#Dragonborn Ralof

[m-u-n-c-h-y]

When does Ralof find out he's the dragonborn? At Helgen? Which faction does he side with, or is it neither? Does he have friends/companions? What are their relationships and how did they meet?

I love you Fuzzy <3

So there's a lot to go over. Ralof (and by extension Hadvar as he's along for the ride in this au) finds out he's the dragonborn in the usual in-game way, which is when he fights the dragon at the Western Watchtower. However, unlike in the game, Ralof isn't able to use his Thu'um yet, he just knows that he absorbed some kind of energy from the dead dragon. He finally believes that he's the Dragonborn when he goes to High Hrothgar and the Greybeards confirm it. Much to Hadvar's dismay...

Shock of all shocks, Ralof actually ends up joining the Empire. It's a very long story for that one. But it's mostly decided based on several quests in-game, how Ulfric STILL wants Markarth in Silverblood hands despite knowing what the Silverbloods did to Ralof in Cidhna Mines, the way Ulfric reacted to the Dossiers Ralof found in the Thalmor Embassy, and this thing I headcanon regarding Dragons and Dragonborn which Ralof comes to fully understand after a philisophical talk with Paarthurnax. Basically, Ralof came to the conclusion that, in the end, the Empire truly are the lesser of two evils and that Ulfric wouldn't be able to make a good High King. This decision actually comes to emotionally haunt Ralof for a long time, for several reasons (One of which being that Ulfric and him were kind of a thing...).

Funny enough, I tried my damnest to feasibly put Hadvar into this AU as a pseudo companion. Hadvar in the beginning was trying to capture Ralof, ended up being dragged into helping Ralof, until after the Greybeards confirmed that Ralof is, in fact, the Dragonborn. And at that point Hadvar pisses off for a while. His journey thru this au is also all over the place and wild. He eventually has to quit the Legion (they're trying to arrest him for desertion and treason for helping Ralof) and he ends up becoming a Companion. Which, then he ends up turning into a werewolf... because of course. I said it was wild. Of course, eventually, Hadvar and Ralof meet back up and they sorta kinda start this whirlwind romance cause oh no they realize their feelings for each other yadayada. Ya know, the usual 50k slow-burn plot you'd expect.

There's... there's a lot going on in this au...

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

Last Dragonborn: You really put everything aside and came here for me? How did you even get here so fast?

Lydia: Several traffic violations.

Miraak: Three counts of resisting arrest.

Ralof: Roughly thirteen bottles of skooma.

Serana: Also, that's not our horse.

[goopysoup]

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..we’ve been shot up, beat up by the fallin’ of the arrows..

song: state of my head - shinedown

in which you get shot by an arrow during the war between Stormcloaks and Imperials.

featuring: dragonborn (male), hadvar, ralof, ulfric

[as usual, all are gender neutral! it’s not listed which side the dragonborn is on, that’s for you to decide. Ulfric’s references the Dragonborn as delicate and he’s delusional asf. I was going to do more characters but my brain isn’t working today lol]

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dragonborn

“No..!” He shouted as his eyes landed on you, anger and worry growing within him as the arrow pierced your shoulder. You fell with a grunt, caught off guard by the sudden pain. You wouldn’t die, no, he wouldn’t let you.

The Dragonborn’s sword impaled the enemy in front of him, anger evident in his eyes like a burning fire. He couldn’t get to you, not until the battle was over, so he must fight harder to get to you faster.

He found you laid against a wall, your hand grasping the arrow as if you were going to rip it out, but you hadn’t. You knew better.

“My love,” he called out, rushing towards you, his heavy armour clanging with his movements. The Dragonborn crashed onto the ground beside you before he helped you remove the arrow, wincing at the cry you let out, “Shh, you’re going to be alright..”

He let his hand glow a pale yellow as he began to use the healing hands spell on you, making the weird feeling of your skin and bones quickly healing flood your senses. You leaned back against the wall, giving him a weak smile.

“My hero..”

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hadvar

You’d met Hadvar during your short time in Helgen before Alduin had destroyed it., killing anyone that had gotten in his way. It wasn’t long after your trip to Riverwood with the man that you’d decided to join the Imperials in their fight against the rebellion.

Now, you were here in Whiterun, fighting to keep it safe. You’d grown close to many of the people of the city, you’d hate to lose them to something as trivial as this. You fought well, but you’d been caught off guard by an onslaught of stormcloak soldiers surrounding you. Due to your distraction, one soldier took the chance to shoot an arrow at you, it only grazed your arm.

