8th of Sun's Dusk
Matria barely made it through Riften Pass alive. Everywhere she turned, a new wave of Dawnguard came out. How they found her at the College of Whispers remained a mystery. She kept to herself as much as possible trying to learn something. No one suspected anything. When the Dawnguard burst through the door without warning, no one even knew who they were looking for. She ran out the back window barely getting some of her stuff together. They knew who she was and came right for her.
Since then, all she did was run. Dawnguard swarmed the pass and hills. The only clan she knew of sat destroyed with clear evidence of the Dawnguard doing their work. The map on one of the Dawnguard bodies showed every clan and their markers. Her only thought shifted to the woman who helped her before. She needed to find her in Skyrim somehow and get word to her about what happened. Cyrodil no longer had roaming vampires and now she truly was one of the last.
Every moment running like crazy wore her down. Her breathing picked up while she turned her head. The dogs were somewhere around from the howling. This was not turning out to be an easy trip. Snow bogged down her progress with her mouth buried in the snow countless time from tripping up. Matria whimpered hearing them get closer. They had to be within sight soon. Her scrambling only hastened her mistakes.
The city ahead she assumed was Riften. It fit the description from what Tenaya once told her and it sat at the bottom of the pass not too far ahead. The smoke from the chimneys gave her a sense of relief knowing people here went about their business unlike the Dawnguard on her heels. Even the look of the market from this high up meant she could buy something and get warm again. Her clothes were not meant for this kind of cold and she didn't have time to get a cloak. Snow went through every piece of her clothes with the base dripping wet.
Approaching the city made her more rattled at the sight of Dawnguard moving in and out freely with more coming behind. Matria walked the long way around from the front gates wanting to go through the back of the city instead of every set of eyes. She hadn't fed in a few days making things so much worse. All her color vanished and her skin darkened. Not being made out a vampire would be a struggle with only a simple hood for her head and no gloves for her hands.
"Hold there…" The guard called out.
Matria froze where she stood, knowing the Dawnguard on her heels would be here sooner than later. Her nerves made this so much worse. Did they already figure out she was a vampire? Surely the Dawnguard would be on their way the moment he said something.
"Before I let you into Riften, you need to pay the visitor's tax." The guard moved in closer. She looked at him oddly. A visitor's tax? What kind of place was this?
"I have never heard of such a thing." Matria replied still very confused. She glanced behind with no one coming yet.
"You look a little pale traveler. I suggest paying the tax to go get some medicine. My discount isn't valid anymore. It will be 800 gold pieces"
"I am paying no such tax. I am just fine, thank you."
"Well then traveler, you shall not enter the city." He turned around to the other guard standing there. "Watch her, I will get the Dawnguard. She looks like one of them or a sympathizer. No tax, no enter."
Matria became angry listening to all this flubber over a tax. She refused to pay gold for something that obviously was a lie. Skyrim was less than welcoming and she only stepped foot in this providence for less than a day. She looked between the two guards irritated. The other stood there as if it didn't happen. She seemed content to collect the money as the other was. He retreated through the gates only to lock it back up.
As she walked away, the other guard walked to Matria. She had no clue what the reason was other than to convince her the extortion was legit somehow. The woman flipped her hood back unexpectedly and pulled Matria to the side quickly.
"You are looking for the others, aren't you?" She said quietly.
"What are you talking about?" Matria asked confused.
"Your kind."
"What about my kind?"
"Run! They will kill you after torturing you."
Matria took too much time. The guard returned with two Dawnguard at his side. She looked down to the crossbows with both pointed her direction. She put her arms up knowing she stood zero chance against them. The power of that crossbow bolt knocked her through the air one time before. The Dawnguard looked all too eager for her to do something.
A bolt fired through the air striking Matria in the shoulder. She screamed out being spun around with it sticking through her arm. The first guard smiled widely, enjoying a laugh with the Dawnguard. All three of them seemed to enjoy it. The second one lifted his crossbow to take a shot of his own. Matria looked on through wide eyes. She heard the click waiting for the strike. It never came.
The guard pulled her sword and knocked the crossbow to the side. A small rumble broke out with punched being thrown at the guard who remained outnumbered. A flurry of hits came down on her face and helmet until it fell off. She scampered across the ground. Matria stood up knowing she had to do something. In the middle of the day, she changed forms and threw herself their direction. Screams from people passing by filled the air. Claws ripped skin apart without their crossbows. The guard ran around the walls trying to escape them.
