Here is the first chapter of the rewrite of this fic, see the end for notes:

The Book of the Dragonborn

Being the saga of Harald Holmganger, known now as Hadrian Septim, last king of the ancient blood of Atmora, and in order that his great deeds be known. Egil Vandrædskald wrote these words, but lived them too.

Prologue

The Doom Drum thundered on, the Moon Beast's iniquity rolling through the sky.

Harald frowned into the dark night, he could hear the rushing of the river that divided friendly and hostile lands, but despite the moons above the night was too dark to see anything but degrees of black. Nightflyers screeched in the branches of the forest beyond the river, and Harald imagined the howls and roars of the beasts hunting them.

A figure came to stand on the balcony beside him. "What do you see?" He asked, "Do you think of the crossing or what comes after?"

Harald turned and smiled, "Savos." he nodded to his friend, "This is a thing a century in the making my friend, all I see is what I've conjured, a compensation of the mind." He thought of the last time he had gone into Valenwood and his journey across the elven lands. "Tomorrow I walk in my grandfather's steps; I will carry war into the wood as he did. He retreated with the standard of the Tenth, I will lead them back, and be the first to plant a flag there for a hundred years."

The elf turned and leant on the balustrade, red eyes glinting like garnets in the dark, and they stood in warm silence, listening to the river. They were far enough away from the camp to be free of the lights and smell of watchfires, with only the most trusted of their companions below in the estate.

"You've been looking forward to this war haven't you?" Savos continued after a while. "But, again, is it what has been or what will be that concerns you?"

Harald let his hand fall to his belt, to its accustomed resting place on a sword hilt, groping in the dark before remembering he had disarmed for the night. "There's been so much to lead to this…" he began, "You were there for some of it, but we only play our part in the strategies of our fathers."

"Yes I was there for it, I was with you at Soulrest and Torval, which means I know how free we are. Strategies and plans - We have a part in this!" Savos said quietly, ending in a hiss.

Harald frowned, the forest forgotten he turned back, "I thought you liked my plan?"

"Reman's plan, hardly yours if it began in the First Era." Savos snipped, though not unkindly, "But yes, I do, and you know that, but I've told you before you are too confident in fate."

Harald made no answer, his friend had indeed said so, many times in many discussions. "I've been thinking about fate, about what happens when we win." He said after a while.

"A parade presumably."

A smile. But he was in no mood for laughter. "No," he said, "no that's not what I mean." He rolled his shoulders and resumed his vigil on the forest. "When all of this ends, when I stand victorious, I think I will stand alone, and even my sons will see me only from far away."

"Such is the life of a king, they say." Shrugged Savos philosophically.

"Yet is has never been so whenever I have ruled before. But when the time come they will call me Dragonborn and Emperor, and forget when I sat with them as a friend. Some of them down there already call me Ysmir, when they think I can't hear them."

Savos regarded him, tilting his head. "I doubt it." He replied simply, and reached out and grasped Harald's shoulder. "Your knights honour you, and the people love you, and unless something changes they will continue to." He sighed. "But if it does, when you sit, as you say, alone on a cold throne, in all your panoply, and all the kings of Tamriel kneel to you, I will stand and embrace you as a brother."

Harald closed his eyes. "Then for that I will be grateful, brother."

Again they fell into silence for a time and eventually Savos turned to leave, stepping away from the balcony, but he turned back after a step, "Behold you elves, men and beasts, the Mercy of God! Nine-by-Nine Coruscations, bound to the earth. The fortress is fallen, the dragon slain, peace and mirth!" he paused and laughed. "Forgive me, I am fatigued…"

Harald smiled back, "To bed my friend! Tomorrow to battle."

"To victory."

So a rather long time ago I wrote 'The Unforeseen Variable', however I largely lost the plot of, it having been written somewhat on a whim. I think it holds up reasonably, but its pretty bad. I've been wanting to rewrite it for a long time, and I heard that they announced TES VI at E3 this year so I thought I'd take advantage of that. I'm also hoping posting this and the expectations of readers will encourage me to keep writing it.

Many people have favourited or followed this fic because they like the HP stuff, and indeed, I frequently indulge in similar stories. The new fic is not a crossover, and is only an Elder Scrolls story. I must however acknowledge the great influence HP fanfiction has had on me as an author, which is why I'm keeping some of the elements, including the main character's name for example. Many of you already know I can write action and worldbuild, therefore the new fic will be a test of characterisation and my ability to bring characters to life, which was always the main criticism I got (and rightly so) from reviewers of this fic. If you feel like it, come over and have a look, if not, thanks for reading anyway.