Right! Second chapter in as many days! I should probably mention that there are no guarantees on how fast I can update; I suffer from something called writer's block.
Nathan paused as he stepped out of the boat.
"This is your home?" he demanded.
Sure, Nathan couldn't see like normal people. But he knew that he could see more than normal people. In his mind's eye, he saw a massive castle, full of parapets and gargoyles. Reaching out with his magic, he could sense the age of the stones. Thousands of years old. He could see the old man, the one keeping watch across the bridge, snoozing off. Above them, he could feel bone hawks circling, searching for food to scavenge. He could even sense Guy's nervous sweat as he stared up at the castle.
The way that Nathan saw was less like sight and more like…senses. Using magic, he expanded his senses of touch, smell, hearing, and even taste to see his way around the world. Vibrations were the most useful. Everything vibrated, which meant that Nathan could see the structure of buildings better than most architects ever could. The scent of the moss-covered stone gave the structure a surface, and the taste of salt in his mouth made the ocean painfully clear. Sound finished the picture by, oddly, adding color. In his mind, the castle that was Serana's home was a strange red color, like he'd been told blood looked like. He decided that it wasn't a good sign.
"This is it," Serana confirmed, drawing Nathan's attention back to the present. In his mind, she was a strange maze of orange and blue colors that he actually found pleasing to look at. He often judged people by their voice, and hers was mellifluous. "Home sweet…castle."
Nathan looked back up at the castle. Not with his eyes, of course. Physically, his eyes were as unfocused as they'd ever been. "Why didn't you tell me it was so huge?"
He wasn't sure, but he thought he could sense Serana frowning. Facial expressions were hard to discern—the one thing his magic couldn't do for him was allow him to see other people's faces.
"I didn't want you to think I was one of those…you know, the women who just sit in their castle all day?" she replied. Her voice seemed sincerely insecure. Odd, considering that they'd just met a few hours ago. She shrugged. "I don't know. Coming from a place like this, well…it's not really me. I hope you can believe that."
Nathan nodded. "Fair enough." He clipped his helmet to his belt, because he was sick of wearing it, then turned to Guy. "You can head home now." He nodded to the small rowboat that Guy had parked his sailboat next to. "I can find my own way back.
Guy was practically streaming nervousness, and Nathan sensed him nod. "Sure, sure. But I get a tip for this, right?"
Nathan did his best to give a comforting smile. Facial expressions on his own face were even harder. "Yeah." He dug into his pack and tossed Guy a large coin purse without counting what was in it. All he knew was that it was significantly more than Guy would usually make.
He shouldered his pack and turned to Serana. "Lead the way, Castle."
She was definitely raising an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me?"
Nathan shook his head. "Nothing. Nevermind. Let's go, shall we?" Pissing off a vampire? Not on his to do list, even if she was a nice one.
Thankfully, she let the matter drop, and started walking up the inclined bridge to the castle's gate. Nathan could sense the gargoyles they passed slumbering within their stony skin and resisted the urge to shiver. He hated surprises, and thus hated gargoyles.
"Hey, so…before we go in there," Serana started.
"Yeah?" Nathan replied. He elegantly stepped over a large chunk of rubble that a normal blind man would have wiped out on. "Are you all right?"
Serana hesitated, and Nathan wished that his magic would allow him to see faces. Was she upset? Sad? Angry? Gassy? He had no way of knowing.
"I…think so," she eventually said. "And thanks for asking." She looked up at the castle as they drew closer to it. "I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. But after we get in there, I'm going to go my own way for a while." He heard her swallow and add in an undertone, "I think." Then, louder, "I know your friends would probably want to kill everything in here. I'm hoping you can show some more control than that."
"They're not my friends," Nathan added softly. He sensed Serana staring at him and continued. "They saw that I was a blind half-elf and wanted to get rid of me, so they sent me on the most dangerous mission."
Unfortunately for them, he thought, they had no idea that I was the Dragonborn. Icebrains.
Serana stopped walking, and Nathan paused as well, unsure what was wrong. Social cues were just as hard as facial ones. Had he overstepped his bounds?
"I'm sorry about that," she said. She sounded sincere. Nathan hoped she was. Then she coughed. "Once we're inside, just keep quiet for a bit. Let me take the lead."
