Past comes to Light
Time seemed to stop as he stared at the blackened hand that was laid out before him. Any thoughts as to what Applejack was mad at before was now wiped away with what was right in front of him. Only one thought ran through his mind, she knows. He did not know what she knew but she definitely knew that part of his past. Quickly he jumped down to the ground and bolted out of the barn. Looking around outside, he didn't have any idea where to start. Ulfgar recalled that he had heard nothing when he was heading out to town or heading back to the farm. So he decided to begin his search the other half of the orchard. Unlike the forests he was used to, light somehow managed to push through and give the area a gentle glow. Normally the sun would be blocked out by the thick canopies and made the area beneath them dark as night. Ulfgar blew past the trees and headed down the rows. The trees flashing by and beams of light shooting down every once in a while made his mind flash into an old memory. The passing landscape began blurring into the image he saw in his mind. Ulfgar found himself running through the forest of Falkreath that he had once known. Running through the trees he sprinted for some unknown reason. Reason caught up to him as an arrow embedded itself into a tree he was coming up to. Chancing a glimpse behind him, he saw a party of four men on horseback chasing after him. One of the men notched another arrow and pulled the string back to his cheek. Options began running through Ulfgar's mind as he turned to look where he was going. The sight of a lake appeared through the trees. An idea popped into his mind as grinned from underneath his cowl. His smile disappeared as an arrow embedded itself in his left arm. Taking a sharp turn in the trees, Ulfgar bolted into a clearing dotted with buildings. There was a lumber mill, a house and a small shack between the lumber mill and the lake. Ulfgar made his way towards the shack while he heard the frustrated voices of the men behind him. As he ran towards the shack, he noticed that the lake was giving off the red glimmers of the setting sun. The shack turned out to be a small butchers shop with different types of meat lying around. Hoof steps sounded as he pulled himself up to the rafters above the bloody mess below him. With a quick pull, the arrow came out while he suppressed a pain filled scream as the men talked outside.
"Did you see where he went?"
"I didn't see him after he lost us just before this mill."
"I think he headed back into the woods when we lost him."
"It's getting dark out as well. Check this area and then we'll head back. He is now in his element here with the darkness."
A few seconds later a man walked into the butchers shop and looked around. An urge pulled at Ulfgar to drop from the beam he was sitting on and pierce the man's heart with his dagger. Even though the pull was there he knew better than to do that. Ulfgar might have considered himself one of the best Dark Brotherhood assassins out there but certainly not the greatest. That title would fall upon Babette, Nazir, or Astrid. The man began moving deeper into the shack and shook his head. Ulfgar slide his hand over the hilt of his dagger as the man’s eyes began moving up to where he hid.
"Hey, what are you men doing here!? Get out of here now!" A female voice shouted out as the eyes were about to pass over him.
"We're just looking for a convict. The bloody thief got away with about 500 Septims and got our Captain while we were preparing to chase after him." One of the men explained as the one in the shack moved outside.
Ulfgar had to smile at that, now the thieves’ guild had that going for them. Obviously luck was on his side again today.
His thoughts were interrupted by the woman again "Well he isn't here now, so get off my property!"
"We're getting off, no need to worry. Come on men, we know where to go at dawn." A man said as the sound of his pursuers remounted their horses and headed out back the way they came.
Seconds passed to minutes as the silence filled the area. Footsteps began to grow closer to the shack. The woman walked and looked over the area. She then looked straight up at where he was as if she watched him climb up there.
"You alright?" She replied in a deeper voice than when she was talking to the men outside.
"Wha'..." Ulfgar began before light seemed to shine on her face to show a man’s face with a wheat stalk hanging out of his mouth.
"Didn't to expect you to snap like that." She replied as the world seemed to melt away to the sun filled day back in the orchard.
"Hmm... Oh, I just got lost in thought. Sometimes the past catches me from time to time." Ulfgar replied as he replied to Big Mac's comment.
"Well that past of yours somehow got my sister in a mood I have never seen her in before. Mind explaining what that might have done that?"
"As far back as I could remember, I was an orphan. Every day of my life was spent doing what I could to live another day. That would include things from pickpocketing some snob nosed noblemen to taking a loaf of bread or doing some odd end jobs for the townsfolk. One day I saw a new kid in town, she was an orphan as well. I first met her when she was trying to hold off the local gang of children. I stepped in and helped her out. After that we soon became brother and sister in each other’s eyes. A few years passed before a dark figure came by and asked if we wanted a family. Without any hesitation we said yes, and then began our life with said family. It might have not been the best family but it was a family, until someone tried to get rid of me and my sister. When she died, I went back to my original home of Solitude and became a guard. After time the family had changed, people died and others took up their spots. They came after me with a second chance with the family. I declined, but offered to be their eyes and ears in Solitude. The one responsible for my sister's death was still alive there. If she found out I was still alive, I would be dead before I could put my boots on." I answered as I began censoring almost everything about the Dark Brotherhood.
"Anything else?" Big Mac asked as if he could see I was holding something back
"And my family might have been a part of an assassin's guild that was slowly being exterminated." I replied giving only a small bit of information.
Big Mac looked like he was going to inquire further but was stopped by a voice. "Hey Big Mac, do you have a moment?"
Applejack's voice was unmistakable through the trees. Ulfgar gave a quick hand sign to Big Mac with the intent of 'If you have any mercy, don't betray my spot'. After that he bolted up into the leafy boughs of the nearest apple tree. A few seconds later Ulfgar could hear her soft footsteps walking towards where he just was.
"Do ya’ have a minute? I have some things on my mind ah have to sort out."
"Eeyup." He simply replied.
"I have been thinking of that newcomer. Have you really thought about him yet?" Applejack hesitantly asked her brother.
"Nope, I haven't even heard his name yet." He stated.
