Many do not know of the place where the last unconquered nords stood when the empire began its reign and many would not believe if they were told the story. I must try, I shall tell you of a place long forgotten, a place of a legend that was never recorded.

There once was a brute of a man called Horden the Brawler, a strong and stubborn nord with many followers, who left his home on a grand adventure.

After many years he grew famous and wealthy. With his wealth he set off in search of the perfect place to build his home where he would retire.

He searched far and wide for the perfect place and finally, Horden found it, just atop a small hill overlooking a vast plain, the location was perfectly situated west of the nordic town of Solitude and just east of the border of High Rock so that people could stop and rest on their travels.

It started as just a small shed and slowly grew into a large colony in which the people lived close, giving to those among them who needed and recieving as needed like brothers did. Its location drew many adventurers and smugglers to it and eventually it became a large town filled with friends and warriors alike.

It had been many years since the town was founded and a messenger showed up of imperial origin who told Horden that he must swear his service to the empire or his estate would be taken. Horden gave his answer and after the messenger left he began setting up defenses.

The enormous wooden keep of the clan-leader stood upon a small mound overlooking the village. Nearly sixty feet stood between the keep and the place where the crude wall of wooden spikes began, their slanted design made them useful for stopping cavalry invasions, forcing the attacker to fight the nord warriors up close where they had the advantage.

The keep itself had two floors with only a rope ladder leading to the upper level where the archers stayed on watch. The bottom level was one room where a large feast was held on a regular basis but now it was gloomy and silent, even the fire in the center of the dark room dare not make a sound.

The nords in the upper level peered through the windows holding their bows close to them, practicing drawing the strings back while watching the other nords in the courtyard below as they grouped together. Many types of armor blended in the crowd, leather, steel, and iron were all mixed, few of the warriors had full suits of anything. The nords that had yet to enter the courtyard were silently painting their faces next to Horden's chair in the great hall.

After painting his face in the blue battle paints Horden stood from his chair and stepped toward the entrance, as he puts a foot out he looks to the mountains south of them to see the silver lines marching toward the village.

The clouds roll and move about in the sky as the rain falls down upon the village of Valden. Lightning flashes and thunder rolls over the mountains from which the imperials come as if hell itself followed them.

As he looks out over the village, he remembers the way it once was. It had been filled with women and children laughing and talking not long ago but soon it would be filled with imperial soldiers closing on their position.

He had refused the messenger's proposal to swear his allegiance to the emperor and because of this a small army had been dispatched, at least two hundred armored men. The women and children had been moved underground into a passage under the greathall. They were outnumbered one hundred and fifty nords to three hundred and fifty armored soldiers, yet still the nords stood in the courtyard bravely, waiting for the arrival of the army.

Horden knew that the nords had little chance against the imperials but he refused to swear his allegiance to the emperor and perhaps with a bit of luck they would prevail. He waved to the man in one of the guard towers near the gate to blow the horn and so the man blew into the long tube.

The horn rang out loud and clear, silencing the nords talking in front of the keep.

Horden sticks the iron longsword he is holding into the ground and raises his hands to make his final speech. The imperials were getting close now, less than a mile away and he knew that he must hurry.

"My brothers, we have built this city into a grand place! A proud town worthy of being called a nord village! I'll be damned if I live to see it taken from me!" Horden said before stopping for a moment

The men all cheer and thrust their weapons into the air, rusted swords and axes bounce up and down within the crowd.

"I will not see it under the rule of the emperor, all the larger cities have given up now and those still willing to fight have fled here. Those brave, selfless men that are willing to fight for their freedom have come here. Look to the men beside you and know that they are heroes! Just as every man that has taken up arms shall be remembered. Let us show the emperor that we cannot be conquered! Send him a message that is loud and clear as thunder!" Horden yelled to the crowd

The men all yell and begin picking up the small nordic roundsheilds from the ground, getting ready for the onslaught.

Horden steps back inside the greathall and breathes in the stone smell of it. He listens to the yelling outside as he picks up his mead from the table and takes a few quick drinks.

"Tis good stuff, I shall miss it." Horden says to his subordinate

His officer picks up a leather chestpiece from the floor and hands it to Horden.

"Good luck old friend." he says

"Thank you, I shall need it." Horden laughs

Horden took the armor and began lacing the leather to his chest. As the imperial army closes in the nords grow even louder outside and Horden steps out, rain landing upon his face but he refuses to wipe it, for it could be the last rain he can enjoy.

