Torina was worried that the chantries would somehow become useless or corrupted after the death of the Arch Curate. Rather, they withstood it and seemed to flourish in his absence. Instead of a slightly uncomfortable and unsettling trip through them the trip from the citadel down into Gelebor's former hiding place was peaceful. She was very relieved they could avoid running into more of the falmer.
"What will you do now, Gelebor?" Serana asked as they walked through the cave.
The sole uncorrupted snow elf didn't answer right away. He motioned for them to pause, pointing up ahead where a single troll lumbered around. Torina already had her crossbow out and a bolt readied.
"Is there no way around the beast?" Serana asked.
"Nay, not in this part of the cave network," Gelebor whispered back. His discomfit about taking the troll's life was apparent, but the action was necessary.
Torina nodded once and let the first bolt fly, notching another and releasing that too before the beast had even taken notice of them. Two bolts felled the beast easily. She walked forward silently with a small, sharp knife she used for collecting alchemical ingredients. The other two waited as she made quick work of the troll's lower back where a majority of the useful fat was stored. Torina could hear Gelebor whisper a thanks to Auri-El and a plea that the troll's soul not be wasted.
The three traveled swiftly through the cave network towards the crack Torina knew led back out into the lands of the Reach and Haafingar. Instead of wasting the few torches they had, they each took their time casting controlled magelight and candlelight spells where needed. Though it was easily past the noon hour by the time they neared the end of the route the cave remained gloomy. It certainly earned the moniker "Darkfall Cave".
"Will you be joining us past this point, Gelebor?" Torina asked as they saw strips of sunlight brighter than any other they'd encountered.
As the first words the dunmer spoke directly to the other mer since leaving the Vale, he regarded her slowly and with consideration.
"I should not, my friends. My intentions were to join you to the mouth of this passage and ensure your safe return to the rest of Skyrim. It would be...imprudent of me to return to that land now."
Serana's voice pricked with a deep sadness and empathy for the snow elf. "You're afraid the Nords will try to hunt you down like the rest of your kind."
Gelebor nodded. "My memory of that time is still remarkably vivid and I have no reason to believe they will not resume their bloody purge. I know their only interactions with my kind the last few centuries have been far from hospitable. If there are Falmer surviving in the other Dwemer cities around the rest of the province then they are no doubt as twisted as the Betrayed in the Vale."
Sharing a loaded glance towards Serana, Torina decided to tell Gelebor the truth. "You're right. Serana and I have seen a few of the old cities as well as Blackreach beneath the Pale and Whiterun holds."
"Fal Zhardum Din," Gelebor said darkly. "I am not surprised. But that only reinforces my desire to stay behind and try to heal the wounds my brother and the Betrayed left behind in the Vale."
Though she was still stung by Gelebor's comment the night before Torina couldn't let herself hold a grudge against the paladin forever. She was still hurt but that didn't mean her feelings about the Betrayed weren't stronger.
"I wish you all the luck in Nirn for that task, Gelebor," Torina said. "What happened to your people was wrong. Call on me if I can aid you in any way."
"I would appreciate that. You are welcome to return here at any time, you know, Torina," Gelebor replied.
Torina nodded sharply in acknowledgement, adjusting the crossbow in her arms to lay across her back instead. Serana watched the way her companion spoke with deep earnest and wondered what the dunmer Dragonborn had planned.
"Safe travels back to the citadel," the vampire said. She reached out to clasp the mer's arm again in a show of camaraderie, the same way they had after Vyrthur's defeat.
Gelebor accepted the grip and rested his other hand on Serana's shoulder. "Blessings of Auri-El be with you, Serana. You are welcome back to the Vale, as well."
"Thank you." Serana turned away when he let go and crouched to sneak her way towards the mouth of the cave, intentionally leaving the two mer alone.
Gelebor waited until the vampire was almost out of sight before speaking to Torina quietly. "I am pleased that you would still consider returning after my egregious assumption."
Standing and fidgeting slightly, wishing to avoid this conversation entirely, Torina busied her hands with checking the straps and buckles of her clothes. The enchantments imbued into the cloth itched at her skin when not in use so she was literally itching to get moving towards the orc stronghold.
"You spoke from ignorance," she said, more sharply than she intended. With a wince she forcibly softened her tone and continued. "Though I also spoke out of turn. Can we call the apologies even, then?"
"I would like that."
Torina looked up then at the sound of Gelebor's soft, happy tone. Her throat dried at the way he smiled at her. It was a smile of hope with a touch of something she didn't want to recognize. As soon as she tried to swallow against the dryness of her throat Gelebor seemed to catch himself. He cleared his throat, took a step back, and his tone returned to something more formal.
"Torina, before you go, allow me to enchant more of your elven arrows."
Moment broken, Torina removed twenty more of the moonstone tipped arrows for Gelebor to bless, staying silent. Until she took the arrows from him and held out her arm in goodbye, she didn't speak.
"Nine divines be with you," she said.
Gelebor took her arm more gently than he had Serana's. "And blessings of Auri-El with you, Torina. I look forward to your return."
Though she did not acknowledge it out loud, Torina found herself hoping she would be able to return as well. Mor Khazgur, then Fort Dawnguard awaited her. Stepping up towards the mouth of the cave where Serana waited with a knowing expression she shielded her eyes from the midday sun.
"Did he apologize?" she asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Torina said.
Serana snorted in laughter, standing to take the first steps out of the cave. "Let's get going before you decide to turn around apologize some more."
Torina spluttered at Serana's suggestion and jogged after her out of the cave and into Haafingar, denying her accusations the entire way.
Hello! I still intend to update on weekends but lately it's been slow going because it's summertime! But there will still be something every week on this.
I'm writing ahead on this so please let me know if you notice inconsistencies or if there are questions I haven't answered yet! I do not have this reviewed by someone else before posting so I depend on you guys. Thank you!