Dragonborn Rising

Chapter 61 -- Long Time Coming

*****

Not to sound arrogant, but taking over Riften was easier than I anticipated.

We made our move between midnight and dawn, definitely at that time of the evening when guards are bored and tired, and the city was otherwise silent. I split the thieves into small groups, ensuring two to three to take each guard. They all had the same instructions. Disable and detain the guards where possible, but they were entitled to defend themselves, using lethal force, if necessary.

Others were sent to the homes of known Stormcloak sympathisers. They were under strict orders not to kill. Knock them out if necessary but do not spill blood. Thankfully, they all followed that order.

I stayed out of the way at the beginning, leaving Brynjolf and his small teams to take down each guard around Riften. Some were alone and easier to take down, others did work in pairs. There was one raised alarm, thankfully only another guard going to search the disturbance, finding themselves gagged and bound with the two already taken.

The difficult part was taking the Keep and the barracks. Most guards who slept there would be asleep, Brynjolf leading most of his people off there as I opened both doors into the Keep. There were two guards who noticed my approach, flanked by half a dozen thieves. They attacked immediately. I didn't move from the doorway, the thieves taking them down for me.

But it hadn't taken place without making noise, and I wasn't surprised when Harrald, son of Jarl Laila, and Unmid Snow-Shod, her housecarl, appeared through the doorway near her throne. "What is the meaning of this?" Unmid demanded.

Unsheathing my weapon, I pointed it at Unmid. Harrald didn't concern me. He was all talk, no action. Unmid was a warrior. I'd shared a tankard with him in the Bee and Barb more than once. He had the scars to prove his bravery. I lowered the sword at my side, but I noticed his eyes look down before meeting mine again. "If you stand down now, Unmid, no further bloodshed need occur."

He already had weapon in hand. "You traitorous bastard," he growled.

"Let's kill him!" Harrald cried.

I glared him. "Boy, you won't get three swings at me before I take your fucking head. Pipe down. The adults are conversing." I looked at back at Unmid. "If you wish to fight, so be it. But by dawn today, Riften will be in the hands of the Empire. Jarl Laila will be in charge no more, though there is no intent to kill her. You cannot prevent any of this happening. It is your choice if you wish to die in vain to prevent it."

He had my immediate respect for charging at me. He was a Nord warrior, brave, honest, and most importantly, loyal. He had talent with his axe. He was quick for a big man. With all the furniture, it was difficult to find space, eventually backing out and around so we fought on grass. I heard more sounds and figured the others were taking care of Harrald, though my eyes remained on Unmid.

If he hadn't been so angry, he would have been able to show his talents, but he was angry, his blood was up, and that's when a warrior makes silly mistakes. I kept him back until the opening prevented itself. I didn't want to kill him straight away, I didn't want to kill him at all to be honest, so disarmed him first. But he kept fighting even without his axe, almost clawing at my eyes. Putting my forehead into his nose, I heard the crunch of cartilage before he finally fell back onto the ground, putting the tip of my sword at his throat. "Stand down," I demanded, "Your death will be unnecessary."

"Standing aside brings dishonour. I will always be loyal to my lady."

"And the men and women around me recognise that. But your death is not necessary for what is about to happen. I assure you, Sovngarde will still await once you have taken your last breath." I glanced away, noticing Brynjolf and Delvin nearby, a nod from Brynjolf suggesting all was well within the barracks. "Bind his wrists behind his back," I ordered, gesturing at Unmid, "Treat him with the respect earned as a fellow warrior."

"Aye, Dragonborn," Brynjolf replied.,

"Karliah, Vex, with me. Time to deal with the Jarl."

No surprise her door was barricaded. Anuriel, her steward, was dragged out of her quarters and escorted downstairs. Saerlund walked out of his room and immediately grinned in my direction, understanding what was going on. He happily walked downstairs to wait for whatever happened next.

I knocked on the door. "Jarl Laila, open the door in the name of the Empire. It's over, Laila."

I was expecting to have to knock down the doors with my Thu'um, but there were a couple of clicks and the doors opened. All Laila did was walk back to her bed, taking a seat. She'd obviously been woken up by all the noise and had managed to throw on a fine jacket, but she was clearly still wearing nightclothes underneath.

