It wasn't much later that we were on the road again, heading for the Gutted Mine. I was still unsatisfied with the extent of his healing – and mine, to be honest, but I wasn't about to let him know I'd had magic rip through me unchecked and untreated not long ago, and was suffering for it – but the Blade had convinced me (more or less) that the sooner we finished his task, the sooner we would be back at Cloud Ruler and among the healers who could care for him there. I was also happy to learn that, if nothing else, he had been able to gain Azura's ear and win himself a quest to complete for her favour.
"Not that you should really need to prove anything to her," I mused as I led Shadowmere along. Baurus rode – his own horse having been slain by the troll – much to his chagrin. His riding had been part of the deal we'd made for our keeping on with his quest. "You've closed an Oblivion gate already. Honestly, what more does she want? And you better watch out – it only takes one Oblivion gate before they're praising you and calling you 'hero' and wanting your mark."
The Blade snorted.
"I'll leave that to you, thanks," he told me. "Besides, I had six Moth Priests at my back going in, and the daedra were disorganized. I doubt it was as much trouble as fending off a prepared invasion force."
It was my turn to snort.
"'Disorganized', 'it's a blade'," I scoffed. "Hah! You've a talent for understatement, my friend."
"Somehow I think I've learned that talent from you."
"From me? Certainly not."
"Because closing an Oblivion gate and fighting through the night is 'nothing', right?"
"…cheeky."
"So you say."
I held my tongue as we crossed a particularly treacherous patch of mountainside, carefully ensuring Shadowmere followed my steps exactly. She did, of course. She was Shadowmere, after all. She was getting oats when we got back to Cloud Ruler, or so I'd promised her. I was feeling particularly warm towards her after her finding of Baurus yesterday evening.
"So what exactly is this quest you've been sent on?" I asked once we'd passed over the rough patch of ground. "And why is it that we need a daedric artefact to begin with?"
"Martin has been working on deciphering the Mysterium Xarxes while you've been away," he explained. "So far he has learned that there are four items needed to open a portal like the one you said Mankar Camoran used. The first is a daedric artefact. He sent me to the Shrine of Azura, since that was the closest one he knew of." He paused. "Not sure how I feel about him being an ex-daedra worshipper."
"If you can forgive me my misdeeds, you can certainly forgive his," I told him. Baurus made some sort of non-committal noise. "Oh, don't be such a Redguard. Conjuration is as legitimate a school of magic as restoration or mysticism, and that's all he's kept from his worshipping days." Again the non-committal noise. I rolled my eyes. "So, Martin needs a daedric artefact," I said, deciding not to argue the subject further. "You went to the Shrine of Azura and received an audience. What does she want us to do?"
Baurus paused.
"She wants us to kill vampires."
"Vampires?" I said with a groan. "Ugh."
"Yeah. Apparently she had some followers who – hey, you alright?"
I waved his worry away, shaking my head.
"I'm fine, Baurus. I just… have a strong dislike of vampires." They're resistant to death, would love to eat me, and remind me far too much of a certain 'friend' from the past.
"Yeah, I remember you saying as much in the sewers. Along with rats, goblins, and the smell, right?"
"Something like that."
"You sure you're okay?"
I glanced back, flashing the Blade a winning smile.
"I'll be fine, don't worry," I reassured him, at the same time attempting to reassure myself. "We'll just kill the bastards and get out quick. I don't like them, but I'm not going to panic like a noblewoman around a mouse."
Baurus chuckled at that, and let the subject drop.
It didn't take us much longer to reach the Gutted Mine.
We stopped a short distance away from the plain, wooden door that served as the entrance. Baurus watched it a moment before turning his gaze down on me.
"Doesn't look too bad," he said. "You stay here with… Shadowmirror, was it?"
"Shadowmere… the Third, actually."
He raised an eyebrow at this, but knew me enough by now not to question it.
"You stay here with Shadowmere," he began again, "and I'll go into the mine. If the sun starts to set before I get out, I want you to leave without me."
"Do you honestly think I'm going to stay out here while you go in there?" I asked. "Do you honestly think I'd leave you behind?"
"Look, I'm grateful for what you've done for me, but I can't let you go into danger I know I can protect you from. Besides, Azura gave me this quest. I'm going to finish it."
