Oh no no no. This was worse than being trapped in some plane in Oblivion. Anything would be better that this right now! She could run, she really could. Nonsense, this had nothing to do with her and frankly that was not her fault! Not this time! She worriedly glanced over to Erador again. Still as still as a stone slab. This was not good…. so not good. The horse was still there. She could technically run to it and make a break for it. An angry Thalmor was not on her plans for today. At least he wasn't raging yet.
"Why?" his voice broke a bit at the end. She could only sigh in response. This… was not something one could ever get used to. Not even her, although the urge to vomit had lessened over time. She looked to where he was looking. Glazed over eyes stared in the still blue sky above them, mouths hanging grotesquely open, tongues lolling out, rotting golden skin falling off cheekbones. Dried blood on their necks, at least the rest of what remained. Strings of… she couldn't tell hanging down from them as well. The heads had been torn of violently. Her gut clenched and she had to press a hand to her mouth and nose. It usually prevented her from throwing up most of the time. Not always.
Three heads on wooden pikes in the middle of a grove. Tentatively she stepped forward, swallowing. High elves, those were the heads of high elves. She glanced back to Erador. He still hadn't moved, but… he was staring straight at the middle head. This time she took a closer look. The face looked feminine, even with the short cropped black hair; at least the features were more delicate than the other two. She couldn't really tell, most of the upper lip was gone, showing the rotting gums. Something white was wiggling further down in the exposed mouth. Bile was up in her throat, up her nose and she had to struggle for air. The stench was unbearable now. The eyes… one eyeball was gone, the muddy brown eye socket, there were things wiggling around there. It had to have been green eyes, at least from what she could tell from the remaining eye, too dark to be blue, too light to be anything but green. Why was he so fixated on this head? All of them were high elves, why just this one?
She turned back to Erador and saw him walk forward on wobbly feet. Eyes wide open and completely and utterly focused on it. She had to swallow and look away. It might be best if she didn't say anything right now. Turning her head to the side, she looked around the little clearing. Most of the trees were pine trees, nothing unusual in these parts of Skyrim, deep green swallowing the day light further into the grove which led to a cave opening. How had she not seen this before? Of the many times she had walked this path, she had not seen this cave opening? Frowning she fully turned to the opening. Her gut clenched again, there was something in there. There had to be, three heads right here couldn't be just a coincidence. Another glance back, he was still staring at them. Might be best if he didn't go with her for now. Slowly she stepped towards the opening, her arms crossing themselves. It was too bloody cold. He didn't seem to notice her edging towards the entrance. Good so far, inside was utter darkness. Stretching a hand out in front of her she slowly started to shuffle forwards. Her boots crunched as she was walking forward, otherwise utter silence and darkness. What could she encounter? Most likely the bodies? Maybe. Could be they had been eaten by the wild life already. Most likely. A faint light opened up to her left, a soft blueish light. A bit too soft to be something of magical nature. She waved her fingers around, meeting air, while turning towards the light. One step at a time she inched forward all the while the light got bigger.
Oh… this was… well… weird? A grove inside a cave? Never in her life would she have thought this cave could have been that big. And why had she not used her mage light? Sometimes she was her own biggest hurdle. Flicking her wrist the tiny blue ball shot up and hovered around her head. She stood in darkness to the top and to the sides. The ground was devoid of any grass, just earth. Were those footsteps? Frowning she willed the mage light lower and crouched down. Smaller and bigger ones were strewn around. It was a mess. They didn't look new, but not too old either. Whoever had gone through here, it had been recent and in a large group. She must be standing in a large tunnel between the actual cave and its entrance. The faint light had dimmed but she could still see where it was. Her mage light flew up until its glow touched the ceiling. It was high, she could maybe fit… twice in there with her height. What about the sides? Gently the mage light flew down, until it was next to her head again. Then she willed it to fly to her left. It took two breaths until its glow illuminated rocks, to her right it took three breaths. It seemed as if at least six people could fit comfortably through this tunnel. Maybe it had been a merchant caravan which had rested here? Would be the most probable option, but why would a merchant caravan behead and put heads of three high elves on spikes? She started walking again towards the light at the other end of the tunnel. As she approached it, the ceiling got higher until she reached the end of it.