"Harrald?" she asked.

"He's got a few bruises but he's alive," I replied.

"Unmid?"

"The same. Brave man. Willing to die for you."

She sighed. "Considering you're now here, I wonder if I deserve such loyalty." She looked up and met my eyes, still slightly defiant. "What becomes of me?"

"That is for General Tullius to decide. But you will not be executed. That will send the wrong message."

"And who replaces me?"

"Maven Black-Briar."

That earned the clearest snort of derision I'd ever heard. "I should have known that bitch would stab me in the back. If she was here right now, I'd spit in her face. I've tolerated her presence for so long... Should have known. Should have seen it coming."

I stepped forward, offering my hand. "Come, Jarl Laila. Best get things wrapped up quickly before people start to wake."

Of course, a small crowd had already formed outside. I had Karliah fire an arrow into the sky to signal to the legion the city was now secure. Otherwise, it wasn't up to me to make any sort of speech to the civilians, though a few recognised me and probably figured out what was going on. Once the sky started to brighten, Maven made her appearance, the crowd parting as she made her way up the stairs, joining her as she walked into the building.

She remained silent for a little while, disappearing upstairs, no doubt to take stock of things, before returning. She sat down on the throne and only then did she allow herself to smile. "Oh yes, you definitely have a friend now, Ragnar Dragonborn," she said quietly.

The Imperial Army wasted little time arriving in force to secure the town, watching as soldiers swarmed in, while General Tullius and Legate Rikke joined us in Mistveil Keep. The doors were closed as Maven and Tullius sat down to discuss the immediate situation. The civilians outside were rather calm, and anyone who might have caused trouble was under guard. As for myself, Tullius simply thanked me for taking the city with as little bloodshed as possible, but we both knew there would have to be a response from Ulfric. Holding him off at Whiterun was one thing, actually taking one of his cities was another.

"Winterhold will be within our grasp in a week," he added, "Then it's a case of taking Windhelm."

"Ulfric will want to meet us on the field," Rikke suggested, "He's a Nord and will want to die a martyr to the cause if he knows victory cannot be achieved."

I looked at Tullius, who remembered our conversation. "He might give us no choice, Dragonborn. Looks like many are willing to die for the cause."

Rikke disappeared, returning moments later with a map of Skyrim, the four of us hovering around it. "Okay, where would he be willing to meet us on the field?" I asked, "It would have to be flat. And there are not too many areas between here and Windhelm that offers that."

"There, to the north," Rikke stated, pointing north of Riften, "It's not exactly what he'd want, but it's open enough."

"That's if he forces open battle," I replied, "He might just hunker down in Windhelm and wait for the armies to arrive."

Tullius scratched his chin. "He'll be getting desperate. First he loses any chance at Whiterun, now he's lost his second most important city. He may decide a final battle will decide the outcome, but whatever he sends at us, we can match and have more in reserve. Forcing us into a siege may give him time to rebuild, though that's impossible. Once we hold Winterhold in addition to here, he's surrounded. Cut off. He can either surrender or go down fighting."

"Being a Nord, it'll be the second," Rikke muttered.

Tullius turned to Maven. "Jarl Black-Briar, restore order to your city. Imperial troops will remain until the cessation of hostilities against the Stormcloaks. Temper your reaction against those who supported the cause. The Dragonborn has made a good point. Just executing all his supporters won't win us favour. It'll only make them fear us, or hate us even more."

"I'll throw a few people in prison as an example, otherwise... well, the guards will need a cleansing, but otherwise, as long as there are no further insurrections and the city is left in peace, I'll rule with a steady hand."

"See that you do. The Emperor will be keeping an eye on you for now."

Didn't sound like a threat. In fact, it sounded like this might just be the first step for Maven. Guess she had designs on perhaps ending up in Cyrodiil, further spreading her own power. But in Riften, she had power and influence. In the capital of the Empire, she'd be just another noble, and probably nowhere near as rich as some. Wonder if she'd give it all up at the chance of being a favourite of the Emperor...

"One last thing. Dragonborn, I endeavour to move my armies into the vicinity of Windhelm within the next fortnight. Can you remain here until then? Do you have anything urgent in Solitude?"

