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When an Imperial ambush destroys everything and everyone she loves, Trendil decides to take her revenge in the only way she knows: joining the Stormcloaks.

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Trendil's Story

Trendil's story part 48 - Growing Tensions

Four days after they had defeated the dragon, the corpse still lay across the broken western wall. It was an unfortunate time for the weather to give them a break from the cold -- the smell had started on the second day, sweet and metallic. By the fourth, the men had stopped walking on that side of the fort unless they had to. The carrion birds had arrived soon after, black specks circling lower with each pass until they grew comfortable enough to land. At first, the soldiers had chased them off
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Trendil's Story

Trendil's story part 47 - Plan C

Marcus and his men had been at Fort Amol for twenty-eight days, and Bent was restless.   That in itself was not remarkable. Bent grew restless in a queue, in a snowfall, in a conversation that went on too long. But this was a different sort of agitation, one Marcus had learned to recognize. Bent kept climbing the western wall to look north, kept asking for reports from the watch before the watch thought to give them. He kept muttering that it was wrong.   He was right that it
Trendil's Story

Trendil's story part 46 - Fort Amol

Marcus woke before the horn, as he had every morning in the three weeks since the bulk of the army had marched north and forgot them.   Fort Amol was placed at the crux of a crucial intersection, a keystone on the path between Whiterun and Windhelm. So, naturally, it had sat dormant for years, aside from occasional bandit gangs. If Marcus had needed proof this war was once again fake, he was laying in the evidence. The land around them rested in that narrow band of silence that only ex
Trendil's Story

Trendil's story part 45 - The "Siege" of Whiterun

They started with catapults, just like last time. Last time they had been effective at keeping the Imperials on their heels, at least, even if they hadn’t opened any breaches.   Well, except one.   This time…   The first stone never reached the wall.   Marcus watched it rise from the nearest catapult in a clean, graceful arc, a dark blot against the pale afternoon sky, aimed for a spot just above the bailey.   Then the stone shuddered and, befor
Trendil's Story

Trendil's story part 44 - The Road to Whiterun

Dust rose in low, constant clouds beneath hundreds of boots, coating cloaks, armor, and the inside of Marcus’ mouth. It wasn’t something he had thought about, back when he…or, rather, she had been leading companies in circles in the Reach. If he ever was in command again, he’d remember what it was like to be in the back of the formation on these long treks. Maybe rotate the companies so the same people weren’t at the back all the time.   Ahead, banners snapped in the wind: blue and whi
Trendil's Story

Trendil's story part 43 - The Usurped Patrol

The one bright side of the calamities that had befallen the Stormcloaks – the loss of Company E, the lack of reinforcements since they had not procured the Jagged Crown, their missing second-in-command – was that their manpower was low enough that even Company D had to start taking patrols. It was a relief to get out of the city, even though it put Marcus in daily close quarters with Jaunty, who he grew to hate more and more with each passing day.   It started with the restrictions on
Trendil's Story

Trendil's Story part 42 - Happy 0th Anniversary

Fredas, the nineteenth of Hearthfire in the year 201. The happiest day of Trendil’s life.   Fifty-one days earlier, she and Marcus had met in the very earliest hours of the morning on the outskirts of the city of Dragonstar and fled together to the south. Ten days later, they had passed through the gate into Skyrim. Thirty-two days after that, they had arrived in Riften and nine days later, on the very day her dress was finished, they had wed in the Temple of Mara.   On Freda
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Trendil's Story part 41 - The Fruits of Rumor

The one good thing about being a regular soldier in Company D was that their commanding officer thought of them as little more than servants and treated them as such. Including, while Cuss and Happy were on guard duty outside the thin door to his office, talking freely to his favorite nephew.   “Ah, Francis. Have a seat, won’t you? Care for a drink?”   “I…thank you, Uncle.”   “Of course. You are my favorite nephew. Have I ever told you that? It is true. Here.”
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Trendil's Story part 40 - Planting a Seed

