User blog:Hadebrand The Bard/One They Fear: Volume I

"Put the damn fire out, Thorensson! Put the fire out!" Saabiq, the bandit-chief, hissed to Hadebrand. Hadebrand was already running from the stream with a bucket of water and pouring it out onto the fire. He started packing up his bedroll and any of the loot he had left out.

"Wait," Hadebrand said, "where the hell did--"

"He's a bloody traitor, how do you think the Imperials know where we are? We'll head towards Darkwater's Crossing, the Imperials have no jurisdiction there. Come on!" Saabiq motioned for the eight bandits to follow him. Some of them had their weapons at the ready as they followed his lead. Imperial horses could be heard in the distance and... bows? What in Oblivion were they shooting at. A man was shouting in the distance in an odd language. Hadebrand looked at Saabiq to see what he would say, but he only saw him chugging down the rest of his skooma. "Well, mates," Saaqid said, "I'm not going to die in a torture chamber. See all of you in Oblivion!" Before anyone could react, he took a knife he had in his boot in both hands and thrust towards his chest, falling on the ground.

Hadebrand looked around at the other bandits and they all agreed: they had no clue what to do. The Imperials were now closer than ever on horseback and foot. Bandits began to run into the woods, not knowing which way was which, simply trying to find a good hiding place from the Imperials. Hadebrand, knowing no plan would work, ran across the road and into the woods. Well, he would have, but a swift arrow from an Imperial longbow had met his temple halfway across the sprint, but, amazingly, it did not pierce his skull.



The throbbing was the worst part. It felt like a giant's club had just slammed him in the side of the face. He heard trotting and creaking wheels. Slowly, his eyes opened to see that he was in a cart with what appeared to be a Stormcloak, a beggar, and a king. "You there," the Stormcloak said, "finally awake? You were caught trying to cross the border, same as us, and that thief over there." He was suddenly answered by the beggar.

"Damn you Stormcloaks, Skyrim was fine until you came along! Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell!"

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief!" The Stormcloak replied.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Hadebrand asked.

"I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits." he responded. The town finally came into view, though it seemed like more of a military base than a town.

"General Tullius, sir, the headsman is waiting!" An Imperial shouted to an old man who was, obviously, the general.

"Good," the old man said, "let's get this over with."

"What? We get no trial? This is horker--" Hadebrand protested.

"Shut up back there!" The carriage driver sneered. The prisoners remained quiet until the Stormcloak finally broke the silence."

"Hmph, this is Helgen, I used to be sweet on a girl from here." He said, "I wonder if Vilod is still making that mead out of juniper berries. Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe."

"Aye," Hadebrand agreed, "especially since my-- well, a lot of my ancestors were  in high positions of the Empire." The carriage stopped as Hadebrand was talking.

"Why are we stopping?" The thief asked.

"Why do you think? End of the line." The Stormcloak sighed, "Let's go, shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us." They all hopped out of the cart, the only one complaining being the thief, who was quickly rebuked by the Stormcloak. The captain called out names of all of the people except for Hadebrand.

They asked who he was, to which he responded, "I'm Hadebrand Thorensson, proud hater of Titus Mede II."

"Shut the hell up!" The captain said, telling him to go foreward. As he walked closer a Stormcloak had been beheaded with his blood pouring from his neck. They carried the body away from the block and the captain pointed to Hadebrand. "The Nord in the rags is next." She said. A young Imperial told him to step forth. He did so gladly. Once he was situated on the block, the headsman raised the axe, about to end this miserable bandit's life...