Dragonborn part 2
With the day slowly ending the duo neared Windhelm. The always snow-covered city loomed in the distance and the highest peaks of the Palace of Kings glimmered in the sun. It's high and thick walls had been repaired after the siege that ended the Civil War, yet it still brought a few nasty memories back for Tarrion.
Serana looked at the city and knew she hadn't been there in a long while. Tarrion hardly ever needed to go to Windhelm, since the Jarl, Brunwulf Freewinter, was a just man who had only the best thing in mind for everyone that lived in the city, be they Nord, Khajiit, Argonian or Mer. In that he had been one of the few to do so in Windhelm, if not the only one, yet after he had become Jarl, he had started to rebuild the Grey Quarters and improve the relationships with the Argonians living just outside the city. He had been wise and just and required little assistance, and so Tarrion only visited the city when really needed.
On their journey to Windhelm, Serana and Tarrion had stopped by Riverwood and asked Carmilla Valerius to watch over Lakeview Manor for the time being. She had happily accepted, despite protests from her brother, and Tarrion had given her a letter that was addressed to Rayya in case she came back before them. He had also written letters to each of the Jarls.
To the Jarl
Greetings. I hope all is well.
I write this letter to inform you of an attempt that has been made on my life and the life of the woman I love. We both survived it unharmed, and we discovered that the one behind it seems to come from the island of Solstheim, north of Valenwood.
What this all means, I know not, yet I am now on my way to Windhelm to board a ship to take me to Solstheim and find out who is behind it all. For this reason, I have to leave Skyrim for an unknown amount of time. Thus I shall not be available for any of my duties or summons that may arise.
Forgive me for this, but this attempt on my life was not made by lowly bandit, but by something far more serious, and I would be foolish not to seek this out, personally.
I shall return as soon as this matter is resolved.
Signed,
Thane Tarrion Dovahsebrom
He had also send a different letter to the College of Winterhold, to Urag gro-Shub, with a request to send him as much information about Solstheim and Miraak as he could find. The courier that stayed at the Sleeping Giant Inn at Riverwood was convinced to leave with all haste after Tarrion waved a large coin pouch past his face.
A few hours later they arrived at the gates of Windhelm. The guards recognized them and let them through without delay. While Serana paid the innkeeper at Candlehearth Hall for the horses, Tarrion went to the docks in search of the captain of the Northern Maiden. After asking a few sailors he was directed to a ship at the far end of the docks. He saw a ship which was not huge, yet large enough to sail the open oceans. One of the crewmembers showed Tarrion to the captains quarters. There a Nord man sat behind a desk, staring blankly at a few papers with his quill hovering above the parchment..
"Captain Gjalund?"
The man snapped out of his trance with a shock and looked at Tarrion like he had seen a ghost.
"Huh? What? O-oh… yes… I-I am captain Gjalund."
"Are you the captain of the Northern Maiden?"
"Eh… yes," he said hesitantly and looked at Tarrion with something that almost looked like fear. "You are looking for passage to Solstheim?"
Tarrion nodded, but before he could say anything, Gjalund stood up. "Well… too bad. I'm not going back there."
"What? Why not?"
"I-… it's hard to explain. First those people boarding… wearing strange masks and all…"
Gjalund seemed to remember only half. He talked hesitantly, half expecting to correct himself… as if he did not trust himself anymore with his own words.
"I…I remember them coming aboard… but then I was here. I don't… don't remember the voyage. Several days.. just gone! I don't know what this all means but, but… something strange is going on there. That island… it's cursed. I feel it! I am not going back there."
Tarrion looked at the man and saw that he was telling the truth… or at least… what he held for the truth. The fear in his eyes was not faked and he had a dazed or disoriented behaviour.
"Yes you will," Tarrion said calmly. "You will take me to Solstheim."
"W-what?" the man looked up and he almost begged. "No! Never… out of the question… not going to happen… not in a million-.."
"Listen…" Tarrion interrupted him. "Those men in masks… those cultists… they tried to kill me. You brought them here."
