She could not say whether the cause was time spent in a dark prison or whether the source of the strangeness she observed in her traveling companion was innate. It was difficult to be objective at the best of times, of course. Seemingly infinite hours spent pondering the ruin of her family in the dark had led to some insights, and among them was the wariness of certainty: both mother and father were utterly persuaded of their own correctness which had led only to stalement and familial ruin...as well as uncounted time locked in a blank stone cage. That was another insight her imprisonment had prompted-blank stone cages not much larger than one's own body were to be avoided, and circumstances that led to them were to be regarded with suspicion at best.
But all of these thoughts flitted through her mind in an instant. They were well-worn paths, most of them, and there was so much to see. Distantly she knew that after so long a captive anything would be noteworthy, but still the sight was truly breathtaking. Or might have been, had she more need for breath.
"And so that's Solitude?" she asked sounding indeed breathless though with excitement rather than exertion. It had been long, long, since she had laid eyes on it and seeing the only vaguely familiar, much larger city distant between trees and peaks she was beginning to have some notion just how long that might have been.
"Aye, so it is," replied her comrade, who continued her habit of cheerful indulgence of Serena's questions. After so long without human-'Without any contact' she corrected herself with a twinge-it was difficult at first for the very old vampiress to restrain herself, but she had done so, measuring her liberator with cautious eyes taught by treacherous family to be wary. Indeed things might have been chilly indeed, even for their alpine trails, had not circumstance demanded an abrupt detour from her path home.
On their way through woods she no longer recognized at all-nor even the hills and mountains, much-the pair came across a shattered wagon. Serena was happy to take her comrade's lead, since although it was one thing to be sure of one's self underground escaping prison, where everything that tried to stop you could be safely regarded as an enemy-Serena had wisdom enough to know that things were different in the wider world. A long, considering look from her comrade before with gestures and meaningful looks she communicated that Serena should be silent and watchful. Some spells were cast-silently, no less, which impressed Serena greatly. That was a sign of mastery, and not the first.
While she was preparing herself for a fight, Serena noted a grim expression flit over her comrade's face. "No animals, no people, and no remains. Too soon to be sure, but I'll be surprised if this isn't Falmer," she warned and Serena was taken aback slightly by the grimace of disgust-hatred, even-that colored her expression for a moment. "Keep watch," she told her with such authority that Serena-no meek woman herself, far from it!-nodded sternly and did so. 'I don't know the year or the circumstances. She's been trustworthy so far. Best watch the woods...and her' Serena reasoned to herself.
Her comrade, a woman substantially taller and broader than she, moved without even a whisper of sound-a strange trick given the snow and her bulky armor. Serena suspected the work of some spell she did not know. Then she was among the remains of the shattered wagon, a crossbow in one hand and a ready Conjuration spell in another. 'Even with her spells' assurance, she's still watchful,' Serena recognized. She wondered how much that wariness was for these 'Falmer' and how much much be for Serena herself. Neither of them had arrived at this place in their lives and unlives on the back of a hay cart, to be sure.
Abruptly she stood and trotted with a lazy speed back to Serena's position, after spending minutes moving through the wreckage, lifting debris, smelling, tasting in one or two cases, and for some examinations removing a gauntlet to touch signs directly. "It's Falmer, no doubt about it," she informed her in a crisp accent Serena didn't recognize.
"Falmer? Joan, I didn't have much reading to do in my room," she replied wryly.
A fleeting smirk of appreciation at her humor-Serena was beginning to harbor a hope that her companion enjoyed wit as dry as she did-before it vanished. "Falmer. According to lore they're the descendents of Snow Elves, who inhabited Skyrim before and then during the arrival of Men. In the course of time they clashed and were steadily pushed back by Nords and then pushed under by those pressures. So the stories go, they took refuge with the Dwemer who were probably as cold-blooded and pragmatic as any men or mer that have ever lived, and in return for safety they demanded servitude. But while they did give safety from Men, if they promised safety from themselves they lied. Somehow they caused the Falmer to go blind over generations, and kept them underground as slaves."
Serena listened, fascinated. Joan had a way with words and Serena a passion for history, and here was not only a history of wars and defeats she'd never heard, but of entire peoples of whom she knew almost nothing-for Joan's tale evoked memories of Snow Elves, almost legend even when she was alive. Furthermore, Joan spoke with the air of someone who was reciting from careful study rather than campfire tale. But she wasn't done yet.
"Whoever was at fault, slave rebellions are never 'honorable' wars," Joan continued with another wry smile in response to Serena's acknowledgment of her irony. "It's unclear who would have won, since this was not long before all Dwemer save one vanished from Tamriel entirely-indeed from Mundus so far as we know-and the Falmer were left in possession of much of their vacated holdings. That was cen-"
"Wait, what?" Serena exclaimed. "The Dwemer did what?" she asked, unable to stifle her incredulity. As she spoke she began to wonder if she was being mocked or worse, lied to for some hidden purpose and her gaze sharpened.
For her part, Joan's expression pinched with irritation but no discernable deceit that Serena could read-and her predator's senses gave her an edge in that regard over most women. "There's no time," she hissed with frustration. "I've already spent too much time explaining-hazard of my work-and there's not a moment to be lost. That," she pointed abruptly at the wagon, "is the wagon of a family of no less than six with themselves, their cattle, and most of their possessions attacked and abducted by Falmer not more than two hours ago. The signs couldn't be more clear and if we had more time I would take you through my reasons for knowing these things. But for the moment your homecoming will have to wait." She was speaking in a terse, almost angry voice used to being obeyed but checked herself.
She directed a long measuring glance at Serena who was just about to bridle at the evaluation when Joan continued. "Right. Sorry. Obviously I can't tell you when to go home," Joan said matter-of-factly, though Serena noted she said nothing at all about stopping her. "But I can't go with you until this is taken care of. They've likely eaten at least one of the survivors already, or fed them to their chaurus. Within a day they'll be either dead or so deep they'll likely never be found-it depends entirely on how hard things are among the Falmer. Whereas you," that considering look again, "have waited for what is at least two thousand years if I guess correctly-yes, two millenia," she overrode Serena's horrified interruption, "and can surely wait another day or two. Now, will you help me, Serena?" Joan asked with an urgency that in spite of herself began to sweep Serena along with it.
"A day or two. Right. Well, where are we heading?" she asked with a shrug of her shoulders and as Joan began to explain, Serena listened with half an ear wondering at this new turn her newly restored life had taken. Was this loneliness, that caused her to shrink from abandoning her companion, the first in so long? Pragmatism, since she didn't know where she was after all? But no. She had marked Solitude with her own eyes, and in any event it would be simple for her to get directions if she needed them.
Was it...fear? 'No. No, there's something about this woman who no doubt trusts me no more than I her, but she is after all a mortal and however capable if I can't kill her outright I can certainly escape her if I choose.' Thus reassured when her new...friend? No, it was too soon for that but she had travelled with people she liked considerably less. When her new comrade set a course for them after carefully consulting maps and a journal, it was with a blend of excitement and confusion that she found herself heading back into a cavern almost hidden by brush, heading quickly down deep into an unknown mountain.