Blood Runs Deep part 5
With the sun slowly rising over the plains of Whiterun Hold and nature wakening again, the company journeyed further westward. Each morning they woke early and at night they slept before the sun had fully set. Serana was clearly not happy with this routine and preferred to stay up late and sleep in late, but given the situation she had little choice. While still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she mounted her horse and rode next to Tarrion at the end of the column. He was a bit more used to this way of life and was wide awake.
"Sleepy?" he asked with a smile.
"Y…yes," she yawned back and whispered. "I'm more fond of the night."
"I know…. But with the ring you should be fine, right?"
Serana smirked and looked at the ring. It was still the same beautiful ring that Tarrion had given her in Ancestor Glade. Black ebony as the band, with tiny shards of sapphire spelling the words 'Dii Lokaal'…. 'My love'. It was enchanted in such a way that it gave her more resilience to the sun. Although the light still blinded her a bit, it did not burn her and it did not char her skin. She felt strange during the first day, but as she got more used to it, she started to love it more and more. She was now able to walk in the sunlight next to Tarrion without fear or pain. She would wake up with the light on her face and feel pleasantly warm. The warmth of the sun would warm her up, both outside and inside and the feeling would seep into her heart and she would hug her beloved, trying to feel his warmth too.
"That is not what I meant," she whispered. "Sure… I prefer the night in that way…. But there are many things you could do in the night."
"You can't do them during the day?" he asked, although he knew well what she meant.
"You can… of course…. But in the night they're more exciting."
From the front of the column a rider approached them.
"My thane… we're nearing the fort. I can see it in the distance."
"How far do you reckon?" he asked her.
"About half a day…. I can only see the peak of the highest tower," was her answer.
"Good…" Tarrion said to himself and he thought about what to do next. "It would be best if they don't know we're coming for them. If they see us… so be it, but then they also need to see us go."
He scratched his chin. "We should pretend that we're going to Falkreath. Then camp behind the hills. We can disappear in the forest and camp fairly close by, without being seen."
"Shouldn't we wait for the cover of darkness?" Serana asked.
"We should…" he nodded. "but if we arrive to early, we can use that as a cover. 'We're just travellers that want to go to Falkreath', nothing else. But you're right, we should slow our pace a bit and see if we can't get there after dark."
"I'll tell lady Elaine," Lydia said and she rode off to the front of the column.
When she had heard that Tarrion and Serana were in Whiterun she immediately went to see them, and without needing any convincing she agreed to help. Not only because she wanted to protect her thane, and it was her duty, but also because she wanted to end any possible rebellion before it starts. She also fought in the Civil War during several battles, including the Battle for Whiterun, where she managed to execute a surprise attack with a small battalion of guards into the flanks of the advancing Stormcloaks. Without that, the battle would have ended a lot bloodier than it did.
Those memories were burned into her mind, and she would do anything to prevent a war like that from happening again.
A battalion of soldiers from Whiterun had come with her and the company had grown from a strong escort, into a small force.
With Lydia now riding next to Tarrion and Serana, the sun started to set and they were nearing Fort Sungard. As Tarrion suggested they took a road southward that lead to Falkreath and quickly moved away from the path to make camp behind the hills, out of sight of the fort.
Small tents were being set up, and Tarrion stood a bit away from the others and looked at the darkening skies. He was lost in deep thought when Serana came standing next to him and squeezed his arm.
"You know…. I really hate it when I see you like this."
"Hmm?"
She smiled at him. Her eyes softly glowing in the dark, but only he could see it. The others were not paying attention to her or were busy. Her eyes looked at him and he saw strength in them. The same type of strength that she always saw in him.
"You're lost in thought again…. I hate to see you like that."
"How so?"
She took a deep breath through her nose and smelled the night air. "It almost always means that trouble is brewing. Or that something is about to happen that will affect us. You were lost in thought before the attack on Castle Volkihar…. You were lost in thought before we had to part ways and I went to Morthal… Stop trying to figure things out on your own…. Tell me. I'm here for these moments too, and I want to be there for you."
