Author: They say a good carpenter Never blamed his tools. But if that's the case, what does he blame? A good carpenter would yield good products, but if he is given shit tools and thus cannot work effectively then he's right to blame his tools. But, this makes him a bad carpenter, so what end product can you expect from a bad carpenter with bad tools?
Robin: What the hell are you on about?
Author: Grammerly is handling ALL spelling okay? So not my fault if something is wrong.
Robin: Blaming tools are we? That's okay, I blame you too. Also you spelled Grammarly wrong.
Author: oh piss off.
After hearing a smash on the wooden floor, the alchemist and I looked behind towards a shelf of potions and treatments of various ailments. There we saw the little girl with her mouth hanging open and looking down at a puddle and shards of glass at her feet.
"What have I told you? Hands to yourself"
"sorry papa" She said before walking back behind the shelves.
The shop owner was putting on a false smile as he pretended not to care about the one small breakage.
After a quick exchange of money and buying some new glassware, I left the shop with the girl sheepishly following at my heels. But that demeanour changed the moment we were out of the shop.
"We're not selling to him ever again"
"No?"
"No. I'd rather people get a little sick than let him water down My potions"
So that's why she 'accidentally' dropped a bottle. Diluting medicines and making false promises about potions, Her potions hit a nerve with young Betty. Ever since that day she's taken alchemy really seriously and long gone are the days of me having to supervise. Quite the contrary, my input is ignored now. Which isn't without warrant as she exceeded my limited understanding of alchemy long ago.
Chapter 48.
With Helgen no longer an option due to Betty's taste in clients, we had to move further out.
The next closest town was Whiterun, but it was of no surprise to either of us that there was little demand for medicines as their alchemist is always stocked.
Morthal was next, and being surrounded with marsh and swamp meant they were in an abundance of a few specific ingredients but nothing else.
From the moment word got around that a wandering trader was selling medicine and potions, people crowded by to take a look.
Buyers mostly spoke to me about the bottles on sale, while Betty started a talk with the impatient ones.
It was always this same pattern. No one expects this ten-year-old to know what she's doing, and neither of us are going to advertise that she's older than all of them.
So it was more of a joint venture for us, even though it started with Betty wanting something to call her own. A business she could have while I'm off slaying monsters and warlocks.
Not that we needed money. I had my chest full of gold from things I'd acquired over a life of pillaging hideouts and forts.
But since Betty loved experimenting with potions, she wanted to use that gift to help people. Every septum she earned went right back into getting more glassware and acquiring new books, all with the sole intention to save lives.
"This is how we should have always done it" She said putting her lockbox of money away once the last buyer was gone. "They're exactly what they asked for this way, and we're… father? what's wrong?"
It must be visibly obvious. Something felt off about the town and I felt like we were being watched from the moment we arrived. I couldn't know for sure.
It didn't help that there was a lingering scent of smoke like there'd been a fire in the last few days, and despite the encouraging amount of customers we got, there was a feeling of dread in the air.
"sun…" Betty pointed down the road. The ground was getting lighter as clouds moved across the sky.
Keeping up appearances, I placed a wool cap over her head and tied the strap below her chin before putting a straw hat on myself. My headwear put my face in the shade, but Betty's hat only just kept her head covered.
A hat like mine would be better for her, but it's not something girls her age wear. It would draw the attention we're trying to avoid.
"You there" Called a man dressed in guard uniform, but unlike the two at his side, he himself didn't have armour on. "You're selling yes? You need to pay the tax before you leave"
"We were just about to visit the Jarl's steward" I explained. "We were busy, and I couldn't leave my girl all alone"
Betty sheepishly gave the man a wave, and I noticed her hand twitch when the sun caught her skin.
I gave her the ledger to hold over her hands while we walk to deal with payment to the city. As far as the guards could tell, me giving her the book was just a means to keep her happy and feel helpful.
Her sigh of relief when we got under the shelter of the longhouse could have been more subtle, but no one was questioning it.
With the ledger in hand, the bookkeeper totalled up the money we made from selling and took a twenty present cut.
"So after days of brewing potions, getting my haul all the ways up here, and selling medicines to Your people, I need to pay You a hundred and twelve Septums?"
