"Where are you going?" Miraak raised his eyebrow after Avari had quickly kissed his cheek.
"Teldryn's coming with me."
"That does not answer my question at all."
"I'm going to call Odahviing. It has been a long time since I've seen him."
"Ulfric will be here soon. Are you not going to stay for his arrival?"
"No. It would be rude for me to leave after he has arrived, this way I can avoid the scorn from Edgster and get to see an old friend while you take care of business."
"How far are you going?"
"Up the road a ways, there's an inn not far that has an old burial ground that I cleared out years ago. It's a large enough area that he'll be able to find me easily and we shouldn't be bothered by anyone. Teldryn has already rode ahead to give the inn keeper a heads up."
"I wish you'd wait until I was finished here to go with you."
"If I'm still not back by the time you finish come find me. I can't say Odahviing would be thrilled to see you, but he will survive."
Miraak shook his head as he watched her walk away.
The dragon's name seemed to bounce off the mountains, vibrating Teldryn's feet.
"Think you could have been a bit louder?" The Dunmer rubbed his ear with his finger, exaggerating irritation by the loud sound.
"It has been months since I last called him, I wanted him to know it was me."
"I doubt that beast could ever forget you. I half expected you two to end up together."
"Teldryn." Avari groaned, rolling her eyes. "Don't be weird."
He smiled, looking up to the sky when the familiar sound gave the dragon's approach away.
Avari smiled widely, stepping back to give the beast enough room to land on to the ground with a forceful drop. She rushed forward before he had settled completely, slamming her body against the front of the dragon's snot and wrapping her arms the best she could around it. The dragon gave a snort that blew her hair back.
"This is unexpected." He spoke while pushing the girl back. If a dragon could blush, Teldryn was sure Odahviing would be as red as ever.
"I've missed you." Avari smiled, waiting until the dragon settled himself and stuck his face out towards her before she begun to stroke his face with her hands as she would her horse.
"As if she did not make that obvious."
"As I you, fron."
"Each of you has been well?"
"Yes." The dragon moved to look toward the mountain. "I cannot stay for long."
"Your speech has improved."
The dragon bowed his head down to get a better view of the Nord. "That priest of yours, he has been teaching you?"
"No, but I will be sure to ask him if he will."
The dragon let out a loud grumble. "I need to go."
Avari frowned slightly before nodding her head and stepping back to Teldryn. The Dunmer put his arm around her waist while the two watched the dragon push off in to the air, circling them once before moving away and back towards the way he had come.
Miraak watched the men spar in front of him, occasionally glancing over to judge Ulfric's reaction. They both jerked their head up to the dragon roaring in the distance, Ulfric shaking his head with a sigh.
"She still does that?"
"She does."
"Use to terrify my people before they became accustom to hearing that damned beast, she had him in my city once."
"You allowed her to call him in to the city?"
"I had no choice, damned thing just followed her in, perched up on one of the walls."
"I'm not the least bit surprised." Miraak joked.
"You know she trapped that thing inside Dragon's Keep?"
"I've heard a bit."
"Convinced us all to attend a peace summit just so she could trap that thing. Then they become the best of friends, heard she rode off on the thing after Alduin. Any where you heard that dragon you knew Avari was right below him, followed her for months before the two would split up." He turned to look at Miraak. "Did you know the thing before?"
"I did. We never met in person, but I knew of him. I knew of all the dragons, that was my job as a priest. It was rare that we were... blessed... with their presence. Most of the time it never ended well when they would decide to come to us lowly mortals. I killed a lot of them in the years towards the end, I was the only one that could completely kill them and they feared me like no other. I was the first to threaten their roles in the world. We are the only one's they fear because we are the ultimate death, there is no returning after a battle with us."
"We have all seen what happens when Avari's slays a dragon." He turned back to the men. "Tell me, how does it feel?"
Miraak looked over at him. "Slaying a dragon?"
"Eating the soul of one of those beasts."
"The first few times it hurts, the worse pain you could ever imagine does not compare to that pain. I cannot explain it at all. After your mind and body becomes numb to the feeling and it becomes simply a warming sensation. It can be distracting at times, if you are taking on more than one at a time it takes practice in ignoring the sensation."
"And the knowledge?"
"It's immediate, you know the whole beasts life. Sometimes it's overwhelming, it also takes training. The thing is, it's not like anything else, you have no one to teach you how to harness your power. You just have to teach yourself to control it, but that must be why there are so few of us. Only those who are strong enough are gifted."
"When did you know?"
"I was well in to my priest hood."
"So around the same time as Avari."
"More than likely."
"You are being very open with this information."
