Their separation had created an unbalance within each of them, one they both were striving to conquer. The urgency of their touch increased with their own desperate need to feel the other. The want of the other's closeness crushed in on them as their hands traveled each other's bodies. Both wanting from the other, both trapped within their own restraints. Neither willing to admit out loud the emotional turmoil of self, but their actions descended to a degree neither would deny themselves of.
The closeness they craved was more than a hunger, it was like air or blood. A need so primal it couldn't be ignored as Azriel felt Serana's fingers pull at the laces of her tunic and her lips traveled her throat.
The vampire's incessant touch burned through her as her own. She resigned herself to the vampire's cold desire, Serana's fangs once again grazing her skin and leaving a boiling trail. Her own desire was devastating. It fractured her, forcing her to submit herself entirely to Serana.
Serana's chilling hand traveled her back, feeling the welts that resided there. Her icy touch made Azriel's skin prickle under her fingertips, each minor touch electric in its own way. Serana's fingers on her right hand spun Azriel thick hair into a knot-work, while her lips traced the artery in her neck back down to her collarbone, then back up the other side.
Azriel pulled her hand from the thick blackness that it was entangled in and fumbled with the knotted button of her cloak. Finally, she released Serana from its covering and began to work the buckles on her armor fervently. She needed the woman's skin against her own, her thoughts and wishes gallivanting through her mind in every direction. She pushed at the unmovable vampire, trying to get her to budge to release her from the confines of her clothing.
Serana hissed defiantly as Azriel tried to remove the armor from her body.
"You're not going to push me away so easily, Azriel." Serana's voice was a sultry purr.
The words sent shivers of pleasure down Azriel's spine and Serana smiled viciously into her neck. She loved the reaction from the young woman.
The young werewolf tried desperately to free the clothing that now impeded her advance on the vampire's cool skin.
"Take it off or I'll tear it off..." Azriel luridly growled. "...I want to feel you, not your armor."
Serana relented with a pained groan, letting go of the woman and pulling away. She slowly removed the jacket watching Azriel in earnest. She slipped it down slowly and Azriel growled again. Serana let the soft leather drop to the floor revealing a thin, gauzy white linen shirt underneath. She smiled seductively at the yearning in Azriel's Aurelian eyes as the Dragonborn took her in.
She looked at Azriel's open shirt and cupped her right cheek, her fingers wove into her red hair once more. Serana gripped her waist and the wolf responded with a carnal growl, her canines and nails extending in her excitement. Azriel's left hand clawed lightly against the front of her shirt, dragging Serana's attention down to watch.
Azriel pressed her hand against Serana's flat stomach and low grumble caught in her throat. The woman felt incredible against her skin and Azriel wanted more. Azriel tugged the bloused shirt free of its constraints of her waistband and her hand found her silken skin. Serana yelped softly at the raw energy of their touch. Azriel's burn reminded her of how cold she really was.
Azriel's calloused hand slowly worked its way across her stomach, the simple touch fueled their mutual lust. Serana could smell Azriel's arousal and the libidinousness of it caused a soft moan to escape her lips. She was hopelessly enraptured with Azriel and was soaking in her need of the woman.
Azriel grabbed her hair roughly and her eyes found Serana's. Azriel wanted the vampire as close as possible, her anger forgotten.
Serana's eyes were a combination of fire and ice, the depths of her orange irises held no fathomable limits. Azriel was her quarry, lost in the maze and helpless to Serana's longing. Azriel wouldn't fight her anymore, nor could she. She wanted to claim her, the dragon within her demanded it. She growled hungrily and pulled the vampire into a dizzying kiss.
Pin-points of light exploded behind Serana's eyes and she felt the burn of the flames that ignited around them. She felt the young wolf's passion consuming herself as she returned the agonizingly exquisite kiss.
But, the need for the woman now transgressed to beyond anything Serana had ever felt. She could hear the woman's blood raging through Azriel's being and she felt the liquidity of heat effusing from Azriel. Her primal need for the woman had found a new limit as she pulled her tunic away from her chest, tearing it to shreds. Serana pulled away from the woman feeling depravation at the loss of her lips, even if it was her own doing.
Serana was a slave to her thirst, every fiber of her being screamed for Azriel's powerful blood. Her will was breaking from it, she didn't want to end what they were doing, but she knew that if she drank from Azriel again, the woman would collapse.
Serana muttered with their lips brushing. "Forgive me, we have to stop. My thirst..."
