Chapter 18: Encounters with Vampires
The descent from High Hrothgar was relatively peaceful, with only one troll and nothing but the wind at their backs. That following wind made it faster but more of a strain on their legs to keep from falling down the mountain. It was such a relief when the lights of Ivarstead came into view, and even more so when they entered the inn.
Serana almost walked into Sithia when she stopped suddenly, her body rigid, her hand going for her dagger. The pilgrim who warned them about wolves but not trolls was drinking at the bar. Serana gently but firmly kept her from drawing her dagger.
She leant down to murmur in Sithia's ear: "We need to talk. Let's see if there's a room for hire."
Sithia gave her a sidelong look. "I suppose that means I can't murder anyone, huh?"
"I think the innkeeper would frown on it if any of his patrons end up bleeding all over the floor."
Sithia grumbled under her breath but relaxed and went to talk to the innkeeper. The pilgrim beat a hasty retreat at the sight of Sithia, flinching away from what must have been a venomous glare.
In exchange for a bag of coin, the innkeeper directed them to their room and brought them hot water before leaving them in peace.
"So. What is it? Presuming that there really is something on your mind and you weren't just trying to keep me from eliminating the source of misinformation."
"Not when it would have counted as a lie."
"Oh right, your second blood oath." Sithia poured the hot water into a basin. "Don't go making any more of those on my account, all right? I don't need them with you any more."
"I don't intend…" Serana trailed off and stifled a groan as Sithia started to strip. A naked Sithia was going to be so very distracting for what should be a serious conversation.
"Good." Sithia started to wash off the grime of the day's travel, smirking over her shoulder at Serana. She knew exactly what she was doing, damn her, knew exactly where Serana's eyes were drawn; to the path the soapy water took over her exposed skin, diverted by those scars in a fascinating cascade.
Sithia cleared her throat. "My eyes are up here."
"So's your smirk, you tease."
Sithia's smirk widened even as her eyebrows raised. "Is it teasing when you're welcome to touch if you want?"
Serana pulled her hand back just before it could touch Sithia's skin. She hadn't even been aware of reaching out. "Not just yet. We do need to talk, and I think that would be a little distracting."
"Spoilsport."
"It's for a good cause. I don't want any misunderstandings between us, which means we need to talk about where things stand. What you want, what I want, you know, our expectations."
"Ah. That kind of talk. Give me a moment and I'll get myself in a less distracting state." Sithia rinsed herself off and wrapped a towel around herself. "There. Happy?"
"Considering how much I liked the view? No. But at least it's easier to keep my eyes on your face now. Another view I appreciate, by the way."
"Flatterer. Biased flatterer, before you say a word about it being true. Anyway. What do I want? I want you."
"And you have me, but what do you want me as? A committed relationship or just as a friend with benefits, or… what?"
"I don't do casual, so rest assured that you're more than just a friend to me now."
Serana smiled at that. More than friendship. Exactly what she wanted, if in part. "Good. But does that mean commitment? That we're, what's the word… exclusive?"
"There's no one else I want. You have my undivided attention, and as far as I'm concerned it'll stay that way. I… probably wouldn't look terribly kindly on a rival for your affections. I've always been possessive, and that's only got worse since I took my first dragon soul."
"Who else do I even know? You're my only friend. My only lover." Serana couldn't resist purring the last word, and enjoyed the shiver that ran through Sithia at that, accompanied by her eyes darkening with want.
"You're a beautiful woman, Serana. Anyone with any capability to feel desire would want you."
"Well, I don't want anyone but you. And you have to keep your face hidden, or you'd know that you're just as desirable yourself. If not for that cowl I'd have to beat off rivals for you with a stick."
Sithia laughed, shaking her head. "Biased. Hopelessly biased."
"You caught Delphine's eye."
"Don't remind me." Sithia shuddered.
"Sorry."
"Is that all? I for one want to do more than talk tonight." Sithia leaned close, until their lips almost touched.
