The ride to Windhelm was mercifully short, only taking a few hours to arrive on horseback. Sabel awkwardly prodded Lillith awake, whose head was resting back on her chest. The mage jerked up, rubbing her eyes.
"We've arrived at Windhelm. We'll rent a room at the tavern so we can rest and continue our journey tomorrow when we wake." Sabel said as she helped the mage down before getting off herself. She paid the stable boy to care for her horse before heading into the city, with Lillith close behind her. It was still dark, the moons having only been in the sky for a few hours.
When they entered the rather large tavern named CandleHearth Hall, they were greeted with cautious stares, Nord men and women glaring at Lillith once they took notice of her mage attire and lack of any weapons. Sabel sighed and stood protectively in front of her, meeting the hostiles eyes with an ominous glare of her own as she rented a room from the inn-keeper.
Lillith kept her head down as she followed even closer behind Sabel to their room. The warrior shut the door behind them and locked it securely.
Lillith let herself relax and survey her surroundings. She frowned at the small room with the single expansive bed and two end tables and storage chest, turning to Sabel who was stuffing her bags in the chest.
"Only one bed...?"
Sabel paused to look at her with a slight annoyed frown.
"We're in a city of mage hating nords who would have you killed if they could. But, if it discomforts you, I will sleep on the floor."
Lillith's face flushed and shook her head. "No, this is fine, I didn't mean to sound ungrateful."
Sabel hummed and began stripping off her armor and weapons. Lillith adverted her eyes and crawled into the bed after kicking off her boots. Sabel followed suit, nestling into the other side of the bed. She extinguished the flame flickering in the lantern, encasing them in darkness.
XXXXXXX
Movement and a low guttural growl startled Lillith from her slumber. She laid there paralyzed in fear. Terrible images flashed through her mind, claws and teeth ripping through flesh was the main one. She swallowed, her mouth dry with terror.
"S-Sabel..?" She whispered hoarsely. Why wasn't the warrior defending them from the threat? Slowly shifting her body to face her companion, Lillith gasped at what she could see in the darkness.
The guttural growls and thrashing movement was coming from the pale warrior beside her. Lillith quickly fumbled out of bed and hesitantly made her way over to Sabel's side. Sabel's back was arched and her teeth snapped shut periodically, her lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing long sharp fangs that Lillith could see from the dim light pooling in from the hallway.
"Sabel, wake up!" The inhuman noises coming from the woman were starting to frighten her even more, so she shook Sabel's shoulder.
"Sabel!"
Sabel's eyes snapped open, glowing an eerie silver in dim room. Lillith froze. Sabel's glowing silver eyes were staring right at her. She blinked and in an instant the silver eyes were a glacier blue and no longer glowing. Lillith stumbled back as Sabel stood up.
"I am sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She said calmly. Lillith frowned. Was she going crazy? She could have sworn Sabel had glowing eyes.
"Are you ready to head out now or do you need more sleep?"
Lillith stared, confused. Maybe she was tired and hallucinated it all.
"If you don't mind I'd like some more rest."
Sabel nodded and laid back down, Lillith following suit, reluctantly falling into a fitful sleep.