"I have nothing to hide and you've caught me in a good mood." Miraak smirked. "Perhaps if I had been in a foul mood I would not be so keen on telling you. We are to become very close in the coming months and hopefully beyond."
"Beyond?" Ulfric looked at the man.
"You will be given the choice in time, let us focus on the choice you are being presented now before we move on to much more delicate matters."
"So he agreed I am guessing?" Avari fell back on to the large bed, turning her body to face the large fire that Miraak was standing in front of.
"We would not be here in his home if he had not." Miraak pulled his robes from his body, tossing them over the large chair behind him.
"So, what is the plan?"
"We begin training his men tomorrow, a week from today we will be marching on Solitude."
"That quickly?"
He gave a nod of his head, glancing over his shoulder at the woman. "He tires of war and I tire of playing these games, we have other matters we should be preparing for."
"Does he know you are going to ask for his aid?"
"I thought it best that we wait until he is named High King."
"Skyrim will be weakened for a long time."
"Not with our men there to defend it."
"So we will be staying?"
"No, we will be returning, but a lot of our men will be remaining here until we are ready to move." He moved to the bed, sitting down on the edge and gently tugging her hands to his shoulders.
Avari dug her fingers in to the muscles, kneeling behind him while she massaged the sore man. "Back to the temple?"
"I am interested to see what they have done in our absence, Edgster leaves for the place in the morning. I wanted to send you with him."
"Why would you send me with him?"
"We still have those amulets that we used when you went with the dragons."
"Yes, but they do not work too well."
"They work well enough to last the weeks time and they would happy to see you at the temple. You could make arrangements for my arrival. What we are about to do, I would rather have you there where it is safe."
"I can take care of myself, you all know that."
"I do, of course, but we have been away from home a long time."
She dropped her hands, sitting back on to the heels of her feet.
Miraak turned to face her. "You're no longer a mercenary for hire, you hold power over a lot of people and it would be best for you to return to those who await us."
"Why don't you go and I'll stay?"
"I would appear weak if I left my men to fight alone."
"And I do not?"
"You are my wife, you only look weak if I do. There are so many fights to come, sitting this one out will not be a memory to anyone."
"It will be to me."
"You did not even want to be involved in this war, you sought peace."
"And it did not work."
"Are you that determined to be there?"
"I would like to be."
"Avari..." He sighed, cupping her check softly. "Please do this for me, I need to return to the temple. The people that are there are more important than any here. They rely on you and once this war comes to its end I would rather not have them in danger."
"I thought you wanted me there for my safety."
"I do, because I hope that I will reach the temple before any others can. If I cannot I need you there to defend its people, there are so few men left there that I do not think they can hold it alone." He sighed, dropping his hand. "Neloth is also waiting for you, his message only just reached me while I was conversing with Ulfric. He needs you back there, something about a breakthrough in his work. I've already sent word to the college to ask for mages to meet you at the temple."
"So you just figured I would agree, like a good girl."
"I assumed you would see reason and make the right choice."
"Am I even getting a choice in the matter?"
"You always have a choice, but breaking this thing was your idea. It's only right that you see it through."
Avari glared at him.
"Make your choice."
They stared at each other for quite sometime, both too stubborn to break before the other. To her surprise Miraak was the first to look away, pushing himself up from the bed and moving to the window to look out at the snow painted sky. The flakes falling against the window and joining together on the small ledge. His warm breath marked the window with each out he breathed, forming a small cloud that was slowly growing. She came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his bare back.
"I'll go, if that is what you think is truly best."
"It is."
"Then I will leave in the morning."
He covered her hand with his. "Teldryn will be going with you."
"Does he already know?"
"No, I'll send someone to inform him, I'd prefer to spend the last night I have with you for some time alone."
It took them a day and a half to reach Raven Rock, the city now dotted with the familiar armor of Miraak's men. They mixed well with the guards, some patrols consisting of both. At the sight of Avari and Edgster the men became small balls of joy, many rushing to greet them both with warm welcomes. They were quickly ushered on to a large cart and on the road towards the temple. Avari looked around at the area, so much had changed in the months they had been gone, the roads were now highly visible and did not take long before they passed the reason why. Men a top horses who pulled large things that resembled a shovel were clearing the roads, keeping the ash from staying settled. Watch towers had risen in the distance, docks had been built and were being maintained by more of Miraak's people. They had turned the ashed island in to a proper home, they had done more than any one else had in the short time they had been gone. With the new roads it did not take long before they came to large temple that seemed to have doubled in size, it was now the center of its own small city. Even walls were beginning to come up around the city, from the looks of it they almost had them completed. The people who they had left was now tripled in number. New soldiers were being trained in a large open area, orders were barked from many men a top a large platform that kept them high enough to view all the people under their control. Avari was helped off the cart by a young man she had never seen, Teldryn jumping down next to her and ignoring the help that was offered to him.
