Jorrvaskr, Whiterun, Skyrim
"First rounds on me tonight!" Arlene shouted as she stood on her bench, cheering alongside her shield brothers and sisters. "Merry New Life Festival!"
The many Companions within the hall all raised tankards, clinking them together as they celebrated both Arlene and Aela's latest conquest, and the Breton winter holiday that Imperial provinces all across the continent used as an excuse to drink and be merry.
Jorrvaskr was crowded tonight, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred Companions packed its halls for the feast. Decorations were strewn about, snowflakes and glowing lights, while Companion's wore bright green and red pointed caps, which they called elf hats, but Arlene knew that was objectively false. Arlene also didn't mind paying for the first round of drinks, even though she knew many would take advantage of her hospitality and drink themselves into the ground tonight.
Between her regular jobs and hunting down multiple Silver Hand camps, Arlene had sold enough silver weaponry to Adrianne Avenicci at Warmaiden's and Eorlund Grey-Mane that she was pretty sure she was getting close to crashing the value of silver through pure oversaturation. She even had enough money that she was able to buy Breezehome from Proventus and get it decorated. All in all, Arlene was richer than she had ever been, and all honesty, happier than she'd ever been.
Taking a sip of her ale, she watched Farkas arm wrestle Torvar after some dumb, manly wager that the blonde, drunk Nord had no way of winning. Meanwhile, Ria chatted with another Companion that Arlene did not know, but he was a burly Nord in full plate. Ria was getting close to him, leaning in as she spoke, showing off her chest from the cut of her armor. It seemed that Ria had her target for tonight.
Then Arlene caught eyes with Aela, who was far more reserved in the celebration, drinking a goblet of mead quietly at the corner table, away from the festivities. Arlene frowned at Aela, but Aela shook her head and waved Arlene off, telling Arlene to ignore her and enjoy the night.
Arlene was about to go over to her, when someone grabbed her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw the young, redheaded Nord Erik the Slayer was trying to get her attention.
"Arlene!" Erik said with a big grin. "Great work on your last hunt! Here, I got a bottle of Colovian Brandy from my last job! Take it, as thanks for buying everyone drinks tonight!" Erik held out a fancy green bottle.
Arlene eyed the bottle hungrily. Colovian Brandy was the fancy shit. Far better than anything Arlene was able to afford when she still lived in Cyrodiil. It was the stuff that Imperial Counts and Earls drank as they sat on their velvet thrones while hired sellswords like her sipped on watered down ale.
"Why Erik!" Arlene said as she wrapped her left arm around the boy's shoulders and grabbed the bottle with her right. "Are you trying to butter me up? To get me drunk with lavish gifts so I'll consider sleeping with you?"
Erik grew as red as his hair. "No!" He denied.
"No?" Arlene parroted with a cruel grin. "So you don't want to sleep with me?"
"No! I mean, yes, I do, but…" Erik stammered out as his voice became small.
"Aw leave the lad alone Arlene!" Ria called out from her table.
At the cheers and jeers around him, Erik seemed to steel his nerves and cleared his throat. "I just… wanted to give you a gift. As thanks, for getting me out of Rorikstead. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be a farm hand. But now? I'm a Companion! I get to live the life that will be told about by the Bards of Solitude. All because of you." Erik then beamed her a bright smile that could only come from a youth. "So thank you."
Arlene stared at Erik for a long while, and to her own surprise, had no idea what to say. It'd been a long time since someone gave her such genuine thanks. Sure there was the whole ceremony she got from the Jarl after she slayed the dragon, but that was… formal. Not to mention she was too much on the verge of a mental break to truly understand what was happening. During her time as a sellsword, most people just tolerated her presence. She couldn't think of anyone who was ever happy she was there. Who was happy she existed. And she definitely didn't get that while with the Aldmeri Dominion.
So she honestly had no idea how to handle this situation. So she did what she knew how to do. Deflect and evade.
"Don't worry about it boy!" She said with bright cheer through a forced smile. "All worth it to see you piss yourself the first you took on a sabertooth!"
The Companion's around her cheered, while Erik grew even more red. "I didn't piss myself! I fell into a puddle!"
"Must've been one smelly puddle then." Arlene shook her head as she let go of Erik. Then she saw Lydia standing by the wall, idly chatting with a few Companions, but not partaking in the festivities. "Lydia! Get over here, we got some Colovian Brandy!"
Lydia gave Arlene a dry look. "My Thane, how am I supposed to protect you if both of us are drunk?"
Athis, one of Arlene's fellow mer and one of the few Dark Elves in the Companions, snorted at this. "Lydia, if someone is able to get into Jorrvaskr, past all of the Companions, and kill Arlene, then he deserves the kill."
"Dark. But also true! So I say bottoms up Lydia!" Arlene then procured two glasses and poured the drinks.
Lydia rolled her eyes, sighed, then grabbed a glass.
"Merry New Life Festival!" Arlene toasted, and Lydia and the Companions around her all cheered before downing their drinks.
Arlene smiled at Lydia as her housecarl downed the drink like a champ. "See, don't you feel better?"
Lydia snorted. "I know I'm going to be paying for this on tomorrow's job." She then went to get her own stein of ale.
Tomorrow's job? Shit did they have a job tomorrow? What quest did she just complete? She wiped out that Silverhand camp, returned that missing goat to some farmers, helped out that weird clown North of the city… huh she had a clear schedule.
While a couple days off did sound nice, she decided she should probably line something up since treating a large group of warriors to alcohol was not a cheap endeavor. And so Arlene strode up to Aela, sat down on the bench next to her, and wrapped an arm around the huntress's shoulder.
"You should be enjoying the party." Aela simply said.
"And I am!" Arlene said cheerfully. "I just had a thought though. I'll need a job after this party is done. Preferably one that pays well."
Aela snorted. "Curse of the one footing the tab. I have a few high paying jobs. Most lucrative one is an escort mission. The Khajit caravan outside of town needs muscle to protect them on the way to Riften."
"Huh, suppose the cat-folk are moving on to greener pastures." Arlene paused to think for a moment. "I could do this, but I won't be able to hunt down any Silver Hand camps for a while."
