Chapter Three: Sole Aduruntur.

In which Tanya learns she most certainly cannot sunbathe.

The sun will be over the top of the trees and shining down on my little spot by the river in just a few seconds.

Do I burn or will I sparkle like a human disco ball? To be or not be? I got to say this is a defining moment of my little life. I'm putting my money on burning since silver already burns me so I'm betting I am more of a traditional.

In the brief hour that I waited for the sun to be in position to shine down upon me I tried to pinpoint where I was. Because of the surrounding pines I am under the impression that I appeared in the North, possibly not to far from Carahavall. Hmm, not to sure if I spelled that right or even pronounced it right.

Then the sun's rays pierced the treetops and danced across my form. For just a second I could feel the sun's warmth, but it quickly escalated into something more.

I started shrieking in pain and agony as my eyes screwed shut. It felt like my flesh was literally burning off my body. I couldn't see, I didn't know which way to turn and I was making enough racket to be classified as a Nazgul or Ra'zac. Of course their sheiks are full of malice shield mine sounds like something dying.

I was relieved when everything went cold, oh and wet too. Suffuse to say I fell into the stream river thing that was flowing besides my place of shrieking.

I inhaled a breath if water and nothing happened, I almost forgot I was a vampire and went to reflexively grab my throat when nothing happened. I exhaled underwater and opened my eyes.

I was lying on my back in the stream and I was staring straight up out of the water. Sunlight fractured against the water leaving me apparently safe from the sun.

I twisted around and pulled out my knife and angled it to use as a mirror, I looked at my face.

Ouch.

My face was covered in burns, angry red burns, that were just starting to fade away. Word of wisdom, Tanya Fall and sunlight do not mix under any circumstances whatsoever.

It was really weird though that sunlight would cause such a horrible reaction while I was above water but would have such a tiny, well, nothing effect while was under it.

Well I didn't have to breath so I could stay under water as long as possible. And that reminds me that I should make my way to the Varden as soon as possible.

Perhaps...if I follow the river I can reach some sort of habitation. Usually villages are located near rivers, or is this a stream?

The water's surface rippled strongly as if something of concussive force was landing.

I wonder...

Oh.

A dragon.

All my awful shrieking like some dying animal must have attracted something or more like someone, and that someone must be a Forsworn. I mean who else has a dragon and would be wandering around Alagaesia?

I squinted up through the silt while worming my way deeper into the river like some type of monstrous eel. Of course this eel has fangs that she can't seem to retract.

I focused on listening, a lot is distorted but I can hear the dragon land, I can make out that it is of a brownish color and I immediately think, no not brownies, but Formora.

Formora, one of the Forsworn that along with Kialandi stripped Oromis of his magic. The question is I suppose whether if not the she-elf can detect my mind.

I believe she was one of the more intelligent Forsworn.

With that in mind I devote myself to trying to think like a catfish. Let's see, eat, looking for something to eat...

I dimly acknowledge that somebody peered into the water seemed to be unable to see me. I almost got too cut off from the real world while pretending to be a catfish.

I get a little to carried away and splutter as something small and slimy ends up in my mouth. Gah! A frog! I spit it out and nearly lose my composure as a catfish.

How did that even end up in my mouth?

I decide to make my way downstream, making sure to kick up enough silt that anybody following the river from the sir will only see a muddy patch of river instead of some teenaged girl with only half a shirt swimming under water.

My shirt brings me to another question, how am I supposed to enter a village with only part of a shirt? I wish I brought a coat. At least I don't have to worry about the cold anymore.

Despite the fact that I don't actually need clothes I really don't want to run around in the nude. Though I could always steal clothes from any village I come across at night. I grinned at the thought and swam more energetically.

I probably should find a place to emerge from my watery domain. That gives me another idea, I could pretend to be some sort of water spirit or something If I ever had to explain what I was.

I don't think explaining that I am some sort of nightmare that feasts on human blood would get many people to trust me. Especially the Varden, many would probably think I was a shade anyways with my partially red eyes and ultra pale skin.

I bet Angela the Herbalist will figure out what I am, she seems to know everything, especially that cat of hers.

After deeming that I was a sufficient distance from the Forsworn I erupted from the water like some type of water nymph and strode into the trees. I reached up with a tentative hand to touch my fangs.

Oh, I liked the sound of that, my fangs. Yup, definitely had a nice ring to it, sounded intimidating to me even.

