Chapter 40

Ragnthor

They made the ride to Ivarstead fast, faster than he had thought they could. As they finally had enough people, they rode in formation. Ragnthor took rearguard and from there he was able to watch the whole of the band.

Lucia and Serana rode forward, just far enough ahead that they would be useful but close enough Lydia could give them instruction. Fitting they were together. Serana, while she had been turned when she was about a year young than Lucia now, fell easily into the older sister. And being with a "normal" family was good for her.

And for Lucia as well. As a child she craved another child to play with, yet another sign of her Imperial mother. She almost completely lacked the stoic solidarity inborn to a Nord. And while now she had Ragnar, he would always be a nephew to her. This was the first time she had been near someone her age who craved the same thing.

Lydia rode center, as ready to charge forward as fall backward. She looked the image of an Imperial Knight, noble, clean limbed and powerful, armor shining. And while she seemed relaxed he knew she was taunt as a bowstring. She was finding it hard to trust Serana. The fact that her father ordered the kidnapping of her and Ragnar made sure of that. And while Serana was unaware, Lydia's training as a Housecarl made sure of that, at the mere whiff of betrayal Lydia would end her before she would even know.

And then sat Ragnthor at the end. He rode, straight backed and tall, in full fighting form. If Lydia was a knight, then he was a backwoodsman, looking unruly and wild, armor dulled. Though he wore heavy armor, not one plate hit another, nor did Bowen step on a single loose stone or dried branch. Together they moved down the road as if they were gliding, aware of everything that was happening around them.

Of course, when they reached the town, it all fell apart. Lucia was still young and as they reached the town she took off, even though it was small, to show Serana everything. Ragnthor urged his horse forward and rode in next to Lydia.

"It's been a fair while since we have both been to this town."

She nodded. "And it hasn't always been good to us. I still remember the last trip."

Ragnthor unconsciously rubbed his back. "As do I. But nothing like that will happen this time. I'm done messing with politics, I will let Balgruuf handle that for me. Besides, we are here to see our friends. They haven't seen you in years and wanted too when me and Lucia stopped by."

She smiled over at him. "And to buy coats. I haven't survived this long with you to freeze crossing some damned pass." He laughed as they rode through town.

They stopped in front of Klimmek's house, smiling as they saw Lucia pull Serana across the bridge. Ragnthor knocked on the door and a tired looking Klimmek answered. "I see the new little one is going about as well as normal."

Klimmek gave a small laugh. "As well as can do. But come and see the tyke."

They came in and saw Fastred sitting in a chair, Bragge in one arm, daughter in the other. She looked up at them with the same tired eyes and smiled. "Lydia, it's good to see you."

Lydia took off her upper armor. "Can I hold her?" Fastred nodded and Lydia picked her up, smiling at the sleeping form. "What's her name?"

"Gette."

"Such a sweet thing. And such a sweet age, and Ragnar seemed the blow right through it."

Klimmeck smiled at him. "You leave them together you may have another child."

Ragnthor snorted. "You act as if I have any say in the matter. Come, you can help me shop. We need heavy winter gear, we're taking the pass come morning."

As he walked out the door Klimmeck stared at him. "The pass? This early in the spring? The snows haven't even stopped yet."

"Fastest way from Riften to Falkreath. I've broke trail through worse. I've good horses and the cold doesn't bother me."

"Aye, but what of Lydia and Lucia?"

He sighed. "That's who this gear is for. Though Lydia is as true born as me and you, her resistance isn't as strong as mine. And Lucia is half Imperial, it will be hardest on her."

"And still you want to try."

"At its deepest I can cross the pass in 4 days, alone. Even if it takes longer with a group its faster than 3 weeks riding around." Ragnthor leaned on the fence. "I'm tired Klimmeck. 8 years wandering takes its toll. Then I lost another handful on the Dragonborn "problem" and the dragons are still returning. And now this…"

"Pease is a goal oft sought and rarely cherished. You are among the few I know that deserve it."

"And so over the pass I go. To end things, quickly." They hurriedly finished shopping and returned to the house.

The next morning they rose before the sun and rode fast toward the pass. As soon as they hit the snow Ragnthor pushed his way to the front and broke trail, Bowen being the strongest horse of the lot. He pushed at a madman's pace and by noon the snow was up to Bowen's belly and Lydia and Lucia were wrapping themselves in extra furs. By the time night fell the snow was nearly to the middle of Ragnthor chest. He cursed as he stripped off his armor and wrapped himself in his warm clothes.

They had bunched near an overhang that protected them from the wind. Serana walked over to him and he was brushing the caked snow off the horses.