"Nearly. I want that too, just… how far do you want to go, and how fast?"
"Tempting as it is to rush and do everything as soon as possible… we do have important things to do, and I need to sleep. That and I want to savour you."
It was Serana's turn to shiver pleasantly at the purr in Sithia's voice. The sheer want in it.
"So tonight you want to what? Sleep?"
"Yes. But also get us both off somehow. After you've had a wash, my slightly overripe vampire."
Now that was offensive in its ignorance. Still, ignorance was no reason to bite Sithia's head off, so Serana said as mildly as she could: "Vampires don't get as dirty as mortals do, I'll have you know."
"Wash. It's hot water and I want to have nothing between our skin. If you're not grubby, you're certainly still chilly."
Oh. That was different. And soothed any outrage Serana felt at the suggestion that she was dirty.
"Well, when you put it that way…" she murmured, and started disrobing. Teasingly slowly. Time for revenge. Dragonborns who teased their vampires got their comeuppance; it was high time Sithia realised that. She could tell from Sithia's heartbeat even more than her breathing precisely what worked. Baring skin, layer by layer, was working nicely. Wetting said skin and letting soap trail across it? Even more so. Especially as Sithia did no more than abortively reach for her, waiting for permission to touch. Tempting as it was to give her consent, that would ruin her fun with the tease. No, rewarding Sithia like that could wait for another time. Namely for when she deserved it.
Perhaps now was the time to reward her, as Sithia offered her a towel and even used it to stroke away the water droplets from Serana's skin. Well, most of it; she avoided the more intimate areas. Serana wasn't sure if that was more teasing or plain uncertainty if it was allowed yet. She took hold of Sithia's hands and gently brought them back to finish the job. Sithia cleared her throat, her cheeks crimson, but she held Serana's gaze and didn't look away even as the towel absorbed the remaining water.
Now dry and warm enough, she reached for her Dragonborn. Sithia stepped into her arms and looped hers behind Serana's neck. That brought their lips close together. Serana need only dip her head a bit and… she paused.
"What are you waiting for?" Sithia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I wouldn't want to earn another Shout."
Sithia snorted. "You want my permission now? You have it. Kiss me already."
Serana bent her head and kissed her. Sithia pulled her closer, skin pressing against skin wherever the towels didn't block it. They really had to lose those towels, something Sithia agreed with as she tugged them out of the way and tossed them aside. Finally, nothing between them.
A quick glance at the door reassured her that the door was latched shut, and she couldn't hear any telltale sounds beyond it. No voyeurs. Good. Privacy, now that they really were getting up to the sorts of things the blushing innkeeper thought they were during their previous stay. Now, she had a naked Sithia in her arms who deserved her undivided attention.
One quick burst of speed later, and she had Sithia in her arms on the bed. A soft, comfortable bed for her precious Dragonborn after the one of stone in High Hrothgar.
Sithia blinked at finding herself suddenly flat on her back. She smiled up at Serana and pulled her closer. "I was just about to ask if we should get comfortable. You beat me to it."
"I aim to please." Speaking of pleasing, she wanted to find out precisely what would send Sithia over the edge. Besides feeding.
"Oh, you do. If you want to explore me, go ahead."
"Gladly." Mindful of what Sithia had said about not rushing, Serana only used her hands to explore Sithia's body. Caressing and stroking, furthering her education about what made Sithia's heart beat faster and breathing deepen, accompanied with stifled gasps and moans. It was a pity they weren't truly alone in the inn, or she could really make Sithia lose control.
Serana didn't consciously mean to, but her fingers ended up tracing Sithia's many scars, following the crisscrossing lines of raised skin and the path they made to map Sithia's body. Her sensual exploration came to a sudden stop when Sithia stiffened and her breath caught, but not entirely in pleasure. And Serana struggled to keep her fangs sheathed on seeing why.