Tarrion smiled when he heard her concern and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"I just hope that my sister is not in there," he sighed. "I hope that all this is just paranoia from Cyrodill and we can all rest easy after this. When we sneak in the fortress, I hope we will only see bandits. I hope Irileth was wrong, I hope Elaine was wrong…. But I have a bad feeling. A feeling of dread."
"Maybe you're starting to get paranoid as well," Serana pointed out.
"Maybe," Tarrion answered. "But I think I have enough reason to be worried. Skyrim has seen more than enough trouble already… and more than enough bloodshed. I would do anything to prevent that from happening again."
"I know," Serana answered with a smile. She stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on his jaw. "The people are lucky to have you as their protector."
With the night having fallen, Serana and Tarrion snuck closer to the fortress. Marcus had desperately tried to come with them, but when Tarrion pointed out that an Imperial would be of no benefit to anyone, and would likely cause the everyone in the fort to attack before asking questions, the others agreed it was better for Tarrion and Serana to go alone.
The two approached the fort from the south, where the rocky cliffs were the highest… but it was here that Tarrion knew there was a secret entrance, a tunnel that lead into the fort. He hoped that it had gone undiscovered, but he was prepared for the worst. Serana guided him through the night and relying on her sight, and his smell, they found a small crack in the rocks, hardly visible if you weren't looking. But Serana's vampiric eyes were able to see it without much effort.
"You'll have to lead," he whispered to her. "watch out that we don't get spotted or make too much noise."
She nodded and lead him through the crevice, into a dark tunnel.
After a little while, Tarrion stopped Serana.
"Just a moment," he whispered.
LAAS YAH NIR
The Shout was a whisper that was only heard by them, and Tarrion could sense the presence of any living thing close to him. A small Frostbite spider was hiding in a small corner somewhere, and far above him he sensed humans walking.
"Nobody close," he whispered, and the two continued through the tunnel and started to climb up.
After a few more small crevices and Tarrion squeezing himself through, they arrived at a grate. A small stream of water leaked from it and an oozy smell came from it.
"Ugh," Serana said when she smelled it. "This is where they relieve themselves."
"I never said the place would smell like flowers," Tarrion whispered back. "Go… you first."
After removing the grate he helped her through the opening.
"Do you see anyone?"
"No," she whispered back. "Come… it's safe."
Trying to push himself through the opening proved more difficult than last time, and Serana had to grab his arms and pull him out before he would get stuck.
"You could do with losing a few pounds."
"I'm broad… not fat."
"You know who uses that excuse? Fat people."
With a last pull, Serana was able to get him out, but immediately pushed him down.
"Shh…" she said and pointed to their right.
Tarrion looked and saw indeed a door standing ajar and a small glow came from the room. slowly they approached the door and they could hear two voices talking.
"Nah… they moved on. Southward."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Kullan saw them heading south."
"Hmm…. I'm still wondering why they're here."
"Probably some noble in need of an escort. Whoever it was, we cannot do anything about it. There were too many."
"Still…. At night, it might be a good thing to attack them when all are asleep."
Tarrion and Serana knew that the two were talking about the small force that was now hidden behind the hills to the south.
With silent hand-gestures did Tarrion made clear to Serana to become invisible and hide behind one of them, and he would do the same and hide behind the other. The two made themselves invisible and snuck through the doorway and both hid behind one of the two.
After two hard, but quiet, thumps the two men fell unconscious and Tarrion pushed them into a chair and it looked like they were sleeping.
"Good," Serana whispered and her eyes glowed exited in the dark. "Now look for the leader of these men?"
Tarrion nodded and he moved ahead, up a staircase and further into the fort.
After a few dark corridors, dimly lit only by candles and torches, the two found a large hall and judging by the noise coming from it, it was filled with people. Carefully they snuck closer and both cast an Invisibility spell again and pushed the door open.
The room was large, with elevated areas by the walls and the centre a bit lower. Large pillars held up the stone ceiling and a number of chandeliers hung down and bathed the room in the light of a hundred candles. Over two dozen men and women were gathered there and each of them looked with a fire in their eyes at the woman in the centre of the room. She stood on a long table with an axe in her hand and a long grey cloak hung over her shoulders.