For a moment, the guard on the ground stared in shock. This should have been a dream. She watched someone become a pure demon without blinking an eye. Even in that form, Matria held her left arm down with a bolt still stuck inside her shoulder. Only the outside snapped off. She struggled to stay and dropped to the ground, shifting back to her normal form. Matria stumbled to her feet not content on dying out here. The Dawnguard stirred and their time was limited.
"Get up! I can't do that again!" Matria yelled pulling her up.
The guard ran beside her until she realized this was all wrong. "No, go the other way. Trust me."
She yanked her back around as they circled to the northern side of Riften. Voices inside the walls started to yell as they rushed by. Matria kept up with the woman as both broke out in a full sprint. No matter how far they went, yelling came from behind.
"I know a place to hide but we need to make it there. Can you keep up with your shoulder?" The woman asked Matria who nodded.
Each of them gave everything they had. Night started to set in, and it didn't relent. Dogs barked behind them with torches lighting their wake. Both started to stumble having run for a good amount of time. The lights never faded away. Matria followed this woman blindly looking ahead until she stopped them dead in their tracks. "Bears ahead."
"How can you see that?" The woman asked.
"I am a vampire. We have this thing called really good eyesight." Matria said sarcastically, hurting bad enough to scream.
"Then we will go the long way around. Cut through the river. The dogs can't get our scent then."
Going into the water became an instant regret for both. Matria shivered stepping out and the woman who kept her cloak in the air threw it on quickly. Steps slowed dramatically with cold seeping to their bones. What little bit of heat each had quickly vanished. Their breath froze in the cold night. Matria noticed her slowing down with an obvious need to warm up and quickly.
"How much further?" Matria asked with chattering teeth.
When there was no reply, she spun around shaking her. The woman's lips turned a shade of blue from the cold. Matira pushed her to answer at the same time she dragged her onward. It wasn't until the sound of howling in behind from the Dawnguard's dogs did the pace picked up again.
Over the waterfall bridge and she pointed to a sign. Matria noticed only one thing and an arrow; Ivarstead. With the path making travel a lot easier again, both moved forward as quickly as possible with legs quivering. The woman barely moved with her head drooping with every step. Matria stood as cold as the other, but she refused to give in. The sight of smoke up ahead pushed her even harder. This woman felt like dead weight through the path. With her good arm, she virtually lifted the woman up to take the weight. Matria pushed open the door to the Vilemyr Inn. The barmaid took notice of the two while the entire place looked empty.
"Looks like you two could use a room. 10 gold." Lynly the barmaid said.
Matria threw out her coin purse digging enough for the room and a warm drink for each. Lynly walked them to their room and brought the war mead inside two different mugs. Matria pulled the barkeep close to make it very quiet. "If anyone comes asking for two women, do not talk about us. Will 50 gold buy your silence?"
"I do not want no bandits here…" Lynly replied.
"We are not bandits. People are after us and we need a warm bed and if you can bring more warm mead for my friend, she is almost frozen. Please…"
She extended her hand and took the gold. Lynly was not a stranger to needing to hide. Her own past brought her to this barkeep. Now she lived in the same fear. As long as those looking for her didn't come, these women would have their peace for the night. When she returned with mead and two bowls of chowder. It didn't make it to the small stand in the room before Matria grabbed it to help the woman with her.
"Drink…" Matria said handing the warm cup to the woman.
"Tttt… Thankkkkk… Youuuuu."
"I will help you get some food down, try to warm up." Matria said before thanking Lynly who closed the door.
Chattering teeth made the discussion rather amusing. Anytime she tried to talk, Matria chuckled and the woman stopped. It was almost too much for her to handle. Everything seemed to fade away until the sound of dogs again shook them both. Matria locked the door to their and kept quiet. The door to the Inn opened with whimpering dogs. Each of the dogs seemed flustered. The woman grabbed the remaining mead and dumped it at the base of the door on their side.
"Evening my lady. Have you seen two strangers, one is a vampire and the other is a guard? We believe she held is holding her captive against her will." He spoke rather eloquently.
"What did they look like? I saw two women come in for food about thirty minutes ago. The one wore Riften armor." Lynly replied.
"Yes, that is them! Do you know where they were heading?" He asked hearing the news.
"Winterhold, to the college I believe she said. I wish I knew she was a vampire, or I would have delayed them."
"Best you didn't, she is a killer. She shows no mercy and feeds on everyone. She's wanted across all of Skyrim."
Matria listened to the story they wove. She was rather impressed by making her out to be some sort of monster. It didn't seem too unrealistic to an average person. A vampire, taking a prisoner. Well, almost unrealistic. They needed to get far away, and their adventure would be no easier the longer the bolt stuck in her arm. The sound of a door closing the dogs going away made both rather relieved. A knock at the door startled them.
