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<\/p>\nFrina smiled when she saw Ulfric on his throne, and sprinted all the way down the great hall to approach him.\u00a0 She knew that Roggi was somewhere behind her, most likely disapproving of her eagerness, but she didn\u2019t care.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did it, sir!\u201d she said, smiling. \u201cWe took Fort Snowhawk. It was quite the battle. I\u2019m glad they weren\u2019t expecting us or it would have been a lot worse for us than it was.\u201d<\/p>\n
To her disappointment, Ulfric did not look directly at her. He gazed over her head, down the hall. But he did smile, just a tiny bit, before he spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cTullius must be getting nervous. Taking Hjaalmarch, we\u2019re practically in his back yard now.\u00a0 As soon as we\u2019re able, we\u2019ll march on Solitude.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced down at her then, finally, and smiled warmly; but he looked away again quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve become a true hero of Skyrim. I number you among my kin. You shall now be known as Storm-Blade. The love of the land and the people flows from your heart even as death for her enemies flows from your hands. On behalf of the sons and daughters of Skyrim, on behalf of all that is righteous and true, take this token of our appreciation for your service.\u201d<\/p>\n
To Frina\u2019s astonishment, Ulfric handed her a set of armor. She turned it over and over in her hands, marveling; for he had given her a set of armor like his own and like that which Galmar wore.<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t wear this.\u00a0 It\u2019s far too heavy for me.\u00a0 But I will keep it, and treasure it because it was a gift from Ulfric. Kin. He called me kin!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThank you, my lord,\u201d she murmured. She looked up at Ulfric, feeling a bit breathless. Will he ask me to stay again?\u00a0 Will he? <\/em>\u00a0Her mind played the memory of the kiss he\u2019d given her; she could almost feel it, still, on her lips. What would it be like if\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNow then, Ulfric, you\u2019ve given Frina the praise she deserves \u2013 what about your trusty old dog?\u201d\u00a0 Roggi\u2019s chuckle interrupted her train of thought and she stepped back, blushing.<\/p>\n Ulfric looked Roggi squarely in the eyes, and smirked. There was always something odd about the way he looked at Roggi, she thought, but she couldn\u2019t quite figure out what it was.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, yes, Roggi. Thank you for your service as well. As always.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure the battle hung in the balance on your being there.\u201d There was the slightest edge of sarcasm in his tone.<\/p>\n Frina was afraid that Roggi would be angry at that but to her surprise, he snickered. \u201cOh, I don\u2019t know about that, Ulfric, but I am<\/em> glad that you sent me there. It was good to be in the thick of things.\u00a0 I think that one or the other of us might have been coming home to you on the back of a cart of corpses if we hadn\u2019t both been watching out for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi smiled at Frina; and she smiled back, knowing that what he said was the absolute truth.\u00a0 It had been close calls on both sides.\u00a0 She glanced back at Ulfric and to her complete surprise saw an expression just short of anger flit across his face. It was only for a moment, but the anger confused her.<\/p>\n Who is he angry with? Roggi? But why?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pleased that it turned out well in the end. And yes, Roggi, I am most grateful to you for your part. Now then,\u201d he said, turning again to Frina. \u201cYou\u2019ve no time to glory in your accomplishments. We\u2019re gathering for our final assault on Solitude, and I need you there.\u00a0 Report to our camp in Haafingar.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina was embarrassed to realize the extent of her disappointment, and fought to keep it from showing on her face. There would be no quiet dinner with Ulfric this time, no embrace, no\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHave you heard from the Dragonborn, Roggi?\u201d Ulfric asked with a testy edge to his voice. \u201cHe picked a terrible time to leave.\u00a0 We need him with us for this final push.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi shook his head and frowned. \u201cNo, and I\u2019m worried. My contacts in the Rift say that he was there but left. He hasn\u2019t been seen since.\u00a0 I\u2019ll send a courier back to Falkreath.\u00a0 If he makes for anywhere it\u2019ll be to our house on the lake.