"It has been a long time since you have visited our stronghold, blood-kin."
Torina accepted the greeting from the chieftain of the stronghold Mor Khazgur with a wicked smirk. "Don't tell me you've missed me, Chief Larak."
The chief laughed deep in his belly and slapped his knee. "I would never say that, little dark elf. Begone with you."
With a hand as large as Torina's head he waved the two guests towards one of the homes in the stronghold. The smirk didn't leave Torina's face as she stepped forward to, as strongly as she dared, butt heads with the chieftain before walking away.
"I haven't ever been in an orc stronghold," Serana mused as she followed Torina up the hill to the forge. "How did you become blood-kin, again?"
"Durak," Torina said simply. "He and I met at the Eastmarch stronghold a long time ago, way before I joined the Dawnguard. He's the orc in Fort Dawnguard you may have met?"
Serana confirmed she had with a nod.
"He was the one who convinced me to join in the first place, actually. Kept running into him and a few more of the Dawnguard around Skyrim before I followed him back to the fort," Torina explained.
"And just like that, you're blood-kin?"
Torina smiled over her shoulder to Serana as they reached the forge. "Eh, something like that."
"I don't believe it," Serana said with a bite of mischief. When Torina obviously wasn't going to expand further, she sighed and said, "You're full of surprises, my friend. One day when this is finally over you'll need to tell me about more of your adventures."
Regarding her companion fondly, Serana watched as Torina's face pinched a bit at the idea, but she didn't refuse. Serana counted that as a victory in and of itself. The temperature of the air rose significantly as they reached the forge near the mine within the stronghold. Serana wished she could remove her hood to relieve some of the heat without risking the sun weakening her further.
An orsimer woman worked the forge diligently until spotting the two of them approaching. She set down her tongs and opened her arms in greeting, her tusks pinching her lips as she gave them a wide smile.
"Good to see you, blood-kin," the forge-wife said.
Like she had with the chief, Torina greeted the orsimer with her forehead. Serana declined to follow, which didn't insult the mer as she was not blood-kin, and the entire clan all were open in their uneasiness of seeing a nordic vampire in their stronghold. It showed the depth of their trust for the dunmer that they would allow her inside at all.
"Same to you, Shuftharz. I'm looking to trade, and possibly purchase horses if you have a place to recommend them."
"Horses? We do not have any here in the stronghold. I would recommend heading towards the Markarth stables if you need them."
Torina wrinkled her nose at the idea of seeing Banning. The stable hand made her skin crawl. "I'd rather avoid any hold capitals if I can help it."
Shuftharz's eyes lit up with mischief. "Up to no good, blood-kin?"
"I would rather not be held up for any reason," Torina said, not rising to the orc's teasing. "My companion and I have to get to the far end of the Rift as soon as we can and the fewer towns we pass through, the safer it is for her."
Understanding completely, the forge-wife nodded and returned to working at her forge as she talked, most of the teasing gone from her voice. "Mor Khazgur will always welcome blood-kin and any companion they bring with them, but the orcs of Skyrim know how deeply hatred runs in the veins of the nords that live here. You'll do better setting off on foot as far as you can, friend."
"I was afraid you'd say that," Torina said. "Can we still trade?"
"Of course. What strange things have you brought me on your travels this time, Dragonborn?"
The two travelers said their goodbyes after the sun fell behind the mountain range. In this part of Haafingar the darkness of night fell much faster because of the elevation and shape of the land. The orsimer clansmen tried to insist that Torina and Serana stay until dawn but they declined as politely as possible.
"Next time you're here you owe me a fistfight, little dunmer," Chief Larak said as they started to walk away.
"Looking to even the score?" Torina teased.
Another of the chief's belly laughs followed them out as the gates shut behind them. A path stretched before them heading in the direction of Dragon's Bridge and an option that went further towards the Reach than where they stood.
"Do you have a preference?" Torina asked.
Serana shook her head. "No. I'll follow your lead."
Once they were far enough away from the stronghold for her spell not to be noticed, Torina called upon one of the conjurations she learned in the Soul Cairn. Arvak burst forth at her call with a whinny of delight.
"He can carry both of us for a stretch," Torina said as she patted his snout.
Serana regarded the skeletal beast with fondness. "Honestly I'd rather you ride and I'll follow alongside. Being back out here in the fresh air of Skyrim under the moons is more than enough for me."
"But-"
"No. You need to rest sometime, Torina. You need far more sleep than I do. I'll guide Arvak while you sleep in the saddle and wake you if you need to summon him again or we encounter any trouble."
Torina ground her teeth, staring down her friend with a fierce gaze, but unable to argue. Since fainting after the fight with Vyrthur she hadn't gotten a true night's sleep. There were several days of walking and riding ahead of them, and likely several more after that before she would see a bed again.
Giving in to Serana's logic, Torina settled herself on Arvak's surprisingly comfortable spine and set off, her companion walking alongside as they marched towards Fort Dawnguard.
Thank you to all of you reading and especially commenting or following this story in one way or another. Whether you've just jumped in or found it when it was posted, I appreciate you.
