A/N: Well, here's chapter four. It took me a little longer than I would have liked to come out with this one, but I do need to take serious breaks from this story. It's not good for my mental state to focus too much on it.

You have a warning for mentioned sexual assault.

Whispers of the Night

Summary: One year after Serana died and she left Astrid, Alana has left for Solstheim to be alone and never harm another innocent. Enemies new and old are rising, and it is never easy for one to free themselves from the shackles of their demons…

*Book 1: The Black Swordswoman Part 4*

Raven Rock was far more alive than it had been in recent weeks thanks to the discovery her and Saoron made in the depths of the mine last night, yet even though the dunmer colony was hopeful and cheerful, Alana couldn't bring herself to smile. The muscles in her mouth were simply unused to the action, and if they were familiar with it she wouldn't smile. She was little more than a dried bee husk.

Alana rubbed her eyes, completely exhausted and wincing at the jolts of pain that shot through her body. Even with her vampire powers, broken bones still took time to heal properly. It was pure agony to walk thanks to the demon bashing her knee in last night, and she tried to balance her weight on her good leg for the time being. It would be a few days before she could actually fight again.

She had hoped that a few hours of sleep would be enough for her to recover, but she was horribly wrong. The second she closed her eyes, she was thrust into a horrifying nightmare that made her quake. She was surrounded by dozens of hungry demons, all of them licking their lips at the sight of her. She was completely bare, and her arms weren't able to reach the zweihander in the distance before they closed in on her. At first, she thought they wanted to devour her like famished sabre cats. That would've been a mercy compared to what they did to her.

They wanted to make her scream. They fell on her the second she tried to run, and she was powerless to stop them from violating her over and over. She pleaded and begged for them to stop, and yet her cries were ignored. They used her like a common whore and when she thought it couldn't get worse, it did.

A twisted form of Serana appeared and laughed at her screams, encouraging them to use her more. She then looked down at the sobbing blonde with a sneer of contempt, fangs dripping with sickly red blood. "What, you thought I would help you? After everything you've done? You deserve to know the meaning of suffering."

She stood over her, ignoring Alana's screams as she was violated by the horde of demons. Alana wanted to die; she pleaded with them to just kill her, desperate for it to end. And they finally did, by tearing out her throat with fangs coated with filthy grime and saliva.

Only then did she wake up from the nightmare, drenched in a cold sweat and her throat dry from screaming. Every part of her body shook and she hugged herself tightly, letting her tears flow and wishing for the warm embrace that would never come.

She was still shaken by what she had seen, and the blonde slowly made her way over to Milore's farm for a few alchemy supplies to make a few potions for later tonight. The dunmer was hard at working mashing ingredients together in the tiny wooden bowl, part of her pink tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth.

Milore finished mixing her ingredients, and the harsh tangy odor of trauma root and red mountain flowers wafted up Alana's nostrils. It was strangely cleansing in a way, clearing out her senses and doing its best to banish the terrifying nightmare into the dark corners of her mind.

"Been busy today?" Alana asked, her voice little more than a soft murmur.

Milore nodded, letting the hood of her blue robes fall off her head. "It has, now that the mine is reopened. Lots of miners coming in asking for stamina potions. Damn fools are so eager to get back to work, they're forgetting they have limits. But how are you doing? Are your arms feeling any better?"

"They're fine, thank you." Alana brushed her hand against her right arm, feeling it tremble under her worn white shirt. The curse Mephala put on her to make her see herself as a walking nightmare was fitting; she did nothing but bring death and despair no matter where she went like a cursed harbinger, and it was only a matter of time before the people of Raven Rock suffered the fate so many already did.

'Don't pretend you're sad. We both know why you're trembling, and it's not from fear. It's the guilt we feel, the sins we committed.'

'You're not real, you're not real…'

'How cute. You think I'm some other entity. I'm you, Alana. I'm always here, whether you like it or not,' 'she' whispered internally. 'I can see everything. You try and fight on, but you want them to kill you. You crave death. It burns like a primal hunger in our heart, the guilt of our sins crushing you like a helpless little lamb waiting for slaughter.'

Alana felt her other self gnawing away at her mind, constantly threatening to take it over. She didn't have any will or desire to really fight back against it for it was right. Alana wanted to die; she felt she deserved it for what she had done. 'I do deserve it. I misused my powers to lie, cheat, and kill. Some savior I was. It was my destiny to save Skyrim, not ruin it.'

"I hope that netch jelly you got is enough," she said quietly.

"By Azura, it's more than enough!" Milore exclaimed, looking at the jars Alana collected in the night. "And to think that the Black Swordswoman would do something like that out of the kindness of her heart. She's guaranteed me a supply of netch jelly to last me a few months. I won't have to worry about getting ambushed by a pack of reavers or ash spawn."

