Chapter 16:
Siris was shuddering from the cold. He should have brought his cloak with him, as Dila reminded him.
- Why did you leave the cloak back in Whiterun?
- Because "someone"… - he said, putting extra emphasis on the word. – Cut the strap that kept it from falling apart.
- I`m sorry! – she said, before adding slyly – But you didn`t complain…
He laughed. They had been walking the whole day. Dila still had her armor`s cloak, so she was a bit warmer than himself. He was beginning to consider the idea of wearing a blanket over himself.
- That is true. I would never complain of something like that.
- I knew I was going to win this discussion.
Siris chuckled again, before another shudder passed through his body. He needed shelter fast, else he would get a cold that would put him in bed for a long time. Luckily, at least for him, Dila told him that they were near Dawnstar.
"Thank the Hist!"
The sky was grey, and the snow was falling slowly and steadily, much different from the constant blizzard in Windhelm and from the non stoping snow storm on Winterhold. Dila seemed happy on the snow, which Siris found quite strange.
- Why are you smiling so much?
- Why? Don`t you like it when I smile?
- No! It`s definately not that! It`s just that I find it strange that you, being a Khajiit, like snow.
- From where I come from… - she said, almost skipping instead of walking. – Small things falling from the sky meant that a sandstorm was going to hit very soon. But here, it`s just part of the climate, and I don`t need to be afraid of it.
She closed her eyes and put her tongue out, grabbing a few snowflakes in it. Siris did the same. The cold sensation was now in his mouth.
"I shouldn`t have done that." He thought, now shivering on the inside.
His rumblings were cut short by a hissing sound. Dila also heard it, as she stopped collecting snow in her mouth and her ears extended up. From the corner of his eye, Siris saw a small light floating about. Dila quickly took out her bow and, before Siris could warn her, she fired.
- Dila, no! – he screamed, right as she let the arrow fly.
The arrow struck the orb and it exploded. Siris looked at Dila, who was just smiling.
- What? That was easy!
He shook his head. Then, a melancholic humming took hold of the air. Dila looked around, confused, as Siris drew his sword with a preoccupied face.
- What is this? – Dila asked.
"Poor Dila" he thought."She has no idea in what sort of mess she has put us right into…"
More lights started flowing around them. Dila backed up.
- You killed a Wisp. – he said, matter-of-factly. – So, you have warned a much bigger monster that we are here.
- A bigger… monster? – she asked, trying to focus on one of the Wisps, who were increasing in both number and speed.
Just then, a horrid figure appeared in front of her. It seemed to be a woman, but with a spectral figure to her. Various Wisps hovered around her while she himself was not touching the ground. She wore a long dress, and a light mist seemed to envelop her hands.
Without warning, the monster shot something at them. Dila rolled out of the way, and when she turned back, she saw that a javelin of ice had struck the ground where she stood.
- That… - Siris said, having dodged the spike himself. – Is a Wispmother.
As Siris ended his explanation, the wispmother conjured two copies of herself. Siris ran and struck a blow across one of them. It disintegrated and small ashes piled on the floor. Dila didn`t knew in what to concentrate. She held an arrow ready at her bow, trying to aim at one of the wisps. But every time she could get her aim ready, the Wispmother and her shade would fire a stream of icy air at her, and she would have to sidestep out of the way.
Siris hurried to her aid, sliding on the ground to dodge another Ice Spike the shade had thrown his way. He got up and quickly struck the shade in the head. It flew off and vanished in a puff of smoke. He didn`t notice the Wispmother coming behind him, though.
He quickly turned when he felt a chill run up his spine. The Wispmother blasted him of the ground with a gush of cold air. His sword escaped his grip, and he fell to the ground with nothing to defend himself. He was trembling too hard to make use of his throwing daggers efficiently. The Wispmother fired another spike in his direction. He rolled out of it`s way, but when he looked up again, he saw the Wispmother merely a few feet away from him, preparing another point-blank javelin. He looked at death straight in it`s eyes.
Just then, an arrow erupted from the Wispomther`s forehead. She turned around and eyed Dila, who let of another arrow straight at the cold lady`s chest. It dodged and rushed toward Dila. The Khajiit whipped out her daggers and prepared to face the pale ghost in close combat.
