Chapter 3 - The Cave and the Bear
The decision was made, between his life or another, it was an easy one to make even in Stenar's state of mind. The rain made for an easy escape from for Amol, following Babette's every step they climbed the walls between guards and leapt forth to a cliff-line close by before scrambling down to the bottom reaching the road. The storm still raging above cast a dull darkness over the countryside.
Babette looked to the sky. "This storm won't last. We'll head for the mountain, there are plenty of caves we can take shelter in, We'll make good way to the sanctuary and should get their before dawn brakes" And so they set off in search of a friendly cave, the enormous mountain that was the 'Throat of the world' growing ever larger as they neared its lower surrounding peaks following an offshoot of the Treva River it wasn't long before they found a small cave that would suit their temporary needs, dark, damp and out of the sight of humans perfect for two vampires wishing not to be seen.
"Here, I've used this cave many times before 'Pinepeak Cavern' they call it" The lightning had stopped now but the rain continued, Babette was right the clouds won't hold and soon they would be free to travel.
"Whats that smell?" A wet, musky, dirt filled powerful scent hit his senses with a faint whiff of blood intertwined
"That would be the bear, this is his home; he leaves the townsfolk alone so they leave him alone" Babette strode on without fear or hesitation into the cave opening
"What do you mean a bear, you want us to go in there?!" His voice only a whisper as he held on the edge of the cave only a few feet from shelter
She seemed amused "Do you forget what you are now? if anyone should be fearful it should be the bear." her voice deep, it was hard to imagine this 4ft tall girl outpowering a full grown bear but her expression told a different story.
"Besides he won't bothers us, long have I used this cave as a safe place for my supplies; which includes a sweet liquor for my old friend, once he smells my presence he'll be as docile as any pup in Skyrim" She continued, the occasional sound of cracking bones that littered the ground, presumably animal but who knew.
Sten followed, he knew little of this girl but she seemed to know much and although new to him, he did not doubt her ability to pacify a bear. When he entered Babette had already lit a small fire, not enough to create smoke but just enough to create a comfortable heat to sit around. Beside them, the cave was empty, with only the small drops of water landing in the small pools around the cave.
"So where is this sanctuary?" Sten joined Babette around her small camp fire crossed legs on the ground
"It is within the Falkreath forest. As one of the weaker and less populous holds it serves our purpose well." Her eyes turned blood red, her gaze averted
He thought for a moment "Am I to join the Dark Brotherhood or just serve until my debt is paid?" Sten wasn't sure which he would rather.
"That is for the night mother to decide, as for now, you will serve; and once you have served your fate will be decided." Her hand extended almost so fast only another vampire would be able to see and with a little squeak and a quick snap she dug her fangs into a fat rat drawing it to its last before disposing of its body
"Many pilgrims come to this mountain, and many returns before nightfall once they hear the wolf's cry; although not everyone keeps such a careful watch of the sky. We'll take a pilgrim for lunch before we leave at nightfall" She lost interest, standing up eyes locked on the cave entrance. Another powerful wave of musk and blood hit sent, alerting his senses as his gaze snapped to the cave entrance. Will a low grumble and heavy pounding of paws an enormous black bear came around the corner, inspecting his own cave with a curious sniff. Babette let out a girlish laugh as the beasts eyes widen, mouth open and slobber begin to drool onto the ground.
"See I told you, nothing to fear" Just like she had said, it was as if a 150kg dog had walked in, lapping at Babette's face while she cuddles his face. This was all still strange to stern which had him on edge, Babette returned to her pile of sticks she called a fire and ruffled through a little bag hidden behind some moss and twigs producing a little rump of salted meat; throwing the meat into a further corner in the cave and the bear-dog ran after it, settling down with his treat Babette joined stern back at the fire.
The silence unsettled Sten "Do the Dark BrotherHood take a side in the war?" He was eager to learn as much about his new employer as he could.
"Like a scale, we take the side of the heaviest purse." A simple question for a simple answer he supposed
"But war is expensive, all those soldiers to pay and feed rarely leaves enough gold to ever hire our services. The more prominent the contract the more gold we require, a Jarl could be as much as a new stronghold. The price of a king could field a whole army. And more than you could imagine for an emperor." She did enjoy the sound of her own voice
"There have been one or two military contracts in this civil war, but nothing more than a few notable commanders using their household gold to ensure a victory here or there" The way she spoke about the war seemed almost disinterested, as if she was disconnected from the war the raged throughout Skyrim, a civil war whose signs could be seen everywhere with constant patrols, battles, and city sige's waging almost every day.
