5. Chapter 5 (1/2)
a stormcloak affair
part 5
it was a long ride to whiterun, which took days. aine was tired and run down. she went to the bannered mare and asked hulda if she could have a room for a few hours to take a nap. hulda agreed and to no coin from aine. after a few hours, aine awoke refreshed. there was a lot at stake and she was nervous. she wasn't sure how jarl balgruuf would react. she didn't want to let ulfric down. aine wondered what he meant by he wanted her by his side. did he want more from her? her body ached for ulfric's gentle touch and alluring musky scent. she wanted to be his and everything it had to offer, for she was madly in love with ulfric; despite him being twenty years her senior. she was only a child during the great war and never really knew her father.
aine moved on to dragonsreach to see the jarl. jarl balgruuf was lounging in his throne as usual with his legs spread. the only thing missing from this image was the jarl's hand down his
itches. why do jarls sit that way?, aine said to herself. aine approaches the jarl.
"greetings, dragonborn. what business do you have in whiterun?" "i have a message from jarl ulfric stormcloak.", said aine in response. "what message do present me?", asked balgruuf knowing very well what was coming.
"this is ulfric's battleax. will you accept it?", aine said nervously.
"how well do you know ulfric?", said the jarl taking the ax. "that is irrelevant. we…um… he wants only what is best for skyrim.", said aine as her face began to flush.
"well, well i see that you know him intimately.", said balgruuf in response to her rosy cheeks. "i will need to speak to ulfric personally. there is matter that needs discussion before i give him my loyalty. let's go to windhelm, so i can see your lover. we leave at first light.", said balgruuf still holding the ax. this wasn't exactly true.
she had never lay with ulfric or any other man in fact. she knew what sex was and how she felt about him or how he made her feel. he made her lose control whenever he was near. but what did ulfric want from her?
balgruuf dismissed aine, and she proceeded to whiterun market district, for she was hungry. wanting to buy some fruit, fralia grey-mane approaches her saying, "you're a stormcloak. please follow me; i need to speak to you in private." aine follows fralia into her home. as soon as aine opens her mouth, fralia's son avulstein comes over with is battleaxe aimed towards her. "avulstein, put that down! she's here to help us find thorald!", says fralia frantically.
"all right, mother.", conceded avulstein. "i can't take any more of this. no weapons, please. let's just talk.", proclaims fralia.
"we can't trust anyone! who knows what they'll do if they find me here. how do we know she's a spy for the battle-born? don't be foolish mother!, says avulstein.
"i'm sorry, fralia. i don't understand what is going on. what does this have to do with me being a stormcloak?", asks aine. "thorald's disappearance has been hard on all of us, but avulstein has taken it badly. he's afraid of being taken as well, so he hasn't left the house. all he talks about is thorald. please, help avulstein if you can. something has to be done, or we're all going to lose our minds. he's my son. i just... i feel it in my heart. you'd understand if you had children. he is a stormcloak supporter.", explains fralia.
"i know that thorald's not dead. i just know it. the imperials have him, and are keeping him somewhere. but i don't know where. those damned battle-borns... they know something. they're hiding it. they practically taunt us with it. they must have some sort of proof! there's got to be something in that house of theirs. i just know it. i don't dare leave the house myself. so i need your help.", pleads avulstein.
"i'll see what i can find out.", says aine with a heavy heart.
aine sneaks her way into the battle-born home. she finds a locked door in the first floor bedroom and decides to pick the lock. she is successful. inside the small closet she finds an imperial missive. it states thorald grey-mane is being held captive by the thalmor in northwatch keep. aine quickly leave the battle-born home without being detected and proceeds back to grey-mane home. "avulstein, i know where thorald is. he is alive for now but currently being held by the dirty thalmor in the northwatch keep.", said aine.
"i will go there at once.", said avulstein.
"i don't think that is a good idea. you don't want your mother to have both of her sons missing.", said aine.
"that is quite wise.", concluded avulstein.
"i will do my best to retrieve him. you have my word as a stormcloak.", said aine exiting the grey-mane home.
it was time to find a bed for the night so aine went back to the bannered mare and rented a room from hulda for the night. she lay in her bed missing ulfric. a tear went down her face.
meanwhile, ulfric so smitten with aine needed to do something. galmar urged him to propose marriage, as it was the only logical outcome. "ulfric, once we drive out the legion, you will become high king. and with that you need a queen. aine is skyrim's best option. she is dragonborn, for talos' sake! but you need to act quickly before someone else takes her off your hands. do you want her ending up with ralof? after all he saved her in helgen, is a stormcloak officer and closer in age.", laid out galmar.
"galmar, you old friend; you are absolutely correct. i need to marry her before i accidentally impregnate her. i can't control myself when she is around. she makes me feel like a young man again.", said ulfric.
"i know she does. i can see it with own eyes, even the bear on my head sees it.", chuckled galmar.
"i need to have a ring made for her. but i don't know what kind of stones she likes.", said ulfric hopeful.
the next morning, aine and balgruuf make their way to windhelm by carriage. balgruuf wore ulfric's battleax on his back and a wooden sword sheathed. aine wasn't sure what to make of the wooden sword.
ulfric is getting ready for the day. it would prove important. his afternoon was full of meetings. but before that he needed to go to the market. there he speaks to an altmer merchant named niranye. "i need a ring made for someone special but i don't have a clue what she would prefer.", stated ulfric.
"yes, my jarl. may i ask, is this an engagement ring?", asked niranye.
"yes, it is.", said ulfric in response. "and who might the lucky lady be?", asked the merchant.
"aine… that is, if she will have me of course", said ulfric in a hopeful voice. "aine, you say. i think she would very much enjoy a gold ring with jade in the center. this will take a few weeks to be made. and if, i might add; she has been in love with you for over ten years. i'm sure she will gladly take your hand in marriage.", said niranye informing ulfric.
"ten years you say… i had no idea.", said ulfric in a surprised manner. he remembers aine was friendly with niranye in the past.
"is there anything else i may assist you with?", inquired niranye. "i will take a couple of those tunics and the green fine dress, please.", said ulfric.
"that will make 900 spetims. 50 for the clothing and 850 for the ring.", said niranye.
"that sounds, fair.", says ulfric handing over the coin.
it was midday and ulfric wanted to get back to the palace. before getting there he runs into a young girl, named sofie. "jarl ulfric, it is a pleasant day to be seeing you here in our wonderful city of windhelm. would you like some flowers? they are quite beautiful today.", said sofie.
"i will take a few pink ones and red ones.", said ulfric handing over the money. "oh, thank you. you are most generous.", said sofie.
"what is a girl like you, selling flowers? where are your parents?", asked ulfric.
"my mother died when i was very small. my father is one of your soldiers, and he hasn't returned in months. i do what i can to get by.", said sofie with a tear in her eye.
"you are welcome to stay in the palace until we find out what has happened to your father. there is plenty of food and the fire is always burning.", said ulfric in a loving manner. sofie reminded ulfric of aine. she wasn't much older when she lost her parents.