The Wispmother swiped her hand, but Dila managed to duck under it, sending a bladed uppercut straight to the monster`s jaw. The Wispmother let out an almighty scream as the dagger cut her jaw line in half, and Dila quickly followed through with a stab to the chest, followed by a cut across the beast`s stomach.
The siren screamed again, and fell down in a smile pile of dust. Siris got up and picked his sword up. He looked around the blade to see if the fall hadn`t made a dent on the sword.
"How foolish." He heard in his mind. He didn`t need Mephala whispering in his mind again. "My sword will never break! It is made…"
"Within the forges of Oblivion, from the blackest of all ebony and so on…" Siris thought back. "Still, never bad to check"
"Do you mock me, mortal? Don`t forget, I can, and will, overpower your mind. Make you do unspeakable acts; make people around you dread your presence. And maybe make history repeat itself…"
Siris immediately understood what she meant, and hastily threw the sword on it`s scabbard. He then walked to Dila.
- You did well, Dila. – he said, following her gaze to the small pile of ashes by her feet. – Not many survive an encounter with a Wispmother. Drinks are on me tonight.
She laughed, and he crouched and took out a small vial from his pack. Then, he took some of the ash and one wrapping made out of ice. He put the ash in the bottle and the wrapping in the bag as well.
- What are you doing? – Dila asked him.
- These things will net us quite a large amount of gold. Plus, I can use the Glow Dust and the wrappings to make potions. I can teach you if you have the patience.
- Sure. It sounds useful.
- It is.
Once he finished collecting the remains of the once-deadly monster and it`s Wisps, Siris signaled her to keep moving. The cold was not helping him maintain his pace, though, and the Wispmother`s attack had left him shuddering more than usual. Dila noticed this, and quickly neared him. He wraped his arm around her shoulders.
- There are a few perks to being a Khajiit`s friend, you know? – she said, mockingly
- Ouch! – he said, faking being hurt. – Am I just your friend?
- You're my toy. – she said, playing along. – That`s it.
- Oh, what a cruel fate to me! – he said, over dramatically.
Dila laughed, before he tripped her legs from beneath her. She was taken by surprise before Siris held her before she could fall. He smiled as she took hold of what had happened. Then she smiled back at him.
- My hero. – she said.
- I try. Really hard.
He brought her up and they kissed. She pulled him to the ground, spinning so that he would fall under her. He landed on the soft snow. He tried to roll back on top, but she spun again and they continued fighting for control, all the while laughing like two children. They eventually stopped, out of breath.
- What happened to "just hold me"? – he asked.
- Oh, you know how it goes… - she said, slowly rubbing her hands on his chest. – Nothing sets up the mood like killing a dangerous monster. And besides… - she continued, taking hold of one of his hands and cupping it between her two hands. She kissed the hand. – You could use some heat, couldn`t you?
He suddenly yanked his hand, and she once again was lying over him. He took his hand and kissed both of hers.
- Why don`t we set up the camp? We are both tired…
- Will you help me?
- If it helps us set faster, then of course I will.
- Selfish.
- Hey, you started it, minx. – he said. – Now play along.
They started setting up the tent. The night was pale as it always was on the Pale. They had hunted earlier that night, to not risk sleeping with their stomachs empty again. If they were to arrive in Dawnstar, the middle of Stormclaok controlled territory, they might as well do it while they were not tired and hungry. In about half an hour, they were done. They could eat later. Right now, the desire was too strong.
As he stood up from finally hammering the last corner of the tent down, he turned around and kissed Dila. Her hands immediately shot to his pants, but he stopped her. He had something else in mind. She looked at him in a very confused manner.
- What? – she asked. – You don`t want it?
- No, it`s not that. – he said, grinning. – It`s just that, since we are in the middle of enemy territory and we could get captured at any minute, we should enjoy this.
She tilted her head to the side, still not grasping the concept of foreplay. Siris remembered she was new to the world of intimacy, and decided to keep being her guide through it.
- What do you mean?