"What are we going to do for the night?"

He bent down and started cleaning snow from Lucia's new horse's hooves. "Break trail all night. Snow's deeper than I thought."

"That's fine for me and you, but what about them?" she pointed to where Lydia and Lucia stood huddled.

"Bundle them tight, let them sleep in the saddle." He stood and stretched his back. "Lydia has been through worst. She will keep an eye on Lucia. And you'll watch them both."

"And leave you to break trail alone?"

He looked up the mountain and suppressed a shudder at how far they had to go. "I've done it before, I'll do it again."

"You'll kill yourself. From exhaustion if not the cold."

He scowled at the sky. "Keep an eye on them." Then he took off up the trail. It had started to snow.

He broke trail, sometimes passing over a stretch 3 or 4 times when the snow reached above his head so the horses wouldn't sink through, tirelessly. He told himself he would stop many times. At the next bend, 5 more paces, just a few minutes, to shake the creeping numbness from his hands and feet. He lost count at how many times he promised himself that, just as time itself had lost its meaning. Until he saw a tree. He stared at it for God's know how long, his numb and deprived mind unable to process it. Then he staggered over and leaned against it, sliding down the trunk and passing out. They had crossed the pass in 3 days.

Lucia

She was cold. It seemed the whole world was cold. Even colder than it had been in Dawnstar. She didn't even remember large chucks of the trip, only bits where she had been jarred from her half sleep by Serana check to see if she had froze. And that they hadn't seen Ragnthor since he started up the trail that night.

They had come across him late in the afternoon, leaning against a tree, covered in a dusting of snow. Lydia had nearly fallen off her horse trying to get to him, stiff from the cold and the ride. She started shaking him, becoming more frantic as he didn't react. Something in her cold mind told her to turn as Serana hurried over. The only words she caught were "…more than 96 hours without sleep."

She fell as she slid off her horse, legs not wanting to obey her. She staggered to her feet and started stripping the saddles off the horses and rubbing them down before tying them deeper in the woods were there was some grass.

We she walked back Lydia had a fire going. Lucia crouched by it. "What…is wrong…with uncle Ragnthor?" speaking slowly, mouth not wanting to form the words.

"He's just tired" she said without looking up, "only thing that kept him alive is that damned furnace inside him."

"Furn…ace?"

Lydia looked up at her. "Have I ever told you the story of our first trip to the Throat of the World?" When she shook her head Lydia motioned her over.

"I had never been up the 7,000 steps while Ragnthor was gone. Too angry to go looking for that kind of reflection." She said putting an arm around Lucia. "But that was the first thing I did with him that fell directly under my duty as Housecarl. Ragnthor had been home for…a month or just a bit more. Took us longer than it should have, we had got a late start and hit a storm, so we only made it half way until we had to stop and camp. And we got ambushed by trolls."

Lucia gasped as she nodded. "I'd only fought one troll before and near died doing it. Between that, the wet spring snow, and a strong wind I nearly froze."

"But you're a Nord."

She hugged her tighter. "Indeed I am, but my resistance to the cold is not as strong as Ragnthor's. He held me in his arms that night. It felt like being next to a fire. That is how he did what he just did. A normal man we would have found frozen up the mountain or would lose his hands and feet after digging through the snow. But not him. He's as warm as a fat bear in a den sitting there in the snow."

"When are we going to wake him up?"

"In a few hours. We are close to the cave and I'm sure he would want some good sleep before." Lucia nodded before stretching and starting to set up camp.

As she was getting ready to go to sleep she saw Lydia walk over to him with a bowl of food. She shook him awake and handed him some food. Lydia looked mad but Lucia was just too tired to care as she turned back to the fire.

Soon Ragnthor walked over and crouched by her. "Still alive, little lass? With all 10 fingers and toes?" She nodded. "Good. Because tomorrow morning we will be there" he pointed up a faint trail, "Because it's right up there."

They sat there a moment, in silence. Then he pointed at Lydia, who was with Serana. "We were perfect for each other once, before it all went to hell."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "When we were young. She was my everything and I was her world. We didn't even have to speak, we just knew. Then Freynar died. It shattered my world, and I in turn shattered hers." She looked up at him, knowing better than to interrupt. "The gods have made us into different people since then. Lydia a defender, honorable and true, blade ready to help those in need, she feels keenly when those she cares for are hurt. And I" he looked back at Lydia, "do what must be done, even if it means crossing the hells."

She leaned on him "But you still love each other."

"Aye, we do. Our hearts yearn for each other, couldn't be satisfied with anyone else. But as people…it may have been better if I never came back. Less pain for the both of us."

He stood. "Get some sleep."