Cuss stood on the wall and looked out over the parapet toward the hill that blocked the view to the salt flats. Somewhere out there, Whip was leading a company with Bent in it. If things went as they had, they would be facing a dragon and then come upon a company of Imperials. Last time, Lint had been there to make sure (almost) everyone came out alive. This time, Cuss was stuck on the walls hoping Bent returned. He had never thought of himself as the “worried woman waiting at home” sort, yet he
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Trendil's Story part 39 - The Continued Woes of Company D

It couldn’t be so easy, of course. Jaunty was still Jaunty, in this world or any other. It hadn’t taken long for Cuss to realize his nebulous “get Jaunty’s ear” plan would never pan out – the only people the fop would listen to were other nobles.   He sulked over a drink in the tavern, ignoring everyone around him. That is, until one of those everyones plopped himself down on the chair across from him.   “Hey, Dragonsnack! Why the long face?”   Bent’s familiar voice
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Trendil's Story part 38 - Welcome (Back) to the Stormcloaks

“Right!”   Bearmane’s voice rang around the room, but for the first time since Marcus had known the man, he did not garner everyone’s full attention. Even Bearmane could not upstage…   “Dragons are myths, there’s no way someone saw one. Stop spreading stupid rumors.”   “They say it was as big as a mountain!”   “My aunt’s best friend’s dog's former owner’s cousin’s friend saw one two years ago in…”   “Do you think we’ll get to fight one?”  
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Trendil's Story part 37 - Prey for Peace

Time was a strange thing. Especially when it had been reset. It was early in the morning of Sundas, the 17th of Last Seed. Trendil and her not-yet-husband hadn't even left Hammerfell at this point in her previous life. There were still forty days to go before the ambush that had killed her husband was supposed to happen, fifty-five days before previous her officially joined the Stormcloaks. It made no sense, and her head spun trying to reconcile it for what felt like the four-hundredth time. 
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Trendil's Story

Trendil's Story part 36 - New Trial, Same Old Tricks

It was a simple enough layout. The slavers clearly had no military background – their camp was just a disorganized mess of tents loosely gathered on the shore. The cove was deep enough that their ship was docked to a rough-hewn pier that appeared to be made of driftwood tied together with knotted rope. Marcus breathed a sigh of relief – trying to get to a ship anchored off the coast would have been a challenge even with a full company at his back.   He felt a pang at the thought of the
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Trendil's Story part 35 - So You Want to be a Stormcloak. Again.

If there was one thing he could change about the gender-reversing potion, Marcus mused as he made his way from the recruiter’s table to the courtyard filled with Stormcloak wannabes, it would be for it to cause the body to grow taller because, alas, even though he was far wider and thicker than before, he remained his usual 5’ 5”. It had only been a day since he had become a man, yet he had already been called several variations on “short:” shortstack, mini-man, lamnut, skeevie, runt, just play
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Trendil's Story part 34 - Sword Training

Trendil had only had a few brushings with the black market in her previous life - the soldiers were, after all, ostensibly on the side of the law – but it was the only place to get some of the more coveted luxury goods that came out of Cyrodil and had been the most poorly-kept secret in the barracks. Considering the way some things had changed, Trendil was grateful to find her old contact from the Thieves’ Guild was alive and doing his job, just as before. Not that he remembered her, of course,
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Trendil's Story part 33 - Unexpected Hurdles

Trendil had an ongoing headache by the time she and the women she had rescued reached Windhelm, stemming solely from the constant complaints from said women, none of whom wanted to go to Windhelm because, as they said many (many many) times, the wedding they had been traveling to see was in Solitude. Only Trendil’s “offer” to drop them off where they were shut them up, and that only for a brief time.   So she was already annoyed when the guard at the foot of the bridge to Windhelm stop
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Trendil's Story part 32 - Forewarned is Forearmed

Trendil stooped and picked up a fallen sword, just in case the runners came back or some of the fallen soldiers became feisty, then plopped down on a stone and, as her breath and heartrate began to slow, she tried to make sense of…well everything.   She was not in Solitude. That much had been apparent from the start, though she had not had time for it to truly register. She was on a road, a pass through mountains, from the look of it. A perfect place for an ambush.   She clos
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Trendil's Story part 31 - In the Company of Imperials