"That's fine." Aela said. When Arlene sent her an obviously confused expression, she continued. "Most of the Silver Hand have gone to ground with how successful our campaign has been. Not to mention Kodlak is taking note of how often we are hunting. Best we slow down now to avoid suspicion."
"He doesn't approve?" Arlene raised a brow. "I heard he and Skjor were long time shield brothers. Does he not wish to see him avenged?"
A pained expression found itself on Aela's face. "Kodlak has… slowed, in his age. Don't get me wrong, he can still wipe the floor with any of us. But like all, age has pushed him into caution and restraint. And while there is wisdom in that, I do not agree." Aela then shook her head. "But that is not your concern. Do you want the job or not?"
"I'll take it." Arlene said with a smile.
Aela nodded her head. "Good. I also heard rumors of a possible piece of Wuuthrad around that area as well. If you want a double, you can take that job too."
"I'll probably stay in Riften for a few weeks anyway so sure." Arlene shrugged.
"Good. Now then, why don't you get back to celebrating?" Aela gestured to the party.
"What so quick to kick me out? You didn't even give me a goodbye kiss." Arlene teased.
Aela rolled her eyes, but then gained a mischievous grin on her face. Before Arlene could react, Aela pushed forward, put her hand behind Arlene's neck, and pressed her lips against hers.
Arlene didn't expect the move at all, practically melting as she felt Aela push her tongue into her mouth. Whistles and cheers sounded around them as Aela practically bent Arlene in half backwards with how deep and dominating her kiss was.
When she let go, Arlene took a deep breath in, practically gasping for air as she felt her face burn crimson.
"Now why don't you go have fun." Aela said.
"Yeah." Arlene's voice squeaked like a pubescent boy's, only furthering her blush.
She then stepped back, turned around, and walked straight away from Aela. She sat down at a long table, grabbing an ale and sipping it as she contemplated life. A flash of brown in front of her caught her attention, as she saw Lydia sit down on the opposite side of the table, the biggest shit-eating grin on her face.
"Oh you do not get to talk." Arlene hissed.
"I wasn't going to say anything, my Thane." Lydia said through her smile as she took a sip of her own drink.
The two continued to drink, listening to the ambient conversations and music being played. Mikael the bard had come from the Bannered Mare, and was performing a diddle with Torvar and Athis dancing around the fire. She smiled at their antics, when her elven ears picked up a conversation near her.
"It was huge! A must've had a 30 foot wingspan, or more! Burned down the entire caravan from Morthal!" One Companion exclaimed.
Arlene's eyes widened. They were talking about a dragon! Lydia also seemed to take note of their conversation, and the two began listening intently.
"By the Gods. Do they know how many were burned?" the second Companion asked, this one much older.
"At least a dozen, plus 2 carts and the horses. But here's the thing, apparently this dragon didn't breathe fire. Instead it breathed ice."
"What? That's crazy talk. Everyone knows that dragons breathe fire, not ice!" The older Companion said.
Arlene felt her grip tighten around her tankard. Images of the poor guard getting frozen alive and shattering outside of the Western tower came to her. She had to bite her lip to keep the memories from overwhelming her. Seeing this, Lydia put her hand over Arlene's. It was a small gesture, but it was one Arlene took great comfort in.
"I'm just saying what I heard. That the dragon blew frost, not fire." The young Companion snapped as his friend before taking a drink. "What about you, any news from the Rift?"
The older man shrugged. "Fucking shit show is what it is. I was tasked with clearing this bandit camp outside of Treva's Watch, but had to pull out because the fucking war between the Imperials and Stormcloaks alerted the bandits and put the whole fort on high alert. No way we were storming that."
Arlene didn't even wait for the younger man to respond before she stood up with her drink to get anywhere else. She didn't want to hear about any of that. About dragons, about the Civil War, about the problems outside of her little bubble of mercenary work and werewolves. As she stood, Lydia hurriedly moved after her, but Arlene was too swift in looking for her out.
When she spotted Farkas and Vilkas, she immediately went to them and said, "Who wants shots?"
The twins, oblivious to what just happened, only cheered.
"Our hero, our hero claims a warrior's heart!" Arlene sang out as she stumbled on nothing, practically putting all of her weight on her housecarl's shoulders as Lydia supported her.
"Arlene, please. Can you stand up straighter?" Lydia pleaded, the Nord having to squat down in order to support the much shorter elf.
"I tell you I tell you, the Dragonborn comes!" Arlene finished the verse, swaying as she did, pulling Lydia further down.
It was the middle of the night as Arlene and Lydia swayed their way through the streets of Whiterun. Arlene didn't know what time it was, but from the shouts she knew it was somewhere between the times 'go to sleep' and 'shut the fuck up' o'clock. Most of the Companions had elected to pass out in the mead hall, but Arlene decided to head to Breezehome, lest she make any further fool of herself in front of Aela in her drunken state.
Arlene laughed as Lydia cursed, adjusting her grip around Arlene's waist a little lower so she could practically carry her.
Arlene's eyebrows rose at Lydia. "Oh Lydia, getting handsy are you? Looking to take advantage of your poor, drunken charge?" Arlene then nuzzled into Lydia's neck.
"More like considering body slamming you into the road, my Thane." Lydia grit through her teeth.
As Arlene laughed at her housecarl's expense, the sound the of clapping immediately drew her attention. Arlene turned her head to the left, and coming out of an alleyway between two homes, was Nord, pale as the moons, dressed in some fine red robes and black leather armor. Behind him, two other humans in similar dress followed, though they wore hoods that obfuscated their faces and races.
"That was quite the performance." The lead Nord said. "You have a lovely singing voice. Perhaps you would be interested in singing something for my friends and I." The Nord's voice was smooth, almost charming, but in a smarmy, 'I'm going to try and take advantage of you' way.
Lydia immediately went tense at their appearance, readying herself for violence, while Arlene squinted at them, trying to figure out what they were doing through her drunken haze.
Then her eyes shot open as she realized what was happening . "Are… are you robbing me?"
Arlene grinned as she stood on her own weight, no longer burdening Lydia. She then fingered the pommel of her Skyforge steel dagger. Arlene couldn't help herself. She was actually excited at the prospect of violence. Booze and blood, what better way to spend the New Life Festival?