By the Divines… this was not a cave! This was a whole grove inside a cave with light falling through a large hole at the top. Well not really a grove, the trees were too spaced out and the grass had disappeared in the middle. A large brown circle in midst of mostly green hues. It was ugly. At least now she knew a group of people had come through and spend a while here. But it looked a much larger group than a normal merchant caravan. Something blue caught her eye. Squinting she marched forward. There between two trees past the circle. As she approached the circle, a gust of wind blew through the tunnel. Shivering she tucked her hands between the leathers of her upper arm and elbows. As soon as she was in Whiterun, she would need to buy a cloak. Belethor will charge an extraordinary amount again. What a skeever. There had been a fire place in the middle, the ash surrounded by a ring of stones was a large heap. They had to have burned lots of wood all at once or they had stayed over time. Her gut clenched again. This was not good; she walked past the remnants of the fire towards the trees. It was blue fabric. She knew this shade of blue and the hairs on her arms and neck stood on end. Not because of the wind, no, this was Stormcloak blue. There had been Stormcloaks. Too many had to have been here for it to be a normal patrol. Troops? Oh by the Divines, what was happening if that were true? Troops in these parts? On the path to Whiterun? Not good, really not good. She was about a few feet away from the tent.
"Ayera, what in Oblivion are you doing?!" Oh, someone finally woke up from their stupor. Looking over her shoulder she saw Erador stomping towards her.
"I saw the cave and thought to myself. Here are heads in the middle of Skyrim, why? So I went and looked around. Found the entrance and walked in."
"Aha, and you found something."
"Obviously." She rolled her eyes at him.
"No need to get snippy, you know Skyrim more than I do." Biting her inner cheek she pointed towards the tree group.
"I only see a blue tent and a remnant of a camp." And to think he had been near Windhelm… how had he managed to become a Thalmor?
"It is Stormcloak blue." He frowned. Finally he was getting the idea.
"And high elves died here." He stated simply.
"Not sure, we are about to find out." He was most likely right. No one else but the Stormcloaks would murder high elves. Unless of course they had been criminals.
"Pretty sure it is what happened."
"I am more wondering how they ran across three high elves in these parts."
"How would I know?"
"I don't know, I was merely voicing my thoughts."
He groaned and pushed past her to the tent. It was a small tent, something for the common soldier. Why was this one left behind? The owners died? Were they ambushed by a bear? She followed Erador to the apparent front of the tent. The flap was closed, wooden spikes holding the cloth down. Taking another step forward, she recoiled. Divines, the stench was even worse than outside with the heads, but it was the same. The bodies must be in there. She glanced towards Erador, he was frozen in place. He was probably thinking the same. But this time he acted first, the wooden pikes were ripped out and the flap was yanked up. She had to step back. It might be best if she steered clear for a while. He ducked into the tent and she held her breath. Silence. Exhaling she walked forward and into the tent. The stench got worse and she clamped a hand over her nose and mouth. Erador's back was blocking her view and she walked to his side, craning her neck to see what he was staring at in silence. There were two cots, on each was a body. By the looks of it higher ranking Stormcloak officers, the decorative bear pelt shoulder coverings carefully draped over their chests. Their faces… she had to swallow hard. One was half melted with the skin black and cracked, the white of the cheek bone poking through. The other had tiny lightning scars strewn all over its face. They had been killed my magic. She looked to Erador again, wondering why he was so silent. Those were just Stormcloaks. Shouldn't he be happy about this? He was not even looking at them, above and behind them. She turned back and recoiled. Three bodies in black robes leaned against the tent wall. No heads, the stumps black. Black robes… Thalmor. Those heads. They had been Thalmor agents. Another quick glance to Erador and now she saw his tensed jaw. Back out slowly. She slowly stepped back, her eyes never leaving Erador. He was breathing heavily now.