"The Jarl is within his right to tax traders" He said to me before leaning close. "and you want it off the books, So it'll be a hundred and twelve"
It hurt my pride some, but I produced the gold and handed it over. Obviously, I can't put my name to anything, so I'm paying not only the tax but also for him to put a false name in place of my own. A hundred gold is nothing to keep me hidden.
Betty was waiting in the foyer for me, but she looked focused and was keenly listening in on the court's business.
"…is it possible to repair the house?"
"It was burned completely. We'd be better building a new one"
"And, what of the girl?"
"She's going with her uncle, up at the hall"
I tapped Betty on the shoulder, and she shook awake.
"We're going" I tell her.
"Okay" She picked up her bag from under the bench and followed me out. "you missed a battle"
"Did I?"
"Yes" Betty looked over her shoulder then started explaining what happened just the yesterday evening.
According to her from listening to the Jarl and his advisor's talk, Morthal had a vampire living within one of its houses. A woman going by the name Alva, and she enthralled one of the men to be her lover.
"They had a girl" Betty mumbled.
"The thrall and the vampire?" I questioned with some amount of alarm.
"No no, the man and his Wife… um, he had a wife… But he kicked her out so his vampire lady could settle in"
"I see"
We reached the wagon. As I lifted Betty onto the back, she continued to tell me about everything she heard.
"The thrall man woke at the sound of the vampire's screams, and when he tied to save her, fat fell on the fire and caused the house to burn. He and the vampire died… but the knights managed to find the girl and get her out of the smoke"
I was left curious as to why the vampire didn't just kill or enthral the girl. But I saw no reason to dwell on it.
After all, we did what we came here to do. Sure I would have liked to have fought a vampire myself after the long ride here, but at least Betty got to sell her potions with a guilt-free conscience.
We had just got twenty minutes outside of the city limits when we found someone face down in the snow. The smell of blood running from his chilling body.
"Stay in the wagon" Just a second after the words pass my lips, Betty soars through the air past my head. But she wasn't in bat form, so I was able to grab her by the belt. "I said, Stay!" I placed her down on the seat next to me. She gave me a mean glare with her lips sticking out. "If you follow me, who'll watch the wagon?" I ask her.
She rolled her eyes and huffed as her arms crossed around her stomach. With that, I flew off across the snowy field.
Just beyond the first line of trees, I saw a group of people. A woman carrying her girl was running back towards the town behind me, but fast approaching was a vampire with a dagger in his hand, and trailing behind was a wounded man in blue robes, failing to keep up and leaving a trail of blood behind him.
The vampire threw his dagger at the woman, getting her leg and causing her to fall on the ground with the girl beneath her.
The girl began crying, both from the hard fall and also from witnessing her mother starting to bleed out on top of her.
The vampire turned to face the man in blue. Without a weapon, he was still confident taking on the swordsman.
"Bastard Demon!" The man called. "In the name of Stendarr, I'll send you to Oblivion!"
The vampire charged forward and despite the wound, the swordsman was keeping up. In a desperate attempt, he was able to slice part of the vampire's arm, but the exertion caused his leg to give way and he fell before regaining balance.
"This is for Alva…" The vampire said before bringing his foot down hard and fast on the man's neck. There was a crunching pop sound as the bone broke, but then he turned his attention to the girl.
Her mother was gone, but she had no will or strength to climb out from under there, even to save her own life.
"Come here…" The vampire kicked the woman off from the scared girl, but before he could lay a finger on her, Betty dropped out of bat from and pushed the man to the ground.
"Little…" The vampire picked himself up from the snow, looking Betty up and down. "Little cunt…" He ran forward, eyes locked for the kill.
I taught Betty the basics of survival but hasn't been in a real fight against someone actually seeking to kill her. She'd have been torn apart in seconds had I not stepped in.
The look on the vampire's face when I appeared from a flock of bats. I never get tired of seeing that look of both amazement and horror.
"And you are?"
"None of your concern! Get out of my way!" He threw his hand out to cast an icy mist at us.
I stood firm where I was, but I saw Betty shield the girl with her own body. The vampire tried to use the mist as cover to make his approach.
He pulled my sword halfway from the scabbard before it disappeared from his touch. There it was again. Another delightful look of utter confusion on my enemy's face.
"Who are you?" I ask again.