"I can do that," Nathan agreed. Twenty-one years of practice makes perfect.
Finally, they stepped into view of the dozing watchmen. As soon as he heard their footsteps, the old man snapped awake. His body was an ugly yellow color. "Lady Serana's back! Open the gate!" Nathan wasn't sure who the man was shouting to, since there were only three people outside.
The metal gates creaked open, and Nathan suddenly received a flash of anxiety. What was he supposed to expect inside?
The watchman bowed low to Serana, and even Nathan could sense her uncomfortability. He rushed to open the door for them, and Nathan caught a whiff of a bloody scent as they stepped inside. Then the large wooden doors shut behind them, and it was too late to turn back.
A high elf was waiting for them inside. Nathan had experience with identifying Altmer, even without the ability to see faces. They tended to have slightly longer ears than Bosmer and Dunmer, and they usually walked with a ramrod straight posture. Nathan's magic pointed out strange things about the waiting Altmer. The elf smelled strongly of blood and…nightshade? It was always hard to tell with flowers.
The Altmer was also staring straight at Nathan.
Great, Nathan thought, waiting for the elf to understand that he was a half-elf.
"How dare you trespass here, half-breed!" the elf exclaimed. His voice dripped with disdain.
There it is, Nathan dejectedly sub-vocalized. Whenever elves saw him, they usually dropped either the name "half-breed" or "bastard." Nathan loved being a half-elf. At least the Altmer hadn't made some kind of blind joke.
Serana stepped forward, and Nathan thought he could feel anger radiating from her. He heard her intake of breath as she prepared to speak, but the elf beat her to the punch.
"Wait," he said. Nathan imagined the elf peering in disbelief at her. "Serana? Is that truly you? I cannot believe my eyes!"
Ah. There's the blind joke. Nathan crossed his arms and resisted the urge to scowl. Elves were so predictable.
The elf turned around and walked to the edge of the stairs beyond the small entrance hall. Nathan could sense lots of people below.
"My lord! Everyone! Serana has returned!" the Altmer declared.
At the phrase, "my lord," Serana uttered a soft curse. When Nathan looked at her curiously, she said, "I guess I'm expected."
She walked forward, and Nathan had no choice but to follow, regretting every step that he took.
He nearly gagged when he stepped into the large hall that followed. It was filled with three long tables, all filled with vampires. The smell of blood was so thick in the room that he could taste it, which was not an enjoyable experience. His stomach churned as he realized that a majority of the scent came from two actual people who had been laid out on the table as food.
He focused on the decorations instead. The room was lavish, built with pink granite and lit with elaborate candelabras. Banisters hung from the ceiling, but he couldn't tell what was on them. Just like with faces, he couldn't discern patterns in fabrics. He felt multiple eyes stick to him as he followed Serana, and suddenly felt severely uncomfortable. He was used to people staring at him, for many reasons. But not vampires. Especially not the head one, whose attention seemed to be firmly fixed on Nathan.
In his mind's eye, Nathan saw the head vampire as a mixture of black and red colors. He'd never seen a person with those colors before, and wasn't sure what to think. It worried him. The vampire, whom Nathan assumed was Serana's father, seemed to radiate power, but not a clean sort of power, like the Elder Scroll on Serana's back. It felt strange, like an ocean of energy was beating against him. He couldn't see what her father was wearing, but Nathan assumed it was something fancy, to match the decorations.
"My long lost daughter returns at last," the vampire said. Unlike his daughter, he had a harsh voice, like someone was blowing a flat note on a trombone.
Never judge a book by its cover. That had been one of Nathan's mother's teachings. He stifled a sigh.
"I trust you have my Elder Scroll?" the vampire continued.
Nathan raised an eyebrow as Serana spoke. "After all these years, that's the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll." Her voice was tinged with sarcasm.
Nathan swallowed as he came to a stop a little bit behind Serana, who stood in front of her father. Stretching out with his magic, Nathan thought he could hear the name "Harkon" whispered.
"Of course I'm delighted to see you, my daughter," Harkon said. "Must I really say the words aloud?" He caressed his face in thought. "Ah, if only your traitor mother were here. I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike."
Yikes, Nathan thought. And I thought my parents had a bad relationship.