Then she was out of the tent, her hand falling from her face. Fresh air, finally. She gulped a few breaths before a growl closed up her throat. Erador came barreling out of the tent, knocking into her, throwing her to the ground. She landed painfully on her back. Stunned she could lay there until a loud yell and suddenly lightning crackle filled the air. Oh no, he was not going to… Sitting up she could only watch as Erador released a lightning bolt into a nearby tree. The wood creaked and the bark burst open. Splinters flew in every direction. On instinct she raised her arm to shield her eyes. Silence again. She dared to look at Erador, whose shoulders were drawn up, arms raised still. Slowly, she rose to her feet. His fists tightened again, the blue sparks flew around them again. She froze as he released the lightning bolt again. The bark split up even more and steam rose up. Any more and he would fell the tree. He raised a fist and pressed it to his forehead. Finally she was on her feet. He was mourning. Her eyebrows creased. A natural reaction, but she would have thought the Thalmor would be more callous in those regards. She took a cautious step towards him. Nothing, his shoulders were shaking now but at least he didn't charge up another lightning bolt. Another step, if she stretched out her arm, her fingertips would touch his shoulder plate. She didn't. He jerked, she flinched and another lightning bolt was released, the loud bang echoing in her ears and raising the hair on her arms. The tree shuddered, the wood creaking didn't stop as the top wobbled and slowly started to lean towards its left. She could only watch open mouthed as slowly the tree leaned more to the side and snapped around the impact area. It fell, the leaves fluttered and with a dull thud the top connected with the ground. Silence fell over them again. At least it hadn't swayed towards them. Otherwise they would be another set of corpses in this cave. She closed her mouth and stared at his back. Tentatively she reached out with her hand and slowly put it on his shoulder. At first nothing happened and she sank her shoulders in relief. So far… he whirled around and she snapped her hand back. His eyes were cold and his mouth pinched in a tight line. By the divines, she was going to die! How did one conjure a ward again?!
He exhaled slowly and his mouth lost the tight line. A deep inhale and his shoulders lost their tenseness, sinking down. She should really say something. But what?! What could she tell a Thalmor about how to handle grief? To just let it go? Yes, she could say that. Might be a bit empty, just words to say to someone. She opened her mouth. Nothing came out, her throat closed up. Really? This was awkward. He sighed and turned his body to face her fully.
"There is something I need to do." She raised an eyebrow. Throw more lightning at more trees?
"What do you need to do?" She asked.
"They need to be buried."
"Bury them?"
"Yes, they are owed a funeral." He glanced at the fallen tree.
"And that tree is just right." How? What would…? Oh right, a funeral pyre.
"Is that how you do it in the Dominion?"
"Yes and no." Well that answered nothing.
"How about a simple yes and no?" He rolled his eyes at her.
"Maybe we have more than one funeral ritual?" He snapped and walked towards the fallen tree.
"What do you do then?"
"Why are you so interested?"
"Can't I know?"
"You can" he paused, "I am merely surprised you wanted to know."
"So?"
"There is the funeral pyre, most choose it. As a way to fully commit their body and soul to the Dreamsleeve."
"Dreamsleeve?"
"You don't know?"
"I only know about Sovngarde. The one where only Nords can go."
"How to explain it? I was taught that the Dreamsleeve absorbs the soul of the deceased and… what is the word for this… test it?" Test a soul?
"Test it?"
"The Dreamsleeve as I believe at least serves to gather the souls of the deceased and redistribute it for someone being born."
"So it all comes a full cycle."
"In a sense. Sometimes though some individuals preserve their personalities through death and ascend to an aedric plane."
"So… something akin to godhood?"
"Yes, it is the goal of an altmer to reach godhood and not lose their individuality."
"Is that possible?" He shrugged.
"It would be something to strive for though."
"Yes." It sounded… lovely. Almost the same as the Nords in their beliefs of reaching Sovngarde through valiant deeds.