I folded my arms in front of me as he dismounted stiffly, my eyes watching him irritably.
"You're barely in any condition to fight," I told him. "And those are vampires. Hungry vampires, who haven't fed in who knows how long. Their power will be tenfold."
"I'll manage. As I said: Azura gave me this quest and I'll do it. Martin needs me to."
"'Martin needs you to', bah! What Martin needs is for you to come back alive."
"And if I don't, he needs you there to guide him."
"Baurus," I growled, "you—" I stopped, forcing myself to calm before I continued. "We need to work together," I said, as much to myself as to him. "I don't like the idea of you going alone as much as you don't like the idea of me coming. I don't know where you got this impression, but I'm not some delicate jewel of a woman who needs protecting. I'm a warrior, the Champion of the Fighters Guild, the Hero of Kvatch. Don't take me for less than I am."
"And I'm a Blade of the Empire. You think I enjoy being taken for less than I am?"
I stared up at him, arms crossed and expression sour. Presently I looked away.
"Touché," I grudgingly admitted. I savoured my frustration for a moment longer, and then let it melt away. "Look," I said after heaving a sigh and uncrossing my arms. "Let's make a compromise. You let me come with you, and I let you go in."
"That sounds mysteriously like you getting your way."
"Do you think you could stop me from following you?" He had nothing to say to that, so I continued on. "Baurus, we may be able to close Oblivion gates on our own, but we're only one man and one woman each. I'll admit: I'm tired and wounded. Rest would be appreciated. Yet being coddled would not. I don't want a companion who pampers and shelters me. I want a companion who sees me as an equal, someone who shares the burden and gives me credit when it's due. Someone at whose side I can stand proudly, and who stands just as proudly at mine." I paused, looking at him. "I respect your abilities, Baurus. It is my hope you respect mine as well."
He looked at me quietly.
"I do," he said.
"Then can we be companions?" I asked. "Equals?" I gave him a half grin. "You promise not to worry about me and I promise not to kick you in the backside for getting yourself nearly killed?"
A smile touched his lips briefly, and he remained very still as he watched me, eyes searching my face for some answer I wasn't sure I could give. Slowly he nodded, first with hesitance, and then with resolved determination.
"I can do that," he said with greater solemnity than I had expected. He looked past me towards the unimpressive door shutting the mine off from the rest of the world, and by the time he glanced back at me all seriousness had faded. A grin suffused his features. "Time to kill some vampires, wouldn't you say?" he asked, and I smiled roguishly, drawing my bow and readying an arrow.
"I've never been more ready."
We turned and slipped into the mine silently, the door opening easily under Baurus' hand. I gestured for him to pause once we were inside, and I cast my detect life spell, eyes flicking about as I tried to catch of a glimpse of the telltale, purple glow. Baurus glanced at me expectantly. I shook my head. No vampires as far as I could see. We stepped a little further into the mine.
There was a trap at the bottom of the first shaft, and I impressed Baurus with my skill in disabling it. When he looked at me questioningly, I mouthed 'Celesti', and he gave an amused smile before continuing on. He moved a tad noisily for my taste; I suppose that was to be expected since he had donned his heavy Blade armour once more. I summoned my magic again and followed.
The first shaft lead to a junction, from whence our path split two ways out of a lamp lit room of shored up walls laced with heavy veins of silver. I cast my spell again; purple flared in my right eye. I noted its location as the magic died, and motioned to Baurus. One enemy, that way. He nodded. We moved forward with practised ease, and I was grateful for Baurus' skill and training. It made working with him much easier, nigh natural in feel. We passed a coffin on our right, which I scrupulously checked for any of our undead brethren, and then we were in the next tunnel. I saw Baurus' hand clench around his blade and his jaw tighten. It seemed he liked this no better than I.
Although we knew it was there, the first vampire came upon us unexpectedly. It rounded the corner ahead of us rather suddenly, and it was only on pure reflex that I raised my bow and shot in the split second where it was as stunned as we were. I sent another arrow hurtling at it as it staggered, dumbfounded by the arrow sprouting from beneath its collarbone, and it sunk deep into its throat, reducing any cry it might give to a wet gurgle. In the next heartbeat I'd feathered another one through its heart. It burst into ash, the longsword in its hand falling with a clang.
