Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to TES. Bethesda does.

Prologue Part 2: Birth of the Gift

A young girl dressed in a deer hide belted tunic and knee length hide boots crept up on an unsuspecting hare. Her long dark, chocolate brown hair was tied back into a tail and hung loosely over her shoulder. As she neared the hare, she dug out her hunting sling out of her tunic pocket. She picked up a small, rounded rock off the ground and placed it in sling's leather cradle. With a flick of her wrist, she began twirling the sling. Around and around the sling spun, gaining momentum. Once the hare was within range, she flicked her wrist again, releasing the stone from the cradle and shooting it directly at the unsuspecting hare. The stone smashed into the hare's skull, killing it instantly. The girl smiled triumphantly and ran to retrieve her kill.

At eleven cycles, Brynhild Fireguard was already a skilled hunter. Her mother, Skadi Fireguard of the Eir, made sure her daughter practiced hunting skills and techniques regularly. Not only was she exceptional with a sling, bow and dagger, she also practiced alchemy and basic spell casting. Skadi felt it was crucial for her daughter to possess the capability to not only defend herself, but to treat her ailments and sickness with potions and ingredients from the earth. The world is a cruel place and it would be to Brynhild's advantage if she was skilled in every aspect of survival: archery, sneak, alchemy, weaponry and basic spell casting.

With her trophy in tow, Brynhild hiked to her home the Danes clan, southwest of Riften. Skadi and her have been members of the Danes for Brynhild's whole life. Eleven cycles ago they took the then pregnant Skadi into their fold. Skadi's own clan, the Eir, was slaughtered by the Daedric Prince, Hircine after he captured the clan's top warriors as participants in his Hunting Game, including her husband and two eldest sons. Brynhild had no knowledge about her brothers or her Eir heritage.

Skadi now dedicated her life, her very existence to protecting Brynhild. She didn't know if Hircine was aware he had a young daughter, but she could assume he would not be too fond of the thought of a half Daedric Nord, his half Daedric Nord, running around Tamriel. Hircine would want to exterminate Brynhild as soon as possible. Or worse, abduct her and have her live in his Oblivion.

Skadi didn't know how much of Brynhild's father's traits she inherited. She prayed to the Divines her daughter was mostly human. She had all the characteristic Nord physical features except for her skin and eyes. Most Nords were pale due to the snowy climate and limited sun exposure. However, Brynhild .had her father's sunkissed bronzed skin. It was clearly obvious she was a mixed race. Her eyes were vibrant amber gold, radiating in mysterious power, just like her father's.

As Brynhild grew up, most of the Danes distanced themselves from her due to these unique differences. They didn't know exactly what she was but knew she was not one of them. The children were afraid of her because of her skin and eye color. The adult men and women didn't care for her because she was not a legitimate member of their clan. Almost all of the elders saw Brynhild's existence amongst the clan as an omen, a premonition of dread and suffering. Skadi felt Brynhild was destined for something bigger and greater than anyone could possibly comprehend. She believed Brynhild's uniqueness would prove advantageous in the future. What kind of advantage, no one would know until the time came.

Brynhild was almost at home when she heard the piercing howls. She thought it incredibly odd the wolves were encroaching the clan's borders.

Inside camp, Skadi heard the howls. Dread radiated down her spine, and her face paled. She knew those howls. Memories of that horrible day flooded back, drowning her in pure fear.

In a matter of seconds the screams came.

Brynhild took off in a sprint once she heard the screams, racing as fast as she could towards home.

Oxygen burned her lungs, her heart kicked into overdrive as she ran. A sinking feeling of trepidation devoured her soul. She had to get back. Something horrible was about to happen.

The werewolves attacked mercilessly. No one was safe. The beasts tackled the Danes with little resistance, ripped into their flesh with large, serrated teeth. Blood sprayed in all directions as clan members were disemboweled and dismembered, experiencing excruciating pain as the Lycanthropes feasted on them alive.