She'd seen Sithia's legs bare before, but not the inside of them. Like nearly everywhere else on Sithia's body below the neck, there were scars carved into her left inner thigh, right where Serana's hands had just reached. Unlike the rest of her scars these formed letters: Elenwen's name. Someone - possibly Sithia herself - had struck through them with overlying scars, but they were still sickeningly clear.
"I wish I'd made her suffer more." Serana's voice was a little distorted with her anger, but at least not lisped like it would be with her fangs out.
"She's dead. That's what matters: you did it for me. That bitch has already stolen too much from me to get anything more, at least when my waking mind can deny her that. Carry on. Let the dead stay dead for once, my pet necromancer."
Serana did as Sithia asked, resuming her explorations of her Dragonborn's body and finding out what caresses had Sithia arching against her, heart racing and breathing ever unsteadier. It took longer to get Sithia on the verge of climax than when she fed from her, but her mortal was still more responsive than her vampiric lovers had been. No doubt thanks to a far faster heartbeat than a vampire could have.
With Sithia clinging to her, right on the precipice of bliss, Serana couldn't resist biting and feeding, sending her over the edge. Serana's eyes drifted shut, a moan of contentment escaping her as richest, sweetest blood flooded her mouth. Because she hadn't fed from Sithia before making her climax, that meant she could have a little more of it. True, she got the same blend of sated Sithia out of her bottled blood, but that wasn't the same as the intimacy of having the warm length of Sithia's body pressed against her. That and this had the added zing of tasting herself as the direct cause of this, not just Sithia thinking of her while getting herself off; or of merely feeding doing the trick.
"Mmm, your turn," Sithia purred after she'd only just got her breath back. She hooked her leg behind Serana's and rolled them over, barely staying on the single bed they'd rented. Sithia settled on top and kissed her deeply. She drew away far enough to trail kisses down to her jaw, and then her neck, nipping in passing.
Sithia paused when she reached Serana's collarbone, and looked at her, eyes hot. "Just hands like you did me, or do you want more?" She licked her lips.
"Much as I'd love more," Serana said slowly, "I think just hands for now. It only seems fair."
"I don't mind giving more than I got."
"I do," Serana said, her voice firm.
"As you wish." Sithia nipped her once more and then left all further touch to her hands. And Sithia was very good with those hands. Very, very good. Serana stifled a moan and arched against her. She had been concerned that she'd seem a bit unresponsive to Sithia, her arousal muted by undeath. Fortunately Sithia's talents on top of the fact that Serana had just fed and was at her warmest meant that she was soon clinging to her Dragonborn, breathing unsteady and her normally sluggish undead heart close to a relaxed mortal tempo.
Sithia kept going, murmuring soft questions to find out what Serana liked best. It got to the point where Sithia had to go by what had worked before as Serana couldn't get a coherent response out, not even a nod, her head arched back.
Serana held on to Sithia until what little rational thought she had left screamed at her to let go of her; that she'd lose control in the heat of the moment and hurt her precious mortal. She somehow managed to grip the bed instead, until Sithia's hands retrieved hers.
"I trust you," Sithia stated, her hands returning to where Serana needed them. Yet now she was tense. Too tense to let go in that other sense, to let herself lose control, to plunge over the precipice and finally climax.
Sithia kept up her swirling, flicking pressure, eyes fixed on Serana's. "I trust you. Trust yourself. It's not like you're a man, thrusting away inside me. That might be cause for concern with vampiric strength. This? This is different. Trust us. Come for me."
Serana let herself go, finally persuaded by Sithia's command. Once she'd recovered her wits enough to look at Sithia, she winced. Where she'd gripped, bruises blossomed under pale scarred skin.
"I'm sorr—"
"Don't." Sithia interrupted her apology and pointedly healed herself, the bruises fading with the burst of golden light. "It was a good sort of pain. Satisfying, making you lose control like that." She winked.
