Dimhollow Crypt was not as bad as it could have been. So far, all Lyra had encountered was a few vampires, a few creepy dog things, and a dead looking Tolan. The fool had marched in on his own, and rather quickly gotten himself killed. She felt little sympathy. Vigilants of Stendarr had never been her favorite people, and in her mind, rightly so. They were mostly pompous idiots, who strolled around Skyrim killing everyone and everything that didn't fit their archaic ideals of normal. Good riddance.
Ugh.. I'm a bad person. She thought.
She had ventured along the tunnels for about twenty minutes until she had come to a large open space. There were strange looking alters dotted around (which she found out to her great, albeit juvenile entertainment, moved), and what looked like a button on a pillar in the centre.After a lot of hassle, a nasty injury to her hand, and a mental note not to trust buttons, she finally managed to solve the puzzle and the floor had begun to move. Now she stood watching cautiously as a large, stone cylinder rose noisily from the floor. A door slid down and revealed a rather attractive young woman in strange robes, who stood with her arms crossed over her chest. A second went by and the woman slowly opened her eyes. She blinked once, before promptly falling on her face at Lyra's feet. "Well that was graceful." she muttered. She knelt down and helped the woman up. She looked a little bewildered. "What- Who are you?" she asked slowly. Lyra gazed at her. There was something about the woman that made her... Curious. "Who were you expecting?" Lyra asked.
"Well.. One of us.."
Lyra frowned "One of you?"
The woman ran her fingers through her hair and gazed around her as Lyra spoke, as if disorientated. She looked back to Lyra. "What- You haven't noticed?"
Lyra looked the woman in the eyes. They burned a liquid gold. She took an educated guess. "You're a vampire?"
The woman nodded, regarding Lyra with slight caution "Is that going to be a problem?"
Lyra thought about this. "I was sent here to kill vampires..." Lyra looked the vampire up and down. "But, I think I could make an exception." She murmured under her breath.
The vampire raised an eye brow with a half smile "I'm sorry?"
Lyra turned away, smirking "Nothing. So- what exactly were you doing in that piece of stone?"
"You make it sound like I was up to something. I wasn't in there by choice."
"Forgive me if I fail to see how you blundered your way through this cave, completed that bloody puzzle, got into that rock, shut the door and sealed yourself away by accident."
The young woman rolled her eyes, but there was a glint of humour to them.
Gods, those eyes..
"I was put in there. By my mother. Not sure how long ago."
"Wow. And I thought my mother was bad."
"Wait until you meet my father."
Lyra grinned "Bit early on for that isn't it?"
The woman's jaw dropped slightly, but she was still obviously suppressing a laugh. "Wha- oh for the love of- That's not what I meant!"
Lyra laughed. They were going to get along nicely. She tried to be serious again "So, was your mother just crazy or..?"
The vampire sighed as she stretched her arms. "No.. Well.. Not exactly. She was trying to protect me. My fathers slightly... Obsessed with this prophecy, and... Well, it's a long story."
Lyra frowned "How long were you in there?"
"I don't know... It feels like a long time. Who's the high king?"
"Thats actually up for debate."
"Oh great, a war of succession- good to know the world didn't get boring whilst I was gone. Who are the candidates?"
"Well, theres Ulfric Stormcloak who's the head of the 'True-Nord' rebellion, and Jarl Elisif who's in league with the Empire. Bit of a civil war."
"...Empire? What empire?"
What? ...No way. Lyra thought, It's impossible. There is no way she's been in there since the first era.
"You know... The Imperial Empire? From Cyrodiil?"
"Cyrodiil's the seat of an empire? I must have been asleep longer that I thought.. I need to get home."
"By nocturnal.. You're an antique! You've been in that stone for over 3 Eras- Im surprised you didn't actually just fossilize." Lyra broke away from her awe to ask "Where's 'home'?"
"You're surprised?" The woman said, "How do you think I feel?" She sighed quietly "Off the coast of Solitude. Castle Volkihar. Will be nice to get back, depending on who's around... Care to come with me? That is, if you'r... 'duties' aren't going to prevent it from being a good idea."