Azriel's eyes slowly opened, they were lit by the flames and iridescent. "I know what you need and I don't want to stop." She pulled the vampire down into the nape of her neck. Serana felt Azriel's lips and fingers caress her head. Azriel's words were breathless as she spoke. "Drink... Serana."
Serana submitted to her own need and the woman's will. She pulled Azriel's long hair, tilting her head back and crushed her lips and fangs against her skin. The force Serana used was both gentle and harsh as she sunk her fangs in just above her collar bone, drawing out the molten river into her mouth. She groaned for the immense heat and the intimacy of the act.
Azriel's body shivered again, the vampire's frigid bite was both painful and pleasurable. She lifted herself effortlessly and wrapped her legs around Serana's narrow waist. Serana held her close as she fell from reality, through infuscation and into Azriel's memories.
The man knelt before her as she towered above him. "My Lord Mirmulnir, the Akaviri draw near!" The ancient dialect rang in her mind, her knowledge of it was absolute.
She stretched and felt the enormity of her size. "Let them come! Our Overlord shall feast on their souls in Sovngarde! Prepare yourselves, Xaanikos!" Her reptilian voice rumbled over the man.
"At once, my Lord!" The man rose quickly to his feet, lifting his masked face once more to her. He turned and beckoned others forward from the shadows. "Prepare for battle! The Akaviri shall feel our steel! Their souls shall feed Our Lord, Alduin!"
The men bellowed their response, the shine of their swords glinting in the fire light as they held them aloft.
Serana spread her wings and roared at the sky. She watched as the others appeared on the ridge. Their roars echoed hers, she felt the need for battle rage through her body. The absolution of conquest and the tyranny of domination rolled through her. She roared again and lifted into the sky. The deaths of the Akaviri warriors would bring her honor.
The achromic mist whirled around her, shapes became a blur.
The lash rained down her back and her arms trembled violently as she bit her tongue. Agony sheared her blindingly as she fought the scream trapped in her heaving lungs. Her breath was ragged, her chest rattled each time she inhaled.
The low chuckle drew her attention as the Altmer appeared from the shadows, walking close to where she hung.
"Even a mute like yourself possesses the ability to scream. I am waiting, little Champion... Just once, it would give me such pleasure to hear."
He drew the side of the elven dagger along her cheek and she focused on the chill of the metal. It seemed to dim the omnipresent blaze that roared across her back. "If you scream, I'll end this, Ahziial. I'll end your suffering."
He held up his hand and the lash tore against her back again. Her body bucked forward against her restraints. She shook uncontrollably as she fought the sound that threatened to erupt from herself. Sweat poured from every inch of her and she adjusted herself against the bite of the chains. Her arms and legs ached, the skin on her wrists and ankles was bloody meat. She prayed silently for it to end and for death to take her, but she refused to scream.
The High Elf shook his head. "You amaze me with your stubbornness." He gripped her face hard, staring into her eyes. "Death will come either way, child. Scream, I'll end it all quickly. The pain, the suffering... a simple thrust of the dagger to your heart is all that it will take."
Serana felt her jaw work as she looked down on him, then she spit blood and bile into his face.
The Elf wiped his face with his hand glaring hatefully at her. The strike of his hand across her face rattled her brain. "Break her legs! Let's see how long she will last when she cannot breath."
Ebony consumed her in its icy wake, the tide of it pulling her deeper still. Serana knelt on the floor, still holding tight to Azriel.
The man leaned over her as the ceiling spun. "Tell me, Child... Why did you not fold? Death would be so easy a way out." His voice was soft and full of tenderness. Serana turned her head as the man pulled the hood of his gray robes back, revealing his face. The old man looked down at her, his eyes pure golden fire like the sunset. His voice soothed her while he spoke patiently. She could feel the strength returning to her as his voice filled her. "Speak child, I know you are capable."
Even still, forming words had never been so difficult. "I will not... let them win. I am their slave... in body alone. To yield... they would be the master of my soul. I wish to die free, Priest."
His smile dazzled her, for a moment she was blind. "Ahziial, go North to Skyrim. Your future awaits you there."
Serana laughed softly, the pain she felt made her almost pass out. "We are trapped in a pit full of dead, old one. I cannot move, my bones are broken. My fate is to die in this hellish place."
