The young man walked down the quiet streets of Whiterun, a pale light washing over the empty streets before him bringing with it an ominous wind. Hood pulled low, the young man made his way to the tavern, the old wooden steps creaking beneath his feet as he looked up at the sign swinging slightly in the wind.
Placing his hand gently upon the door, he presses against it to be met with a soft warm light which spills onto the street behind him. Stepping through into the building he looks around the busy tavern, filled with the sound of raucous laughter and the aroma of roasted pig. Pulling off the hood reveals the man's wavy brown hair and dark brown eyes as he makes his way to the bar, where he sets down his knapsack before sitting on an empty stool.
The bartender looks up to meet the young man's eyes giving him a warm, easy smile. "What can I do for ya? We've got some brandy and wine as well as some roast pork fresh off the fire or perhaps you're looking for lodging?
"I'm actually looking for information, a man that goes by the title of The Guardian of the Realm. I heard he's been seen around these parts lately."
The bartender seems to stiffen at the mention of the name, never letting his smile falter. "I've never heard of anyone by that name, you must be tired from your travels"
"Why does everyone give me that same response? It's getting tiring, will you help me or not? The young man says, his lips turning down into a scowl in his growing irritation grabbing the attention of some of the other patrons.
With a sigh, the young man pulls his hood back up over his head before standing up to grab his knapsack and makes his way to the door not meaning to start another incident like in the other taverns he had visited across Skyrim
"So, you're looking for him too then."
The young man freezes with his hand on the door hearing this sudden quiet voice coming from beside him, turning to the stranger seated in the corner of the room, a bottle of cyrodillic brandy in her hand. Her stunning, sapphire blue eyes met his as the corners of her lips turned up in a small smile.
The young man, seats himself across from the stranger after walking over to her table once again setting his knapsack down beside him "you've met him?" He asks almost incredulously
"I did, on a night much like this one when I was just a little girl" her voice was like a warm summer breeze, her long midnight hair tied back in a tight ponytail hanging mid way down her neck
. "Would you tell it to me?"
"I'd be happy to but first I need your name"
The young man eagerly extends his hand out to her, his cheeks blushing slightly. How could he have forgotten his manners? "My name is Velian Maydirrien, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The woman looked down at the hand in front of her, the calluses told her that he wasn't afraid of hard work and that he knew how to fight. The ink stains on his fingers told of his literary nature, extending her hand to take his hand in hers "it's a pleasure to meet you as well Velian, my name is Sariah Fillian."
Sariah releases Velian's hand to pick up her satchel from the floor beside her "we can't talk about this here" she says in a whisper before standing up and makes her way to the door, looking over her shoulder at him.
Velian quickly scrambles to his feet, hastily throwing his knapsack over his left shoulder as he walks over to Sariah. Pale light washes over them as the cold wind nips at their noses, drawing their cloaks tighter around them making their way to the entry gate and through. Heading down the path into the woods near Whiterun.
"So why can't we talk about it at the tavern?"
"Not everybody believes in what he does. While he does protect the innocent from the creatures of the night and other vile creatures. Sometimes, evil disguises itself in human form, hiding its true nature. And when people can't see it, that's when they call him a murderer."
The two of them continued on in silence for a while longer before coming upon a small cottage, its windows were dark and its walls were made of a dark wood making it nearly impossible to spot in the dark, a stone chimney peeked through the wooden roof. Sariah walked to the door before taking a key out of her pocket and slid it into the keyhole opening the door before stepping in.
As she entered, Sariah unclasped the cloak from around her neck and hung it on a peg next to the door, this was the first time Velian had gotten a good look at the woman in front of him. Her scarlet tunic hung loosely over her slim frame, the muscles in her arms were well toned he could tell she was used to hard work. Her black trousers seemed to fit snugly around her legs showing off muscles much like in her arms.
Sariah looks over her shoulder at him once again giving him a playful wink "what? Never seen a woman before?" She says with a small laugh before walking over to the fireplace, setting the logs in the pit before getting the fire started. "Might as well get comfortable, it's a long story."
She turns to face Velian as he unclasps his cloak revealing his brown tunic, green patches where he had mended holes. He looked to be of an average build, his toned muscles hidden beneath his shirt as well as his tan trousers. Velian made his way over to the table by the fire where Sariah soon joined him.
Sariah places a bowl of cold porridge in front of Velian, looking at him with apologetic eyes "I'm sorry it's cold but i didn't see you order anything at the tavern so i thought you might be hungry."
Velian shakes his head, meeting her blue eyes with gratitude "oh, no worries at all. After eating a diet of bread and dried meat a change in food is most welcome" he says as he begins to eat
"I suppose I should start now" she says with a half-smile, her eyes growing distant as she recalls the events of that horrible night.