"Open up this instant!" Lynly said.
Matria unlocked the door and looked at the woman. No sense hiding the fact she was a vampire at this point. Lynly saw the spilled mead on the ground and scoffed a little. "Vampire? Prisoner?"
"Well, half correct about us." The woman said no longer chattering her teeth. "I am not a prisoner, she is a vampire. The story is a lie."
"I figured that out myself when they said she was a killer and forced you to go. You were rather willing when you came in. Her concern for you also wasn't that of a prisoner."
"Thank you, from both of us."
"In the morning you better head out and go towards Whiterun. My story bought you a few hours of sleep and a jumpstart on your journey. The rest is up to both of you."
Matria reached for her coin purse but Lynly shook her head. This wasn't about gold right now. The first time she did it, she didn't know the reason. The Dawnguard lied to try and get to them. For whatever reason, their means do not justify the end. Lynly chose to retreat to the bar for the night and felt better helping them.
"By the way, my name is Ivy." The woman said to Matria.
"Matria." She replied with a faint smile. "Earlier you said I am with others, who were you speaking of?"
"I figured you with all the excitement in Riften recently over that Serana woman, you had to be with her or looking."
The name sent a shiver down Matria's spine. The other Daughter of Coldharbour who she heard all about from Tenaya. She recently passed through this city and not too long before or after Tenaya did. This made for quite an interesting circumstance. She hated to lie to this woman after their short time but felt it the best path forward. She wouldn't ever know the difference. Her only hope to stay alive would be finding Tenaya. Matria chose to settle for the woman who broke her instead, knowing they would eventually meet at some point.
"Yes Ivy, she is the one I seek." Matria replied proudly.
"That is a shame. The Dawnguard took her after roughing her up. You won't get near that place without an army."
The news made her feel less than happy. It seemed the Dawnguard took over every providence these days. All she could muster was a simple nod of her head trying to appear to understand. Ivy at the same time tried to study the vampire she shared a room with. All the stories she heard from the Dawnguard made them out to be wicked, vile creatures out for blood only. This one seemed so much different. She appeared to be almost tame in a docile sort of way.
The two stared until Matria looked at the scar. Ivy quickly covered up hating to have the attention for such an incident. While no question came out, Ivy knew she wanted the answer. Everyone wanted an answer. It became her calling card in Riften. People called her the woman of scars. No one ever said her name anymore. Scar woman or wretched face always came out. Hearing her name felt very welcoming given the years since she last heard it.
Ivy wasn't exactly ugly by any stretch of the imagination. Her black hair flowed half-way down her back. A small and cute nose on high cheek bones made her very desirable until the accident. While she covered up and constantly kept herself hidden, anyone who saw her without a cloak or gown knew she didn't need it. She had all the right curves in the right places with long legs letting her stand over most other women.
Even with the cold, wet armor, she refused to take anything off. To do that meant Matria would see the scar fully. She chose instead to suffer through while this woman remained. Matria didn't wait to take her clothes off and stripped down to her underclothes. The first pelt from the bed went around her shoulders. Ivy tried not to watch but seeing a vampire this close proved tempting. Her skin looked so pale and blackened. If she didn't know her as a vampire, she would swear this woman was suffering from hypothermia and frostbite in places.
The stuttering breaths slowly annoyed Matria who didn't seem to like the idea of Ivy suffering. She tried to ignore it and sleep on the floor, but Ivy refused to move to the bed with her wet clothes.
"You realize things would be much warmer without your soaking wet armor Ivy." Matria finally made the point. "I really do not care about your scar or that you are a woman. Not like I haven't seen a woman's body before…"
"I just… well… this scar…" Ivy mumbled.
"Listen, I do not care. I have my own scars if you haven't noticed. Life as a vampire isn't the easiest either."
Ivy understood the message and unbuckled her armor. She had to admit, getting the cold off felt so much better. Matria turned her head since she didn't care and just offered her the other pelt to wrap up inside. Watching Matria stretch out across the floor she took as an invitation to sleep in the bed. It wasn't the best but surely would be better than the floor Matria slept on.
Both managed a short amount of sleep. Matria struggled with the bolt pieces stuck inside her shoulder. To get them removed required a skill neither of them possessed or a barkeep for that matter. She bit her lip for the time. All she cared about right now was getting away from this and figuring it out later. Living seemed to be smarter with a little pain than stopping in the wrong spot to try and fix this.
