Balgruuf's Journal #4: Unblooded

  •  “I fight for the families of those who have fought and died by my side.  I fight so that all the fighting I have already done will not have been in vain!”

    Jarl Ulfric’s words echoed in my memory and enflamed my heart as I stood with my Stormcloak brothers-in-arms in the snow outside Korvanjund.  Ulfric was a man I would have been proud to call my father.  Ralof stood near me, and our general, Galmar Stone-Fist, was getting ready to address us.

    Our mission was to enter the barrow, Korvanjund, and bring out the legendary Jagged Crown for Jarl Ulfric.  We had expected to face nothing worse than the typical dungeon wight, but instead, Imperial soldiers guarded the entrance.  I had almost walked right into them when I’d arrived, expecting to find my compatriots there.  Galmar had also been surprised.  The only reason the Imperials would be here is because they knew we were coming.

    Galmar addressed us, reminding us all that the Imperials were the enemy and would not hesitate to kill us.  He wasn’t speaking to me, really.  He was speaking to the veterans in the group, some of whom had fought for the Empire in the past and had friends in the Legion.  I’m glad I didn’t have that worry.  Idolaf popped into my mind, but I pushed him aside.  Then Galmar called the charge, and I found myself sprinting to catch up with my comrades.

    The battle outside the barrow was chaos.  By the time I arrived, everyone was already engaged.  I ran down the stairs and raised my sword at a legionnaire fighting Ralof, but before I could swing, the Imperial died and Ralof moved on.  Over and over this happened to me.  I think I managed to swing my great sword once, and I might have hit one of my own comrades, because I heard, “Watch it, Unblooded!” And then the fight was over, and we were at the entrance.  Galmar was speaking, but I have no memory of what he said.  Then we ran through the door, and it was just like outside, except I could barely even see the real fighting.  I couldn’t keep up, and the corridors were so crowded that I was afraid to swing when I did get there.  By the time Galmar called a halt in a large chamber, I don’t think I’d so much as struck an enemy.

    “This stinks of an ambush to me,” Galmar declared, eyeballing the next doorway.  “Unblooded, try to find a back way in, and see if you can sneak up behind them.  We’ll charge in when we hear signs of fighting.”

    Good! I was finally guaranteed a chance to land a blow.  I stepped back and took a wide view of the room, noting that there was some kind of passage on the ledge that circled the room.  I tiptoed around that ledge, through the doorway, and found myself on a skybridge overlooking a small group of Imperials guarding the corridor.  I drew my bow, took my time lining up a shot, let it fly…

    “I’ve been shot!” yelled the legionnaire.  Stormcloaks overran the room.  By the time I jumped down from my perch and joined them, the battle was over--again.  I began to think that one shot may have been all the glory I would get that day.

    But soon enough, we fetched up against a combination portal.  I was the one who figured out how to get through it, and Galmar gave me a slap on the back for that, so I guess now I have a reputation for fighting smarter, not harder.  That portal led us into the throne room of the king of the Jagged Crown.  Ralof was the one who spotted it first.

    “It’s here!” he called.  We’ve found it!”  He made as if to lift it from the head of the dead king on his throne.

    “Ralof, no!” Galmar shouted, but it was too late.  The undead king rose from his throne, and attacked Ralof.  As he defended himself, and the rest of the company rushed to join, I raised my great sword and brought it down across the draugr’s back.  Next thing I knew, the entire company was patting me on the back and congratulating me on my first blood.

    “Good job, young one.  We can’t call you Unblooded anymore after that kill,” Galmar told me.  “I want you to have the honor of presenting the Jagged Crown to Ulfric.  Will you take this to him and tell him he owes me a mead?”

    Of course I was thrilled to say yes, and I nestled that crown carefully into my pack, padded with wolf pelts and clothing.  I returned to Windhelm with all the haste I could muster, and went directly to the Palace of the Kings.

    The jarl laughed when I told him what Galmar had said.  “You’ve done well,” he told me, “And I have another mission for you.  Take my ax to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun.”

    “Your… your ax?” I repeated, dumbstruck.

    “That’s right, my ax!” snapped Ulfric.  “How long have you lived in Skyrim?”

    “Of course, my lord; I will leave immediately for Whiterun,” I told him.

    I walked out of the Palace of the Kings dreading this next encounter with my father.  I had never actually told him why I had left town, and he had never asked.  If he had recognized my new armor, he had said nothing about it.  Now, my allegiance would be laid plane.  “And what’s wrong with that?” I asked myself sternly.  “Have the courage of your convictions!”

    I have a suspicion.  I suspect that Ulfric knows exactly who I am, and very intentionally chose me for this task.  For whatever reason, he has respected my desire not to declare my identity.  It makes me wonder how many have recognized me along my way and not let on.  Does Ralof know?  Did Gerdur know when she sent me to my father to petition for Riverwood? 

Comments

2 Comments
  • Kynareth
    Kynareth   ·  January 28, 2012
    Piper Jo, you have a distinct habit of creating gut-wrenching characters...life is not easy for them, nor do they always help themselves either.    Real people in a fantasy world...
    Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to more!
  • Guy Corbett
    Guy Corbett   ·  January 26, 2012
    Sweet The unblooded joins the rank of men cant wait for the showdown with his dad. I really like that he sort of gets dragged through that happened to me when I played I didnt know what was going on lol
    I growing to like this character more and more...  more