A/N So, this is my first fanfiction, though I'm working on a longer one (no guarantees).Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Can't get better otherwise, right?
As always, Bethesda owns Skyrim, not me. I'm sure everyone knows that, but just in case.
Because of Her
Cedric stares into the sky with longing. Voices and feelings that are not his fill his mind. The persistent whispers of the dragons he had encountered and absorbed sink into his thoughts as their claws once did into his skin. The imperial shakes his head, ripping his eyes from the free, blue skies, trying to rid himself of the hopeless yearning of flying up there with his kin. A dark chuckle resonates from the back of his mind, but the Dragonborn doesn't acknowledge it.
He twirls a twig in his hand, before snapping a small piece off one end. The imperial continues snapping small pieces off the stick, anxiety gnawing at him. His body and mind is restless and his blood feels as if it in boiling. Tension prickles in his muscles as hunger growls at him in his mind. Everything inside himself, plagues the Dragonborn.
Cedric can't look at the sky, or the souls whisper insistently with their yearning. But, he can't look into the forests either, or the wolf howls and fights to hunt freely. There is no peace in his sleep, or when just closing his eyes, because his failures and the blood he's spilt haunts him in the darkness. He knows it is only a matter of time before his mortal body succumbs to this constant anxiety and breaks down. Even now, he feels his body unable to do what it was capable a few years ago.
This does not scare him though. He feels ready to meet his end. He has longed for it as much as he has yearned to fly. Only in death does he feel he will find peace. He will no longer have to feel failure, or fear that he will lose his mind to the corrupt dragon blood flowing through him. He will no longer feel the need to conquer, or destroy as his brethren do. No more meditation or blessed amulet to regain control of himself. But, deep down, there is part of him, the remnant of who he was in the beginning, which does not wish to fall yet. And he can't deny this part of him, because…
"Shouldn't you be resting?"
Cedric turns slightly, his electric blue eyes meeting a pair of glowing orange ones. A small smile graces his lips, a contrast to her frown and slightly furrowed brow.
Because of her.
"Should I?" the imperial replies to the vampire. Her frown deepens a little, clearly not happy with his response.
"What's wrong?" she asks her beautiful molten eyes burning into his, as if searching.
Staring into her eyes eases his chaotic blood, hushing all the voices and growls. Peace. He can feel part of his old self –happier self– returning. Or, maybe, breaking free?
Because of her.
He still holds up a wall to prevent her from deciphering his thoughts, though. Cedric fears what this perfectly flawed woman would think of him if she saw the darkness deep within him. The darkness of his blood. His dragon blood that burns like fire and demands power, domination, and destruction… Something not unlike most vampires. But unlike her.
Because of her.
Her hand comes up to brush the bandage wrapped around the Dragonborn's head. Cedric reaches up and gently grasps hers. She flinches, but doesn't pull away. He doesn't mind… no, he does mind, but he understands why. He knows why, but she doesn't know he knows. The dragons know. He can only guess how deep the scars are from the ritual that made her what she is… A Daughter of Coldharbour.
Cedric's smile falters a little and it doesn't go unnoticed. She never misses a thing. It makes him happy to know that. Because she cares. He is not just a hero to her.
Because of her.
"Just thinking," he answers, softly. She hesitantly presses the palm of her hand against his cheek. Her thumb runs across the scar that crosses his nose and cheek. Then, she stands up, pulling away, her hand slipping out of his.
"Go rest… At least, try," the vampire princess commands, gently. Cedric's smile drops and he lets out a sigh.
"…Serana…" he calls out, quietly, as he watches her turn to return to the cave. She turns back, electric blue meeting molten orange, her full attention on him.
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
She gives him a look of confusion.
"For what, might I ask?"
A crooked grin appears on his face. A rarity from the troubled and haunted warrior.
"For being you, of course."
Serana smiles in return and kneels next to Cedric. He feels her cool lips press against his brow, and linger for a couple seconds. When she pulls away, she is still wearing her stunning smile with a glint of happiness in her striking, glowing eyes.
Because of her.
"Of course."
Because of her, and only her.
I'm thinking of writing more about these two while working on the other one, just so I can kind of get use to some character development. I'm not use to using characters that aren't mine, so I'm working on not making the characters out of character.
Thank you for reading!