Baurus followed as I moved forward and scooped up a handful of the ashes littering the ground, his eyebrows raised in astonishment. I realized then that he'd never truly seen me in action before, and I smiled up at him as I gathered my arrows and stuffed the ashes into my pouch.
"Champion of the Fighters Guild," I reminded him in a whisper.
"I can see why," Baurus whispered back. A pause. "Do you think the others heard?" I raised my head from my task, casting my spell. No flashes of colour.
"I don't see anything, but I wouldn't be surprised," I murmured with a shake of my head. "Be extra cautious, just in case." Baurus nodded, and then we continued deeper into the mine.
We came into another room shored up with stout, wooden beams and with two more passages leading out on either side. I looked at the paths and then glanced questioningly at Baurus – should we split up? – who shook his head in response to my unspoken query.
"We stick together," he said quietly. I nodded my understanding. It's not like I really wanted Baurus to be on his own, anyway. Not with him still recovering as he was. Or me, for that matter. A dangling rope caught my eye, a rock tied on the end to hold it down, and I frowned at it. If I stared at the wall just beyond it, I thought I could faintly make out the outline of a door. I glanced around, but saw nothing. I took several steps forward to investigate.
"Sara!" Baurus shouted. I started, whirling around in time to see a pair of vampires charging in from either passage before a fireball caught me full in the chest. Ambush. It blew me back, crashing me into the wall. I had but a moment to fight back the pain and gather my wits before a figure loomed over me, and I rolled to the side more out of reflex than thought. The heavy claymore of the once-Orc assaulting me split the ground inches from my shoulder.
Where's Baurus? I didn't have time to think further on my companion's predicament, as the sword near my side rose, and I scrambled up to try and gain some distance between us. Where was my bow? It'd been wrenched from my hand when I'd been struck by the fireball. Chillrend, Chillrend! Draw Chillrend! a voice in me screamed. I faced the vampire attacking me, my hand going to Chillrend's hilt, but I released it and dodged back as the long bladed sword came whistling my way. It nicked my breastplate, leaving a long scratch in the buffed, golden surface. I danced back again, ducking and weaving as I tried to avoid the next swing of the deadly weapon. Between strikes I managed to draw my own blade. Shortsword versus claymore. Why couldn't I remember my swordplay lessons?
The vampire roared and swung down her sword, hard. I sidestepped her blow and moved in to strike, blade whistling for her head. A heavy, gauntleted hand came up, knocking my attack away. I growled and brought my elbow up to smash in her teeth, but she dodged that easily and rewarded my efforts by bashing her own head into mine. I reeled away, stunned. She hefted her sword once more. Stars danced before my vision. The blood pounded in my ears. It was difficult to stay oriented. Again the vampire roared. I managed to gather myself enough to block her strike, but her attack was much stronger and the impact sent shards of fire lancing up my arm. She struck again, the full force of her weight behind it, and, although I tried desperately to hold on, Chillrend was wrenched from my grasp. I watched despairingly as it clattered across the stones. The vampire stepped up again and swung at me. I ducked, gathering my power and sending a fireball hurtling towards her face. She screamed and raised her hand to her head, staggering back as the magic sizzled away. I took the opportunity to locate my bow. There! By the pull rope with the weighted end! I dashed for it, picking it up with frenzied hands and frantically drawing an arrow. There was a pain-filled cry from nearby and a roar of indignation quickly following it – Baurus and his enemy, most likely – and then the hidden door behind me opened. I spun around to face whatever new danger it unleashed. The snarl on my lips quickly faded as a flash of magic bloomed before my eyes and a sense of calm enveloped me.
At first I thought it was a vampire who stood before me, but no, it was just a man. A Breton, in fact, with the most luminescent eyes of a brown so bright it was almost red.
"What are you doing here?" I rasped, my breath ragged from the fight. Where was the Orc vampire? Had my spell killed her? Was she creeping up on me even now as I stood unawares? Yet even as I wondered these things they did not seem terribly important. The man… he had my attention. Only he was significant.
The man took a step forward, a pale hand held aloft in a calming gesture. The bow I held readied in my hand grew slack, and the point of the arrow dipped ever more downward.
"I'm here same as you," he said serenely, taking another step forward. "I was sent to 'release' Azura's followers from their fate, but they were too powerful. I locked myself in this hidden room, and destroyed the mechanism opening it from the other side. I have been waiting for someone like you to find me. Why don't you come inside where it's safe?"