- What do I mean? – he said. – I mean that if it`s just for the urge of the moment, it`s merely a night of lust. But, for us, it should be more than that.
His hands were very slowly moving through her body. He went up her back and to the back of her neck. He had discovered that that region of her neck was a very sensitive spot on her, and he took full advantage of it.
- We have all the time in the world, Dila. Why don`t we enjoy it?
She was beginning to understand what he was saying. Siris understood that right when her face shone with a smile.
- Enjoy it how?
- What about this?... – he said, kissing her mouth, before his mouth moved to her cheek and down to her neck.
Dila felt that every fur on her body was standing on it`s tip, and a tingling sensation ran over her body. She closed her eyes. Siris lifted her up and started kissing her still covered chest. She tried to keep up by kissing the top of his head and by moving her hands down his neck and upper back. He crouched and carried her to the tent. He gently laid her down, covering her body with his. Very slowly, he also began to rub her breasts over her armor. She had to stop kissing him to get air.
- I like the way you think, Siris. – she said. Siris noticed her voice was heavy and was being cut by slow, rhythmic breaths.
- You haven`t seen anything, Dila.
He moved up her body again, and kissed her in the forehead. He was bent on making that night wonderful for her. She deserved it, and she was right in one thing.
He more than needed the heat.
00000
Dila walked through the streets of Dawnstar once again, this time with Siris by her side. He observed every small detail of the town. A few guards were throwing them sideway glances. Dila had felt that sensation before, and she was also sure that Siris had also felt the same way before. However, people were seemingly more hostile towards Siris. Dila couldn`t understand that. Had Siris already gone through that town?
- Let`s go to the inn and get a room. We`ll probably need to spend the night here. – he said, ignoring the stares.
Dila showed him the way to the inn, called Windpeak Inn. The house had the same smell of all inns, mead mixed with over cooked meat. The bartender looked up whe heard the door opening, and quickly growled when he saw the duo coming in.
- One room for the night, please. – Siris said, opening his palm to show ten septims.
- I don`t accept money from your people, Argonian. You and this Khajiit whore can go hike, if you ask me.
Siris squinted his eyes, and Dila`s pupils slit. The bartednder laughed.
- What are you trying to do, threaten me? Do anything, and I will call the guards. You will be spending the next week in jail.
Dila knew better than to attack the man. He was raising serious threats. Also, who could guarantee that the guards were just going to put them in jail. She carefully nudged Siris in the arm. He understood.
- Fine. You are the one throwing money away, not me.
The manager huffed and pointed at the door. They angrily went outside.
- I think it`s time to talk to the Jarl. – Siris said. - From what I have heard, Skald the Elder is a fanatic Stormcloak sympathizer. This will not be easy.
- Let`s go. The sooner we do this, the better we can get out of this town. – Dila said. – The mannor is right there.
They walked through the snowy hill up to the mannor, the White Hall, was much less imponent then Dragonsreach, but it was noticeably bigger than the houses surrounding it. Siris and Dila stepped through the door. The Jarl, Skald, was a much frailer man then Balgruuf. His clothes were almost all made out of blue material, except for the white wolf pelt he used wrapped around his neck. His crown was made out of a silvery material that could be Quicksilver, and it was filled with sapphires. He looked strangely at the two Beasts coming toward him. Then his face turned into a disgusted expression.
- What are these two beasts doing here? Guards!
- Wait! – Siris said. – Are you Jarl Skald?
- Yes. Who asks for me? – he said, with his voice every bit as cold as the climate of his hold.
- Sari-Al – he said. Dila looked at him, not understanding the sudden change on his name. She then perceived that it wouldn`t be too bright to use their real names in the middle of a Stormcloak city. – And this is my friend, Qa`zil. We come in peace.
Siris had used the prefix that meant "Unknown", in the native language of the Khajiit. Wether he knew it or not, he would have to ask him later. The Jarl pondered for a moment, taking in what he had been told.
- All right. Tell me, Sari-Al, what brings you here to my hold?
- I have come to join the Stormcloak rebellion.
