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."

"It has been so long...I don't even remember." Draco whispered, closing his golden eyes. "And not just her...the child we create...the soul that will never be born..."

"So you are saying no to me because you love some guy who got you drunk and made you think he was a dragon?!" Brynjolf roared.

Ulfric truly pitied this broken dragon in that moment. He endured so much... To end up alone every time. "Your mate... Does she carry your child now?" He asked, worried that if what Draco was saying was true, someone else would be out there looking for her right then.

"Does it matter what he is?" Dex asked despondently. "Bryn... I do love you, I just... I am not in love with you." She whispered, well aware he would explode any moment.

"I do not know." Draco admitted, clearly shamed by this. "I do not think so...She is safe for now. I was hoping that I could show her something...a better side of myself...if I were to change...to become like you...maybe she wouldn't leave me."

"Then what the hell was last night about?!" Brynjolf all but screamed at her. "I gave you everything! All of myself! It's something I have never done before and you...you had no trouble taking it then!"

Ulfric smiled sadly and shook his head. "You don't want to be like me, trust me." He breathed, turning to try and see whatever it was that Bree was staring at. "But I want to help you. You deserve the chance to better yourself in the way any other man does. Although... I have to wonder, is it you who needs to change, or her?"

"I don't know what you want me to do, Bryn!" Dex finally shouted as tears welled up in her grey eyes. "Don't you understand? I'm dead! I feel nothing on the inside anymore! I gave him everything I had... I can't give you what I do not have!"

"I can offer you help in return for taking me in." Draco told Ulfric, making it clear he would not be answering that question. "If you will simply teach me how to be human...a man she can be proud of...then I will help you win your war."

The full ale bottle crashed against the wall next to Dex's head. "You still have it! Otherwise you would not spout such pretty words about him! You have nothing for me! That is all!"

This was, of course, an all too enticing off for Ulfric to pass up. "We have an agreement." He confirmed, holding his hand out to Draco. "But first you should ask yourself... Are you certain she is not already proud?"

Dex jumped again, her tears spilling free she she screwed her eyes shut. "And you would rather try and force it from me, than earn if from any of your countless admirers?" She breathed. "I don't think you really love me, Bryn. I think... You just want to fix me. You always did... But some things are simply destined to be broken."

"I am certain." Draco breathed. "There is nothing to be proud of with me." He looked down in surprise as the little Dunmer draped a heavy cloak around his shoulders.
"Ulfric, it's time we went home." Bree told her lover gently.

"Why should I earn something from someone else when I should have it from you already?" Brynjolf snapped, his mood souring further. "You know nothing about me. You're no better than the others. You simply assume everything!"

Ulfric nodded in agreement. "Although, I think it best you not reveal your true nature to anyone, it may cause a panic." The jarl added. "We shall get you settled into your new home and start everything fresh the next day."

Before Dex could calm her own temper, she had slapped Brynjolf as hard as she dared. "And you do not know me!" She hissed. "You are the one making the assumptions, not me!"

It was Draco's turn to nod. "A home." He said softly, now looking down at the ground. "I have never had a home..."

Brynjolf grabbed Dex's wrist and threw her hard against the wall. "You will not raise a hand to me!" He snarled. "Do you hear me?!"

Ulfric smiled warmly and gave Draco a hearty slap on the back. "My castle is your home now, Draco." The jarl truly did understand why Draco had killed poppy, and giving him a home... It was the only way he could thank him.

Dex felt her entire body rattle with the force she hit the wall and she scowled at Brynjolf. "You do not own me! You cannot control me!" She declared. If only Dex had remembered Draco's comment long ago about the guild having access to magic tomes... They simply kept her away from them.

Draco offered him a half smile that never reached his golden eyes. "You'd best hope you do not regret this." He whispered, moving to help Bree who was already taking down the tent. He couldn't help but chuckle at the way she was cursing openly.

"I do! You are mine! You will be my wife!" Brynjolf shouted, still shaking her. Finally he seemed to snap himself out of it and he let her go. Silently he put some distance between them and placed his head in his hands.

"Refreshing, isn't it?" Ulfric chuckled when he saw Draco smiling at Bree's cursing. "While I certainly cherish her, I also appreciate the fact that she is not someone who sits around waiting to be rescued."

Dex didn't move, instead keeping her back pressed firmly to the wall. This was a side of Brynjolf she had never seen before. "I cannot marry you, Brynjolf." She told him quietly. "You're right, I don't know you. The man I thought I knew... Would never act this way."

"My mate is the same." Draco said. But once he realized what he said he was quick to clam up. While he took over trying to take the tent down, Bree found herself frowning at Ulfric's massive horse who was trying to nudge her toward the fire.

"You're not being fair." Brynjolf whispered, though his shoulders began to shake. "You're not even giving me a chance..."

"You should pay heed, he is a rather sart horse." Ulfric told Bree as he came to stand behind her, his massive arms curling around her tiny frame. "So... You have been rather quiet. Do you think it a bad idea to help this dragon?"

"Not fair?!" Dex hissed. "I pour my heart out to you, I tell you how much I loved someone and how badly he hurt me... And your response is to propose marriage?! Tell me, how does that equate to fair?!"

"I am not a king, nor am I a king's advisor. It is not my place to tell you what decision to make." Bree said softly, resting her head back against his chest. "I think I have built up enough magicks to get us all home in fast travel." She told him, closing her eyes.

"Because I offered you the only thing I had." Brynjolf breathed. "I offered you the chance to forget."

"I value your opinion all the same." Ulfric breathed, pausing to brush his lips lightly to the side of his lover's slender throat. "And don't push yourself. We can just as easily make the journey on foot."

