There were some nights when the equestrian legate of the Legio XIV Solitudas would leave the warm confines of his office tucked deep in the enclaves of Castle Dour and aimlessly wander the streets of Solitude. His short hair would ripple against the high Skyrim breeze brushing down the snow-capped mountains while his face angled to the illuminated night sky.
It were these short evening strolls that brought relief to the officer beleaguered by the monotonous administration of his troops. Even then, there were some nights when the calmness would rudely be disrupted by the darkest of darkness.
"I smell the blood of a mortal," the vampire hissed.
Blaise drew his sword half-way from its scabbard before the fiend locked its claws into the folds between his plating. He had released his helmet, rendering his neck vulnerable to a fateful bite. But being a man of the Legion, he was trained to fight back. And he fought back well.
"Nya!"
The vampire screeched as the legate used his own body's momentum to free himself from its grasp. He had barely recovered when the beast struck again. This time, however, the roving city guardsmen had stepped in front of him and were engaged in a pitched melee against the creature.
"Legate!" one of the Imperial trainees yelled, handing him his sword.
Blaise yanked the blade free and pushed through the pair of guardsmen, thrusting his own through the vampire's chin. A loud wail followed before he pulled free and the fight was over.
All four men stood motionless, panting and gawking at the now immobile creature of the night. Minutes later, torches lit the street as a dozen more guardsmen hefted the withering corpse to the Hall of the Dead where the priests of the Arkay were waiting.
"Never a dull night, eh, Legate?" an auxiliary nervously huffed.
Blaise studied the shaky smile on the young man's face. "Go get some sleep in the barracks." He repeated the order to the rest of the trainees who appeared rattled from only three hours of sleep. "You've all earned it."
"Yes, sir!" they chorused.
The legate watched them disperse then sat down on one of the public garden blocks. He pulled loose the straps on his greaves. The vampire had rent a deep gash into his arm, the stinging now finally making him grimace. He made a mental note to see Vivienne for a check-up while keeping his blood from dripping onto the ground and mixing with the tainted crimson pool.
ORIGINALLY DRAFTED: April 5, 2016
LAST EDITED: April 25, 2016