\u00a0 With any luck we\u2019ll be able to get him here before things get desperate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe will never be desperate<\/em>, Roggi,\u201d Ulfric said, frowning at him. \u201cYou should know better than that.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi gave him a lopsided grin. \u201cWell, maybe. But I know I\u2019m a lot older than I used to be, and I\u2019m pretty sure that means you and Galmar are, as well.\u00a0 Listen, I came really close to losing out there this last battle. Really close. If Frina hadn\u2019t been there to pick off the archer I\u2019d have been a goner. I think we need every bit of help we can get and if it happens to be that of the guy who killed Alduin, more power to us.\u201d\u00a0 He shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s not meant as any offense to you, Ulfric. I\u2019m just looking at the reality of things. None of us is a young man any more.\u00a0 He is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, and I can imagine you\u2019re very well acquainted with that,\u201d Ulfric muttered just under his breath.<\/p>\n Frina froze. That was a rude thing for Ulfric to say. Very rude. And she\u2019d seen Roggi angry and heard him at his worst, and the very last thing she wanted to see was these two men that she cared about fighting. \u00a0But to her relief, Roggi simply chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know I am,\u201d he said.\u00a0 He turned to Frina.\u00a0 \u201cSo, shall we go get something to eat and then head out again?\u201d<\/p>\n Frina looked up at Ulfric, hesitant.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t meet her gaze. She sighed. Whatever foolish hopes and expectations she might have been harboring vanished.\u00a0 I\u2019m so stupid. He doesn\u2019t want me, not now, not after I was silly the last time. What did I think? That the rightful High King was going to come sweep me off my feet like in some ridiculous fairy tale? \u00a0He likes me, that\u2019s all. He likes me and I remind him of Briinda, and she\u2019s the one he really wanted.\u00a0 Damn me for being so silly. <\/em><\/p>\n She forced herself to grin at Roggi.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Let\u2019s go,\u201d she said, and started for the doors.<\/p>\n Behind her, she heard Ulfric\u2019s low rumble but couldn\u2019t make out the words.\u00a0 She heard Roggi\u2019s lighter tones responding, but again couldn\u2019t tell what he said.\u00a0 She heard him running to catch up to her.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what did he say?\u201d she asked, not looking at him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe told me to look out for you,\u201d Roggi answered. \u201cI told him that I would.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t need someone to look out for me,\u201d she grumbled.\u00a0 Treat me like a child? I don\u2019t need anyone. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOh, I don\u2019t know,\u201d Roggi answered smoothly. \u201cI need someone to look out for me<\/em>. Like I told Ulfric. I\u2019m an old man.\u201d<\/p>\n She slipped a sideways glance at him and realized that he was grinning at her.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t help it, couldn\u2019t stay mad; instead she swatted at him.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you. Let\u2019s find that courier before we forget.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t forget, trust me. I wasn\u2019t kidding when I said we need Dar with us. But the other thing we need, both of us, is a decent night\u2019s sleep. I\u2019m sure Ulfric won\u2019t mind. And even if he does, I don\u2019t care. We can\u2019t fight at our best if we\u2019re tired.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina took a quick mental inventory of her body and realized that yes indeed, she hurt in a dozen places and was bone-weary.\u00a0 I probably would have had one drink and fallen asleep on Ulfric\u2019s table. That\u2019s how tired I am.\u00a0 Silly me.<\/em><\/p>\n They were sitting at the bar in Candlehearth Hall when Roggi said, quietly enough that nobody else could hear, \u201cDon\u2019t put too much stock in how Ulfric acts when he\u2019s sitting on that throne.\u00a0 Trust me. It was pretty obvious to me that he thinks you\u2019re more than a little bit special.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina jumped a bit and stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Obvious how?\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi gave a quick chuckle and sighed, seemingly paying closer attention to his drink than to her.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t forget. I\u2019ve known him for a long time. Everything he does is obvious to me. He likes you.