"I'll send a letter and inform them I'll be away a little longer than first anticipated. They know I'm involved in something important, General."

"Good." He paused again. "You've spoken to Ulfric before, outside Whiterun. When the times does come, do you believe he'll speak to you again?"

"I think I have his respect so he might be willing to listen."

"If we do end up outside his walls, I will offer a parley so we may speak. Whether he respect me or not isn't the problem, I'm here representing the Empire. But the Dragonborn being a Nord, and what you've done so far, he might be willing to listen to any advice you give."

I snorted. "He didn't listen to me outside Whiterun."

"And, for that, he paid the price. He might see sense this time."

"He'll want to be a martyr," Rikke muttered, repeating an earlier comment, but that was for later.

Job done, I melted into the background, as did Brynjolf and all his people, heading down that same evening to give thanks for all his help. He's already received word from Maven that the guild would continue to operate as before, but she would now have to distance herself further, though she could offer more protection in return. Otherwise, I would always be a welcome visitor to the Ragged Flagon.

I sent a letter to Solitude the next day, explaining what happened and the fact I would remain. I didn't think that would surprise any of them, and I was confident I would be back in more than enough time to see Mirabelle give birth to my first child. I received a letter back within a few days, written by Mirabelle, explaining they certainly expected the news and they would simply wait, and perhaps worry, until I returned to Solitude.

I had also been honest in the letter about what I'd been up to, and I had worried about the reaction. Mirabelle assured me that they all expected it, and that while I was away, if I wanted to have some fun, then to simply enjoy myself. Once I returned to Solitude, they and I knew my eyes would only ever be for them.

Though I wasn't close with Tullius, I was kept up to date with what was going on. The Empire was now throwing all the resources it could into ending the war and quickly, the defeat of Ulfric outside Whiterun providing a real boost to the morale, and capturing Riften almost ensured victory in the end. News of the capture of Winterhold reached us by the end of the week. The city was undefended except for a small Stormcloak presence, the Jarl laying down his shield with barely a fight.

That left a few small towns and villages... and Windhelm. I marched north with Tullius ten days after we captured Riften. Ulfric had reinforced Fort Greenwall, but they were isolated from reinforcements, seizing control of Shor's Stone as we circled around the fort. Bringing in siege weaponry, we parlayed with the commander of the fort. He knew the score but could not tolerate the idea of surrendering, and stated he would not allow himself to become a prisoner of the Empire.

"And your men within the walls?" I wondered.

"All are willing to die for freedom. If you want this fort, you will only take it once we are all dead."

Tullius only sighed, turned his horse, and returned to our lines. I waited a moment longer. "You know who I am?"

"Aye."

"You know you won't win. You can't. Not now."

"It's not the winning that's important, Dragonborn. It's the message. We must fight, and if necessary, will die for the cause. We all may die in the fort but many more will rise in our place."

I shook my head. "The war is coming to a close. The Stormcloaks will be defeated. Your deaths are unnecessary."

"Perhaps, but if we kill a few of you before our deaths, we can enter Sovngarde in glory." He met my eyes a final time. "I will see you on the field of battle, Dragonborn. Clashing arms with yourself will be a great honour indeed."

We convened later that afternoon, and Tullius was intent on forcing a quick and decisive victory. His orders were simple. We would attack at dawn, first with siege weaponry, then we'd ram open the gates at both sides. "Dragonborn, that's when we will need your help with the inevitable shield wall. Can we rely on your gift this once?" I nodded. "Very well. You have your orders, soldiers. See that they are followed. I want his fort captured quickly. Forces are closing in on Windhelm from the north and the east. Ulfric will find his city surrounded soon enough."

The fort had no way of halting the barrage that took place then next morning. The fort was already crumbling, but as enormous boulders smashed into the towers and walls, I was left thinking there wouldn't be much of the fort left once we were victorious. The barrage continued for at least an hour as the soldiers were prepared, some to scale the walls, others to direct the ram. The same would happen other side, a pincer movement that would eventually destroy the Stormcloak forces.

Ramming the doors took time as they'd clearly been reinforced, but once they were finally broken open, I stepped through to be greeted by a shield wall. I could see the shuffle of surprise at the fact a lone man wandered through, expecting an arrow to be fired at any second.

So I used my Thu'um.

