A Tale of the Misplaced Guard

by CyclicStoryWriter

A Darkness Shining in the Light

A Light Shining in the Darkness

To him, retelling his tale was more like taking a step back in time and watching as the events unfolded before him. The stone streets were cold to the touch while snowflakes floated down upon Skyrim. People walked through the streets trying to gather what they needed for the day before the storm decided to take a turn for the worse. Among the giant moving wall of people, a boy was moving around in just a red shirt, pants, and a pair of very worn-down shoes. He merged into the throng of people and began slowly moving towards a heavy set man with a thick green jacket with fur coming up around the collar. The boy had watched this noble man come in with one of the few Imperial soldiers here in Skyrim, who had retired to the barracks upon completing his mission. When the boy was close enough he 'accidentally' bumped into the man and quickly apologized before heading the other way. Leaving the wall of people it could clearly be seen that the boy had stolen a pouch of septims from the noble man. A quick glance inside further enlightened the boy with the knowledge that the coins were the real thing. He was heading up to the guard barracks to hopefully find some sort of job or at least warm up by one of the fires roaring in the courtyard. On the way up he heard some commotion coming out of one the alleyways along the way to the guard barracks. Curiosity got the better of him as he went to investigate the noise. The commotion was coming from the local band of bullies who had found a new victim to terrorize. When he was able to get closer, words began to form from the noise.

"Look here, you have two options here. You can either pay the ten septim toll or leave Solitude, there are no other options." Raddin, a boy who was better at words and intimidation than actual fighting said.

"Yeah, what he said!" The not so bright but built-like-a-bull Lakkan said trying to sound as convincing as his friend.

"You idiots actually think that I'm just going to give you what little I have!"

Lakkan gave a questioning look over to Raddin and the other two boys before wiping the look off his face.
Ulfgar had already buried his small stash in a patch of dirt and was heading towards the group. She had got one of the boys in the eye and Lakkan in the gut but was losing her ground fast. With one swift motion, Ulfgar kicked out Raddin's right leg while pulling the back of his shirt. He went down like a stone and pulled himself away from the commotion before seeing who had attacked him. Raddin gave Ulfgar a dark look while he held the back of his head.

"What are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be off picking some noble's pockets?" The boy next to Raddin asked seeing that Raddin had pulled himself off to the side.

"I was just on my way up to the guard courtyard when I heard some commotion over here." He calmly replied giving a small shrug.

"Well we still have you outnumbered three to two. You're going to regret coming here to help her!" He shouted out charging towards Ulfgar.

Ulfgar had been in his own fair share of fist fights to know that in order to win; you have to give out what you take. Frenzied, unorganized punches landed all around his body while he waited for the right moment. The time came when the boy tried to go for some type of power hit, pulling his arm far behind his head. Ulfgar bolted forward and landed a punch straight onto the boys’ face. A resounding crack and subsequent crying a few moments later ended the brawl. Looking back towards the girl, he watched as she laid on top of Lakkan landing blows left and right straight to his face with both of his arms trying to block the blows. The last boy was standing in the corner looking utterly scared about everything that had just happened.

"I think he has had enough." Ulfgar stated to the girl who was wailing away.

"Maybe. Do you promise not to mess with me again?" She replied, throwing in a question towards Lakkan.

"I promise! Now let me go!" He hastily replied with a new black eye.

"Good, now scram!" She shouted out as she got back up to her feet.
The boys ran off back into the streets of Solitude with a new set of memories and injuries. The air grew silent with the snow softly falling through the air.

"Are you alright?" Ulfgar asked trying to get rid of the awkward silence as it began to lay itself down over the scene.
Unexpectedly she ran straight towards Ulfgar and began to break out into sobs. After a few seconds of Ulfgar feeling even more awkward and her continuing to cry, she replied. "Yes, it feels nice to find someone that actually cares."

"I was just passing by and found a princess in peril. What else was I supposed to do?" Ulfgar replied, falling into a joking smile.

A quick slug to his arm, she smiled back. "My name's Rostei, and what might be the name of my gallant nord hero?"

