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Description
Music to listen while reading the text:
youtu.be/aQeIYVM3YBM?t=240

Next scene: www.deviantart.com/mekheke/art…
___________________________________________

It was on Last Seed 18th 4E201 that I arrived in Whiterun for the first time. I was alone and I admit, I was scared. I was in a foreign land, which I knew almost nothing about and which was in a state of civil war. For my protection, I had only a bow and few arrows taken on the burned corpse of a man, a dagger given by Alvor, the blacksmith of Riverwood, an old dress given to me by his wife, Sigrid and barely enough septims to buy food and shelter for a night. I would have never imagined that just few weeks later I would become Thane of this hold, one of the most important of all Skyrim and that at this occasion I would also meet one of the most important person to me in that country.

The day before my arrival in Whiterun, I had survived in extremis to my own execution and to a dragon attack on the city of Helgen, further south in the mountains, which has been completely destroyed by it. I ignored it at the time, but the dragon who attacked Helgen was no other than Alduin, the World-Eater. Ironically, it is his attack that saved me from execution.
I was still shaken by these events and by those who lead me to Helgen in the first place, when I arrived in Whiterun. I was there because I had been asked by the legionnaire Hadvar, who I'd met in Helgen, to go see the Jarl, Balgruuf the Greater, to warn him about the dragon attack. I could have just run away and disappear in the wild and try to find a way to come back to Cyrodiil, but I've decided to do what I was asked to do. I'm still not sure why I have decided to comply to this demand, nor why I have followed Hadvar, instead of one of the Nord prisoners, during the chaos in Helgen, since it was the Legion who wanted to execute me. I guess that's because my father is himself a former legionary who taught me to respect the Empire and its Legion. I wonder, what my life would have been if I had done otherwise... Anyway, there's no point in wasting time on something that never was.

Whiterun is built on a mountain, standing alone in the middle of a vast tundra and the Jarl's castle, called Dragonsreach, sits on its summit. Its overwhelming presence can be seen from miles around. Despite the doors of the city being closed to strangers, because of the civil war, the guards let me in when I talked about the attack on Helgen and said that I was one of its survivors. To my surprise and this has simplified things for me, rumours of the attack had already reached the city. I guess that kind of events are hard to stay unnoticed.
I was now inside the city walls, escorted by a guard, to go to the Jarl's castle. Before letting me in, the other guards took my bow and arrows, but I managed to keep my dagger, which I had preventively hidden under my dress, tied to my inner thigh. If my life as a thief taught me something, it is to always keep a weapon on me.
The guard led me through the winding streets of Whiterun. At first, the houses were modest, but the higher we climbed, the richer they became. After what happened to me these few last days, it felt nice to be in a big city, full of life. But the discussions I was able to catch, when crossing people, were all evidence that these lands lived in a troubled time. A lot of them talked about the events in Helgen, debating of if it was true or not. But others talked about the civil war or about the assassination of the High King Torygg by Ulfric Stormcloak, the leader of the rebellion against the Empire. Others talked about the Justiciars of the Thalmor who arrested Talos worshippers all around the country and how these were never seen again. I heard them talk also of how bandits had proliferated in the entirety of Skyrim, because the soldiers were used in the war and not to protect the land any more. All this weighed on what little morale I had recovered. Arrived at a square, not too far away from the castle, I've noticed a temple of Kynareth and thought I would go pray the Goddess after my visit to the Jarl. It would help to ease my soul.
I was surprised to see a statue of Talos on the opposite side of the temple and one of His priest loudly preaching, for all to see and hear. I asked the guard about it and he told me that if Jarl Balgruuf was not on the side of the rebels, he continued to let his people freely worshipping Talos. I could hear from his voice that he was very proud of his Jarl.