The wind stopped and Trendil blinked her eyes open. She heard sounds - voices pitched to a conversational tone. Birds chattering as a light breeze ruffled branches. Someone nearby laughed.   Trendil’s brain seized up, trying to make sense of what she felt. The pain that had filled her body was gone, except for a small cramp that was beginning to creep up her calf. She looked around in a wild panic and found herself laying under what appeared to be a broken and overturned wagon. She sho
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Trendil's Story part 30 - The Shout Heard 'Round the World

Trendil leaned on the heavy branch, willing her body forward. Just…a…few…more…steps. Her body had only two feelings: omnipresent pain and infant-level weakness. It was only by sheer force of will that she dragged herself through the ruined gateway of what remained of the ruined city of Solitude. Once past the gateway, she allowed herself to collapse, sucking in pained breaths as she surveyed the half-a-city that remained.   She wasn’t sure why she had bothered – there was nothing left
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Trendil's Story part 29 - Slaughter at Solitude

“And that’s the plan.”   Dragonspite sat and tapped his finger against his thigh, eyes never wavering from Trendil’s. She smiled.   “That bad, huh?”   He shook his head and got to his feet, then stretched, his fingers pushing into the low tent ceiling. “That may be your worst plan yet.”   “I know! That’s why it is sure to work.”   “Your reasoning is as solid as ever. Which is the same solidity as a foundation built on quicksand.”   “Oh,
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Trendil's Story part 28 - Dragonbridge

(Quick note: for those who do not follow all four of my stories, THIS CHAPTER from Sloan's story contains the portion where, thanks to Sloan, Swordsinger and Hammerleaf (now Trendil and Dragonspite) learn the truth of the war: that there isn't really a war going on - the entire thing has been staged for the purpose of making a handful of people more wealthy and powerful. This is why Trendil has taken it upon herself to promote her entire Regiment to make them the primary Stormcloak army. which g
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Trendil's Story part 27 - Criss Cross

Swordsinger grunted in annoyance as her hands reflexively tugged at the gown. Acting as a noble was more difficult than she remembered. Mingling in courts had been part of her training (albeit the part she had been worst at) but now, after six years of war, her body had forgotten how to move in the silken clothes. And every step with the heeled shoes made her ankles shake. She was just one misstep away from a nasty sprain. She couldn’t remember the last time she had worn such an outfit.  
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Trendil's Story part 26 - Morthal, With a Dash of Betrayal for Flavor

“That can’t be true.” Swordsinger’s heel tapped staccato beats on the dirt ground hard enough for Hammerleaf to place a discrete calming hand on her thigh under the rough-hewn table. She stopped, but it took concentrated effort.   The scout shrugged. “That’s what we thought but I swear it is. We circled the city at least half a dozen times and Lurching put on civvies and walked right on in through the front gate.”   Swordsinger shook her head. “Morthal is the fourth largest c
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Trendil's Story part 25 - The Beginning of the End of the Beginning part 3

Swordsinger supposed the number of strange looks they got as they walked through the camp were to be expected. Her own mind was reeling, so she could only imagine what her Companies might have felt upon seeing her with two doppelgangers. It was beyond bizarre, and she could not begin to fathom how to find the pieces to this puzzle, let alone put them together.   They reached the command tent just as Hammerleaf stepped out and the entire thing became worth the confusion just to see the
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Trendil's Story part 24 - Rebellion Against the Rebellion

“Company R arrived today.”   Swordsinger sighed as she glanced up from the map. “Finally. That’s the last one, as I recall.”   “Yes.” Hammerleaf grinned. “Unless you have reconsidered and want to pull Jaunty’s family in.”   Swordsinger snorted. “No. I’m sure there are already plenty of Jaunty spies in the companies we have who will be happy to start spreading rumors as soon as we make the announcement. We don’t need more of his people here to help spread those fires
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