Civil War Aftermath: Origins

[Centurion]

Ubbe (Remastered)

Southern Eastmarch, 4E201

The warm winds of volcanic tundra rapidly cooled as it blew up the slopes of the Velothi Mountains, stinging Ubbe’s neck with each burst as it whipped past his head. He sat high on a rocky perch, silently watching the roads below as Magnus began to descend behind the mountain pikes to west, turning the clouds a vibrant orange that rested against the growing darkness. He noted the wanderers, merchants, and mercenaries as they passed by, but was watching for only one man.

His father had made the trek to Windhelm nearly a week prior for supplies and to hear the news they so often lived without. He could just barely see the high walls of Ysgramor’s City off in the distance and his heart yearned to cross the bridge and see the path stones for himself. In the past it was always that he was too young for the journey, or the roads were too dangerous, but now as a young Nord of 14 winters, it was that needed to look after his mother despite all three knowing she could look after herself.

Soon enough his father's bald head bobbed over the horizon, carrying a bag of goods over his shoulder. As his gaze met Ubbe’s, the boy could tell something was off. Normally the sight of his boy watching and waiting on that rocky outcropping would fill him with joy, but this time his stare was blank and his face rigid. He reached Ubbe moments later and passed without a word. Ubbe stretched his legs and climbed to his feet before jumping down onto the snow-covered patch below and ran up beside his father. They walked in silence until they neared the thatch roofed house. “Stay here, I have things to discuss privately with your mother.’

Ubbe watched as his father opened the door and stepped inside. After the door closed, Ubbe snuck around to the open window on the side. Ubbe could barely make out their greetings as they moved from the entryway to table and sat. Ubbe heard his mother clearly now as she spoke, the annoyance in her tone clear, “What took you so long, Torjolf?”

“Jarl Ulfric wasn’t in the city when I arrived. All anyone could talk about was that he had left for Solitude weeks ago and they were expecting him back in the following days.” Torjolf sighed as he spoke. 

“So, you stayed in Windhelm an extra three days because the Jarl went to visit the High King? Visiting that harlot Sig-” Torjolf cut her off mid-sentence raising his voice. “He challenged Torygg, Eyldi. He challenged him, slew him, and fled back to Eastmarch! Everyone thinks the Moot will be called soon, but I’m not so sure. Even now Ulfric has begun gathering his militia. He’s preparing for war.”

Ubbe quickly returned to the front of the house as he heard the legs of a chair scoot across the floor. He was leaning, back against a tree when the door opened, and his mother waved him inside. Dinner was quiet in the house that night with hardly a word spoken. The only noise coming from the chewing of fresh cooked venison and the occasional gulping of water and mead. Ubbe finished his meal and retired for the night letting dreams of shield walls, arrow barrages, and bands of soldiers clashing take him.

***

Ubbe awoke early one day to the smell of fresh rabbit stew. He slipped into his grey tunic and went downstairs. He looked around the dwelling and seeing only his mother, he asked “Where’s Pa?”

“Gone.” She answered.

“Gone? Gone where?”

“Back to the city.”

“Why? Our stores are still filled?”

“Ubbe, as you know Skyrim is changing and your father wants to stay well informed. Now, no more questions.” She said sternly as she pointed to the bowl already set out for him. “Eat, then grab your shield and meet me outside.”

***

Ubbe took a deep breath and drew the bowstring back. As he exhaled, he slowly released the tension in his finger and let the string whip forwards, sending the arrow on it. In an instant it had found its mark, pinning the rabbit to the ground. He walked up quickly and pulled the arrow from the rabbit's neck before grabbing the critter by its hind legs and fastening it to his belt. His mother clapped and then spoke, “Good shot son. Clean and quick. Now let's return home.”

It was a short walk up the slope from the green woods to the snowy shelf their home was built upon. They walked in silence, listening to nature and the whistling of the wind. As they neared the perch Ubbe used to watch the road below he saw a column of smoke rising through the central vent in the roof. Pa is home finally he thought as he neared the house. He reached the door and swung it open ready to pounce on his father and give him the scolding of a lifetime for running off to Windhelm without so much as a word to him beforehand, but it wasn’t his father waiting for him when he entered. Instead, he was greeted by a large, wrinkled man with long flowing hair and a grey beard.

“Grandda, what are you doing here?” Ubbe asked, a bit stand-offish.

“Where’s Eyldi, Ubbe?”

