Dear reader,
Things get a bit more amorous in this next chapter, though I am sure that if you have perused the Lusty Argonian Maid by Crassius Curio then you are more than able to cope with what is contained here.
The two thieves now find themselves faced with something rising from its ancient slumber, from a tomb more grandeur than any they've seen thus far. Surely, this is the sign of something terrible...?
To note: I have attempted to include passages in the ancient tongue of Dragons. I, myself, am no scholar of the language and therefore cannot attest to its accuracy. In addition I have provided translations to the Draconian phrases - the characters in the story (unless noted otherwise) do not understand the Draconian words being spoken to them. The translations have been added for your enjoyment of the story.
Stolen Heart
By: Anonymous
- Chapter 4: Buried Alive -
The black coffin was open and a deep snarl filled the air as a haunting form emerged from the grave with eyes of insipid, ethereal blue and tattered robes befitting a hideous lich.
"What… is that?" Brynjolf whispered whilst readying himself for a fight.
"Of all the luck… It's a Dragon Priest…" Cathryne hissed, readying her bow.
"A dragon what now?" Brynjolf rolled to the side with force and barely managed to evade a sudden bolt of lightning.
"A Dragon Priest. They're the ones I mentioned, the servants of the dragons… they're deadly and very powerful, as you might expect!"
"I can see that!" another bolt of lightning lashed out, destroying some near by stoneware. Brynjolf scrambled away from the deadly magic attack and out of view. He crouched down low and slowly started to strafe around the beastly mage's coffin.
Cathryne shot arrows at the skeletal figure and drew its attention to her. The priest loomed up and fired several bolts of lightning at her as it spoke in ancient tongue, Brynjolf could not understand a word but assumed it to be ancient Nordic.
"Nu dir mey!" (Now die fool) it hissed in guttural tones, lightning lashing at the floor and walls like great jagged claws.
"YOL TOOR SHUL!" Cathryne called out strongly. The moment she began to weave together the shout, a great plume of fire manifested and struck the priest.
The mage recoiled with a groan of pain as its concentration was broken. At that moment Brynjolf took his chance and lunged from the shadows. He gripped the priest from behind and drove his dagger deeply through the back of its strange plated robes and deep in to its core. At the same time, Cathryne notched three arrows against her bow string and fired them at the Priest, striking it in the forehead, the neck and the chest.
There was a sharp, sudden scream like nails on ivory which screeched in the very depths of their ears. The haunting figure started to sink towards the floor, its skeletal body already turning to ashes. As it perished, it gave Cathryne a final glare before bursting in to tiny fragments of glowing ultraviolet.
Its haunting, ragged voice lingered in the air, though the meaning was lost on both the master thief and the Dragonborn:
"Orin ol dinok meyze fah zu, faal aar, lot Alduin nahl nau"
(Even as death comes for I, the servant, great Alduin lives on)
"Now that… was scary… Perhaps this tomb raiding lark isn't quite as easy as I thought…" Brynjolf said, sheathing his dagger and leaning against the empty coffin. "I'm exhausted and more than ready for my treasure!"
"Yeah." Cathryne wiped her brow and let out a small sigh of relief "I still don't like it when one of those priests emerges from one of these coffins…"
"I'll say. We're lucky we got through that."
"Agreed, anyway... let's look for some treasure." Cathryne crouched before the Dragon Priest and, after sifting through some of the ashes, held up a small, intricately sewn coin purse "Looks like he had some gold on him." She tossed it to Brynjolf.
He caught it and began counting "100… 200… 300… by the divines themselves. There's at least 500 septims here!"
"Well, that should be a start towards making that battle worthwhile, eh?" Cathryne continued to sift through the ashes.
"Mmm. Yes. It's a start, I'll give it that!" Brynjolf said as he pushed himself up from his leaning spot. He was about to speak, when something caught his attention – voices;
"'Ere, look! More of 'ems dead!" A deep Nordic male voice, it sounded like a bandit.
"Well I ain't gonna complain, let's get to that main chamber already and get ourselves some gold!"
"Wot if there ain't no more loot?"
"It ain't like we've had to fight anything, awrite? So, no harm done. Now shaddup and let's get in 'ere! If we're lucky we might even catch the tomb raiders before they run off and get their hard earned treasures for ourselves!"
There was a chorus of cruel laughs and agreements at the last bandit's words.
The sound of numerous footsteps neared the doors of the central chamber. Brynjolf and Cathryne exchanged glances, Brynjolf was silently counting.
"five… six… seven… eight… nine… ten…" he mouthed. There were at least ten bandits heading in their direction.