"If you say so. I'm glad you are such a talented healer, but I'd rather not cause you to need it."
"Technically I caused it. I put your hands back on me, and told you to keep them there. It's fine."
"I guess." Serana still wasn't happy with the situation, but Sithia had a point. All the same, maybe there was some way to hold Sithia without damaging her in the heat of the moment.
"You're thinking far too hard." Sithia stroked away the line between Serana's brows. "Sleep with me."
"Um. I still don't need to sleep."
"Fine, hold me while I sleep." Sithia settled down on top of her and shifted around to make herself comfortable. It didn't take long for her to drop off, breathing softly, her head tucked under Serana's chin. Hopefully she wouldn't wake up too stiff in the morning, Serana wasn't sure that she made a terribly comfortable bed. At least in the warmth of the inn she wasn't too cold for this to be practical. It also meant she could nip one of Sithia's nightmares in the bud, banishing it with soothing caresses and grounding murmurs before Sithia briefly awoke.
A week later found them in far more miserable surroundings: with Serana keeping watch in steady snowfall while Sithia huddled in her bedroll in the depths of her tent. Snuggling together wasn't an option, not even with a blanket between them. They'd tried that. They'd also tried Sithia using Serana's lap as a pillow but that only resulted in Sithia waking up shivering, grumbling about Serana stealing her heat.
Sithia's map wasn't perfect in picking out a safe route, as this snowstorm proved. Because it merely slowed them down instead of stopping them entirely, and no foes hid within it, the enchantment still chose it. In the shadow of the Throat of the World, Sithia checked the route when the weather turned. She growled in frustration, showing Serana the unchanged route despite the snowstorm.
The delay meant that Sithia would have to ignore the map and make a detour to find fresh supplies: unfortunately a small village like Ivarstead had a limit on what could be spared for a traveller, even the damn Dragonborn. There would have been enough if not for Stormcloak soldiers demanding tribute while Sithia was busy up the mountain.
They made for Falkreath. Serana found the pine forests ghostly in the snow, the only sounds the rain of pine needles knocked off branches by snow. The prospect of a night in an inn and what they could get up to briefly danced through Serana's mind, but the feeling that they were being watched chased away that daydream. They weren't safe even to think about such things. Serana glanced at Sithia and regretfully tore her eyes away to focus on their surroundings. She was far too distracting.
The attack came from upwind, back the way they'd come. Serana only smelled them when it was almost too late to warn Sithia.
"Watch out! Behind!" Serana turned on her heel, charging up her spells even as she did so.
Sithia drew her sword, breathing deep in readiness for a Shout.
Vampires. Her father's minions, and in numbers that looked to be half the court. Not good, even though most of them smelled like mere fledglings. Then worse burst out of the crowd of hissing vampires: one of them with pure enough blood to be capable of the monstrous form, and already transformed into it. By the time Serana could give in to her own, he'd be on her. No, he'd be on Sithia! He was making straight for her Dragonborn, claws outstretched.
He grabbed her sword even as she swung it at him, waving his other hand, black gaze fixed on Sithia. Serana could feel the spell he released - he was trying to enthrall her!
Serana could do nothing but launch spell after spell at the fledglings swarming her, back to back with Sithia. If that vampire lord's ploy worked, her back wouldn't be safe for much longer.
"Bow to me!" The monstrous voice lisped around long fangs.
Sithia grunted. Her back pressed against Serana's, and she could feel her tense.
The vampire lord also let out a pained groan. "What?! Imposs—"
Clearly the enthralment hadn't taken. Serana knew that resulted in a nasty headache for both parties, not that Sithia's foe suffered his for long.
"YOL!"
Serana flinched, feeling the heat of the dragon fire. The vampire lord screamed briefly before it was cut off with a rasping gurgle as steel penetrated flesh. Or whatever Dragonbane was made from, Serana absently mused. She only knew that it looked shinier than steel.