The old man's smile grew and he touched her head. "Do not tarry on death, my child. Accept your destiny and your life..." The bright flash blistered her eyes, the pain in her body soothed as her bones mended. "Rise, Ahziial. Ascend to what you are meant to be. Find strength in Hope."
The old man pointed to the mountain of dead. "At the top is the doorway you fell through. It is never locked..." He smiled knowingly. "But, you must find your own path..."
Serana looked at him confused. "But, what about you? You can't stay in this nightmarish place."
The old man shook his head. "You must worry only about you, young one. Go now, find your freedom and your destiny."
The old man took her hand gently in his, opening it. She felt the warm metal touch her skin. Their eyes met and he smiled at her. "Let this remind you, when you are in doubt, of who you are. Wear your scars with pride, young warrior, they are a reminder of every victory and every hardship you have ever faced. You are my pride, Ahziial. The world shall know your name for all of time. Now, go and claim what is rightfully yours."
Serana looked at the doorway once more and turned back to the old man, but he was gone. She looked down at her hand. The gleaming white metal shown against the brown of her skin. The amulet was odd, a dragon biting down on a sword...
The shade of memory swirled.
She gripped on tightly to the dragon's horn as she tried not to fly free of it, her blade hacking and slashing its head the entire time. The dragon shook, trying to throw her free again, but she clung on tighter. Serana spun her blade and cut inward, into the dragon's right eye. The dragon shuddered one last time and collapsed.
She leapt off and started walking towards the Dunmer woman. Then she felt it. The tingly sensation wrapped around her, becoming electric. The light of it blinded her in shimmering purple and gold. Her vision swam and the exhaustion she felt was swept away in a maddening rush as Mirmulnir's soul filled her with his knowledge, memories, and strength. His essence filled her completely and exhilarated her.
"By the Gods!" The guard exclaimed staring at her hard. "You're the Dragonborn!"
The vapor disappeared. Serana searched the blackness and felt Azriel barely clinging to consciousness. The woman's legs had loosened, but she still held onto her.
The cashmere bleakness rolled around her. In the gloom she felt surrounded by a dense shadow.
Serana reached out, finding a cold so oppressive it burned. Serana had never felt anything so unbearably cold in her life. The sharp contours and ridges of the gloom surprised her. The darkness matched the shade around her. But, her eyes could detect nothing in the space around her.
The golden eye suddenly existed in front of her. The disk of the pupil contracted into a slit. The layers of gold luminesced like the sun. The reptilian feel of the eye slithered into her as the single eye observed her.
Timidly, she began to pull away, but the dragon pushed itself forward. She stopped moving and the dragon did as well.
For an eternity, they remained unmoving, simply observing each other.
Serana could feel Azriel's heartbeat slow.
How is it possible to feel you? Serana thought quietly, not expecting an answer.
She felt the darkness around her stir.
"It is our connection, but this you already know." The rumble filled her mind.
She felt the coldness withdraw, then loom in front of her. "You doubt what you know is real. Why?" The two glowing orbs floated high above her.
Her mind fought furiously for an answer, clouded by the heat and the unadulterated euphoria of Azriel's blood.
"Your silence tells me you still doubt. My blood woke you, Serana. It is that which solidified our bond and sealed it. Now, I give it to you freely. In turn, you precipitate what I long for."
The dragon's voice rang through her. Serana knew the truth, they did share an incredible bond. But, the second part confused her.
Serana felt like she was vibrating. Which is what, Ahziial?
The dragon's name made the ether reverberate. For the first time, the dragon shimmered into existence in front of her as if it had waited for Serana to speak her name. The shadow condensed into form, Serana could see the size of the thing and the vivacious detail of the soul before her. The dragon had a crown of horns. The spikes along its back ran in rows. Every scale of the dragon looked as though it would render flesh from bone. The dragon stretched its black wings and lowered its snout to her face.
"To be whole." The cold voice replied inches from her.
Serana reached out and touched the dragon, its eyes closed for a moment. The dragon inhaled deeply.
How am I supposed to help you, Ahziial?
The golden eyes opened. "Release me."
The dragon crashed into Serana, driving her back and Serana removed her fangs from Azriel's neck. She felt Azriel stir weakly in her arms. She looked into Azriel's slivered eyes, the fire had faded to nothing. See could see the woman's fatigue and that she clung to the final strand of consciousness.
"How...?" Azriel's eyes slipped shut as she faded.
