sturdier than she'd anticipated, gave beneath her weapon, and the man choked as he fell to the floor.

An arrow whipped behind her as she backed away from the next Nord, casting a glance down the stairs to where Hadvar staggered under the assault of two Stormcloaks wielding a war hammer and battleaxe. She spared him no more than a moment once she spied the archer across the room carefully taking aim at her.

She quickly tossed her sword into her left hand, deftly pulling the dagger she'd acquired earlier from its sheath. Sending another wave of flames into her foe, Aneira began the careful process of strafing toward the stairs and Hadvar. As she reached the edge, she allowed the archer another glance before diving under the oncoming Stormcloak's swing. She shoved her dagger firmly into his side, earning a pained grunt as both the arrow and dagger ripped open his body. His greatsword slipped from his hands to the floor beneath the stairs, sliding down them with a loud crash. Aneira left her dagger in his side as the large man followed his sword down the stairs, looking back at the archer to see him staring in shock at his fallen comrade, his own arrow sticking out prominently in the man's neck.

Aneira leapt down the stairs, preparing a burst of flames in her hands before the archer could recover from his shock. Hadvar was still on the defensive and quickly losing ground from the sheer force of the two-handed blows. She sent flames at the Nords from the side, burning the arms of the man closest to her. Like his fallen comrade, he screamed as the fire began to take over the fabric of his armor. Hadvar leapt back in shock, gaping at her for a split second before focusing on their foes once more. The Nord free of burns turned his attention to Aneira and his partner, leaving him open to Hadvar's fatal attack once he recovered.

To Aneira's own shock, the flaming Stormcloak charged her, heedless of the fire that continued to eat at his armor. She leapt to the ground as he brought down his war hammer, landing close enough to feel the vibrations the iron weapon sent through the floor. She was given no time to rise before he brought the hammer down again, this time catching her side as she rolled away. She let out a deep gasp of pain, losing her sword as she desperately tried to heal herself. The Nord was upon her again, raising his hammer over his head. Panicking, Aneira conjured sparks and unleashed the blast directly into his arm. He bellowed and jerked, his grip tightening on the shaft of his hammer as the sparks traveled through his arm. Aneira rolled away, landing in the cold water that ran through the cavern. Clutching her side again, she sent the restoration magic into her ribs before the Stormcloak could recover.

The Nord turned on her again with a cry of rage, moving to close the scant feet between them. She was spared the burden of defending herself again when Hadvar sent his sword through the man's upper chest, ripping it back out so quickly the Stormcloak didn't seem to understand what had happened until his hammer slipped out of his hands.

Rising hastily to her feet, Aneira yelled for Hadvar to move before the archer could release another arrow in their direction. He spun around, keeping his sword aloft as they made for the back stairs again. The archer seemed to be panicking, fumbling with the few arrows he had left as they moved. Aneira reclaimed her shield, positioning it and herself in front of Hadvar as they stalked toward the last man.

An arrow rang against her shield, earning a small grunt from Aneira as they drew closer. It bounced to the ground, and drew Aneira's eyes to the shiny quality of the stones around them. She recognized the slick material of lamp oil, dripping slowly from the single lantern hanging above them.

She cursed her bad luck, clenching her fist at the realization that to use any fire or sparksc could very well send them all up in flames, and her skill with frost magic was mediocre at best. Aneira and Hadvar would need to get close enough to the archer to engage in hand to hand combat, and the archer already had another arrow at the ready.

It sailed passed her to the right, and Aneira heard a high gasp of pain. Hadvar's sword clattered to the ground behind her, but Aneira paid him little heed as she charged forward before the archer could draw either another arrow or the sword at his side.

The archer had managed to get another arrow back to his front when Aneira brought her own sword down against his arrow arm. The unprotected flesh gave easily under her swing, and the man cried out and dropped both his bow and arrow before Aneira bashed her shield against his head and neck. The man collapsed to the ground, his eyes staring blankly at the rocky ceiling.

Aneira wheeled around quickly, rushing back to where Hadvar knelt hunched over the floor, his hands frantically cupping the right side of his neck as blood leaked out around his fingers. His face was press into the oily ground as his waist bent over his knees. His uniform was already cover in red at the shoulder and the sticky substance had covered most of his hands and arms.

