(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 gives them the right to head for Solitude to end the war. Also, Jaunty dies, which is a relief to everyone, including, if they're being honest, his family.)

 

 

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“Are you sure it’s a good idea to hand out promotions on your own?”

 

“What, you don’t like your new name?”

 

“It’s fine, although I noticed you went heavy on the ‘dragon’ theme. I’m Dragonspite, Pride is Dragonlance, Mo…”

 

“Well, despite the actual war going on, the dragons are both our greatest threat and make up our greatest achievements. I’m quite sure we have killed more dragons than Imperials at this point.”

 

Dragonspite nee Hammerleaf snorted. “Hard to argue that. And I’m not. The issue is…”

 

“That I don’t have the authority to promote myself, say nothing of anyone else. Yes, I know. But it became necessary when we learned there is no real war and our so-called leaders are in cahoots with the enemy. It’s a good thing our salaries are being kept in lieu or people would surely notice they did not get raises.”

 

“That’s assuming we still have salaries and haven’t all been fired for derelict of duty, sedition, or outright treason.”

 

“It would put the bow on the gift for Ulfric to label us as traitors as he’s sitting on the throne we won for him.”

 

“No question. Also, I’m not sure I can call you ‘Trendil.’ It sounds far too civvy.”

 

Trendil shrugged, set the scroll she had been working on down, and stretched her arms over her head. “Well, when you get to the upper ranks, your Stormcloak name reverts to your real name. I don’t make the rules. I just bend them to my liking and then follow them.”

 

Dragonspite snorted. “I have never heard a truer statement.” He moved behind her and started to rub her shoulders.

 

She let out a little groan as tension began to loosen. “But I don’t think we’ve been fired – that would be too messy and would require them to actually assemble the army and come after us. No, I’m pretty sure they’re hoping we’ll just find a way to get ourselves killed. By, for instance, trying to take Solitude with a single regiment.”

 

“Which we’re doing.”

 

“Which we’re doing. Here’s another true statement for you – the scouts counted no fewer than two dozen dragons along our route.”

 

“Are they all in one group?”

 

“No, although some are in smaller groups.”

 

“Then we’ll be fine.”

 

“We’ll be fine but we’ll be delayed. I’m estimating thirty days, give or take a week.”

 

A sigh. “Well, it can’t be helped. Besides, what’s one month after all these years of waiting?”

 

“With the dragons becoming more prevalent that birds, I’d say it’s far too long” Trendil shrugged. “But we can only do what we can do. Too bad we can’t just go across the bay.”

 

“Aye. You can do many things and somehow it would not surprise me to learn you could walk on water, but I do not think any of the rest of us can.”

 

“I cannot either, if that helps pop your overwrought fantasies about me.”

 

“Oh, I have fantasies about you all right.” His hands slid off her shoulders and down her chest to cup her breasts.

 

“Oh gods, why did I say that?”

 

“Because you have them about me too.” His fingers began to tease her nipples and she could not stop a gasp from escaping her lips.

 

“Fair point. How about we put this work aside for a bit and explore a few of them?”

 

“See, that’s the kind of plan I can get behind!”

 

“Behind, eh?” She stood, turned, and wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands slid down her back. “Fair enough. I think I still have the strap-on we found in…”

 

He gave her ass a slap. “I said I can get behind!”

 

“Pfft. We’ll see.”

 

***************

 

It took two weeks and ten dragons to reach the landmark that gave Dragonbridge its name. The Karth River roiled below; for it, the bridge was instead a gateway to the beginning of its final leg after a weary, seemingly endless journey through The Reach. Soon it would reach Solitude, its last stop before its final rest in the sea.

 

Trendil shook her head. Feeling kinship with a river surely must be a symptom of going mad.

 

Flying above (and occasionally diving down, spewing fire, landing and destroying something, and/or grabbing people for a snack) were three dragons. The Stormcloaks watched from the far side of the bridge as the dozen or so soldiers from the unwalled town tried to fight the things. It was clear the soldiers were soon going to be overwhelmed.

 

Trendil scratched her head. “What do you think? Will they be grateful if we help, or will they just turn and attack us?”

 

Dragonspite shrugged. “If they turn on us, they’ll end up as dead as if we had left them. Besides, one should always be good do his fellow man.”

 

“Very well. Sound the signal. Something simple. Plan A should be good enough.”

 

“As you wish, oh wisest of leaders.”

 

Just as they began their attack, however, the dragons unexpectedly looked up as one as if they heard something calling them, then wheeled toward the east and flew away, leaving Trendil and her regiment pouring over the bridge to face only a handful of exhausted guards, who took one look at them and threw down their weapons.

 

One had a sergeant’s patch and appeared to be the highest ranking of the group, so Trendil approached him as the regiment gathered up the weapons and guards.

 

“Greetings, Sergeant. Are we going to have any difficulties?”

 

The man scowled but shook his head. “My men are too exhausted to fight this many of you traitors. What are you doing here, anyway? The war ain’t anywhere near here.”

 

“It is now. And it will be over very soon.”

 

The man’s eyes widened as he looked at her force. “What, with this lot? You don’t have near enough to take Solitude.” A sudden wary glance. “What, are you the vanguard? The rest of the army gonna be marching through here?”

 

“Nah, just us.” She frowned upward, ignoring his disbelieving mutters. “Do dragons do that a lot here?”

 

“Do what? Attack? Yeah, all the…”

 

“No, do they just leave in the middle of a fight?”

 

“Ah. No, that was a first.”

 

“First for me as well. Strange.”

 

The sergeant shrugged as Dragonspite bound his hands behind his back. “Your problem now. Be good with the townsfolk, will ya? They’ve been through enough.”

 

Trendil’s eyes dropped from the sky to the man and she smiled. “And here I thought all Imperials were morally bankrupt.”

 

“I ain’t no Imperial. Just a Nord who wants peace.”

 

“Aye? Well, be heartened, then – peace is coming in about two weeks.”

 

The man snorted as he was led away. “Ain’t no peace coming for any of us. Just fire and death.”

 

Trendil sighed as she looked back at the dwindling dots of the dragons. More had joined them; a veritable flock of dragons was winging its way to the east. To where, and why?

 

She shook her head. There was no way to know and, in truth, it didn’t matter. She turned away and motioned for Dragonspite.

 

“Get Company I set up here and tell the other company leaders to gather their squads – we’re leaving in an hour.”

 

Dragonspite lifted his eyebrows. “Already? We aren’t going to get much travel done with the time we have left.”

 

“We’ll get farther than if we wait for the dragons to return and have to go back to fighting them every four hours.  I don’t know where they went, but I’m not going waste this opportunity.”

 

“Aye, fair point. I’ll have them ready.”

 

Trendil nodded and turned again, but this time her eyes were on the distant but visible silhouette of Solitude, miles away across the estuary created by the Karth. The end of the war was finally within reach but the sergeant’s point had been valid – taking the city with one hundred soldiers was a tall task. Just getting there was not enough – somehow she would need to find a way to get through their defenses. And unlike the other cities they had come across, it seemed unlikely the Imperials would have left only a skeleton crew in the capital city.

 

She sighed and turned away. A different issue for a different day. What mattered now was making sure Dragonbridge stayed in their hands, resupplying what they could, and mustering back up to continue their journey. A journey that was about to end.

 

One way or another.

 

 

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