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina turned her attention back to the meal in front of her.\u00a0 Internally, though, she smiled.<\/p>\n He likes me.<\/em><\/p>\n __<\/p>\n Frina walked through the Stormcloak camp and approached Galmar\u2019s command tent.\u00a0 Not far beyond it she could see the gigantic arch of the Dragon Bridge, one of the most vital structures in Skyrim, reaching across the Karth River. This Stormcloak camp was nestled next to the river along the peninsula of Haafingar, below the level of the roadway running from the town of Dragon Bridge to the capital city of Solitude.\u00a0 She was happy to have finally made it.\u00a0 She was equally happy that she and Roggi had both been in their civilian armor.\u00a0 This was the very seat of the Imperial presence in Skyrim, and every person on the roads was stared at, given a once-over, suspected of being a spy.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s exactly what we are, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 Until we start fighting we\u2019re just nothing but a couple of Ulfric\u2019s spies and might as well have bright red targets painted on us, front and back both.<\/em><\/p>\n Galmar was leaning over the map, muttering to himself, as she approached.\u00a0 He looked up and turned to face her.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Empire would have us become their slaves, as they have become slaves to the Thalmor,\u201d he said, almost snarling. \u201cI will not live as a slave. Nor will I die as one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree, Galmar,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo do I,\u201d Roggi muttered, coming around to stand at the far side of the table, and leaning over the map. \u201cYou may not have liked everything I\u2019ve ever done, Galmar,\u201d he added, earning a raised eyebrow from the commander, \u201cbut that\u2019s one thing you and I definitely agree on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd so do I,\u201d a low rumble answered from just outside the tent.\u00a0 Frina whirled in surprise at the sound and smiled when she saw the solid figure in black armor.<\/p>\n \u201cDardeh!\u201d she cried. \u201cYou\u2019re back! Thank Talos!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDar,\u201d Roggi said, a huge smile breaking across his face. \u201cThe courier found you?\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh didn\u2019t smile. In fact, Frina thought he looked particularly grim.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, he did. I needed to rest a few hours or I\u2019d have come as soon as he found me.\u201d He turned back to look out across the camp. \u201cIt\u2019s bad out there. I passed what was left of another battle. I hope to never see anything like that again. So tell me, what are we doing next, Galmar?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to the fort. Fort Hraggstad. All of you. Meet the brothers preparing for the attack.\u00a0 Once you\u2019ve wiped out the Imperials we\u2019ll garrison the fort.\u00a0 And then,\u201d he said, breaking into a grim smile, \u201cthings will get really interesting. For all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s already interesting,\u201d Dardeh muttered. \u201cJust like that old curse: \u2018may you live in interesting times.\u2019\u00a0 I could do with some dull.\u201d<\/p>\n He turned and walked away from the tent, Roggi on his heels. Frina hung back; and, as she had suspected might happen, Roggi and Dardeh melded into a kiss. She could see them talking, Roggi\u2019s head nodding as Dardeh told him whatever it was he\u2019d needed to say. Then both of them broke out into brilliant smiles and hugged each other.\u00a0 Roggi approached the quartermaster, and Dardeh waved to Frina.<\/p>\n \u201cDardeh, you look different,\u201d she said, grinning at the wiry coils of hair that were no longer in tight braids.<\/p>\n Dardeh ran his hand up over his head.\u00a0 I wonder if he realizes how often he does that, she thought. It must be a nervous habit. It\u2019s cute.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, heh. This. Yeah, I don\u2019t know, it just felt like time to let it breathe for awhile. Or something. Who knows,\u201d he said with an embarrassed grin. \u201cLydia would be having a fit if she could see me. Anyway, I\u2019m glad you two made it through the battle all in one piece.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell it was a lot tougher than I expected, Dardeh. Let\u2019s just say we\u2019re all awfully glad that you\u2019re with us again, now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks. And I\u2019m much better for having done\u2026 what I did. It had to happen. Well,\u201d he said, looking around for Roggi, \u201cI guess we\u2019d better get up there.