"I kill dragons. I think I can handle any vampire!" Sithia snarled.
The remaining vampiric minions quailed and tried to flee. Fighting someone who could breathe fire was just too much for them on top of seeing their maker killed. They didn't get far. Serana barely heard the rush of wings before most of the fledglings were roasted in another burst of dragon fire, this time by a dragon swooping overhead. She'd almost missed the beast's approach what with the snowstorm. She wasn't even aware of moving, suddenly Sithia was between her and the fire breathing dragon hovering above.
"Dovahkiin is for the dov to slay, ignorant joore!" The indignant dragon didn't seem to care that vampires weren't technically mortals, perhaps it simply lacked a better word to call them or didn't care why they burned even more readily than those truly mortal. Serana shuddered and tore her eyes away from the grisly sight.
Unfortunately the monstrous vampire Sithia had given a face full of fire was right in front of her. Serana had to wrench her eyes away again from exposed charred bone, fixing her attention on the last stragglers of the vampire attack. They were looking up, eyes wide with terror.
"Void take it!" Whatever Sithia had seen, it made her grab Serana and hold on, pressed tight against her back.
Then Serana heard it herself. The dragon calling the Words of Power of Fire Breath again.
Yet before he had got "—SHUL!" out of his mouth, Sithia barked out a Shout of her own:
"FEIM!"
Serana tried to gasp, but no air passed her lips as intense cold gripped her. The dragon's fire blasted straight through her yet she felt no heat. She felt no fear either; everything muted by the frigid touch. The only thing she felt was Sithia: anchoring her to the Void for a precious few lifesaving moments.
The cold lingered even after her body solidified back to reality, which was a good thing considering the fire still flickered around them. It just couldn't seem to take hold and set them on fire, and the fear that should be gripping Serana couldn't find any headway against the emptiness of the Void.
Sithia stepped forward and beckoned to the dragon. "You want to fight me? Then come down here and fight."
The dragon defiantly flapped his wings, remaining hovering above them. "Fly up to me if you can, Dovahkiin!"
The lingering unnatural calm from touching the Void left them just in time for Sithia to snarl at the dragon's mocking response. "Coward!"
"I am no fool, Dovahkiin. You have taken the souls of many of the dov. It is not cowardice but cunning to attack from where you cannot reach."
Sithia turned to Serana, and cupped a hand around her mouth to whisper into Serana's ear, too softly for the dragon to hear… hopefully. "Give me a boost."
"You want me to throw you at a dragon?" Serana whispered back, barely keeping her voice as quiet as Sithia's. This plan was insane.
"If you can."
Serana sighed heavily. Insane or not, it was their best chance in the absence of Dragonrend. She got down on one knee and laced her hands together, ready for Sithia's foot. Sithia stepped up onto her and rested a hand on Serana's shoulder for balance, clutching Dragonbane in the other.
"Now!"
Serana stood and threw Sithia up into the air, her sword striking the dragon first. That brought him down, Sithia clinging on and slashing away. For a sickening moment Serana thought the dragon would crush Sithia. She leapt aside at the last moment, the dragon ploughing into the snow below. Serana lost sight of Sithia in the dragon-powered blizzard, but she could still hear her heartbeat; reassuringly strong at that. The dragon's heartbeat stuttered and stilled, body already flickering with the fire of its soul being stolen.
Sithia cursed, her words overtaken by Dovahzul as the dragon's soul streamed into her. Serana had the novel experience of Sithia asking her to help look for her sword, roughly translated from dragon tongue of course. Apparently Sithia had left it in the dragon when she jumped clear, so it remained to be seen if Dragonbane would survive this time. Sithia paced until the bones cooled enough that Serana could safely lift them, exposing the hilt of Dragonbane protruding from the ribcage. From the glimpses of the sparking blade within, the sword was still unbroken. Good.