Ivy woke up later to Matria dressed and packed to go. A warmed mug of mead sat on the table for her. Matria seemed rather proud sporting a new dagger on her belt and a fresh bag of food for her friend. "Good to see you awake. I took the liberty of getting you food for the road and the barkeep sold me a fresh set of linens for you too. I will step out so you can get ready without me here."
Matria went out to the room and started a conversation with Lynly at the bar. Ivy for her part didn't waste time. She took a minute to get her wits about her and ready. It looked for the time they would travel together. Nothing like an alliance out of necessity Ivy thought. She could handle a sword well enough from the guard training. From the looks of it, her vampire friend was a little more than she let on to.
Lynly greeted Ivy when she approached. Ivy enjoyed the mead and happily took to breakfast without a complaint. This seemed to be a much better option for the two of them than she expected. This wasn't life on the run with nothing, they shared in decent food and a warm bed. Ivy knew it wouldn't last when the gold ran out or what to do. Right now, they had to get away from this part of Skyrim and quickly.
"Lynly suggested a doctor Morthal who could pull that out and take care of the wound. Lami is her name. How far is that?" Matria asked.
"If we hop in a carriage, we would be there before nightfall. If we walk, a couple days." Ivy replied.
"Looks like a carriage then. Will make things easier for me also. This arm is about useless."
Ivy made sure to open the door and check outside. The sooner she made it out of her uniform the better they would be. A short stop in Whiterun might help solve the situation. Both of then trudged out to the snow and slowly out of town. No eyes wandered their direction as Matria flipped up her hood to get out of the sun. Every step made the light blinding her more and more.
Their feet took off in a steady jog down the path. Ivy turned right where Lynly said to. She never ventured this far away from Riften and quickly succumbed to the vastness of Skyrim. Stories said who wide open and beautiful the providence was, but nothing prepared her for the expansiveness. They went for hours trying to circle around the Throat of the World. Each of them marveled at its sheer size. To imagine someone climbing the stairs to the top seemed impossible. From the base, the mountain looked unscalable.
"Your arm is bleeding pretty bad." Ivy said seeing the dripping from her friend.
"It will as long as the bolt pieces are stuck inside."
"We need to get you there as soon as possible. This is looking bad Matria."
"I will make it. Let's keep going."
Ivy took off in front to allow Matria the opportunity to slow down. She saw the outline of a city and quickly realized the rubble was the remnants of Helgen. The stories from the Dragon attack didn't do justice to the amount of fallen buildings and damage. Everything around looked decimated. Rumors of rebuilding persisted for years with nothing happening. The city fell and even the bandits who were living there left it. Both wisely skirted the city to risk possible bandits and further down the path.
"Oh no…" Ivy yelled back running. "Dawnguard walking the path we were supposed to take to Riverwood."
Matria fell to her knee with the blood constantly dripping down her arm. She couldn't keep this pace up much longer. The sun continued to take its toll making things so much worse.
"The other way then…" Matria said in obvious pain.
Ivy lifted her up with an arm around her waist. Matria put her good arm across Ivy's shoulder to limit all motion. Every step brought agony to Matria who chose to bite her tongue instead of complain. Nothing would make her feel better than crying right now, but she couldn't. Ivy looked to her as some sort of strength. If she showed weakness, they wouldn't make it. It remained up to her to hold it together.
Matria struggled until two bandits blocked the way. Arrows fired their direction with no accuracy. Ivy set her on the ground and lifted her shield. She ran forward with some sort of defense, taking the stairs at full speed. Both bandits didn't even have a sword leaving the fight very short. Matria watched the bodies fall to the ground and moved quickly. She didn't see death, she saw food. Her teeth ripped their necks wide open with no remorse. She feasted with Ivy staring in pure shock.
"I think I am going to be sick…" Ivy turned around and walked away. Matria didn't care, she wouldn't hide what she was as their bodies gave her heavenly nourishment. A sigh of pleasure escaped her lips. Matria sat up licking her fingers clean. Ivy on the other hand couldn't look. Once she cleaned herself up, only then did Ivy come back to help her friend.
"Looks like we need to get moving. They are not far behind." Ivy interrupted her feasting.
Matria didn't struggle this time. All the blood brought life back to her. The dripping persisted as they walked down the hill. Walls poked up in the distance while they kept moving quickly. She had no clue what city this was. Guards didn't seem to care seeing her in uniform. Most of them assumed she simply carried a prisoner with Matria clinging to her side. Only when she set her in the carriage and paid the man in a rush did any heads turn. No one reacted quick enough to catch the carriage taking them to Morthal.
"Might as well rest. It will be a few hours unless we encounter bandits." The driver offered.
