An Imperial patrol was ambushed by a Stormcloak raiding party

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An Imperial patrol of around 15 Legionaries is making rounds in the road between Rorikstead and Whiterun. The rain is pouring rather heavily this afternoon. A few of the Cyrodiilic Legionaries fresh from the south complain about the cold and the rain. The Nord Legionaries mostly shrug it off; one of them makes fun of the southerners, calling them, "milk drinkers."

Suddenly, a horn blows, and war cries are heard. As if out of nowhere, a Stormcloak raiding party, of roughly equal numbers to the Imperials, charges the patrol. The Stormcloaks seem to have the advantage at first, with their shock charge, but a long melee ensues on the roadside, with the two parties slogging it out on the road. The Imperials eventually group up and regain the upper hand.

After a few minutes of fighting, the Stormcloaks are wiped out; this group fought to the last man. The Imperials were victorious, but they had lost most of their soldiers. Fearing that more could be coming, the surviving Imperials limped back to camp, exhausted, leaving the corpses to rot in the rain.

(My interpretation of what I witnessed before taking this screen. Yes, it was a rather bloody little engagement, and the Imperials did win, at a high cost.)