Chapter 5: Echoes of War
Serana was most fortunate to be more than a fly on the wall. She smiled at Éclair's and Ashes' antics as the drunken women barrelled into their room, laughing at nothing. The Breton had fallen over her chosen bed in seconds. Ashes, for whatever reason, began to stretch her hips and her groin by squatting weirdly. Serana quietly closed the door and mused where she was supposed to go for the night so that the two could sleep this off in peace. Sleep that didn't seem like it'd be happening any time soon.
"You haven't changed a bit, Éclair. Still a lightweight as ever," Ashes teased. "You need to pack on more weight if you want keep up with me, since you've stopped growing taller the moment you were born."
"T'would be a shame if someone were to fry off that mouth of yours, you brute," Éclair shot back playfully. "It's unbecoming of a lady to drown herself in her tankard like you."
Serana shook her head and chuckled under her breath. She stole one of Éclair's books and made herself comfortable on the chair in the corner, supervising the mortals as if they were children. For the longest time, the vampire had managed to get by without being prodded by either of them, but when Ashes turned in her direction for the next stretch, Serana knew she was getting by on borrowed time with the mischief that ignited in those clouded amber eyes. A new target to tease. The vampire didn't know how she felt about that. To be happy would be masochistic of her, but this was better than the silence she was accustomed to before.
"Don't think about starting with me if you know what's good for you," Serana idly commented while she opened her book.
She lifted it to block her eyes, but lowered it slightly whenever she stole glances over the spine every now and then. Ashes didn't say anything, but she wore a smug grin the entire time she nonchalantly stretched her hips. What in the world was she even doing that for? It's like she was preparing for battle instead of bed.
"Aren't you a Nord?" Ashes asked, out of the blue.
Serana lowered her book with a confused look. Éclair came up on her elbow and twisted to look over at them. The vampire nodded warily, unsure of where this was going.
"A Nord never shies away from a challenge," Ashes' grin grew. "But you didn't even bother keeping up with us. Should I get you some milk, milk-drinker?"
Oblivion, take her. Serana had grown weary of these age-old insults long ago. Why couldn't have this been lost to time? That it survived over four thousand years was not promising that it would die out any time soon.
"Careful," Éclair warned while she flopped back on her bed, her giggles muffled in the pillow. "She'll drink your blood if you keep this up. I wouldn't mess with her."
That stung a little, but Serana pushed it aside. Odd as it was, she wanted to be 'messed' with. She didn't want her being a vampire to alienate her even more than she already was. At least she didn't feel any malicious intent backing those words and smirked at Ashes when the fire mage seemed to have some sort of realization and surprise dawning on her at that.
"Wise words." Serana returned to her book. "It's a relief one of you still has her wit."
"I have wit!" Ashes blurted. "I have lots of wit!"
Gods, she was so predictable. A typical Nord through and through. It was like taking a sweetroll from a baby.
Éclair laughed and shared a knowing look with Serana, who hid her smile behind her book. She nonchalantly leafed through the pages and pretended to read while the fire mage pranced about, trying to think of concrete and coherent examples of times she had displayed wit. Every single one of them had something to do with battle. She may have thought well on her feet, but with her wildly thrashing about with her energy like she had with the dragon, it came as no surprise that she had eventually won against her enemies.
Ashes blazed like a wildfire that seemed like it had no end in sight, and before long, Éclair had snored softly in her pillow. That she could sleep in this ruckus was nothing short of talent. Serana would spare a nod and make some eye contact every now and then to keep adding fuel to the fire, amused that the fire mage continued to take the bait. Ashes got down on the floor, feet pressed together as her knees fell apart in a butterfly stretch. Serana gave up on trying to figure out the reasoning behind a drunk woman's antics. She wondered what it was like to let loose and let the hair down like that, but she didn't trust herself in an intoxicated state when she was hungry.
"Serana?"
The vampire looked down between her arms and book, where Ashes casually rested her head at Serana's feet, looking upside down.
"What are you doing?" Serana chuckled. "I don't think I'm meant to understand you."
Ashes grinned. It wasn't mischievous or full of life like all the other ones she usually made, but it was warming and calming as if she was just happy to get the reaction she was getting. The fire mage hooked her hands on Serana's ankles, for whatever reason, and it didn't really come as a true shocker when Ashes pressed her legs together and lifted them straight up, then slowly lowered them down, and got in a few more reps of her random workout. Serana grimaced at the heat that seeped through the fabric of her pants and tried to move her ankles to try and pass a friendly hint. It was like shaking a dog off it's bite.
"Quit moving," Ashes grumbled. "Just a few more and I'll be done."
"At least cool your hands down a little," Serana grumbled back. "They're burning me."