"Ulfgar, want to head up with me to the guard's courtyard. I could introduce you to some of my friends up there." He offered as he held out a hand.

She grabbed a hold of it before they broke out into a race through the falling snow. He recalled her beating him up the hill and the curious looks from the guards standing at the gates to the courtyard and those out in the courtyard itself.

"So this... Rostei and you grew very close." An out of place voice asked as Applejack suddenly appeared leaning against the cold stone wall surrounding the courtyard.

"Yes, from that first day we grew together into an unbreakable bond that was almost close enough to be children bound in blood. We stayed together on our own for two and a half years before we got our chance to leave Solitude." Ulfgar replied as the scene began to mold and change before his eyes.

"What happened to the kids in the alley way?" Applejack questioned before any scene could been formed.

"Raddin ran off as soon as he could and made his way to the Imperial Empire. Now he is a cock-sure legate of the Imperial Army. Lakkan slowly became a friend of ours and soon became the Captain of the guard in Solitude. He is one of the reasons I was able to become a guard in the first place." Ulfgar answered while the snow turned into the cool breeze and warm rays of sun of spring. He watched as a younger him stood with Rostei down by the Solitude docks where they liked to laze around.

"I’ve known you for long enough to know that stupid grin on your face. What happened?" Rostei replied in a set of leather armor she had received from one of the guards.
Ulfgar had grown up with Rostei for a good amount of time, but going back into his memories, she had definitely changed from the child in the alleyway. She now stood tall and had long light brown hair. Her emerald green eyes seemed to not only calm you but dive into your thoughts. The child had disappeared and left behind a young lady who turned heads whenever she passed by.

"Well, you know how you like elven things? Today on my hunting trip I found a small group of elves dead in the forest and one of them had this." Ulfgar explained as he pulled out an elven dagger that he had fined tuned when he had gotten back.

"Wow, I can't believe you found this! Oh thank you so much, Ulfgar!" She shrieked as she pulled Ulfgar into a hug.

"You could say that, I guess." A man commented from behind them.
Turning around they could see a man wrapped up in red and black Redguard clothes. Underneath was a man that had a black beard and a weathered face.

"Who are you?" Rostei questioned as she re-positioned her grip on her new dagger.

"I could ask the same. A lady of Solitude doesn't wear armor nor have a liking for weaponry. Also your friend here didn't exactly just find those dead bodies." He replied as he nodded towards Ulfgar.

"What does he mean Ulfgar?" She asked not taking her eyes off the man.

"You see, one of those elves had a bounty on his head that I was planning on getting. Your friend here met them first when they 'requisitioned' his deer and three rabbits after beating him down. After they moved on and thought they had left him behind, they never saw him coming. I haven't seen someone with skills such as his in sneaking and with a dagger outside of the Dark Brotherhood." The man explained as Rostei began making side glances at Ulfgar. "He had followed them through the woods until they had stopped to have their meal that they had freshly taken. Oh the blood that was spilled there was glorious. I could have sworn that a smile seemed to spread on his face as he took that same dagger and slowly pressed it into the elf that had first beaten him. This man seems to be an artist with the black ink of the shadows and the red paint of blood."

"Is this true Ulfgar?" Rostei questioned Ulfgar as her grip on her new dagger slackened.

"I couldn't let those elves go free after how they taunted and insulted me. After I killed the first one with an arrow to his chest I seemed to have been pulled along by some invisible river." Ulfgar tried to explain himself.

"Ah, so Sithis has his eyes on you. The Dread Father seems to have plans for you." The man commented as a new sparkle appeared in his eyes.

"Dread Father... Then you are..." Rostei began after some time of thought.

"Yes, I am one of his children. It also seems he has taken a liking to your friend here." The man replied.
Rostei turned to look at Ulfgar to try to see some hidden joke or trick that he was known to do once in a while. Looking back at where the man was standing showed that he seemed to disappeared into the air. The only thing there was a small scroll wrapped up and sealed. Inside was the black hand of the Dark Brotherhood with a simple message. 'We Know'

"So the Dark Brotherhood is a group of assasins. How can you plead not guilty if you're saying the opposite?" Applejack asked as she appeared in front of his younger self and Rostei.