His eyes darted to Betty. He'll know we're vampires, but is likely suspicious why we're interfering in his kill. "My name is Lord Movarth… I hold claim over this town and its people… That girl belongs to me… I Will take my vengeance"
"oh?" I crossed my arms. It amused me that a vampire would seek revenge on a literal child.
As Betty helped the girl stand and brushed some of the frost from her, I stood and listened to what this stranger had to say.
"My wife, Alva wanted a child… you know how women are…" Behind, I could sense Betty hiding the girl behind herself. "That girl there caught her fancy, so Alva enthralled her father just so they could get friendly"
The girl's disbelief was matched only by the fear in her voice. Even after all that's happened she had no idea.
As the vampire continued to explain his reasons, I gathered that the knight of the Vigilant was actually the girl's uncle, who after hearing how his brother in law become infatuated on sight with another woman, grew suspicious and came to investigate with some fellow knights.
But clearly, the vampire wasn't alone. And this one must have caught them by surprise by the looks of it.
"If you want revenge, You got it!" Betty pointed to the girl's dead uncle.
"Betty" I say without taking my eyes off the vampire. "that's enough"
"But she had nothing to do with it-!"
"That's Enough! I said" I barked at her. Questioning me at home is one thing, but not when we're among others, especially vampires.
Normally she tries to stone face her way through scoldings, pretending she doesn't care and hiding any feeling of upset. But as she pulled the shaking girl ever closer into her protection, there was a definite look of defiance in those eyes.
She will not let the vampire kill her.
"Look at her… This is why child vampires are forbidden" The vampire chuckled.
"Forbidden by whom… you?" He seemed to resent the fact that I thought so little of that notion. "If you think I care about your laws then…"
"Not my laws sir… The ones who granted me lordship over this land. The Volkihar family. If they found out what you've done, you'll be torn apart"
"I see" I looked back at Betty. Since the day I took her in, the time between tasks grew far less relaxing and became so much more work. Being a vampire has in many ways made her more a handful.
Now here she is. Talking back to me, making herself obvious, and now I learn that making her a vampire will cause me to be hunted by these, Volkihar clansmen.
"Although…" I moved my hand to the vampire's head.
He flinched while taking a step back, and casted a ward spell to protect himself from hostile spells. A fair assumption to be sure, but wards are useless against steel.
He crocked after my sword materialised both in my hand and his neck.
"If I kill the messenger…" In one motion, I tear my sword from his flesh and slide it back in at my side. "And burn the body…" With my left hand, I cast a small fire spell now that the ward was gone. "Who's going to tell Clan Volkihar?"
I watched the body turn black with ash sizzling in the snow. "Babette. Come here please"
I heard the snow crunch as footsteps came beside me. Even with my eyes locked on the fire, I saw her come into view just at my right hand.
"When I'm talking to a vampire… you, say, Nothing. Is that clear?"
Her head lowered. "sorry…"
"And you" I look up to the other girl. She was kneeling in the snow, hands on her mother's frost-covered back. Hearing my voice brought her frightful life to those frightened green eyes. "What is your name?" I ask.
The girl looked to Betty, who wouldn't speak, but rather stood silently at my side.
"I'm… h-Hel-lg-gi…" Her teeth chattered at the mere opening of her mouth. The girl was freezing.
"You'll die if you stay here Helgi" I say as I step forward. "Come with us"
She was refusing. I'm just another vampire to her. But Betty, she was able to convince her to follow.
Tensions were high before, but now that things had calmed down, Betty was eyeing the mother. The scent of the woman's blood lingered in the air.
"Betty"
She wakes from her almost trance like stare at the sound of my voice, and as Betty lead the girl away across the snow, I cast more fire spells on the reminding bodies.
Since I've always intended for Betty to remain good, I've made effort to keep her fangs from human flesh.
Sort of a family joke in a way, human blood is much like beer or wine. She may watch her father drink it, but must refrain herself, however tempting it may be.
At the wagon, I removed my outer robe to wrap around Helgi for warmth while Betty gathered some snow in a bucket. After getting me to melt the snow with fire magic, she then got Helgi to open the robes I gave her and placed the half-full bucket of warm water on her lap before shutting the back robs over to lock in the heat. "Tell me if you get cold again"
"tha-thanK-k y-you"
I watched the girls from upfront while the horse pulled us down the road.
After assuring Helgi won't die while we're not looking, Betty jumped up front next to me. "what are we going to do with her?" She murmured to me.