He holds his hand up to signal for the archers and they knock the arrows into their bows and wait. The imperials are getting closer now, he can nearly make out the emblem on their armor. Each second that passes a small numb feeling in the pit of his stomach builds as he watches the army advance.

"Fire!" Horden yells as he throws his arm forward

Arrows rain down upon the imprials and screams rang out as the other soldiers continue over them.

The men in the courtyard let out their battle cries as the first line of imperial soldiers fall and Horden walks forward, pushing himself to the front of the nords and standing directly behind the gate.

As the wooden gate cracks and bellows at the weight of the imperials pushing on it Horden can see it begin to buckle. The time had come for them to fight as the front gate fell in the imperials rushed through and met with the mighty nords.

Horden ducked under the first blade and sliced between the greaves and chestplate of one of the imperials causing him to fall to the ground and bleed out.

The nords were much stronger than the imperials which was obvious as the armored soldiers were pushed back outside the gates by the defenders. Horden began to believe that they had a chance and then the leader stepped forth as if he was ready to fight but as Horden readied himself the leader pointed at him and stepped to the side.

Horden hardly saw the mass of arrows fall around him, three hit him in the chest and he broke the ends off them before stepping forward toward the commander with his sword dragging desperately on the ground. The commander swung and Horden slapped the blade away, quickly raising his blade and slashing a deep gash into the imperial's chest right before two more arrows hit Horden, one in his back and one in his leg.

Horden fell to his knees he looked around him. The remaining nords circled him and fought the imperials bravely as Horden forced a smile right before he blacked out and fell to the ground slowly, never to wake again.

They say that the nords fought the imperials off of his body for quite some time before the second wave of soldiers arrived and broke through. The men were subdued and bound before their ride back to the imperial city for imprisonment. Horden's city was burned to the ground, his sword was taken for display in the imperial library, and his head was removed and displayed on a spike atop the hill where his city once stood.

The carriages transporting the brave men that fought for Horden were attacked and all of the prisoners were killed, strangely none of the soldiers escorting them were killed or even wounded, and so it was complete, the siege at Valden had never happened, all evidence was destroyed. Or so the imperials thought.

Only the women and children escaped to safety through the tunnel, I tell you this story now so that you can pass it on to others so that the siege at Valden, may never be forgotten.

I'm not sure why but I just got the urge to write this but I hope you enjoy it. Don't judge it just because it isn't a real city and such, just enjoy it for what it is.

Interesting, and pretty good
Although i'm guessing he built the city overlooking a plain, as opposed to an plane

Oh aye....I enjoyed it...very interesting, indeed it is..so please continue.....as always your writingstyle is awesome....

A fine story. The heroism of the Nords and the cowardly (but also quite intersting and clever) action of the Imperial commander got to me. Man, I nearly started crying when Horden and his city died.

that was brilent! cool battle and story

Thanks for your comments, I'm glad you guys liked it, it took me quite some time to write it even though it is a short story I tried to make it at least half way decent.

-Kiln

Oh geez, I did not see this untill now...I like it, and especially the way the cowardice of the imperials are showed.

Well, it's damned good ( sorry for language there ), and it shows the heroic courage of the nords, and it's a sad tale of the normal imperial greed to own everything.

Please Mr.Oven, write some more.

Did you notice that I have updated mine as well, now all that remains is for you to update Kilns story ( hint hint ), and possibly read and reply on mine ( hint hint again. )

That was quite a story... sad ending too. I was really enjoying it and I didn't want it to end. Good work Kiln

Indeed, great sotry Kiln.

Of course the ending was sad... but I still felt a feeling of pride that Horden died as a hero. Most Nords feel there is no greater way to die.

Great story! Very well writen but I have one gripe on it. Hammerfell's border isn't exactly west of Solitude, that's High Rock teritory so you could edit it. But it was a great story anyway so I forgive you. The nord bravery was well shown, and so were Imperial 'tactics'. But you could have made the Imperial army bigger you know? 200 soldiers against 130 berserk warriors. The odds are pretty bad for the soldiers. You better make the numbers bigger, like 500 to 130 or something like that you know? I also liked Horden's speech by the way.

Thanks for the feedback everyone, the first post has been edited because I had the wrong border and I though, just as Mr. Griff here did, that there should be more soldiers fighting against them so that it might seem a bit more realistic given the warriors the nords are.