The Age of Rebirth part 4

The realization left the castle and the people in it silent: Ulfric Stormcloak was dead. The man who had founded and led the Stormcloaks, drove the Empire out of Skyrim and fought the Dragonborn just a moment ago now laid still on the ground.

Something like that deserved silence.

The only voice that could be heard was the thick panting of the Dragonborn who had kneeled on the floor next to Ulfric, resting on his sword.

THUMP

It wasn't until the Dragonborn dropped his sword and fell on the ground, the sound which of echoed through the hall, when the moment slipped away and people realized it was time to break the silence. The yells, screams, sounds of running footsteps and drawn weapons suddenly filled the room as the Stormcloaks ran to their fallen leader's side. It was only Delphine and Esbern who rushed to aid the Dragonborn.

"Are you okay?" Esbern asked.
"It's… I… The…" The Dragonborn panted, barely able to get a single word out of his mouth. Delphine saw how one of his hands moved along the floor towards his waist slowly, shaking.
"What do you need?" Delphine asked.
"Potion… My pouch…"

Delphine grouched down and opened the hanging from the Dragonborn's waist. After a while of searching her hands met the cold surface of a glass bottle.

"Esbern, turn him around!" Delphine said as she pulled the bottle out. Esbern grabbed the Dragonborn and turned him on his back, not such an easy task considering the fact that the front of the armor was completely covered in blood, which made it very slippery indeed.

With a swift hand Delphine opened the bottle and poured the red liquid inside the Dragonborn's mouth. He coughed and spat some of it out, but eventually managed to drink enough for the potion to take effect. The wounds on his stomach grew shut and healed themselves without even leaving a scar. Inside his body the elixir created more blood to replace the one that had been lost. The burns all around his body disappeared as the new healthy skin covered them. And the pain… After a while it was only a memory.

"Can you stand?" Delphine asked. The Dragonborn did not reply, but wiped his mouth and stood up like he had gone through all this before, which did not seem that unlikely all things considered. But needless to say that when the Stormcloaks saw the killer of their leader standing up the atmosphere in the room got a few notches tenser. Nobody dared to take a single step towards the tree of them, but they all turned at them, weapons exposed, unsure of what to do. Even Galmar, now most likely the new leader of the Stormcloaks, wasn't quite sure whether to strike or do something else.

"Well, what is it?" The Dragonborn asked, his lonely voice echoing in the hall, "It was a fair battle, wasn't it? So are you still going to attack and dishonor your own traditions?"

Silence

"Or will respect what Ulfric fought for, what the Stormcloaks fought for?"

It was up to Galmar to do decide what to do: Should they punish the man who had killed their leader, perhaps dooming Skyrim to destruction? Or should they still respect the ways of the Nords and give Dragonborn what is rightfully his? Some other day a decision like this would've been easy, but Galmar had just seen his leader and best friend die before his eyes and his blood boiling. His hands squeezed the axe in anger. He wanted blood. But if Skyrim had taught him anything it was that you rarely get what you wanted.

"We will respect the ways of our ancestors… My Jarl."

And so with steady steps the Dragonborn walked to the end of the room, dozens of eyes staring at him as he hid, and sat on the throne, Delphine and Esbern standing on both of his sides. He was the Jarl now. For many men that would've been the achievement of a lifetime, but unfortunately it was nothing but a stepping stone for the Dragonborn, the first step in his plan. Getting this throne was nothing compared to what would happen in the following months. That's when things would really get difficult.

"First of all", the Dragonborn spoke, "All of the Stormcloaks are free to leave or serve me as they please. However, those who stay will be stripped of their Stormcloak uniforms. As a matter of fact starting this day there will be no more Stormcloaks at all."

The statement that should've caused displeased rabble just left the soldiers looking at each other's with unsure faces. It seemed that there was indeed more advantages in being a Jarl than just having a fancy chair. It was vain, but that pleased the Dragonborn.

"The second thing", the Dragonborn continued, "The persecution of the Imperial soldiers will stop immediately and starting this day they also will be free to serve under my name, if they're willing to choose Skyrim over the Empire".

"And the last thing", the Dragonborn concluded, "I want a full report of the strength of Jarl Ulfric's forces; the amount of men, armor, weapons, war machines, horses and such delivered to my advisers: Delphine and Esbern before the midnight."

"We will… Consider your proposition", Galmar said, "I'll talk with the other generals about this. You'll have our answer before the morning."

Everyone was waiting for the new Jarl's reply, but surprisingly there was none. Delphine turned to the Dragonborn. He was still looking at Galmar, his mouth squeezed into a tight frown, eyes glazed forward and a lonely drop of sweat gliding along his face. Delphine lowered his head and saw the Dragonborn squeezing the sides of the throne with white knuckles.

"Yes… Just remember that Skyrim still need its children, now more than ever", the Dragonborn replied. Then he suddenly stood up and quickly walked away from the throne.
"I'll go to my chambers now", he said with his back towards Delphine and the others, "I have some things I have to prepare. I'll find you when I need you again."

Delphine had only managed to open his mouth when the door to the Jarl's chamber slammed close. Now it was just him and Esbern alone with the Stormcloaks again. Not a pleasant situation. Both of them decided that it was good time find out whether the Candlehearth hall still served proper meals like it had used to.