Cold Madness
Skyrim
The Dragonborn has gone missing and Skyrim's skies are still filled with dragons. Where has the Dragonborn gone? Does anyone care about the fate of Skyrim and it's citizens? Serana begins her search for the Dragonborn while accidentally teaming up with an unlikely fellow.
Author's Note: I would like to add that I decided to boost Serana's abilities a bit. Similar to Queen of the Damned mod. If you don't use mods or haven't heard of it, just co check it out. I tried to keep this as in game as possible but I always felt that the vampires can do so much more than the capabilities of gaming can convey today. So I'm going literature on them. Anyways happy reading.
Chapter 7: Dragonbridge
Night was falling yet Serana was determined to keep her promise to leave Morthal. She wandered out back into the swamps that they once came from. Cicero for once was keen to keep quiet, perhaps he wasn't too fond of the swamps after all.
"Squish," he peeped out.
Perhaps not. Serana paused looking around she was lost and even though she was fond of the swamps, she was determined to make it out of there before nightfall. They continued to wander around, if she continued going in one direction she would eventually find a way out.
"Why is the road so hard to find?" Serana let out frustrated.
"Oh... he he, hear that mother? I think the fancy shmancy bloodsucker is lost," he said to himself. They continued on their journey ignoring the few mudcrabs that warned them of their presence.
"Do you see that a road!" Serana said all too excitedly as she started jogging towards the road. Cicero followed quickly after as they both were excited to be out of the marsh. "Finally," Serana heaved as she began cleaning her boots. Cicero began to dance in excitement as he brought out his dagger and too started cleaning the mud that covered his boots. The sun was clearly over the mountain and sky had darken in orange and purple hues.
"Let's go," Serana started again.
"Alrighty...but I must ask, where are we going?" Cicero asked as he caught up.
"To Falkreath remember," she said a bit irritated.
"Ah," Cicero let out as he laughed. They followed the road south, or what at they least thought it was south. Soon they ran into group a of Imperial Soliders that were near a crossroads.
"Stand aside citizen," a solider warned.
"Stand aside citizen," Cicero mocked. Serana turned around immediately her eyes glaring.
"What did you say?" the solider asked pulling out his sword.
"Oh say what?" Cicero asked.
"Please don't mind the jester," Serana interrupted throwing her arms out holding Cicero back.
"Look at those eyes! Are they glowing?" another solider asked. Serana dunked darkness was falling and her eyes were giving her status away.
"Ohhh yes... they are glowing aren't they?" Cicero said dunking trying to get a better look at her eyes grinning.
"I think we better keep moving," one solider leaned in and whispered to the other. "-this is Dawnguard business," he continued. The solider narrowed his eyes and placed his sword away.
"Move along," he said and with that they parted ways. They continued down the road as night fell and soon they ran into a bandit camp, that situated on a road. Serana sighed as she looked around and dunked.
"Maybe we could go around or..." she paused.
"Or?" Cicero said pulling out his dagger grinning. Serana eyed him with a slight smirk.
"-or we can do that," she with a nod. "Though I have no idea how skilled they are," she added. "By the looks of it they're not Forsworn..." she said narrowing her eyes. Serana hated to admit it but she wasn't looking forward to Forsworn, they were skilled in both magic and fighting. There numbers is what frightened her the most.
She crouched, her golden eyes-narrowing as she used her Vampiric Sight. "They are 8 of them that I can detect," she whispered over her shoulder, though she wasn't sure he was next to her or not. It didn't matter she knew he had blood on his mind and for some odd reason so did she. She carefully crept closer towards the camp. She had no idea where Cicero was at the moment, she could see and smell other humans but his scent was too feint, as if he was gone. She shook her head as an arrow suddenly landed next to her. Hey eyes widen looking up.
"Stay back! I see you!" a bandit warned.
Serana clenched her jaw as she knew the battle had begun. She ran passed the bridge towards the rest of the camp. Another bandit was there heading toward her, his sword out. Serana immediately started to use Ice Spikes as the Nord bandit raged at her until he was close enough to drain. She dodged his sword easily as she grabbed him, her claws out, she reached for his neck and brought it towards her, quickly she sunk her teeth into him, drinking as fast as she can. Until she felt a sting on her arm. She pulled the bandit away from her glancing at the arrow on her right arm. She quickly snapped the Nords neck before yanking the arrow out of her arm. Serana immediately shot up lightning at the archer, before finishing her off with an Ice Spike. Her wounds immediately started to heal.
"Not bad! But I guarantee you I will not be that easy!" the bandit chief orc warned as he banged his shield. Serana sighed. They always had shields, they always had the best armor, and always were stronger.
The armored bandit came after her as she stepped back throwing chain lightning at him. This seemed to stung and hurt the metal clad guard but he was resilient, he was a true orc. He swayed for a moment before growling, running at her once more. Serana tried her best to drain from him but his armor was was strong but slow. She managed to take out her dagger and defend the attack with her own. She staggered as he came at her again. She took a sidestep as she tried to attack through his armor. He was moving too much, he attacked her again, knocking the dagger out of her hand this time.