Serana had to pull the sword free from the bone after Sithia tried and failed to tug it free, and even she struggled a bit despite her vampiric strength. It was almost like Dragonbane didn't want to release its prey, even in death. Serana presented it to Sithia hilt first. "Your sword, my lady."
Sithia took Dragonbane, breathing a sigh of relief after carefully inspecting the unbroken blade. She shot Serana a sidelong look. "There's nothing remotely ladylike about me unless for some strange reason I need there to be. Or if I feel like it. Which I don't. I want a bath."
"Then we'd better find you one. Us one. I think vampire dust got places I'd rather not consider." Serana grimaced at her exposed cleavage and made a pretty futile attempt at dusting herself off. Even her melting ice cleaning trick didn't really feel like it made a difference.
The rest of the way to Falkreath was without any further trouble beyond a few bandits on the road, who either Serana or Sithia could handle in their sleep. One of the bandits took out one of his hapless friends by activating a boulder trap too soon. Serana added insult to injury by grabbing one of the boulders and throwing it at the idiot who triggered it.
After passing through the pine forest they arrived in Falkreath. Serana wasn't so sure about the inn. The name of the place didn't exactly inspire her with confidence. "Dead Man's Drink? Are you sure about this?"
Sithia laughed. "We're not here to drink, and they'd soon run out of customers if they poisoned the mead."
They didn't poison the milk, either, or the stew Sithia ate. But to be sure, Serana insisted on tasting them first.
"They're safe," she muttered, passing them back across the table.
"See? I told you. We're safe." Sithia smirked. "Safe enough to… enjoy ourselves." Her voice was a sultry purr, too low for any eavesdroppers to hear over the bard's vaguely tuneful banging of drums.
"Eat up, then, and let's get to the fun stuff."
Sithia took her time with the stew, a fiendish glint in her eye. Serana hadn't thought it possible to make eating venison stew erotic, but her damn Dragonborn managed it.
Serana pinned Sithia to the door to their room as soon as it closed behind them. "Tease," she hissed, nipping her neck.
Sithia chuckled. "Bite me."
Serana smirked. She let her fangs almost pierce Sithia's skin. Almost. Let her be teased in return.
"Serana…" Except when her Dragonborn groaned like that, Serana just didn't have the heart to deny her. She gently bit down and started to feed.
Right after they'd finished - Serana feeding and Sithia otherwise - the innkeeper knocked, and dragged in a rare and very welcome bathtub, followed by a succession of buckets of hot water before leaving them in peace.
"You first." Much as Serana longed to rid herself of the traces of vampire ash, it was only fair for Sithia to bathe first; she'd paid for it after all.
Sithia stripped and got in, sinking into the hot water with a happy sigh. She looked up at Serana with a wicked glint in her eyes, reached up, and pulled her in: the water dangerously close to overflowing. "It's big enough to share," she belatedly pointed out, and pulled Serana closer to kiss her.
Serana savoured the kiss, drawing back with a chuckle. "Room for both of us? Just about. Room for the water too? I'm not so sure. Especially after I get my armour off." Sithia hadn't exactly given her time to remove it before pulling her in.
"Eh, it'll dry." Sithia shrugged. Water trickled over the rim of the tub with the motion. Serana predicted a lot more would follow it before they were done.
As it turned out, so much so that the unhappy innkeeper demanded payment for risking any warped floor timbers. Sithia very reluctantly handed over more gold, if only to keep a rare bath available in future visits to Falkreath.
The rest of their journey back to Castle Volkihar was - at least according to Sithia - boring. Which of course meant no bandits, no more vampires, and no Thalmor patrols. Just an Imperial patrol whose captain tried encouraging them to enlist in Solitude.
"Me? Do I look like soldier material to you?" Sithia's words dripped with withering scorn.
"You look like you know how to handle yourself in a fight. The Empire can always use capable warriors."
"No thanks. I have bigger problems on my hands than petty infighting."
"We'll all have far bigger ones if the Stormcloak rebellion isn't put down. Where's your sense of duty?"
