Irina had awoken much earlier than Serana.
Her forest green eyes adjusted to the warm lighting of the room while her hand came to her face to rub her temples. It was still early, the sun hadn't even come up yet. The bosmer ran a hand through her hair and quietly took in a breath, whatever sleep she got was not enough. However, it didn't matter once Irina was awake she stayed that way.
A look to her left and the nord came into view, Irina had almost forgotten.
Serana rested peacefully beside her, the woman lay on her side with her back faced to the elven woman. Her breaths were low and even, she looked completely still and Irina took notice of how her arms were lazily crossed over the front of her chest. She must have been used to the coffin.
Irina moved more to her own side keeping their respective space and nestled her head in her pillow.
She tried to relax again but couldn't, she felt filthy.
She'd just gone straight to bed last night, and kept the muck of the world on her body. Good grief.
Irina stretched her limbs and glanced over to the nord beside her. A few moments of contemplation and Irina quietly rolled her eyes, she could let the woman rest for a while longer. Her green eyes caught sight of the washbasin on the other side of the room and silently thanked no one particular god before making her way over.
The dovahkiin stripped herself of the oversized shirt she'd used for sleep and found a rag hanging off the washbasin. With much relief and satisfaction the bosmer scrubbed herself clean of all the filth she'd gathered the day prior, and much to her pleasure Irina found a small bottle of lavender oil sitting atop a shelf.
Thank the divines for Solitude being the capital of Skyrim. Even the inns were lavish and had everything a traveler needed.
For the final touch Irina doused her hair with a handful of water, the droplets ran down her neck and her chest and Irina was pleased to know that she'd be clean for at least another day. With her discarded clothes on the floor, the woman looked inside the wardobe for any clean small clothes and nearly dropped to her knees in relief at the neatly folded garments.
She got herself dressed before focusing her attention to her armor. The leather gauntlets she'd worn yesterday were thin and cut in many different places, same with her boots and everything else. The material had weared down very thin, Irina hadn't thought to bring it to a workbench since she'd only worn the leather armor for a few months.
Damn.
Ah, well it didn't matter to Irina, she'd another set of armor awaiting her in her rucksack. She only bothered to travel in leather armor to blend in with the common folk, although she knew that news of her return would reach everyone's ear soon enough. Her husband in particular...
As she summoned her pack, she thought of him more. Her rucksack was a gift from him, an expensive-looking bag and one that was very much appreciated.
He'd been very persistent in his attempts to win her favor. Gifts and lavish items were always wrapped beautifully and delivered to her many homes, the fact that the woman was a thane in every hold of Skyrim made her part of everyone's court. Irina had the bare minimum in nobility to keep him interested.
Although Irina knew better, he was only after her body. As did most men within the province, Irina had the strength of at least three women and the most feminine yet muscular form to accompany it. Her body along with her great deeds of heroism made her an attractive candidate, yet she refused him until she joined the Thieves Guild.
His propositions turned more discreet and serious once they had established a connection through Mercer Frey. His loud attempts turned into silent gestures and poetic yet small gifts, he became more romantic with her yet she could see the lust in his aged eyes.
She brought the propositions up to the guild leaders, and Vex was furious. She threatened to kill him herself should he ever lay a hand on the elf and Irina had to tame her temper.
"He did what? He's asking you for... WHAT?" Vex nearly screamed. Her cheeks were red with anger and her body was tense, ready to kill.
"This is troubling news, lass. I don't agree with the man thinking he owns any of the women in the guild just because he supplies us coin, I could cut ties with him but it would hurt us, it would hurt us badly" Brynjolf said with his arms crossed. His expression was stern as if he couldn't belive what he was hearing.
"I can't believe that man has the audacity to have his mind in the gutter when the world is about to end, and it just has to be the dragonborn he's pining over- Brynjolf, I can rob him blind. I can take away every diamond and jewel he has before we severe ties with him, if we're going to take a hit for protecting one of our own. He may as well pay for some of the damages"
"He is a powerful man, we can't just poke a bear and expect nothing to happen from that...-"
"I brought this up to the both of you because I know the guild is in a dire situation. Why don't I just marry him?" Irina asked with a nonchalant shrug. Her green eyes seemed unfazed by what she had just said, meanwhile their brown eyes widened as big as saucers.
"You can't be serious, lass... He's a known womanizer. I don't think it will be as simple as you're making it seem" Brynjolf said with a bit of worry in his tone.
Vex remained silent and merely looked at the dovahkiin in confusion. Irina turned her attention from Vex to Brynjolf who had a disapproving look on his face .