"But surely it must affect the Brotherhood? A civil war within your homeland and nothing has changed?" She seemed determined that business was unchanged but stern found that hard to believe, war affected all it touched in one way or another.
"Don't you find it interesting that great cities such as Whiterun have been sieged, but such a weak hold like Falkreath has yet to feel the boots of Stormcloak soldiers?." She posed the question to him.
Sten thought for a minute, as a farmers boy he knew little about the war but storeys reached his ears now and then when they visited the markets but he had yet to hear of Falkreath being tested in the war
"Falkreath is your home" He stated
"Our home now. And correct, the Jarl may be a fool but when a few coins are thrown his way he soon learns his place in this world. We are unstoppable but only when we ply our trade, we are assassins, not warriors; a Stormcloak legion marching through our halls would be ... less than ideal" She talked slow, they were in no rush and had time to spare while they waited for nightfall.
The rest of the day went by with little to take note, the bear slept with only a few grumbles and Babette sat relaxed by the fire, feeding it when required but otherwise keeping to her diary, ink and quill at her side. Sten just waited, thinking about what he would do now, how things had changed; true he could go into the light but not without great pain and weakness, and any human to look upon him would know his true nature so long as they had their wits with them. He contemplated the choices that brought him to this point and couldn't help but chuckle at how plain and unassuming his life was before, and what adventures now lie before him.
"You stay here, I'll be back with food shortly then we can depart" Sten had also felt the last rays of sunlight die and his strength now unimpaired assumed they would be on the move, but as a pair not to be left here
"But why, should we stay together?" Still in the mentality of a frightened young boy on the brink of manhood
"To hunt human prey is not something you leave to chance, unlike a beast if a human escapes your claws they return with a set of their own. There won't be many pilgrims left on the mountain and I can't have one return to a town full of imperial soldiers with storeys of vampires in the woods." Her appearance was that of a little girl but when she spoke it was hard to mistake her for one, clearly one with many years of experience and a lifetime of being underestimated for her stature. And so stern sat back down by the last few embers of the fire and wondered what would happen should the bear awake now without Babette to calm him; although luckily stern didn't have to wonder for too long as the sound of something being dragged over the ground pricked his ears.
"This one is fresh, still alive just unconscious. Have your fill." She threw a man full grown across the cave to land at his feet. Nothing more need be said as the warm blood filled his mouth, partially filling that insatiable need within him.
"Yes I've already ate, thank you for asking." She crossed her arms while she watched him feed.
"Oh ... um I'm sorry, I'm still getting used to this, I couldn't help myself" The need deep within was all the same but he found he had more control over his actions, the blood didn't drive him wild like it had before and he was able to break off for a few seconds to speak.
"It's fine, I expected as much which is why I had the child for myself." she said non-chalauntly walking over to pick up her bag and throwing it over her shoulder
"Ch- Child?, You ate a child?!" He lost all interest in what little remained of his meal. The small stream of blood running down his chin splattered across the cave floor as a small petite hand brutally slapped him across his face with more force than he could have imagined.
"Have you forgotten what you are now?!" Stern couldn't believe what Babette had done and that infuriated her.
"We are vampire, they are human, they are our FOOD, nothing more. We co-exist with humans but they will always be beneath us, used to sustain us, that is that is the purpose of this lowly peasent. The quicker you realise morals are for the mortal races, the better for us all." Nothing more had to be said, they left the cave in silence beside the animalistic noise of the bear finishing Sten's meal
"We're here." Babette proclaimed to Sten's delight and confusion as he looked around wondering what it was that he was missing.
"It's just a rock face?" he says seeing nothing in particular different from any other rocks he had seen before.
"So you believe" Babette approached the rock face placing her flat palm onto the rocks
"What is the music of life?" A sinister voice filled the air from seemingly every and no direction at all; as if death itself grew a voice. The faintest shimmer of red begins to emit from the rock side where Babette's hand rests.
"Silence, my brother." She answers. Where her hand used to lay an imprint of the blackest black now lay seeming to almost suck in the light around it, next a skull above came into vision looming down on any who look upon it. Finally, the menacing stone door lay before them and without a word a previously unseen seam appeared splitting the door in half as it began to open with the fresh smell of death and bones flew out in a great breeze to greet them.