Finally, after a long walk, we arrived at the doors of Dragonsreach. My feet hurt like Oblivion and I was literally starving. I had barely rest and eat in days. My last meal had been early in the morning, before I left Riverwood, up in the mountains to the south and it had been rather frugal. Without the guard escorting me, I would have eaten and rest in an inn, or at least I would have stolen something from a stall to get something to eat, before going to the castle.
Now that I was at its feet, the stronghold was even more impressive. Its tall shape almost touching the sky. But I hadn't seen anything yet. The guard who accompanied me exchanged few words to those who guarded the entrance, who then opened the door to us. What astonishment I felt when I entered the castle. My first view was a forest of large pillars supporting the ceiling, which rose higher than hundred-year-old trees. The pillars and all the framework were carved with intricate volutes. The sun shone in through a large rose window delicately carved into the wood at the top of the entrance wall. Further away, where the sun could not shine, large fires burnt in braziers, giving a powerful atmosphere to the place. I followed the guard on a flight of stairs, continuing to look left and right. I heard two children, who I later learnt were the Jarl's children, say something derogatory about my appearance and calling me a beggar, but I ignored them as I concentrated on observing the place. As amazed as I was, my thieving mind was also taking notes on the objects that would be interesting to remove from the place.
It is when I arrived on top of the stairs that I have finally seen it, above the throne of the Jarl. A dragon skull! It had escaped my gaze until now. I can not describe what I felt, but something resonated in me like never before and it had nothing to do with the trauma due to the attack on Helgen.

I was completely lost in contemplation when a sharp voice brought my mind back on Nirn. It was a woman's voice, strict and hard. This was Irileth, the Dunmer housecarl of the Jarl, though at the time, I ignored what a housecarl was. She talked with the guard, who explained the reasons of my presence. Under the lights of the fires which were the only one to illuminate this part of the castle, her grey skin and red eyes gave her an eerie appearance. When he finished his explanations, she turned to me and said, bluntly:

"You! Come on, the Jarl will want to speak to you personally."

When we came close to the dais where the throne was, Irileth told me to wait. The Jarl was in a discussion with a man, who seemed to be from Imperial race. This man was the Jarl's steward, Proventus Aretino, whose daughter would become a good friend of mine, as well as my neighbour actually. The two men discussed of the destruction of Helgen and debated on what to do if it was indeed a dragon that was responsible of it. Irileth interrupted the two men, not without excusing herself to do so, then she spoke quietly to the Jarl.
While I waited, I looked carefully to Balgruuf the Greater. Probably in his fifties, he had long blond hair and a long goatee. He sported an expensive circlet around his forehead and he wore, without a doubt, clothes not less expensive. Balgruuf is not a man very impressive in stature, but his charismatic presence was undeniable. When the Dunmer woman finished her explanations, the Jarl looked at me. This was the first time a man of that rank spoke to me, but I had a vague idea of how to behave.

" Approach, young lady. So, you were in Helgen during the attack?"
- Yes, my lord.
- Irileth told me that you claim that it was a dragon who've destroyed the city. Is it true?
- Yes, my lord."

Balgruuf gave a concerned look at Proventus, then he stayed silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts. Finally, he looked back at me. I thought he would question me about what happened there, but instead he asked:

" What is your name?
- Elise, my lord. I responded, surprised.
- Elise? It is an unusual name for a Bosmer." he looked at me more carefully. " You are a Bosmer, right?"

This question did not really surprised me actually. You see, I am tall for a Bosmer, I mean VERY tall. To the point that I have sometime been taken for an Altmer.

" Yes, my lord. I am indeed a Bosmer. As for my unusual name, it is because I was raised by a couple of Bretons, my lord. They found me when I was a baby.
- Where are your parents now? Have they been killed during the attack?
- No, my lord. They live in the south of Cyrodiil, in the West Weald region, where I hope they are well.
- I see. And you, did you live in Helgen?
- No, my lord.
- Really? he asked, raising an eyebrow. So, what did you do there.
- I will be honest with you, my lord. I was there by accident.
- What do you mean by that?" he said as he shifted in his seat.

This is where my knowledge of the art of lying came handy. You see, the best way to make a good lie, is to mingle it with bits of truth.

