Ryvren Darven, Cyldris Thorn, and Killian Mallory belongs to me. The rest belongs to Bethesda.
Cover art belongs to me, RavenOfFrost.
I hope you enjoy!
The Dunmer shouted orders to the horse to gallop faster and harder through the dark marsh as the fire blazed ahead. His family. Sithis, his family. If they were dead– No. They were alive. They had to be! He didn't wait for the horse to come to a halt as he hopped off. The manor was engulfed with flames. He tried the front door, but was greeted with flames. The cow and chickens had managed to flee. Where the hell was the housecarl? "Muiri! Luc–"
The roof caved in.
The man staggered away, unable to take his glowing, orange eyes off the inferno and screamed over roar of the flames. He fell to his knees as tears rolled down his paled face.
"Papa!"
Ryvren jumped to his feet and spun around as a little girl in a nightgown was running to him from the marsh. "Lucia!" He bolted to her as an armed rider on a horse was chasing her. "Get away from her!" He unsheathed his twin, ebony swords, but the rider caught up to the child and snatched her off the ground.
"PAPA!" Lucia screamed as the rider made the horse take a sharp turn around.
He hopped on the black and red-eyed horse and followed the rider into the dark marsh. "Faster, Shadowmere!"
The rider disappeared into the dense fog.
"Lucia?" He stopped the horse, fearing her tripping. He looked around the marshy fog. "Lucia!" The only thing that he could hear was the chirps and hissing insects. "LUCIA!"
The Black Door opened to the Listener, who staggered down the stoned halls. He heard the shrill laughter of the Keeper echoing. He stepped down the stairs to the main chamber where the calm and collected Redgaurd dressed in traditional Redguard garments; the insane jester; and the child vampire sat and laughed, but at the sight of the Listener, they all frowned.
"Listener?" Nazir asked.
Dressed in a heavy, winter tunic with long, black, stringy hair in his eyes, Ryvren tossed a scorched doll onto the table. "My house was burned last night with my wife inside." He had a thick Dunmeri accent. "I watched my daughter get kidnapped before my eyes. I tried to go after her, but lost her in the fog. I did not find my son. My housecarl was slain. It was the Dawnguard."
"Ryvren…." Babette gasped.
"Listener…." Nazir murmured.
"The Dawnguard," he growled, "took my family!" He slammed his gloved hands on the table. "They murdered my wife and took my children!"
"Are you sure it was them?" Nazir asked.
He locked his burning gaze on the man. "Who else would it be? I am going to find my children and kill every last Dawnguard!" He roughly straightened up.
"You're talking about attacking the Dawngaurd!" Nazir cried, jumping to his feet. "That's suicide!"
"I have companions," he snarled before storming down the hall.
"Listener–"
He spun around to him. "Where is Killian?"
"At home."
"Send word to him or not, I do not care. I'm leaving to Castle Valkhar and I don't know when I will be back." He turned back to the hall, but heard Nazir following.
"Ryvren. Just–"
He spun back to him. "Just what, Nazir? The longer I waste time here, the longer my children are in danger! I need the vampires' help. I need to get the Dawnguard and kill them! I want their leader's head on a pike." He was about to turn, but a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder.
"You need rest. You traveled from here to Marthol and back. Leave early morning."
Ryvren slowly turned to his friend. "How can I rest when–"
"They will not kill your children. They're aren't vampires and they are children. They will live."
The firm kindness in his dark eyes made the Listener sigh, looking away. "You're right. I do need to rest." He walked away. "No one disturb me." Entering the grand bedroom, he closed the door. He knew the leader of the Dawnguard personally when he first thought he was going to be a vampire hunter, but the moment that power and fear was offered, he turned his back on them. For four months now, he and the rest of the Castle Valkhar have been planning to attack the Dawnguard castle. It'll have to happen much sooner than later. He sat on the edge of the bed and removed the silver band from his finger. "I promised I'd die protecting you, Muiri," he murmured to the ring. "I failed." He squeezed it in his hand, covering his eyes as tears rolled down his face once more. "Sithis, hear me. If you can, please protect my children."