Well, what a ride.
More than five years ago, on a car ride into town, I asked myself one question: "What would happen if Ylva had to fight the Thalmor for Skyrim's freedom?" If I remember correctly, I hadn't even finished writing To Kill a Dragonborn yet, but I knew this series wasn't stopping with two books. That question spawned the creation of Victory or Sovngarde, and here we are, more than five years later, at the end of this road.
If the ending of this book didn't make it obvious, Ylva's story is done. Not that she won't ever make an appearance ever again, but I believe her time as a main character is through. Shes's always been my favorite original character (don't tell Femke), so it's hard to close this chapter. But this was Ylva's trilogy, and now it's time she passed the torch to someone else. She's lived her life, accomplished her goals, and I think it's time for her to rest and relax.
Don't worry, I still have plans for my Skyrim characters. The Companions will still be a main feature of my stories because I love them so much. I always have, and I think I always will.
I have loved every moment of this journey, though, if I could go back and do things differently, I wouldn't have taken so long to write this story. My only regret is that I spent so long in between updates, but I'm still happy with where we find ourselves today. I could blame my absence on a myriad of circumstances. College, work, marriage. My life has changed immensely since I started writing on here, but I hope that my work has remained mostly the same.
This is my favorite book that I've written on this site. It took the most work for sure, since I had to conceptualize everything myself. There was no quest guide, no dialogue transcripts. The only thing I had to work with was the climax of the story, Ylva standing over Elenwen's dead body, declaring Skyrim's freedom. That moment in the story is what kept me working. I felt that I owed it to my readers to bring that moment onto the page. If I hadn't finished it, I don't think I would've been happy with myself.
I wish I had the time to thank each and every one of you for sticking with me, waiting so patiently for the next chapter. You're the reason I kept plugging through the writer's block, the long stretches of not touching this story or playing Skyrim. Without you, your votes and comments and kind words, I don't think I would've made it this far. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. You're all so precious to me, and, if you'll have me, I'll keep writing for you. I love this community so much, and I want to remain a part of it for as long as I can.
Thanks again for sticking with me on this incredible adventure. Here's to the next one!
~Wolfie