"Oh, nothing so base." The man said, stepping forward and smiling at Arlene, showing off a very long pair of canine teeth. It was at that point Arlene also noticed how his eyes kinda glowed.
"Oh what big teeth you have." Arlene said, her voice a low, serious hush as she drew her dagger.
The Nord's grin grew bigger. "The better to taste you with, my love!" He then leaped at Arlene, covering the distance between them with inhuman speed.
Vampires, just her luck. Arlene stumbled back as Lydia interposed herself between them, drawing her own Skyforge steel longsword. Her shield was on her back and out of reach for now, so Lydia gripped her blade with both hands and swung at the Vampire. But it was a slow, inaccurate swing for Lydia, who trained so diligently. Arlene cursed as she remembered Lydia was drunk too.
The vampire twisted mid leap, dodging the sword swing while his clawed hand raked at Lydia. The attack scraped off her armor, but knocked her back as he continued towards Arlene. Arlene then raised her dagger and stabbed it towards his face.
With a quick duck to the side, the vampire slipped the thrust and drove his fist into Arlene's stomach with an uppercut. At the impact, Arlene felt the bile rise out of her stomach as she vomited all over the vampire. The vampire backed up, his face curling in disgust, gagging at the smell. But the purging of the poisonous alcohol from her stomach cleared her mind, and while the vampire was distracted she drove her leg up, kicking him between his.
The vampire screamed in pain as Arlene destroyed his manhood, stumbling back as Arlene drove her dagger forward again. But she was stopped as one of the hooded vampires charged her, grabbing her wrist holding the dagger and pinning it behind her back before he then bit down onto Arlene's neck.
Arlene screamed as she felt the vampire's fangs suck into her neck. But then the vampire released his bite, hissing at her as he spat her blood on the ground. Looked like he wasn't interested in the Beast's blood. Arlene drove her elbow back into the hooded vampire's head. She then stuck her left hand at the Nordic vampire she vomited on and sent out a spray of Flames.
The Nordic vampire screamed as he was set alight. Arlene was never much of a mage, but knew low level spells like Flames, and also had a passing knowledge that vampires were weak to fire. And by the looks of it, the alcohol in her vomit made the vampire catch fire easier. At least that's what she'd tell people. It was a tactical vomit.
Taking a quick second, she looked at Lydia. Her housecarl was in the middle of fighting off the last hooded vampire, her sword interposed between its fangs. Arlene moved to help, but the hooded vampire behind her had already recovered, drawing his blade and slashing Arlene across the back.
Arlene stumbled forward as the blade bit through her armor. She fell right into the arms of the Nordic Vampire she set on fire, his face burned but decidedly no longer on fire, and he looked very angry. From his hands, Arlene saw a red energy flow from her and into the vampire. As he did this, Arlene felt her body weaken, growing heavy and tired. He was using some kind of vampiric spell to drain her very life force.
Arlene tried to break free, but found she lacked the strength to do so. She was weak. Weak and tired as she felt her eyes flutter. Shit, she was losing consciousness. Was this how she was going to die? Eaten by Vampires in the middle of the street? What a fucking way to go.
Then Arlene felt a rage in her stomach. A burning red anger. How dare they? How dare these Daedra-spawned, undead freaks think they could kill her? They were beneath her. She was a fucking Companion, a member of the Circle, and by Oblivion, while she didn't want to be, she was the fucking Dragonborn.
As Arlene felt the rage almost explode out of her in what would've most definitely been a Shout, the sounds of whistles and non-Thu'um shouts interrupted her. Torchlight illuminated the road as a group of yellow-clad Whiterun guards ran towards her, attracted by the commotion.
"Vampires!" The lead guardsman shouted. "It's damn vampires! Hurry, kill them all!"
The Nordic Vampire let go of Arlene as he hissed at the oncoming guards, and Arlene slumped to the ground as he was no longer holding her up. The rest of the fight passed Arlene in a haze as the guards and vampires fought. It wasn't until Lydia shoved a healing potion down her throat that Arlene came back too.
Arlene gasped a breath of fresh air after she swallowed the last of the bitter tasting potion, sitting up so fast it made her head spin. When she almost fell back again, Lydia grabbed her and shouted out, "Arlene, are you okay?"
"Fine Lydia." Arlene groaned out, rubbing her eyes. "Just… Please stop yelling in my ear."
Lydia had the decency to look abashed. "Sorry, my Thane."
Arlene waved her off. "So, I'm alive, which is cool. What happened to the vampires?"
"We took care of them." A guardsman standing beside Arlene said. "You're lucky we were here. You looked like you were in a tight spot."
"I've been in a few tighter spots, but it's not appropriate to talk about them here." Arlene chuckled to herself before she winced in pain.
Lydia sighed. "That proves you're alright, Arlene." She then looked up at the guard. "But where did these vampires come from?"
The guard only shook his head. "If you're asking how they got into the city, well I'll just say the night is the vampire's time. We don't have enough men to cover the entirety of the walls at every second, and they could've snuck in between patrols. If you're asking why there's a sudden resurgence in vampire attacks, fuck if I know."
Arlene raised a brow at the guard. "You're rather flippant for a town guard, aren't you?"
"And you're rather flippant for someone who's life we just saved." the guard shrugged back.
Arlene opened her mouth to retort, but only shut it and shrugged herself. "Fair." She then stood with Lydia's assistance. "So what are you going to do about the vampires?"
"We'll increase patrols and make sure at least one person per patrol has a silver weapon on hand. I hear War Maiden's now has a large selection thanks to you, and I'm sure the Jarl will pay her handily for them."
Arlene snorted. "Well look at that, I'm driving the local economy. Call me Thane of the year."
"I'd give you the month at most." The guard replied. "Anyway, outside of that not much we can do. I hear they're reforming the Dawnguard over by Riften to stop the vampire menace, so you could go there if you want to learn anything more about it."
"Huh, neat. Well thanks for the info. Lydia, help carry me home." Arlene commanded as she slung her arm over Lydia's broad shoulders.
Lydia only sighed, knowing that when she swore to carry Arlene's burdens, she didn't think that Arlene herself would be the burden.