The next morning they rose early and were shortly at the entrance. Ragnthor and Lydia went first and she and Serana were behind. As soon as Ragnthor and Lydia entered the main cavern a gate slammed down. Lucia grabbed the gate and tried in vain to open it as people started to stream into the cavern from the far side.

"Death To The Dawnguard!" one screamed from the back before hurling two ice bolts at Ragnthor as several ran in close and yet more sprang at Lydia from a clump of bushes.

She watched Ragnthor draw his sword, faster than her eyes could follow, and deflect both bolts before grabbing one running at him with one hand, picking him up and breaking their neck. While at the same time Lydia caught an axe on her shield and drove her blade into another's chest. Then she gasped as she saw something she had only heard about. Ragnthor was in the midst of fighting 5 when he suddenly kicked one in the chest, causing him to slam into a tree and drop limp, while drawing the dagger from his boot and, hardly turning, threw it catching yet another vampire that had sprung out from the bushes behind Lydia, who was fighting 4, just beneath the skull.

Then she heard him laugh and fight with renewed strength, blows from his massive sword shattering everything it hit from blades and shields to trees as big around as her. At the same time she watched Lydia catch a blow from an axe on her shield and twist, disarming the vampire. She dropped her shield and Lucia could see the dent from the axe breaking through. As it charged forward, hands forming claws, she made a move similar to Waynek using a whip, the blade of her sword catching it on the side of its head and, at the level of its eyes, took the top of its head off. Then she bent down and wrenched the axe from her shield before backing against Ragnthor. She saw him flinch as they touched before giving another massive, near berserk swing. And it was then she realized how perfectly they worked together. Just before the after swing would have taken off Lydia's head she ducked and drove her sword into the chest of a vampire as the edge of the last 6 inches of Ragnthor's sword sunk into it's head.

They fought like a matched pair of blades until they were surrounded by mages. As they lifted their arms Serana screamed "Run!" Ragnthor roared as the lightning hit him while Lydia screamed and dropped to the ground twitching. Lucia watched Ragnthor face grow blank as he ran, unaffected, swing his sword like a man breaking rocks, even as she screamed and hacked at the gate with her sword, determined to go through it if it wouldn't open.

As the last vampire dropped the gate opened and they ran toward Lydia who was sitting up and spitting out pieces of tooth. She was still twitching.

"Shit! Lucia, make sure Ragnthor doesn't kill me. I have to try and repair the nerve damage if she able to live normally, much less hold a sword." She nodded.

She flinched as she heard Lydia scream again and then felt the blood drain from her face as Ragnthor turned toward her and charged with speed that belied his size.

She struggled to swallow as she hurled her shield like a disk towards him, knowing that it wouldn't do her any good. She watched in horror as he spun on one foot, dodging the shield, then dropped his other foot and spun back, sword coming so fast she couldn't see it, only hear it. She dodged, and tripped.

It saved her life. She heard the blade hum through the air a foot above her head. She rolled, clawing with both hands over a corpse as dirt hit her face from Ragnthor's sword slamming into the ground inches from her head. I can't let him hit me she thought as she scrambled to her feet, grabbing the half of an axe Need to keep my feet, dodge the blows.

Before she made it to her feet she heard the sword whine toward her and threw herself into a roll, smothering a scream as it hit the side of her boot, denting it and breaking bones. As she surged to her feet Lydia screamed again and Ragnthor turned toward her at a run. She threw the axe and watched as it spun into his side. He roared and charged back toward her as she drew a dagger.

Then time seemed to slow. Ragnthor's sword was still quick, impossibly so, but she could see it. And she could dodge it. And she did. Her vision pulsed, eyes seeming to focus on different parts of him with extreme clarity for mere moments before he shifted, faster than she could ever react, seeming to notice the opening even as she did.

Is this what he sees, when he loses control? She wondered as the sword cut the air in front of her face, so close she could feel it with the fuzz on her cheek. In some part of her mind she realized he had started moving even faster, the whine of the sword cutting the air raised in pitch, in the edges of her fragmented vision she saw the bushes rustle from the wind created. Still she matched him, speed for speed, sometimes using the dagger to nudge the sword just enough to miss her.

Suddenly everything focused on his sword, shrieking towards her. She moved, too slowly, point of balance forcing her the wrong direction, dagger out to one side for balance. As the sword flew toward her face her focus grew shaper, warning her, allowing her to see the tiny nicks on the edge of the blade. So sharp was her focus, time so dilated, she felt every muscle flinch individually as a shiny blade drifted across her vision to intercept his, black blade biting deeply into it.

