Chapter One: Darva Storm

• Posted by Brittany Graves September 20, 2012 - 342 views

  (Introductory Note: My character that I made for the game is named Darkstorm. I thought it would be good to change her name to make it sound more authentic. I did some research for Khajiit names and saw Dar- "thief" and Va- "to be" and it was basically my character. I also thought the name Darva sounded more like Dark then anything else I could find.

  My name is Brittany Graves, and I am new to this site. I am in college and I work most of the time I am not in school, but I feel like this will be a really fun thing to do in my spare time and I hope who ever reads this enjoys this. Thank you! Be sure to comment and share Any feedback is welcome)

  (For this chapter I did use for the most part exactly what came out of the game but it is my favorite introduction in a video game and it is perfect for opening up a story. In later chapters- I don't know how many I'm going to do- I won't use as many stories from the game as I did in this chapter.. Unless I want to do Daedric quests or something...Anyway! Thank you!)

  Chapter One: Darva Storm

  A Khajiit, brought over to Skyrim when she was young, dreamed of the hot dry deserts of Elsweyr. She dreamed of crossing marshes, jungles, and rives with her father, mother, uncle, and two brothers and how they were attacked by things such as bears and wolves. Finally, her last dream vision was finally getting to Riften a few months later with her father and uncle.
  

  She was awoken rudely as her head bounced against the rail of a horse carriage, but she had no idea how much time had passed. She blinked open her eyes and realized her hands were cuffed. She heard a voice say beside her "Hey, you. Finally awake." She looked up at a man wearing armor, whose hands were also cuffed. She nodded and the stranger, a nord, continued. "You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush. Same as us. And that thief over there." She glanced over to another man, an elf, wearing ragged clothes. Then at the other man sitting next to her. He was dressed fine, expensive clothes and unfortunately for him, he had cloth covering his mouth.
  

  "Damn you Stormcloaks," grumbled the elf. The Khajiit tilted her head at his words. She didn't care much for the politics of Skyrim, but his words confused her. The Imperials hadn't been nearly as rude as the Stormcloaks to her in her childhood, but they certainly hadn't make Skyrim a great country from what she could see."Skyrim was fine until you guys came along! The Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for me, I'd have stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfell by now." He continued. She was about to stop paying attention to this elf when he said, "You, there. You and me, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the empire wants."
  

  In a way, he was right. She shouldn't have been here. Her father and uncle both died as she grew older. She had lived just outside of Riften until they had passed and now she was moving from place to place. Not many people trusted Khajiits, especially if they are alone. Just before she had been knocked out, she was gathering water and fish from a river near a shack that she was going to stay in for the night until she got to Rorikstead the next day. She was about to say something to the elf, when the nord said "We are all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief."
  

  "Shut up back there!" Came a call from one of the escorting guards.
  

  "What's wrong with him, huh?" said the thief, obviously ignoring the guard.
  

  "Watch your tongue!" said the nord. "You are talking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King!"
  

  "Ulfic? The Jarl of Windhelm?" said the thief, stating out loud what this Khajiit was thinking. "You're the leader of the rebellion... but if they captured you that means... oh gods! Where are they taking us?!"
  

  His panic sent a chill down her spine. She had given up stealing as a child only to be brought to a chopping block anyway? She looked ahead past the horses to see where she was being taken. Her heart started racing. Maybe if she kept quiet and didn't cause trouble, she could explain to them that this was a misunderstanding- but that was a stretch as is.  She let out a sigh of disappointment and continued listening.
  

  "I don't know where we are going, but Sovengrade awaits." said the nord sadly.
  

  "No, this can't be happening. This isn't happening." said the thief over and over under his breath. Him panicking was making her panic even more. She took a few deep breathes and closed her eyes. 

  "Hey," said the nord quietly. "What village do you hail from horse thief?"

  "Why do you care?" snapped the thief.
  

  "A nords last thoughts should be of home."
  

  "Rorikstead... I'm from Rorikstead."
  

  The Khajiit turned her head up. She had many questions she would have liked answered about Rorikstead, but she was on her way to die, so she didn't see the point. As the thought crossed her mind a guard called "General Tullius, sir! The headsman is waiting!"
  