"I've talked to him and his name is Ulfgar. I know that this might be strange but he comes from Skyrim." Applejack confessed as Ulfgar began to sweat up in his spot.
"Skyrim? Are you sure?" Big Mac inquired breaking his usual simplistic replies.
"As sure as rain, but I am not sure about his guard past though." Applejack continued as her voice seemed to grow closer to his tree.
"Why's that?"
"Even though he seems good, he seems to be holding a lot of things back." She continued as her hat could be seen walking up to the tree and leaning against it.
"Have you talked to him about it?"
"No, but there was a book that I found on top of his pack about a 'Dark Brotherhood'. From what I saw it they were some type of contract killers." Applejack tried to explain.
"Maybe there is a reason for it. Have you asked him about it?" Big Mac asked baiting his flustered sister.
"No, he just got here yesterday..." Applejack replied as she went straight for the bait. "I'll ask him about it later. I guess I'm just worried about Applebloom and Granny."
"Granny Smith has always had a way of seeing who people were before knowing them. Now let’s get back to work, apples don't harvest themselves." Big Mac said as he went up to the tree and slammed it so hard that the apples fell from the tree.
Ulfgar took a quick look around him and saw that his tree was still laden with the red fruit.
Fear of discovery crept through him as Applejack spoke "Sounds good! Some work will do my mind good until he comes back."
He gripped onto the strong limbs of the tree as he saw the hat turning around. Ulfgar saw her body leaning away from the tree as a leg shot out and impacted the tree’s trunk. Vibrations shook through his entire body shooting memories trying to escape from a Dwemer ruin as the supports had finally taken enough abuse. He could smell those filthy insects that worked with the Falmer and hear the sound of them trying to land a shot of acid on him. The thoughts vanished with the apples falling down to the ground. Relief finally settled over him as the hat below him disappeared off to the next tree and repeated the process. Seconds turned to minutes before another knock came on the tree. Ulfgar jumped down to from his spot in the tree and stretched out his arms.
"You need to go talk to Applejack." Big Mac stated as he leaned against the tree.
"Are you sure? She doesn't seem to be in the mood for a chat with a 'contract killer." Ulfgar questioned.
All Big Mac responded with was a small nod before moving back to his work. Ulfgar frowned a little before moving in the direction of the empty apple trees. Ulfgar did not have to jog long to hear someone slamming against a tree. He could see the farm girl slamming her foot into the tree with such strength that it reminded him of a horse. His mind began to smoke as he saw the apples fall down nicely into a bucket placed at the base of the tree. Such things should not even happen! Apples fall straight down, whether there is a bucket there or not. Why does this world seem to love to break what rules there were back in Skyrim?
"Don't worry your little head Ulfgar! You'll get used to it!" A familiar voice shouted out from behind him.
Quickly, Ulfgar turned to face the bright eyed face of Pinkie Pie. There was no way that she had walked up to him without making a noise.
"What are you two doing out here!?" Applejack shouted out towards them, pulling their gazes towards her.
"I'm just telling Ulfgar here that things aren't as weird as they seem." Pinkie Pie said as she patted Ulfgar on the back.
"You made colored lights appear out of nowhere! Not even a mage with years of focused practice can do that!" Ulfgar countered as he turned to see if Pinkie was just pulling his strings.
"It was nice for you to stop by Pinkie but me and Ulfgar have some work to do." Applejack stated as she gave Ulfgar a glance that could cut a man in half.
"That's okay. I have some other things I have to work on today too. See ya later Ulfgar!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before heading off into the woods.
Ulfgar watched for as long as possible before Applejack gave a large cough. Turning around he could still see that she still had a bone to pick with him "How much do you know about the brotherhood?"
"Enough to know that you weren't telling the whole truth before!" Applejack shot right out "Now I am not sure if I can trust you with any of my family or friends!"
"I have no plans on making myself more of an outcast than I am right now!" Ulfgar replied trying to defend himself.
"I thought you were just an ordinary man before that seemed only a little bit off. Now all I can see is some masked assassin with blood-stained hands!" Applejack continued, not even throttling back her unrelenting force.
"Well I guess it is time for a tale then..." Ulfgar began with a heavy sigh.
"I don't want some yarn of a tale, I want the truth!" Applejack shouted, looking to be at her breaking point.
"Really? Because last time I checked my entire life was a lie, just a tale for misbehaving children! My childhood consisted of trying to find enough food for me to survive each day without being dragged off to some cell where not even the light of day could break through. My adopted family was built around death and deception! One member of that family turned someone I thought of as a sister against me! I can sometimes feel where that dagger slid right next to my heart. Where each beat of my heart met the cold metal of a dagger dripping with poison! I have had to lead a life of lies just so that I can hopefully live out the rest of my years without having to worry about some target painted onto my back with hatred, envy, and lined with gold! According to this world, I am a lie not even supposed to be real. Something that isn't supposed to be living and breathing right here in front of you! Damned is the man who is too stubborn to listen to another man's ideas." Ulfgar countered with a deep burning rage that had been locked up for a long time.
Applejack stood there with a blank face. She stood there trying to come back with something but nothing was actually voiced. Ulfgar didn't know if it was from his unbridled rage or just from the realization that everything in his life was now being told was a complete lie, not even meant to exist. Nonetheless she leaned up against the recently emptied tree and seemed to be willing to listen to his side of the story. Ulfgar watched as his rage subsided and returned to its lightless cage. He thought about his life and pondered where to start. Finally he knew where everything would play along nicely.
"It all began the day she came into Solitude." Ulfgar started as his memories began flowing through his mind as the trees seemed to melt away from his vision to be replaced by the streets he had grown to love. "In the early days of the month of Sun's Dusk, when the cold winds of the northern ice sea began to blow down into Skyrim."