Beyond Death part 5
-The Reach-
The night had reached its end and Tarrion and Serana rode through the northernmost parts of the Reach. They had taken the horses form the Solitude stables and now rode for Whiterun. There, as Tarrion said, they would rest, before they would go to find the last Elder Scroll.
"So, Tarrion." Serana said. "Explain to me. Where is the Scroll and why do we first have to visit a few 'old friends'?"
Tarrion looked ahead and saw the plains of Whiterun in the distance, and behind that he saw the highest mountain of Tamriel. Skyrim's Throat of the World. Where he was first called upon his duties as Dragonborn. Where he studied and meditated on the Thu'um. Where the Greybeards recognized him as Dragonborn, and gave him the title Dovahsebrom; Dragon of the North. It was on the peak of the mountain where he first fought Alduin, and where he travelled back in time to learn the Dragonrend Shout. Despite that he learned about his tremendous power there, and that he fought one of his greatest battles there, he still saw it as a place of peace. Above the problems of the world. And he looked forward to returning to it.
"Tarrion?"
"Eh, yes. Sorry, I was lost in thought."
"Clearly."
"Alright, to answer your questions. We first have to visit a few old, bearded friends, because I asked them to guard the path to the Elder Scroll."
"What?" Serana looked in confusion at him and clearly did not understand it. "Then… where is the Elder Scroll?"
Tarrion smiled and pointed at the peak of the Throat of the World.
"Up there."
Serana looked ahead and her mouth fell open in awe.
"You hid the Scroll on a mountain? Why?"
"That is not just any mountain." Tarrion said. "That is the Throat of the World, where the Greybeards live in their monastery of High Hrothgar. They are masters in the Way of the Voice, and who better way to guard an Elder Scroll, than five masters of the Thu'um?"
"So.. we have to climb that mountain, all the way to the top, to get the Elder Scroll?"
"Well, at least we won't have to pass through an undead realm filled with things that want to kill you. And don't worry about the climb. It will be long, but there is a path to High Hrothgar, known as the Seven Thousand Steps. I have no idea if there are indeed seven thousand steps, but I don't think that anyone bothers to count them."
The two rode on and entered Whiterun Hold a little bit later. The sun slowly looked over the mountains and the first rays shone bright across the sky. Serana donned her hood and clearly wanted to move faster. She looked at the east often to see how much time they had left, and sighed in relief when they saw Whiterun in the distance.
"Can I ask you about your weakness to sunlight?"
Serana looked at Tarrion, and nodded slowly.
"Well, I was wondering what the sun does to you. Is it lethal? Is it an annoyance? Is it dangerous?"
Serana sighed.
"Well, it won't kill me. But if I stay in the sun for too long, my skin starts to char. It also feels wrong…. For you it feels nice and warm, right?"
Tarrion nodded.
"Well, for me it feels like a burning warmth, not a pleasant warmth. I also get blinded by it so during the day I cannot see much."
Serana paused for a moment, like she was lost in thought.
"But the night… the night looks amazing." she said, and Tarrion saw a smile appear. "If you could see what I can see during the night, you would envy me…. The night holds more colours than you might think. You see only darkness, but I see every colour that you know, and more. Everything is…. Clearer than the brightest crystal. I can see everything. I can see an animal move, even from a hundred metres away. I can hear your heartbeat, every breath you take, I can sense your blood flow through you."
She sighed again, but now it was in longing.
"It sounds like the night is beautiful."
"It is… more beautiful than the day is to you."
-Whiterun-
"My thane! You're back."
Tarrion and Serana walked through the gates of Whiterun and they saw that the city had just woken up. Adrianne was already working the forge next to Warmaidens, and Lydia was having a conversation with Ysolda.
Ysolda, a young Nord woman that Tarrion once helped obtaining a mammoth's tusk, greeted him with a smile. She was slender, with clear, brown eyes and light, brown hair. She was dressed in her usual brown with blue merchant clothing, as it was her dream to one day become the best merchant in Skyrim.
"Hello, Tarrion. How are you? Back from another grand adventure?"
"You can say that." Tarrion said. "But this adventure is not over yet. But how are you?"
"Oh, I am fine, but I am afraid my friends aren't. The guards still don't trust the Khajiit, and they won't let them into the city. They are forced to stay outside, and with these Vampire attacks, it becomes more dangerous to them."
When Serana heard about Vampire attacks, she turned her head around and pulled her hood further over her face, so that no-one would notice anything.
"Can't you do something about that, Tarrion?"
"Ysolda, you know I already did." Tarrion sighed. "But Jarl Balgruuf knows that there are still too many people that distrust them, and he keeps them out mostly for their own safety."
"I know… I know, but I still think it is too dangerous outside the city walls."
"I'll ask Balgruuf if I get the change."
"Thanks," Ysolda said. "but who is your companion?"
"This is Serana, and she has been… helping me on my adventures for the last few days."
Ysolda shook Serana's hand, and in the light of the sun, she didn't notice that her eyes were glowing.
"Charmed."
After Ysolda left to trade with the Khajiit, Tarrion, Serana and Lydia left for Breezehome. There Serana kept her hood on, because Lydia was still present, and looked around. Tarrion removed his belt with his sword and put it against the wall.