Once the battle was over, you’d made your way towards Jarl Balgruff, your armour had definitely seen better days. Your arm was covered in blood, you had cuts all over your body and bruises scattered along your skin.

“You made it? I was sure I’d find you face down in the dirt,” you heard Hadvar, his voice almost playful as you moved to stand next to him, tuning out Balgruff’s speech, “you seem pretty banged up there, Dragonborn.”

“It’s only a mere fatality,” you respond as you look towards the Jarl before your eyes naturally return to Hadvar. He grins a little and speaks again, “who do you think killed more rebels? You? Or me?”

You grinned and bumped his shoulder, “me, definitely.”

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ralof

“Dragonborn? Are you alright?” Ralof asked through the midst of battle, his voice echoing over the sounds of clashing swords combined with men and women dying. The screams weren’t going to be easy to forget.

“Just a scratch!” You responded, continuing your fight though you had an arrow stuck in your leg, and by the gods did it ache. You could hear him laugh as he fought with an Imperial, “you are a tough one, aren’t you?”

You breathed out in heavy breaths, your lungs aching as your body almost crumbled to the ground. You may be Dragonborn, but you were still a living creature. Ralof made his way towards you, catching you as you began to fall, “woah, there, easy..”

Your hands grasped his arms as he gently lead you to sit on the ground against one of the ruined walls, “I’m fine-“ you tried to reason as you looked up at him weakly, he only shook his head, “no, I’ll find a healer.”

Instinctively, your hand moved to remove the arrow, “I’ll be fine, Ralof,” you says stubbornly, and his hand grasped your wrist tightly, “don’t even think about it, Dragonborn. I’m getting a healer. You stay here and leave the damned arrow alone.”

You wanted to protest, groaning in annoyance before you nodded. Even in your defiance, you knew he was right.

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ulfric stormcloak

Ulfric had been protective of you from the start. He knew immediately from that day on the cart headed to Helgen that you didn’t belong there, you were too delicate, too precious for this cruel world. But, as the gods would see it, you were the Dragonborn. It would be far too difficult to keep you from the dangers of Skyrim when you were the one meant to protect it. Just as he was to protect you.

For him, it took you much too long to arrive in Windhelm, but when you did he was ecstatic. His person had arrived for him, wanting to join his cause. Were you a gift from Talos himself?

He didn’t want you to fight, but you had insisted— you knew you were much stronger than he thought, that you could handle most anything. I mean, you slayed Alduin, you badass. So, he reluctantly let you join the fight, but kept any order he gave you close by just in case.

He frowned when you entered the Palace of Kings, your armour bloody, you were bloody and he hoped it wasn’t your own. But, once again, the gods defied him as you told him you’d been shot with an arrow.

“Did you kill them?” He asked, looking down at you from his throne. You shook your head, “no, they got away.” “Who was it?” You furrowed your eyebrows, why did he care?

“Some bandit, I’m not sure,” you replied as you were handed a health potion by one of the servants of the palace. You accepted it, but didn’t drink it. Ulfric knew he’d find that damn bandit and he’d slaughter them, put their head on a spike in front of his palace if you’d let him.

“Very well, get some rest, Dragonborn.”

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[incorrectskyrimquotes]

Fun fact! Ralof's first words to Eryn are "You're awake!" And his last words to her are "Get some rest."

Eryn's first words to him are "I don't know." And her last words are "Did I do okay?"

[actual-skyrim-quotes]

Ralof: Hey, you. You're finally awake.

Dragonborn: Yeah, where-

Ralof: You were trying to cross the border, right?

Dragonborn: Yes, I-

Ralof: Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there.

Dragonborn: Would you let me fucking talk?

[torchickentacos]

Skyrim NPCs seemed kind of bland to me at first but the more I play and the more characters I meet, the more I love them all??? this game slaps and I am once more partaking in that thing where I show up 15 years late to something and go 'wow this is great, why is nobody talking about this???' (they did) (15 years ago) (extensively) (I ignored it) (people told me to play it) (I didn't until I felt like it) (here we are)

[vodrae]

In skyrim only a few very important cities have stone walls. Solitude is the capital, Whiterun is the main hub of Skyrim, Windhelm has big docks and is the oldest city...

So these snowberries in the mead must have been a huge deal.

