Work Text:
This was it.
Alyssa's tight hold on her Ebony sword caused the weapon to creak in protest. She tried to breathe deeply, but ended up gulping as her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen.
A soft tentative hand rested on her shoulder, giving it a half-hearted squeeze, as she glanced up into the honey coloured eyes of her former commanding officer and now confidant.
"Are you sure you can do this?" Rikke asked. She could see the hesitation swimming in those bright blue eyes she'd grown accustomed to. "The General and I could go on ahead and stop Ulfric."
"You'd both be signing your death warrants Rikke. Knowing what my father is like, he'd Shout you down and gut you like a fish."
Alyssa wasn't going to allow another person she admired and respected fall to the hands of her tyrannical father. She'd already failed Elisif and allowed Torygg to be killed. She wasn't going to allow General Tullius and Rikke to follow the same fate.
"Besides, I can outmatch him. He may have had years of training in the way of The Voice, but I am the Dragonborn."
Ulfric watched with sheer amusement as Tullius and Rikke stalked towards him, swords drawn. He opened his mouth, ready to mock them, when he saw a bright flash of blonde hair.
"Come to watch me kill your friends, Alyssa?"
"No, I'm here to stop your campaign of death and destruction. You have caused blood to spill over something as trivial as the freedom of Skyrim.
"Families have been turned against one another. Old friends have denounced the Empire. We're never going to be safe with the Thalmor breathing down our necks."
The Bear of Eastmarch laughed before rising from his throne. He heard Galmar and Tullius trade insults.
He drew his battleaxe and Shouted so loudly that dust fell from the ceiling. Then he launched himself at his daughter and aimed for a blow to the head.
However Alyssa raised her shield and bashed him in the stomach. She then lowered her shield and allowed fire to escape her mouth.
"I see Argneir has trained you well."
"Twas not Argneir who trained me, it was Paarthurnax. The leader of the Greybeard's. He taught me the way of the Dovah."
Alyssa felt a blow land against the back of her head, which sent her tumbling to the ground. She looked up between the dark spots in her eyes and saw Galmar's axe swinging downwards. Without a moment of hesitation, she rolled away just in time to hear the weapon crash against the stoned floor, and to hear her father's adversary gasp as a sword emerged from his stomach.
The man dropped to the floor dead as Rikke retrieved her sword and quickly advanced on Ulfric, who was stunned from a surprise attack from Tullius.
It took another fifteen minutes to finally get Ulfric down onto one knee.
It took another five minutes for Alyssa to stop balking from her father's decision to be killed by her hands.
"From today on, Bard's will be singing the song about my death. It's fitting that a Bear is being felled by his own cub."
"I've never been a Bear, you sought to that by telling me that I am nothing. I will never be a Stormcloak, nor will I ever rule Windhelm for as long as I live.
"For I am a Dragon. The Conqueror of the World-Eater, and now Slayer of my own Father. May Sovngarde judge your soul."
And with one swing of Tullius's sword, she severed her father's head from his body. Blood sprayed everywhere, turning her blonde hair to a faint pink.
The sword clattered against the stone floor, blood splattering everywhere. Alyssa had done the impossible, she had slayed her father.
She dropped to her knees, exhaustion kicking in, as she felt tears swell down her face, leaving bloody streaks against her pale cheeks.
She'd sworn to never shed tears for Ulfric, but to see his lifeless body lying before her and knowing fully well that she was responsible, she silently wept, ignoring Tullius's words and flinching away from Rikke's touch.
Once she heard Tullius leaving, she gazed up at Rikke, tears once again leaking down her face. She got up onto her feet, nodded at the older woman and slowly made her way to the doors to the upper part of the palace.
Before she could wrench the door open, Alyssa felt herself being turned around.
"What is-'
Her sentence was cut off by Rikke's lips smashing against her own. Her eyes widened then closed, as she ripped Rikke's helmet off her head and grabbed handfuls of blonde hair.
She felt arms wrap around her waist and drew her closer as Rikke dropped kisses along her jaw, and up to her nose.
"What are you doing?" Alyssa said once she was able to gather her thoughts.
"I promised myself that once we deal with your father, I would show you what love looks like." Rikke said with a smile before cupping Alyssa's face and nuzzling her nose. "You are truly beautiful, did you know that?"
Alyssa felt her face grow warm as she hiccuped and smiled warmly.
Maybe she didn't deserve her father's affection after all. Because now she had someone who truly appreciated her for just who she was.