FUS... RO... DAH...

After that, it was almost too easy. My sword was bloodied as the fighting was hectic. After breaking the first shield wall, soldiers burst through to take the other shield wall at the rear. The fighting was barbaric, hand to hand at times. I went searching for the fort commander, recognising him by the long cloak on his armour. Despite the fighting, his eyes met mine through the chaos, and we walked towards each other, fighting others on the way.

"No Thu'um," I stated as steel met steel.

"I go to Sovngarde this day," he stated. He fought ferociously, but I had a track record that he knew he'd never defeat. But he gave it his all. He was brave, noble, and loyal to his would be king. I did not disrespect him by toying with him. He gave a good account of himself, and he had talent that would have won him victory on many other occasions, but when I thrust the sword home, lowering his body to the ground, I ensured he retained his weapon. Despite the chaos, I took his free hand as he began the journey to Sovngarde.

"We will drink ale one day and reminisce of this battle in Sovngarde, my brother."

He met my eyes and nodded. Then he was gone.

Seeing their commander go down, the fight went out of the rest, weapons quickly dropped as most chose to surrender. While many would dream of Sovngarde, most were not soldiers. They were labourers and farmers, only joining the fight as they believed in the cause. But they had farms and families to return to. To them, it was an ideal worth fighting for, but dying for? A step too far for many.

Satisfied with his victory, Tullius stated he would immediately march north, but I could return to Riften until I was called forward again, though he told me not to get too comfortable as he wasn't going to waste time. There was no sign of any Stormcloak army coming to meet our armies, so it seemed Ulfric was preparing for the mother of all sieges.

There was a slightly eerie presence walking through the gates of Riften. It was a little weird seeing soldiers of the Empire patrolling the streets. There wasn't any fear from the civilians, it was just... strange. I knew those who were most fervent in their support of the Stormcloaks now languished in prison, so those who had been supporters but quieter no doubt felt concerned for their own safety, and no doubt a little pissed off at how the war had turned out. Those who had supported the Empire knew enough to stay rather silent.

Heading for Mistveil Keep, Maven had obviously wasted little time in moving in, happily leaning back on her throne as I wandered in. She seemed rather pleased to see me as I let her know what was happening elsewhere. So she suggested a feast that evening in celebration of the recent successes for the Empire. Thinking nothing of it, I agreed.

It ended up being Maven, her two sons, her new steward, her housecarl, and myself only. And once the other four left, leaving me with only Maven, I almost laughed to myself, as she wasn't backwards in coming forwards. "Would you care to join me for a drink in my private quarters, Ragnar?" she asked.

I figured I might as well be blunt. "Maven, I'm going to ask one simple question. Do you want to fuck me?"

"Yes. Gods yes."

"Okay, let's go upstairs."

We shared half a bottle of wine before Maven proved to be just a mature version of her daughter. It was only when I got her naked, and I already was, that she proved to be a little shy. There were the signs of having carried a child that some women found embarrassing, so I spent time assuring her they were badges of honour.

When it got down to the physical act, I think it was the first time she'd been with a man in quite a while. She definitely enjoyed what I did with my mouth, hearing her make noises I never would have imagined hearing escape her, and when I slowly slid my cock inside her, I never thought I would have seen such a smile on her face. She was actually a really good fuck, enjoying the feeling of her nails digging into my back, and she definitely liked wrapping her legs around me, changing the angle, hearing her beg... beg for me to fuck her. That's when I met her eyes and grinned. "Oh, you're getting fucked all night, Maven Black-Briar."

The kiss that earned was rather breath-taking, in all honesty.

Once I came inside her the first time, I needed to roll off and catch my breath. She lay back, legs spread wide, breathing heavily, before starting to giggle. "Holy shit," she muttered, "It's been so long, Ragnar. And I now feel your cum dribbling out of my cunt." I gave her a look at the language. "Oh please, like you haven't heard that said before."

"Aye, it's just... you..."

"You know, you've never asked how old I am."

"It's never really bothered me. I've slept with mature woman before."

"I'm surprised you said yes."

"Physically, you're just an older version of Ingun. Aye, probably sounds weird, but it's true. As for your personality, I would expect it considering who you are. But I just made you make noises only I will ever hear."