"I can marry him, and be his wife. Besides, I don't have a reputation for being meek and keeping my head down. If he blatantly crosses me, or disrupts appearances that would be more than an enough reason to cut off the marriage, or his head. I don't think things will come to that though" Irina said reassuringly.
Brynjolf and Vex glanced at one another with doubt. They couldn't think of anything else to say against it though, they knew Irina was capable of managing on her own. Not only that, but the elf was wealthy herself. A marriage to Erikur would serve to supply more money to the guild by twice as much.
"I'll be alright, I'm going to accept one of his offers and see if it even comes to that" Irina said.
Over time, the woman could see that Erikur had fallen deeply in love with her. An unrequited love.
She could see it in the way he looked at her, she knew it was the same way she looked at her housecarl...-
She could feel her cheeks begin to flush and shook her head, she was far too distracted for being alone with a vampire in her room.
Irina reached into her bag and pulled free the armor she needed.
Deathbrand Armor, it was supposedly some sort of treasure that pirates were looking into, she'd never heard of it before and didn't have any real intentions on searching for it herself but the amount of reavers and thugs looking for the fabled set piqued her interest. Upon obtaining a piece and discovering the enchantments casted onto the armor Irina immediately began to search the island of Solstheim as well.
The inside of the armor was leather and lined with a thin layer of fur, it was perfect for Skyrim weather. Irina conjured a coin purse and then let her ruck fade away.
Sheets being moved this way and that made Irina turn around to face her companion. Serana was beginning to awake. Irina let her gold purse hang on her waist while she crossed her arms over her chest expectantly, Serana sat upright and stretched her arms out over her head.
This lifted her nightdress to reveal pale and smooth looking thighs, Irina's eyes flickered to the exposed skin and lost her strong composure for a brief moment.
Serana had caught her gaze and held the elf in a stare that was neither innocent nor annoyed.
Serana opened her mouth to comment on the elf's wandering eyes but decided against it. "It feels strange not sleeping in a coffin, after a few centuries being packed into one"
"Oh I can imagine" Irina replied in a smooth voice. Her accent flooded Serana's ears and the nord wondered what the elf would sound like if she'd sunk her fangs into her thin, scar-covered neck. It'd been too long since she'd had blood and Serana was beginning to feel the first pangs of hunger, alas... They were temporary comrades for now. Serana could restrain herself for another day.
"That armor looks very expensive."
"My leather set was too worn and thin, no longer of any use. Do you need more rest? I have yet to buy the supplies."
"I don't need any more. A couple centuries was enough, trust me on that. I'll get dressed quickly" Serana spoke rising from the bed to wear the armor she'd worn the day prior.
As she stood erect her height showed and Irina couldn't help but to stare and admire her beauty.
She was very beautiful, her legs were slender and long. The sunlight pouring into the room made her skin glow unnaturally and her dark hair contrasted the paleness of her shoulders, she was a dark beauty, Serana being a vampire only fit the dark aura surrounding her.
Serana felt Irina's eyes examining her body and if she thought she was being subtle, she was not.
Serana had dressed herself to the point of modesty and caught the elf's eyes, Serana had been expecting dumb shock or even embarrassment at catching the bosmer. Irina didn't even react to the nord even after they locked eyes. Serana hadn't been sure whether or not she saw lust or admiration in the woman's eyes, it looked like admiration and for some reason that made Serana flustered.
Irina spoke completely unembarrassed, "I'll be in the store across the street"
Serana nodded quietly and watched her walk out of the room and close the door behind her. Serana relaxed her shoulders that she hadn't known had been tense.
Serana felt a rosy blush creep up to her cheeks from her neck. She immediately found herself shaking her head and continuing to dress herself but the scene replayed itself more than once even minutes after Irina left.
"By the blood, I need to focus..." Serana muttered fanning her face with her hands.
Irina worked fast, as soon as Serana entered the store Irina was just on her way out. Serana caught glimpse of a man's eyes following the dovahkiin as she left the merchant store, she narrowed her eyes in suspicion before trailing behind the elven woman.
"You seem popular with the men around here" Serana commented as they walked along the path next to the Solitude docks. The sun was bright and that prompted Serana to raise her hood over her head.
"Oh? How do you mean?"
"I noticed a few men take notice of you as we passed by, some were staring longer than necessary". Serana said distastefully. Irina shrugged and looked up to the skies.
"Let them look, It's probably the armor that's caught their attention...-" the dovahkiin abruptly stopped herself in her tracks to stare at the few clouds in the sky. Something about the shappe of them reminded the elf Solstheim, and the ash beaches. What about those beaches were so familiar in these clouds...?
