Skogurheim Trade Village: The Rift, Skyrim

2016-02-26_00006

"No! Macrus, Joxus, Athelas please, please I beg thee, let me go!"

An arrow thumped into the tree beside her followed by a second landing at her feet, while a third whisked over her shoulder. she shrieked in fear and ran. She charged up over the hill and stumbled forward as something punched her in the shoulder. She caught herself on one of the trees, tears cut channels through the dirt staining her face. Three more arrows buried themselves into the forest around her.

Her fingers brushed the shaft buried in her shoulder, she hissed as her fingers touched it, wincing. She pushed herself away from the tree and raced over the peak of the hill stumbling as she caught sight of a dreaded site, a walled Nordic fortress. She hesitated but a moment as a shaft struck one of the nearby rocks, exploding into splinters. Groaning in pain and did the unthinkable in utterdespiration, she ran towards the fortress.

Stepping around the side of the Guards Barracks I reached up unbuckling my helm after a hard afternoon of swordplay with the guards. As the strap slips free i can hear a crash within the forest outside the gates. Turning towards the gates I cock my head to the side glaring as an arrow strikes the wall while a second buries itself between the cobbles of the roarway. I call out to the guards and shift my shield into place and step out under the open gates as a woman bursts from the snow covered underbrush, she shrieked in fear and tried to stop but slipped in the freezing mud, sliding straight into me. Catching her in my arm I covered her with the shield, looking down I see the shaft portruding from her shoulder. Looking up, I catch movement on the hilltop, my eyes widen as I see two of the three men raise a bow and drawing them back. Turning I covered the woman with my armored back, wincing as the arrows struck my back, one exploding into splinters the other skipping away, "GUARDS! The archers are in the trees! Arrest them or put them down! MOVE OUT!"

I shift my shield onto my back and scoop the injured woman up carrying her deeper into the village as several guards rush past me into the trees, six of the guards draw a bead on the men in the trees ready to release the shafts should those on the hill put up a fight. The men on the hill did not hesitate they rushed on the guards men drawing blades and quickly get got down under the blades and maces of the guards.

"MEDICUS TO THE MANOR! QUICKLY!"

The Medicus was a step ahead of me coming down from our second guard barracks. He met me at the door of the mannor and held the door for us. She groaned as I carried her up the stairs to one of the guest rooms. I lay her gently on the bed and moved out of the medicae's way.

"Belle help the Medicae, Anorien help me get out of this armor," Belle rushed up into the guest room to assist while Anorien stepped into the master bedroom and helped me remove the armor. He was placing the armor on the armor manequin while I stepped into the guest room to assist the medicae, "Bjor, how is she doing?"

"She, will make it Legatus, it's just a bleeder that's all. Shes been on the run for quite some time."

"How can you tell?"

"She's out cold, hasn't been fed well, look how drawn her face is. Sir, um, she's, she's one of the Foresworn..."

"So?"

"They're known Nord killers from the Reach."

I was dumbfounded. "From... The Reach? That's hundreds of leagues away isn't it?"

"Aye sir."

I rub my scalp and groan, "Doesn't matter Medicae. She was injured, and in need of assistence. As members of the Legion, it is our duty to assist those in need."

"Aye sir, I understand."

"Belle dear, keep an eye on the woman, if she needs anything please see that she gets it. Medicae, your free to go. We will call if your needed, send the guards who persued the archers to my office as soon as they return."

"Aye sir."