“She’s right behind me, but you didn’t answer my question.” Ubbe’s grandfather chuckled and rose to his feet. He walked over to the boy and ruffed up his hair before saying, “I’ll answer you when your mother gets here.”

Ubbe carried the rabbit carcass to the storeroom and set it down before walking up the stairs to his bed in the loft and tossing his bow and quiver on the dresser. He then walked back downstairs to the entry hall and sat across near the fire. His mother walked back from the storeroom and embraced the man with a smile. “Papa, it’s good to see you again.”

“Aye, and you as well. Your boy is growing into a fine young man, though he has the fire of his ma! Now Ubbe, you asked me why I was here, and now I shall tell you.” Ubbe’s grandfather leaned back in his chair, running his fingers over his wrinkled forehead, “The holds are at war.”

Eyldi glanced over at Ubbe and then back to her father, beckoning him to go on. “The Jarls of Winterhold, Riften, and Dawnstar have thrown in with Ulfric. Meanwhile Haafingar, Hlaalmarch, the Reach, and Falkreath have sided with the Imperials.”

“Why are we fighting the Empire, Grandda?” Ubbe asked, confused.

“You know about Jarl Ulfric’s duel? Well, the cowards down south have called for his arrest on charges of murder and treason and sent a new general to Solitude to take command of the legion here in Skyrim. The first skirmishes have already begun.”

Ubbe stared into the fire, drowning out the noise of their voices with his own thoughts. After what seemed like years he rose to his feet and approached the door. He grabbed his shield and axe and reached for the door. “I’m going to practice.”

***

The next morning Ubbe was awoken by his mother calling his name. He rubbed his eyes and tossed his linens to the side. He made his way down the stairs and grabbed the water pitcher, pouring himself a glass of water before gulping it down. He looked around and found that he was the only one in the house, so he stepped through the entry hall and towards the door. He pulled the door open and saw his mother strapping a bag to his grandfather’s wagon. “Ma, what are you doing?”

“Ubbe, go grab your things and meet us back out here, hurry up now.” She said turning back towards the wagon. Ubbe shrugged his shoulders and turned back into the house. He walked up the stairs to the loft and pulled a maroon tunic over his head before grabbing his wolf pelt backpack out from under his bed. He packed a few tunics and grabbed a few pairs of trousers before putting his arms through the straps. Then he picked up his belt and fastened it around his waist before sliding his axe into its loop. He slung his bow and turned to head downstairs before turning back and opening the top drawer to his dresser.He pulled out the Amulet of Talos his father had given him on his tenth name day and stared at it briefly before putting it back in the drawer and leaving the house.

Once outside he climbed into the wagon and got comfortable before the scent of burning wood and thatch caused him to turn his gaze. The home he grew up in was set ablaze and his mother held the torch. She looked at him with a single tear welling up in her piercing blue eyes, then climbed into the wagon. She didn’t look at Ubbe again until the wagon had reached the road north towards Windhelm. She looked up at him and spoke, “I am just Eyldi now, and you are just Ubbe. Let your Da’s name fade into the wind and forget his clan. Do you understand me?” Ubbe nodded his head and grabbed the folded parchment she was holding out in her hand.

 

Ubbe (Original 1)

Southern Eastmarch, 4E201

Ubbe sat on an old tree stump a couple feet away from his home watching the road. His father had left for Windhelm a week earlier to get supplies that they couldn’t find in the volcanic tundra and to listen to the gossip of the city. He always wanted to go with his father to see the city of Ysgramor, but his father would always claim he was “too young for the journey” or, now that he had seen 14 winters, that he was needed here to “take care of his mother” even though they both knew she could handle herself. 

The sun had reached its highest point in the sky and had been on its descent for a few hours when his father's shaved head appeared on the horizon. Soon, the rest of his body followed along with the full bag of goods he had left after. Normally he was delighted at the sight of his boy waiting for him, but this time something was different. Instead of his usual warm smile and cheerful demeanor, he wore a blank stare and moved rigidly. As he passed, Ubbe got up to follow, but before he could his father, without a glance, barked at him, “Stay where you Ubbe. Your Mother and I need to talk alone.”

Ubbe watched as he went inside the family home. After the door had closed, Ubbe snuck up to the window nearest the table, where he knew they would have their discussion. He could barely hear his parents saying their greetings to each other before they sat. His father started the talk. “I’ve got some news from Windhelm. It’s the reason I was late.”