This was not fair, and Tarrion knew that, yet he also know he had little choice. "You owe me… besides, maybe I can put a stop to whatever is going on there. I see you live off the trade between Solstheim and Windhelm… by not going back, you stand to lose everything. Take me there, and I'll stop this madness."
As soon as Gjalund heard that he was indebted to Tarrion, he went pale and his eyes desperately looked around for someone to come to his aid.
"Wow-… ho- hold on right now… That … How am I supposed to know… you can't do this. No… no way… off my ship. You can't force me."
Tarrion was forced to leave the ship and Gjalund slammed the door to his quarters behind him. He knew he had only two options now. Either threaten the captain, but it seemed that whatever Tarrion could do to him did not seem to frighten him half as much as the prospect of going back to Solstheim. The other option was to offer him a large purse of coin… yet Tarrion did not bring enough for bribery, and he wasn't about to offer something he could not miss.
"Ah, there you are."
Serana came walking from the rest of the docks with a smile and a large package on her back.
"Here," and she gave him the package. "These arrived this morning at Candlehearth Hall for you. The note on it said it is from Urag… probably the books you asked him to send."
"Hmm? Oh, yes. Thank you," he responded absently.
"Something wrong?"
He nodded and explained that the captain refused to take them to Solstheim.
"Whatever is going on there seems to frighten him far more than me."
He looked out over the Sea of Ghosts to the north and wondered what in oblivion was going on. First strange cultists, a strange note about a certain 'Miraak', now the captain being so scared that he simply refused to go back… Tarrion felt a familiar feeling of dread… knowing that this is a bit more than a wizard with a lust for power.
"Does he now?" Serana asked and her eyes shifted to the door that lead below deck. She threw her hair back and walked up the gangway. "I'll have a talk with him. Give me few minutes."
And before Tarrion could so much as look up in protest, she disappeared below deck.
Within a minute she came back with a satisfied smirk on her face, followed by a trembling captian who immediately started giving his men orders to set sail, as if he had no time to loose.
"Wha-" Tarrion started but Serana simply shook her head with a smile.
"Come on… we have a cabin to ourselves. We can rest there while they prepare everything."
After they grabbed their things, they headed below deck to a cabin. It was not exactly as spacious as they were used to. It had only one single-person bed, one chair with a small table and a small closet with a chest standing beside it. After placing their supplies in the chest, mostly food for Tarrion and two extra sets of clothing and a set of strong plated armour, Serana sat on the bed and Tarrion grabbed the chair and opened the package from Urag. He had sent about a dozen books that would have any relation to Solstheim and Miraak. Tarrion could not remember reading any of them, but he saw titles like Ahzidal's Descent, three volumes of A history of Raven Rock, Children of the All Maker and The Guardian and the Traitor. There were a few more, but these were the ones that stood out. Tarrion immediately grabbed a random book and started reading.
A while later the ship started to leave port and set sail. Serana watched as Tarrion kept reading and saw how his brow was furrowed as his eyes flashed over the pages. She saw a concern in him. His laid-back demeanour had faded and his gaze had turned serious. She had seen this before, and she hated seeing him like this. It meant trouble…
"Are you alright?" she asked.
He did not respond immediately, absorbed by the book. "Hmm?"
"Nevermind… I already have my answer," she sighed as she looked out the porthole above the bed.
"Sorry," Tarrion said as he closed the book and placed it on the table. "I was lost in reading… what was it you said?"
Serana saw he tried to conjure a slight smile, but she saw through it.
"You're not alright, are you?"
His fake smile disappeared and he stared at the floor for a few seconds until he answered. "No."
He came sitting next to her and grabbed her hand… not for her, but to give himself courage.
"I have this feeling of dread. A feeling I know all too well… and I think you know it too."
She nodded. "Yes but… why? Because of this crazy story about Miraak?"