"Thanks." Ivy replied not caring.
They watched the wilderness pass left and right. Skyrim looked so beautiful. Nothing prepared either of them for the vast plains crashing against the mountains. Little towns popped up here and monuments popped up there. Each decided to admire it in their own fashion. The only thing they collectively agreed upon was if they would find someone willing to help them. Matria wanted to find Tenaya so badly and settled on Serana in convenience. Ivy needed to find Tenaya in hopes of learning something about herself. The woman saved her life before, now she needed to see if she could save her again.
"I am not sure the one you seek is even alive Matria. The Dawnguard doesn't let someone live when captured." Ivy spoke with a level of dissatisfaction.
"Once I get this bolt out of my shoulder, we can figure it out. I am blind in Skyrim with no clue where to start. You would be wise to leave my side. Running around with a vampire isn't the smartest."
"I knew other vampires and trusted them. The one who you are looking for, she and another saved my life. Believe it or not, the Dawnguard wasn't always this way."
Matria tilted her head not sure how this group would be better. Their entire purpose seemed to be eradication of her kind, good or evil. Ivy put it in context. Things were better. Hearing about the good they did made Matria feel strange. What on earth happened she wondered?
"I have a feeling fate brought us together." Matria said with a smile.
At Castle Volkihar, for the better of four days, Tenaya didn't move. She refused to speak any further. What ran through her head wasn't what she endured, rather, what she saw. That place shouldn't exist. She should exist now. Azura and Meridia pulled her from that hell. To imagine a place worse than Coldharbour was something to fathom. She ran for her life from Molag Bal with Mehrunes Dagon and Malacath watching from the sides.
Tenaya fought with everything she had. She refused to be taken by Molag Bal. The shining light of Azura blinded Molag Bal. The light made a tear fall from his eye. She became the unintended Daughter of Coldharbour he never meant. Meridia's blast of light knocked him backwards. The other princes prepared for battle. Each of them prepared with a thunderous roar to the flaming tundra.
Azura was too smart for them, taking the woman with her arms before retreating under the Beacon's power. Everything remained a blur. The fire and ice of Beyond Coldharbour gave way to beautiful fields of flowers, waterfalls, trees blooming beyond words and a smell perfume. She knew nothing of where she went. This place felt as close to true afterlife.
"She's corrupted. We are too late." The soft and beautiful voice of her rescuer said.
"We are not. She is not fully changed. She will live as an immortal and Daughter of Coldharbour but we can spare her from its corruption."
A star materialized over her face while an orb of immaculate craftsmanship floated over Tenaya. She felt the light given radiate through her body. Everything hurt, everything ached. She wasn't sure what was worse, almost losing everything to Molag Bal or being saved by these two. Her body appeared to rip in half, or so it felt. Light tried to overcome the dark while the dark fought back. As it came to a stop, Tenaya let out a loud sigh of pain.
"Return to Nirn, Tenaya Darix. Take the gifts we gave you. Your battle has only just begun. If you seek answers, return to my shrine and I will answer your call." Azura said with a soothing voice.
"Your path forward will be difficult Tenaya Darix. Your darkness prevents me from helping you further. Take the light I bestowed you to overcome the darkness. May wisdom guide you on this journey." Meridia advised backing away.
Azura's hand touched her forehead softly. Tenaya's essence shot through the very space she saw going to Coldharbour. When she woke, she felt the changes immediately. She went there and survived. At the same time, Serana returned, fully restored to her glory. She didn't know who helped.
Days later, she still couldn't comprehend. Her path. Words echoed inside Tenaya's head. What changed? She didn't have a path forward. All she knew was the path to answers led her here. Tenaya knew she wasn't anything special. She followed the one who truly was unique, the Dragonborn. All she really represented was being his follow, his shadow. Sure, she continued to do right for a long time and suffered as a result.
Tenaya finally stood up from the base of the alter. She glanced at the white dress covering her body. Some new slashes and blood found their way to the soft and silky fabric. Her eyes shifted around the room, unable to believe the level of detail she missed before. Dust going through the air seemed more irritating until her eyes locked on something new. Tenaya paused for a moment in the center of the cathedral.
Seeing Serana clearly for the first time in her life changed everything. She stood there more vulnerable than anytime in her memories. For the first time since their meeting, Serana put her walls down. She looked at Tenaya with an open heart. Tenaya felt it. The tears on Serana's cheek spoke volumes. This moment she dreaded more than anything. To face Tenaya one more time…
"If there is any part of Tenaya left after you went to Molag Bal for my life, I hope you will give me a chance to make things right."