"You don't just forget the way I felt." Dex gasped, suddenly finding it quite hard to breathe. "I doubt there is enough magick in all of Skyrim for that!"

"I keep feeling that the sooner we get back the better." Bree confessed, again looking off in the distance with sadness in her eyes.

"For some fool who tricked you into believeing he was a dragon?" Brynjolf sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Dex, think about it. Even to you it must sound truly crazy."

Ulfric turned Bree around to face him, tipping her chin up gently with his fingers. "Tall to me. Help me understand." He breathed, pausing to kiss her soft lips lightly. The jarl didn't stop to think that a tender scene like this may have been painful for Draco to witness.

"It doesn't matter how it sounds." Dex whispered, feeling all he fight begin to drain from her. "I don't care if he was a dragon or not... I know how I feel."

"We cannot be together, Ulfric." Bree whispered, not knowing that they were being watched closely. "Your people will not accept it. And sooner or later...you will regret this. I don't want to go back...but I know we must."

"Dex, listen to yourself. A dragon is a dragon. Not a man. There have never been legends of dragons becoming men. He was lying to you. You were so upset with me...with what happened when we were torn apart that you'll believe anything." Brynjolf pressed.

"Where did this come from?" Ulfric asked with a frown. "Bree, you are a good person. My people will see that, just as I do. Please... Don't just give up." There was a hint of desperation to the jarl' voice now at the prospect of losing a woman he had come to care deeply for in a short time.

"Bullshit!" Dex suddenly roared. "For that to even be remotely true, would imply that I was sorry I had to leave you behind in the first place! You made your choice to cower before Stormcloak, and it made me sick! I was glad you cast me out!"

"You still have a war to fight, Ulfric." Bree whispered. "And I still have to survive with whatever I have left. There's no sense in fooling myself into thinking that I will or deserve a life with a man like you."

Brynjolf looked at her, his mouth open in shock. "What are you saying?" He asked, not sure he truly heard her right. "And if that's true...then what was last night about?"

"I don't get a say in this?" Ulfric asked thinly. "What if I say no? What if I say let the imperials come... Unless you agree to be my queen?"

"Last night was a result of impaired judgment. You had been drinking, and I was upset." Dex reined, her gaze looking off to the side somewhere. She felt extremely guilty for what had happened. Not only had she allowed Brynjolf to think her feelings ran deeper than they actually did... She had betrayed Draco, even if he didn't want her.

"I don't want you to make a terrible mistake, Ulfric. I don't want you to hate me later..." Breenan confessed, unable to tell him just how much she feared this very thing. "You know I will not stand by and let you fight this war alone. Not anymore. And it will only place a rift between us if you try to stop me."

"If you say so then perhaps you should leave." Brynjolf snarled loudly. "I don't need your help finding that dragon anyway. If what you say is right...we will be rich!"

"Then don't let me fight it alone, fight it with me!" Ulfric hissed, suddenly quite aware that Draco was watching. "Bree... Please... You didn't even mention this before now. What changed?"

"You'll never find him." Dex swore. "I would kill for him, and you of all people should know I mean that when I say it."

"It's not like we were doing much speaking." Bree laughed softly, her frown gone. "My Nord...I think we should take this slow. Give the people time to see you with me before I suddenly appear and have them thinking I'm working for the Thalmor."

Brynjolf shook his head. "I don't know anything about you anymore. But you should know that we are going to try. That I can promise you."

Ulfric truly wished he could find fault with her reasoning. He couldn't. "But Bree... That doesn't mean you should leave." He glanced over to Draco, suddenly curious about the way the other man and his mate had parted ways. Perhaps they had more in common than he thought.

"Then that's how it must be." Dex whispered, already reaching for her dagger and moving to the door. "I guess... You were wrong all these years. The guild aren't my family, as family doesn't force one of its own to choose freedom or happiness. The choice should be both."

"I never said I was leaving." Breenan told him. "I'm going back to Windhelm and I will stay with Almeada. If you so desire it, I will be there waiting for you. If you do not come I will understand."

"It is no wonder you are an orphan." Brynjolf snorted, turning his back on her to make sure he was properly dressed. "You know nothing about true family then."

Ulfric simply stared at Breenan for a long moment. "I don't understand." He confessed at last. "Why would you wish to stay In The town, but not in the castle? What do you care what other people will think?"

Dex looked down at the dagger she had picked up, then slowly turned around. She took hold of Brynjolf's hand and curled his fingers around the hilt. "You gave this to me and told me it was proof I would always have a home here. I cannot keep this, not now that is no longer true."

"I don't. I care what they think of you." Breenan told him truthfully. "Even the Nords who do not hate Dunmer will not take well to their beloved king bringing home one. They will think me in league with the Thalmor and it will cost you everything. No one is worth that sacrifice, Ulfric." She rested a hand on his upper arm, a wistful smile on her lips. "Besides, it's not like we are parting unless you chose to. I will be waiting at Almeada's house when you are ready to begin a courtship." She whispered, her form turning to mist and then disappearing completely.
"She is right." Draco said, proving he'd been listening all along. "If you want her, the only thing stopping you now, is you. I can say that from experience."

"You are the one who is turning your back on me." Brynjolf whispered, not daring to turn back around and look at her. "This is your choice and you know it."

Ulfric sighed heavily, his powerful shoulders slumping. "Don't tell her she's right." He murmured, hating to agree. "I... Was only supposed to be her protector, I never meant to fall for her like this." The Jarl confessed. "Tell me, what was it that finally pushed your own mate away? I would hate to accidentally stumble across such a greivous mistake."

Dex shook her head. "You wanted to force marriage upon me, not to mention leadership of a people who cannot stand me." She whispered. "That isn't a life I want... I can't live a lie, and I won't let you hunt Draco."