\u00a0 The sooner this is done … the sooner it\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina giggled. \u201cYes, indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n Fort Hraggstad was on the other side of Haafingar\u2019s central ridge from their current location, and it was going to take a bit of careful travel to get there. In fact, as soon as they started up the steep slope out of the camp, they had to stop and take cover behind trees; for a patrol of Imperial soldiers was heading past them on its way to Solitude. Once the patrol had passed, the three of them scurried west down the road and then north along the path that led past the gigantic shrine to Meridia. They\u2019d almost reached the top of the hill when Frina spied a figure in the distance, still far enough away that it might not have spotted them.<\/p>\n \u201cOver here!\u201d she hissed at Roggi and Dardeh, and then dropped off the roadway on the left, climbing up over the rocks to its side. She drew her weapons and got far enough off the roadway that she could take cover behind trees or stone if needed; for it wasn\u2019t clear who she\u2019d seen. It might possibly be more Stormcloak soldiers on their way to join up with the attack force; but it might just as easily be a patrol of Thalmor or Imperial soldiers.\u00a0 Frina didn\u2019t feel like taking a chance either way.<\/p>\n There were just enough trees between them and the roadway that she was able to clamber up the stony slope without being seen.\u00a0 When she got to the crest of the hill she could see the fort, at the end of a paved path across the high east-west road that hugged the ridge line. All they needed to do now was to reach the rest of the force.\u00a0 She led them down to the roadway, behind one of the stone walls lining its southern edge.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are but a dog and I am your master!\u201d came a cry from down the road, near the place she\u2019d seen the figures earlier.<\/p>\n Great. Thalmor.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIs someone there?\u201d Roggi said, turning just as a blast of frost struck him in the face.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t the arrogant Justiciar but one of the common soldiers, a mage, who had run right up to them.<\/p>\n \u201cKill him!\u201d Dardeh growled; and the next thing Frina heard was the sharp, metallic, ear-piercing sound of Dardeh disarming the man with his Voice.<\/p>\n Frina drew her bow and tried to line up a shot at the soldier but Dardeh\u2019s bulk was between her and the target.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t matter, though, because he brought his sword down in a vicious blow that ended the man. Just past them, Frina saw Roggi slicing open his own assailant.\u00a0 She stepped back out onto the roadway and swiveled, looking for her target.\u00a0 There was the Justiciar, casting a warding spell in front of himself; she grinned and took aim at him, only to get blasted by a gout of flame coming from her left from another mage.\u00a0 She released the arrow blindly and cried out as her brows singed and her hair sizzled.<\/p>\n \u201cAahh!\u201d Dardeh screamed as the flames struck him as well.<\/p>\n Frina couldn\u2019t really tell what was happening. She heard Roggi taunting the Justiciar. She saw the blur of black as Dardeh rushed past her. She drew her hand weapons and ran to where she thought she saw the Justiciar, took a few wild swings through the oncoming flames, and heard Roggi snap \u201cWatch it!\u201d as the back side of her pick met resistance.\u00a0 She squeaked and pulled the weapons back; absolutely the last thing she wanted to do was injure Roggi.<\/p>\n And then it was over.\u00a0 The Justiciar and his thugs lay on the roadway, and all three of them were casting minor healing spells, even Roggi. She frowned; the scent of burned hair filled her nostrils still.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d she said, moving to stand beside Roggi.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t intend to hit you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it,\u201d he grinned. \u201cI need to practice this thing more often anyway. Use it or lose it, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s been my experience,\u201d Dardeh said, casting as he went. \u201cNever thought I\u2019d use so much magic in my lifetime. Now I don\u2019t dare leave home without this healing spell.\u201d<\/p>\n A couple of moments later, Frina nodded down the road. \u201cI think the Stormcloaks are around this outcropping, on the other side. We\u2019d better get moving. I think they\u2019re waiting on us.\u201d<\/p>\n The sun was nearly down by the time everyone had assembled east of the fort.