Past Shadows
The door was slammed open against the wall of the Bee and Barb with four Stormcloak soldiers clambering in from the cold. The few patrons looked up at the door for just a moment. One of the intruders that seemed to be in charge stepped forward speaking; "We are searching for the Dragonborn."
Several men glanced over to a khajiit in leather armor and hood sitting at the bar. She was arched over her drink held loosely in a gloved hand. The leather hood swayed slightly as she glanced towards the outsiders then back to her drink. The soldiers swarmed in towards the woman.
"You are trying to arrest me?" The woman asked not looking up from her drink; her tail swaying in an even lazy rhythm.
They stopped and exchanged a confused look wondering if they should respond to the question. They had been told to retrieve the Dragonborn; to gather up the savior of Skyrim. What they didn't know was exactly what she would do.
The leader stepped forward. "Ma'am, we're here to take you into custody." he spoke his voice never wavering. They had heard the tales of the Dragonborn. Known what she can do; known that she could destroy them with a slight raise of her voice. But the woman didn't raise your voice all she did was turn her head to look at them.
"Under whose authority are you here?" she asked. Her eyes scanning over the guards - one blind and milky the other sharp studying them. They all flinched under the cold of the stare, save their leader. Her muzzle, dark and scared poked out from under her hood giving her a more threatening look. They had been told the Dragonborn was gaunt but they had not been expecting an almost skeleton like figure.
She rose to her feet towering over the guards. Her limbs long and limber; sleek muscles twitching at the movement. Claws that seemed to be of an old crone flexed. She was nothing like many imagined. The tales told of her were in her maiden years. The time traveling in the harsh environment, fighting dragons, fighting in the war, defending all of Skyrim took its toll on the young woman.
"High King Ulfric Stormcloak."
"Ulfric." She spat the name as if it was something foul. "He dares to challenge me." Her voice echoing in the room as the voice of the Greybeards did from the mountains caused the innkeeper to finally look up and the soldiers to scramble back except again for their leader. Who never flinched at her voice.
"Dar'Sava, could you keep it down. The bottles just rattled."
"Sorry, Keerava." The woman grumbled to the argonian.
Keerava studied the group before beginning to wipe down the bar. "Take it outside, thief."
The Dragonborn nodded respectfully. She turned on the soldiers and flicked her head to the door leading to the square. "Outside."
"We don't take orders from your kind." One young solider snapped suddenly shoving the hilt of his broadsword against her back trying to move the thin figure. She didn't stumble forward or even falter.
Two of the four patrons rose and took a step towards the group. Their armor similar to her own; Dar'Sava lifted a hand stopping them. They glared at the soldiers but nodded yet they remained standing observing the scene. The Dragonborn turned on the solider and snapped one clawed hand around his throat. He made a helpless squawk pushing at her claws. Blood seeped out from under the pin pricks as she bared her fangs in a gutturally growl.
"Stop." The leader said stepping forward. Dar'Sava flicked an eye his way. "Dragonborn, he is stupid and new. The boy wasn't there when you fought beside us." He could see her ears flicking under her hood trying to place his voice.
"And you fought beside me? You were there as the blood of my friends stained the ground under my arrows?" Her eyes locking on to him.
"Our friends. Dar, we slaughtered friends and family in the name of what we thought was right."
She pushed the offending solider away to turn on the leader. "Who are you to speak to me so casually!" There was no question just a demand that rattled the walls.
"Me? I am the one that was in the same cart as you. Bound and going to the headsman's block. We stood side by side to face our fate but we escaped." He removed his helmet. Blond hair shorter and grayer than she remembered framed the aging face of a lifetime solider. "I am the one that took you to my sister and let you rest beside me your first night in Skyrim." He lifted his eyes to meet hers. "We were called traitors, renegades, soldiers than heroes."
A rumbling chuckle left her chest. "And now I am a traitor again." She grinned showing her teeth. "Also I remember you asking to share my bed that night, Ralof." He laughed low as she slapped him good naturedly on the shoulder most of the aggression gone from her body. "It has been a while my friend. And it seems we have much to discuss."
"That we do."
"Sir?" one of the soldiers asked cautiously.