"Do you have everything secured, Arlene? And do you have enough underwear packed" Lydia asked, her face etched with worry as she double checked Arlene's bags. "Make sure you have enough rations. And if you run out, try not to just eat random berries. Rub them on your skin first, and if it doesn't cause a reaction, try rubbing it on your lips. If your lips don't go numb that means the berries aren't poisonous."
Arlene rolled her eyes. "Gods Lydia, yes, I have everything ready." She gave a small chuckle as she shooed her housecarl away from her bag. "And I know how to check for poisonous fruits. You're acting like a mother before giving her daughter up for matrimony."
Lydia frowned at her. "If you say so my Thane. It's just that this will be the first time you've gone to the Rift, and the first time I won't be there to protect you. I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing."
"I'll be fine Lydia." Arlene reassured her housecarl, reaching up to pat her on the shoulders. "I'll be gone for a few weeks, maybe a few months at most. And I'll even have Jenassa there to guard me." Arlene gestured to the leather armored Dark Elf waiting by the entrance of Breezehome.
Lydia frowned slightly at her. "I still don't understand why I have to stay while you go with her."
Arlene slapped her on the arm. "Be nice. And this is going to be a far longer job than I've ever done before. Plus I want to stay in Riften for a bit, maybe do some jobs while I'm there. I can't just leave my house and all my stuff here unprotected." She then smiled at her housecarl. "Not to mention that we're scouts and rangers as well as bodyguards for the Khajiits. Janessa knows how to sneak around, and won't clunk around like you do in your armor."
Lydia went a bit red. "I don't clunk around."
Arlene just stared blankly at her until Lydia was forced to look away.
Arlene smiled at Lydia and stood on her toes to give her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be fine. Just a few weeks, I promise. When I get back, we can head to the Bannered Mare and get a bunch of rounds on me, okay?"
Lydia sighed and wrapped Arlene in a big hug. "I'll hold you to that my Thane."
The two held the hug for several seconds, until Arlene was able to worm her way out of the Nord's grip. After one final wave, Arlene made to join Jenassa at the entrance of her home.
"Well that was rather sweet, sera." Jenassa said once the door was closed. When Arlene flashed her an annoyed glare, Jenassa continued. "I am not saying that in jest. It truly was a heartwarming sight to see. Many in our line of business lose the ability to form such close bonds. They become too jaded, their hearts too cold. So the moment shared between you and your housecarl was nice to witness."
Arlene stared at Jenassa for a bit, not sure what to say. Arlene had met the Dark Elf mercenary at the Drunken Huntsmen a few weeks ago. They'd even done a few small jobs together that required a deft touch that Lydia couldn't provide. She didn't know much about the Dark Elf's past, and true to the mercenary code, she didn't ask. What Arlene did know about her, was that she was quiet, quick with both a blade and bow, and didn't shrink away from fighting dirty. For all Arlene knew, she could've been a former member of the Morag Tong or something.
But so long as Jenassa's past didn't come to bite them, it didn't matter to her. She had skills Arlene needed, and Arlene had coin Jenassa needed.
"Yes well… thanks I guess." Arlene rubbed the back of her head. "Anyway, let's go meet up with the Khajiit, we don't want to keep them waiting."
Jenassa bowed and fell in line behind Arlene. "By your leave, sera."
Together, the two elves exited the town gates and joined the Khajiit caravan outside. There, they met with the caravan's leader Ahkari, a black and grey female Khajiit. Arlene didn't know exactly what kind of Khajiit Ahkari was, as she was uneducated in the specifics of their race. At most, Arlene knew that there was the full cat version of the Khajiit, the Bosmer version of the Khajiit, and the half-human half-cat version of the Khajiit. Besides that, all Arlene really knew was that she should be wary about what she says to any house cats moving around the camp.
"Greetings mer." Ahkari bowed her head, her voice a low purr. "I welcome you to my caravan, and thank you for your protection."
Arlene gave a respectful bow in return. "And we thank you for taking us in, Ahkari." Rule one in the mercenary business was always be polite and professional when talking to a client. "I take it this is everyone we will be escorting?"
Arlene looked around the Khajiit camp which was currently being disassembled. Besides Ahkari, there looked to be about half a dozen other Khajiit traders who were packing up their own hide tents and straw mats, as well as two heavily armored Khajiit body guards. Arlene noted no children or elderly amongst them, which made sense, given the hazardous lifestyle they lived wandering between cities in a country torn in civil war.
"Indeed." Ahkari nodded her head. "Each of us know how to fight, and both Dro'marash and Kharjo have done an admirable job protecting us, but I know that a caravan such as mine would be a tantalizing target for rebels and raiders. Not to mention, the talk of dragons."
Arlene tried not to wince at the mention of dragons. "Yes well, I don't know about dragons, but we'll keep you covered as best we can, isn't that right Jenassa?"
Jenassa turned to face her patron, raising a brow. At the flat look Jenassa was giving her, it was clear that the Dunmer had no doubt heard of Arlene's battle against the dragon outside of Whiterun. But she had decided to honor her patron's wishes and went for discretion. "Of course sera. Although I admit, I would be interested in fighting against a dragon head on. It would no doubt be a thrilling hunt."
Arlene glared at Janassa while Ahkari just chuckled softly and said, "Perhaps it would be. But, I would prefer if such a hunt occurred far away from my caravan."
"As would we all." Arlene said through a forced grin. "But regardless, we won't get in your way of packing. I'll see your man Kharjo and figure out how guard rotations will work. But if we're lucky, we'll be in Riften by the fortnite."
"Then I shall pray to Azurah for a swift journey and to avoid the gaze of the Skooma cat." Ahkari bowed once more, and went back to packing her tent.
With that Arlene and Jenassa moved to speak with Kharjo and begin their own preparations. This was going to be a new chapter for Arlene. Since coming to Skyrim, she had stayed within Whiterun for quite some time, to the point where she could call it home. But while it had become comfortable, Arlene couldn't resist the fact that she wanted to go and see more of Skyrim.
And while she would miss her friends in Whiterun, she was excited to see what new adventures lay in store for her in the Rift and beyond.
Beacon Academy, Present Day…
Arlene had the biggest smile on her face when she watched Serana open the door to their room and enter. Immediately she leapt out of her office chair and approached Serana, wrapping her arms around the vampire princess and pressed her lips against hers.