\u00a0 It looked to Frina as though it should be fairly easy to take the place; the towers were broken and there were places where the walls had partially collapsed and might be climbable. But it was dark, and instead of making a risky approach they circled around the outcropping they\u2019d been hiding behind and attacked the fort head-on.<\/p>\n Even though it was dark, there was enough light cast by the aurora that Frina was able to target an archer atop one of the two intact towers near the fort\u2019s entrance while another Stormcloak did the same for the archer on the other side.\u00a0 She picked away at him: two arrows, three, four \u2013 and finally the figure dropped.\u00a0 Someone in front of her hacked apart the barricade blocking the fort\u2019s interior, and they all rushed in.\u00a0 Just as the first Stormcloaks cleared the doorway there was an enormous sound from behind her; and she looked back to once more see Dardeh, eyes flashing and a wide grin on his face, wrestling with his helmet before rushing ahead to join the rest.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough of this!\u201d he growled as he barreled into the first Imperial soldier he met. The man went flying.<\/p>\n Frina would have liked to see what happened to him, but there were arrows flying in from the right.\u00a0 She looked up and saw a pair of archers, one in a mostly-dilapidated tower on the far corner and another just overhead.\u00a0 She started peppering them with arrows, in sequence, first one and then the other.\u00a0 Other Stormcloaks near her were doing the same thing, yelling insults at the Imperials as they went; and it wasn\u2019t long before the walls were clear again, at least for a moment.\u00a0 Off to her left, somewhere in the dark, she heard Dardeh:\u00a0 \u201cDie, damn you!\u201d and the earsplitting sound of his disarming shout.\u00a0 But she couldn\u2019t hear Roggi, and that had her worried.<\/p>\n Frina broke away from the ranged fight and swung around into the courtyard.\u00a0 Then she laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll rip your heart out!\u201d came from just to her right. She heard the juicy sound of a sword ripping through flesh, and then watched Roggi race past her toward his next target, a soldier blocking the door to the fort\u2019s interior.<\/p>\n I shouldn\u2019t have worried.<\/em><\/p>\n Frina pulled out her axe and pick and raced along behind him, turning right where he\u2019d gone straight across the courtyard.\u00a0 There were far more potential targets than she would have liked to see; but she took a deep breath and raced for her first, an archer at the foot of a ramp up to the walls.\u00a0 He was turning to aim his bow at her when she cut him down with a few efficient swipes.\u00a0 Just behind him, tucked under the scaffolding that held the ramp, was another archer.\u00a0 She ran up the ramp a few steps, long enough to cast a quick healing spell, and then raced down it again to find that Roggi and another Stormcloak had him all but down.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot best you,\u201d the man moaned.<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Frina said, finishing him with a quick axe blow.<\/p>\n There was a confusing moment of respite then, all quiet on either side of her.\u00a0 The bulk of the action seemed to have moved to the back of the fort and up onto the walls; and as she raced for the stone staircase to join the rest, two Imperial swordsmen came barreling out of the shadows to greet her.\u00a0 She began sweeping their path with both weapons.\u00a0 The first of them took a nasty blow to the shin and stumbled back, while his fellow stepped ahead and ended up with all of the spikes from her very carefully sharpened war pick in his stomach.\u00a0 He dropped, soundlessly; and while the first wounded man attempted a swing at Frina she had damaged his legs too much; she knocked him off-balance and slit his throat with her axe when he fell.<\/p>\n She heard footsteps behind her and turned just in time to watch two more Imperials rush up the stairs in front of her.\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t able to stop their swords from catching her, one across the thigh and the other in her left arm; and she hissed with the pain, gritted her teeth, and swung both weapons wildly, hoping to fend off another attack.\u00a0 Her head was spinning with the pain, and she began to see spots of light around the edges of her vision.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t pass out. Don\u2019t pass out. If you pass out it\u2019s over. <\/em><\/p>\n And then she cringed, ducking down low, as the enormous force of Dardeh Shouting caught both of the Imperials.\u00a0 One went flying off the stairs and landed somewhere below; the other lost balance and fell forward, face-first, onto the stairs, where she slammed her axe down across the back of his neck. She turned and ran up to the wall and into the darkest corner she could find, casting healing on herself and pulling potions out of her pack to speed the process.