A New Beginning: A Tale Of Two Sisters
One
Castle Volkihar stood solitary on its lonely island. The sea crashed around on the rocks surrounding the island. For once, the sea was calm. The waves lapped playfully almost invitingly around the castle. In the distance, the sun set. It cast an elongated shadow of the castle on the sea as it slowly disappeared behind the mountains of Solitude. The sky was bathed in a deep orange creating a sense of immediacy and relaxation amongst the residents of Skyrim. Immediacy to finish the daily tasks, but relaxation as the day was almost over.
The feeling of relaxation was also present in the bedroom of Valeria Volkihar. However, this was a different form of relaxation. While the mortal residents were preparing to end their day, it would soon be time for Valeria to start hers. Valeria was a vampire, and as such, her day began while the mortals' day finished. At the moment she was asleep; deeply and peacefully. Her long, jet black hair was strewn haphazardly over her pretty face. The hair fluttered as she breathed lightly.
She stirred and rolled over onto her side. The messy hair fell onto the pillow and strewn over the fabric like thin black snakes. The sun cast weak orange sunlight into her room as she slept. The light kissed her face, illuminating her pale white skin. She frowned slightly and opened her eyes slowly. She blinked in the sunset, her eyes gummed together with sleep.
She rolled onto her back and rubbed her eyes. She lay on her bed and stared at the canopy. She smiled to herself. Today was the day she had been waiting for. After all these years of waiting she would finally be...
The door burst open. Her sister, Lucinda Volkihar bounded into the room. She looked almost identical to Valeria, except that there were some small mistakes. Lucinda was slightly taller than her sister, her hair was lighter with ginger highlights. Her eyes were also slightly rounder and her nose was more prominent.
"Happy birthday little sister!" yelled Lucinda bounding into the room and throwing herself onto her sisters bed, bouncing it violently.
"Thank you," said Valeria smiling. "How did you know I was awake?"
"I always know when you are awake sister," replied Lucinda smiling.
Lucinda's fangs were longer than her sisters, another small, incremental difference between the otherwise identical Vampire sisters.
"I'm not sure how I feel about that," said Valeria in mock nervousness.
"Oh give up," said Lucinda. "You always rise before the dusk."
"As opposed to you who doesn't crawl out of her coffin until gone midnight," said Valeria.
"Midnight is the best time of the day," said Lucinda. "All the mortals are asleep. It's nice and quiet."
The sun set slowly behind them. The orange of the sunset grew darker to the inky blackness of night.
"You should come down to the Keep," said Lucinda. "You don't want to be miss your coming of age party do you?"
Valeria shook her head.
"I do not," she replied.
Lucinda smiled at her sister. She then threw her arms around her and embraced her tightly.
"Happy birthday little sister," she said.
They hugged tightly for a long minute.
"I'll be down momentarily," said Valeria as Lucinda released her.
"I'll see you downstairs," said her sister.
She stood up and made her way across the room towards the door. She looked back.
"Don't dally," said Lucinda. "Mother and father will be waiting."
She opened the door and left the room, leaving the door open.
Valeria stood up and glanced out of the window. It was an exceptionally dark night with a new moon illuminating the sky. She crossed the room to her vanity cabinet and picked up a hair brush. She began pulling it through her hair looking into the reflection free mirror. After several minutes she completed this mundane chore.
"I wonder what it's like to have a reflection," she thought out loud.
She replaced her brush on the cabinet and made her way out of the room. She closed the door and slowly descended the stairs.
The door to the Keep opened as Valeria entered. There was an explosion of noise that startled her somewhat.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" the residents called in unison.
Valeria beamed as she made her way down the stairs. Her parents, along with her sister, grandmother and Lilith were all present. They raised goblets of wine as they wished her birthday greetings.
Stefan handed her a goblet and kissed his daughter on the cheek.
"Happy birthday honey," he said.
Valeria smiled as the rest of the guests followed suit. Stefan was followed by Serana, Valerica and then Lilith. Her sister was final. She kissed her on the cheek and clinked their goblets together.
"Drink little sister," instructed Lucinda.
Valeria drank her goblet with her sister. She preferred the taste of wine to mead. Wine was sweeter, she found that Mead was too bitter.
They drained their goblets.
"Today you become a woman," said Stefan turning to Valeria. "Becoming a woman for a Vampire is a little different to that of a mortal."
"I don't have to have a ritual with Molag Bol do I?" asked Valeria fearfully looking at her mother and grandmother.
"No," replied Serana turning to her mother. "Thankfully the Volkihar clan doesn't perform those sorts of barbaric rituals any more."
Serana turned away to look at her daughter. Valerica hung her head in shame. Even after all this time, Serana had never forgotten the ordeal that night.
"There is something else you have to do though," said Serana. "It's a traditional ritual of sorts."
Valeria was silent. She sipped her wine and listened to her mother.
"Follow me," she said. She put her arm around her daughter and led her towards a small room off the Keep. She opened the door to find it was rather small and dingy. It was also rather dark. The torches were woefully incapable of illuminating the room, despite the tiny size of it.
Affixed to the wall was a wooden crucifix. On this crucifix was a human. A mortal to be precise. Valeria turned to look at her parents.
"What's all this?" she asked.
"Your coming of age," replied Serana.
Valeria looked at the mortal bound on the crucifix.