"It is more than a crazy story, you know that," he answered and he looked at the chest. They had brought the mask of the leader of the cultists with them and wrapped it in a cloth, and placed it with their other belongings. "I cannot shake the feeling that this is not about a crazy wizard… but something ancient. Something far more powerful. That mask was made for obedience. Pure and utter devotion that goes beyond the fanatic. It is a cruel device to ensure loyalty…"
He sighed and Serana saw again that deep worry within him. "I've had this feeling before. After I killed the witches of Glenmoril Coven… before I found out that Kodlak was killed. The same feeling plagued me after I finished my trails at High Hrothgar… before I found out about Alduin and my true destiny… Also when we entered Fort Sungard to find my sister."
He paused and Serana saw a slight shaking in his eyes. "I remember the same feeling after I went to find Sorine and Gunmar…. This feeling that all will not be well. I feel the same now... there is more going on than what we think."
Serana grabbed his hands. "Look at me… we will get through this. We always have… sure, you'll gain a scar or two, but we have always survived."
"Not true…" Tarrion whispered and he shook his head. "I did not survive the fight against your father… remember? I wa-.."
"No, stop," Serana cut him off. "Please… that is too painful to remember."
She stared at her knees as she remembered how he lay motionless on the shores of Volkihar Castle. How they brought his body to Solitude… how she refused to let it out of her sight… and how his body gave up in the end. For four days he had been dead… and she had no hope of him ever returning.
He kissed her on her forehead and gently rubbed her shoulders. "That is why I'll not treat this lightly. I will not think of this as a common bandit attack or a mage gone rogue. This is far more serious than we think… and even if it isn't… we will have to prepare ourselves for the worst."
Serana nodded. "Alright… you're right, but promise me one thing," and she looked him straight in his eyes. "Don't shut yourself in. Don't think you have to solve this by yourself, and shut me out. I'll be here for you… but you have to be there for me as well."
He gave her a slight smile. "I will."
"Good, because I'm a vampire, and you don't really have a choice."
Both chuckled and she touched his jaw and kissed him.
"Well then," she sighed and she grabbed a book from the satchel. "Let's do some research about this Miraak and Solstheim."
They kept reading until after midnight when Serana found something interesting.
"Hey. Tarrion… I might have something here," and she snapped her fingers to get his attention. He looked up from his book. "'The guardian and the Traitor'. It is an old book… tattered, and it has a few illegible parts. Listen to this:
I spoke at length to the shaman of Skaal Village, a wise and hospitable man named Breigr Winter-Moon. He described an age long ago when dragons ruled over the whole world and were worshipped as gods by men. Presiding over this cult of dragon-worshippers were the Dragon Priests, powerful mages who could speak the dragon language and call upon the power of the Thu'um, or Voice. One such Dragon Priest was seduced by a dark spirit na-… then there is an illegible part… promises of power, this treacherous priest secretly plotted against his Dragon Master…. Then there is another large part that I cannot quite make out… only the something about the 'Will of Dragons' and something that looks like 'Oblivion'. Then it continues... The Traitor's plot was discovered by one of his contemporaries, another Dragon-Priest whom legend named The Guardian. The two fought an mighty battle that lasted for days, each hurling terrible arcane energies and Thu'um Shouts at the other."
She stopped reading and looked at him, the furrow on his brow made clear that he was thinking. "What do you make of this?"
"Hmm… We're looking for a character named 'Miraak' right now… yet this is about when Dragons still ruled the world. That was millennia ago… and this 'Traitor' is not mentioned by name."
"Hmm… well there is not much more than that," Serana continued. "There are another few illegible parts, but the rest is speculation. Some seem to think that this 'Traitor' is not dead… and there is an entry about how 'the Guardian' vowed to stay vigilant for his return."