<\/p>\n By the Nine, that was the closest call I\u2019ve ever had.\u00a0 Thank Talos for Dardeh, or I\u2019d be dead right now.<\/em><\/p>\n She didn\u2019t dare wait long in one place. As soon as she could move, Frina stepped back out onto the wall.\u00a0 An Imperial soldier with a torch nearly ran into her, face-first.\u00a0 She stared at him for the smallest of moments, wondering what sort of fool lit himself up for the enemy like that, before swinging her pick into his torso so hard that he fell sideways off the wall and landed hard on some jagged rocks just beneath.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t want to think about what his body might look like when they came to drag it away.<\/p>\n There was a lull in the action then, just for a moment, and Frina ran back down onto the courtyard wondering where the enemy was. From atop the wall, off to her right, she heard Dardeh disarm someone yet again and headed in that direction to find herself in the middle of three more soldiers.\u00a0 One of them was picked off by a distant archer before he could get to her. The second ran up on her left; she whirled into him with both weapons and took him down easily.\u00a0 The third sank an arrow deep into her shoulder.<\/p>\n Frina shrieked and ran back down into the courtyard, and just outside the walls of the fort, mentally screaming at herself not to flee, to get back into the action.\u00a0 She knew, though, that she had to get the arrow out, had to heal herself, or it would be over before she even approached the next Imperial soldier.\u00a0 She leaned against the cold stone walls, gritted her teeth, and yanked the arrow free, screaming when it ripped its way back out through her flesh.\u00a0 It was all she could do yet again not to pass out.\u00a0 It took several minutes, any number of potions, and all the healing magic she could muster before she stood, took a sip of water, and headed back into the courtyard.<\/p>\n It was almost over.\u00a0 The screams and taunts, the clashing of weapons, were all much farther apart and fewer in number than before.\u00a0 She slipped out of the doorway just in time to witness a terrifying scene:\u00a0 Dardeh rushed several Imperials in the center of the courtyard and Shouted.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t the disarming shout this time, or the one that would send a man flying; no, this time a huge ball of flame erupted from Dardeh and spread out to envelop all three of the soldiers.<\/p>\n \u201cAhh!\u00a0 It burns!\u201d one of them screamed.<\/p>\n Frina didn\u2019t want to stick around to watch his end.\u00a0 She slipped around the corner to her right and found a pod of three Imperials, all of whom looked bloodied and shaky.\u00a0 One of them picked up a quarterstaff, snarled, and made his best attempt to swing at her; but none of them had enough energy to mount a decent attack and she was mostly whole.\u00a0 The first of them, at her feet, went limp almost instantly; she turned left and blocked the quarterstaff with her axe while peeling open the archer\u2019s ribcage with her pick.\u00a0 Then she turned to the wobbling quarterstaff wielder and took him down.<\/p>\n \u201cNo more! I yield! I yield!\u201d the bleeding archer cried. She snarled at him and drove her pick through his skull, then spent several long moments wrestling her weapon free.<\/p>\n It was all but finished.\u00a0 She heard Dardeh calling out, \u201cwhere are you?\u201d and a few shrieks of pain as the last of the Imperial forces tried to escape and were caught in spite of their best efforts. Frina ran around the suddenly-quiet perimeter of the fort, looking for stragglers, sensing that there were still more and not being able to see them. She went up into one of the supposedly-empty towers, feeling uneasy.<\/p>\n Clustered behind a low wall at the top of the tower was another group of badly injured, panting Imperial soldiers.\u00a0 In a moment of exquisite timing, Dardeh, below on the wall, yelled \u201cBah! I\u2019ll get you!\u201d just as she sprinted into them.\u00a0 It took only a few moments for her to finish them all off, as they were barely alive to begin with.\u00a0 She looked down at what she\u2019d done, grinned, and was slipping her weapons back into their sheaths when Dardeh stuck his head up from below and said \u201cNicely done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s Roggi?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDown here,\u201d he called. \u201cI\u2019m fine, don\u2019t worry. It\u2019s going to seem like a long trek back to Galmar, though. Probably be full daylight by the time we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina trudged down the stairs, slowly, to meet them, and was happy when Roggi pulled her into a warm hug.