"Now," Harkon said, returning his attention to Nathan. "Who is this stranger you have brought into our hall?"
Serana hesitated, then spoke again. "This is my savior, the one who freed me."
If Nathan thought the vampires were watching him closely before, they definitely were now. Great. Now Harkon was directly addressing him.
"For my daughter's safe return, you have my gratitude. Tell me, what is your name?"
Nathan straightened his posture and made sure that his voice showed none of the uncomfortability that he felt. "I am Nathan Scarlett. Who are you?"
"I am Harkon," the vampire said. "Lord of this court." Harkon continued to stroke his chin in thought, and Nathan decided that the vampire had to have a beard. "By now, my daughter will have told you what we are."
You're a reclusive cannibal cult, Nathan almost said, but he bit his tongue. "You're vampires."
He imagined Harkon quirking an eyebrow, though Nathan didn't really know what that looked like. "Not just vampires. We are among the oldest and most powerful vampires in Skyrim."
Harkon began to pace. "For centuries we lived here, far from the cares of the world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole away that which I valued most."
I really hope he's talking about his daughter.
"What happens now?" Nathan asked, trying very hard not to wince at the sound of a vampire sticking their face into the guts of one of the thralls on the table and chewing with relish.
"You have done me a great service," Harkon replied, "and now you must be rewarded. There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the Elder Scroll—and my daughter." The last part sounded like it was added as an afterthought. "I offer you my blood."
Nathan couldn't stop his jaw from dropping open. What?
"Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again." Harkon sounded immensely pleased by this.
Nathan wasn't sure what to think. He'd never thought about becoming a vampire—the ones he saw wailing in caves were enough to persuade him away from it. But these vampires—despite the fact that they were feasting on people who were still alive—seemed more civilized. He needed to understand all his options.
"And if I refuse your gift?" he asked, trying to keep a respectful tone.
"I will banish you from this castle," Harkon replied, his voice becoming disdainful. "I will spare your life this once, but after that, you are prey."
Nathan swallowed. "Prey" didn't sound fun. Then again, he wasn't exactly a fan of consuming people and their life source.
"Perhaps you still need convincing?" Harkon demanded, his voice rising in volume. "Behold the power!"
Something was happening. The color black in Harkon's body was expanding, becoming darker than night. He hunched over as if in pain, and then the black burst forth from his body.
And then Harkon wasn't Harkon anymore. He was a…thing with giant wings, like the descriptions of bats that Nathan had heard. Harkon's new figure looked entirely black in Nathan's mind, and it radiated power, similar to what Nathan had felt from the vampire before, but a thousand times more powerful.
He took a step back. This wasn't just a vampire. This was a vampire lord.
Nathan prided himself on the fact that he didn't even flinch. A fleck of something that smelled like blood landed on his face, but he wiped it off with a hand that was only shaking just slightly. He could feel everyone in the room watching him.
"This is the power that I offer!" Harkon roared. "Now: make your choice."
Nathan swallowed. He was being forced to choose? Now?
His eyes flicked around the room, though it served no purpose to do that. The way he saw was…
"Sight," Harkon suddenly said. "You wish to see, do you not?"
Nathan flinched, but just barely. How did Harkon know what he was thinking?
"My blood will give you sight as well, if that is what you desire." Harkon sounded smug, now that he finally had leverage over Nathan.
And it was, indeed, leverage. Nathan had been born blind. He'd never actually seen with his own two eyes. The only sense of "sight" he knew was manufactured through magic, and it left out very important aspects. He wanted to know what trees looked like. He wanted to know what art looked like. He wanted to know how people looked, how people used facial expressions, what people dressed like.
He wanted sight.
It had barely been five seconds since Harkon last spoke, and Nathan forced himself to wait a little longer to make sure that Harkon wouldn't get immediate gratification.
"Very well," Nathan said carefully. "I will accept your gift and become a vampire."
He was sure that Harkon was grinning. "Be still."
Harkon rushed forward suddenly, and it was with a great amount of self-control that Nathan did not move. The vampire lord bent his neck back harshly, wrapped his wings around Nathan's body, and buried his fangs in Nathan's neck.
Freezing cold ripped through Nathan's body, like a whirlwind of ice. It spread from his neck, followed by mind-numbing pain.
Before he blacked out, Nathan saw light.
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