A young girl looks out the back of her parents wagon as the two horses drawing it plod along the dirt path, they were traveling back home after a long trip into town so that her father could sell the produce they grew on the farm. Streaks of gold and crimson shot through the horizon, the thin clouds lazily floating through their blue sea
"Are we home yet?" The girl asks impatiently, her pigtails swaying gently in the cool evening breeze.
"Not too much longer pumpkin, we should be there shortly after nightfall."
The moon shed its pale light over the path in front of them, the girl opened her eyes sleepily having been roused by the sound of the horses whinnying and stomping their hooves on the ground in front of them, the father trying to calm them down while looking for what could be spooking the horses that bad and that's when they appeared.
The man whips at the horses sending them into a frenzy, the wagon rattling forward wildly sending the young girl in the back tumbling around against the sides causing her to scream out in pain as the midnight black hound bolts forward nipping at the legs of the horses. The hounds fangs sink deep into the leg of one of the horses sending it flailing to the ground, whinnying in pain
The girl awakes on the ground, breaths coming short and ragged with her body awash in pain. Looking around with excruciating slowness seeing the wagon in splinters, horses laying on the ground dead blood soaking into the ground beneath them. The two strangers stood in the middle of the road watching as the man knelt over the body of his wife, tears streaming down his cheeks as cries of anguish and pain tear from his throat. He rose to his feet in moments, turning towards his attackers, falling swiftly to a swipe of the blade from the male attacker.
The girl felt the hot sting of tears welling up in her eyes, feebly struggling to rise to her feet before collapsing back to the ground. "Mama! Papa!" She cried, her voice a hoarse whisper.
The man turns to his daughter looking at her with eyes filled with tears, mouthing three words to her before succumbing to his wounds "I love you"
The male vampire let out a hearty chuckle from deep in his throat "such sweet sorrow, like music to my ears. What should we do with this one?" He turns to the female beside him as she begins to walk towards the child
"Well, there certainly are a lot of options before us. We could turn her, feed on her or we could simply send her to be with her parents. What do you think we should do? Alvirus?"
The woman turns to regard her male companion after he doesn't respond, turning her head back after seeing his eyes locked on something just past her. A figure strides down the road, the moon glinting off his armor and the pommel of the sword which hangs at his hip along with the round metal shield on his arm. His face covered with a full steel helm, his body clad in plates of overlapping metal, his armor giving off a faint arcane glow.
The hound bolts forwards towards the newcomer, its red eyes aglow with hunger. The man draws his sword, crouching down into a defensive position with his shield in front of him. Swinging the shield out as the hound reaches him, knocking it aside before swinging his sword in a long arc leaving a slash along its side. The hound lets out a yelp of pain followed by turning on him and leaps onto the man, its fangs unable to bite through the metal, the man raises his sword and plunges it into the creature's side delivering a fatal blow as the hound drops to the ground.
The man stands calmly in the middle of the road regarding the two vampires with a cool gaze, raising his left hand a bright light begins to grow in his palm, extending his hand to send a bolt of light flying into the male vampire. The vampire hisses in pain, feeling his skin burn under the light looking at the man with unchecked rage baring his fangs.
"Dawnguard!" Alvirus hisses through clenched teeth, his female companion placing a hand on his shoulder in restraint
"Alvirus stop, we haven't fed in a while and we weren't expecting anyone to show up. I think we should retreat for now."
Yes Eleina, you're right. This little thing is hardly worth this trouble." He said in a snarl as the two of them retreated back into the shadows of the forest.
The man sheaths his sword making his way to the wreckage over the two parents laying on the ground, kneeling beside their bodies and bows his head praying to the nine divines to guide them safely to the afterlife before standing back up and walking to the girl whimpering on the ground curled up against herself. He places his hands on her small frame, a soft light appearing in his palms sending a warmth spreading through her body as the light wraps around her taking away her wounds and her pain.
The girl lays there for a moment feeling the pain fall from her body, jumping to her feet and rushes to her parents pushing on them as tears stream down her face. "Mama Papa, wake up!" She cries as she pushes on them a few more times before collapsing on top of them.
The man strides over to the girl placing his hand softly upon her back rubbing it gently trying to offer her some kind of comfort before sliding his hands under her arms and picks her up to hold her against his chest "I'm sorry, I couldn't save them. It's not safe here, we have to go."
The girl struggles in his arms, her small frail limbs flailing around him smacking his shoulders and a couple hits landing on his helmet "Put me down! I have to go to them! They need my help!" she yells at him before helplessly slumping in his arms a new wave of tears pouring down her cheeks.
"I know, I know but you can't help them like this. The only way to help them now is to live, that's what your parents would want for you."
The man begins walking back in the direction he came, holding the small girl in his arms her cries dwindling down to silents sobs wrapping her arms around his neck as she clings to him, closing her eyes feeling his embrace becoming warm and somewhat comforting as she slowly drifts off into the peaceful oblivion of sleep.