Sithia had turned away but whirled back before she could start walking. "Duty?! I was almost executed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time by your precious Empire. I owe it nothing!"
"I'm sure that was all a misunderstanding. Any crimes in your past would be forgiven if you served in the Legion."
"Are you telling me the Empire has suddenly grown a backbone and doesn't turn its soldiers over to the Thalmor when they demand it?"
"What people forget is that the Empire is what's keeping the Thalmor out of Skyrim."
Sithia exchanged a look with Serana as if she couldn't believe her ears and wanted to know Serana had heard the same thing. "You do realise they have an embassy near Solitude? And still scour the Imperial loyalist Holds for Talos worshippers? If you're even trying to keep them out, you're failing miserably."
The Imperial captain opened and closed his mouth. "It… it would be much worse without the Empire. At least think about joining up. We can use all the help we can get."
"I've thought about it. And the answer is no. Void take you and the Stormcloaks." Sithia stormed off, Serana following without so much as a backward glance.
They soon left the soldiers far behind, taking a shortcut the map provided by cutting across country. It did mean climbing up a steep hill; Sithia almost slid back down at one point. After that, Serana helped by gouging out some footholds in the hillside, creating an impromptu path. The enchantment of the map definitely didn't give the easiest route but the safest. Unfortunately for Sithia's patience, or lack thereof, safest meant most boring for her. At least safe was a relative term in Tamriel. Even the safest path contained some perils, if not enough for her liking.
A week later when they finally approached the Thalmor fortress on the shore opposite her father's castle, Serana had an idea. One that might satisfy her bored Dragonborn.
"Fancy killing some Thalmor?"
"Always."
Serana winced when they got within earshot. No heartbeats except Sithia's. No guards, or at least none living.
The wind picked up from the south, passing through the fort to Serana and bringing with it the sickly sweet stench of rotting flesh. With a sinking feeling, Serana reluctantly followed her nose to a pile of decomposing bodies clad in Elven armour, conspicuously not in a pool of blood despite the rents torn in their necks. They'd been drained of blood. Clearly her father's court had been hungry when pursuing them after Serana and Sithia had been banished from Castle Volkihar.
"Void take it!" Sithia kicked a discarded helmet across the fort's courtyard at the sight of the stinking remains of the slain Thalmor.
"Sorry. It might be my fault - I did have you draw your blood to distract my father's vampires last time we were here. It might have driven them into a frenzy, and anything alive nearby would be, well, dinner."
"The Thalmor had it coming. Their prisoners…" Sithia grimaced. "I don't know what to hope for. That they were vampire food like their captors and had a quick death, or were spared but then may have starved to death. Come on, let's see if there's anyone alive in there."
They searched every nook and cranny of the fort but found no one, not even any bodies. Unfortunately searching the fort meant Sithia walking into a Thalmor torture chamber. As soon as she saw Sithia's eyes go distant, Serana gently pulled her out of the room. Sithia trembled under her grip, her skin almost as pale as Serana's. Too late she realised the corridor she'd brought Sithia into was lined with cells, not an ideal place for Sithia to come back from whatever horrors she'd gone to. Empty cells, though, not even bones left in them.
Sithia blinked and stiffened, forcing herself to stop shaking. She took in her surroundings. "I hope they escaped. I don't want to know if they didn't."
Serana nodded glumly. If they survived they'd likely been taken as vampire cattle to Castle Volkihar, and if that was the case there was nothing they could do. Not yet. Not without Auriel's Bow. That or they'd been taken as thralls for a blood supply while on the hunt for Serana and Sithia, maybe even turned into fledglings to bulk out the attack on them in Falkreath Hold. Serana had no idea - none of the attackers had been wearing Thalmor gear, and prison rags were much the same everywhere.
"We'd better wait here until dawn to cross to Castle Volkihar. By the time we get there the vampires inside should be sleeping, right?"