“And? What could this news possibly be, huh?”

“Jarl Ulfric arrived back in Windhelm today. He returned from a trip to Solitude.”

“Okay, why does that matter?”

“Ulfric challenged the High King to a duel and slew him. Everyone in town thinks the Moot will be called soon to pick a new ki-” His father stopped mid-sentence and turned towards the window, “We’ll finish this discussion later. Ubbe! I can see your damn head! Come on inside.”

Later, when dusk had faded into the dead of night, his parents started their discussion again as Ubbe began to dream of swords clashing, axes digging into shields, and arrows bouncing off shiny suits of armor. The next day when Ubbe awoke, he could smell fresh rabbit stew. He got dressed and went downstairs to find only his mother waiting for him.

“Where’s father?” He asked.

“Gone.” His mother said with no emotion.

“Gone where?”

“Back to the city.”

“Why? He was just there!”

“I don’t know what you heard yesterday, but we’re due for a new High King, but your father doesn’t think it’ll be as easy as calling the Moot. He wants to keep up to date with the news.”

“Do you know when he will be back?”

“No. Now, go grab your shield and axe and lets practice.”

It had been weeks since his father left. After the first week passed, Ubbe had quit waiting for him to return and had been helping his mother hunt. They were walking back to the house with their prey, six rabbits, when the noticed the fire had been lit. Ubbe took off running towards the house, knowing his father had returned at last, but it wasn’t his father waiting for them. It was his grandfather.

“Grandpa, what are you doing here?” Ubbe asked with curiosity in his eyes.

“Where’s your mother and father, Ubbe?” 

“She’s right behind me, but father is in Windhelm.” Ubbe said as his mother walked in behind him.

“What are you doing here, Papa?” she asked, looking bewildered at his presence.

“I come bearing news, darling. Come and sit.” Ubbe’s mother went and sat next to her father and Ubbe turned to go to his room. Before he could leave, his Grandfather spoke up again, “Ubbe, you too. You need to hear this.”

When Ubbe reached the table and sat down his grandfather started, “I’m sure you’ve heard about Jarl Ulfric’s duel. Well, the Moot isn’t going to meet and the Empire isn’t calling it a duel, they claim he murdered the High King. The bastards are calling for his head!”

“Papa, what’s going to happen?”

“Dawnstar, Winterhold, and Riften has backed Jarl Ulfric and The Empire has declared them in open rebellion. Skyrim is at war!” His grandfather proclaimed. As his grandfather and mother continued talking, Ubbe sat there silently, staring off into the distance. Father should have been back by now with this news. Ubbe stood quickly after that and walked to the door, grabbing his axe, he said blankly “I’m going outside to practice.” 

It had been a couple days since his grandfather had arrived. He spent most of those days in the woods hunting or bashing trees with his axe. He couldn’t figure out why his father hadn’t returned yet. Surely he would have heard the news and been here a week before his grandfather. It made no sense. He brought his axe down with a heavy thud when he heard hollering off in the distance, “Ubbe. Ubbe, come here.”

As he approached the house he saw his mother and grandfather standing next to one another. He could barely make out what looked like a letter in his mothers hands. When he got closer, she folded it up and hid it behind her back. Ubbe could tell something was wrong, she had the same look his father did when he first got back from Windhelm.

“What’s that, mother?” Ubbe asked cautiously.

“It’s nothing. Now go grab your things.” Her faced loosened up and almost looked sad.

“We’re going to your grandfather's.” He walked inside the house and up the stairs to his room. Once he got there, he walked over to his dresser and got out his spare tunic and trousers and placed them into his wolf skin backpack. He then grabbed the Amulet of Talos his father had given him on his tenth birthday. He looked at it briefly and sat it back down, he had never been as drawn to Talos as his father was. He put his backpack on his back before fastening his axe to his hip and slinging his shield over his back.
He walked downstairs to find his mother stacking the chairs in the fire pit before lighting it with tears in her eyes. She looked up at him and nodded her head towards the door, telling him to head outside. Ubbe walked outside and stood next his to grandfather. A minute later his mother appeared as dark smoke began to rise out of the house. She knelt down in front of him, grabbed his shoulders, and looked him in the eyes saying,

“You are just Ubbe now, and I am just Eyldi. Never speak your father's name again and never mention his clan name to anyone.” The trio turned their backs on the burning house and started walking.