Suddenly everything zoomed out and she saw Lydia standing there, sword in a double handed grip, straining against his fearsome strength. Someone was dragging her back as Lydia roared "GET HER OUT OF HERE!"

Lydia

Through waves of pain she saw Serana drop in front of her and yell something. As another scream tore from her chest she saw Ragnthor charge toward them and Lucia run to stop him. With a trembling hand she tried to reach for her sword. A glowing hand stopped her and Serana shook her head.

Still gripped with tremors she threw the hand off and grabbed her sword. "Ha..ve to s…top hi…m" she forced out through lips that fought her "bef..ore he kil..ls her."

As yet another scream forced its way through her lips Serana cast a spell to stop her from moving, stopping the shaking. "I only have a short time to repair the damage else you will never live normally again. You will have to trust her."

From around Serana she saw Lucia face him. And it was a different Lucia. A Lucia that had learned. Facing a berserk man with only a dagger, flowing around the attack even in full plate. A Lucia that had finally achieved the fighting prowess of her family. Lydia could see it in the glimpses of her eyes, the perfectly timed movements, the understanding, a calm Ragnthor. But she was still too young.

She saw what was going to happen a full 5 seconds before it did. In this state Ragnthor had few equals, not even Freynar. As soon as she felt the spell drop she was running. With a two handed thrust and cut savage enough to sever the leg of a giant she stopped the hulking mass of dragon bone and ebony inches from Lucia's face even as the blade cut into her own.

The impact from stopping the blow felt like it was tearing her joints from their sockets and ripping the muscles from her bones. "GET HER OUT OF HERE!" she roared as her arms started to shake from holding back his sheer strength.

With a snarl he drew his sword back and, with the speed of a viper, thrust at the middle of her chest. Gripping the blade of her sword she managed to block the blade, letting out a groan as the force of the strike pushed her back. "Enough Ragnthor!" as the sound of his name he jerked followed by a feint with a lighting swing at her head. She ducked and lashed out with a thrust of her own.

They went back and forth for a few moments, Ragnthor's energy not flagging and part of Lydia thrilled at fighting an opponent like this. As they locked blades, with Lydia feeling like she was being thrown down a series of rapid, she understood. "Enough, love" was all she said as she dropped her sword. She felt the impact of his sword even as she heard Lucia scream "NO!"

She had listened to a story, years ago, from a man who survived and avalanche. She imagined it would feel the same. So she was shocked when she barely felt the blow then felt him crush her. She knew he was still coming down from his raw strength even as she felt the hot tears on her neck. "I'm sorry. I'm glad you're alright."

As she hit him Serana walked over, holding up a limping Lucia. "I would like to know how you are. I don't know anyone who can withstand one Lightening Storm spell, much less 6. It nearly turned Lydia into an invalid."

He undid his breastplate and showed it to her. She gasped. "That's the strongest resist shock enchantment I have ever seen."

"Thalmor like their spells. After the assault on the embassy and the fallout I had the court wizard enchant each piece of my armor with a different elemental resistance, save frost. Proved a good investment, so do vampires. Now everyone leave, seeing these scrolls could blind you."

Lucia

Serana had just finished working on her foot as Ragnthor walked out of the cave. He was angry. "We are going to the Reach." He swung on his horse and started riding.

As the rode to catch up Lydia fell in stride with her. "You did good today Lucia. It seems like you learned something."

She nodded, thinking back. "It was overwhelming. That much information."

Lydia nodded. "It's hard to control. Your grandfather was the last to do it, properly. You should speak with Ragnthor."

She snorted. "I thought you said he couldn't teach me."

Lydia shook her head. "This isn't an anger thing. It is a skill, passed through blood, the reason your family was highly ranked among the 500. Ragnthor may deal with it using anger but he would have had lessons from Freynar. Even if he didn't use it properly himself." She pushed on ahead to ride with Ragnthor, giving Lucia time to think it over.

Author's Note: Ye Gods! Almost a year since the last chapter. I'm sorry. It just took longer than I wanted to get the inspiration the get it done. And everytime I would feel like writing I would be at work. But it came together how I wanted it to. The Lucia bit was fun as well. And here's the serious part, I don't even know what I'm going to do for the next chapter. I haven't play this game in years at this point. So I'm going to have to play it again just to get a feel for this part of the story. And since I am ocean's deep in Farming Simulator and Mass effect is calling my name once again. And now I wrote that so is Dragon age. So, this isn't dead. It has a long way to go before it is. I will beat Dawnguard before I kill it. And a whole fluff chapter. It just might take a while. I don't know about Dragonborn, but definitely Dawnguard. Me and Ragnthor are getting tired.