Lyra looked slightly confused "My duties? Oh, with the Dawnguard? No.. I'm not too keen on them. The leader is a bit of an arse. I guess I only joined them to find out more about vampires, not to senselessly kill." Lyra smiled "Maybe I'll just stick with you. You've got me interested now."
The vampire nodded "The company would be appreciated. I'm Serana."
Thats a pretty name..
"Lyra. Well then- off to Castle Volka-hoo-ha it is."
Serana laughed as she began climbing the crumbling stone steps to the iron door of the cave. "Castle Volka-hoo-ha. Yeah- sounds like a plan."
Minuscule shards of ice lashed against her face as Lyra took her first steps into the open. The damned snow had started again and it was getting deep under foot. Judging by the heavy clouds, it wasn't going to ease up any time soon either. Serana pulled up her hood, looking at Lyra smugly as they began to walk.
"Cold?" she asked sweetly.
Lyra scowled at her. "I don't need a hood. I'm nordic, my blood gives me an immunity to cold."
Serana stopped walking and gave her a look "You're going to challenge a vampire to a battle of blood immunities?"
Lyra smiled and continued trudging through the snow "Yeah, okay. Maybe not. Know that you're envied."
The vampire glanced at her, before turning her attention back to the ground "Envied?"
Lyra glanced back "Well... When I said I was interested in the vampires.."
Serana looked surprised "You're.. looking to become one?"
Lyra sighed. "Its been on the cards for a while.. I wanted to get to know what I was walking into before I decided for definite. Thats why I made the decision to join the Dawnguard. Thought they might be a good start. I'm doubting that now though."
Serana sighed softly. "You know, if you're greeted by my father when we arrive at the castle, which unfortunately is likely, there is a chance he will reward you for my return. Not because i'm safe or anything, but because when my mother hid me away, she hid away a rather vital part of his beloved prophecy with me. I'm sure you've noticed the scroll. Anyway, the point is, my father, Harkon will probably offer you his blood in thanks. In fact, I know he will, it's tradition. You know what that means, right?"
Lyra felt strange. "...Vampirism?"
Serana nodded "You will become a vampire lord. You'll share the blood of the ancients, which will make you a lot more powerful than your average cave dweller."
Lyra thought on this.
Why does it sound so very appealing?
"Is that why you'r eyes glow like that? Because of the higher 'status'?"
"Yes... Its also a warning to other vampires that they are in the presence of.. Royalty, I suppose. Your's will too, if you accept his 'gift'" Serana adjusted her hood a little "Just a heads up- I.. I wouldn't advise declining. He won't kill you this time around, that I'm fairly sure of. But he will not allow you back into the castle, and from then on you'll be a personal enemy."
Lyra couldn't help herself. "Ohh, right, and obviously you'd miss me far too much to risk that."
Serana rolled her eyes "You just keep telling yourself that."
"Will do."
The two settled into a comfortable silence as they continued on through the snow. Lyra thought over what she'd been told.
If I accompany her into the castle, I'm going to be offered vampirism at the highest level I'm ever going to get. If I don't, i'm a personal enemy of a scary sounding vampire lord with a really big castle and a really beautiful daughter.
She scolded herself slightly for saying that. For all her flirting, she really wasn't the sort of person to make judgements of people based on how they looked.
Except maybe sapphire. I let her get away with murder. Literally.
Lyra smiled as she remembered the guild. It had been a while since she'd dropped by. She made a mental note to visit soon. But what to do now? She knew deep down that one day she would give in and slightly less that accidentally contract Sanguinare Vampiris and slightly less than accidentally not get it treated, but was she ready for it now? Why not now? What am I waiting for? To be past my prime? I'm already 25, I really don't want to get much further. Besides, I kinda like serana.. I don't want to loose her as a friend, nor do I really want to come against her in a fight. And I've got children now.. I might be able to protect them better... Even that bloody Fox Lucia brought home. I'd be able to watch her and Runa grow up without worrying about getting old myself.
She knew she was slowly talking herself into it. She did every time. She could write a book of all the reasons she had come up with over the years for turning to the shadows.
Ha, it would wipe the smirk off of Barbette's face too. Never mind living for an eternity, it would be worth in just to watch her tiny little jaw drop.
Lyra chuckled to herself. Deep down, she knew she'd finally signed the papers. She had finally agreed with herself to take the chance. She was going to become a vampire.
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