"After the first few contracts, you find out there is a reason behind every kill; A womanizing bandit that decided to have a bit too much fun, an arrogant drug smuggler who wasn't careful with his stock, or even an Imperial that is becoming a eyesore to his neighbors and community. Every target is a just kill in their own way once you see the world is not black and white, but many different shades of grey." Ulfgar said with a sad sigh as Solitude and Rostei began fading away into an orchard that was saturated with color.

"So what’s next?" Applejack asked seeming interested in hearing more of his tale.

"Not today... Later we can continue this tale, but I need some time. I'm sure you have something else that needs to be done rather than to listen to me ramble on about my life." Ulfgar replied as revisiting his early years began lighting some emotional flames that had been cold for a long while. He felt like time had dragged him through those years again, leaving him an old man. Slowly he began sliding down the side of the tree until he was sitting on the ground his arms lying on his knees.

"Alright, maybe harvesting some apples will help you." Applejack said seeing the fires inside him being rekindled.

Ulfgar just sat there staring down at the ground at his feet

"You alright there, sugarcube?" Applejack asked as the silence drew uneasiness from deep inside her.

Ulfgar didn't reply as he kept his eyes down on the ground. Not a sound came from him except for his breathing. The air around them seemed to grow colder just from Ulfgar's silence, making goosebumps appear on Applejack's exposed arms.

"Come on Ulfgar, everything will be alright." Applejack tried to persuade Ulfgar from his silence.

"Will it?" He finally replied.

"I'm not much at predicting the future but I think you will do fine right here in Equestria. Who knows, maybe you might become one of the Princesses Royal Guards." Applejack replied as she walked over to him. "It isn't every day that a man risks his life to save six girls in an effort to bring order back to Equestria."
"It's just my job." He replied simply not raising his head to look at her.

"It may have been your job but even after being turned around by Twilight you still went out of your way to help us. We may not have come back if you hadn't tagged along." Applejack countered softly as she kneeled down in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Ulfgar raised his face to Applejack and looked into her with eyes devoid of any emotion. The shine that they had earlier back at the ruins and earlier that day was gone; leaving him hollow and stone cold. Applejack could tell from his look that he carried a burden heavier than anyone could imagine. But deep down, she saw a small sliver of hope that burned brightly; a hope of somehow redeeming himself of past failures.

"Look here Ulfgar, I don't know what you did back In Skyrim, but I see a good man standing in front of me. Not some crazy assassin out for blood; all I see is a man with a harsh past. If you allow me, I can help you out with what you’re going through. It was tough for me to get over the loss of my father but I pulled through with the help of my Granny Smith. Now I want to help you out with your past." Applejack offered as she gave him a small squeeze on his shoulder.

The sliver of hope inside of him grew as she said these words. It grew inside of him and brought back the shine that she had seen the first time she had actually met him. After a few seconds he pushed himself off the ground and stretched. Applejack stood up as well with a grin across her face.

Ulfgar looked at Applejack and smiled. "I never thought someone like you could have such honeyed words. I'll have to keep an eye on you."

The lightness of his voice showed a side of him that didn't seem possible. As if there are two sides to him, one cold and precise and the other side almost as normal as a regular person. Applejack thought for a moment about how Skyrim might be different from Equestria but the people living there might be just the same as here. Living and working to make a life for themselves and for those they cared about. Maybe Skyrim was just like Equestria, only exaggerated in how the people acted. They shared a laugh until a child's voice cut in.

"Are you sure you this guy isn't your special somebody? Because it sure looks like it!" Applebloom asked catching them both by surprise.

Comments

[Two-HeadedSnake]

Woo a update

[Lord Guffington]

Dang it Apple Bloom. Why you gotta be so truthful?

[RageCake]

...SHIP.

[TwizzleDragon]

Riften Guard needs to see this right away!

[Riften Guard]

1701191
gyazo.com/5af3268695cb18b1bafdc5c74ae40774.png

[Equin0x27]

1667557 Agreed.