"Any news while I was away, Lydia?"
"Not much. I heard that Vilkas came in with a nasty wound. He had to drive a Sabre Cat from someone's home, and it laid a nasty claw on him. I also heard that a young Redguard girl wanted to join the Companions, but she was too young."
"Really? Who was it?"
Lydia shrugged. "I don't know. She is new in Skyrim, so I don't think anyone knows who she really is."
"Wait… she is here on her own?"
Lydia nodded. "At least, as far as I know… I haven't seen her with anyone else."
Tarrion grabbed dropped in a chair and thought about this.
'A Redguard girl wants to join the Companions. She is too young, but still she travels on her own?'
"Do you know where she is now?"
"She is in the Bannered Mare. I think Hulda let's her sleep by the fire, because I don't think she has a place for the night."
"Serana?" Tarrion looked at her. "Do you mind if I go and talk to this girl? I know we wanted to get some rest, but…"
Serana looked at him, and nodded.
"Don't worry about me. I needed the rest anyway, so you go. I'll stay here, if that is alright."
And so Tarrion left for the Bannered Mare with Lydia behind him. She said she still had some errands to run, but there was something about her tone, that made Tarrion think otherwise.
While Lydia went to buy some groceries, Tarrion entered the Bannered Mare and asked Hulda about a Redguard girl.
"Yes, she is here. She is in the back room over there."
Tarrion found the girl indeed in the back room, sitting on a chair. Her skin was dark, as it was with all Redguards, and her hair was black. She looked young indeed and her brow was furled in a grumpy look. When Tarrion entered she looked up and he saw that she had blue eyes, which was uncommon in Redguards, who mostly had dark eyes.
"Who are you?" she asked sharply. "Go away and leave me be."
Tarrion smiled slightly and grabbed another chair and looked at the girl in front of him.
"Didn't you hear me? Get lost, or I'll cut your hands off."
Tarrion chuckled again.
"I can see why they rejected you. You are too young, and also too fiery."
The angry look disappeared from the girls face and surprise came in its place.
"Who are you? Are you a member of the Companions?" and Tarrion nodded.
"Well? What changed? You first didn't even allowed me to enter the hall, and now you send someone to fetch me anyway?"
"I simply haven't met you before, and I'd like to know who it was that wanted to join the Companions."
Tarrion's tone was calm, and he looked at the girl with the same look that Koldak had when he looked at Tarrion when he wanted to join the Companions. Tarrion remembered how Kodlak said that Tarrion had a 'certain strength of spirit'. Tarrion now saw that this girl also had a strong will and spirit, yet there was also an eagerness and fire in her, and it looked like there was a bit too much of it.
The girl looked at him with a fierce gaze and for a few moments they just looked at each other, trying to understand the other.
"Who are you? Really?" the girl asked.
"My name is Tarrion, and I am the Harbinger of the Companions."
The girl's eyes opened wide, and it almost looked like she thought Tarrion was joking.
"Now it is my turn." Tarrion said. "Who are you? What is your name? Where do you come from? Why do you want to join the Companions, and how old are you?"
It looked like the girl did not want to answer these questions, but it seemed like she did not want to disobey Tarrion, now that she knew who he was.
"My name is Rashäa. I come from a small village in Hammerfell. I am seventeen years old, although I do not see why that is important. And I want to join the Companions, because I want to fight. I want to kill beasts and bandits, and that is what the Companions do, isn't it?"
Tarrion sighed.
"Where are your parents? Are you in Skyrim alone?"
"Yes. I left Hammmerfell to join the Companions."
"Why did you leave?"
Rashäa got frustrated.
"Why does it matter? I just want to join the Companions. Why do you want to know all of this?"
"Because I want to know who joins." Tarrion said, and his voice turned serious. "You see, we don't 'kill' bandits or beasts. We solve problems. If bandits cause trouble, then we will solve that problem. Peaceful if possible, forceful if need be. I also want to know if you are not a criminal, or that you left home on the run from the law or the Thalmor. I want to know what drives you to join our ranks, and I want to know if, in a few days or weeks, an angry and worried parent will show up looking for you."
Tarrion stood up.
"The Companions fight, yes. But we are also a band of brothers and sisters, where we look out for each other, where no-one is superior to the other and where we fight for each other... You have fire in your eyes, and that is a good thing. But there is too much of it, and that gets innocent people killed. And if you don't believe me, ask Uthgerd."
Tarrion sighed again, and looked at the girl, who now had an expression of anger and grief in her eyes.
"You are indeed too young to join the Companions, but there are always exceptions to make. But above all, you have too much fire in your blood, and unless you can control it, so it will not fire back at you, you cannot join our ranks."
Tarrion turned around and walked through the door, but he turned around one last time.
"If you can learn to calm yourself and let your mind speak before your sword…. to use that fire in you, but only when needed… then I think we can let you join us. The skill with the sword is useless, if you cannot use your head."
Tarrion left the Bannered Mare and left for Jorrvaskr. There he talked to Aela about Rashäa and what they both said.