  "Good, let's get this over with!" said someone close by. When he heard this, the thief starting naming off all the gods. "Nine Divines, help me!" he said aloud. There was a moments pause between them She looked around the town. She didn't know where she was but she was glad she got to see this town, she only wished it was for a better reason.
  

  "Look at him." said the nord in a low, angry voice. "General Tullius the military governor! And it looks like the Thalmor are with him." His attitude suddenly changed. "This is Helgen, I used to be sweet on a girl from here." he said quietly. "Wonder if she is still making mead with juniper berries. When I was a boy Imperial walls used to make me feel so safe..."
  

  "Who are they, daddy? Where are they going?" She looked behind her to see a child sitting on a set of stairs next to his father.
  

  "Go inside," said his father.
  

  "Why? I want to watch the soldiers."
  

  "Go inside the house. Now," said the father.
  

  "Okay," came the sad reply. She turned turned to the front again and looked at the nord. They were slowing down.
  

  "Why are we stopping?" said the thief, unable to hide his terror.
  

  "Why do you think? End of the line..." said the nord. "Let's go. Shouldn't keep the guards waiting for us."
  

  She would have said good bye, if she weren't trying to think of something to say to the guards to get her out of this mess.
  

  "No, wait! We're not rebels!"
  

  "Face your death with some courage, thief!" was what she heard as she stepped off the carriage.
  

  "Come to the front and go to the chopping block when we call your name! One at at time!" ordered a guard.
  

  "Empire loves their damn lists." said the nord.
  

  "Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm," said a guard.
  

  Ulfric, the man unable to say anything the whole trip there, stepped forward. "It has been an honor Jarl Ulfric," said the nord beside her.
  

  "Ralof of Riverwood!" called a guard in front of her. The nord who she had grown to like on this trip stepped forward and out of sight.

  "Alkir or Rorikstead!" called the same guard. This was the elf. He took a step forward.
  

  "No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" he yelled before sprinting away.
  

  "Halt!" shouted another guard. Alkir the elf managed to get to the third house away before the guard called for the archers to shoot him down. When he fell, the guard turned and said to the crowd, "Anyone else feel like running?"
  

  No one moved.
  

  "Wait... You there." said the other guard to her."Step forward." She walked towards him. "Who are you?" he asked her.
  

  "My name is not important." She said, hastily. "Listen, sir, this is just a-"
  

  "Quiet!" snapped a guard. "She's not on the list, what do we do?"
  

  "Forget the list, she goes to the block." said the main guard.
  

  "By your orders, captain." The first guard looked at her. "I am sorry, we will make sure your remains are sent to your homeland," he said.
  

  The captain guard led the Khajiit to the chopping block where she took her spot next to another Stormcloak. Someone was already being brought to the block, and a priest stood close by. There was a short conversation between the guard and the prisoner, as the prisoner's words were cut short by an axe. His head fell in a basket, and the body was carried away.
  

  "Next, the cat," said another guard. She hardly heard because her heart was pounding so hard. Someone gave her a little push and she walked slowly to the block. She looked at the guards face, then at his axe. He pushed her to her knees and she fell, her head coming close to the one in the basket.
  

  Then there was a loud roar.
  

  "What was that?" muttered a few of the people around.
  

  "It's all right, okay now, lets get a move on."
  

  She closed her eyes expecting nothingness, but instead she heard someone screaming "What is that?" She opened her eyes and saw... a monster. A legend. 

  A dragon. He roared once again and a storm was summoned. She fell to the ground and despite the sudden chaos, was alive. As she got up she heard a voice calling to her.

  "Quick! This way!" She turned to see Rolaf. She was happy to see that he was still alive, and a live Ulfic standing next him. She ran as fast as she could and ran inside a tower with them.
  

  "Ralof!" The Khajiit said, winded. "Thank you.." Ralof nodded to her.

  "Jarl Ulfric! What is that thing? Couldn't the legends be true?" Ralof yelled.
  