Something burned at the back of my mind, but I could find no reason to distrust the man. He was right; I should go where it was safe. My sword was lost, my head ached… I was in no condition to fight. I should rest, recover, and, when my strength returned, I could free us both.
"Yes," the man soothed. "Come to me. I'll keep you safe."
I stepped forward as if in a daze, my mind slowly wandering in lazy circles. It was funny. In this dark light, I could almost imagine that he was Vicente, and that we were not in a mine but a warm, dark corner of the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. The Vicente look-alike opened his arms to me, welcoming me closer. When I moved within reach, his hand came down to brush my cheek.
"You are so very lovely," he said. I closed my eyes at the touch.
"But why should I not be a vampire?" I asked. "Vicente has offered the gift willingly and I would deign to accept."
"You are too young to make such a decision."
Ocheeva's voice was rough, distracted. Her quill hovered over a manuscript. I gave a laugh.
"Too young?" I said. "Too young? I'm eighteen years old. Girls are women at eighteen years old."
"Girls think they are women at eighteen years old, and human girls at that. Speak to Telaendril. She will tell you you are young. You've a hundred years or so before you're a woman."
"This is unfair," I complained. "Lucien was offered the gift at sixteen!"
"And he was wise enough to decline it," Ocheeva added.
"You're just jealous because he never offered it to you," I snapped.
"I never wanted the gift, and Vicente was smart enough to know it," she replied calmly. "Do you really want to be a girl forever?"
"It couldn't be much worse than being one for the next century."
Ocheeva sighed and put her quill down, raising her red eyes to me. When she said nothing, but waited patiently for me to say what was truly on my mind, I looked away.
"What if he wants me to be a vampire?" I asked, folding my arms in front of me. I resisted the urge to lift my hand to my cheek where he had touched me once as he explained his offer. "What if this isn't simply about my feelings and childishness?"
Ocheeva was silent, watching me. I could discern naught of her thoughts when I glanced her way.
"Vicente has all of eternity before him," she said finally, yet not without kindness. "He can wait until you have had a chance to experience your mortality."
I let out a sigh, lowering my arms.
"There is no way I can convince you?" I asked.
"No, child. Not this time. When you are older and have had time to consider the consequences of such a decision, I will support whatever choice you make. But not now."
I remembered going to Vicente. I remembered telling him of my decision, of Ocheeva's intervention. I remembered him nodding in agreement, bowing to her wisdom. I remembered how I left the room, wishing for something other than the cool, calm, collected exchange that had happened. I didn't remember him catching me at the door. I didn't remember him taking me in his arms. I didn't remember him lowering his head to my neck. I had never asked for that. We had agreed not to share the gift. I was to wait. So why was he touching his lips to my skin? Why was he baring his teeth? Why was he...?
Pain erupted in the side of my neck, iron arms crushing me to a cold, undead chest as the vampire's charm spell broke and I came to my senses. The vampire's teeth sank deep into my skin, and I screamed with the agony and indecency of it. The vampire growled and clutched me tighter, pinning my arms and determined not to let me escape.
"Baurus!" I cried, hoping against hope that somehow he was still alive and in a position to help me. My booted foot kicked against the vampire, catching him sharply in the shin, and he drew up his head to snarl at me.
"Insolent whelp!" he spat. "I'll teach you to—" I didn't let him finish. Planting me feet as well as I could, I heaved my weight against him, knocking my head against his teeth as I desperately tried to push him off balance. He released me, staggering back, and I fell in an unceremonious heap, my hands barely breaking my fall. I heard a sword singing from a sheath. My eyes lifted in time to see him rear back to strike, face twisted in a snarl. I snarled back, hand grasping for my bow and knowing I would not have time to defend myself.
"For the Empiiiiiiiiire!"
The vampire's blade descended, only to be batted aside at the last moment by Baurus' singing sword. The Blade charged the immortal, war cry rebounding off the mine walls and eyes bright in blazing fury. I scrambled up to my feet, sweeping up my bow and reaching for an arrow. The world spun as I went to nock it, and I staggered, leaning against the wall to keep myself upright. How much blood had I lost?