She gave off an intimidating and powerful impression. Her armour was made from reinforced steel plates, but her arms were mostly clad in leather and fur. Her shins and feet were covered in plated boots and she wore no helmet. Her hair was long and brown and hung in a single braid over her back. One side of her face covered in war paint. Even from where Tarrion stood, he could see the image that was painted on her face. An image of a bear.
"….And so we shall!" the woman shouted. Her voice was clear and strong and the people cheered and shouted back. "The Empire cannot hide for long behind their so called 'White Gold Concordat'. A simple lie and a trick that they hide behind to prevent people from finding out what they really are…. COWARDS!"
The people shouted and cheered again. Tarrion and Serana hid in a dark corner away from the shouting crowd when their invisibility spell wore off. The woman proceeded to rouse the men and women more and more with her words while Tarrion whispered to Serana; "I have a plan."
"We will bring the fight to the Elves," the woman continued. "They will not see rest until Skyrim belongs to us again! For to whom does Skyrim belong?"
"TO THE NORDS!" the men and women shouted.
"What of the Dragonborn?" one voice said.
Everyone turned their heads toward the one that spoke and saw how Serana stood beside one of the pillars.
"What?" the woman on the table asked.
"What of the Dragonborn?" Serana asked again. "I hear he fights with the Empire."
"Yes! What of him?" another voice said, and everyone turned their heads toward Tarrion, who came walking down the steps that lead to the central area. "I have heard he fought against Ulfric Stormcloak. He is not fond of rebels, and he might come for us."
The room was quiet now and slowly people started to whisper to each other.
"That is true."
"I forgot about him."
"He has a point."
The woman in the centre looked from Tarrion to the men and women gathered. "Ach! One man? We can deal with him. Even if he comes for us, he cannot defeat us all."
"Maybe," Tarrion continued as he walked down the steps. "But even if you manage to defeat him, what will that mean? How many of us will be killed in a direct assault on him? Five? Ten? Twenty? A hundred? He faced down Dragons, and even Alduin himself. None of us is a match for him, and even if he dies… then what? That will not be a victory, because not only will we have weakened Skyrim and its people, but we will also turn the hatred of everyone against us. The Dragonborn is immensely popular, more popular than Ulfric ever was. His friends love him dearly and would rather die themselves than loose him."
The more and more Tarrion spoke, the more and more the people started to doubt. They heard him and knew that he spoke the truth. And Serana noticed it and smiled. She knew what he was about to do, and saw how he first played everyone and made them doubt, made them calm down and think first.
"But there is no need to attack the Dragonborn. In fact… he is not your enemy. I know that he wants to talk to all of you. Would it not be wise to first hear what he has to say?"
"And what do you think will happen?" the woman asked. "We simply walk out of here and talk to him? That is a trap! He fights with the Empire and they all want us dead. Make no mistake my brothers and sisters, this is a ruse. A trick. A lie!"
But Tarrion chuckled calmly. "It is no trick, or a lie. He is here among you right now."
Immediately a small panic started and everyone started to look at everyone to see if one might act strangely. Then they looked at Tarrion again and he stepped next to the table. "Zu'u los Dovahkiin," he said. "I am the Dragonborn."
The woman stepped backwards to the end of the table and everyone looked with shock at Tarrion, except Serana who smiled.
"I am the Dragonborn," Tarrion said. "But do not fear. I am only here to talk. Nothing more."
Everyone was quiet now and all looked at Tarrion. Even the woman was shocked when she heard the power that came from his voice when he spoke in the Dragon Tongue. She did not know what to say with him standing so close to her. Tarrion could see a hint of fear in her eyes, yet there was also anger, and he saw more of it in the eyes of the people watching. He raised his hand to calm them.
"I only wish to talk. Nothing more."
"No!" the woman shouted. "You wish to poison our minds with your words. You wish to break us before we start. You want to banish the worship of Mighty Talos from Skyrim."
But a few men shouted from the crowd. "Let him speak."
The woman clearly wanted to lecture them, but stepped from the table. Tarrion did not take her place, but stayed beside it.
"I do not want to poison your minds. I will simply give you an offer and advice…. What you do with it is up to all of you."
He took a deep breath, hoping he would pick the right words.