Serana stopped a couple of feet ahead of her and raised a brow, "Irina?"
The bosmer blinked and glanced to Serana with furrowed brows. "Sorry... I just thought I saw something"
"You're very distracted for someone who might come face-to-face with vampires soon" Serana remarked continuing her walk with Irina trailing behind her.
"That's...- Correct, unfortunately. Though I can completely avoid them altogether if you'd just tell me why you've an elder scroll."
The nord rolled her eyes and shook her head, Irina sighed and waved her hand. "Don't worry, I honor my promises. You'll know once I'm home, alive." She stressed that last part with her tone of her voice.
Their walk was quiet after that. Serana brought up a good point, Irina was distracted. She couldn't place what it was but she felt as if something was left undone, there was uncertainty in her bones.
Perhaps because she was soon to be inside of a vampire den, was she scared? Only a little, she relished in the idea of using her thu'um in battle once again but what she felt right now was something different.
Serana eyed the elf from the corner of her eye while they walked, the only sounds being the ocean crashing it's waves against the shore and their footsteps that resounded off of snow and dirt, they'd long since left the cobbled ground of the Solitude docks.
She looked pensive and lost in her thoughts but focused at the same time. As if she were trying to place something that was amiss. Serana continued to look forward, it didn't matter, they were going to part ways soon anyway.
What the vampire should've been thinking of was what she was going to tell the elven dragonborn about her elder scroll.
The real truth was unbelievable and if by some chance Irina believed what Serana would tell her, Serana didn't doubt that the bosmer would try to kill her or the Volkihar clan... not that she could on her own, but seeing the woman in combat was enough for Serana to know she wouldn't go down easily.
It wasn't until they came up to walk along the shore and finally find the jetty that the bosmer actually spoke up again. The morning sun was bright and Irina's eyes were firm, "I suppose this is the boat?"
The pale woman nodded in response with a different tone to her voice, there was a different atmosphere between them at the realization of what was to come.
"Yeah. My home is just over there on a small island- It's covered by mist most of the time but if you row in that direction you'll find it" Irina nodded and clenched her jaw.
Just across the water were vampires with cunning and tact, and in a large group no less. What on earth was the point of bringing the nord to the door? If she knew where to go then this was where they would part way right? That would've been the obvious answer, but if she needed an escort then Serana must have thought she wouldn't be greeted with allies either.
The situation was a tricky one, Irina needed answers but she also didn't want to die for no reason. With a sharp exhale from her nose the bosmer took a step forward to untie the boat from shore.
With much reluctance Irina swallowed her pride and motioned for Serana to climb in the jetty, as the woman sat Irina finally took notice of her mannerisms. How could she have missed that? The posture, the material of her clothes and the way Serana carried herself... the nord was highborn.
How great.
Irina mindlessly rowed and pursed her lips while immersed in her thoughts. Once they entered the mist Serana removed her hood, "when we get there It's better for me to do the talking. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea of why you're there- You saved me and now you've taken me home. That's what I'm going to tell them, the less the better"
As they finally hit shore, Irina eyed Serana with a bit of caution.
The vampire slayer jumped out of the boat and stepped into the freezing cold sea to push the wooden boat more unto shore. As soon as it was secure Irina tuned and offered her hand to Serana who had been sitting with her hands folded in her lap.
The vampire took her hand and was nearly thrown off by how warm she was.
Irina raised her from the jetty with minimal strength and proceeded to tie down the boat. She rose from her knees to stand upright and finally take a look at Serana's home, what Irina saw made her jaw go slack. Serana watched her reaction and brought a hand to her mouth to silence a chuckle.
"Home sweet...castle" Serana spoke with a light tone.
"This is your home? Why didn't you tell me it was this big?" Irina asked with a light scoff, the castle was bigger than the Blue Palace...and filled with vampires. That did not make the elf feel any more comfortable than when it was just her and Serana. She wasn't just nobility, the nord was clearly royalty.
"I didn't want you thinking I was like those other women who didn't do anything, you know besides just sit in their castle? coming from a place like this, it isn't me. I hope you can believe that"
Other women sitting in their castles? Who else did she know that lived in castles?
"My opinion of you isn't the issue, Serana" Irina said in an exasperated tone. The dragonborn's eyes narrowed into slits trying to determine how many vampires could fit in a building as big as that, but she didn't know the interior so the estimation would be for naught.