Skadi and other Danes hunters dodged the werewolves as they fired poisoned arrows in attempt to debilitated the beasts. The warriors would then finish off the downed beasts, slashing, bashing and slicing with swords, maces and waraxes.

Brynhild raced into camp. Shock paralyzed her as she witnessed the butchering of the Danes. Never has she seen no much blood. It flowed like crimson rivers, corrupting the once harmonious home of the clan.

More werewolves howled in victory as more screams of agony filled the air.

"Brynhild!"

Brynhild snapped out of her daze and spotted her mother racing towards her, notching her bow with another arrow.

Brynhild unsheathed her two daggers, readying herself for an attack and ran to her mother.

"Brynhild! My Gods! Are you okay?" she panted. "Get down!" Skadi fired the arrow at a werewolf galloping towards them. The arrow hit it's mark, right between the eyes causing the beast to stumble and hit the ground. Brynhild jumped onto the grounded werewolf's back and grabbed its head, yanking it back to expose its neck. She slit its throat with one dagger and stabbed it in the heart with the other. The werewolf gurgled before collapsing to the ground dead, blood pooling around the lifeless body.

Skadi yanked her daughter up to her feet. "Run!" she yelled hysterically as she shoved her towards a direction to run. "We have to get out of here now! Before he comes!"

Brynhild hurdled over dead bodies of her former clan members while at a full sprint. "Before who comes," she panted.

The loud, deep, reverberating sound from a horn blasted through the camp.

Skadi's eyes widened in horror. "Keep running!" she screamed.

The werewolves howled in unison. Their master has arrived. Panic pulsed through Skadi as she and Brynhild continued to flee.

They were too late.

Werewolves tackled Skadi and Brynhild from behind. The beasts' sharp, jagged claws sank deep into their shoulders, pinning them to the ground. The women were helpless against the weight and power of the werewolves.

Skadi turned her head to her daughter as the werewolf pressed her into the earth. Tears spilled from her bloodshot eyes. "I'm so sorry, Bryn."

"Mother..." Brynhild struggled to reach for her mother under the weight of the beast. The werewolf grabbed her wrist forcefully and squeezed. Brynhild screamed as it shattered the bones in her wrist.

A man laughed. Brynhild looked up to see a large, muscular man standing over them. He wore a hide wrap around his waist and matching boots. A deer skull mask concealed his face, but his gold eyes glowed through the hollow eye sockets.

"Well, well, it's nice to see you again, my dearest Skadi," the man chuckled. "How have you been all these cycles? I've missed you so much."

"Hircine, I will kill you, you fetching bastard!" Skadim, her voice full of hatred. She struggled to break free from the werewolf's grasp, which resulted in it holding her down even more. Skadi grunted as the werewolf sunk it's claws deeper into her shoulders, tearing further into muscle and tendons.

Hircine placed a clawed hand over his heart, pretending he was hurt. "My dear, how could you say such cruel words to a former lover?"

Confusion raced through Brynhild's mind. Lover? What was he talking about? What's going on?

"You raped me!" anger dripping from Skadi's words. "You debilitated me with a damn spell and then raped me!"

Hircine laughter bellowed. "Seducing you was never my original intention. I needed strong warriors for my Hunt, and your Eir clan happened to have the best participants, actually more like prey for my little game. You, my sweet, were a bonus."

Hircine motioned to the werewolf to get up off Skadi and to stand her up. Skadi shoved the werewolf away from her as she got to her feet. The werewolf growled, baring its blood-stained teeth in response.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time with you," Hircine mused. "I do hope you decide to stay with me forever this time rather than run back to your pathetic family."

"You killed my family!" shouted Skadi as she balled her fists by her sides, her body shaking in anger. "My husband! My sons! My clan!"

Brynhild gasped in shock. She had brothers? A father? Why hadn't her mother told her about them? Why were they kept hidden from her for so many years?

Hircine waved his hand dismissing Skadi's rants. "Your husband was hardly a man since he was the first to die on my Hunting Grounds. Your two sons held their own for a while but were no match for my pets. Your youngest son, well, he put up a fight. It's too bad he was too damaged to play the game. Killing him would have been fun."