"So you mentioned aedric planes."
"We believe that each of our gods in the pantheon has its own plane in Mundus. If one can withstand the pull of the Dreamsleeve it would transcend to one entity's realm depending on its actions."
"Where would you want to go?" His back stiffened.
"Doesn't matter." That was also an answer. He was in front of the tree now.
"And burning the bodies would ease the transition?" She asked.
"We believe so. Sometimes we don't burn the bodies. Criminals do not get to be burned."
"Adding to their punishment?"
"Exactly. How did my teachers word it…? In the end all that matters is the spirit, burn the body to sever any tethers to Nirn." He cringed a bit at his own words. That was interesting.
"Not convinced?"
"It is not my place to question these things. But I think they deserve it. Whoever they were in life."
"I see." Just how will they do this pyre?
"We will need to chop up this tree." He said.
"How?"
"My sword." He merely stated and withdrew it.
"Won't it dull?"
"This blade is from ebony. It never dulls." Ebony? She would have thought all Altmer would stick to moonstone blades.
"Ebony? Not Moonstone?" He chuckled, lifted his arms and hacked off a smaller branch towards the top.
"This one was handed down in the family. Here, can you take the branches to that fireplace?"
"I see. Just most I see have swords of moonstone."
"Most do, but why would I settle for a lesser sword?" A fair reason. She bent down and picked up the few branches he had chopped off in the meantime.
It took them a while to get enough wood piled up.
"Who will get the heads?" She asked. It had gnawed at the back of her mind the entire time. Touching those heads, she shivered again at the thought.
"You don't want to?" She looked sheepishly at him.
"Maybe?"
"I was thinking us both." Please no.
"Look, we could cut up the tent cloth and use that as means to get them here." She shivered again, her gut roiling again.
"Fine, you get the bodies I get the heads." He walked over to the tent with her behind him.
"I would say take the flap, less cutting." She suggested and walked into the tent, her left hand clamped over mouth and nose again. Cloth ripped and she could feel the wind hitting her back again.
"I will be back." He walked away and she gripped the sleeve of the nearest body. It was surprisingly… lighter than she had expected. She nearly stumbled over her own feet. At least she didn't have to look at the stumps where the heads should have been while pulling it towards the pyre. Once there she had to stop. The body had to get in the midst of this mess of branches. She had to lift it. Bile rose up. Slowly she bent down and gripped the cloth at the back of its knee. Then it was done fast. Maybe a bit tangled up with its arms flung away and the legs not perfectly aligned but it would have to do. Divines, please let this be done fast!
By the time she was pulling the third to the pyre, Erador returned with the cloth bundled in front of him and his horse following him. He only gave her a grim expressions as she heaved the last body on top of the wood and slowly laid down the bundle. Then nothing, they just stood opposite each other staring down.
"So…." She started.
"So what?"
"Are you going to do it?" He sighed.
"Just… use fire on it. Should be faster than conventional fire."
"In Summerset Isles you use magic?"
"Of course."
Fine. She would do it. Lifting both hands she pointed the palms towards the bodies. Only seeing him doing the same at the edge of her vision. Their flames the only sound between them. She'd rather not be near Erador for now.
It lasted hours, at one point she stopped feeding the flames, exhaustion settling over her limbs over the extended use of her magicka. The smell was unbearable. Bile burnt her throat and the flames stung her eyes, tears coming involuntarily. Her knees started to wobble, and then she was bent down heaving and spitting vomit on the ground. No reaction from Erador.
At one point she had lain down on the ground using more cut off parts of the tent as a make shift blanket, huddling underneath it clutching her still protesting stomach. Erador was still standing there, arms crossed and brooding watching the flames just as her. They would be spending the night here, she was not keen on travelling during the night and even his horse had retreated underneath one of the trees and slept soundly. Her eyelids started dropping and he still had not moved. It was his turn then to take the first watch, she huffed and closed her eyes for good.
AN: Had to write this chapter from scratch. Updated the third chapter. Do review and leave your thoughts.
