The Stormcloak Queen - A skyrim Fanfiction

[15] Battle for whiterun

"You want me to?"
"You are the best person for the job."
"You are insane."
"He's your cousin!"
"Exactly!" I huffed, throwing my hands up. "I shouldn't be delivering your declaration of war to my cousin!"
"Just take him the axe Freya. Please."
"Fine"

Ulfric sighed handing me the axe and I began to storm out of the palace, he didn't even call for me. We'd had this discussion before, before Helgen I think when he'd expected me to deliver threats of war to my family, now it was the promise and an imminent one.

I believed in the Stormcloak cause through and through, I believed in Ulfric completely, but call me selfish for not wanting the war to reach my home. He'd done a good job of staying out of the war so far, had my cousin. Gods I even respected him for it, but his hatred of Ulfric, their petty feud over something so minimal I couldn't even remember would drive Balgruuf into the arms of the imperials.

I had never wished for the ground to open up and swallow me whole so much as I did when I stood before my cousin, Ireleth and Proventus just days later. The look they gave me when I handed the axe over was one I won't forget. I think if she'd been allowed Ireleth would have ran me through there and then.

"I urge you we wait and see!" Proventus whined loudly.
"Freya." The Jarl said flatly. "Do us this favour please. Tell me what to expect?"
"It'll be the troops most likely. He's planning a battle not a duel. Do not wait and see Balgruuf."
"You can give him back his axe." He said passing it back to me stiffly and I accepted it.
"You are sure?" I asked hesitantly wanting him to change his mind.
"I'm sure."
"Look." I started, changing my mind as I had turned to leave. "Perhaps you should let the imperials die for you. Don't make it harder than it has to be cousin."
"I won't lie down and let him take my city."
"I'm not saying you do, but you have the choice who bleeds for you here cousin."

And I walked out of Whiterun, knowing full well when I returned it would be changed.

"You were right, Galmar."
"Again?" Galmar said a smirk playing on his lips. I cracked my knuckles at that, an instinct like a wolf hackles. Perhaps it wasn't so obvious to the men that I was this close to throwing a punch at Galmar because I'd secluded myself in the corner of the room moodily but if he continued on like that I'd fly across to that war table and smack him. When I'd retuned to Windhelm I flung the axe at Ulfirc's feet without a word and walked straight to Candlehearth hall. Galmar had to come and help me back to the palace eventually, the sheer mess I'd gotten myself into with the amount of mead I was using to drown my anxieties about this. I hadn't said too much to either of them since.

"I'm in no mood to joke." Ulfric responded tersely, and rightfully so. He was getting more wrinkles by the day as this war progressed.
"Give the word, my lord, and Whiterun is yours."
"Whiterun is only a means to an end."
"Lovely, to hear you speak so highly of the hold you're about to ruin." I sneered, I still wasn't over him making me deliver that axe, a pained look crossed Ulfric's face and Galmar spoke quickly.
"I've toured our camps. We're ready, Ulfric... Whenever you are."
"Is any man ever ready to give the order that will mean the deaths of many?" Ulfric said sombrely, at least he actually cared.
"No. But neither is every man able to give that order when he must. But you are that man, Ulfric. You've been that man before, and you'll be him again. And these men and women―they call themselves Stormcloaks because they believe in you. They are the meanest, toughest sons of bitches Skyrim has to offer. And they want this. They want this as much as you do. Perhaps they want it more." Galmar said reassuringly.
"You're certain we're ready? Whiterun's army will no doubt be bolstered with Legionnares. And those walls around Whiterun are old, but they still stand."
"The army is, he was writing them as I left." He was writing them on my advice too but what Ulfric didn't know right now couldn't really hurt him.
"Still, we are ready. And I might be old myself, but I'll kick those damn walls down with my bare feet―if you would only ask me to do it."
"Ha. And I'm sure you could do it, too. Alright. This is it." Ulfric chuckled.
"Yes!" Galmar cried.
"Woo." I hollered sarcastically in the corner.
"Send the word. "A new day is dawning and the sun rises over Whiterun.""
"Aye, and the sons of Skyrim will greet that dawn teeth and swords flashing."
"So it begins."