"I know you want to free Skyrim. I know you want to fight the Thalmor, and I do not blame you for this. I know you want to worship Talos, and I would let you. You have nothing to fear from me in that regard. I am not a Thalmor agent, nor a puppet for the Empire. I do not enforce their will in Skyrim, I only fight for my own reasons. And those reasons are the same as yours. I wish to fight for my people, for the land, but most of all…. For the ones that I hold dear. For the ones that I love."
He took a deep breath and continued. "There is only one difference between us. I know that this fight cannot be won by rebelling against the Empire or the Thalmor. They are too strong."
"You fought for the Empire, against Ulfric," a woman shouted. "Yet here you say that you are against them?"
"I fought against Ulfric, because he was arrogant and selfish," Tarrion answered, and immediately a few men and women wanted to protest, but he raised his hands again to calm them. "Ulfric only wanted to become High King, but he failed to see the consequences of his actions. If he would have won the war, and Skyrim would have become independent… then what? The entire Empire would march on us to reclaim it. The Thalmor would come with their armies and wipe us all out. Ulfric would have won one war, but pay the ultimate price; The destruction of Skyrim as a whole. I fought against him because it was the only way to quickly bring peace again. I fight for the people that I care about, because they would not survive a war against the entire Empire. I want to live in peace with the woman I love. To live in peace in a place that I can call home, with a beautiful wife, start a family…. To just be at peace…. Is that not what we all want? Rebelling is not the answer. I care little for politics. I do not care if you worship Talos or not, but I am against a rebellion that puts us all at risk."
"So you will fight against us?" a man asked.
"I will," he answered. "but not because of what you believe in. Not because you want to worship Talos and not because you hate the Thalmor. I am not their agent or their enforcer. But I am a guardian of Skyrim, and a protector of its people… and if you and your rebellion, and your precious Talos, puts them in danger… I will fight against you."
He let those final words sink in and there was no-one in the room that said anything. Even the leader now looked at him, but she seemed to be seething with anger.
"I advise you all to go home," Tarrion continued. "Go home. Go to your wives, your husbands. Your mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. Go home. No war is worth one man's ambition. Nor is it right to choose war over the warmth of your own hearth. Worship Talos if you must, but do so in secret. Right now it is forbidden to do so, and only a fool will put his own friends and family in danger over it. No god chooses rituals and prayers over a good heart…. Only the daedra do that. Go home…. Live your life… and live in peace."
He took a last deep breath, and he tried to pour all his hope in his last words. "At dawn… I hope you will agree to leave. No-one will chase you or follow you. You will all be free to go."
Tarrion had said all he wanted to say, and with Serana next to him he left. The two did not sneak out the same way they came, but instead left the hall and walked out of the main gate and down the hill.
"What do you think they'll do?" Serana asked.
"The right thing I hope," he answered. "I hope they will see the folly of their quest and the hopelessness of it. They cannot win this, so why put all of Skyrim at war?"
"People do unimaginable things, if they believe that their cause is right," Serana answered. "Even if it draws too much attention to them… even if their friends are at danger because of it…. Even if their own family will be torn apart by it…. If they believe in their cause, they will stop at nothing."
Tarrion saw that she was aiming at Harkon and his quest. A quest that lead to so much suffering for both his wife and his daughter. He took her hand and gave it a slight squeeze.
"I know…. Let us hope that these men and women will not make the same mistake."
At the camp they were immediately questioned by Marcus.
"How many are there? What are their weaknesses? Can we breach the fort? Are they well-armed and well equipped? Can they withstand a siege?"
Tarrion gave a quick report, but made clear that he had no intention of attacking.
"They have until dawn, and if they come out… we let them go."
"WHAT?!" Marcus had yelled. "THEY ARE REBELS AND TRAITORS AND WILL DIE ACCORDINGLY!"
"Carefull, Septor!" Tarrion had shouted back. "You may be a commander of the Penitus Oculatus, but I am still the thane of this hold, and here you will listen to my command! Your duty is to safeguard the emperor, but he is not here. We will allow the men and women to go home if they so choose, and that is final!"
After a short but fairly loud discussion with the Septor, Elaine calmed them both down and she took him aside.
"Have you seen anything of our sister? Have you learned anything about her?"
The concern was clear in her eyes, yet Tarrion shook his head.