They both shared annoyed looks with each other. Serana was pretty sure she was in the right here and was perfectly justified to be irritated with being used for a workout, which still came as no surprise. She hadn't known Ashes for long but from what she had seen, the woman was so typical and predictable. It was like stating fire was hot. It was obvious. What if she was being obvious on purpose, to hide something? Serana thought about that for a moment. It didn't take her long to reach a conclusion.
No.
Ashes hiding something was the equivalent of trying to hide a fire in the night. It was still glaringly obvious. The fire mage hadn't held herself back, and whatever orders Éclair had given her, had even made Ashes skeptical over what seemed to be some sort of infiltration mission. Serana smiled to herself as she envisioned sooty columns in the sky and buildings burning down in flames. Very sneaky.
"What are you smiling for?" Ashes grunted in between reps.
Serana quickly wiped it off. "I'm not. You're upside down so it just looks like one to you."
The vampire cursed herself. She tried to rest the book on her lap instead but Ashes just craned her neck out to the side with an indignant look.
"This is another example where I have wit," Ashes boasted. "And I can hold my alcohol. I'm not stupid. Why were you smiling?"
"I read something funny in the book," Serana blurted.
She kept her eyes fixed on said book, and she could just feel the amber ones all over her.
"Amongst the Draugr," Ashes read the title in a bored tone.
Serana winced.
"Mm-hm. Sounds like it would be filled with a lot of funny content. Your stomach must be aching from trying not to laugh," the fire mage continued dryly.
Ashes finally let go of the vampire's ankles and sat up, eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Is it really so hard to say why you're smiling? Or should I be concerned that you're smiling because you're waiting for me to fall asleep so that you can drain me and Éclair?"
Serana's gaze snapped up in a flash of anger. "I wouldn't do that."
"How am I supposed to know and trust that, when you can't even tell me why you're smiling?"
"Because it's my business and I see no reason to-"
"Mara's breath," Éclair groaned, muffled in the pillow. Her blonde hair whipped up in a fury, sticking in amusing angles. She shot both of them a dirty look. "Might you two be so kind as to cease this bickering? We have a long day tomorrow."
"But-" Ashes started.
Éclair jabbed a finger in her direction. "No. She's right, first of all. And second of all, she was probably smiling because of you being ridiculous. Which you are."
"Am not!"
"Third of all, if you two have been travelling alone all this time, she would have drained you long ago if those were her intentions."
"Thank you," Serana groaned with relief.
Finally, someone that was on her side and not treating her like a monster.
"If you want to prove you have wit then start using it," Éclair finished harshly.
Something in the atmosphere changed, and the room boiled hot within seconds. It starved oxygen out and Serana choked trying to breathe. She thought it was cold for the Breton to lay it down so thick on a friend, but at least Ashes stopped with the accusations. The fire mage scoffed, and then the heat suddenly died when she bowed her head. She crossed her legs and mumbled.
"Sorry, Serana. I let my temper and trust get the better of me again."
Serana still didn't know what to make of this, and the dynamics of the duo were thrown out of sorts. She expected Ashes to blow up, not be like this. Perhaps Éclair was her superior officer in this Empire of theirs? The Breton's head made a noise when it roughly thudded on the straw pillow again, and the sheets were pulled up.
"Sorry for waking you, Éclair," Ashes murmured.
"Just..." Éclair sucked in a deep breath, then sighed. "Go to sleep already. We both have a lot of work ahead of us, and for the love of Mara, stop antagonizing Serana."
"Right." Ashes rose and, surprisingly submissive, crawled into bed without taking the pieces of her armour off. "Sorry again, Serana."
"It's fine, no need to apologize," the vampire heard herself say.
Why was the Breton on her side? The motives haven't made themselves clear. From the very start, she was friendly to Serana, and had stated she trusted the fire mage's judgment. Yet, even with Ashes tumbling in an argument, Éclair chose the vampire's side. It was nice that there was maturity and honesty, but there was a lingering instinct that whispered of an ulterior motive. Maybe the Breton was just buttering up to squeeze more history out of Serana.
She wouldn't get any answers, but all the snores. Serana sighed and kept to the books for the rest of the night.
Éclair quietly geared up when she woke. Serana offered a small smile when their eyes met, then invested herself in her book. The Breton pulled out small pieces of armour out from under her bed and strapped herself in them with practised speed, careful not to make too much noise. The way she stole many looks at Ashes seemed to be it was all for the fire mage's sake.
Minutes later, Éclair donned the robe to hide her armour. She tied her hair back in a ponytail and then went over to Ashes, gently shaking her awake. When the fire mage stirred, Éclair headed for the door.
"I'll go get Damian so we can split up our supplies. Start looking at what you think you'll need."