[archangelsunited]

Helgen sure was something, huh. I imagine it was why Ulfric wasn’t allowed out of the palace outside the Battle of Solitude/Season’s Unending

[m-u-n-c-h-y]

Some gay ass sketches of Ralof and Hadvar cause I was thinkin' bout them ♡

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

Ralof: I heard the Imperials put a potion in the food to lower people's libidos. 

Last Dragonborn, staring at Ulfric: If they did, they didn't put in enough.

[thevoiceofthebard]

Chapter 2 - Ralof I: Unbound

Sundas, 17th of Last Seed 4E201 Morning

Ralof

My name is Ralof. I was born and raised in a small town called Riverwood. When Ulfric revolted against a traitorous Empire, I flew to his side and became a Son of Skyrim.

And today, we have escaped the Empire's jaws of death.

Though perhaps the far deadlier pair of jaws flying above us may still bring about our end. When the beast appeared, there was no mistaking it. The form of Akatosh, not seen in Skyrim since the Second Era. A dragon. And then it opened its mouth, and it was as if Oblivion had come to Mundus. A shockwave, followed by flaming rocks falling from the sky. Someone cut me loose from my binds, taking advantage of one possibly deadly situation to escape another certain one.

Now I find myself grabbing the Breton prisoner, shouting, "Come on, Breton, get up! The gods won't give us another chance!" I feel more strongly about saving this man than I should, perhaps. But then, I can't shake the feeling that the timing was too perfect to be aught but divine intervention; the dragon interrupted a split-second before the man's head would have been split from his body.

I practically drag the stumbling man to the nearby watchtower, where my fellow Stormcloaks have taken refuge, slamming the heavy door shut behind us. Not that I'm convinced it would stop a dragon, of course, but at least we would be less obvious targets for the death raining around us. Jarl Ulfric is here as well, besieged by questions from all sides.

"Was that really a dragon?"

"Could the legends be true?"

Somehow, the Jarl remains unfazed, as though we had not all nearly been eaten alive, answering with a quick statement; "Legends don't burn down villages." We are surrounded by the commotion of screams and roars that reach even through the mortar of the building.

The Breton - Talao, I recall - catches my attention. "Pardon," he says, rubbing his now free wrists, "but perhaps we could discuss what it is or isn't once we're no longer in danger of becoming its lunch."

Another roar punctuates the silent agreement of the room, and Jarl Ulfric shouts over the noise, "We need to get moving, now!" I grab the prisoner once more, pulling him up the stairs. We need to get a better view of our surroundings to figure out how best to escape. Thankfully, his leg doesn't seem to slow him down overmuch. The curiosity I noticed in him earlier is gone, replaced by determination and no small amount of fear. Can't blame him for that. It happens to new recruits as well, their first battle. Or they dissolve into a blubbering pile of tears. One or the other. We reach the next level, only the find the stairway impassable, barred by rocks. Another soldier pushes past us, trying to clear the path, but as I move forward to help him, an entire section of the outer wall bursts in, sending me sprawling back against the intact wall behind me. The bloody dragon! It's entire neck is in the tower, and even more monstrous up close; it's head alone larger than my entire body. I can feel my skin heat and blister as it opens its mouth and spews a gout of fire upon the unfortunate soldier ahead of us, incinerating him. The screams are ungodly.

To be honest, I feel like I'm next. The fire stops, and the head turns directly toward us. Will it eat me whole? Roast me alive like the soldier? Damn it all to Oblivion, I don't even have a weapon to defend myself. But by Talos, I'll look my death in the eye, and hope that satisfies the gods. But then I notice, as I stare the best down, it's not even looking at me. I see intelligence in its terrifying crimson eyes. It proclaims, "Look at me. See my power and tremble before it." And that gaze, I swear, is directed straight at Talao. Then the head abruptly withdraws, and we are alone as the dragon continues to terrorize the town.

I'll admit, it takes me a moment to regain my wits. I want to interrogate Talao, find out what he knows, and why a dragon would resurrect itself from extinction just to glare at him. But right now, survival takes priority over curiosity. The stairwell is still hopelessly blocked, so I glance out of the new window in the tower instead. It's an honest to gods nightmare; flames everywhere, buildings completely destroyed, arrows flying through the air. No sign of obvious safe passage. The house directly beside us has lost its roof, but mostly seems stable. Not ideal, but it will keep us moving.

"See that roof over there? Jump through!" Talao clutches his leg, as if to remind me of his injury, but there's no time for sympathy. "Keep moving if you want to live, damn it! We'll follow as soon as we can."