Ralof glanced at him men than to the argonian. "Keerava, was it?" The argonian keeper nodded. "Set the boys up with rooms and supper for the night. We won't be going anywhere in this storm." She glanced at the khajiit and received a nod.
"Come on I'll put them up but no attacking people." She growled pointing at the solider still rubbing his neck.
"Thanks, Keerava."
"You can thank me by not bringing trouble in here in the first place, thief."
"Of course." She smiled and waved until the argonian was out of sight. "Quick before she comes back and skins me; we will go to my home." She said taking a hold of his arm. Ralof laughed low and let her lead him out. Dar'sava made a quick set of hand motions to the two men that had rose to her defense and they nodded. The two left out the other door and headed below the streets to tell to Brynjolf what was happening.
Dar'sava held onto the nord as they made the short path to her house Honey-Side. Upon entering she shook the snow from her shoulders and hood with Ralof doing the same. He looked up at the thief as she removed her hood and boots leaving them near the hearth. She bent down and stoked the fire placing another log on it. He watched her hips swing and sway as she moved throughout the house.
"Well don't just stand there take your boots off and have a seat." She offered flicking her hand towards the table.
Ralof nodded and did just that. As he sat he took a moment to take in her home. It was small but warm and inviting. Bunches of herb hung from the ceiling so many and so different that he was sure he couldn't name them all. The smile faltered on his face. This house reminded him of so many of the little cottages he was ordered to destroy because they were; as Ulfric called them sons and daughters of the Legion. He rubbed his hand over his face trying to…
"Trying to make sense of what has happened to Skyrim?"
Looking up he could see she had changed from her armor to pants and a tunic as she came around the corner. "This land has changed deeply from the time I first set paw in it." She said solemnly setting down several bottles of mead and holding an open one out to him.
"Yes and at first I thought it was for the better now…" He sighed pulling the bottle closer. "Now I don't know what to think." Ralof took and drink and stopped to look at the bottle. He looked at Dar'sava who was grinning then back to the bottle. "Mead with Juniper berries?"
"Was able to scavenge a few bottles from Helgen, gave it to a companion of mine with a taste for alchemy." She said taking a drink from her own bottle. "The little lady did a good job on it. Maven wants the recipe but I refuse to tell her each time. So the only place to buy it is the Ragged Flagon."
He laughed at her little evil smile. "I have missed the company of friends." He sighed taking another drink. "The soldiers now were mere children when we fought a war for freedom. So many have gone on to Sovngarde, settled down or turned to being a sell sword."
"Yet you come to me with soldiers in armor and swords drawn." Dar'sava said leaning on the table.
"Ah yes that." Ralof ran fingers through his damp hair before looking sheepishly at her. "It was the only way I was escaping Windhelm. I tried a year ago but Ulfric was keeping a close watch on me and any one that you ever worked with."
"Why?"
"He is paranoid you will come and take his throne. That anyone who has fought beside you is a spying on him."
Dar'sava snorted a laugh. "I have a better network of spies than the ones that fell at his feet." She stopped laughing when she heard Ralof snort in disgust. But started a new when she took stock of him pouting with his arms crossed over his chest like a child. "I'm sorry Ralof. I did not mean you."
"Then you know where his is going to strike next." His voice somber.
"Morthal." She said laughter gone from her.
He nodded. There was a moment of silence with the crackling of the fire before he spoke again. "I heard what happened in Riverwood, to Faendal. I am sorry." He reached out taking her hand and wrapping it tight in his.
"That dumb elf never could dodge an arrow." She said low rubbing at the ache in her heart. It had been over a year since he was murdered and she had taken up the cause to stop Ulfric. "That bastard Ulfric sent his guards to Riverwood to kill my husband. I had done nothing to him. I was letting that monster live."
"But now you are leading an underground army against him." She looked at him confused for a moment. "I hear things. You taught me well on how to listen in while others talk, on how to appear to be inattentive. You have the hearts and loyalty of many in Skyrim. Even Bulgruff the Greater is willing to lend you his sword."
"If only to fall on it. I betrayed him." She said gripping his hand tightly.
"I believe he has forgiven you. His children once spoiled brats now wish to bare their weapons for you and Skyrim."
Dar'Sava grinned. "Those brats did turn out better."