"Move, move!" Aneira ordered hastily, bringing both hands up to cup his throat. She pushed his fingers out of the way as the golden glow encased his neck. The blood began to pool over her fingers as the magicka surged into the open wound. She felt him seize beneath her fingers, his body twitching frantically as the veins and tissue sealed itself back into place. After many painful seconds, Hadvar gave a great sigh as the last of the wound vanished to leave only soft healed skin. Aneira pulled away from his neck carefully, steadfastly ignoring the red coating her fingers to focus on that which now drenched Hadvar's uniform and body. Pulling his body upright, she saw a ghastly amount of blood had been lost from the severed artery, and his pallid complexion did nothing to reassure her that it wasn't as bad as it looked. His torso leaned forward, resting in her arms for a few moments as he swayed on his knees.

"Easy, easy," she muttered, wrapping an arm around his back as she eased him back to sit against the wooden railing to her left. "Give me a moment and I'll grab you a potion." He breathed deeply and nodded lightly in reply, turning his head limply to the side as she moved away. Rushing back into the tunnel, she grabbed the bag and rushed back to the weary soldier, rummaging hurriedly for a stamina potion that she'd taken from the barrel.

"Here," she said, finally pulling the green liquid out of the bag. She uncorked it quickly and brought it to his lips. He drank it slowly, his gulps shallow, but a little color returned to his cheeks as the potion did its work. "You've lost a lot of blood, but we can't rest here. There may be another cave-in." She cast another healing spell over Hadvar, watching as it spread along his limbs without focusing on a particular point. "Your wounds are healed. You're going to be fine." She pushed her right hand through his damp hair, keeping up the gentle restoration glow in case he was suffering from any dizziness or headache. Looking around the dimly lit cave, she saw evidence of plants growing across the walls. "Keep drinking this," she order, forcing his hand to cup the bottle. "I'll be right back."

She darted back over to stairs, heading down to the stream. Aneira quickly thanked Stendarr when she found moss growing through the stones. Using her dagger she quickly cut through the stringy plant, bending to rinse it quickly in the water. Pausing for a moment, she examined the bodies of the Stormcloaks lying around her. Two still had coins purses which she nabbed hurriedly. Neither had any other potions or remedies. She cut through a clean piece of blue fabric in their armor, wrapping handfuls of the damp plant inside them and shoving the handfuls into her sack. After half a moment's consideration, she took their undamaged fur gloves and boots as well, leaving her pack full to bursting.

Moving back to where Hadvar was still sitting, she knelt before him with one clump. "Open your mouth," she commanded, pulling at a single vine. Hadvar opened his eyes slowly, still breathing heavily. He focused on her face briefly before setting his sight on the green mound. "Why? What's that?" He sighed, moving to put his arm around the rail. She supported his back as he rose slowly to his feet, quickly finishing the rest of the potion.

"It's moss. It has restorative properties." She shifted her hand unto her palm was below his chin. "Try to swallow some of it down."

Hadvar's throat clenched as he eyed the slimy mound in her hand. He pursued his lips slightly as she brought her free hand to his cheek. "You've already healed me completely, haven't you? The moss can't do more than you could."

Aneira pulled her hand from his cheek to wag a finger. "The moss will fortify your health, not restore what you've loss. Even I cannot give you more than you naturally have." She brought Hadvar's right hand up, dumping the plant into his hand. "Please. Just chew on it while we move. It won't be pleasant," she added when he grimaced, "but it won't hurt anything. You aren't a magic user, are you?"

Hadvar's brow furrowed before he shook his head. "Not in any sense."

Aneira gave a small smile. "Then you have nothing to worry about. The moss only limits the abilities of mages."

Hadvar frowned and looked thoroughly put out as Aneira turned away, but she heard him put the sticky plant in his mouth. Picking up the discarded bow and what arrows the archer still had, Aneira lowered the small ramp with a lever while Hadvar slowly made his way toward the exit, gagging slightly.

They were no more than a few feet away when the entire cavern shook, and the small bridge collapsed to the ground below. "No going back that way then," Hadvar breathed, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and quickening his steps down the small ramp. The ground was no longer cobbled, and the moisture of the cave left it slick and uneven. The bones of other creatures, both humans and not, littered the corners, and she bid Hadvar to wait at the top of an incline when large cobwebs appeared.

Aneira made short work of the spiders, sending them scurrying in a frenzy with her flames. She called for Hadvar to come down as she dipped the tips of her newly acquired arrows in the venom dripping from the creatures' mouths. "What's next," Hadvar muttered, stumbling toward the next tunnel. "Giant snakes?" Aneira gave a breath of laughter, tucking the arrows back into her quiver.