Serana held on to her slumped form, carrying her to the bed. She laid the woman down, observing for the first time the glint of the white metal against the brown fur blanket. She picked it up and held it, noticing how hard she was shaking. Her thirst had abated and she felt the strength of Azriel's blood as it flowed through her.
Each drink from Azriel seems to change me more...
She looked at the necklace again. It was the second time she had come into possession of the amulet, both times the interesting metal had caught her attention. It luminesced with its own light, glinting softly in the dark room. Serana held it against Azriel's brown skin, the effect changed as it touched her. The metal against the hues of Azriel's dark skin made Serana realize how much she loved Azriel's caramel color.
She carefully placed the necklace in her pocket and went back to admiring Azriel in her sleep. She climbed over the sleeping wolf and laid down next to her. She smirked when she realized Azriel's shirt was, once again, in tatters.
Serana ran her hand lightly over the Dragonborn's skin, thinking. She watched the woman's chest rise and fall rhythmically. Her cool fingers and palm absorbing Azriel's heat as her hand moved over her chest, taking in every detail. Even asleep, electricity arched between them as they touched.
There was no doubt in Serana's mind that the girl had been badly tortured or that her life was desperately solitary. Azriel had constructed so many barricades to preserve herself from attachment. Serana couldn't understand it until now. Azriel feared hurting the people she cared about, including herself.
It made her smile. The young woman cared for her. She could feel it.
Serana sighed as she moved her hand over Azriel's stomach. She replayed the blood memories in her mind as she did. The more she thought, the more the conclusion seemed to shake the roots of her core. She cared deeply for the werewolf and since finding Azriel, her feelings had grown to something she hadn't expected. She just wished she could find a way to express them to her.
Looking at the Dragonborn made her body ache. Serana moved herself close to the young woman. What was left of Azriel's thin tunic she tore to look at her. Serana inhaled Azriel's musky scent, it was spiced with her arousal.
Azriel's leather trousers hung off her hips. Serana bit her lip and delicately traced her flesh. She slid her fingers just under the waistband of her breeches, the softness of Azriel's skin made her moan.
Serana slipped her hand between her own legs and felt how wet she was. The ache in her stomach worsened.
Azriel shifted in her sleep, stretching out. Her head fell to the side, exposing her scared cheek. Serana smiled, she wanted to wake her, but she knew Azriel needed rest.
She adjusted herself closer, draping her leg over Azriel's right hip. She leaned over her, feeling her breath as Azriel exhaled. Gently, she moved the remains of Azriel's shirt, looking at her. She wanted to learn every detail, know it as well as her own.
Serana was entranced by Azriel's tall form.
No matter how many times she saw it, she was amazed by how exotic she was. The muscles that wrapped tightly around her held only a hint at the woman's true strength. Her scars spoke silently of every trial she had ever endured.
Serana rested her hand on the center of her chest. She stared at the honey-brown color of her skin against the paleness of her own. The contrast was beautifully striking. She ran her hand slowly over her neck and into her hair, Separating the red-gold waves into a single lock. The color shifted as Serana twirled it around her finger, becoming the color of flames.
She loved how the color of it offset her eyes. The lightness of both against her deeply tan skin was beautiful.
She traced the woman's features, her almost elven eyebrows down to her high cheek bones. Serana wrapped her hair over her ear and followed the wolf's strong jaw to her chin.
Azriel was a statue come to life. Her features were chiseled and shaped perfectly, by a master's hand. Everything about Azriel made her look like an ancient god that had stepped off the pages of a book, ready for battle.
Serana was consumed by the wildfire that burned inside of her simply by looking at Azriel.
Her lips brushed her forehead as she spoke softly. "I never thought anyone like you existed in anything other than a fairy tale. You are a contradiction to everything I have ever known." She paused. "But, then you came into my life, as if to prove everything I ever believed wrong."
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Ahziial, you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I have waited generations for you, without ever knowing you. I can never ask the Gods for happiness because of the things I've done, nor do I have a right to ask when I have caused so much misery. But, I know what I want and what I wish for when I look at you."
She kissed her forehead and moved her hand to stroke her hair. She opened her eyes and looked at the young werewolf.
She spent the next two hours lying next to Azriel, quietly reflecting on the course of the last few days. She smiled whenever the wolf would twitch and she'd run her hand delicately over the woman to soothe her.
Azriel's lack of sleep since she drank the potion that Gabriella had given her and the events since had left her exhausted. Serana looked at the dark circles around her eyes and lines on her face, which seemed to permanently paint it. Serana wondered why she pushed herself to the breaking point, but she knew the answer already.