The dark elf alchemist rubbed her red eyes wearily and yawned. "I just wish I could get a wink of sleep. Haven't had any except these constant nightmares. It's so strange."

"Nightmares?" Alana blinked. "What kind?"

"The most horrible things." Milore shuddered. "My husband transforming into some hideous monster with slimy tentacles for arms, a spiked tail longer than one of Glover's claymores and the most hateful purple eyes no person should ever have. It was like he was…some sort of demon."

'Demons. Nightmares. Tormenting the targets with their worst nightmares. It's Vaermina.' Alana's eyes began to glow hot and she seethed, her arm trembling. 'The bitch is making a claim on Raven Rock. I should've known, after I was attacked last night.'

'And to think, all of this was because you were such a fool to believe that Erandur would turn on you and killed him to claim the Skull of Corruption. How deliciously ironic. It's almost as if history is destined to repeat itself.'

She lowered her head, already feeling as though she failed again. It was happening once again. 'Dammit. It's happening, all over again. Oh gods, I never wanted this. None of it.'

'But you did it. You still committed those atrocities and had the gall to think you can atone for them. Stop lying to yourself and face it. You should perish. Maybe then, the people's nightmares will stop.'

The blonde turned away from Milore's farm with a quiet nod of farewell and let her feet carry her back to the cornerclub. Her newfound addiction was not easy to combat, and she found the urge to waste away under the influence of alcohol almost overpowering.

'Do it. You and I both know you want it. You crave the familiar burn, like a hunger.'

Alana felt a twinge of guilt at her outburst towards the bartender earlier, when she went in to grab a quick drink in an attempt to forget the horrible nightmare she had. She was sure he meant no harm, but hearing her name spoken to her in such a way brought up very painful memories. 'That day…you told me to live for the both of us.'

'It was easy to make that promise, Serana.'

She lowered her head and thought back on the last words Serana got to share before she was snatched away from her by her worst enemy. 'For the sake of those you love, be free.'

'Something I can never be. I'll never be free of them.' Her knee banged into a porcelain urn, and she bit her lip to prevent from crying out as her leg buckled. Her healing abilities were nowhere near as powerful as they once were; like most of her skills they had waned over the past year, and as a result they were taking longer to repair her torn muscles. She wouldn't be fit to fight for at least another day or so, but she had never let injuries stop her before.

'Maybe you'll get lucky and be killed like the murderous bitch you are.' Alana caught herself before she could fall, clutching the dusty old roped fence that surrounded Fethis' shop. She remembered she still had the East Empire pendant to sell to him, and she approached the dunmer merchant.

Fethis was busying tanning some leather on tanning rack outside his hut, and he glanced up as she approached. "Well, it's busier now that things are starting to look up. I guess I'll stay here for a little while longer."

Alana reached into the pocket of her pants and pulled out the amulet, letting its thin chain slip through her fingers like sand. "I heard you're looking for these pendants."

Fethis stopped what he was doing and looked at the amulet carefully. His red eyes widened when he realized what it was, and he nodded. "Yes. I'll pay you a good price for any you find. I think you'll find five hundred gold to be fair?"

Alana nodded quietly. It was similar pay she received doing jobs for the Thieves Guild when it was still together, though she didn't have to break into anyone's house or steal from a thane's coffers. 'No. I merely had to go through a Nordic ruin, fight a dragon priest, and nearly get killed by a demon.' There really was no such thing as easy gold in the world. Not without being born into royalty.

"I'd ask how you managed to get your hands on it, but even I understand some stories are better left untold." Fethis pocketed the East Empire pendant and handed her a hefty pile of gold. "Don't worry; every single septim is in there. I know better than to cross you."

Alana bit back a scoff. Suffering loss after loss thanks to Mephala's manipulation made her see a potential enemy no matter where her head turned, even if it they genuinely meant her no harm. 'You should be afraid. You won't say it, but you know that I'm a monster.'

'You wouldn't shed a single tear if I died. No one would.' The miserable blonde took the gold and headed down the dusty street to the cornerclub. She could hear angry snarls coming from within the club, and the Redoran Guard soldier posted outside muttered something irritably as he pushed the door open to let her in.

Alana headed down the worn steps and she saw the source of all the commotion. A pair of miners were busy yelling angry drunken insults at each other, and Alana rolled her eyes before taking a seat at one of the many tables. She snapped her fingers to get the bartender's attention, and he sighed before giving her a brief nod.

He picked up a bottle of whiskey and poured her a drink before carrying it over to her table. When he placed it in front of her, his red eyes were solemn. "My apologies for earlier. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Don't be. You didn't do anything wrong," Alana murmured, taking the drink and downing its contents. The burn of the liquid pouring down her throat was all too familiar to her now; she spent hours after hours of her time wasting away, her heart being crushed by guilt and pain. 'If anyone's in the wrong, it's me. I allowed this to happen. I couldn't save anyone. I'm not fit to help anyone, when I can't even care for myself.'

