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."

"Be gone with you!" The plump woman said, waving him off. "Get out of my inn and find her for yourself. Neither of you are my problem anymore!"

"What else would you be?" The woman spat, jerking Dex up and shoving her toward the wall again.

"You don't want to make an enemy of Ulfric Stormcloak." The Jarl warned before sweeping from the inn. Thoughts of dragons and the Dunmer people didn't even enter his mind. Hs sole thought was on finding Bree before someone happened to her.

Dex slammed a knee into the taller woman's stomach in a bid to free herself. "Brynjolf is my friend... My only friend! I came for help! That is all!"

Bree had made it little more than half a mile before she'd collapsed in the snow. Her strength was waning quickly and she could do nothing about the howls that were sounding close by.

"Is that what you call a proper...fucking..." The Nord woman groaned, immediately hitting the floor and holding tight to her mid section. "Help?"

Ulfric had left his senses back in that village. All he knew was that every second Bree was out there alone, was a second he was failing her. He knew there were far worse things out in that snow than wolves. Snow trolls came to mind.

"How would you know what was going on? Had your ear pressed to the door, have you?" Dex sneered. "You reek of desperation!"

At present, Bree found herself tossing snowballs at a troll as it tried to follow her up the mountain. The beast roaring and extremely angry. One loss of footing and she was done for. Not even tossing Ulfric's cloak over the monster seemed to be slowing him down.

"And you don't? Come back to tear him down all over again?" The blonde whispered, her lower lip suddenly trembling. "Who do you think has been here picking up the pieces you left?"

Ulfric could hear the roar of the beast, and despite his own fatigue, and hangover, he pushed himself harder. He could just about make out the outline of the troll when a snowball came whiz zing past his ear.

I didn't leave anything! I was sold!" Dex hissed, her grey eyes blazing. "I was sold to the rebellion, and the price was the rest of you remaining alive!"

"Damn it all!" Breenan howled when her ankle twisted and she slid down the rock she'd been perched on. The troll was on her in a instant and she had little time to fumble for her dagger. The beast knocked it out of her hands and now had her exactly where it wanted.

"Bullshit!" The woman shouted. "You are always acting like you're the one being hurt! It's a lie! You hurt the rest of us!"

Ulfric didn't even know if he would make it to the beast in time. His sword was drawn as he sprinted, and the closer he got, the more he could feel Breenan. He lunged the last few steps, catching the beast in its shoulder.

"What would you know about hurt?" Dex asked quietly, not aware her fingers brushed the X shaped wound on her cheek. "You are only attacking me because Brynjolf welcomed me back to his bed... A pleasure he never offered you." if only Dex knew that Brynjolf planned on making her the guild Queen.

The troll howled in pain and it gave Bree enough time to recover her dagger and shove it in the beast's throat. "I had it under control." She groaned as she pushed the now dead monster off of her. She didn't make any other move to get to her feet, however.

"I was there after you." The woman whispered, crossing her arms over her chest. "I suppose I am as much at fault as you are. Stupid females no matter what race we are..."

Without first asking her consent, Ulfric leaned down and lifted Bree up into his arms. "You're a silly girl..." He breathed, the waver to his deep voice betraying just how worried he had been for her.

"I would disagree... It is stupid males." Dex whispered, rubbing at her sore scalp.

Bree protested only slightly, though her arms were quick to slide around his neck. "Ulfric...why do you keep coming back for me?" She breathed. "Here...let me get that troll fat...it makes a good salve...and...I need to make us a fire..." The attempt was far too much for her and she simply slumped in his arms, the last of her strength drained with her magicks.

"How are they stupid?" The Nord woman asked, crossing her arms over her chest again as she stepped back to her own side of the room. "They are getting exactly what they want while we can only wish for it. Who is the true fool? You tell me."

The fire was made, and the troll fat had been harvested. Ulfric once again took up his watch over Bree, only this time he kept her cradled against him, worrying that she was never going to get well again.

"The man who cannot see when a woman loves him, that's the fool. A quick fumble in his bed is worth little against just how much I love him..." Dex breathed, not making it clear that it wasn't Brynjolf that she spoke of.

Bree cried in her sleep. She cried as she wouldn't dare allow anyone to see her do. She would never forgive herself if she knew Ulfric had seen her.

"I guess." The blonde said, her voice breaking. It was clear just how she felt for Brynjolf. Not that she thought it mattered.

It was breaking Ulfric to see these tears, though he wouldn't tell Bree he had seen them at all. Gently he wiped her tears away, reaching ur to toss some more wood on the fire. He didn't know how to make her believe she was safe with him.

"There are a million or more men in skyrim, don't trouble yourself over just one." Dex told the other woman before turning away.

Bree woke late that evening, warm as she had been every time she woke up next to Ulfric. She sighed heavily when she saw him resting there. There seemed to be no escaping him. Maybe...her mother was right after all.

"Why? Because you can have them all?" The blonde spat angrily. "You get Brynjolf and some guy named Dragon. Is that it?"

"You hungry?" Ulfric asked gruffly, certain Bree hated his guts. The woman at the inn had repeated some prett awful things he supposedly said to Bree. Of course she hated him.