Irina trekked forward with Serana following swiftly behind, her green eyes scanned the area around them as they walked continued. "I have half a mind to leave you at the door, but I don't want you to leave me high and dry without answers"
Just as Serana was about to respond they'd walked up to the gates of the castle and the sight of a gatekeeper had taken both of their attention. Nothing more than an old man dressed in battered leather armor, the only thing keeping the poor thing alive were torches lit around the entrance. He had to have been mortal, his eyes weren't sunken in or any abnormal shade for a human.
He stared at them both for awhile before his attention shifted to Serana.
"Lady Serana... You've returned" he spoke with disbelief.
He pulled a switch right beside him and the bars of the gate were lowered.
Irina immediately slipped on her amulet of Talos and kept her ebony dagger at the ready; should anything go awry she would have the first strike. Serana was home and the dragonborn wasn't.
As they walked further within the large castle the dovahkiin felt herself grow tense, her dagger was at her side, her palm against the hilt on her belt but for some reason she couldn't shake the feeling of being…cornered.
Her mind wandered as she passed a gargoyle statue and noticed the smoothness of the stone, the masonry in the castle was absolutely marvelous...but was soon brought back to reality when a man, or- rather an elf approached her with a disgusted face "how dare you trespass here-"
The dunmer cut himself off once he cast a look over Irina's shoulder and realized who was behind her, his eyes widened a little. "Lady Serana? Is that you…? I- I cannot believe my eyes"
Irina let her arm relax and evened her gaze, the elven vampire seemed eccentric at seeing Serana and walked back over to a balcony, basically announcing their presence. "My lord! Everyone! Lady Serana has returned!"
The bosmer made a face and rubbed her ear "does he have to be so loud?"
Serana shook her head and mumbled to Irina, "I agree..."
"I guess I'm expected... Come on" she motioned for the bosmer to walk behind her and Irina gulped nervously. She was going to die, probably, most likely.
They stepped into the grand hall and there were plates and goblets made of silver and some of gold. There was not a trace of silverware anywhere and Irina soon saw why, the vampires fed with their bare hands or drank with their fangs. Blood stained the expensive tablecloth that had been draped over the two tables, Irina could've vomited from the smell had she eaten anything.
The bosmer made a face at the blood covering the vampires faces and teeth, it was very hard not to gag; a huge chunk of flesh was seen on one of the plates on the far end of the room and its smell came all the way from where she was.
"I can't believe it…My long lost daughter returns at last, I trust you have my elder scroll"
The bosmer glanced towards the center of the hall, a nordic man had spoken with a voice full of grace and just the right amount of stress on his words. He looked powerful and... intimidating. She didn't need to use any brains to figure out that Serana's father was the man in charge of all the vampires in the room.
Irina could tell he was confident in his power by the way he carried himself. Judging by Serana's timid expression at seeing him, he was not among the 'most' that Serana claimed to be more powerful than.
"After all these years that's the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll" Serana spoke, her face turning slightly bitter at her father's concern for anything but her.
"Of course I'm delighted to see you; must I really say the words aloud?" He almost sounded annoyed.
"Ah... if only your traitor mother were here, I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike" he spoke merrily, making the dragonborn's thumb twitch. Her heart begun to beat a bit faster anticipating a quarrel in the very near future "now…tell me, who is this stranger you've brought into our home?"
"This is my savior, the one who freed me" she said grandly, whether or not it was to put good word so her father wouldn't drink her blood, the elf hadn't a clue. Nonetheless, Irina felt an urge to roll her eyes, savior was too grand a word. A title that she neither deserves or wants, especially from a vampire. Not that she disliked the nord but considering the situation...
"For my daughter's safe return you have my gratitude, tell me what is your name?"
As she spoke her elven accent raised a brow from him and caught his attention, whether or not he liked it was unknown to her. "My name is Irina, and yours?" he smiled at her and spoke once more "I am Harkon, Lord of this court by now daughter may have told you what we are"
"You're vampires" she said her voice taking a tone, as if to sound like it was the most obvious thing in the the world.
Serana immediately took notice and looked at Irina and hoped she wouldn't say anything to annoy her father. She didn't have a clue what she would be up against. Irina had seemed more tame than that but now Serana didn't know what to expect.
Harkon ignored the change in voice and responded with dignity "not just vampires, we are among the oldest and most powerful vampires in all of Skyrim" the bosmer tilted her head to the side and glanced around the room. Orange eyes glowing in the dim lighting were everywhere, they each all had goblets filled with dark red blood, and they all each carried themselves as their lord.