"we'll bring her before the Jarl of Morthal. If no one will take her, then we'll take her to the nearest inn outside of town. see if anyone needs a hand in their farms and if not, we'll take her home till travelling Skyrim is easier. then, if all else fails. we'll take her to Honour-hall Orphanage"
"oh…" Betty's disappointment was pouring from her as she looked back at the girl again. "Helgi… Do you know how to cook?"
"huh?"
"Betty…" I groaned.
"no…" Helgi answered.
"Sow or stitch? what about reading?"
I reached over and pulled Betty by the shoulder to face forward. She just smiled at me as Helgi answered the questions in negative. "We're not doing this" I told her.
"I don't know what you're talking about papa" She said with a grin. "No one wants a useless little girl. If you want rid of her, you're going to have to Teach her"
"They can teach her themselves!"
Now.
"Durnehviir!" Almost as loud as an actual dragon shout, my voice carried throughout the colosseum as I walked through the tunnel towards the fighting pen.
"Qahnaarin"
I spun around.
Durnehviir rose from the stands above the entrance. His long neck arched over while he crawled off from the wall to speak with me. His every step cashed the ground to tremble, every movement of his wings caused dust to blow.
"You've not summoned me" His voice, deep and demanding, but also irritable. He was annoyed at having to wait so long.
"There's been a complication. I've lost the power to use the thu'um. Somehow, I am unable to absorb dragon souls"
He nodded his head like he was expecting this. "Alduin's command reaches even this place. He searches for Dovahkiin Miraak"
When I first encountered Alduin, I was just one among dozens of people in Helgen. Last time we met, he left a resurrected dragon to kill me. I guess he's realised I still live.
"Let him find me" My only hope is he does not attack us at sea. If we stand on a wooden ship when a dragon attacks, we'll surely perish in the blaze.
"Nid, Qahnaarin. Mu Haalvut aan lot qalos ahst fin fus"
"What are you saying? I don't speak dragon"
"I apologise. We expect Dragonborn to know the words"
I couldn't tell, but that sounded like deliberate backchat. His tone was condescending, even for a dragon.
"Alduin is not in the land you call Skyrim. The devourer is searching for Miraak"
Again with the dragon speak. "What is Miraak?" I ask with a slight dip in patience.
"Miraak, served as a Sonaak, a Dragon Priest, during of our reign over Nirn"
When Durnehviir first mentioned Miraak, he said 'Dovahkiin' like a title.
"Miraak is Dragonborn…" I realised. "and he lives after all this time?"
I can't judge. Nor do I care. If there's another Dragonborn out there, best of luck to him. Maybe once the two meet, he'll slay Alduin instead of me…
I reached for my pouch. Inside was the dragon bone handed to me by Robin, the thing meant to identify me.
"Where is Miraak?"
"I can show you…" Durnehviir crawled away from the surrounding walls towards the centre of the fighting pit. Once in an area spacious enough, his wings flapped once before being pulled in as he knelt contently in the sand. "Meditate with me, Qahnaarin"
"Had I known you were going to make me do that, I'd have stayed at Monahven"
Durnehviir's huge head cocked slightly. I do know a few dragon words, and given its importance to Dragon history, 'Throat of the world' was one of the first things I had to read up on. The tale of how three warriors defeated Alduin so long ago. But little is known as to how that did it, only that it was the end of dragon tyranny.
"Hahdrim Koraav Ofan!" A mighty voice boomed over me after I'd settled in the sand.
Although I felt no pain, I felt something. Like how one 'feels' a memory. It left me dizzy, nothing more.
"You must relax" Ironic that the dragon, the creature making me so tense, is the one telling me to relax.
Never the less. I squared my shoulders, sat straight, and let my breath leave calmly. Any second he'll shout. I must expect it, but not let it intrude on me.
"Rii Vaaz Zol"
I felt nothing more than a wisp of wind blow past me. Nothing was shown as he promised. Perhaps it failed. Perhaps I'm not relaxed enough. Or perhaps, just as I'm inadequate as Dragonborn, he's inadequate as a dragon.
The thought made me chuckle.
"Father!"
I opened my eyes. Helgi was running towards me, but she was still just a ghost.
Is this a vision?
"You're back" Helgi held onto me, and my arms closed in on her too.