"Yeah."
)O(
Brynjolf opened the door of Honey-Side and stepped in from the cold. He glanced down at the two sets of boots near the hearth and grinned. Stoking the fire the secondary guild master crossed the room to see Dar`Sava curled up against the blond solider both naked as the day they were born. He had to resist the urge to laugh. When he had heard that his guild master had taken one of Ulfric's men to her home and paid to put the rest up at the Inn he had half expected to find the man's body flayed open and put on a pike as a warning not her cuddling him like a kitten.
"Lass time to get up." He said playfully swatting her ear.
"Go away Bryn, I'm warm." She ground out burying her muzzle against the nord's neck.
"Yes, a live body does give off some heat." He added dropping onto the bed. The two bounced and finally the nord woke. "He wouldn't last long. The elf had better ears."
Dar'Sava sat up stretching. Brynjolf gazed over his guild master. She never seemed to have a bit of shame for her nakedness. The scars and muscles of her body were always hidden by her armor and at that moment he could admire them. He had never been sexually attached to his guild master but they had on occasion shared a bed and enjoyed each other's company. Yet she would lay stretched out after and he would examine her body; she would tell him tales of the dragons she fought or the horrors that lurked in an old draugr dungeons.
The elf had understood. They were warriors and need the release when out in the field but it had never stopped the scrawny elf from making sure everyone knew who she belonged to when they returned. The moment they would be back he would be by her side until she was able to leave then he would nearly rush her out the door to a bed somewhere. Yet it seemed this blond nord - because what other kind of nord was there, was very possessive of his guild master; if Brynjolf was reading the glare he was receiving correct. Dar'Sava slid out of bed ignoring the tension building in the room.
"Of Course he had better ears. Elves always have better ears. Brynjolf. Ralof." She introduced before stretching again than held out her hand towards Brynjolf.
"What?" He asked innocently.
"My underwear."
"Thought I could sell it." The thief handed over the garment with a sly grin.
"Too whom, Delvin?" She asked bending to put it on. "Please Vex would murder me." She stood pulling at her disheveled hair. "And I very much like being alive. I'm going to grab my armor in the basement." Stopping at the stairs she turned to glare at Brynjolf. "Be nice."
The red rogue scoffed and made to look offended. "I'm always nice." He said before she went down the steps.
Moments after she was gone he lost his smile and rounded on the nord. "Boy you better have a good answer why you are in her bed."
"What's it to do with you, old man?"
"I may not be an assassin but…" He pulled his dagger from its sheath and leaned in closer. "…it's not below me to kill you. Now, what do you want with her?"
The nord, Ralof drew back realizing he was weaponless. "I came to speak with her."
"This dinna look like speakin." He said waving with dagger at the younger man's nakedness.
"We spoke last night and old feelings arose."
He snarled slightly. "Are ya staying?"
"If she'll have me."
Brynjolf looked at Ralof as if judging his worth by how he handled the situation and he was. He knew the nord would still have to pass Vex and Devlin's inspection not to mention the guild Master's sister and her Companions. Than there would be the Dark Brotherhood mostly Babette, Nazir and the crazy Cicero. Plus the strange man Sam and the mad man that Dar'Sava drank with now and again. For some reason she valued the two drunkards' opinion. "Boy, it's if everyone else will have you and I don't like how long you take to wake up. You better not betray her." Suddenly the dagger was gone and a smile slipped on to the red head's face confusing the nord. "So than she says it's a Dunmer!" He laughed slapping the other man's shoulder.
"Having fun Bryn?" Dar'Sava asked leaning on the basement frame in full guild armor. A sly smile crossing her lips.
"Oh course lass just trying to entertain the lad."
"Oh I believe he was entertained last night now you are just threatening him." She said pushing off the wall to crack the old thief on the shoulder with a laugh. "Ralof we have a lot to discuss with the others if you wish to join us." The khajiit tossed him his pants.
"I will have to think of something to tell my men as to why I am staying and not taking you in." Ralof said sliding out of bed with a little more discretion that Dar'Sava to put his pants on.
The two thieves with arms crossed in front of them exchanged an apprehensive look. "About your men…" Dar'Sava started with a small nervous laugh rubbing the back of her neck.