\u00a0 \u201cYou did well, little sister,\u201d he whispered into her ear. \u201cI\u2019m proud of you.\u201d\u00a0 Frina found her eyes misting over, and she held him as hard as she could for just a moment.<\/p>\n She smiled up at him once he released the embrace. \u201cThanks, Roggi.\u00a0 You know, when I was a little girl, all I wanted in the world was for you to tell me something like that.\u00a0 It really means a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi smiled back at her. \u201cWell, I mean it. You\u2019re fierce. I saw you get hit by that arrow and I thought it was all over, and I couldn\u2019t come to you because I had a guy with a sword trying to give me a close shave.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh, standing nearby, harrumphed.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get going,\u201d he said, his face set in a deep scowl.<\/p>\n Roggi looked at Frina for a second, startled, then frowned at Dardeh. \u201cNow just a minute, you.\u00a0 Come over here,\u201d he said, grabbing Dardeh by the arm and dragging him toward a corner of the courtyard. \u201cI don\u2019t care if you\u2019re the Dragonborn or not, I have some things to say to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina was confused, but she stepped away far enough that all she could hear of their exchange was the angry rise and fall of their voices.\u00a0 Dardeh would gesture, and say something, and Roggi would shake his head, leaning in with his taller body to loom over Dardeh for a moment.\u00a0 Dardeh waved in Frina\u2019s direction.\u00a0 Roggi\u2019s voice rose; he stepped forward and grabbed the front of Dardeh\u2019s armor.\u00a0 For an awful moment she thought they were going to come to blows.<\/p>\n And then Roggi kissed Dardeh.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t a kiss of relief, like the one she\u2019d seen them exchange when they\u2019d killed the dragon.\u00a0 This was, at least to her inexperienced eye, a passionate kiss, a greedy kiss, one that looked as though it would swallow the both of them whole.\u00a0 She felt herself blushing, and turned away, moving toward the doorway of the fort.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve never seen anything like<\/em> that between two men before, that\u2019s for certain. I wonder if anyone will ever kiss me like that.\u00a0 <\/em>She reached up and touched her own lips, and thought of her moment with Ulfric, and felt herself becoming very warm wondering what it would be like to share the kind of exchange with him that her dear brother was having at that moment.\u00a0 Then an odd thought flitted through her mind.<\/p>\n Is Dardeh jealous\u2026 of me?\u00a0 Did he think there was more to that hug than just a hug? By the Nine. I surely hope not. I love Roggi to bits but he\u2019s my brother and nothing more.<\/em><\/p>\n She heard Roggi clearing his throat behind her, and the squeaking and clanking of Dardeh\u2019s heavy armor.\u00a0 Roggi walked past her, not meeting her questioning gaze, and said \u201cLet\u2019s go;\u201d but she noticed his high color even in the dim light of the gathering dawn.<\/p>\n Dardeh walked past and looked at her.\u00a0 He grinned, and winked.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n Galmar was delighted to see them back intact, and told them to get a few hours of rest.<\/p>\n \u201cGood job.\u00a0 Ulfric was right about all of you. I\u2019m glad you\u2019re with us.\u201d\u00a0 Then he cracked his knuckles and broke out into a wide, eager smile, his eyes twinkling with excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re taking the city,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cOnce you\u2019ve had some rest, meet the forces assembling near the gates.\u00a0 This is it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re taking\u2026 Solitude?\u201d Frina blurted out.\u00a0 Of course we\u2019re taking Solitude. How stupid of me.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAye,\u201d Galmar rasped. \u201cThe capital of Skyrim.\u00a0 And then it will be over.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina couldn\u2019t help but break out into a smile, herself.<\/p>\n And then, Ulfric will be High King.<\/em><\/p>\n Frina smiled when she saw Ulfric on his throne, and sprinted all the way down the great hall to approach him.\u00a0 She knew that Roggi was somewhere behind her, most likely disapproving of her eagerness, but she didn\u2019t care. \u201cWe did it, sir!\u201d she said, smiling. \u201cWe took Fort Snowhawk. It was quite the battle. … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/4-2-19-2.png\")
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<\/p>\nPart II: The Storm<\/a><\/div>\nPrevious<\/a> \/ Next<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"