Damian? There was another person in this party? It explained the supplies, but Serana never noticed anyone watching them in the tavern, apart from the drunken leers.
"I don't need anything," Ashes muffled sleepily in her pillow. "I promise I'll be fine."
"Am-" Éclair stopped herself, a quick look cast the vampire's way.
Serana pretended not to see it with her eyes glued to her book.
"Ashes," the Breton conceded with a sigh. "Just take a bedroll, at least."
The fire mage groaned and twisted to look at her friend. "What are you or Dame going to sleep on, then?"
"We'll be issued another one once we report back in Solitude. Now stop arguing and get up."
"Ugh, such a taskmasker. You're a soldier through and through." The sarcastic tone was plain as day. "A real shining example for us all."
"T'would do you well to at least try to impersonate that example. I have no idea how you even made it through basic training camp with your blasé attitude."
"I don't know either. Don't remind me of that nightmare..."
Ashes groaned into her pillow. Éclair waited, sharing a quick small smile with Serana, when the fire mage tilted her head with all the subtlety she did not have to peek over with one eye. Ashes groaned even louder and shot up into sitting, her hair an utter mess with strands either pressed down flat or wavier than before. The fire mage sprung up into standing, fixed her sandals, and combed through the supplies in the room. As soon as Éclair left, Ashes dove back into bed.
Serana chuckled. "You're asking for trouble."
Ashes' head popped up with a daredevil smirk. "We'll be fine."
It was 'we' now, was it? They both better be fine.
"Éclair's just hungover and gets even fussier than what she's usually like. She won't pick on you, because she needs to be on your good side to milk you for more history."
The vampire shrugged. It wasn't her battle to fight. She just wanted to get going already. There were a few soft knocks on the door before Éclair invited herself in, and Serana caught glimpse of a man behind her before the door shut. The Breton crossed her arms and all Ashes did was grin.
"What? Problem?"
Éclair looked pleadingly at the vampire. "Would you mind if you took a bedroll with you?"
"Not at all," Serana laughed softly.
She had no intention of sharing that bedroll if Ashes ever asked. Let her hard head sleep where it belonged on the hard ground.
Éclair nodded and hoisted some supplies over to the bed to split it into different piles. She spoke over her shoulder without looking. "Pouvez-vous venir ici s'il vous plaît, Damian?"
What language was that?
The door opened and the man's sharp eyes landed on Serana first. He said nor did nothing, not a smile or a bob of the head as a greeting, stone-faced with the thousand-yard stare of a veteran soldier. He was formal and decisive in his movements, who worked in sync with Éclair as the Breton packed the supplies in their sacks for him to carry. Éclair smirked, and though Serana had no clue what was being said, the commanding tone made it obvious what was being talked about when she glanced over at the fire mage with Damian.
"La sortir du lit."
"I saw that look, I know you're asking him to do something to me!" Ashes threw the sheets over her head. "You'll never take me alive."
Ashes was obstinate as ever, up until Damian had gone over and swiped the sheets off of her. She laughed and turned, her feet up against his stomach to stop him from leaning over to grab her wrists. He shrugged and grabbed her ankles to drag her out of bed. Serana chuckled at the rambunctious display and wondered just how old the fire mage even was for her to be this energetic. The roots and years of their friendship began to show when even Damian cracked the subtlest smile as he wrestled Ashes off, with Éclair standing on the side with her hands on hips, shaking her head.
"We don't have time for this," Éclair sighed, but there was a smile in her voice. "General Tullius is expecting my report with all due haste, and you have your own mission."
At that, Ashes stopped play-fighting and had a grave look. It was hard to take her seriously when her legs were up in the air while the other half of her body was slumped on the ground. Her sash fell down on her face. Damian closed his eyes, but he seemed to have learned through past experiences that it would be unwise to relinquish his hold on the fire mage, even now.
"I have to help Serana get home first though, Éclair. I promised her."
Éclair arched a brow in the vampire's direction, who shrugged with her answer.
"I'm not really in any rush, and I'll be fine on my own. If your mission takes priority-"
"It doesn't," Ashes blurted.
"It does," Éclair corrected. Her sharp gaze settled on Serana. "Pardon my poor manners, but you will have to fend on your own. Her objective is of utmost importance."
If only she knew what was at stake, with the Elder Scroll on Serana's back. Why was it being ignored? Was Éclair just biding time and trust until she felt she could squeeze the truth out of the vampire?
Ashes blew the sash out of her face and frowned. She wiggled her ankles in Damian's hands and it seemed to be the signal the fight was over. He dropped her legs without care and she didn't seem to mind, bouncing up on her feet.
"Don't be rude, Éclair. To say hers is not as important isn't fair. And who are we to judge what is or isn't important? The Empire waited until you got this message to me, and the Empire can continue to wait until I complete my own duties first. I'm not a hound ready to bark on command."