  "Legends don't burn down villages." Ulfric said. Ralof turned to her. "We need to move. Now!" They ran a few steps up the tower they were in, but it was soon smashed to pieces as the dragon smashed his head into it. Ralof pulled her back just before the building exploded and saved her from death, unlike a solider who had mistakenly gone too far. Her eyes were wide with fear but she chocked out another thank you before moving on. There was a building that was still standing, but had a hole in the roof. Ralof told her to jump and that they would follow soon. She kept running until she got onto the ground again, but she couldn't find either Ulfric or Ralof. She was going to wait, until she saw the dragon again. She saw an Imperial guard with a group of civilians telling them how to get to safety, and he was waving for her to come to him.

  "Want to stay alive, prisoner? Then follow me." He said before dashing off. They ran though the burning and destroyed city, had a couple close calls where the dragon could have eaten her or burned her to death, but they made it to the main building of the village. She saw Ralof standing just outside the door.
  

  "Ralof! You damned traitor!" said the guard next to her. "Out of my way!"
  

  "We are escaping, Hadvar." said Ralof calmly. "You're not stopping us this time!"
  

  "I hope that Dragon takes you all to Sovengrade!" Hadvar said, sprinting away. Ralof went to the other door and called for her to come with him. She paused, heard the Dragon roar for about the hundreth time and decided to go with Ralof. At least, if she did get out alive, they wouldn't make her a prisoner again. She ran into the keep with Ralof, just as the Dragon breathed more fire in their direction.
  

  When they were in the keep, there was already a dead soldier inside. Ralof went to the dead body, said a few respectful words, then turned to her.
  

  "Glad to see you were able to get out alive. He doesn't need his armor, or weapons anymore. Let me get those bindings off you."
  

  She looked up at him and rubbed her wrists. "Thank you. Again." She said. He smiled to her. "Here, take this axe, give it a few swings. I'm going to see if any of these doors lead out." She put on the Stormcloak armor and lifted the axe for a couple minutes. "I am used to daggers, but this will work for now." she said out loud.
  

  "Damn it!" Ralof said. "All the doors are locked. Maybe we-" he stopped talking. There were voices on the other side of the door, and they doubted they would be friendly faces. She and Ralof crouched down behind a door and waited. They didn't wait long however, because three Imperial guards came into the room. They were talking, but the Khajiit didn't care what about.
  

  Her and Ralof both were able to kill one person each, then together they managed to kill the captain. "I bet one of them has the key to these doors." Ralof said under his breath. After a minute of looting their bodies, She had managed to get a few gold coins off them, and Ralof had the key. They traveled through the basement of Helgen's Keep and fought the few Imperial soldiers that they ran into along the way.
  

  "So, Khajiit. How long have you been in Skyrim?" Ralof said while they were creeping through the tunnel.
  

  "A few years. Mostly stayed near Riften." she smiled then said, "but of course the one time I leave my new home for a newer one I get captured, almost killed, and Dragons are raised from the dead!"
  

  Ralof chuckled. "You should join the Stormcloaks when we get out of here. Ulfric should remember you. If not, I'll remind him."
  

  Her ears flicked back as she said, "Politics don't interest me much really. But how much would you pay me, compared to the Imperials that is." she said with a smile.
  

  "So all Khajiit's only want money, huh?" Ralof said in an off set tone.
  

  She looked at him again. "It isn't that. I would just hope that I would get something in return for putting my life on the line. Espcially when-"
  

  "Shhhh- there is a bear. I'd rather not fight with it right now if I can avoid it. Let's sneak around her." Ralof said, cutting off her sentance. She kept her mouth shut, and after a painful minute of sneaking around the bear, they had made it. She stepped outside of the cave, and the sun was bright against her eyes. She heard a final roar and saw the Dragon flying over the mountains and out of sight.
  

  Ralof turned to her. "You can stick with me for a little while longer if you want. I have family in Riverwood that will help us. Riverwood isn't that far from here. But if you decide not to follow me, I hope to see you in Windhelm." He gave her one final wave and started running up the road.
  

  A Khajiit made it out of a Dragon Attack in Helgen, alive. When she thought about it over and over again, She could hardly believe it herself. She didn't know anyone else, and had no where else to go.
  

  She decided that for a Stormcloak Nord, he didn't seem all that bad of a being. She smiled to herself a little and started running. "Wait for me, Ralof!"
  

  He turned. "You know my name. Can I ask yours, Khajiit?" he said slowing his pace.
  

  "My name is Darva Storm."