"Quite the place now?" He remarked, looking around and up at the large stone pillars.
"Surprising."
"It is good to see that my work has at least paid off." Edgster smiled, motioning for them to follow him. "It was hard managing all this with the war going on, it took a lot of my attention from it, but I am glad to see how well these people followed instruction and did what they had to with what I could supply."
"You did this?" Avari took the old man's arm when he offered it to her.
"No, they did this, I merely supplied them with whatever they needed. I wished you both to come home to a proper place to rule. It would seem we are quickly becoming that."
The temple had been fully restored, with a few upgrades to small things. Miraak's old stone throne had been replaced by one of Ebony, with white fur that draped over it. Their room had been completely redone with furniture. A large and elaborate desk had replaced the old one, along with a large bed that looked as if it would hold six people at a time. As soon as she was left alone to clean herself up and rest she found herself falling on to the large furs and sighing loudly. She had never felt a bed so amazingly comfortable as this one. Avari was still lounging when three women hurried in to the room with hot water and soaps, leaving them at woman's request and shutting the heavy door again. It felt like luxury to be soaking in the large stone bath, she had not realized how much she had missed such things until she had gone without. She stayed inside the water until it had grown cold and her fingertips and toes were wrinkled. She didn't bother dressing, instead just falling in to the large bed and covering herself in the silk blankets and overly thick furs. It wasn't long before she was rushed in to a deep sleep that had been months in the making.
"These are farmers, are they not?" Miraak groaned, looking at the men who were being trained.
"Aye, most of them are."
"I can tell. It would be better to dress a few of my men in their colors and just head for Solitude now."
Galmar glared at the man.
"I am just being honest, we will do our best, but it has already been four days and they are just now swinging their sword the right way."
"They were fine before."
"For barbarians. The Legion would cut through them like they were a damned housewives."
"There are a few of those among the bunch." The large Nord nodded towards a woman who was training with one of Miraak's soldiers.
Miraak rolled his eyes with a groan. "Use the time after we finish this war to have some of my men continue training, this is just ridiculous."
"Our good soldiers are out there holding the Legion off, they will be meeting us on the road."
"Are you sure they do not also need training?"
"They are war heroes, they are men and woman that fought for their homeland when everyone else was happy to be safe in their homes. They are more than prepared to finish this."
The days that passed were exhausting, but he found comfort in the letters that arrived by raven, each signed by Avari and her excitement for him to return and see all the work that had been done to their home. His body was sore, his mind exhausted and by the time he'd made it to his room each night he found himself restless. Never able to find enough sleep before he was being awakened for the next day. The day before they began their march to Solitude he found himself again unable to sleep, but with the help of the court mage he had finally been forced to sleep, but still it was not enough. So he rode a top a black horse that was adorned with dragon banners representing his formed house towards the large city. His mask soon covering his face when they were, but a few hours out from approaching the city gates. They were met with immediate resistance which shocked Miraak, he had expected a siege of the city to happen, but the gates were open to them. So they began to push back the Legion, pushing them in to the city gates that instead of the soldiers running to close they were left open. He jumped from side to side, his blade sinking in to one body and then to the next while magic poured from his free palm and wrapped itself around any who were close enough. Miraak twisted and turned, dodging and parrying the hits that came towards him. He was only slowed when an arrow found its way in to his thigh, shooting pain up his left leg. Movements slowed only a bit, but it was enough for one of the soldiers to catch him at the hip with a slash. The leather of his robe tore apart, crimson warmth flowing from the opened skin and feeling his mind with fuzzing pain. He pressed his flat palm against the man's head, igniting his face with flame that filled the air with the bitter smell of burnt flesh. The man screamed in agony, backing away from the priest while he tore at his damaged skin. He ducked behind a large building, letting one of the mages that had rushed to him, her robes the same dark color as all those who supported him. His jaw locked at the pain of his skin pulling itself back together under the woman's touch. Quick thanks were given before he rushed back out to find Ulfric, the large Nord throwing back a man off his blade.
"Where's Galmar?" Ulfric called over to Miraak as the priest approached.
"Here!" The man called, jogging quickly towards them. His nose pouring blood down the front of his face and disappearing in to the front of his armor.
"Any sign of Tullius?" Miraak panted, running his blade across his good thigh to clear it of blood that dripped to the ground, turning the gray stone red.
"Bastard has to be hiding, letting the men and guards fight this battle for him." Ulfric spit, wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve.