Serana had a moment of surprise as Arlene practically pounced on her, but soon relented and pushed into the kiss as well. She further relented as Arlene's probing tongue pushed deep into the warmth of Serana's mouth. Arlene felt her tongue move against her vampiric sister's, electricity running through her body and warmth pooling between her legs as she forced Serana against the door.
It was only when Arlene was part way through undoing Serana's skirt did Serana push her off. "Gods above wait a moment you insatiable tart!" Serana's voice was warbled, almost disoriented from the haze of pleasure that encompassed her. "I was only gone for four days." she exasperated.
"Four days too long." Arlene purred as she approached Serana slowly, kissing her upon the chin. "But if you want, I can wait for another… five minutes." Arlene then let go and sat on their bed.
"Ten. I've quite a bit to report." Serana scolded. She then re-adjusted her dress and sat on her office chair, crossing her legs like the lady she was raised to be. "I've spent quite some time bribing and enthralling the city's homeless. I even gave a few burner scrolls in order to keep in contact with me in case they see anything interesting."
"Oh? That is very good news." Arlene hummed.
"And that's not all." Serana continued. "Thanks to the homeless, I found a group of bandits living in the slums. Lowlives who we don't want to associate ourselves with, but they did provide excellent subjects for my testing."
Arlene tilted her head. "And what results did you find?"
"Our suspicion that weapons enchanted with Soul Trap cut through Aura proved true." Serana said as she flicked out her dagger Bloodthorn. "But not only that, I found that Dispeling magic also has an effect of canceling out Semblances."
Arlene's eyes widened at that. She leaned forward in thought. "So we were right. Semblances are magic. Just… some kind of personal spell. Like the Breton's Dragonskin or Dunmer's Ancestor's Wrath."
Although this only raised more questions, like why could the humans and Faunus of Remnant not use magic in general? Both Arlene and Serana could still use spells, which meant that Remnant was connected to Aetherius, assuming of course, that Magicka did in fact flow from Aetherius through the Sun and stars. While that is the leading theory, where magicka actually came from was something that had yet to be solidly defined. And it also asked why Ozpin and the Maidens still had access to magic as well. There were too many unknowns, and Arlene hated unknowns.
"But unlike those powers, Semblances are not necessarily hereditary." Serana made sure to stress. "The only hereditary Semblance we know of is the Schnee's Glyphs. Otherwise, it's personal to the individual."
"Of course. Regardless, it's something that will give us an edge in combat over anyone we have to fight, which at the end of the day is all that really matters." Arlene shrugged. "Did your contacts tell you anything else?"
Serana nodded. "One other thing that you wanted. While the gang I tested on wasn't worth our time, I did get the address of an organization that might be. They are called the Xiong family, a crime syndicate and the one in control of most of Vale's underbelly. Drugs, information, muscle, you need it, and they can provide it."
"Hmm. They don't sound like a Thieves Guild, but they can do for now I suppose. Do you know where they are?"
"They have a club downtown called Junior's, owned by their leader, Hei Xiong Junior, hence the name. From what I got out of my contacts, he is currently working as an information broker and is allied with the Malachite Crime Family of Mistral as well." Serana flatly said.
"Oh, and the web expands." Arlene grinned. "That sounds like more than a good enough place to start. A fine job Serana."
"Of course." Serana brushed her hair to the side as she said that. "Who do you think you're talking to?"
Arlene smiled at her. "Someone who deserves a reward for such a good job." Arlene then stood from her bed and slowly approached Serana. When Arlene reached her, she bent forward to provide Serana with her reward.
A hard SLAP across her face stopped her.
Arlene stumbled back and brought her hand to her face, which stung red as she looked at Serana betrayed. Serana only looked at her with cold, hard eyes.
"It seems that I have been too lax in my disciplining of you." Serana hissed. "Kneel."
The shock Arlene felt immediately turned to arousal as she knew what Serana was doing. Arlene dropped to her knees in front of Serana, her hands between her legs, not unlike an actual dog waiting for a command.
"You truly are a dog, Arlene." Serana continued as she began to unclasp her dress. "I wasn't even away for more than four days, and the first thing you do when I return is try to hump my leg." She then pulled off her skirt and dropped it to the ground, exposing her pale, creamy legs to the air, and her lace black panties.
"I think you need some proper training, don't you agree?" Serana asked casually, the same way one would ask about the weather, or what one wanted for dinner.
"Yes." Arlene practically croaked out, her voice low and heady, thick with desire.
Serana smiled at her with a predatory grin. She then spread her legs. "Then why don't you help me get these off, and we can start your training?"
Crawling on all fours to Serana like the dog she was, Arlene raised her hand to pull the slick, black underwear off her lover. Then she felt the sting of another SLAP across her face. She felt a tear form in her eye as she looked up at Serana.
"Bad." Serana hissed, baring her fangs. "You're a dog aren't you? And what kind of dog uses their hands?" She then spread her legs again as she looked down at Arlene with a grin. "Use your mouth."
Arlene grinned back. "Woof." Then she dove in to complete her task.
It wasn't often that Serana took control like this. But ever since Serana had met Arlene and set her on the path of vampirism, Arlene had pulled her benefactor down with her on the path of wanton lust and violence. Like all vampires, Serana was a daughter of the Prince of Domination, and like Lamae Bal before her, had desires to dominate that needed to be sated. And Arlene was more than happy to let her slake those desires on her body tonight.
Arlene stretched her back as she stood in front of Junior's Club, groaning as she felt her joints pop. The exterior of the club was a rather inconspicuous brick building that did not stick out against the other aged homes, apartments, and stores around it. Arlene didn't know much about clubs, knowing that they were some kind of tavern that focused more on dancing, but Arlene didn't hear any music coming from inside.
Entering the building, she found that the interior was a stark contrast to the outside. On the inside, the club was sleek, made of reflective, monochromatic black and white material that gave the club a distinctive futuristic vibe, as well as neon lights that shifted between red and white. As Arlene walked forward, the wall in front of her began to slide open, revealing the actual club.