Cathryne grumbled "I won't be able to Shout them away… I need time to ready my voice… Damnit…"
"I must admit I'm not relishing an all out war with two to ten odds, though I reckon we could take them if it came to it…"
Cathryne frowned "Ugh. I don't like the idea of those odds either at this moment in time…"
Brynjolf looked around and noticed another, more modest coffin. He smirked at Cathryne and gestured for her to follow him "Come on. If we don't feel like fighting, let's just avoid it."
She followed his gaze and quirked an eyebrow at him "What the…? In –there–?"
"Get in already or else it's a wild night with the bandits!" Brynjolf pulled the lid off the coffin. It was a decent size and would (just about) accommodate the pair of them. Furthermore, he noticed that a king's ransom in garnets, amethysts and gold coins was stashed at the bottom.
Cathryne looked at the empty grave, she sighed deeply, and was about to ask him how they should go about getting inside when Bynjolf's boot firmly nudged her from behind. With a yelp she tumbled and twirled in to the treasure filled box, landing on her back. She saw Brynjolf climbing in over her with the lid of the coffin on his back.
Darkness engulfed them as he settled on top of her "Hmm. Well isn't this…cozy, lass?" he mused with a chuckle.
She jabbed his side and hissed "What's the big idea pushing me in like that!"
Suddenly the thunderous sound of the crypt doors being kicked open filled the air. Brynjolf covered Cathryne's mouth with his hand and whispered "Shhh". The footsteps scattered and the sounds of knives, swords and other weapons being drawn echoed around the vaulted ceiling.
"Shit. Looks like the raiders are long gone…" muttered a bandit.
"An' it looks like they looted this fancy old coffin too!" shouted another, snarling out "Bastards… There ain't not loot for us!"
"Well keep lookin'! There's gotta be somethin! Even a few garnets or gold or somethin'!"
Numerous pairs of boots traipsed around the room, along with the sound of the bandits moving rubble and smashing pots whilst swearing like daedra-possessed heathens.
Within their shared coffin, Brynjolf could feel Cathryne breathing against his hand. He was so close he could feel her warmth and smell the scented oils that Vex had given her; the soft sweet scent of Mountain Flowers.
He felt her shift beneath him, now that he thought about it; he should have climbed in first as he was heavier than her. She was probably uncomfortable. He felt her hand move up close to his face, then his ears were tickled by the unmistakable thrum of magic as it manifested in her palm. She created a tiny orb of candlelight and illuminated the coffin so that he could see her and she could see him. The golden bed they laid upon filled the dark coffin with a soft yellowish glow.
He grinned at her and whispered "You know… I think getting this up close and personal to you might just be the best treasure of the lot." He moved his hand away from her mouth.
"Again with the charms?" she whispered back.
"Oh I'm not trying to deceive you, lass. I'm telling you the truth, for once."
His voice was tinged with a seriousness that he rarely used. He preferred to keep his inner most thoughts to himself and would mask those thoughts and feelings with an air of insincerity and jocularity. Naturally, when the situation required it he could be focused, professional and all sorts of other things, but it was always far easier to avoid those moments.
"I believe you." She replied, her eyes were equally serious.
They laid together in the coffin staring at one another, whilst the bandits raided the tomb around them. Neither one spoke for a while, an unspoken feeling formed, a feeling that they both shared.
Brynjolf leaned down, his lips neared hers and when she didn't back away he took his chance and kissed her.
Cathryne reached out and laced her hands with his. Her eyes closed as she submitted to his mouth. The first few kisses were soft, light brushes of lips but gradually theye developed from naïve and slow to urgent and deep. His tongue explored her mouth and in return she groaned against him.
Breathless moments passed and though he was reluctant to do so, he parted from her in order to breathe. The light that she had created was beginning to die down, but he could still see the glint of desire in her eyes which was mimicked in his own. Neither of them said a word as they held the others gaze.
The candlelight spell disappeared in to the ether and they were plunged in to total darkness once more.
"Bryn…" She whispered.
"… Damnit all." He muttered. His voice was filled with a smile as he spoke "When did you creep in and steal my heart, lass?"
"I think it was the same time you stole mine." She replied.
"Is that right? Well. That's a fair trade, then, your heart for mine." He stooped down for another kiss.
In the depths of the ancient, unnamed Nordic tomb, the master thief stole the Dragonborn's heart and laid his permanent mark on her body, within their grave-bed of golden coins and sparkling gemstones…
The bandits eventually gave up their pursuit of treasure and began to leave the tomb.
As they left, one of them muttered "Y'know… I'm glad we're leavin'… that moanin' sound the Draugr are makin' is really creepin' me out…"
"Yeah… Sounds pretty eager don't it?" another one replied, looking around for signs of the moaning dead.
~ End Chapter 4 ~
Well there we are, this will be the last entry before New Year! I'm currently working on Chapter 5 and in the next chapter we'll see a bit of the wicked Mercer Frey (you can boo now if you like!) ^^