" I was in the Jerall Mountains, on the Cyrodiil side, my lord, where I normally live." he raised an intrigued eyebrow, but said nothing, so I continued. " I was out to gather some wood, when a group of bandits tried to attack me, probably in the attempt to kidnap me. Even though I know how to fight, it was useless to try to defend myself, as they were too numerous. So I fled. I took a mountain trail and ran as fast as I could. After a while I ended up losing them, but unfortunately, I got lost too. I think I could have eventually find my way back, because I am a good tracker, but a storm came out from nowhere. Even for a mountain climate, it was really sudden, my lord. I had nowhere to take cover, so I have decided that if I didn't want to freeze to death I had to keep moving. The storm continued for all the rest of the day and it didn't stop at nightfall. I have continued to walk in the dark for a while. Fortunately, I found a crack in the rock where I could squeeze through and where I tried to warm myself as best I could. After a sleepless night, morning came, with the storm still roaming. I've waited for a time, hoping it would stop, but seeing it won't, I've decided to continue my journey. I have been very lucky to not fall in a crevice at any point. I have continued to walk for, I guess, several hours, when the storm finally stopped. I could finally see where I was, except I had no idea where this where was. I was completely lost. All I could see was mountain picks and snow everywhere, as far as I could see. I have wandered in the wild for a long time, until night fall. This time again, I found a place to take cover. I haven't slept that night either. As soon as the sun rose, I've resumed my walk. Once more, I've walked for hours, until I was ready to give up. But praised the Divines, I spotted people in the distance. This sight gave me some strength back and I ran to them. They took care of me and lead me to Helgen. But the whims of fate didn't seem to have finished with me. It is soon after we arrived there that the dragon attack occurred."

Of course, I have carefully omitted to say that these people who "saved me" were from the Legion and that they lead me to Helgen with other prisoners to be executed. Even if the Jarl seemed neutral in the civil war, it was best to not give him informations that could give him the idea to finish what the Legion hadn't been able to do. As for the rest of the story, there have been no bandits in reality. In fact, it was I who was preparing to do some bad things in Bruma. But I really got lost and caught in a storm, wandering for several days and it is because of it that I ended up in Skyrim.
After the end of my story, Jarl Balgruuf observed me for several minutes, the chin on his hands. I could see he was trying to decided if he believed my story or not. Finally, he exchanged a look with his houscarl and his councillor, then he said:

" I don't know whether you are very unlucky or very lucky for having lived through all these events, Elise, but in any case, I fear that you will be stuck in Skyrim for a while. At least until the end of this damned civil war. Because of it, the borders with Cyrodiil are closed. One thing is sure though, you were lucky that it wasn't the Legion who found you in the Jerall Mountains, or you would have been put to death.
- I realise all that, my lord."

Inside, I was smiling, my deception had worked, but my shaking body and the tears I wiped from my eyes were real. Not only I was not thrilled at the idea to be stuck in Skyrim, but the retelling of these recent days, even though modified, had shook me more than I had thought they would.

" So, now that you told me how you ended up in Helgen, tell me what happened there.
- Yes, my lord. It all began when..."

I have explained for a long time what happened, but I have continued to omit details, here and there, which could have been detrimental to me. When I'd finished, the Jarl sank back into his seat. Then, looking at his steward, he said:

" What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?
- My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. suggested strongly Irileth. It's in the most immediate danger, if that dragon is lurking in the mountains...
- The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation! intervened Proventus. He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him. We should not...
- Enough! cut him off Balgruuf. I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once.
- Yes, my Jarl."

The Dunmer left the castle in a hurry to give the orders. Balgruuf looked at me, then he turned his head back to his steward.

" Proventus. You will give few septims to Elise, to thank her to have come warning us and for her troubles.
- Yes, my Jarl.

The steward reached for his belt and took his purse, from which he extracted a large handful of septims. He looked at the Jarl to know if this was enough, then, after a nod from this one, he gave me the coins. I was starting to thank him, when my stomach made a growling noise like it never did before. Embarrassed, I avoided the gaze of Proventus and the Jarl.

