A Concise Biography of High King Torygg, Volume III

By Hroldar Hearty-Beard, True Skald of Haafingar

Volume II of this series told of Torygg's first meeting with Ulfric, and of his release from the mines of Cidhna.

Two weeks passed before Ulfric eventually returned to Windhelm, where upon arriving he was told that his father Hajfnar had passed on, to Sovngarde where he would drink and dine with the heroes of Old until the end of time. Ulfric was distraught at his father's death, and shut himself off from the world for nearly a month, leaving Torygg with no option but to come back when Ulfric had contained his grief. Torygg returned to Dawnstar and set out plans with Skald to claim independence for Skyrim.

Skald saw potential in the young Nord as a possible heir for the seat of the Pale, and introduced him to his niece, a young girl of sixteen years with beautifully well-kept brown hair and sparkling sapphire eyes named Elisif.

Skald wanted the relationship the Pale and Haafingar had towards the end of the Third Era rekindled, and requested they marry to legitimise a stronger trade pact between the two cities. Torygg admired Skald greatly, and although he recognized Elisif's grandeur and beauty, he wasn't sure he was ready to be married so young. He was convinced to go through with the ceremony, albeit with gritted teeth, and the duo joined together under the banner of Mara in the city of Riften.

Soon after Ulfric left his sanctuary, the citizens of Eastmarch agreed that he should succeed his late father as the Jarl of Windhelm. Ulfric called for Torygg to return if he was serious about influencing Skyrim's future.

Not a lot is known about their private meetings but rumour had it, Torygg had agreed to supply a considerable amount of gold to finance a millita that could easily take out legion after legion with no problems.

Rumours soon spread to Cyrodiil that Skyrim was to cecede from the Empire immediately, but the Emperor dismissed it as blasphemy.

"How can Skyrim leave the glorious Empire ? Skyrim is the Empire, the birthplace of the once-most-holy Tiber Septim. I trust you to not listen to rumours of discontent because that is solely what they are. Rumours. Nothing more, nothing less." -Titus Mede II, taken from his speech in the Forum of Saint Martin, circa 4E 197.