Motoko shook her head. She felt dizzy. She finally started to come to and look around.
She heard a voice. A man's voice. It said "Hey you, you're finally awake; You were trying to cross the border right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush same as us, and that thief over there."
'What happened," thought Motoko. 'Where am I? Border? Imperial? Thief?'
Then another man's voice said "Damn you Stormcloaks, Skyrim was fine until you came along! Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you I'd have stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell."
'Stormcloaks? Skyrim? Empire? Hammerfell? Wait... horse thief?!'
Then Motoko opened her eyes and saw a man. He said "You there, you and me we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."
Then the first man said "We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief."
The man driving the cart said "Shut up back there!"
The thief looked at another man who appeared to be gagged. He said "What's wrong with him, huh?"
The first man said "Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King."
'High King? Ugh... What is going on around here now?!'
The thief paled and said "Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion. But if they captured you... Oh gods, where are they taking us?"
The first man said "I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits."
The thief paled even more and said "No, this can't be happening. This isn't happening."
Motoko began to get the idea that "Sovngarde" meant the afterlife for these people. Which meant they were being taken somewhere to be killed. She had to get out of here.
The first man said "Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?"
The thief looked at him and said "Why do you care?"
The first man said "A Nord's last thoughts should be of home."
The thief appeared to think about that and finally said "Rorikstead. I'm...I'm from Rorikstead."
Motoko sees they are approaching a village. A soldier calls out to the lead wagon.
The soldier says "General Tullius, sir! The headsman is waiting!"
Those words confirm to Motoko that she is being taken somewhere to be killed. She has no intention of dying. She works at loosening the bindings with her ki now.
A strong looking man in a fancy uniform with a fancy thing says "Good. Let's get this over with."
The thief starts praying to what she can only assume are his gods.
"Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh. Divines, please help me."
The first man points to the fancy man and says "Look at him, General Tullius the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this."
'Elves? Elves?! What the hell is going on around here now?!'
Then he looks around and he says "This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in. Funny...when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe."
Motoko noticed a man and a young boy, possibly his son, watching.
The boy says "Who are they, daddy? Where are they going?"
The man says "You need to go inside, little cub."
The boy says "Why? I want to watch the soldiers."
The man says "Inside the house. Now."
The wagon stops near a block of wood. It is covered with red stains. Motoko gets all too good an idea of what this is.
The soldier says "Whoa." to the horse now.
The thief looks puzzled and says "Why are they stopping?"
The first man says "Why do you think? End of the line. Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us."
The thief panics and screams "No! Wait! We're not rebels!"
The first man says "Face your death with some courage, thief."
They start dismounting the wagon with the Imperials watching them.
The thief panics and says "You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!"
The female Captain sneers at them and says "Step toward the block when we call your name. One at a time!"
The first man says "Empire loves their damn lists."
A man next to her checks his list and says "Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm."
The first man says "It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric!"
The list checking man says "Ralof of Riverwood. Lokir of Rorikstead."
The first man, no Ralof, steps forward.
The thief, who must be Lokir, says "No, I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!"
He runs away from them.
The Captain screams "Halt!"
Lokir yells back "You're not going to kill me!"
The Captain sneers at his back and yells "Archers!"
Lokir is killed by just one arrow.
The Captain sneers at his dead body and laughs gleefully while there is a twinkle in her eye. "Anyone else feel like running? Please do so. I so want to see that again."
Motoko decides right then and there she does not like this bitch.
The list checking man looks at Motoko and says "Wait, you there. Step forward. Who are you?"
Motoko looks at him and says "I am Motoko Aoyama of the God's Cry School of swordsmanship. And I would ask why I am being executed. I do not remember committing any crimes."
The list checking man checks his list and then turns to the Captain and says "Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list. If she hasn't committed any crimes... Then we have no right to execute her."
The Captain sneers at them both and says "Forget the list. She goes to the block."
The list checking man gapes at her and says "That is against our laws and I cannot obey an illegal order."
The Captain glowers at him and hisses "She's a damn Akaviri! That's reason enough! All their damn race deserves is death!"
List checker says "I cannot send her to now be executed just because you hate her race."
The Captain snarls and pulls her sword holding to list checker's throat and says "Either you do or I kill you here and now."
List checker nods and says "By your orders, Captain." He says the title as if it is the most vile thing ever. He makes clear he doesn't like her.
The Captain withdraws and sheaths her sword and says "Just do as I say. And you will live then."
List checker then looks at Motoko and says "I'm sorry, but I want to live. Sorry. You don't deserve this. It just isn't right. Follow the Captain, prisoner."
Motoko did not think this was right either. She was sending more ki into the ropes binding her. If she could just break them and get a sword...
Motoko stood with the other prisoners while the fancy man, er General Tullius, was... giving a speech?!
General Tullius said in a 'grand' 'fashion' "Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne."
Ulfric was grunting, trying to say something through his gag.
'They won't even let him speak in his defense.' Motoko thought. 'Just what kind of barbarians are these Imperials? If this is the "justice" of the Imperials, then I want no part of it now and I reject it.'
General Tullius was getting all worked up and had a crazed expression and a glint of madness in his eye as he yelled "You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace! Hahahahahahaha! It will be glorious, savoring your death!"
A distant noise rings down the mountainside.
List checker pauses and says "What was that?"
General Tullius just looks at him and says "It's nothing. Carry on. Probably just the wind."
General Tullius then looks up at the sky. "You want to make noise and interrupt this execution wind?! Well, no wind will beat me!"
He shook his fist at the sky. "Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Do you hear me wind?! I AM BETTER THAN ANY WINDD!!!"
The Captain while sneering at everyone else, but looking slightly fearful at the General, turns to the Priestess and says "Yes, General Tullius. Give them their last rites."
The Priestess nods and chants "As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the salt and earth of Nirn, our beloved--"
One of the prisoners from the lead wagon walks forward. He sneers at the Priestess right now. "For the love of Talos, shut up and lets get this over with!"
The Priestess looks put out and says "As you wish..."
The prisoner then goes up to the block. And lays his head on it. "Come on, I haven't got all morning. My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials. Can you say the same?"
Motoko does not know whether to admire this man's bravery or curse his foolhardiness.
She tries to get loose once again.
(Posted Wed, 04 Nov 2015 20:41)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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