As I looked up, the brooding dragon was still watching me. "why?" I asked.
"You were not relaxed" His voice boomed, startling Helgi. "Wake me, when you are ready to try again" With that, Durnehviir's neck pulled in under his wing.
After a moment passed, Helgi let go of me and began taking small steps towards the massive dragon. Curious to the point of recklessness.
"leave him alone, Helgi" I take her hand and lead her out of the arena.
In the wastelands of the Soul Cairn, Helgi was faced with hoards of the undead. Ghosts like her, but also walking skeletons, as well as floating wisps.
"This isn't Sovngarde, is it?"
"No. This is where trapped souls end up… I'm sorry"
"How did I get here?"
"Do you remember the day you died?" How often does someone get to ask that?
"Bad people came to the house… Betty killed them, but I died first"
I looked down at her. She was confused, trying to put it together in her head. Is that really what she thinks?
"no… I wouldn't remember if… Did I die after the fight?"
"Helgi. You were injured from the battle. some broken glass… nothing that couldn't heal on its own" I knelt down to take her arm. From her wrist to the elbow on her right side, she was dotted and lined with small scars. "Betty was hurt too, but when she treated your injuries, you got infected form her"
"sangquare vamprus" She muttered.
"…sanguinare vampiris" I corrected. "You said your head felt hot, told me the sun hurt your eyes… and then I handed you a silver coin" It didn't hurt her like a true vampire would have been, but silver shouldn't hurt at all. "do you remember?"
"you gave me a drink"
I nodded. The poison dulled her senses, made it easy for a painless death. "Helgi, if Sovngarde is a real place. I'll see to it that you get there. I promise"
Her head spun to me. Horror in her eyes. "how can you say that?"
My mind flooded. I didn't mean to scare her, if she's changed her mind, I'll help her settle in the college. Mirabelle and the other lecturers are fine with me being a vampire, they'll just have to keep the interrogation to less than an irritation when they meet Helgi, as no doubt they'll want to know about her personal experience going from death to the gem, to entering this place. Even her quick encounter with a daedra will have some interest to them I bet.
But none of this was the case, as it turns out.
"of Course Sovngarde is a Real Place!" She told me. "Talos and the other heroes are waiting in the Hall of Valour, drinking mead and fighting in contests of strength!" She held her fist out to me, I noticed soon that her hand was hollow, in that she was pretending to triumphantly hold a sword. "Someday, father, I will join them"
"I know you will" I cup my hand over hers' and gently take her along with me as we continue our walk.
"When I do, will I get see you and Betty again?"
How is it, that words spoken form a child can make me feel colder than I already am. "Helgi…" Vampires get one afterlife.
Just One. And we spend it with Molag Bal, for all eternity. As father of our kind, he alone holds dominion over us.
It was selfishness and weakness that had me condemn Betty to Oblivion. Fooling myself into saying it was her choice, is just a way of coping, for I alone took an innocent girl and gifted her soul to Molag Bal rather than let her die clean and pure.
"father?" Helgi looked up at me. But I could only smile weakly at her.
Letting her die and even inadvertently trapping her, ultimately saved her soul from the alternative. This place is only a mere diversion. Because she'll dine with champions, and hopefully, in time… she'll forget about us and be happy when I deliver her to her final resting place.
"Hahdrim Koraav Ofan!"
Before I could even think, the wind blew over me. My vision blanked out. I felt as though I was falling.
But no. I was flying.
Across the water, I could see a tall volcano on the horizon, pluming thick smoke into the sky. Below me was an island. As I looked down, I felt myself drop.
The ground came closer and closer until a final flap of dragon wings stopped me just before landing. A thunderous roar rang in my head as two, then three more dragons landed along with me.
Standing before us was a man in long robes. He spoke loudly, with so much Authority it was like the dragons were listening to him, but he was speaking in dragon so I could not understand him.
In his had was a staff that he used to call us forward to attack the temple behind him.
At once, the dragons unleashed their thu'um. The walls shook, stonework crumbled. The ground itself trembled.
With a gust from the wings, I was carried up. Taken to a higher place where I could see the robbed man from before, using power cast from his staff to do battle with another.
"Your treachery will be severely punished, Miraak!" Called the attacker as I and the other dragons watched the battle.