They still hadn't retracted, they were so long! How would I even hide fangs this long? I couldn't even close...ah, never mind, there has to be some sort of trick to it.

I focused on trying to retract the fangs for twenty minutes.

"Nothing," I muttered darkly, then glanced back at the water and the patches of sunlight shining through the treetops. Why had I gotten out of the water? It was much safer in there. Wasn't I following it to a village?

Alright new plan. Follow river, find village, wait until nightfall. Then slink in and find some decent clothes while staying hidden by the shadows. Come the next day I would make my way south until I came to a landmark I recognized.

I dove back into the water and swam without tire downstream. I crushed my growing hunger and the blossoming worry inside me at the hunger. Would I be able to control myself around humans?

Around dusk I spotted the dim lantern lights of a village gearing up for for the night. I drifted closer staying just under the surface of the water.

I shivered, I could hear their heartbeats even here underwater, and I could smell the delicious blood running through their bodies.

I felt the water ripple as one of the villagers, a young man, began to draw in some nets from the stream, which had turned into an actual river over the course of my journey from the north.

I twitched again, what do humans taste like? The urge to answer the question was building. I should really go...instead I found myself moving closer, staying under the surface of the water. Uh, I was just going to get a closer look...

The young villager's name was Evan Aronson and he was drawing in his nets to see what had been caught over the course of the day.

After retrieving everything that was in the nets, and dropping them into numerous baskets that he had on hand, he prepared to throw the nets back into the water but stopped catching sight of something.

A large cloud of silt gathered off to the side In the water. Evan squinted while gazing at the spot.

He inhaled sharply as a head rose out of the water followed by a body. Water cascaded of her form as she rose. She was the most stunning thing that Evan had ever seen.

He wondered, was this a water spirit? She strode forward letting the water ripple, her legs were blue and almost looked like they were covered in a scale like substance.

Evan could tell that the other villagers were pausing in what they were doing to watch in stunned wonder at what must a spirit.

He took a step into the water as the woman neared within arm reach, her shirt was purple and tattered but Evan payed no heed, he had eyes for only the face of the stunning otherworldly creature.

Then she smiled, revealing long fangs, and her face changed to one of hunger. She grabbed him as he let out a scream of surprise pulling him into the water.

As the water enveloped him and the unnatural strength of the spirit, nay, demon, held him down he felt a sharp pain in his neck and his vision slipped into blackness.

What did I just do? I took my mouth away from the man's neck, not a drop of blood remained in his body. No red crimson liquid escaped to stain the surrounding water.

I shoved the corpse away in disgust, it was shriveled and wet, drained of all life. It still floated though and did so popping to the surface. I grabbed it and directed it back to the shore and the stunned villagers.

I surfaced, letting just my eyes appear above the water as I watched the body float to the shore. Only moments had passed since I dragged the nameless villager into the water to feed.

As the body drifted into sight a woman wailed and dashed forward grabbing the body and turning it over. I had let it drift over on its back.

The other villagers that had come forward as well recoiled at my prey's shrunken appearance. I knew this would become a story told by many in taverns in years to come.

I cried a few blood tears in empathy with the young woman's sorrow, she must have been the man's wife.

I hardened my face, I couldn't let this get to me, from now on I will only eat animals. Here I stopped considering, the human had tasted much better.

I amended my vow, from now on I will only drink from those that deserve it, such as my enemies, and members of the Empire.

I still needed to get to the Varden and I still didn't have any suitable clothes, not to mention, I reached a hand up to my teeth, yup, they are still extended. I wonder whether they're stuck that way?

Maybe just follow the river? Maybe I'll stop at the next town for clothes. Unless I lose control again, oh he tasted sooo good.

Urg, stop thinking about that. Perhaps it was evidence of my changed mental state that I was able to change so quickly and my sense of disgust was quite noticeably absent.

I was beginning to think more like a vampire then a human. Which I suppose would help me in the long run, since killing didn't seem to bother me that much. In fact I seemed to detached and apathetic.

I shrugged and dived with a splash, causing the villagers to glance at the dark lake in fear. I was sure I was going to become some sort of story that the villagers would pass down through the ages.

And hearing stories about me would be hilarious. I wonder how many years it would take for the storytellers to wreck it beyond recognition?

I looked up from under the water I was effortlessly swimming through and surfaced to gaze at the moon so high above.

Well let's see what life brings, the world awaits.