Lost Legends

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"It can't keep going on like this!" A young woman's voice gasped as two figures dove over a snow drift to avoid detection by passing guards. "We have been fighting for so long that no one even cares anymore!" She added, running her fingers through blue black hair that had already become brittle with the cold.
"Of course they remember, Dex." The young woman's companion replied in an annoyed whisper. "We fight for freedom from the imperial invaders who seek to make us bow down to them!"
The woman who had just been referred to as Dex rolled her grey eyes. "What does it matter who sits on the throne as high emperor? Either way, we're still left down here in the dirt." She added, poking her head up to see if the coast was clear. "The rebellion is just pushing back the tide, sooner or later the imperials will find us all, and execute us as promised."

"You know the dragon?" Ulfric asked with a frown. "If I am to believe my destiny lies with Breenan, I need to know how the Dragonborn fits into this. I thought the Dragonborn was supposed to fight the dragon, not mate with him!"

Dex's jaw was tight as she glared at the merchant. She could see dried meats hanging up behind the counter, and yet he was telling her it was a hard winter and they barely had enough to feed themselves, let alone sell to outsiders.

"The true Dragonborn is supposed to subdue the dragon." Almeada said as she knelt beside Bree, applying to salve to her legs. "Fighting can take on many forms, Jarl. You above all should know this. However, your destiny and Breenan's are tied to the dragon couple in an odd way. I cannot tell you more. Otherwise there will be no point in experiencing fate for yourself."

Draco was beginning to growl loudly. He was running out of patience. He saw no real reason why he shouldn't decimate this village.

Ulfric was wearily rubbing at her forehead as it began to throb. "So... I need to find the dragon and his met again?" He asked. "What about Bree? I should imagine her wish is still to return to Morrowind... Though I do not know what became of her mother's remains."

Dex finally gave up. She knew if she took the food by force, they would find themselves noted in every village across this hold. "I hope that on the day you find yourself on the outside looking in... You encounter someone with far more kindness than you have shown me." She breathed, then turned to leave.

Almeada shook her head, telling him she had nothing more to say on the subject. "The burns will heal...but I'm afraid it will be a few days before Bree is herself again. They gave her a potion to suppress her magicks. It will make her very ill."

The dragon erupted in an instant, covering her with his body as he made short work of the general goods store and the people in it. Done with that, Draco burned everything in sight, taking great pleasure in eating every human who came near them.

Ulfric took a seat beside Bree's bed, his battle worn fingers brushing her cheek lightly. "She will never trust me. I don't see how this is going to work."

Dex was clinging tightly to one of Draco's massive legs as he destroyed the town. She wasn't sorry for what was happening, she was only saddened that this was beginning to feel how they would be forced to do everything from now on.

"You've made the first step." Almeada whispered, watching the way his fingers brushed the young Dunmer's cheek. There was so much emotion behind it. "Don't stop now. All good things come to those who never give up. You know this well, king."

Once he was done, Draco lowered his massive head to where Dex was holding onto him. "My, that was fun." He purred. "Now...shall we get you that armor and a belly full of mead?"

"What I know... Is everything gets taken away from those willing to fight." Ulfric breathed. "I have been betrayed by the man I thought of as a brother..."

Dex didn't quite know what to say. "Was that all for my benefit?" She asked with a wry smile.

"And the woman you thought of as queen?" Almeada asked with a rasied eyebrow. "She was not worthy of you. You should have known that."

"You aren't happy?" Draco asked. If possible, his enormous face looked extremely disappointed.

"I was blinded by her innocence." Ulfric confessed. "I should have known... One so sweet could not be meant for me."

"I didn't say that." Dex breathed, moving around her dragon mate to rest her head against his giant nose. "You enjoy being in your dragon form the most, don't you? Just because I am human... Shouldn't mean you have to stay human for my benefit."

"Was she really so innocent?" Almeada asked, though she was chuckling at the thought that he didn't think Bree sweet. It would have made the younger Dunmer happpy to hear that.

"Believe it or not, girl, I like being with you." Draco told her. "And I'm rather fond of being human. It's easier to move around and I'm less likely to destroy things I need...or want."

"She was afraid for me to touch her." Ulfric replied. "Do I really seem like such a monster?" He asked, though he was watching Bree.

"But no one would dare cross you like this." Dex replied, smiling as she closed her eyes, still resting her head against Draco. The young woman found great comfort in the deep rumbling of his voice when in dragon form. Of course, she found a different kind of comfort in his human voice when it whispered things against her lips.

"She was afraid you would discover that she had already known the taste of your friend." Almeada told him. "You've been so lonely. You didn't even notice, did you?"

"That is neither here nor there." Draco sighed. "Lovely, get your armor. I'm dying to see how it will look on you."

There was a look of genuine hurt in Ulfric's deep blue eyes as he looked over at Almeada. She was right... He was too drunk on the sweet taste of Poppy to have ever noticed that all her protests were for nought; she had indeed not been, as they say, 'intact'. "Galmar planned this down to the letter, didn't he?"

Dex suddenly grinned, her grey eyes brightening a little as she ran off to dig the mentioned armour from the rubble. She was so excited that she didn't even return to Draco until she had already put it on. It was the perfect fit, as though this armour had been forged for her long ago.

"Except for the part where you were the one who was supposed to die." Almeada told him. "They thought you would never return from fighting the dragon. But when you did... Jarl, you really must return to your kingdom and settle this before it gets out of hand. Galmar must be stopped. For the sake of your true destiny..."

