Not Alone (A Skyrim Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

    

     I laughed in exhilaration as I performed a double slash with my favorite dual Daedric swords.  The bandit in from of me blocked part of the attack with his iron shield and shouted, "You picked a bad time to get lost, friend!"

     Since I couldn't think of a witty retort at the moment, I simply cut off his head with a perfectly timed power attack.  Doubtless I'd think of one to say later, over a good bottle of mead when I didn't need it anymore.

     I looted him (he had nothing useful except 10 gold) and mounted my horse.  I had owned this horse for nearly a month now.  Although all horses were hardy and strong, they seldom survived when a dragon attacked, which happened more than you might think.  I had defeated Alduin a few months ago, but there was still the odd dragon roosting in various places around Skyrim.  Secretly I was relieved.  First, I relied on dragon souls to unlock the power of my Shouts, and second, the scales and bones fetched a great price at the markets.  Everyone wanted a souvenir from one of the great beasts.

     I shook my head.  I think the strangest things when I'm tired.  I started with horses, then jumped to dragons, and now I'm thinking about my own thoughts....

     I snorted quietly to myself and spurred my horse on.  It was a black and white paint, my favorite color.  Random thought again....

     I had just left Redoran's Retreat, a bandit hideout that the Jarl of Whiterun had asked me to clear out.  Whiterun was very close by, just a couple minute's canter to the east.  Luckily, me being a Thane there and all that, I had my own house inside the city.  It was pretty small, not much to look at, but Breezehome was far nicer than spending the night in The Bannered Mare, Whiterun's inn.  Although after all this fighting, I was in the mood for a bottle of mead before I turned in.  I would pick up my bounty tomorrow, then head for Riften and tell Delvin I had finished his job.

     Yeah, I had a busy life, but I loved every minute of it.  Even after I had fulfilled my destiny as Dragonborn, I still kept myself busy and happy as a successful adventurer. 

     A pack of wolves chose that moment to attack, leaping at my legs and tearing at my horse's sides.  For me, wolves were a complete joke.  Their claws couldn't even pierce my Daedric armor.  Unfortunately, my horse was not so invulnerable.  It let out a pained neigh, but even while under attack still didn't attempt to run away with me.  Taking pity on the beast I shot each wolf with a fireball, killing them instantly.  I wrinkled my nose in distaste as the smell of burnt hide and flesh assailed my nostrils and spurred the horse on. 

     By now Whiterun was just a mile distant.  I crossed the last of the plains and came to the stable, where I left my horse with instructions for her to be fed and watered.  The sun was just setting as I trudged up the path leading into the Hold.  I noticed that the Khajiit caravan that occasionally camped outside Whiterun was there, the Khajiit setting up tents and displaying their wares.  I didn't care much for Khajiit, a sentiment I knew was shared among most Nords, although unlike Ulfric Stormcloak, I didn't openly hate non-humans. 

     The guards at the Whiterun gates recognized me and pulled one open.  I didn't even notice, still caught up in my thoughts. 

     That was the one thing that I disliked about Ulfric.  He was a strong fighter, a true Nord.  He would find his place in Sovngarde among the great warriors who had helped him defeat Alduin.  I respected him, nay, adored him.  He was my leader, and I had followed him throughout the revolution and broken down the great gates of Solitude with him at my side.  But no matter how much I loved my leader, I abhorred the way he treated non-humans.  If you had ever been to the Gray Quarters in Windhelm, you would understand.  The humans lived in the clean and well-tended parts of the ancient city, while the Dark Elves lived in one corner in dark and filthy houses that were falling apart with age.  It was true, some of those elves hated Nords just as much as they hated the elves, but still!  And that wasn't all of it either.  The Argonians who worked on the docks were treated almost as badly.  They had better living conditions, but low wages and dissent from the Nords who worked there as well discouraged many.