" Since when haven't you have a decent meal, young lady.
- Since too long, my lord. I ventured to say.
- Well then, before leaving, you will go to the kitchen and will ask the cook to serve you a good meal.
- Thank you, my lord. May the Divines bless you."

He nodded, then he dismissed me in a gesture.

I started to turn around, but, after a second of hesitation, I turned back and asked:

- My lord, I'm sorry to bother you more. I would like to know if you wouldn't have a work for me. Not as a maid or a servant, but something I could do to help your hold and its people. Like I said, I know how to fight. My father was in the Legion in his youth and he taught me the art. Art that I've put into practice on more than one occasion."

Balgruuf did not respond right away. Instead he looked at me intensely. I hoped I hadn't overstepped the boundaries with this last action. Despite my pitiful look, I think he saw that my shoulders were broad, my body strong and that my eyes were full of determination, because after this moment of reflection, he talked once more to Proventus. He told him to provide me the wanted notice for a small band of bandits who troubled the region. Glory be to the Divines, for that was the beginning of my fortune.
___________________________________________

So, this text is waaaaaaaay longer than what I thought it would be and this is just half of what I've written! (the rest, coming soon) I hope you don't mind and that you enjoyed it.

About the events depicted here, I have tried to stay in canon from the game, even using some of its dialogue, but I have also expended things and took some liberties to make everything feel more "real" and organic.
Also, since Elise was created back at the end of 2017 and that I haven't played the game for around 7 years after I stopped playing it in mid 2018, I don't remember exactly every details from that period. I'm pretty sure too that when I arrived for the first time in Whiterun, I'd already made several quests, had relatively good weapons and armour and a good bunch of money. But I think it is better to have things been told this way.
I would have liked to describe more the city, which in the lore is one of the biggest and richest of all Skyrim. But the game does not give us a lot to nourish our imagination...

Description
Music to listen while reading the text:
youtu.be/aQeIYVM3YBM?t=240

Next scene: www.deviantart.com/mekheke/art…
___________________________________________

It was on Last Seed 18th 4E201 that I arrived in Whiterun for the first time. I was alone and I admit, I was scared. I was in a foreign land, which I knew almost nothing about and which was in a state of civil war. For my protection, I had only a bow and few arrows taken on the burned corpse of a man, a dagger given by Alvor, the blacksmith of Riverwood, an old dress given to me by his wife, Sigrid and barely enough septims to buy food and shelter for a night. I would have never imagined that just few weeks later I would become Thane of this hold, one of the most important of all Skyrim and that at this occasion I would also meet one of the most important person to me in that country.

The day before my arrival in Whiterun, I had survived in extremis to my own execution and to a dragon attack on the city of Helgen, further south in the mountains, which has been completely destroyed by it. I ignored it at the time, but the dragon who attacked Helgen was no other than Alduin, the World-Eater. Ironically, it is his attack that saved me from execution.
I was still shaken by these events and by those who lead me to Helgen in the first place, when I arrived in Whiterun. I was there because I had been asked by the legionnaire Hadvar, who I'd met in Helgen, to go see the Jarl, Balgruuf the Greater, to warn him about the dragon attack. I could have just run away and disappear in the wild and try to find a way to come back to Cyrodiil, but I've decided to do what I was asked to do. I'm still not sure why I have decided to comply to this demand, nor why I have followed Hadvar, instead of one of the Nord prisoners, during the chaos in Helgen, since it was the Legion who wanted to execute me. I guess that's because my father is himself a former legionary who taught me to respect the Empire and its Legion. I wonder, what my life would have been if I had done otherwise... Anyway, there's no point in wasting time on something that never was.