Draco finished off the last of the villagers while she was away, knowing she probably didn't care to see that part. "Very nice." He chuckled when he saw her. "A perfect fit if I do say so myself."

Ulfric knew she was right. "You will tell Bree I will be returning?" He asked. "I know... She will try and leave without me. As I said... She does not trust me."

Dex beamed at her mate, running a slender hand down the front of her knew armour. "It's so light no one would ever hear me coming!" She declared.

Almeada nodded. "As I said. She will be ill for a few days. That should give you enough time to return before she tries anything rash." She laughed, shaking her head. "Edwina was right about you. And trust me when I say, you will be very pleased with your decision."

The dragon nodded his enormous head. "I certainly didn't." He teased her. "Now, did you get yourself something to eat as well?"

Ulfric wished her shared the Dunmer's confidence in him. "If I fail to win back my hold... I fail Bree, and I know that isn't an option."

Dex smiled sweetly and held out a piece of cake to Draco, though it was a little squashed. "I thought... You could change back, and we could share it?"

"May I ask you a question now?" Almeada asked as she held out a jar of the salve for him to take with him. "Why is it you already seem to care for Bree? You two barely know each other."

Draco cocked his head at this. It had been a while since anyone had offered to share anything with him. He wasn't sure he understood what that meant anymore.

"I stand by every promise I ever make." Ulfric relied, though his back was to Almeada once he had taken the salve. "How can I ever change the Dunmer way of thinking about Nords... If I just sit by and let anymore of you die?"

When she got no answer, Dex laughed nervously, believing that Draco thought her foolish for suggesting such a thing. "Well... I thought this wouldn't offer you much pleasure in your current form."

The elder Dunmer sighed deeply. It was obviously not the answer she'd been hoping for. But it wasn't that she'd get a better one from Bree. "Be off with you then. If you don't return...I will understand."

In a moment Draco stood before her, crossing his powerful and human arms across his bare chest. "Why would you share that with me?" He asked her. "I can see how much you like it...how much you want it. Why would you give even a bite to someone else?"

"See, despite your talk of destiny, even you do not trust me." Ulfric breathed, then left the Dunmer's home.

"Not someone else, just you." Dex replied, a slight blush rising to her cheeks as she spoke the words. "I want you to experience the things that make me smile." She added.

Almeada said nothing as Ulfric left. She did little more than sit down in the chair next to Breenan's cot. He was right. Try as she might she'd been unable to believe the signs Edwina had showed her. Even now, she questioned the hand of Fate that was bringing a Dunmer and a Nord together.

"How does that benefit you?" Draco pressed, not moving as he stared down at her. "What do you get out of my experience?"

"You, traitor, have a lot of explaining to do." Ulfric had found Glamar, and currently had a sword tip pressed to the other man's back.

Dex's full lips parted, as though to say something, then she quickly clamped them shut, a scowl on her face as she glad up at Draco. "Just forget I even offered!" She huffed, squashing the cake against his bare chest before stomping away. The young woman felt foolish, like Draco thought her no more than a child.

"Ulfric..." Galmar was quick to breathe his friend's name. "I am surprised you would dare to show your face here." He whispered. "After being seen with that Dunmer woman...after the death of your queen."

Draco stared after her, his mouth half open. He had no understanding of why she'd stomped off. He'd been asking her a simple question.

"Don't you mean the death of your whore?" Ulfric asked icily. "How long?" He demanded, the tip of his sword just barely piercing Glamar's back. "How long were you and my future queen conspiring behind my back?!"

Dex was muttering to herself as she stomped from the ruined village and back into the relative safety of the forest. Draco infuriated her beyond words. For some reason, she simply couldn't control herself when she was around him, her moods were shifting so quickly she was starting to think maybe she would give herself whiplash.

Galmar grunted in pain. But he knew there was no fighting it now. "A year. Since the first time I was sent to meet her. I never actually believed you'd go through with the marriage. It was...a backup plan."

"Come back here!" Draco barked, stomping several yards behind her. "You can't just leave me there!"

"And your fawning over the stray you brought to the hold? You knew she was the Dragonborn?" Ulfric continued, wanting every piece of information. "I went through with the marriage at your insistence! I had no desire for a weak, useless queen!"

"Why in the name of Sovengard not?!" Dex shouted back, though didn't stop. "You bewilder me and cloud my judgement, dragon!"

"That didn't stop you from taking her to your bed!" Galmar roared, bearing his teeth. "I had an idea of who that Dragonborn bitch was when I fucked her in the Dark Brotherhood's hideout. They cast Clairvoyance on her. When the dragon felt the magicks and began screaming for our blood. We knew for certain..."

"What does that mean?" Draco growled, catching up with her in several wide steps. "Look me in the face and tell me what you mean by that!"

Ulfric couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That girl was a broken mess when you brought her here... I cannot believe you were the one to violate her!" He hissed. "If I ever see that dragon... I will take great pleasure in telling him what you did to his mate!"

Dex had no choice but to stop when Draco caught up to her. "I don't know where I stand with you!" She insisted, indeed looking up into her mate's face. He was so beautiful that even now... She doubted that she of all people truly belonged to him. "You make me so crazy... I cannot keep my thoughts clear when I am with you."

"I won't care." Galmar snorted. "I will already be in Sovenguard. You are poised to make sure of that, old friend." He glanced over his shoulder, smiling wickedly. "Besides, I've taken you down with me. There will be no high king status for you."

Draco cocked his head at this, not sure he truly understood her. His dark hair fell into his eyes as he frowned. "You seem fine to me." He told her softly. "You don't look insane at all."