Skadi screamed a battle cry and lunged at Hircine. He quickly fired a telekinesis spell, forcefully throwing her down to the ground, the air knocked out of Skadi's lungs.

Hircine chuckled, "Foolish woman. You dare try to take on a Daedric Prince? The Huntsman, no less?"

Hircine spotted Brynhild, her furious gold eyes searing his own with rage, her mouth contorted in a snarl. He took a few steps towards her, curious about her and why Skadi was with her.

"Get her up," he snapped his fingers at the werewolf still pinning Brynhild to the ground. The werewolf obeyed, retracting his claws from Brynhild's back and yanked her up to her feet. Brynhild muffled crying out in pain from her broken hand. She cradled it against her chest to protect it.

The corner of Hircine's mouth tilted upward forming a smirk as he leaned over to be at eye level with Brynhild. "My, aren't you a pretty little thing?"

"You stay away from her," Skadi cried, rising to her feet. "She is none of your concern. Leave her be."

Hircine tilted his head and stared deep into Brynhild's eyes. His curiosity grew. He sensed something familiar with this little, yet strong girl.

Brynhild sneered at the Daedric Prince as he moved closer. With his right hand he grabbed her face, tilting it from one side to another, inspecting her. He leaned closer to her, sniffing her, trying understand her scent. Hircine backed away and gazed into Brynhild's eyes as if he were peering into her soul. "What are you?"

He soaked her in. Her gold eyes. Her bronzed skin. Her strength for someone so young and small. Her familiar scent. The fact Skadi was protecting her...as if she were her own child.

Hircine narrowed his eyes. He removed his right index finger and dragged his claw from the bottom of her right eye to the middle of her cheek. Brynhild winced as the claw dug into her soft flesh, blood trickling from the wound. Hircine's eyes widened in shock. Brynhild's blood was a silvery crimson color.

"She's a Daedra!" he bellowed and ripped off his elk skull mask, revealing his face. He pulled Brynhild's face right up to his. His eyes burned in anger. "Who are you?"

"Brynhild Fireguard, you fetching bastard," she said proudly, refusing to show fear or weakness.

"But you're Daedra."

Brynhild didn't respond.

Hircine shoved her away with his hand, causing Brynhild to stumble back a few steps, but she never broke eye contact with the Prince. Hircine looked down at his hand, Brynhild's blood smeared on his fingers. He brought his fingers to his nose and sniffed. He then licked his fingers, tasting Brynhild's blood. He mulled the blood over his tongue as if tasting a fine, aged wine.

Hircine's eyes snapped back to Brynhild. His nostrils flared and his eyes burned in fury. "You're my daughter?"

Brynhild eyes widened in terror. What did he say?

Hircine flashed to Skadi, gripped her by the throat and lifted her into the air. Skadi pawed at his hand, gasping for air and trying to break free from Hircine's grasp. She felt a spell seep into her. A spell meant to leach her health and weaken her.

"You bitch," Hircine spat. "You kept her hidden from me this whole time? If you valued her life, you would have summoned me. She's mine!"

"You'll never have her," breathed Skadi.

Hircine roared in anger. He unsheathed a Daedric dagger and pressed it against her neck, the blade against her carotid artery. She tried to jerk her head away from the dagger but Hircine pressed it further into her throat causing blood to trickle down her neck.

"The way I see it you have two choices," threatened Hircine, facing Brynhild. "Either you come with me to the Hunting Grounds or your mother dies. Right. Now."

"Don't you dare..." Skadi shouted but was cut off by Hircine pressing the blade further into her flesh.

"Fine," agreed Brynhild. "I'll go with you but you let my mother go this instant."

"As you wish." Hircine lifted his dagger and released Skadi.