He nods shakily, and I hear him mutter, "Y'ffre guide me." Before he can second-guess himself - or me - he leaps out into the air. I wince as he catches the lip of the room, but miraculously he lands in a bed. I wave him on before rushing back downstairs to retrieve my companions. Only to swear as I notice them missing. No doubt they fled when the dragon lit upon the tower.

"By the Frozen Wastes!" I hate to abandon Talao, but my comrades and my Jarl come first. And if he truly has the favor of the gods, as I'm convinced, surely someone will come to his aid.

Chapter 1 - Ulfric I: Unbound x Chapter 3 - Hadvar I: Unbound

[wellthebardsdead]

Llewellyn: a fair haired half nord half Altmer man, gentle in nature and not at all boisterous, now seated on a cart bound for Helgen* I’m not from skyrim actually. I’m from the isles.

Ralof: summerset? Why on shors green earth would any nord want to live there?

Llewellyn: it’s a beautiful place, it was peaceful too. Until talk of the rebellion in skyrim… then every nord was rounded up to be interrogated or sent to one of their camps… my parents handed themselves over so I could escape…

Ralof: pft, damned elves. Monsters the whole lot of them.

Llewellyn: my mother is a high elf. *shifts his ears showing little points beneath his long hair*

Ralof: I-

Llewellyn: just… stop talking to me stormcloak… by rebelling against the empire you’ve played right into the dominions plan… *glares at ulfric over his shoulder before looking at the gates ahead* im sorry mother… father… I tried to stay alive…

*a few minutes and a lot of chaos later*

Llewellyn: *barreling out of the cave carrying Hadvar bridal style and Ralof on his back* IM ALIVE THANK THE GODS! *drops them both*

Hadvar: Thank y- UGH! *rolls down the hill after being dropped* HELP-

Llewellyn: SHITE IM SORRY!!! *runs after him*

Ralof: *sitting there trying to figure out what the hell just happened* Ah-

[umbracirrus]

WIP Wednesday!!! 💛

I come with not one, but two snippets today! Both are wider scenes that I've posted a handful of lines from throughout this week (screaming about Elyse and Balgruuf not kissing but it's a slow burn so no kissing yet, and the last lines tag game from this morning), and both have something in common...

Elyse and her sweet tooth.

Tagging everyone who tagged me in that last lines game whilst I was sleeping last night hehe, so that means @thequeenofthewinter, @throughtrialbyfire, @pitiable-arisen, and @oblivions-dawn. No obligations of course 💛

Seeking the Sun snippet (chapter 3)

As a weak campfire began to flicker with light in the small camp they had cleared of bandits, Elyse couldn’t help but sit in the grass by the fire and stare up at the aurora which blanketed the skies. She hadn’t even been in Skyrim for a week, and in that time had been almost executed and survived a dragon attack... But she hadn’t been able to look up at the night sky and take it all in until that moment.

“A spectacle like no other,” is what her mother used to say. “I always liked to believe that the aurora is our ancestors in Sovngarde gazing down at us. Watching as we live up to their legacies. Perhaps I have been shunned for following my own path as opposed to the one that had been set out before me, but I don’t regret it for a second. Besides... I know for certain that our ancestors would be proud of you, El, and that’s all I could ever ask for.”

She had to quickly bring her sleeve up to her face to wipe away the tears building in the corners of her eyes, the snapping of a branch under the foot of one of her current companions bringing her back to reality. Her mother had done it no justice in her descriptions of the night sky in Skyrim, and if her beliefs were true... Then perhaps Ingja was up there and watching over her at that very moment.

“There isn’t much, but it looks as though those bandits had caught some salmon to eat... I gathered some snowberries too, if fish isn’t to your taste,” Ralof sighed as he took a seat beside her, a wooden plate clattering into the grass before him with the food in question. “Hadvar is refusing to take the stick out of his backside to sit down and eat, which means all the more for-“

A tut came from behind her as Hadvar approached the fire, his decision to stand at the opposite side to Ralof possibly bring an unconscious one, but quite notable to Elyse. Those two quite obviously knew each other since before the arrests at the border.

“If I get seen in the company of a Stormcloak by any survivors from the Imperial Legion-“ There was an edge to his voice, one which almost sounded fearful, “-then both she and I are dead.”

“Helgen is already little more than ashes. Do you honestly believe that any soldiers are going to be coming up the road now? They’re no doubt in Falkreath, Riverwood, or dead.”

“... If Riverwood hasn’t also been attacked by the dragon, that is.”