"Your duty is to serve and protect Skyrim, and that doesn't change whether it's through the Empire or through the Blades. Serana is the one who is able to wait. This can't."
"How do you know if she can-"
"Because she just said she's not in a rush to go home," Éclair snapped impatiently. "You've always been big on keeping your word, yet now you're running from your sworn oath."
"I'm not running! I gave Serana my word first."
The women crossed their arms and the boiling atmosphere became electric. Damian silently excused himself as he took the sacks of supplies. Serana didn't know whether to follow or not, but she was, in a small way, involved in this. The vampire wondered how these two have survived the other with their tendency for their tempers to rise off one another as soon as they butted heads, but it was high time to be the cool head and sound reason. She set her book aside and cleared her throat with a cough to earn their attention.
"I can help," she offered. "It's the least I can do as my thanks for freeing me from the crypt, and helping me return home."
Though Éclair's eyes may have been hard to read, that split-second of suspicion hadn't gone unnoticed. Ashes just looked defeated. Her head hung and she waved her arms uselessly in surrender.
"Fine, I'll do it."
"It's not an optional duty," Éclair started.
Serana interrupted quickly. "I think we should get moving now. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we'll have a report."
Not that she cared for such a thing, truly, but something in her compelled her to help pull Ashes out of this mess. The fire mage still acted all mopey and had even gone so far as to take the travelling sack with their bedroll strapped to it. Éclair's surprised look and swift anger soon melted away into sympathy, and she laid a hesitant hand on Ashes' shoulder.
"Je suis désolé, mon amie. I am not thrilled about it either, but it must be done. Damian and I will travel ahead to avoid any spies that might be watching us. Be safe."
Éclair rose up on her toes to reach the fire mage's cheek, and gave a chaste kiss. Ashes' shoulders hiked up in tension and she sighed. She twisted and awkwardly embraced the Breton in a side-hug.
"Talos watch over you, Éclair."
"And you as well."
Éclair gave a nod towards Serana, who reciprocated. The Breton packed the books in her sack and left the room. Ashes heaved a long breath as she sat on the bed.
"Thanks for helping me get away from another lecture," she mumbled. "Éclair sure loves them..."
The fire mage wiped her hands up and down her face as if to try and rub the exhaustion and sombreness out.
"I hate war. I wish I never signed up for it."
"War is hell," Serana agreed quietly.
Ashes shook her head. "War isn't hell. War is war, and hell is hell. Of those two, war is worse. Who do you think goes to hell? Sinners, so there aren't any innocent bystanders in hell. War is full of them. Kids, cripples, the elderly, the carriage drivers and the messengers running missives just to make ends meet for their families. The innocent bystanders are the ones truly at war, in a fight to survive and not lose everything in the chaos. The soldiers just feel the echoes of it, in their minds, when it's over."
Serana wondered if Ashes was one such soldier, with how reluctant she was to follow through with whatever orders she had been given. The fire mage rose with a sigh and threaded a hand in her hair, shaking it to fix it before they embarked on their new journey and left the inn. Her energy had been sucked out of her, but at least she was still smiling and doing her weird thing with the vampire again, running away and coming back. She closed the distance a little more each time she came back though.
Maybe, just maybe, they were finally building the pieces of trust.
That loud and offensive brightness became as bleak as the dreary weather outside. Serana, for all she treasured being calm and reserved, liked the abrasiveness and their own little opposite dynamics of sorts. She hoped that one day they could be like any other friends in the tavern like how Ashes was last night with Éclair.
"Hey." Ashes nudged the vampire out of her thoughts. "I appreciate that you got me out of that bind with Éclair, but you don't actually have to do this with me, you know."
"It's fine. I meant it when I said it's my way of saying thanks for all that you've done for me, and continue to do."
The fire mage frowned. "You don't even know what you've volunteered for, how do you know we'll be alright? You don't owe the Empire anything."
"I'm not doing this for your Empire," Serana shrugged. "And I'm sure we'll be fine. Infiltration, was it?" She smirked proudly. "I happen to be pretty good at that."
For some reason, dread pooled in her stomach with the way Ashes grinned and chuckled to herself.
Ominous...
French translation
Pouvez-vous venir ici s'il vous plaît, Damian? - can you come in here please, Damian?
La sortir du lit - get her out of bed
Je suis désolé, mon amie - I am sorry, my friend
Author's Note
Thanks for all the followers and reviews! Did not expect to get it, hope my story will continue to be interesting even as torturous slow-burns are. I promise Ashes' name will be revealed in time. I will hint that the 'Am-' is just from Serana's perspective in terms of what she thinks from what she hears :)