I had little time to consider, however, as another infuriated cry rang out in the dank shafts of the mine, calling my attention. A fifth vampire had appeared, a once-Altmer. She stopped short of me and drew her bow up with practised ease, quickly taking aim at me. I threw myself to the side as she released, barely avoiding the deadly shaft. Rolling to my feet, I struggle to control my vertigo as came up and let an arrow fly in her direction, missing her by a good two feet. She laughed and fired again at me, and once more I was barely able to dodge her attack. Ducking into one of the side passages, I listened as another arrow ricocheted off the rock where I had been but a moment before. Damn it all to Oblivion! Any other time and this would be easy!
Closing my eyes, I willed the world to stop spinning and took a deep breath, forcing my racing heart to slow and my body to calm.
"Come out and face me!" the vampire challenged. "Or are you afraid to die?"
I readied an arrow, setting it across my bow as I continued to take deep breaths of the mine's stifling air, letting my senses wander free and expand beyond my body. The bow in my hand became a part of me, the rock at my back intimately known. I could hear the once-Altmer moving closer, hear – but be unaffected by – her cajoling cries, could feel her very presence, the space she filled up in the air. I took in a deep breath, let it half out, and then stepped out from behind the corner.
She was waiting for me. Her arrow sped from her bow, but I sidestepped it and drew my bow up, releasing my own arrow in the span of a breath. It hit her squarely in the chest – not in the heart as I'd desired, but a damaging shot none-the-less – and she staggered from the force of it. My world tilted, but I caught myself and willed my body into proper form, drew another arrow and shot her in the chest again. She cried out and raised her bow to fire, but my next arrow was already readied, my breath in perfect synch, and I released it to hit her straight in the heart. Her eyes opened wide, and then she exploded into a showering of ash as her bow clattered to the ground. I lurched to the side, my focus dissipated with the defeat of the enemy, and caught myself against the wall. I felt sick. I had to sit. Too much blood gone. How much had he taken?
"Sara!"
There were uneven, pounding footsteps as Baurus rushed to my side. There was a gash above his forehead that bled into his eyes, but he paid it little heed as I turned to him and reeled. He caught me in his arms and steadied me. I looked up and gave him an exhausted, crooked smile.
"See? This is why I hate vampires."
A portion of the worry disappeared from his face at my words, and a wry grin touched his features.
"I guess you can't be too hurt if you're cracking jokes," he said.
"You've never seen me when I'm really bad," I replied, still offering my crooked smile.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
"Can you?" I retorted, nodding at the leg he favoured noticeably.
"Yeah. I'll be fine. Got me with a bit of magic. The feeling'll come back in a bit."
"Oh, I think there's feeling now," I replied, and then we threw our arms about each other's shoulders and made our slow way out of the mine.
We rode double on Shadowmere – neither of us was in much condition to walk – Baurus behind me with his arms about my waist, half to keep himself on and half to keep me from falling should my frequent waves of vertigo worsen to a true faint. When we arrived sometime later, I let Baurus approach Azura's effigy alone to deliver the news of our success – it had been his quest, after all, and he deserved the credit for it. Mels Maryon was happy to heal my wounds – and Baurus' – once it became clear we had earned his lady's favour, although he chided me for taking so long to get – what turned out to be – my internal injuries properly treated.
"If you didn't have potions or magic or... whatever you used, you would have died," he said. Baurus looked at me questioningly, frowning, and I looked away.
"The Mythic Dawn attacked me in Chorrol," I said in flat tones. "The Fighters Guild main hall is gone. They burned it down. Killed one of my men. I didn't have time to wait to heal."
"Well you should have," Mels replied with a snort, and then he rose and made to attend to his lady. Baurus continued to stare at me, and so, when we set out, me on Shadowmere and Baurus on foot, I explained to him in a dull voice about the attack and my visit with my Thieves Guild associate. I told him about the list I'd given Renegus Armillian, but neglected to tell of how exactly we'd come to meet in the Imperial City. I tried not to think again of how close I had come to sinking back into the dark, wicked creature I had once been, and of how I had utterly abandoned Modryn Oreyn in his hour of need once again. It was that thought that hurt me the most. He deserved someone better than me.
Baurus listened without a word until I finished. Then he said, simply, "The Mythic Dawn will pay."
I had never felt so distant from him as in that moment. He deserved someone better too.