"No…. but that can mean too many different things to be sure. I do not know where she is, but she might not be in Skyrim at all. It is impossible to know now."
After many hours, dawn finally came. The soldiers had moved their camp near the road that lead from the main gate of fort Sungard to make sure that they were seen. Movement could be seen on the battlements and above the gate, but it seemed that no-one was ready to leave.
"What are they waiting for?" Marcus asked angrily. "We gave them a fair chance to go."
"They are unsure as to why we are here," Lydia pointed out correctly. "They don't know if we are here to only see them leave, or to ambush them."
Tarrion stood next to Serana as he looked up to the fort, and it seemed just as quiet up there as it was down here. Like neither side knew how it would turn out and waited for the other to make a move.
"Mhm…" he nodded in agreement with Lydia. "They want to know what we will do. I will go up there and talk to them."
"I'm right behind you," Serana said.
"And I too will follow," Lydia said sternly.
Together with Serana, Lydia, Elaine and Marcus, since he refused to let Tarrion do the talking by himself, did Tarrion walk up to the main gate until they stood below the battlements. Lydia and Marcus carried their swords, but Tarrion carried no weapon, as to show that he came in peace.
"Have you made a decision?" Tarrion asked loudly. "Will you go home in peace, or stay?"
No man or woman answered, and Tarrion could see the warrior woman pacing on the walls with a clear expression of rage on her face. He hoped that his words had overruled hers, and suddenly the gate opened.
Three women and two men walked toward the five that stood in front of the gate. They all carried either a sword and shield, or a large battle-axe. They all looked at the ground, until one of the women looked up.
"You spoke true," and her voice was calm and sad. Robbed of strength. "Even if we manage to free Skyrim of the Empire… we will not be able to hold it…. Not for long. We will only bring about more war and death."
She took the large battle-axe from her back and threw it at Tarrion's feet, yet he picked it back up and gave it back. "The road is dangerous…. Keep it."
A watery smile was on her face, and the other men and women nodded and they walked past them and left downhill.
"TRAITORS! WILL YOU LET SKYRIM BE RULED BY THE EMPIRE?"
The warrior woman now shouted from the walls at the group that left, yet they walked on and gave her no heed. Four more men walked through the gate and took off their helmets and left downhill.
"TRAITORS! MILKDRINKERS! COWARDS!"
The woman screamed on, yet the more she shouted and cursed them all to Oblivion, the more men and women left.
When four more women walked through the gate Elaine stopped them.
"Wait…. Wait…. I am looking for someone who could be among you. Do you know of a woman named Thalia? She is my height and build… with long brown hair and-…"
"deep brown eyes?"
A man walked through the gate and looked at Elaine, who nodded.
"You know her? Where is she?" Elaine asked franticly. "Tell me."
"Milady… who is this Thalia, and why is she of importance?" Marcus tried to ask, but Elaine ignored him and only looked at the man.
"She is no longer with us," he answered, and Tarrion felt his heart stop. The tone of the man said everything he feared.
"Forgive me, milady," the man continued, and Elaine realized it too. "She is dead. There was an ambush by the Forsworn near Blind Cliff Cave. We tried for supplies in Karthwasten but…."
But neither Tarrion or Elaine listened. She stumbled backwards and Lydia reached to help her. Tarrion felt his heart beat with a pain he had not felt before. Serana looked at him and saw a shadow of loss on his face as she took his hand.
"Oh, Tarrion…."
Elaine stumbled toward him and she had tears crawling down her face. Her eyes were red already as she hugged him, and he could hear her voice tremble.
"…. Our sister…. Our dear little sister…. If only we came sooner….. sister…. Forgive me for how we parted….. I wish I could….. dear, dear sister….."
Tarrion hugged her back and felt the same pain. He felt tears leaking from his eyes and he stared at the ground.
"Your sister died fighting for what she believed in!" a voice shouted. It was the warrior woman's voice again, but Tarrion and Elaine ignored her.
"And now so will you!"
Then too many things happened.
Serana shouted: "TARRION!"
Marcus yelled: "Milady!"
Lydia screamed. "My thane, watch out!"
Before Tarrion could even look up he heard the twang of a bowstring, the quick whistling of an arrow, he saw a blur of brown hair and an unsettling sound of an arrow piercing through armour.