Whiterun is built on a mountain, standing alone in the middle of a vast tundra and the Jarl's castle, called Dragonsreach, sits on its summit. Its overwhelming presence can be seen from miles around. Despite the doors of the city being closed to strangers, because of the civil war, the guards let me in when I talked about the attack on Helgen and said that I was one of its survivors. To my surprise and this has simplified things for me, rumours of the attack had already reached the city. I guess that kind of events are hard to stay unnoticed.
I was now inside the city walls, escorted by a guard, to go to the Jarl's castle. Before letting me in, the other guards took my bow and arrows, but I managed to keep my dagger, which I had preventively hidden under my dress, tied to my inner thigh. If my life as a thief taught me something, it is to always keep a weapon on me.
The guard led me through the winding streets of Whiterun. At first, the houses were modest, but the higher we climbed, the richer they became. After what happened to me these few last days, it felt nice to be in a big city, full of life. But the discussions I was able to catch, when crossing people, were all evidence that these lands lived in a troubled time. A lot of them talked about the events in Helgen, debating of if it was true or not. But others talked about the civil war or about the assassination of the High King Torygg by Ulfric Stormcloak, the leader of the rebellion against the Empire. Others talked about the Justiciars of the Thalmor who arrested Talos worshippers all around the country and how these were never seen again. I heard them talk also of how bandits had proliferated in the entirety of Skyrim, because the soldiers were used in the war and not to protect the land any more. All this weighed on what little morale I had recovered. Arrived at a square, not too far away from the castle, I've noticed a temple of Kynareth and thought I would go pray the Goddess after my visit to the Jarl. It would help to ease my soul.
I was surprised to see a statue of Talos on the opposite side of the temple and one of His priest loudly preaching, for all to see and hear. I asked the guard about it and he told me that if Jarl Balgruuf was not on the side of the rebels, he continued to let his people freely worshipping Talos. I could hear from his voice that he was very proud of his Jarl.

Finally, after a long walk, we arrived at the doors of Dragonsreach. My feet hurt like Oblivion and I was literally starving. I had barely rest and eat in days. My last meal had been early in the morning, before I left Riverwood, up in the mountains to the south and it had been rather frugal. Without the guard escorting me, I would have eaten and rest in an inn, or at least I would have stolen something from a stall to get something to eat, before going to the castle.
Now that I was at its feet, the stronghold was even more impressive. Its tall shape almost touching the sky. But I hadn't seen anything yet. The guard who accompanied me exchanged few words to those who guarded the entrance, who then opened the door to us. What astonishment I felt when I entered the castle. My first view was a forest of large pillars supporting the ceiling, which rose higher than hundred-year-old trees. The pillars and all the framework were carved with intricate volutes. The sun shone in through a large rose window delicately carved into the wood at the top of the entrance wall. Further away, where the sun could not shine, large fires burnt in braziers, giving a powerful atmosphere to the place. I followed the guard on a flight of stairs, continuing to look left and right. I heard two children, who I later learnt were the Jarl's children, say something derogatory about my appearance and calling me a beggar, but I ignored them as I concentrated on observing the place. As amazed as I was, my thieving mind was also taking notes on the objects that would be interesting to remove from the place.
It is when I arrived on top of the stairs that I have finally seen it, above the throne of the Jarl. A dragon skull! It had escaped my gaze until now. I can not describe what I felt, but something resonated in me like never before and it had nothing to do with the trauma due to the attack on Helgen.

I was completely lost in contemplation when a sharp voice brought my mind back on Nirn. It was a woman's voice, strict and hard. This was Irileth, the Dunmer housecarl of the Jarl, though at the time, I ignored what a housecarl was. She talked with the guard, who explained the reasons of my presence. Under the lights of the fires which were the only one to illuminate this part of the castle, her grey skin and red eyes gave her an eerie appearance. When he finished his explanations, she turned to me and said, bluntly:

"You! Come on, the Jarl will want to speak to you personally."