"I agree with you, Tarrion." Aela said. "I already saw that she was restless, and that she was too eager."
Tarrion nodded. "Well, I told her that, if she could calm herself and control that fire in her, she could try again. Her age is indeed a point to think about, but there are always exceptions to make."
"So I can expect her to show up here tomorrow?"
"Ha, ha…. Probably." Tarrion laughed. "But I just remembered; how is Vilkas? I heard he came back with a nasty wound."
"I'm fine, Tarrion."
Vilkas showed up behind him and Tarrion saw that he had a few bandages around his shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes!" Vilkas said, and threw his hands in the air. "I'm not decrepit yet! By Ysmir, stop worrying about me!"
"It looks like the fire is also strong in him." Aela joked.
Tarrion stayed for another few moments in Jorrvaskr, and listened to the stories that the others had. But after a while he knew he had to go back, and so he said goodbye to the others and left for Breezehome. Lydia was had just finished shopping for groceries, and walked back with him.
"Follow me, please." she suddenly said and she walked toward a quiet place, away from the market rabble. Tarrion followed her and Lydia turned around and she had a look of fear and anger.
"This 'Serana'…" she started. ".. what do you know of her?"
Tarrion knew what Lydia asked, but he did not answer the question in the way Lydia meant.
"I know who she is, and who her family is. Where she comes from, and that she is a very capable fighter…. Why do you ask?"
Lydia looked fiercely at Tarrion.
"Don't tell me you haven't seen her eyes glow. Don't tell me that she wears a hood on the middle of the day, just because it looks good on her. Don't tell me that you haven't seen her pale skin…."
Lydia was now clearly worried and even a bit angry, and it gave her a red complexion.
"She is a Vampire…"
Tarrion nodded calmly. "I know."
"…Then … What?... why?..."
"Why do I accompany her? Because I trust her, and I promised to help her."
"But how do you know…."
"Because I trust her." Tarrion said, and Lydia could hear that his voice became serious. "Lydia, I can understand that you don't trust her, and I am glad that you want to keep me safe, but I have travelled with her for almost a full week now, and she has not let me down yet. She has saved my life at least once, possibly twice. She trusts me, and I trust her, and I would ask of you to give her a change."
It was clear that Lydia wanted to protest, but she knew that she couldn't disobey her thane.
"Yes, my thane." and Tarrion could hear the reluctance in her voice.
"Lydia, no…" Tarrion stopped her and he put his hands on her shoulders. "I ask you to give her a change, not because I order you too, but because I hope you trust me."
"But.. of course I trust you… how can you say…"
"Then trust me on this…. I know what I'm doing."
Although Lydia did not like it one bit, she agreed, and they went back to Breezehome. There Lydia immediately stored the groceries and Tarrion looked around for Serana.
"Serana?"
But he did not hear an answer. He walked upstairs and saw that the door to his bedroom was ajar. When he entered he saw Serana lying on the bed, fast asleep. Her knife laid on one of the dressers next to the bed, and she had kicked the fur covers away.
On that moment, Tarrion did not see a Vampire, but a young woman whom he deeply cared for. Her black hair had fallen over her pale face, and Tarrion saw her chest go up and down as she breathed and one arm hung on the ground.
Tarrion felt a surge of affection coursing through him, and he smiled, closed and locked the door and walked to the bed. He laid Serana's arm on her chest and pulled the fur covers over her. He gently stroked her black hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek.
Serana turned around and in her sleep, she grabbed Tarrion's hand and pulled it close to her. Tarrion fell to his knees, with his hand still pressed between Serana's arms. He carefully pulled his hand back and Serana let him go, and she breathed deeply, and Tarrion saw a smile on her face, like she had good dream.
Despite that it was still mid-day, Tarrion felt tired and so he kicked off his boots, and removed his armour and grabbed a simple tunic. He decided to let Serana sleep and fell into a chair next to the door. Below he heard Lydia rummaging through the pots and pans, and in the distance he heard the slight noise coming from the market.
A few moments later he smelled the pleasant smell of cooked meat and apple-cabbage stew. Lydia was cooking something nice and it made Tarrion feel even more tired. He closed his eyes and before he knew it, he fell asleep.
For a few moments he felt truly at peace. The smell of good food, the loyalty and love from Lydia and the feelings he had for Serana made him feel better than he had in ages. He felt at peace… like there was nothing to worry about… like he was where he belonged.
=End of Chapter=
=Author's Notes=
Ok, I actually planned on making this chapter a tad longer, and progressing the story much more, but there was more than enough to write about. My original plan was to make this the last chapter of this Arc, but now we have more time to get the last Scroll.
I hope you like it so far, and stay tuned for the next chapter.
Since my Project Week is now finished, and college starts tomorrow again, I think I won't have as much time to write. I think I'll be able to publish 1, maybe 2 chapters a week.
No other languages were used.
Characters:
Vilkas: One of the Companions. Twin brother to Farkas. He helps you avenge Kodlak at Driftshade.
Kodlak: Previous Harbinger of the Companions. He was killed in a Silver Hand attack, and you cured him of his Lycanthropy in Ysgramor's Tomb.
Hulda: She is the innkeeper of the Bannered Mare.