Outside there was now only darkness. The stars shone dimly and the moon was waning. The sea was calm and only a bit of wind blew to carry the ship to its destination. The creaking of the ship gave for some minor sounds while Tarrion placed his armour against a wall, and Serana placed her clothes on the chest. A last candle was still lit as Tarrion sat on the bed and pored over the book 'The Guardian and the Traitor', trying to find a few clues or a few extra pieces of information. It was the only book that seemed to hold any information, despite that it was about events that happened thousands of years ago. The book spoke of Dragon Priests… and he was sure that a Dragon Priest was behind this all. Maybe because it was a situation he had seen several times before: the priest was defeated and sealed away by those that opposed the Dragons. And now… after the return of Alduin… they have awoken from their slumber. Tarrion had seen them before and defeated them before. Morokei… Otar… Hevnoraak… to name only a few… had awakened, only to die by his hands. If this was another Dragon Priest, Tarrion knew he had little to fear… but he was not sure.
In all his years he had never seen, or heard, from Dragon Priests to use the living as servants. They had always remained in their tombs… trying to get out… but none had succeeded. Yet this character… this Miraak… apparently had… and he seemed determined to return.
Suddenly he felt two hands stroking past his shoulders, down his chest, and two soft lips were pressed against his neck. Hair softly waved past his back and he felt how Serana pressed her cold body against him. Her breasts pushed against his back and she took the book from his hands and cast it on the floor near the chest.
She breathed deeply through her nose… taking in his scent… the scent of his warmth and of his blood. It had an immediate effect on her and a loving, lightheaded feeling came over her as she moved closer. With her hand on his chin she moved his head and gave him a soft and tender kiss. His lips were a bit rougher than hers, yet she only deepened her embrace and pushed her tongue forward.
She had heard how sometimes lovers would use their tongue when embraced in a kiss, and she had tried it a few times. At first it was a bit awkward, especially since she did not warn Tarrion, but after a few times she started to enjoy it more and more.
She felt his arm reach around her waist and with one strong pull, he placed her on his lap. She had already removed all of her clothing, and a slight feel of embarrassment plagued her, since she was in a strange place, with strange men sleeping in the rooms nearby. Yet this feeling fell off her shoulders as soon as she felt his manhood pressing against her through his loincloth.
"We will have to be very quiet," she purred softly to him as she untied the few cords that kept his loincloth together.
"Then we should take it slow," he whispered back.
"I know, but… it has been so long."
She finally untied the cords and a second later he too was completely naked, sitting on the edge of the bed, and her sitting on his lap.
"Last time was right before we left home," he smirked as he lifted her up and she guided herself over him. "and how long was that ago?"
"Too long ago," and she slowly lowered herself.
As she felt her walls slowly pushed aside as he entered her, a deep and powerful feeling of warmth coursed through her body. She lowered herself more, and felt him reaching deeper and deeper. Her mouth opened in a pleasant, but silent, 'ah' and his hands gently guided her to the base.
Her lips parted and her eyes half-open in a trance like state, she started moving herself. Slowly… so as to savour this moment… to feel every inch of him… to make this last as long as possible. Her eyes were fixed on him and a deep and strong longing was in them… a longing for her. His gaze alone made her feel more pleasure than she would have thought possible in her previous life. The gaze of her love, so close to her, so in love with her… was something that she would not trade the world with.
His hand went upward and pressed her between her shoulders, pulling her closer for another kiss. This combined feeling would already be enough for her… but not tonight. Tonight she would use all her willpower to make this last as long as she could. He made a move, but she grabbed his hand.
"Not yet," she moaned. "later…"
Instead of allowing him to summon a Bound Dagger, she leaned back and lowered his head to her breasts where his tongue began circling her nipple. She giggled softly as she felt him play with and suckle on her breasts. She could hear his heart beating faster and faster, his blood rushing, and a familiar feeling of thirst for him welled up.
As he moved her on her back his face hovered slightly above hers, stroking a lock of black hair from her face. The moon hung low and a single ray fell through the porthole on her skin. It shone almost silvery in the pale light, and it highlighted her dark hair and red eyes more than usual. He looked at her as she lay under him. Not a single flaw was on her skin and with her mouth slightly open in a silent moan he could see her fangs. One could only see them when she smiled, and even then, you would have to look closely as they were easily missed. They were only slightly longer than her other teeth, lengthening only when she was to feed. And yet, as she lay on her back with her mouth open in a blissful moan, he could see them. He could not imagine her without them. They gave her a distinct smile and he had come to adore her for it.