When we came close to the dais where the throne was, Irileth told me to wait. The Jarl was in a discussion with a man, who seemed to be from Imperial race. This man was the Jarl's steward, Proventus Aretino, whose daughter would become a good friend of mine, as well as my neighbour actually. The two men discussed of the destruction of Helgen and debated on what to do if it was indeed a dragon that was responsible of it. Irileth interrupted the two men, not without excusing herself to do so, then she spoke quietly to the Jarl.
While I waited, I looked carefully to Balgruuf the Greater. Probably in his fifties, he had long blond hair and a long goatee. He sported an expensive circlet around his forehead and he wore, without a doubt, clothes not less expensive. Balgruuf is not a man very impressive in stature, but his charismatic presence was undeniable. When the Dunmer woman finished her explanations, the Jarl looked at me. This was the first time a man of that rank spoke to me, but I had a vague idea of how to behave.

" Approach, young lady. So, you were in Helgen during the attack?"
- Yes, my lord.
- Irileth told me that you claim that it was a dragon who've destroyed the city. Is it true?
- Yes, my lord."

Balgruuf gave a concerned look at Proventus, then he stayed silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts. Finally, he looked back at me. I thought he would question me about what happened there, but instead he asked:

" What is your name?
- Elise, my lord. I responded, surprised.
- Elise? It is an unusual name for a Bosmer." he looked at me more carefully. " You are a Bosmer, right?"

This question did not really surprised me actually. You see, I am tall for a Bosmer, I mean VERY tall. To the point that I have sometime been taken for an Altmer.

" Yes, my lord. I am indeed a Bosmer. As for my unusual name, it is because I was raised by a couple of Bretons, my lord. They found me when I was a baby.
- Where are your parents now? Have they been killed during the attack?
- No, my lord. They live in the south of Cyrodiil, in the West Weald region, where I hope they are well.
- I see. And you, did you live in Helgen?
- No, my lord.
- Really? he asked, raising an eyebrow. So, what did you do there.
- I will be honest with you, my lord. I was there by accident.
- What do you mean by that?" he said as he shifted in his seat.

This is where my knowledge of the art of lying came handy. You see, the best way to make a good lie, is to mingle it with bits of truth.

" I was in the Jerall Mountains, on the Cyrodiil side, my lord, where I normally live." he raised an intrigued eyebrow, but said nothing, so I continued. " I was out to gather some wood, when a group of bandits tried to attack me, probably in the attempt to kidnap me. Even though I know how to fight, it was useless to try to defend myself, as they were too numerous. So I fled. I took a mountain trail and ran as fast as I could. After a while I ended up losing them, but unfortunately, I got lost too. I think I could have eventually find my way back, because I am a good tracker, but a storm came out from nowhere. Even for a mountain climate, it was really sudden, my lord. I had nowhere to take cover, so I have decided that if I didn't want to freeze to death I had to keep moving. The storm continued for all the rest of the day and it didn't stop at nightfall. I have continued to walk in the dark for a while. Fortunately, I found a crack in the rock where I could squeeze through and where I tried to warm myself as best I could. After a sleepless night, morning came, with the storm still roaming. I've waited for a time, hoping it would stop, but seeing it won't, I've decided to continue my journey. I have been very lucky to not fall in a crevice at any point. I have continued to walk for, I guess, several hours, when the storm finally stopped. I could finally see where I was, except I had no idea where this where was. I was completely lost. All I could see was mountain picks and snow everywhere, as far as I could see. I have wandered in the wild for a long time, until night fall. This time again, I found a place to take cover. I haven't slept that night either. As soon as the sun rose, I've resumed my walk. Once more, I've walked for hours, until I was ready to give up. But praised the Divines, I spotted people in the distance. This sight gave me some strength back and I ran to them. They took care of me and lead me to Helgen. But the whims of fate didn't seem to have finished with me. It is soon after we arrived there that the dragon attack occurred."