Tarrion had not shouted, yet time slowed as he saw how Lydia had jumped in front of them and now fell to the ground. He saw how a dark arrow had pierced her armour and now stuck into her lower abdomen, right under where her navel would be. Elaine screamed as Tarrion pushed her away and kneeled next to Lydia.
"M….My thane…." she whispered as Tarrion cradled her head.
"Lydia…." he mumbled as he looked at the arrow. Serana immediately wanted to grab the arrow, but her hand froze right before she touched it. She brought her face close to it and looked at how blood poured from underneath Lydia's armour.
"Tarrion… we have to-…"
But she was interrupted by the sound of clashing swords. Marcus had run through the gate and now fought with the woman on the walls. He hacked into her shield, and she grazed his shoulder. But she seemed to strong a warrior for him to match, and it was clear she was overpowering him.
Then a different emotion entered Tarrion. After the loss he felt for Thalia, and after the fear he felt for Lydia's life…. He now felt rage fill him as he looked at how the woman screamed as her axe barely missed Marcus' face.
"Stay with her," he ordered Elaine and Serana and he walked through the gate and onto the walls.
There Marcus already lay on the ground. His left leg was severed and he coughed blood as the woman looked down on him.
"You filthy Imperial!" she shouted in a maniacal rage. "You will never set a foot in Skyrim again! Skyrim belongs to us! SKYRIM BELONGS TO THE NORDS!"
And with a scream from her, and a fountain of blood she drove her axe through Marcus' chest. The sounds of bones cracking and splintering was unsettling as Tarrion reached the walls above the gate. The woman turned around and yanked her axe from Marcus' body.
"Let's see how well you do without your weapons."
But Tarrion summoned a Bound Battle-axe, and before the fight had even begun it was over. She was no match for him, and with a single strike he chopped both her hands off. She screamed, but he was deaf to it. He grabbed her by her hair and dragged her to the courtyard were the few of the rebels that still remained were now gathered.
"KILL HIM YOU COWARDS!" she screamed at them, but none of them dared to move in the face of Tarrion's wrath. He threw her body over a stone, and before she could react, his axe was raised and came down and with a burst of blood, her head rolled away and her body fell limp on the floor.
The axe disappeared, but Tarrion's rage did not. He breathed heavily, and only when Serana shouted at him did he return to his senses.
"Tarrion!"
He quickly rushed over to the three women, and saw that the arrow was removed. Lydia's armour lay beside her, and Tarrion felt his stomach turn when he saw how the wound was blackened. Like a disease was spreading.
"Tarrion…" Serana looked at him and her face said that something was wrong. "This arrow was poisoned. We cannot close the wound."
"What?"
"We need to get the poison out first…. But we need a skilled healer to do so properly."
"… Danica…" Tarrion mumbled, and Serana nodded.
"We need to get her to Whiterun fast."
Without any effort he lifted Lydia's limp body up and with long strides he walked down the hill.
"Get my horse… quickly," he said and Serana ran away and came back with the large black horse that Tarrion always rode. He placed Lydia in front of his saddle and without saying a word he rode off toward Whiterun.
With the wind howling around him and the hooves of his horse sounding on the road he rode forth. Holding Lydia with one arm around her chest to keep her from falling and the reigns with the other he hastened onward. At first he could hear a few moans and whimpers coming from Lydia, but they grew ever fewer as time passed on, and before the night had fallen she stopped mumbling all together. Tarrion had cast a few healing spells on her body already, but they did not seem to help. She felt revitalized for only a few moments, but quickly fell unconscious again. Tarrion felt powerless. His spells did not work, and he could not make a good potion that could help her, or even just slow the poisoning. His only hope now ley in Whiterun.
Serana had caught up with them before long and rode next to them. Neither of them spoke as they were both trying to get to Whiterun as fast as possible. Eventually Serana shouted.
"Tarrion! We have to stop! The horses have to rest."
