For the Cloak

I look down upon the Stormcloaks as they prepare to enter Korvanjund; I sigh as I knew the Jagged Crown would not be inside as they had hoped, and I knew this because I had retrieved it yesterday and it hung attached to my hip. I lay back on the rocks and wait until the fighting commences before I start the next part of my plan. Alduin instructed me to give Ulfric the crown after I observed the Dragonborn coming from the burial tomb. Alduin didn’t want to waste his own time on someone not worthy. When I hear the fighting begin I jump down, cliff by cliff, until I’m on the ground next to Ulfric’s horse. I carefully position the crown, so that it sat upon the horse’s head and pet the horse on the cheek. I smile sadly before heading off into the mountains to meet up with Odahviing and head back to Alduin.

A hand touches my shoulder from behind a tree, I look behind me to see none only than Ulfric himself, looking at me with guilt and regret. I pull my shoulder away from him.

He reaches his hand out again, “Makoto, I knew you weren’t dead…” He said softly.

I shake my head resisting the urge to cry, “of course I wouldn’t be dead, if I was going to die it wouldn’t be by fucking suicide Ulfric,” I said with more hostility than intended, “don’t you dare tell Kodiak that I’m alive, he doesn’t need to know,” I added.

Ulfric pulls me into a hug and I can’t help but break down in his arms. I couldn’t deny that I love Ulfric and it hurt when he said those things to me back at the palace. I didn’t know what to do as I sob into his arms with a feeling of shame. Ulfric rubbed my back as he kissed the top of my head.

He clears his throat before starting, “I didn’t mean to say the things I said to you, I love you, Makoto. I don’t know how to be public about this because you’re not a Nord, you’re a khajiit. My people don’t like the cats,” he said with a hint of conflict.

I push Ulfric away, “I’ll make it easy, tell them I’m dead, you executed me because I won’t be returning to Windhelm at any point in the future. I’m working with the dragons to kill Kodiak and I will kill you if I need to so don’t stand in my way,” I said wiping my tears, “tell them you were seduced by a dirty cat and that everything they heard in the palace wasn’t true, it’ll work out better for you that way,” I said as I walk away.

“Makoto!” He yells at me, but I keep walking until I hear assassins in the woods.

I turn and run back to Ulfric in a panic, it’s true I hate him, I hate him so much, but I wouldn’t let the assassin’s get him. As much as I hate to admit it, I would die for Ulfric on any given day. I hug Ulfric tightly as I feel the first arrow puncture into my back, Ulfric was yelling but I wouldn’t let him go as the last three enter my back miraculously missing my spine. I look up at Ulfric, blood running from the corner of my mouth, and smile softly. I laid my head against his chest as I listened to his panicked shouts.

“Ulfric…. don’t save me…you don’t have to worry now,” I said before labored breaths that brought more blood up from my throat.

“This isn’t what I wanted Makoto! I didn’t want you to die for me!” Ulfric yells.

I release a deep breath as I relax against Ulfric and close my eyes. It was too late for me to hold on any longer.