"Shit," she swore as she threw an Ice Spike and pushed him back. She tried again and he took another step back. He was tiring, his stamina surely had to been drained by now. She smirked against her own accord thinking she had the upper hand. Though suddenly as if he had drank a potion his stamina had been renewed. He came after her and shot lightning at him as she continued to step back. "Die already!" Serana yelled as she was against a mountains ledge. She threw another Ice Spike at him, he took it as he raised his sword about to give her one powerful attack when suddenly he stopped in his place. Her eyes widen as she gasped, confused. The orc's sword lowered as his arms fell, he dropped his heavy sword and tried to reach toward the back of his neck though, blood came out of his mouth and he fell to the floor, slowly dying, gasping for breath. Cicero retrieved his dagger wiping it off his clothes quickly.
"Ta-da!" he said as he sheathed his dagger, before taking a bow. Serana's eyes widen before narrowing with rage.
"Where were you?!" she suddenly asked. Cicero started to chuckle immediately.
"What do you mean? Cicero was here the whole time...helping you!" he defended. "I even took out bandit chief for you...see?!" he pointed toward the orc still slowly dying. Serana's anger subsided as she saw the orc near death. It was a dishonorable death. It wasn't a way a true orc warrior should of died. Though he was a dishonorable orc, perhaps, this was what he deserved.
Serana looked up once more, eyes glowing ignoring Cicero's cheer dance. The other bandits were dead. He had somehow managed to kill the other half if not more, faster than her? Somehow this insulted her but maybe it didn't matter, he probably didn't care for things like a kill count. It's not like she was some cold hearted murderer, perhaps. She inhaled looking away for a moment.
"You did well," she finally admitted.
"Well?!" Cicero said insulted, crossing his arms. "I did stupendous! Night Mother would have been proud!" he defended. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, fancy shmancy vampire, too old and rusty, eh?" he teased. Serana's clenched her fist as she stomped past him.
"I am ageless," she defended as she began to search the bodies for gold and other useful items. "I am not old," she muttered to herself. They both silently cleaned up the camp. She started to head back towards the road when she heard a yawn.
"Can we just..." Cicero started.
"What?" she asked a bit too irritable.
"Can we just stop and rest for itsy-bitsy-tiny bit?" he asked muffling another yawn. He sat on a bed inside the little shack. Serana rolled her eyes, she just fed, she was wide awake.
"I'm not tired," she said simply.
"Yes but-"
"But what?" she asked crossing her arms as she stood in front of him. "Oh I see, tired?" she asked feeling a bit smug about it. "I thought an assassin such as yourself, would be able to stay up all night," she teased. He grind his teeth staying silent as glanced back up at her before laying down.
"Good night," he said. Serana walked out of the small shack frustrated as she looked up at the bright night sky. It was, beautiful, even being alive for hundreds of years, and yet the sky did not fail to ease her frustrations. She made her way towards a campfire and sat there admiring the night sky hearing the sounds of owls hooting. The night was her time though perhaps this night she can just admire it. Eventually she crawled into the leather tent and fell asleep.
The next morning Serana woke up to the smell of rabbit haunch and annoying loud chewing. She lazily got up and crawled out of the tent. She wasn't surprised to see Cicero chewing on a rabbit leg, ripping the meat off the bone like a wolf did to it's prey. She perked a brow and made her way to the wooden log opposite of him. She propped her head elbow on her knee and placed her chin on her palm, just watching him eat abnormally loud. He did not say nothing, he clearly enjoyed his meal.
"Are you done?" she finally asked as he tossed a bone over his shoulder and burped. He gave a out a lopsided grin as he perked a brow.
"Nothing like a good breakfast after a nightly massacre," he said standing up stretching. Serana stood up and stretched as well.
"Good let's get moving," she said as she made her way back on the path. Following it for a short while. The morning sun, pretty as it visually was, irritated her the most, right in her face, refreshing and new. It blinded her as she just concentrated on staring on the ground. Her hood blocking out most of the sun from her eyes. She could hear him giggling, "What is it?" she suddenly asked.
"He he heh, why don't you look for yourself," he said trying hard not laugh out loud. Serana walked off toward the side and hid under the shadow of a tree. She slowly raised her head off the ground and looked around. She inhaled deeply, trying hard to push away the anger.
"Dragonbridge!" she said in shock and anger.
"Ah-ha-ha ha-he ohhh," he laughed out loud holding his belly. Why did think this was funny? She turned to look at him, eyes glaring.
"You knew about this?!" she asked irritated.
"Perhaps," he said shuffling is foot. She wasn't sure if he did or just answered to irritate her more. She turned around and starting walking the other way. Once again she can hear Cicero snickering behind her back.