Irina could see from they way they stood to the relaxation of their shoulders, "Yes, I could feel the power you and your… subjects possess, it's quite impressive. It stirs the dragon within me" and it was true, having all the eyes of the vampires on her was making her heart beat faster with excitement and fear, Irina had won nearly every battle she'd ever been in.
This feeling of excitement she felt only served to fuel her desire to add a clan of vampires to the collection.
Harkon took a mental note of her choice of words but didn't press on any further. Instead, he spoke about something else entirely "You deserve a reward. There is only one thing that I can give you that is the same in value for the elder scroll and my daughter, I offer you my blood, mortal. Take it and you shall walk as a lion among sheep"
The dragonborn blinked in surprise, completely taken aback by the offer presented to her. Harkon offered her...vampirism? Why would he offer in the first place? Wouldn't it be better for him to kill her and get rid of a potential threat...?
Irina had once been a vampire before so this wasn't something that wounded her pride. She'd just taken her time in finding a cure, she was turned for about four months and traveled with Mjoll for the time. Irina had mainly fed off of animals during this period.
"I've never been offered vampirism, Lord Harkon" she began to say pulling out her ebony dagger drawing eyes from the vampires feeding at the tables nearby.
Irina simply eyed them off and twirled the dagger in her fingers, "what were to happen if I refuse?" if she were to refuse there would be no doubt that she would be dinner for all of those present in the hall.
"I'll spare your life this once for rescuing my daughter but after that you are as all mortals, prey" Irina liked how fast the answer was and sheathed her dagger. He seemed to be nonchalant toward her refusal which was better for her.
Irina wanted a fight but she knew her limits and fighting a whole clan wasn't a wise decision.
Irina pursed her lips and licked the side of her cheek. She needed to tell Harkon an answer, it was something that had to be done. Her answer was no. Yet her mouth wouldn't clarify the refusal, why?
"Does the power tempt… your inner dragon?" Harkon asked her quietly and with a deep voice. His tone was overly curious and his demeanor was almost terrifying, as if he expected and needed an answer. At the same time though, it was almost like he was trying to convince her.
"I can't lie that it does. But-"
"Look around you first, mortal. Unlike the vampires you'd find in the wilds we do not slay at random nor are we as bestial. We're civilized. There's no need to think that you would downgrade to something disgraceful"
The scent of blood filling the great hall was certainly unappetizing and made Irina queasy. Arms and pieces of meat along with barrels filled with blood tempted Irina to refuse but seeing the other vampires refined clothes and their clean persons had the elf thinking.
She was already wealthy, their air of nobility didn't allure her in the slightest. It was how each mer and man inside the great hall had the confidence to look her eyes and say silently, with just a look, 'I am powerful' as if it didn't matter to them if a stupid mortal wanted the power or not. She wanted to use that gained power to her advantage. She could prevent more disaster with this more refined vampirism...
What of the Dawnguard...? Irina didn't ponder it any more than a second. She joined them on a whim, and she would leave the same way.
"I will become one of you"
Her response visibly pleased him and he approached her calmly, taking a glance at his daughter Harkon didn't bother to try and understand the disapproval written upon her features. Serana, for some unknown reason, was worried.
His eyes flickered back down to the dovahkiin who kept her gaze locked in the eyes of the vampire. "You will know what it is to become undead... and you'll enjoy it…"
Harkon's breath cascaded down Irina's neck which in turn caused the hairs on her arms to stand. A tiny sigh escaped Irina's lips only to soon turn into a pained grunt, the nord sunk his fangs into Irina's skin forcibly and with no remorse. The pain from his bite mixed with the queasy feeling in her stomach had Irina's legs tremble, the man's thick hands found her shoulders and held her still.
Compared to Harkon, Irina looked feeble and weak.
Serana never once took her eyes off the scene.
The ordeal felt as if it were minutes but only a few seconds had passed before Harkon removed his fangs completely from Irina's neck. The dovahkiin spread her arms to catch her balance but her legs and mind were turning into mush, Harkon wiped his mouth with his thumb and stared at her blood.
The last thing Irina saw was the bearded nord licking the excess crimson off of his lips and his eyes going wide with mild shock before she ultimately collapsed onto the marble floor.
Serana gulped silently, her composure was calm and quiet. Harkon's sharp eyes caught hers and he smirked to himself as he ordered someone to get Irina up and out of the hall.
It took me longer than expected to revise this. Hope you enjoyed the little scene in Solitude ;) And I had already made Erikur married to Irina before I revised this but now it's explicitly said, before I only hinted at it.