The club was huge. Standing at the top of the flight of stairs, Arlene saw a dance floor that was as big as some of the larger tombs she fought in in Skyrim. It had to be over a hundred feet wide and long at the minimum, with tall, crystalline pillars holding up the ceiling that was at least fifty feet tall. Arlene realized that this club must have encompassed the entire building complex.
Directly across from Arlene on the other side of the dance floor was a DJ booth, while to her left was a bar. Arlene snorted at that. She supposed that no matter the world, no matter the time, civilization needed bars and alcohol.
It being rather early in the morning, the club was practically empty, save from two men sitting by the front entrance wearing black suits, fedoras, and red sunglasses and ties. Obvious gangsters.
The two men looked at Arlene, confused, and one of them, a man with a thin mustache stood, walked up to her, and said, "Sorry ma'am, the club's closed. Come back at 6 pm."
The man was about to walk away when Arlene put her hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Oh, I'm not here for dancing and music. I'm here for your, other, services." She then smiled a very pretty smile that showed the full length of her fangs.
The mustached-gangster swallowed nervously and said, "Uhh lemme go get the boss for you."
"You do that dear." Arlene said, still smiling.
And so Arlene waited at the entrance of the club for a few minutes, watching as more and more black and red suited thugs entered the dance floor, coming from side doors marked 'Employees Only'. They weren't surrounding her, but they kept their eyes on her, hands close to their belts and jackets, ready to draw their weapons attack should she prove a threat. When Arlene waved to one with a smile, they would only scowl harder at her before looking away.
After a few moments later, a man walked out that Arlene could immediately peg as the leader due to the fact that he wasn't wearing the same exact all black suit as his underlings, and the fact that he had a pair of beautiful, albeit short, twins at his side. They both had snow pale skin, long straight black hair, and emerald green eyes. The one on his left was dressed in a blood red and black strapless dress, and had a pair of claws on her hands. And the one to his right was dressed in a snow white and blue strapless dress, and had a pair of blades sticking out of her heels.
Arlene smirked as she crossed her arms, making no effort to hide her visual undressing of the twins. "Junior." She greeted as the gangster walked up to her. "It's a pleasure. Though I have to say, all of these boys just for me? I have to say, I'm insulted. You would at least need double the men."
"Arlene Volkihar." Junior grunted out. "Beacon's newest professor. What are you doing here?"
"Oh you are well informed." Arlene grinned. "Although lacking on the hospitality. You haven't even offered me a drink."
Junior's eyes narrowed on Arlene, before he gestured to the bar with his head. Arlene smiled as she followed Junior and his cronies to the bar. When Arlene took her seat, the red twin sat to her right, while the white sat to her left. The rest of the gangsters stood behind her.
"What're you drinking?" Junior grunted once he got behind the bar.
"How about a glass of wine?" Arlene said before she glanced at the twins. "How about you girls? Want anything?"
The twins simultaneously raised a brow on both sides at her. They were symmetrical even. Cute.
"They're fine." Junior growled. He then went below the bar and pulled out a tall wine glass, and poured the vintage red into it. He then placed it on top of a cocktail napkin in front of Arlene. "Now that you have your drink, you wanna tell me what you're doing here?"
Arlene smiled and took a sip. "I'd say I'm here for pleasure, but that would be a lie." Arlene then paused and thought for a moment. "More like half a lie. Anyway, I'm here to recruit you."
Junior's brow rose. "Recruit us? A Beacon professor comes in here and says she wants to hire us for a job? What, some students of yours need some convincing to submit their homework?"
"You seem to misunderstand." Arlene said before she downed the entire wine glass. "I'm not here to hire you just for one job. I'm here to tell you that you and your whole organization now work for me."
Junior blinked at Arlene, comprehending what she just said. Even the twins on both sides looked at her in disbelief.
Eventually, Junior let out a small chuckle. A chuckle that began to grow as he continued to laugh, louder and louder. Eventually his boys joined in as they laughed behind Arlene, all the while the Dragonborn just continued to smile at Junior.
After a few seconds, Junior was able to get his fit of laughter under control, and while wiping away a tear said, "Oh man, you are funny. Things have been pretty dour around here, so thanks for the laugh."
"You're more than welcome." Arlene gave a small bow of her head.
"But unfortunately, I think you've worn out your welcome." Junior said as the smile fell away from his face. "Now, pay for your drink, and get out before my boys throw you out."
"Your boys? What boys?" Arlene asked, quirking a brow before she gestured behind her. "I hope you don't mean them, because they seem rather preoccupied."
"What?" Junior asked before he looked behind her. To his shock, he saw his gangsters start to stumble, shakily rubbing their eyes before collapsing to the ground.
Even the twins sitting beside Arlene felt their heads droop, yawning as they rubbed their eyes, but they stayed awake.
"Oh, you two were able to resist?" Arlene said as she finished casting her Sleep spell. "My, you two really are impressive."
"Damn it." Junior grunted as he reached for a weapon under the bar. "She must have some kind of sleep Semblance! Get her!"
Immediately the twins shook off the Sleep spell and glared at Arlene. Arlene just winked back.
The white twin responded by jumping off her bar stool and swinging her leg at Arlene with a spinning hook kick. At the same time, the Red twin slashed at Arlene's stomach with her two-pronged claw. Both attacks struck true as Arlene was sent flying back and into the opposite wall of the club. The impact actually indented the wall, creating a small crater in the black stone that sent spider-web cracks throughout it.
The two twins stared at Arlene, waiting to see if she was still alive, when Arlene then slowly pushed herself out of the crater and let herself drop to the ground. Arlene spit out a glob of blood on the ground as she felt her Aura flare. Arlene then grinned with a wide, manic smile that caused the twins and Junior to step back.
"Oh you two are just adorable!" Arlene hissed as she wiped some blood off the corner of her lips. She snapped her finger and a blue-green glass sword appeared in her hands, one of her old favorite weapons, Chillrend. True to its name, the very air seemed to cool as the blade appeared in her hands. "Come on then, Mayflies! I'm going to enjoy breaking you in."
The twins grimaced at Arlene, before charging forward. The two went to Arlene's left and right, hoping to split her attention while attacking her from both sides. Arlene only grinned wider, and stuck her off hand out at the red twin approaching her left. Out of her palm, Arlene cast Frostbite, creating a cone of snow and biting cold wind.