She rocked back and forth under his movements, her arms stretched out above her, her eyes closed… wanting her body to feel, rather than see.
She pulled him closer and flew at him, her mouth wide open and threw her arms around his shoulders. Without hesitation he was thrown on his back and mounted by her lust-induced body. Her movements sped up as she pinned him down with her hand on his chest, while the other wiped her hair from her face. A deep moan came from her… louder than she expected.
"Hmmm… ooohhh… yes…"
He tried to silence her, but she pushed him down again, and started moving faster.
"qu—quiet…" he whimpered, for his pleasure was getting the better of him. "They'll hear…"
"I… I don't care… let them be… jealous," and her eyes were now fixed on him in a lustful frenzy. "I don't care about them… I care about you…. I love only you."
Normally Tarrion would do what he could to let her vent her passion to its fullest extend… but he wanted this moment to be between them. Quicker than Serana could react… or maybe she was too occupied to react… he summoned a Bound Dagger and made a small cut on his shoulder, right next to his neck.
Her eyes immediately widened as she stared at the wound. With effort she pulled her eyes away from it and looked at him.
"Oh… you…"
But she was unable to finish her sentence and she dove on the wound. Her lips and tongue rushed over his skin and sucked the blood up, and not a single drop fell on the bed.
He felt how her body started to tremble and more moans came from her, and he felt his own peak approaching fast. He flipped her over again and kissed her and thrusted deeper.
"Mmmm!... mmm oooh-…"
He quickly placed his hand over her mouth and a loud moan was smothered as Serana felt his release entering her womb. Again… his warmth all around her, and now inside her… and the taste of his Dragon blood in her mouth pushed her over the edge. She clawed him over his back and he grunted with pleasure rather than pain.
"That was mean, Tarrion."
He smirked slightly and squeezed her hand. They lay beside each other. It was a one-person bed, far smaller than the bed they were used to. He lay on his back and Serana had pressed herself against him, his hand resting on her hip, while she held the other.
"Maybe… but otherwise the entire crew would have heard you. And there was no chance I could reason with you."
"So you decided to cut yourself?"
"It is the best way I know of to keep you quiet."
She chuckled and pressed herself closer to him.
"I have to ask, though," he whispered. "What brought that on?"
"Does a woman need a reason to love her man?... oh, alright. It's just… I thought there would be little time for this once we reach Solstheim. I've never been there, but from what we've read, I doubt it is a very romantic place. And we aren't exactly going there for our honeymoon."
"Meaning you want to go on a honeymoon?" he asked.
"Meaning I… ah, never mind… I don't rightly know what it really is that I want but…"
"But… what?"
But she shook her head and kissed his jaw. "Let it go, Tarrion. For now… just sleep… and hold me tight… I don't want the rocking of the boat to make me fall out of bed."
=End of Chapter=
=Author's Notes=
That ends a spicy chapter 2. Still… not much has happened, but I found it ridiculous that, in the game, you cannot ask anyone about Miraak, or Solstheim. Surely the Greybeards or the College would know at least a little bit. But alas… so I had to place this in myself. Hope you enjoyed it.
Also…. I have an idea for 2 chapters after this Arc. The Arc after this, 'Lands Unknown', will still come, but I thought about making 2 'intermission chapters'.
Interview with the Werewolf: An interview with Tarrion. Just someone sitting down with Tarrion asking him some questions.
Interview with the Vampiress: An interview with Serana. Same as with Tarrion… just asking questions which she will answer. (Doubt I can call it 'Interview with the Vampire' for copyright reasons :) )
If you want, you can submit questions you would like to ask either, or both of them. Not sure if I'll answer all… but I'll do my best. Both interviews will be with the characters though… not with 'an actor playing the character', so the questions will be lore-friendly I guess. So no questions like "What are your thoughts on the character you play?" or "Do you think Tarrion handled this correctly?" etc. We're asking the character... not the actor (or writer).
Looking forward to you questions.