"Well let us not waste time standing here talking when we could end this now." Miraak nodded to the castle behind Ulfric's shoulder.
"Led us, will you?"
Miraak gave a nod of his head, whistling to his men who quickly cut a path through those who guarded the entrance. They three stepped over the bodies, Miraak finishing off one of the men who still drew breath by driving his blade through his chest. The loud crunch of bone as they snapped and gave way to the metal was followed by the man's howling before he passed, staring up at the priest with a look Miraak had come to know very well in all his years. He ordered away the men who doing their best to break down the door, waiting till they had cleared the way before he used his voice to utterly shatter the heavy wooden door that had held up against twelve, large men. He stepped over the broken pieces and cautiously made his way towards a large war table.
"Did not think you would be seeing my face so soon, did you?" Miraak growled, pulling his mask from his face as he spoke. "I warned you! You knew what would happen if you betrayed us and yet you still chose to do it! Did you think that my men would just bow to you, take your word and betray me as you did? How it must have filled you with dread when they turned their back on you and abandoned their posts to return to their true leader! Did you realize you had signed your death in stone at that moment? Did you even think what would have happened to you if Avari had been harmed at all?" He took only a few steps before gripping the General by the throat and pulling him from the ground. Miraak's soldiers quickly rushing in and pushing Rikki back against the wall with the threat of their blades and arrows. "Kill her."
"Wait..." Ulfric interrupted.
They ignored him, making quick work of the woman until a large puddle of darkened blood surrounded her as she fell to the floor. Miraak tightened his grip on the man's throat before slamming his head against the stone wall with a grunt.
"I warned you!" He screamed, another slam to the wall. He ignored the man as he clawed at the priests arms, his eyes filled with terror. Miraak slammed his once more before dropping him to the ground, the man barely holding it together long enough to keep his eyes open. The priest looked over his shoulder at the Nords who were watching in shock. He locked his eyes with Ulfric as a warning, not looking away as he brought his heavy boot down on the Legion General's head. He motioned his soldiers who stood by, unaffected by what had just happened, each of them moving to secure the city. "You have your crown." Miraak spoke lowly as he walked past the two Nords who were looking at the destroyed bodies.
The water in the fountain had run red long before Miraak had reached it, he watched how it moved while removing his gloves. Using the water to wash away the blood that covered his mask in small dots. He could hear Ulfric speaking from behind him, could see his own men running to find what Legion they could that needed tending. Treating the enemy had a way of sometimes moving them to your side, the more men they could recruit from this place the better. Even if it meant more training and discipline then normal. He waved the away the healer who came to treat him, nothing was bad enough that it would need tending to right at the moment. He pulled himself up to sit on the ledge that surrounded the water, watching the scene that was happening in front of him. Elisif was giving the formal call to lay down arms against Ulfric and his men. Not that they needed it, they had been utterly defeated. Just from looking around the streets he could only see dead Legion and Stormcloaks, he was interested in what the count would be of his own personal deaths. He whistled at one of his commanders, motioning for the large man to come to him. The Imperial pulled his helm from his head, his dark hair wet with sweat.
"What are our losses? Has their been time to count?"
"We have not finished a complete run through, but as it stands now we have none."
"And the injured?"
"About a dozen or so of our own, might be more after we have finished our sweep."
Miraak nodded his head, looking down his hands and stretching his fingers.
"How are you feeling, my lord? Do you need tending?"
"Not at the moment. I have an injured leg that will need to be seen soon. Let them focus on those who need it most at the moment."
"No one will need it more than yourself, my lord."
"Many probably need it more than I, I will not die from the wound. It can be seen in time."
The man gave a nod of his head before bowing slightly and taking leave.
Miraak glanced up at the sound of heavy foot steps, watching Ulfric as the man walked slowly toward him. He looked down at his mask, using his robe to wipe it dry as he spoke. "Now that you see what we are capable of, I assume that you will not make the same mistake as Tullius."
"That was unnecessary, you should have given them the chance to surrender, to stand down."
"You expected them to be allowed to threaten not only my life, but my wife's and survive?"
Ulfric remained silent, staring out in front of himself.
"My men will be pulling out of Skyrim soon, I need a number for how many you wish to remain to assist in Skyrim's protection until the Thalmor have been dealt with."
"Returning so soon?"
"Avari awaits me." He looked up from his mask, staring at the Jarl of Solitude who was glaring at him. "I have no need to stay here any longer, also lack the want to." He stood from the ledge, still watching the Jarl. "I would suggest you inform Elisif she had better quickly begin to respect myself and those under my command, lest she meet the same fate of her husband. Only it will be by my hand this time and she will be torn to pieces." Miraak slowly walked away, pulling his mask back over his face.