They came upon a dimly little cavern, quietly approaching a cart bearing a lantern. "Is this a smuggler's den?" Aneira whispered, theorizing out loud. The cart contained bottles upon bottles of some type of alcohol. "If it is there must be an exit not far from here-"

"Wait!" Hadvar hissed, grabbing her arm to bring them both to the ground. "There's a bear!" He voiced his unease in a rush, urging her to let them quietly sneak by the creature without engaging it. Aneira chaffed slightly at the thought of leaving the bear behind to harm anyone else that might make it through the tunnels, but acquiesced to his request. Hadvar was still too weak to fight, and stressing him further would do them no good. They moved slowly past the cart and wine bottles, and Aneira earned a glare from Hadvar when she stopped to place two bottles in her pack, along with the coin pouch she found tucked against the side. "Easy does it, we're almost there," Hadvar whispered as they rounded the bend and the bear remained asleep.

He let out a loud breath of relief as they rounded one last corner and saw sunlight glaring through the opening of a cave mouth. "The way out. I was starting to wonder if we'd ever make it." Hadvar's words lost a bit of their strength as he stumbled against the slick incline, going to one knee near the opening.

"We're almost out, Hadvar," Aneira assured him softly as she put an arm around his back, whipping her pack in front of them. She grabbed one of the moss wraps, hurriedly dumping it into Hadvar's unresisting hand. "Don't pass out just yet." He nodded, leaning on her for a few moments while he attempted to swallow quickly. After a few seconds his breath came easier and they rose together.

As they finally left the cave Aneira's eyes watered at the change in the light, the afternoon sun reflected brightly in the snow surrounding them. She raised a hand to shield her eyes when suddenly another dark shape moved across the sky.

"Wait," Hadvar whispered sharply, bringing them both to the ground again and pressing her tightly against his side. A few tears escaped her eyes as she look into the bright sky, watching the dragon cut across the blue at a terrifying speed. It vanished beyond a mountain, obscured by the drifting clouds. "Looks like he's gone for good this time. But I don't think we should stick around to see if he comes back."

Aneira made a sound of assent, bringing them both back to a standing position and disconnecting their arms. She rested her palm on his back, cautiously releasing a bit more restoration magic. "We need to get you someplace safe, where you can rest. Is there another city like Helgen close by?"

Hadvar shook his head, looking toward the mountain before them. "Closest town from here is Riverwood. My uncle's the blacksmith there. I'm sure he'd help you out."

Aneira pursued her lips, shaking her head. "I'm fine. It's you we need to worry about."

They started down the mountain path at a slow pace. Hadvar's balance was steadily becoming worse, and all her restoration skills couldn't make up for the blood loss. His face seemed even paler in the sunlight, his burgundy hair standing out starkly against his cheeks. The path was uneven and twisting, so unlike the straightforward paths back in Cyrodiil. With only two helpings of the moss left, she was hesitant to give him another so soon.

She earned Hadvar's impatient sighs as she told him to keep walking while she stooped to gather the wild flowers and snowberries that grew around them. "We just escaped a city ravaged by a dragon attack, and you're picking flowers?"

"My studies taught me to never take anything for granted. And these," she paused to hold a small blue flower aloft, "are known to have healing properties if I'm not mistaken."

Hadvar grunted, moving slowly down the mountain by himself. "Yeah, there is a small alchemy table in the inn in Riverwood. But what would you have done if there wasn't?"

Aneira straightened with her handful of flowers, tucking them into the top of the sack. She quickly caught up with him, but he noticed her frown of confusion. "But, surely every developed town has at least one alchemy table?"

Hadvar guffawed loudly for a moment before wincing, cradling his forehead in his large right hand. Before he could say anything, Aneira discreetly brought her right hand behind his head, flooding him with magic again. "I don't know about that. The cities all do, I think. The innkeeper in town is a Breton and was always mixing up potions in her spare time." He looked at her sideways. "Most folk around here wouldn't pay attention to a thing like that unless they truly needed something. I've never met anyone who picked plants assuming she'd quickly be able to brew them up."

Aneira shrugged her shoulders, reaching down to snag another handful of purple blossoms. "Where I grew up the only plants we saw with any regularity were the oak trees." She brought the blooms to her nose, inhaling deeply. "If you wanted ingredients, most of the year you had to go on a pretty long walk."

Hadvar looked at her more fully. "I never asked. Where are you from?"

She twirled the thistle branch between her fingers. "I was born and raised in Bruma."