It wasn't a strong spell, and Arlene was never really one for Destruction magic, but it slowed the red twin down, forcing her to retreat from the new attack while Arlene then charged the white twin.
The white twin's eyes widened as she realized she'd have to take on Arlene alone. Arlene spun, twirling Chillrend as she unleashed a flurry of strikes against the white twin. With her weapons on her feet, the girl was forced to dance round Arlene's strikes, dipping and dodging as she couldn't easily block the sword swings.
Her skill at evasion proved inferior to Arlene's skill with blades as Arlene swung Chillrend towards her head, forcing the white twin to duck. When she dropped low however, Arlene then drove her knee up into her face. The twin's head snapped back as she stumbled in the same direction. Before she could recover Arlene then hit her with a blast of Frostbite.
Arlene walked forward as she continuously sprayed the white twin with frosty cold wind, when she felt danger approaching her side. Dropping the spell and raising her sword, Arlene blocked a surprise attack from the red twin, who was back and looking for blood.
Throwing a series of jabs, crosses, and other slashing punches, the red twin unleashed a rapid series of blows that forced Arlene on the defensive as she parried the attacks. It was then that the white twin returned as well, face flush with anger and from the cold as she jumped in with a series of kicks aimed at Arlene's exposed back.
Quickly, Arlene requipped the Blade of Woe in her off hand and turned to parry the white twin's attacks. But both twins were fast, and no doubt trained to act together. When the both struck as one, they were able to overwhelm Arlene's defenses, the red twin hitting high while the white twin swung low, biting into Arlene's Aura.
Arlene growled in annoyance. It was time she stopped playing with her food.
"WULD!" Arlene shouted, and in an instant she was no longer caught between the two twins, and instead was about 10 feet away from them.
The twins turned their heads, eyes wide as Arlene practically teleported away from them. Meanwhile Arlene had already swapped weapons, now holding the Nightingale bow with an Ice Dust tipped arrow aimed right for the twins.
Arlene loosed the arrow, and both twins braced for a hit. Unfortunately for them, Arlene was not aiming at either of them, but rather between them. The Ice Dust arrow, combined with the Nightingale Bow's magic struck between the two twins and exploded with the blizzard-like force of a high level Destruction spell.
The explosion tore at their Auras, and the red and white twins flew in opposite directions, the former slamming into the steel doors of the entrance while the latter cracked her back on a pillar before falling to the ground.
The white twin groaned from her position on the floor and slowly pushed herself up, just in time to see Arlene standing above her. Her eyes widened as she tried to stumble away from Arlene, but she was too slow. Arlene kicked the girl in the face, her Aura and vampiric strength causing the girl's head to snap back once more. Arlene hit her with enough force that the girl flew into the air in a beautiful arc, only to be caught by the leg as Arlene grabbed her and slammed her into the ground. Her Aura shattered and she was unconscious immediately.
"Melanie!" The red twin shouted as she slowly rose from the doorway.
She bared her claws and once more charged at Arlene. Before she could close, Arlene breathed in and shouted again.
"FUS!" she roared. It was the weakest level of Unrelenting Force, but it was enough of an impact to kill the red twin's charge, buffeting her and forcing her to stop.
That bought Arlene enough time to nock another arrow and loose it at her, this one a Lightning Dust arrow. Arlene launched the arrow and it landed right in front of the red twin, exploding with a burst of electricity that enveloped her. The lightning sapped her Aura and knocked the red twin unconscious, leaving just Arlene and Junior.
Arlene turned and smiled at the gangster, a full teeth-bared grin that made the man scream in terror as he raised his rocket launcher at Arlene. Arlene had studied enough about Remnant's weaponry to know how dangerous that thing was in an enclosed space.
Before Junior pulled the trigger, Arlene shouted. "TIID KLO UL!" The words belonged to the Slow Time shout, and with them the world around Arlene slowed to a crawl.
As Junior's finger very slowly inched towards the trigger of his rocket launcher, Arlene casually walked up to him. Gripping the rocket launcher, Alene ripped it out of Junior's hands before kicking him in the stomach, sending him flying into the bar wall behind him, smashing bottles and glasses that froze mid fall.
When the Shout ended, Junior finally reacted to the impact as he grunted in pain, followed by the sounds of shattering glass as the broken bottles and glasses rained around him.
"What the fuck?" Junior cursed. Any further questions were cut off as Arlene's boot stomped into the wall next to his head. Junior flinched at the near miss, slowly looking up at Arlene. "Okay, okay you win! What do you want from us!?"
Arlene just kept smiling and said, "I told you already, you work for me now." She then pulled her foot back and leaned close to Junior's face. "And I know just the way to make sure you stay loyal."
Arlene then grabbed onto Junior's button down shirt and tore it open, exposing his neck and torso to the world. Arlene ran her hands down Junior's chest, feeling his body.
"My, you are rather fit, Junior." Arlene purred as she straddled Junior's lap. "How often do you work out?" Arlene's orange eyes only grew hotter as she cast Vampire's Seduction upon the gangster.
"What the fuck?" Was all Junior could say again, too confused and overwhelmed to understand what was happening.
Arlene only grinned and patted Junior's face. "Don't worry Junior, it'll only hurt at first." Arlene then bared her fangs and sunk them into Junior's neck.
Ecstasy flooded Arlene's system as she drank the blood of Junior. But that wasn't all she was doing. She didn't need Junior as a vampire, he wasn't worth that much, but instead she enthralled him, tying his mind to her desires. Junior moaned as he felt his mind be dominated by Arlene's vampiric magic. His eyes grew glassy, and when Arlene released his neck, he passed out.
Arlene let out a small chuckle at Junior. He'd wake up soon, a fully fledged thrall to Arlene's will. Through him, she would then control the entire Xiong crime family. Besides him however… Arlene then turned her gaze to the unconscious twins. Unlike Junior, those two were more useful in combat. Not to mention they were cute. Arlene smirked as she approached them. It would be a shame to leave them as subordinates to Junior. They'd be far more useful as part of her new coven.
With that thought in mind, Arlene walked up to the red twin and knelt down. Arlene tore open the young woman's dress at the neckline and sank her teeth into the bare neck, giving her the Vampire's Kiss.