"You always wanted to drink blood," said Lucinda clapping her sister on the back. "Now's your chance."
Valeria looked at her sister.
"I have to..." she began.
"Yes," replied Stefan. "You are twenty now."
Valeria looked at her father. She had always wanted to try human blood, ever since she saw her sister drinking it. She was hoping however, it would be in a goblet or a potion bottle. Now she would have to bite a living human. She wasn't sure she was capable of that.
"Just sink your teeth in his neck and take a good drink," said Lucinda. "It's not difficult."
"My concerns were not based on ability," said Valeria solemnly.
"Honey..." began Stefan.
"I have an idea father," said Lucinda.
She drew her elven dagger and approached the mortal. She sliced her dagger across his arm, nicking the artery and allowing blood to pour from the open wound.
"Go crazy sister," said Lucinda patting her on the back.
She gestured her parents to leave the room. Her parents looked at their youngest daughter before following their first born out of the room. Valeria watched them leave, closing the door behind them. The threesome peered through the small barred window in the door. Valeria turned to look at the bound human on the cross. Blood flowed from his wound. The smell drifted up her nose.
That smell of blood. She'd smelled it once before. It was irresistible. It wafted up her nose. She took a great sniff, her nostrils expanding to allow the smell to enter. She made a small noise of pleasure. She enjoyed the smell of blood. A feeling of hunger swept over her. Her eyes glowed and she suddenly felt predatory. Her eyes glowed a deep blood red. She approached the human. Her eyes fell upon his neck. She could see the blood rushing through his veins.
"Drink Valeria," whispered Lucinda. "Drink."
Valeria titled her head slightly, she blinked slowly. The smell was overpowering. Blood. Human blood. She had to have it. Her fangs extended. She made a high pitched hissing and sunk her fangs into the man's neck. Blood gushed from his neck and she drank. Her body shuddered as the blood spilled down her neck. It tasted good, much better than she imagined.
It spilled into her throat and rushed down her oesophagus. The taste, the texture. The feeling of drinking it filled her with incredible euphoria. She drained him into a withered husk. Once he was dry she pulled out her fangs. They shrunk back to usual size as the mortal body hung limp on the crucifix. She licked her lips and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. Valeria Volkihar was now a woman.
The door burst open. Lucinda bounded in and hugged her sister.
"Congratulations little sister," she said jubilantly. "You are now a Vampire."
Valeria smiled as she hugged her sister.
Stefan looked over at the mortal.
"You drained him," he said observantly.
Valeria nodded.
"Indeed," she said.
"I've never seen that before," said Stefan inspecting the corpse. "You must really like that taste."
"I'm sure every Vampire drains their...prey," replied Valeria carefully choosing her words.
"Not usually," said Stefan. "Not on their first time."
Valeria suddenly looked fearful.
"No I made that up," said Stefan beaming. "Happy birthday Valeria."
He pulled her into a hug as she gave him a scornful look. Lucinda giggled behind her sisters back.
"Keep giggling," said Valeria. "And I'll bite you next."
"Keep dreaming little sister," said Lucinda. "You were lucky to be able to bite that mortal with those little human fangs of yours."
Valeria blasted her sister with an ice spike. She froze for a second and then thawed instantaneously.
"Let's go back to the Great Hall," said Serana. "You've got some gifts."
Valeria smiled. Stefan put his arm around her and led her back to the Great Hall. Lucinda put her arm around the other shoulder and joined them in the return to the Great Hall. While they were gone, Valerica and Lilith had been organising Valeria's gifts on the large dining table. The first thing she noticed was a large, black bow. It glowed a sinister red as it sat on the table.
"A Daedric bow of immobility," said Lucinda as Valeria picked it up to inspect it. "Any arrow you fire will stun the target for ten seconds."
Valeria looked at her sister.
"I made it for you," she said. "Happy birthday."
Valeria dropped the bow and embraced her sister again.
"Thank you Lucinda," she said.
"It's nothing," said Lucinda dismissively. "You'd better go see what Lilith got you as well."
Valeria released her sister and glanced over to Serana. Lilith stood next to a mannequin wearing a set of black leather armour, complete with black steel plates around the chest, hips and knees.
"Vampire stealth armour," said Lilith. "For when you and your sister go on an adventure."
"Thanks Lilith," said Valeria.
They beamed at each other.
"With that bow and this armour, you are going to be the fearsome Vampire archer on the continent," said Lilith.
"Oh pish and posh," said Valeria dismissively.
They embraced for a moment.
Lilith released her. Valeria spotted a few more things on the table. A large book, and a set of keys.
"A book containing all the alchemy recipes in all of Nirn," said Valerica. "I thought you'd like that."
Valeria picked it up. It was very heavy. She opened it and flicked through the pages.
"I love it," said Valeria. "Thank you grandmother."
Valerica smiled at her.
She then looked at her parents. They gestured to a set of keys that sat on the table. Valeria picked them up and inspected them.
"That's our gift," said Stefan.
"Lovely," said Valeria. "Now, where's the door that they open?"
Stefan chuckled.
"Tomorrow we will take you and your sister to see it," he replied. "Together."
Lucinda looked up at her father. He looked at her and winked at her. Lucinda nodded, smiled and winked in return.
"Wine," called Serana.
Valerica slid several brimming bottles across the table. They spilled their contents as they slid. The party filled their goblets and toasted to Valeria once more.