"What brought you to Skyrim?"

Aneira paused before answering. "Just wanted a change of scenery, I suppose," she said plaintively. Before Hadvar could ask her to elaborate she turned to face him again. "How much further to the village?"
Hadvar glanced around them, momentarily distracted by the change of subject. "We've got to reach the river and head north from there." He took a deep breath, rubbing his healed neck in distaste. "It'll take longer than usual."

"In that case we might want to take a break when we reach the water. You need to drink and eat something before your limbs grow too heavy."

Hadvar scowled at the river, moving a bit quicker down the sloping stone path. "That's not necessary. Riverwood is just down the road." He took the turn sharply, his footsteps thudding loudly against the ground.

Aneira raised her hands in surrender, though Hadvar could no longer see them. "Alright. But you should choke down another pile of moss soon. And let me know if you become light headed, or your skin begins to feel stiff. I can't be certain how much blood you lost, and your body may attempt to compensate in other ways."

Hadvar turned to his left as she caught up to him again. "Are you a healer or something?"

Aneira shook her head. "I've only mastered apprentice level restoration spells. Such a feat is hardly enough to call myself a healer."

"Still, you seem knowledgeable. The Legion could use more folk like you."

Aneira turned to stare at him, a sour expression on her face.

"The Legion could apparently use a lot of things."

Hadvar winced at her reproachful tone. "I know, today wasn't the best introduction to the Legion, but I hope you'll give us another chance."

"This wasn't my introduction to the Legion, Hadvar." Aneira's tight reply gave Hadvar pause, and he watched her warily. "My father was a Legionnaire, and my grandfather before him." She shook her head, bringing her left hand up to run through her hair. "That captain blatantly disregarded Legion protocol and my rights as a prisoner. Is that what the Legion has come to?"

Hadvar looked back down, a guilty flush creeping up his neck at the disappointment and censure in her voice. Aneira didn't elaborate on his own part in her execution order. It was far easier to forgive the lower soldier simply following orders than it was to forgive the domineering woman who'd sneered as she sent Aneira to have her head lopped off. It also didn't hurt that Hadvar had gone out of his way to keep her safe as Helgen burned around them. Still, his easy acquiescence with the Captain's order wasn't reassuring.

"The rebellion's made everything difficult. With the Stormcloaks stirring up trouble in every corner of Skyrim, the Legion's been desperate to stamp out the root of it." He gave her a glance out of the corner of his eye. "You shouldn't have been sent to the block, I know that. But questioning the orders of a superior officer, in front of a city of onlookers and traitors, wasn't going to make the situation better. She wasn't going to change her mind." Aneira frowned, lips pursued as she considered his words. "You saw what she did to that thief from Rorikstead."

Aneira scowled at the stony path. "How did someone like that gain a position of authority? If a soldier tried to pull that in Cyrodiil they would have been the one hauled away to face judgment. Is there no system of review up here?" Aneira asked, disbelief and confusion in her voice.

Hadvar rubbed a hand behind his neck, matching her expression. "There used to be. But it's like I said, the rebellion has thrown everything into chaos. The Empire wants a quick resolution, and the officers are feeling the pressure." He snuck her another glance as they rounded another corner. "I know that doesn't excuse it, or make up for the injustice. But that's how it is." Aneira didn't respond, reaching down to snatch up another handful of flowers. "For what it's worth," Hadvar said slowly, "I'm sorry I didn't speak up for you."

Aneira gave him no reply for a few moments, chewing absently on her lower lip. At last, she relented. "You saved my life, didn't you? It would be poor form to hold a grudge against someone who protected you." Hadvar didn't reply, though his body untensed as relief and gratitude washed through him. "At any rate, you need to eat another piece of moss now." Hadvar looked at her, disgust plain on his face. "Your face is pale, and the skin has begun to tighten and dry out. You need something to take the edge off before you collapse." Hadvar's expression turned to one of resignation, his eyes gazing balefully at her pack as she pulled the plant out.

Aneira passed him the pile, smirking slightly at the look of displeasure on his face. Hadvar looked at the moss with his lip curled, keeping the substance in his palm and holding it near his chest. "I can't carry you to the next town on my back," she joked, giving his side a small nudge with her elbow. Hadvar grunted, tilting his head back and shoving all the moss in his mouth at once.

He choked and groaned at the disgusting taste, galled when Aneira tossed her head back lightly and laughed. The silvery sound traveled around them, carried on the cool mountain wind.