"Wrong. My power is ever growing. Fus Ro DAH!"
The robbed man was blown towards the back wall, but he never collided. His body shone with a glow, and he floated towards the centre of the hall below us. "Your temple, your followers... Everything you are, will be destroyed! Pah Nos!"
On those words, the Dragons leapt from their perches and set about destroying the temple while the two dragon priests continued to duel.
The flying priest was able to evade the falling columns while keeping up the pressure on Miraak.
It was Hard fought, both adept in magic and the Thu'um. It was like watching a storm, localised entirely within these walls of this temple.
"Krii Lun Aus!" Called the dragon from whom I was watching this the battle.
As Miraak succumbs to the thu'um, his opponent, the one leading the charge on the temple approached him.
"I would kill you myself, but Alduin has charged me to keep you prisoner, until he returns from Monahven. Qiilaan Gron!"
The dragon priest clutched his hand tightly, Mirrak fell to his knees. From what I observed, Miraak was unable to resist. Like a puppet, he was lead out of the temple as it crashed in behind him.
I've seen this temple before. The ruins at least.
I know this place.
"Father?"
My vision blackened, but when I opened my eyes I saw Helgi's pale face staring down at me. As she leaned back to let me up, I saw Durnehviir staring down at me too.
"I have a few choice words for you, Dragon…" I glance to Helgi for a moment. Bringing Helgi to me, pretending to nap. Was all part of the plan to show me what he had to. "What was that?"
"I shared my memories with you. Do you know where that place is?"
"I saw an island northeast of Skyrim. If Miraak is still there after all this time, I'm not certain"
Helgi asked what the place looked like, so I looked around the Soul Cairn.
"Solstheim… is a lot like this, only murky and brown" Despite the cold, the air is dry. The suit from the distant volcano mixed with the sand makes a ground that tries to pull you ankle-deep with every step.
As for the people of Solstheim. "Ghosts are just as optimistic about life here, as the people are on the forsaken island" As much as it pained me to have to go back there, I had to know something from this Miraak person.
Have we been wrong this whole time?
"I believe Miraak's return may be part of your inability to absorb souls" Durnehviir Boomed. "Unfortunate, for I still desire Freedom form this cursed place"
"Then tell me what I must do? Why can I not absorb souls?" I had a thought. Soul Trap. Could that work? Even in this place? "Helgi step back for a moment" I removed every soul gem I had in possession before turning to Durnehviir.
No soul gem. Just me.
I reached my hand and cast the spell to absorb souls.
"What is your plan, Qahnaarin?"
"If I absorb you, could I use your power to call you forth?"
In an instant, Durnehviir shouted to Helgi, absorbing her soul within himself. I reached for my sword, ready to slay him. "You must be sure of this plan, Qahnaarin. If you cannot free me, your offspring will be lost too"
I can't blame him for wanting me to feel some in this experiment. To be honest, I'm not sure of anything.
Can I absorb him? I don't know. Can I walk out of here with his soul without it being released back into the cairn? I don't know.
But Valerica told Robin that her soul was altered just by being here, and as such, will not be affected by the portal upon exit with her body.
I will be that body for Durnehviir and Helgi.
With a deep breath, I reached out towards the dragon. He looked at my hand, then back at me. "Afraid?" I ask with a smirk.
"Qahnaarin is vanquisher in your tongue. I am afraid" His head moved forward and on contact with me, his body broke into wisps of light that all at once pulled into me.
This was what I felt the first time. The power of a Dovah. "fus, Ro DAH!" My voice boomed loud across the void. "Dur neh viir!"
In a blind of light, the dragon appeared before me. His wings flapped wildly, his roar was as loud, and as I imagined, he was frantically searching for danger. Who wouldn't after just being absorbed.
"My eleven-year-old daughter reacts to summoning better than you, Dragon"
Durnehviir turned to me. For a dragon, he really looked amazed that it worked.
"Soul trap calls you in, and your name brings you out" I looked around. So many spirits, undead warriors of old. Still in armour, still with their weapons.
"Who else wants to leave?"
Robin: Ah, a new bar set for filler chapters.
Author: Shut the f- Why are you even Here?
Robin: Because I embody reality. And if left unchecked, You might actually start to think you're a Good writer ;P
Author: *logged off to fill a bath with tears*
Robin: Now that's just pathetic.