He ignored her at first, until he saw that they were indeed slowing down, and not much later he was forced to stop for the night. Lydia was now awake, but delirious and feverish. She mumbled a few words before blacking out, only to wake up again a few moments later. They lay her against a fallen tree, using their cloaks to support her head and cover her body. He made a small fire for warmth, but he kept pacing around as he could not rest. He asked Serana to look for blue mountain flowers, but he stayed with Lydia. He could not see in the dark whereas she could, and would be able to find them much better than him.
She found a few small flowers, and he mashed them together to a pulp. Carefully he removed the cloak from her abdomen and immediately smelled a stench. The wound had blackened more and her toned skin around it had become dead. With as much care as he could muster he placed the pulp around the wound, and immediately Lydia woke up and screamed.
"I'm sorry, Lydia," he said. "But this has to be done."
Tears rolled from his eyes and he saw tears in her eyes as well. A look of desperation was etched in her face and he whispered to her.
"I won't let you die…. Not here… not now. Not if I have anything to say about it."
The next day dawned and the three were already on the road to Whiterun. They had passed for Greymoor already and in the distance they could see the Western Watchtower. A few guards were posted on the walls and they could see them coming from the west in a storm of dust. Without slowing down the horses rushed past the bewildered guards and Whiterun was in sight. Tarrion could see the city walls and Dragonsreach looming in the distance, and a small spark of hope was in him. But Lydia was fading. Her head bobbed up and down under the rocking movements of the horse and she felt nothing of it. The poison was already ravaging her body, and Tarrion knew they had little time left.
"Step aside!"
Tarrion barged through the gatehouse and when a few guards greeted him, he ignored them and shouted. "Go to Danica Pure-Spring! Tell her to make a bed! NOW!"
Two of the guards were too surprized to move, but as soon as they saw Lydia's limp body, they ran up the hill and toward the Temple of Kynareth. Tarrion followed them with Serana in his footsteps.
When he nearly kicked the doors to the temple down he saw Danica just coming out of a separate room. She took one look at Lydia and immediately stepped back.
"In here, quickly."
Tarrion carried Lydia into the small room and placed her on a newly made bed with white linen.
"What is the matter?" Danica asked.
"She was shot with an arrow. A poisoned one," Tarrion quickly answered.
"What kind of poison? Do you have the arrow?"
"No.. I.."
"I have it," Serana quickly said and she pulled an arrow from under her robe. Tarrion saw the tip of the arrow which was blood stained, but also had a slight green look.
"Let me see that," and Danica grabbed the arrow and analysed it. She closely looked at the tip, and back at Lydia's wound. She smelled closely and then threw the arrow away.
"Lotus Extract," she whispered. "Jenssen! Get over here!"
A Nord priest entered the room.
"Get the strong healing potions. Now! All of them!"
"All of them?"
"YES DAMMIT!" she shouted at him, and he sprinted out the door.
"What can we do?" Serana asked. "Is there anything we can do?"
"Yes… find Ysolda. Ask her for 'Sleeping Tree Sap'. Hurry!"
Serana ran out the door with such speed, her cloak almost looked like a swarm of bats. Danica and Tarrion were left alone with an ailing and dying Lydia.
"What can I do?"
"Bring me a fruit from the Gildergreen…. After that…. Let us hope there still is something we can do."
The day neared its end. The whole of Whiterun now knew that Lydia lay in the Temple of Kynareth with grave wounds. Anyone who did not have anything important to do came to the Temple, much to the annoyance of Danica. The Jarl himself wanted to visit her, but Danica forbade him.
"Forgive me Jarl, but if you want to save her…. let me help her…. and I cannot allow anyone in."
Arcadia had also helped brew some strong potions to help, and Danica had explained why she needed the Sleeping Tree Sap.
"It will give her a short boost, while slowing her blood flow. Thus she will not lose too much blood, and the poison will not spread any faster… buying us some time."
With the sun setting, Jarl Balgruuf send everyone away to their homes, but Tarrion and Serana stayed. Elaine had also arrived at Whiterun and joined them in their wake. The soldiers had wrapped Marcus' body in cloth and brought it with them to be embalmed for the journey to Cyrodill.
Danica, her acolyte Jenssen and even Ahlam were now in the locked room trying everything in their power to save Lydia as the minutes changed into hours.
