part five
storm clouds
Days later and he was still livid. Every time Mannimarco saw Serana's face, bound and gagged against the wall, he grew furious. He tried to speak some sense into her, but every time he met her gaze she looked away.
He tore into her mind. Tortured her with thoughts of her lover's dismemberment. Told her he was even dead.
The lie was never believed. Serana would not speak to him. She tried to escape once and as punishment, he tied her up in his tower. The dungeon would have been safer, for her and for him, but he couldn't take a second away from her.
Tracing his hand down her lovely neck to her shoulder he stares at her with sad eyes. "We could be so great, if only you tried."
Her eyes shadow and she closes them. Shuts herself off.
A thunderclap sounds, shaking the whole tower. Books and weapons rattle. The Orb falls to the ground, rolling around to land at Mannimarco's feet. He snatches it up, snarling as he thinks of his enemies. He's been keeping a very close eye on them since Serana's betrayal. Thus far, they've stayed in Coldharbour after leaving Nirn. But the way they spoke clued him into some plans they have. At night, he would pace around the room in a circle, staring at the Orb, trying to decipher their next steps.
He thought they might leave him alone. He thought Molag Bal had better things to do with his play toy. Now, looking at the Orb, he nearly stumbles. They're at a portal, and not any portal. It's brighter, with bright fields of flowers and towering wisteria hanging in the distance behind it. The pathetic vampire toy walks in first, still dressed in his pretty armor. Like a prize horse, he was brushed and coddled for this moment.
Behind him, Molag Bal saunters in, an eager grin on his face, and his Artifact hanging in his hands. The dreadful thing still makes Mannimarco's chest hurt. The feeling of those sharp talons scraping his skin pulls him from his thoughts.
He walks to the nearby window, his mouth agape. He never thought the Prince was brazen enough. Outside, rolling over the green hills, and hovering over the beautiful gardens he was to be wed in, is a dark storm. Black as the night and just as fearsome as any other thunderstorm, lighting races along the sky. Down in the fields, wading through the tall ever-green grass are the two dreaded Daedric figures.
Mannimarco snarls, throwing the Orb to the ground and watches as it shatter into a million pieces. He doesn't need it anymore. Not when his enemies are here, in his land.
"Serana look what you did." He hisses. "They're here."
Chains clang against each other, her head raises.
"Don't be so hopeful. Last I saw of a two man army like this…" He can't even finish the thought. "They're going to destroy this realm trying to destroy us and I won't let them have it. I won't let them have you."
She's bucking and kicking at the chains now, trying to get out of the gag. His stomach drops with what he has to do, but there is no choice. He waltzes over, pulls the gag down cleanly and gazes into her eyes until they glaze over.
"You are my soldier, my right hand. You follow me into the fight, and you do not stop until I say so."
She nods, under the trance and once freed from the chains, she follows him outside like any good thrall should.