Hei Xiong Junior slowly blinked his eyes open. His head hurt, along with his back and neck. When he looked around, he realized he was sleeping against the bar surrounded by broken wood and glass.
Slowly, he pushed himself up, his Aura protecting him from any shattered glass on the floor.
"So, you're finally awake." A soft, feminine voice said to him.
Junior turned his head to the DJ booth where the voice came from and saw the speaker.
It was his mistress, the vampire who opened his eyes. She sat upon the DJ booth with Melanie and Miltia by her. The red twin Miltia sat on the DJ booth next toArlene, resting her head upon their mistress' lap, while Melanie sat on the stage below them, leaning on Arlene's legs, gently rubbing them. To Junior's surprise, both Melanie and Miltia were even more pale than normal, and their normally mint green eyes were now bright orange. They smiled at him when he looked their way, and he saw that they now had long, canine fangs like his mistress.
"My lady." Junior breathed out, bowing deep to Arlene. "What do you desire of me?"
His mistress smiled. "Junior, my thrall, I have much that I will need you to do. But first, I have need for information."
Junior smiled. His speciality, and way to impress his mistress. "About what my lady?"
"You and your organization are a good start." Arlene complimented as she gestured to the sleeping gangsters and the wrecked club. "You can give me an information network but I will need more. More followers. Talented servants who will not be afraid to dirty their hands with blood. Tell me, who are some of the best assassins, thieves, and mercenaries you know?"
Junior paused to think. It didn't take him long to come up with some recommendations, but he knew that his mistress wouldn't like his answers.
His concern must've shown on his face, as his mistress said, "Speak freely, thrall. I will not punish you for only bearing information."
Junior swallowed and slowly said. "Locally, the best thief would be Roman Torchwick. And the best assassin would be Marcus Black. As for mercenaries, the local pickings aren't too good. Maybe a few former huntsmen and huntresses, or ones who are willing to take shady contracts. You would have to go to Vacuo for the best."
His mistress raised a brow at his answer as she ran her hand through Miltia's hair. "Roman Torchwick? The same man who has been on a Dust robbing spree across Vale? Making the police look like nothing more than an organization of buffoons?"
"The very same. He even robbed stores with some of my men before signing up with the Fang. They never returned." Junior shook his head. "I doubt he'd be willing to work with you however."
"Oh?" Arlene's hand stopped petting the red twin, much to the red twin's dismay. "Why is that?"
"Torchwick was the closest thing Vale had to Kingpin for a long time. Man could pretty much do whatever he wanted. Now though? He's changed strategies, and has been working with the White Fang on these Dust robberies. Doesn't make sense, and it's not his style. Torchwick is a prick who's in it for the fame. To just steal Dust and vanish? No ransom or calling card or gloating? And don't even get me started on him working with the Fang. Torchwick's a bigot, through and through. No way he'd work with the White Fang by choice." Junior explained.
Arlene brought her index finger and thumb to her chin, contemplating his words. Eventually she said, "So we have a potential rival consolidating power as well. All very good to know. I want you to have your men figuring out who Torchwick is now working for. Now then, what about this Marcus Black?"
"Assassin, and damn good one. You want someone dead, pay him up front and they're gone." Junior flatly said.
"A man after my own heart." Arlene smirked. "What issues prevent us from working with him?"
"The fact that no one's heard from Black for months. And in his line of work…" Junior trailed off.
"He's more than likely dead." Arlene finished for him, sighing in frustration.
"Apologies, my lady." Junior bowed his head.
Arlene only scowled at him. "Never apologize for something that isn't your doing, thrall."
"Apologies." Junior said, wincing when he realized what he said.
Arlene growled in annoyance, causing the Malachite twins entertaining her to laugh. "Fine. If Black and Torchwick are out, who else can we bring in?"
"Oh, I have an idea, mistress!" Miltia purred in Arlene's lap.
Arlene ran her hand down Miltia's face. "Oh? Tell me child, what is it?"
Miltia smiled at Arlene's touch, pressing into as she said, "Our mother, Lil Miss Malachite would be more than useful to you!"
At Arlene's feet, Melanie also hugged their mistress' legs. "Oh yes! She is the head of Spider, Mistral's largest crime syndicate! Bring her under your wing, and you will have access to the largest information broker in Mistral!"
Arlene looked at the two twins, thinking the idea over, before she smiled and patted both of them on the head. "That is a very good idea." The two preened at Arlene's compliments before she continued. "Set up a meeting with her. We are entering the semester break at Beacon so I'll have time to head to Mistral."
"Very well, mistress." Both twins said in tandem.
"Is there anything else you require of us, mistress?" Junior asked, still bowing before her.
"Yes. Wake up your men and get started cleaning up this place. It's filthy." Arlene then moved off of the DJ equipment, to the disquieted wails of the twins. They only stopped when she pulled up both with her and wrapped her arms around their waists. "And is there a private place where the girls and I can rest? I did say I was going to enjoy breaking them in."
Arlene then nuzzled Melanie's neck and kissed her. Melanie only giggle and playfully nipped back at her vampire sire, while Mitlia pawed at her for attention.
"The twins have their own private room upstairs, and there is also my master bedroom." Junior answered, completely uncaring for the sapphic scene unfolding in front of him.
"Hm, let's use your room girls." Arlene said as she lowered her hands from their waists to their behinds, pushing them forward to walk. They only giggled and fell in line with her. "Oh and Junior? Be a dear and send up one of your men in about… ten minutes. These girls will be hungry, and I do so want to be there for their first feeding."
"Your will be done, mistress." Junior said as he kept his head bowed.
With that, Arlene and the Malachite twins disappeared up the employee stairs, ready to celebrate the first threads of Arlene's newest web.
A/N, 12/13/21: A new chapter! And the first part is a pseudo-Christmas chapter! Anyway, Things are now rolling as we finally enter the second arc of Spinner of Webs! Skyrim Arlene is on her way to Riften while Remnant Arlene is on her way to Mistral. Fun times for all!
And with this new arc, we have the first of the new vampires in Remnant. If you guessed Junior and the Malachite Twins were going to be the first bitten, then congratulations, and you must be an actual psychic with your predictions.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, have a happy holidays, stay safe, and I'll see you in the next one!