- Oh, now have you? – the Jarl said, surprised. – Why? We have nothing to do with the Beasts. We want you…
- Will you stop calling us beasts? – Dila screamed out. She immediately realized her mistake, when all of the guards drew their swords with a gesture of the Jarl
The soldiers started closing in on Siris and Dila, who quickly got into back to back position.
- Please, Jarl. – Siris said, with soldiers surrounding them. – Forgive my friend. There is no reason for a fight here.
- Oh, I guess there is. I just needed a moment to recognize you. – he said, lifting two pieces of paper. – Sari-Al and Qa`zil. Or should I say…
He turned the posters around, to show two bounties.
- Siris "Ebony-Snake" and Dila "Lynx-Eye"
00000
Siris was cursing his luck. It was the third time that night that he did that.
The first one was when the guards had confiscated his only lockpick.
The second one was when they had thrown him in a cell separate from Dila`s.
And the third one was now, with a big Nord trying to threaten him, even if they were both behind bars.
- I guess you are really stupid. – the man said, mocking him. – Why did you come in this hold if you had a bounty?
- None of your business. – Siris said. They had also kept his clothes, giving him rags to wear, and his weapon. He had to hold himself from laughing when they tried to unsheathe the sword, only to fail miserably. – Please keep to yourself. I don`t want to increase my bounty.
- Oh, is the lizard trying to threaten me?
- I`m not trying.
With that, the Nord lunged at him, both arms outstretched. Siris easily sidestepped the maddened blow and grabbed hold of his right wrist. He twisted it around, breaking it and knocking the Nord out cold with a punch to the back of the head, followed by a swift knee in the face. He released the Nord as his knee impacted with his head, letting him fall in the straw bed, unconscious and making no noise at all.
The Shadowscales had trained him very well in fighting without advantages. He could escape any bindings and fight without any weapons. The pitifull Nord learned the last part a little bit too late.
Siris saw something glinting by he Nord`s waist. He crouched near him and discovered it was a lockpick. Siris grinned. He would be out of there in no time.
00000
Dila turned around in her bed again. She couldn`t sleep in the straw. It itched too much to be confortable. The rags didn`t help keeping the chill out. It wasn`t dark, but she wouldn`t mind if it was. Her eyes would adapt all the same, but the torchlight was also keeping her from sleeping.
She also missed Siris`s company.
"You idiot!" she thought. "This is your fault. If you hadn`t screamed, you and Siris would probably be free now, stupid child!".
No. That was something she wasn`t. She could be anything: naïve, unexperienced and even unreliable. But she had already killed many men, saved various people, faced of against an undead assassin…
And her virginity had already been claimed by a man.
She smiled at the thought, but quickly shook her head when she heard the door clicking behind her. She turned around, and saw Siris behind her, holding the door opened, crouched and swith a finger on his mouth.
- Now… – he whispered. – What do you think of getting out of here?
- A very good idea indeed.
She stepd out of the cell, rewarding Siris with a kiss in the cheek. Siris slowly closed the door. He pointed her a way, she crouched and wnet the way he showed her. She saw a guard, dead on the floor, his body denoting struggle, but his eyes were closed.
- Sign of respect. – Siris whispered, behind her. – The chest with our things is just up there. Let`s go before the next guard comes.
She nodded and stepped over the guard`s body. She tried to open the chest, but it was locked. She thought about using her claws as lockpicks, something she had already done before, but Siris waved the keys in front of her face before she could do it. She grabbed them and tried out a few keys before she opened the chest. Her armor was lying right on top, and she took it and her bow before she let Siris pick his things. She quickly dressed and swung her bow over to her back, fully outfitted. She looked at Siris, also ready, and the both nodded in acnkowlodgement, before sneaking through the door.
The guards were asleep. They caught their packs and lleft through the door. Once out, they sprinted for the hills surrounding the city. Once they were both out of the town gurads possible line of sight, they stopped, huffing and puffing.
- How many times have you done this? – Dila asked. – It seemed a little bit too easy.
- Including the times I went not because of my own crimes? Twenty.
- And if you didn`t include them?
- One.
Dila was surprised. He looked at her.
- What? I`m good at what I do.
- And what would that be?
He kneeled and began rummaging through his bag. Then, he pulled out something made out of black leather.
- You will se soon enough...