"Hopefully. How are we going to cross anyway? We took the boat and I sunk the other one last time." Serana had been wondering how they'd cross the water without Sithia freezing to death. Their route so far had gone nowhere near any boats they could beg, borrow or steal.
Sithia reached to delve into Serana's pocket, stealing a caress in the process. She unfolded it and pointed to where their route took them to a specific point on the shore. "Trust in the enchantment. There will be something here, or I need a refund in blood from Whiterun's court mage." She put the map back, copping another feel as she did.
Serana resisted the temptation to fondle Sithia back and shot her an attempt at a stern glance. It felt more pleading. "Don't start something we can't finish. We're far too close to my father to do anything here and you know it."
"More's the pity." Sithia pushed her luck and stretched up on tiptoe to kiss Serana.
Serana gave her a quick kiss back but firmly stepped away. "Behave."
"If you insist."
"I do. Will you be all right if I go outside for a bit? There's something I need to do."
"Why wouldn't I be? There's nothing and no one here."
Nothing except the shadows of the past. But Serana wasn't about to question it. She really did need to do something and not just remove temptation from Sithia for a while. She needed to deal with the corpses outside. It had occurred to her that it was best that the Thalmor didn't investigate the silence from their prison and discover the guards were killed by vampires. Serana didn't want them to start hunting down vampires in general, as they'd already be hunting her down in particular.
If only she'd had more control at the Embassy, then she'd have been able to remove the evidence of a vampire attack on Elenwen by doing the same thing she did now: briefly raising the bodies and letting them collapse into ash. She eyed the armour and clothing. Perhaps she should hide that too, but at least it wasn't obvious what had happened now.
Serana returned to where Sithia was setting up camp inside the fort, laying out her bedroll and getting out some food and drink from her supplies.
After she'd eaten Sithia turned to Serana. "Are you sure we can't get up to no good?"
"Tempting, but no. I need to stay alert, just in case. And I can't do that if you distract me, and even merely kissing is too much when we're this close to my father. If he finds us, we'll have to run. We can't win a fight against him yet."
"We could—"
Serana laid a finger across Sithia's lips. "We couldn't. Trust me. Believe me. I know my father, I know what he's capable of, and I know what we're capable of too. Don't underestimate him. My mother fled from him and she's much more powerful than I am."
Sithia nipped at her finger. "Don't sell yourself short."
Serana rolled her eyes and withdrew her finger. "I don't."
"Uhuh."
Serana sighed. But despite her exasperation she did feel a warm glow at the flattery that Sithia thought so highly of her. She didn't entirely manage to suppress a smile. "Go to sleep. You'll need to be sharp tomorrow."
"I always am."
"Your tongue is, certainly."
Sithia stuck it out at Serana, but didn't argue and crawled into her bedroll. "Do I get a kiss goodnight?"
Serana blew her one. Sithia pouted, but blew one back.
Sithia slept restlessly, tossing and turning as much as she could when bundled up in her bedroll. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to spend the night in a place where the Thalmor had tortured their captives, and where Sithia had seen a chamber that must have been all too similar to the one where she'd suffered under Elenwen. Of course the problem was there was nowhere better than this fort to prepare for sneaking into Castle Volkihar - no closer structures except the watchtower at the docks on the castle's island, and that was too close and too exposed.
All Serana could do was stand guard and wake Sithia when she needed it. If only she could have Sithia in her arms, to better protect her from past horrors. But no. She had to be ready to fight. And Sithia in her arms made for a very big distraction. Serana sighed heavily. It was a long night. She had to wake Sithia three times from nightmares, and soothing words just weren't the same when they couldn't be coupled with soothing touches. In Sithia's words: Void take it.
AN: Many thanks to Gaunty for betaing! Hopefully the next chapter will be posted rather sooner than this one was. Better late than never, I hope!
Coming up next: sneaking into Castle Volkihar.