The unexpected attack made her cry out in a mixture pain and surprise, and she slammed into the ground with a heaviness that defied her emaciated frame. The impact caused her injured arm to begin throbbing ever more painfully: now it burned so intensely that for a split second it completely consumed her mind.
Despite wishing simply to lie on the ground howling in pain, she knew it was vital to her survival that she move. She used her good arm to push herself into a squat, and it was just as well that she did as another arrow sliced into the ground where she had been lying.
Fumbling about her calf, she succeeded in gripping the thick shaft of the arrow that had hit her and ripped it out, though it nearly made her scream in pain to do so. She could feel the blood cascading down her calf, but she had more important things to think about - like staying alive. She would concentrate on not bleeding to death after she'd killed these bandits.
Clumsily, Oreyn pushed herself up and retreated backwards. She collected her magicka once more, feeling it streaking through her veins to crouch in her hands, like a tiger ready to pounce.
There was a blur of movement to her left, and she swung around to face her attacker.
Through his helmet, she could see that he was almost impossibly ugly, with a nose like a mutilated pig and brows that almost completely hid his eyes. His lips were twisted in a twisted parody of a smile, revealing uneven teeth that were so rotten as to be almost brown. One thick, shining scar ran from the corner of his mouth to his temple, making his face look as if it had been stuck there at an angle.
Oreyn snarled as viciously as she could, making her own lips curl back to display every single razor-sharp fang. She launched herself at the bandit, whose iron war hammer missed her by millimetres, clinging onto his steel armour.
"Zh'rana!" shouted the bandit, all the time attempting to knock Oreyn off with his hammer without injuring himself. He managed to land a punch in her stomach, but she could hear his pulse beating through his neck, stronger from exertion, and the hunger in her gave her the strength to hang on.
Another arrow whizzed past them, and Oreyn glanced up to see a Khajiit nocking another arrow to her bow.
A fireball burst from Oreyn's hand, and the Khajiit nearly dropped her weapon as she dodged it.
"Zh'rana!" roared the bandit she was clinging on to as the next arrow barely missed his foot. "If you hit me I'll fucking kill you!"
While he was distracted, Oreyn ripped off his helmet and sank her fangs into his throat. A scream of pain mixed with horror rasped from his mouth, but she could feel him weakening as she drained him. It took only a matter of seconds before he slumped, face completely colourless.
Newly energised, she wheeled around to face the Khajiit, only to see that she was already dead, and spread-eagled on the ground. A figure in leather armour was stood beside her, his back to Oreyn. After examining the Khajiit's face for a moment, he stood and kicked her.
"You'll want to make sure he's dead. Some of them actually have half a brain and will play dead if they're outmatched."
Oreyn, who had been preparing to attack this newcomer, gaped.
"Bellamont? I thought I told you to stay hidden by the rocks!"
The figure turned, and revealed that it was indeed Bellamont. He walked over to the other bandit, and kicked him too.
"Where the hell did you get that armour?" demanded Oreyn, "And what the fuck are you doing?"
"Like I said, some only pretend to be dead." After receiving no response from the bandit, he turned and sat on his chest with a grunt.
"And the armour?"
"There was a third one, looking for food I think. He didn't notice me until I sent the ice bolt at him. Took his armour, and his food too. Potato was a bit mouldy."
Oreyn blinked.
"He was carrying potatoes?"
"No. Just the one potato. And some carrots and what I think was an onion."
Utterly confused to have gone from killing bandits to talking about potatoes - correction, one potato - Oreyn just stood there in silence.
"Well…at least you've got some more energy now." she said lamely.
Bellamont nodded, then reached into some hidden pocket in his armour and pulled out a carrot that seemed more yellow than orange. He crunched it, staring past her in the direction of the fort. Oreyn watched him, her brain still attempting to take in the strange turn of events.
"Um…shall we go to the fort then?" she asked, if only to fill the silence.
"It would probably be a good idea to search these two. They might have some useful supplies."
Oreyn nodded, and Bellamont slid off of the bandit and knelt at his side. He rifled through his armour, while Oreyn went to check the Khajiit.
A quick search revealed some kind of potion, two lockpicks and a tiny bottle of what looked suspiciously like skooma.
"Anything?" asked Bellamont from behind her, and she turned to see him holding up a couple more bottles, and an apple.
"What the hell do bandits carry around with them?" Oreyn asked, staring at the odd collection of items they had.
Bellamont chuckled, but didn't bother answering. From the same pocket he had pulled the carrot from, he produced a small bag.
"We can put everything we collect in here. It's what the other one was using to collect food in."
Upon deciding that there was no point in trying to figure out the events of the last few minutes, Oreyn nodded.
"We should go up to the fort now. We need to rest, and figure out what we're doing."
"Lead on."
"You want us to go down there? Are you mad?"
"How else am I going to survive in sunlight?"
"I thought you were fine as long as you fed regularly?"
"And where am I going to get a fresh supply of blood?" Oreyn snapped, hands on hips.
They had walked back towards the fort without meeting any further foes. Oreyn could not help but be a little grateful for the Breton's company - there was, after all, safety in numbers.
They were stood at the small door that lead down into the interior of the fort, arguing. Bellamont was reluctant to enter, and to tell the truth, Oreyn had to agree with him. The idea of facing any more enemies without any rest was an unpleasant one, but she could see no way of avoiding sunlight if she did not venture down.
"Surely you'll have at least one day?" asked Bellamont hopefully.
"It would be better to get it over with while I'm still strong from it."
"That food hasn't replenished me that much, and you're still injured."
Oreyn grimaced at this fact. Her leg and arm were both paining her greatly. She had bound them roughly with a strip of cloth torn from her shirt when they reached the fort, but they still hurt like hell.
"Fine." she said shortly. "Come on, it will be safer upstairs."
As she climbed the stairs, she was forced to concede that her injuries were indeed too much for her to fight on - or indeed walk on. Just five steps up and her leg gave out, but this time she was careful not to land on her arm.
"Do you really want to face a load of bandits and who knows what else on that?" Bellamont put in, but refrained from saying anything else at the look on her face.
Oreyn tried to stand again, but was forced to sit straight back down on the next step with an inelegant thump.
"Please tell me you don't expect me to carry you?" Despite intending it to come off as sceptical, he couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice.
Oreyn snarled, but Bellamont merely raised an eyebrow.
"It starts to lose the effect the thousandth time you do it. Besides, what are you going to do, crawl at me?"
His question was immediately answered by a flare aimed straight at his head. He ducked, all laughter gone.
"Don't mess with me Breton." hissed Oreyn, her eyes dangerous slits of scarlet, then concentrated her efforts of climbing further up the steps. It only took another minute of struggling before her leg was screaming protests at her to stop.
"For the love of Akatosh…" muttered Bellamont, then strode forward and lifted Oreyn over his shoulder.
"What in oblivion do you think you're doing? Let go of me! Right this minute!" The vampire hissed and spat at him, but her struggles were useless. "So much for the weak little Breton! You're just too scared. Coward!"
"You're about the weight of a pebble. I'd be worried if a child had trouble carrying you."
He set her down at the top.
"Think you can manage?"
Oreyn remained silent, but she cast him a look full of loathing. She watched him make his way around the fort, completely overlooking the skeleton when he reached the furthest room.
"I'll have this one." he called across the gap, then disappeared inside.
Muttering furiously to herself, Oreyn limped to the remaining room, and curled up on the floor to sleep. She was completely exhausted, but it took forever to fall asleep. Each time she started to feel drowsy, the sensation of falling would make her jerk back to life. After several hours though, pure fatigue nigh on knocked her out.