After many hours the door finally opened and Danica walked out. Elaine had left for the Bannered Mare to rest, but Tarrion and Serana had stayed. Azzar was nowhere to be found, but Aela had explained that he was away on a job. As soon as the door opened Tarrion jumped to his feet, eagerly awaiting news. But Danica did not look like she had good news to tell.
"How is she? Is she better?" he asked.
Danica sighed deeply before she answered. Her eyes were tired from working so long and she dropped on the bench next to Serana.
"I don't know," she shook her head. "That depends on her."
"What do you mean?" Serana asked, and her eyes looked with desperation at the priestess.
Danica sighed again. "We…. She will live."
Serana sighed in relief, but Tarrion kept his eyes fixed on Danica, because her tone said there was more to tell. "She will survive… but…."
Danica tried to find the right words to say it, and she closed her eyes in defeat. "When we examined the wound more closely…. The arrow had pierced her abdomen…. And also her womb…"
Serana's eyes widened and Tarrion felt his stomach twist.
"The poison has ravaged her there as well…. She will live…. But we cannot fully heal her. Eventually she will regain her strength, and she will be able to live a normal life again… but we will never be able to fully restore her. She will always have a scar…. And," Danica sighed again and covered her face with her hands. "her womb will never fully heal."
From his countless adventures with Lydia Tarrion knew what sort of woman she was. Strong. Stubborn. Loyal till the end and unwavering in friendship. But he also knew that deep down there was a strong desire for a family. She had often told Tarrion of wishes she had and of the deep want for a family.
"I am content with running around with the Dragonborn, sir," she had said with a smile. "But I hope that one day I will be a mother…. And I'll thank Lady Mara with all my heart for a child. To be a parent… that is my deepest wish. No riches… no fame…. But a child to love."
Tarrion stumbled back against a pillar and felt how a part of him fell through the ground. How an emptiness filled his chest in the face of this news. A deep loss and pity filled him now that he knew that Lydia's deepest wish and greatest desire would never be fulfilled.
"I cannot tell what this will do to her," Danica continued and she had tears in her eyes. "Maybe she will learn to live with it…. Maybe it will rob her of the will to live. I cannot say what will happen."
In the days that followed, Lydia slowly recovered. Azzar had returned and immediately went to see her, and was happy to see that she would pull through. Danica refused to tell her at first, because she was still too weak… but eventually it became inevitable, and eventually Danica had to bring the news to her.
Tarrion was there when Lydia heard of it, and he would trade everything to help her. At first he heard her cries…. Her screams… her sobbing... how she shouted: "NO! NO!". Azzar was there for her, but she pushed him away and locked herself in Breezehome. Tarrion tried to help her. Serana talked to her… but nothing could lift her spirits, until she eventually tried to drown her sorrow.
The days turned to weeks, and those to months, until it had become part of her. She would sometimes shout that she would not accept it. Other times she would try to forget it. On moments she would be her old self again… only to then cry herself to sleep. Azzar would visit her, and she would almost always accept his help and his kind words, but there were days when she would not hear it and told him to leave her.
As time went on, Tarrion and Serana saw Lydia's rage and pain decrease. They both knew she would never fully accept it as part of her life, but after a long while, she was able to live from day to day. She acted normal again, but deep in her eyes, a powerful pain was always visible. When one day they decided to head back to Lakeview Manor, they had trouble to say goodbye. Serana hugged her for a long time, and she almost refused to let Tarrion go. He kissed her on her neck and held her tightly, hoping she would never feel unwanted and that she knew he loved her deeply.
Afterwards they left for Falkreath, and for the first time in years…. Both Tarrion and Serana left for home with their heads down… and a deep feeling of loss. A feeling that would not go away easily…. If ever.
=End of Chapter=
=End of Arc=
=Author's Notes=
And that is the end of Blood Runs Deep. A chapter that was too difficult to write properly. I hope that people still read my story from time to time and still check it for updates.
I hope you liked the story Arc, despite the ending.
But I will take a long break now. The next Arc 'Dragonborn' offers a lot of opportunities and stories that i want to include. I will take my time to prepare this story, so as to not miss anything important. This will take time, and it might be that i will not publish anything untill June or July.
I have no intention of letting this story die here though…. And I do think I will write again… just not for now.
Until then; Yours Truly
Megagothmog