There was a tension in the air which made Elyse squirm as she reached out to take a small handful of the berries which Ralof had gathered, her eyes flicking between the pair. Ralof’s fists were clenching at the fabric of his trousers, whereas Hadvar’s throat silently bobbed before he slowly sat down and closed his eyes.

After a few moments had passed, she began to eat the snowberries and found herself quite disappointed that they didn’t taste quite as sweet as a Cyrodilic strawberry... yet at the same time incredibly relieved. It was the first thing she had ate since crossing the border beyond a stale piece of bread taken from the storage room in Helgen’s keep during their escape from the dragon, and it had been growing harder and harder to ignore the pangs in her stomach.

She reached the last berry all too soon, though she certainly wasn’t expecting a quiet chuckle from Hadvar at the grumble she let out at that realisation.

“You must’ve needed that.”

The Perfect Storm snippet (chapter 18)

There was something which Balgruuf found rather enjoyable about the simple act of roaming the streets of the city as time passed and the evening slowly transitioned into night, with little more than idle conversation about anything and everything to keep them entertained. Elyse would on occasion have something catch her eye, most often little pieces of jewellery or old-looking books, though didn't actually buy anything. Whenever he asked why she didn't want to indulge, even if just for one night, she would simply smile at him and say that good company was all that she needed for the night to be memorable, not a souvenir. That books and jewellery could be bought at any time, unlike a chance to unwind.

Before long, he started to become aware of the time, and let out a deep breath. It was dark by that point, with the faint glow of candles and lanterns across the streets keeping the city lit even as night took Whiterun firmly into its grasp.

"Elyse… I must apologise, but I have something which I need to do before I return to Dragonsreach, so I am going to have to leave now," he stated, placing a hand on her shoulder and stopping her in her tracks as they strolled around the festival.

Turning to face him, he saw a clear dismay – possibly even hurt - across her features. She had clearly been enjoying herself, he had never quite seen her so lively before spending time with her that evening even if most of what they did was just walking and chatting. “Already?”

“I’m afraid so,” he sighed, bringing his hand up to “Though do feel free to stay here for longer, the festivities are set to continue into the early hours..."

Elyse’s face shifted to an expression that came across much more neutral than it had done moments earlier, before she nodded. “Fair enough... Do you have plans or something?”

“You could say so... I have something which I need to purchase before I return to Dragonsreach, and festival or no, I have business to attend to in the morning. A growing pile of paperwork that I have neglected after spending much of my time on audiences, arranging all of this, and...” He trailed off, pursing his lips together as he made a quiet but frustrated hum. Thankfully, she didn’t pry about what had gone unspoken, having been a first-hand witness to what he was referring to.

Elyse quietly wrapped her coat around herself more tightly as a particularly frigid gust of wind cut through the streets, before the smile which she had previously held returned to her face. “If you have the chance, you really should stop by the stall selling those tarts before heading back. The fact that almost nobody seemed to be buying them when I got mine was an absolute travesty."

He raised an eyebrow. "That sounds rather dramatic for tarts."

"It's hardly dramatic enough! You can’t deny that they were delicious."

He couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle at her exclamation, not exactly in agreement with her opinion – still feeling that grainy yet syrupy texture from the fruit filling in his mouth - but finding her enthusiasm almost endearing.

In spite of his need to leave, they remained stood there for a further few moments, a comfortable quiet having settled between them. It was only broken by a distant cheer from the marketplace.

"So... see you next year then?"

Balgruuf stared at Elyse with dumbfounded confusion, taking in little more than the grin plastered across her face, before letting out an amused snort when he realised what she meant. "Yes, Elyse. I will see you next year. Enjoy your night."

After he had turned around and began to walk in the direction that they had originally come from, the strangest feeling began to creep in. One which made his gut feel as though it were twisting and churning, something which was wholly uncomfortable… He could only assume that it was that sickly tart hitting his stomach.

[matri4rch]

High Hrothgar

🤍🐻‍❄️ AO3 LINK 🐻‍❄️🤍

THE DRAGON, SHE IS HERE. it only took like a month and a torn muscle for me to sit down and think what the fuck I wanted to do with these two eloquent noble bears, but HAH. I did it!

Galmar my beloved. *kiss*

Why am I always sick or wounded, lmao

Ik I said I'd have them tussle and beat each other up but I couldn't write the damn scene. I hate fighting scenes smh.

[incorrectskyrimquotes]

sidenote I'm not sure many elder scrolls fanfiction writers know what mead or wine does to a mf

[helgiafterdark]