Skadi took off running towards Brynhild. She didn't even see Hircine behind her. She never saw it coming. Brynhild's eyes went wide in horror as Hircine thrusted his dagger deep into Skadi's back. Skadi gasped as Hircine twisted the blade deeper, tearing through muscles, organs and major blood vessels. Blood poured from the gaping hole in the middle of Skadi's back.

Brynhild screamed.

Hircine shoved Skadi forward with the sole of his boot, laughing in amusement as she fell to the earth. Blood pooled around her still, motionless body. The dagger still lodged in her back.

Brynhild felt like she was going to explode. She absolutely hated this man, loathed him from the depths of her soul. An eleven year old should never experience this much abhorance. Not this much hate. Not at this age. Not with this much innocence.

Brynhild's blood boiled. She roared with thunderous rage. Brynhild called to Talos for aid. She prayed for strength. Prayed for help. Prayed for anything and everything that would send the evil bastard to Oblivion and never return to Nirn.

Talos heard her.

Instantly, raw, pulsating power pumped through Brynhild's veins. The earth shook directly underneath her, the vibrations adding to her growing power. Her body burned as if on fire, and she felt the heat scorch her to the core.

Brynhild's primal instincts kicked in.

She roared, releasing all her anger, all her hate and sorrow. The ground shook underneath, fueling her power. Energy welled up inside, building, growing and intensifying.

Hircine stared in awe for a fraction of a second before he realized the danger he was in. Brynhild was about to explode. He wasn't fast enough to open a portal to his Oblivion before Brynhild released her power.

The tiny eleven year old opened the flood gates and bellowed with all her strength. Brynhild didn't recognize the foreign words forming on her tongue. She didn't care. Instincts took over as she surrendered her body, her mouth, her soul to the higher power that coursed through her, begging for release. Begging to destroy.

A massive pulse of energy blasted from Brynhild's mouth as she shouted the foreign words. The energy quickly morphed into a raging fireball aimed directly at Hircine.

Hircine quickly put up a ward spell, deflecting most of the fire. The remaining werewolves howled as the flames engulfed them, their bodies charred and scorched and becoming lifeless.

The fires ceased, leaving a bewildered Brynhild and Hircine. How could so much power come from such a small, young individual? Where did that power come from?

"Enough," Hircine bellowed. "Stay here with the pathetic mortals. I'll hunt you down for the rest of your remaining days. I promise you that."

Hircine summoned a portal to his realm. Bright green light crackled and popped around it's edges.

"I'll see you," Hircine snarled as he stepped through the portal. "Happy hunting."

He disappeared into the green light, the portal closing behind him.

Brynhild snapped out of her stupor when she heard faint moans coming from her mother. Brynhild rushed to her mother. Tears welled in her eyes at the sight of the bloodied and broken woman, teetering between life and death.

"Mother," choked Brynhild as she rolled Skadi to her side. "It's okay. I can fix this."

Brynhild was lying to herself. She knew her mother wasn't going to survive. The wound was too devastating and she lost too much blood to recover. Skadi's shallow breathing was irregular and uneven. Her skin had paled due to the loss of blood. Brynhild knew the delicate tether linking her to life was about to break.

A faint smile crept across Skadi's pale lips. "I knew you were blessed."

Brynhild wiped away the falling tears from her wyes. "With what, Mother? I don't understand."

"The gift..." breathed Skadi. Her eyes fluttered closed, the fragile tether finally snapping as Skadi exhaled a final time. She was gone.

Brynhild gathered her mother into her arms. Heartbreaking sobs wracked through her body. She had lost everything in less than a day. She had no home. No family. No friends. She was alone. She was empty.

Brynhild pulled the Daedric dagger out of her mother's back, the sickening sound of metal scraping against bone and flesh echoed in her ears. She wiped off the blood on her tunic and carefully sheathed it.

The innocence of my youth was lost that day, stolen. The empty void replaced by hatred and isolation, corrupting my once pure soul.

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I'd really appreciate any and all reviews. This is my first fanfic attempt and any comments and critiques would be awesome. Thanks! Happy holidays everyone! :D

-LadyLuna83