'You probably regret ever meeting me, don't you Serana? I came into your life and brought nothing but chaos. I'm sorry. I never deserved your loyalty or affections.' Alana stared blankly at the table, the gentle flickering of the candle's flame dancing in her golden eyes. A pair of tears rolled down her cheeks, and her head sunk.

'Astrid…I'm sorry. You shouldn't have fallen for me. I brought death and pain to your family. If I hadn't come your way…perhaps you'd still be happy.' The blonde blinked when a steaming hot cup of tea slid her way, and she looked up to see a familiar face sit down across from her. "Saoron…"

The Breton had a plate of roasted potatoes and a leg of goat roast, and he pushed some of it over to her. "Eat. I know you haven't been." Alana winced at the hidden rebuke in his words, another wave of guilt creeping up on her. He wasn't entirely wrong; Alana barely ate nowadays and only fed on blood when it was a necessity. She wouldn't starve to death thanks to her vampirism, but even she couldn't ignore the hunger that clawed away at her belly for too much longer.

Though her body was demanding she take it, part of her didn't want to. Her arms felt heavy as if they were made of stone, and looked at the hot meal in front of her with a blank look. 'Would you care at all if I died, or would you rejoice in it? I hope it's the latter, for what I did to you.'

Alana knew Saoron wasn't going to leave unless she actually ate something to help speed up her healing process, and with great reluctance she tucked in. However, the moment the first bite hit her tongue, she knew something was wrong. The food tasted like it had turned into a pile of ash, and her stomach churned horribly. 'What the!?'

"Alana!" Saoron pushed the plate aside as the blonde immediately began to choke, trying to hack it up.

'It's poisoned!' she realized, spittle dripping from her lips as she fell on all fours clutching at her throat. She could spot a small bit of a plant sticking out from the goat roast as the poison wreaked havoc on her weakened state. It was red and hidden by the tender crispy skin of the meat, but she could make out a few spines along its surface. 'Scathecraw!'

"Alana, focus on me," Saoron instructed, reaching in his alchemy pouch for an antidote. "Drink this, as quickly as you can." He unscrewed the cap and tossed it aside, holding it to her bluing lips as her throat slowly closed up from the poison. It became harder and harder to breathe with each passing second, and her vision began to darken as it took its toll on her.

Each breath of air was pure agony; pain coursed through her body and she let out a choked scream as the poison attacked her damaged limbs, eating away at the muscles and bones. Her body spasmed and sweat began to roll down her face, and she could feel Saoron's rough hands cupping her face and wiping her forehead. "Dammit, stay with me!"

Alana tried to focus, but her vision was nothing more than a hazy blur and she felt her mouth open. The taste of ground up hawk feathers and mudcrab chitin hit her tongue and the blonde's throat slowly began to open back up once the antidote started to make its way through her system. The pain though didn't go away and soon she found herself panting heavily with exhaustion, struggling to keep conscious.

She could see the outline of Saoron's face and a trembling hand went out to touch him, but her exhaustion got the better of her and she let her head hit the floor.

Saoron put his hand on Alana's throat, feeling her pulse to make sure she was still alive. Her breathing was weak but steady. She'd live, but right now the Breton felt a surge of furious protectiveness as he picked her up in his muscular arms. Someone wanted her dead and came very close to succeeding. 'Someone sabotaged the kitchens. Geldis wouldn't stab me in the back like that.'

Saoron hefted the unconscious blonde over his shoulders and sent Geldis a look that said, 'We need to talk'. The dark elf gave the most subtle of nods in response and went about dispersing the crowd that had gathered while Alana was on the ground. "Alright, the party is over. I'm closing the cornerclub down for the night. If you have a problem, take it up with Councilor Morvayn."

The Breton carried her outside, ignoring the looks he was getting from both the Redoran Guard and the citizens of Raven Rock. Something was definitely wrong about this whole situation. 'Someone was studying her habits. They knew she'd be in the cornerclub drinking at that time. All they had to do was wait.'

'But who? Who would be so bold as to attempt an assassination on her in broad daylight? The Morag Tong, perhaps?' Part of him somehow doubted it; Alana was no longer associated with the Dark Brotherhood and hadn't had any contact with their members for over a year.

But, he also knew that they worshipped Mephala, and Alana was one of her mortal enemies. It would be all too fitting. Mephala liked to work in the shadows and strike when her target was on their knees. Alana wasn't as strong as she was a year ago and wasn't capable of fighting back against a daedric prince. 'The Tong wouldn't have any quarrels with killing her. if Mephala demanded it, they'd do it in a heartbeat. Bitch would love to take Alana for herself.'