Dex stopped in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat before she slowly turned around. "Where did you hear that?"

Bree gave a start and then began to laugh. He'd nearly scared her out of her skin. "I thought you were asleep." She whispered. "I was going to get us something."

"You were right. I was listening outside the door." The blonde hissed. "Poor little bitch girl. Getting everything she wants. Such a shame. I hope you lose them both!"

"No you weren't, you were going to stay right ther euntil I woke up." Ulfric replied with the ghost of a smile. "You ignored me the as time I told you to rest... Look where that got us."

"You can't lose what you never had." Dex replied, her grey eyes filled with sadness as she stared back at the blonde.

"I'm not a child, Ulfric." Bree told him, using his name gently this time. "You should have left me to that fate. I certainly deserved it for acting like one."

"Don't think Brynjolf won't try to kill the other man. Don't think you're getting away with any of this." The blonde snarled, moving closer to the other woman. She was ready to start another fight.

"Maybe you did act like a child... But from what I hear, I was beyond vile." Ulfric replied gently. "Bree... Whatever I may have said to you last night, I am truly sorry."

Dex was ready to let her. After what the Dark Brotherhood had done to her, there was little that scared the slender Dragonborn. "He can try." She replied finally. "Draco may not care what happens to me, but he won't let a mere mortal kill him like a common beast."

Bree laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Nonsense. You were drunk and out of your mind. If I had thought you meant it, I would have certainly believed the part where you told me you were a woman and you understood my needs."

"Draco?" Another man echoed, pulling himself away from the shadows. "I saw that man...he was there in Windhelm. He was Ulfric Stormcloak's prisoner...until he killed his queen...what are you playing at?"

Ulfric couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, but I do understand needs... I have them too." He purred, nudging Bree playfully.

Dex inwardly groaned, beginning to think this night couldn't possibly get any worse. "Why does everyone assume I am 'playing' at anything?" She demanded. "You really think I had any control over any of this?!"

"Then prove it to me." Bree breathed, unsure of why she was so desperate for this man. She'd never acted this way before. Not even when she'd stolen her first kiss.

"I think you're a spy." The man hissed, grabbing a handful of Dex's hair and dragging her toward a nearby table. "And I think we should remove your head!"

Ulfric wasn't sure he had heard Bree right. However, he didn't question her desire as he leaned forward, just barely brushing his lips to her own. He didn't say a word, too afraid he would say something stupid, though his battle word fingers were slowly sliding a ate up one of her smooth thighs.

"You think I'm a spy! The Stormcloak's think I'm a spy, even the dark brotherhood did! Just who exactly am I supposed to be spying for?!" Dex hissed, struggling to free herself.

Bree didn't stop him. Instead she leaned closer, her own fingers urging his up under the dress she wore. Her eyes were no longer filled with mirth, but dark with desire and longing. She wasn't sure this was the right thing to do but...she needed him. She couldn't deny that any longer.

"Hold still, bitch!" The blonde roared, all but jumping up and down with joy. "Let him cut your head off and try not to scream!"

Ulfric paused slightly, allowing his rough fingers to tease the warmth hidden between Bree's slender thighs as he kissed her again. He could hear the fire roaring beside them, but that was all. If one of his enemies were to sneak up on him now... The Jarl would not notice.

"You think cutting my head off will endear you to Brynjolf?!" Dex growled, wanting to simply scream up to the sky 'why me?!'. "And since when did the guild sink into a band of murderers?!"

Bree was no better. A wolf howled near them...a bear attacked a giant...a dragon winged overhead...But she heard nothing but the gruff gasp of her protector as he whispered her name.
Morning found her lying in his arms, the fire dying, and left her with a sense of completion she'd never known before.

"Since you brought a dragon into our midst, you little whore!" The man shouted.
"Janelf!" Brynjolf barked, striding into the room with fury in his step. "What the hell is going on here?! How dare you lay hands on your queen!"

For the first time Ulfric actually slept. He held Bree in his arms, pressed against his powerful chest. His entire life had been about protecting, and freeing, Skyrim, but now... He had something far more precious to take care of.

Dex frowned, and then her grey eyes grew wide. "Queen?!" She squeaked. "Bryn..." She was at a loss for words, even forgetting that she wasn't supposed to address him as 'Bryn' in front of others.

The thought of this terrified Bree and she found herself considering another escape. She wasn't sure what to make of her old feelings for this man, much less the new ones. And yet...
Gently she shook him, trying to wake him. "Ulfric...I think it's time we go home." She breathed.

Bry nodded at her with a wide grin, shoving the man he'd called Janelf aside as he pulled her back to standing. "Do you hear that?" He shouted to anyone who would listen. "Dex is my queen!"

"Morrowind...is so far away..." Ulfric murmured, simply turning slightly to bury his face in Bree's sweet smelling hair.

Dex seemed like little more than a life size doll as Brynjolf set her back on her feet and declared her the guild's Queen. She was in shock, of course this wasn't what she wanted. But then again... She couldn't have the one she did want.