Of course, I have carefully omitted to say that these people who "saved me" were from the Legion and that they lead me to Helgen with other prisoners to be executed. Even if the Jarl seemed neutral in the civil war, it was best to not give him informations that could give him the idea to finish what the Legion hadn't been able to do. As for the rest of the story, there have been no bandits in reality. In fact, it was I who was preparing to do some bad things in Bruma. But I really got lost and caught in a storm, wandering for several days and it is because of it that I ended up in Skyrim.
After the end of my story, Jarl Balgruuf observed me for several minutes, the chin on his hands. I could see he was trying to decided if he believed my story or not. Finally, he exchanged a look with his houscarl and his councillor, then he said:

" I don't know whether you are very unlucky or very lucky for having lived through all these events, Elise, but in any case, I fear that you will be stuck in Skyrim for a while. At least until the end of this damned civil war. Because of it, the borders with Cyrodiil are closed. One thing is sure though, you were lucky that it wasn't the Legion who found you in the Jerall Mountains, or you would have been put to death.
- I realise all that, my lord."

Inside, I was smiling, my deception had worked, but my shaking body and the tears I wiped from my eyes were real. Not only I was not thrilled at the idea to be stuck in Skyrim, but the retelling of these recent days, even though modified, had shook me more than I had thought they would.

" So, now that you told me how you ended up in Helgen, tell me what happened there.
- Yes, my lord. It all began when..."

I have explained for a long time what happened, but I have continued to omit details, here and there, which could have been detrimental to me. When I'd finished, the Jarl sank back into his seat. Then, looking at his steward, he said:

" What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?
- My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. suggested strongly Irileth. It's in the most immediate danger, if that dragon is lurking in the mountains...
- The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation! intervened Proventus. He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him. We should not...
- Enough! cut him off Balgruuf. I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once.
- Yes, my Jarl."

The Dunmer left the castle in a hurry to give the orders. Balgruuf looked at me, then he turned his head back to his steward.

" Proventus. You will give few septims to Elise, to thank her to have come warning us and for her troubles.
- Yes, my Jarl.

The steward reached for his belt and took his purse, from which he extracted a large handful of septims. He looked at the Jarl to know if this was enough, then, after a nod from this one, he gave me the coins. I was starting to thank him, when my stomach made a growling noise like it never did before. Embarrassed, I avoided the gaze of Proventus and the Jarl.

" Since when haven't you have a decent meal, young lady.
- Since too long, my lord. I ventured to say.
- Well then, before leaving, you will go to the kitchen and will ask the cook to serve you a good meal.
- Thank you, my lord. May the Divines bless you."

He nodded, then he dismissed me in a gesture.

I started to turn around, but, after a second of hesitation, I turned back and asked:

- My lord, I'm sorry to bother you more. I would like to know if you wouldn't have a work for me. Not as a maid or a servant, but something I could do to help your hold and its people. Like I said, I know how to fight. My father was in the Legion in his youth and he taught me the art. Art that I've put into practice on more than one occasion."

Balgruuf did not respond right away. Instead he looked at me intensely. I hoped I hadn't overstepped the boundaries with this last action. Despite my pitiful look, I think he saw that my shoulders were broad, my body strong and that my eyes were full of determination, because after this moment of reflection, he talked once more to Proventus. He told him to provide me the wanted notice for a small band of bandits who troubled the region. Glory be to the Divines, for that was the beginning of my fortune.
___________________________________________

So, this text is waaaaaaaay longer than what I thought it would be and this is just half of what I've written! (the rest, coming soon) I hope you don't mind and that you enjoyed it.

About the events depicted here, I have tried to stay in canon from the game, even using some of its dialogue, but I have also expended things and took some liberties to make everything feel more "real" and organic.
Also, since Elise was created back at the end of 2017 and that I haven't played the game for around 7 years after I stopped playing it in mid 2018, I don't remember exactly every details from that period. I'm pretty sure too that when I arrived for the first time in Whiterun, I'd already made several quests, had relatively good weapons and armour and a good bunch of money. But I think it is better to have things been told this way.
I would have liked to describe more the city, which in the lore is one of the biggest and richest of all Skyrim. But the game does not give us a lot to nourish our imagination...