Saoron pulled out his spare key and opened the door to Alana's house, kicking it closed behind him. The brunet put her down on her bed and pulled the blanket over her, keeping her warm. It would take a few hours before the antidote fully cleansed her body of the poison.

In the meantime, he would talk to both Geldis and Captain Veleth about the situation. If the Morag Tong was behind this attempt like he suspected, they would need to deal with them as soon as they could to prevent further assassinations. He doubted they'd stop at killing Alana. 'They are the most believable suspects, out of anyone. No one in town has a hatred for her, as far as I know.'

His eyes darkened and he locked the door behind him as he left, giving Alana's sleeping form one last look. "I'll be back, Alana. I promise."

He made his way back to the cornerclub and inside he found Geldis already talking with the captain of the Redoran Guard. 'Good, they're both here.'

"Captain, I can promise you I had nothing to do with this," Geldis said. "Please, you've got to believe me."

"I understand. However it does look suspicious that she was poisoned after taking a bite of food that you had prepared," the captain replied. "You can't deny that things do look incriminating."

"Captain, I'll vouch for him." The Breton joined the conversation, standing on either side of the two elves. "Geldis wouldn't stab either of us in the back. I have reason to believe it was an assassination attempt by the Morag Tong."

"The Tong? But why would they want her dead? It doesn't make any sense." Captain Veleth's ruby red eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Unless there's something you're not telling us about her?"

Saoron glanced around to make sure they were alone, and he sighed. 'Well, it wasn't going to remain a secret forever. If we want to get behind this, it'll have to be revealed.' "Before I tell you, I need you to make a promise. None of the words that are spoken here leave this room. Understood?"

"This is damn serious then. You have my word." Veleth nodded.

"As well as mine," Geldis added.

"Very well. What I am about to tell you is a secret to everyone in Raven Rock except myself. Alana is the one who has been protecting all of you under the cover of night," Saoron said. "Alana is the Black Swordswoman."

"She's really the daedra hunter?" Geldis asked. "I mean, I had my suspicions when she came in earlier looking like something ate her and spat her back out, but I didn't think a broken shell of a woman was capable of being a powerful killer."

"There's a certain way experienced fighters carry themselves," Veleth pointed out, folding his muscular arms. "She may be younger than all of us here, but she has seen what war and bloodshed look like. There's a haunted look in her eyes that reveal it all. But, that doesn't answer the question of why the Morag Tong would want her head on a spike."

"Alana's greatest enemy, the one who pushed her to become the daedra hunter, is Mephala. The Tong worship her," Saoron pointed out. "Mephala has stolen everything from her, and won't stop until she gets Alana for herself."

"But…why would Mephala want her? What value does she have to a daedric prince?" Veleth asked. "She could very easily go for any random person, but why her specifically?"

Saoron paused, thinking of how to answer the captain's question. He supposed if he wanted to get help destroying the Morag Tong, he'd need to let him know everything. 'Dammit. I suppose this secret is no longer a secret, either. It's for the best, I suppose.'

"Tell me; how much do you know about the Dragonborn?"

The dark elf hissed in anger, punching the crumbling walls of Ashfallow Citadel as he shed his chitin armor. He was so close to completing his mission, so close to finally slaughtering that blonde harlot in the name of his mistress. His plan to sabotage her food was a success, but he didn't expect that damned Breton to interfere and save her life.

'Dammit! We were so close!' he fumed. 'Now, with this failure, our lady will be most displeased.'

He fell to his knees before the statue of his goddess, bowing his head and accepting his failure. "My Lady, please forgive me. I regret to inform you that I was not successful in completing my mission. The woman you desired for yourself is still, regrettably, alive. I did not anticipate her friend to interfere with my objective."

When his goddess spoke, her voice was sweet and dangerous, like poisoned honey. "Do not fret, my loyal servant. She will die, in time. It is only a matter of time before her life is finally exhausted and I can claim her soul for whatever I desire. My dear sister is working on delightful new ways to break her mind."

The elf lifted his head, marveling in his goddess's cruel beauty and power. "But..what if her allies decide to attack us? What will we do?"

"If they do…then it's quite simple," Mephala said with a cold smile on her elegant lips. "Kill them all like helpless sheep waiting to be slaughtered. Now go speak with our informant in Raven Rock. Make sure he is prepared to make a move on the Councilor. We strike in two days time."

"Yes, my Lady." The elf rose up, feeling grateful she spared him any pain and punishment. "I'll see to it at once."

He left in a hurry, and Mephala laughed.

"I told you, didn't I, Alana? You are mine."

A/N: A little shorter than I'd like, I admit. But I'm still okay with how it turned out. Next chapter, be ready to see some shit go down. Hopefully it doesn't take me a month, but we'll see.

C. Strife #5371