Her thoughts moved to the dragon and the feelings she had in its presence. Azriel's soul was ferocious. Serana licked her lips as she thought. She rolled on her side to fully look at Azriel. She found herself mentally following the contours of her gaunt cheeks to her narrow nose, then lips. The urge to kiss the woman suffocated her, as her finger followed those same lines.
To be whole...
She considered the words, pondering their meaning.
Azriel twitched again, a low howl escaped her lips. Serana watched her hand move in her sleep. She smiled, then froze. Dread washed over her and Azriel growled in her sleep. She stroked Azriel's hair, but the feelings of fear grew. The intensity of Azriel's growl deepened and her body began to twitch harder.
Azriel thrashed. "Serana."
Serana partially sat up. Azriel was having a nightmare and she could feel her anguish.
"I'm here, Azriel." She whispered, her hand on Azriel's cheek.
Azriel's body was shaking violently.
"No, don't touch her. SERANA!" Azriel roared as her eyes snapped open. She sprang up and slammed Serana into the bed, pinning her down. She landed on her, straddling her waist and ripped open Serana's shirt.
"I can't stop the blood!" Azriel cried out.
Serana fought against her, the Dragonborn's strength was unimaginable. "Azriel, stop!"
Azriel dragged her hands across Serana's chest frantically. "Why won't it stop?! There's so much blood..." Azriel knocked her hands away. "Please, Serana don't die!"
Serana grabbed her wrists as Azriel struggled. "AHZIIAL! HELT!" She commanded forcefully, her voice resonating.
Azriel froze, then slowly shook her head and blinked her eyes. She looked down at Serana and her eyes grew wide. "I... The blood... You're hurt...?"
Serana could feel her confusion and terror as she tried to pull free. "Azriel, stop. Relax." She held tightly to Azriel's wrists. "I'm not bleeding, I'm fine. Look."
Azriel rubbed her chest with her calloused hand, then she inspected her hands and pulled back Serana's torn shirt. "Where did the blood go?" She looked around the room and her confusion grew. "Were are we?"
"Laying in a bed... In a sewer... of all places."
Azriel slid off of her, backing away, looking horrified. "Serana, I am so unbelievably sorry... I thought... It was..." Azriel rubbed her face confused. "Did... Did I hurt you?"
Serana sat up and caught her by the wrist. "Azriel, it's okay. You didn't hurt me. My shirt is slightly fucked, but I'm fine with that." She tried to lighten the mood.
Azriel looked away, blushing. "I'm so sorry... I'll get you a new shirt."
Serana smirked. "You obviously haven't seen what I did to yours."
Azriel looked down at her shirt and sighed. "I don't even remember you doing this." Her voice was low as she inspected the remains.
Serana let a smile slowly spread across her face. "Maybe you should put another one on and we'll try again."
A hint of a smile ghosted her face for a second, then Azriel pulled away. Serana jumped off the bed and caught her from behind.
"Azriel, please, I'm sorry..." She whispered into her ear. Her cold hands rested firmly on Azriel's stomach and chest, making Azriel shiver.
"I'm the one that should be sorry, Serana. I could have hurt you." She answered over her shoulder.
Serana could hear the shame in her voice and turned her around. "Talk to me. Tell me what you were dreaming about. Maybe that will help."
Azriel wrapped her arms around Serana and pulled her close. The feel of vampire's skin on hers was intense and it made her inhale sharply, but she didn't let go. Never before had so much of their bare skin touched. For Azriel, the feeling was like absorbing a dragon's soul. Serana's touch was pure energy.
Serana moaned quietly as they touched. The feeling of the woman's partially exposed torso on her was amazing. The heat alone made her shudder, the thrill of it coupled with the jolting force of their bodies each time they touched made her swoon. Serana could feel the current between them and it welded her together with Azriel.
"We were in an ancient temple, the stone was black as night and the air was cold like winter. The floor was made of bone. There was an alter of blood and you were on it." Azriel shivered again, this time Serana could feel her fear.
"There was this thing... I have never seen anything like it before. It was enormous and..." Azriel's voice became low. "...it stood over you, but you acted like you knew it. I... I couldn't move. I simply watched as you begged it to stop when it tied you down. Your words were muffled so I couldn't hear what you were saying. It held something... something golden." Azriel's breathing was shallow and Serana felt a scalding tear hit her shoulder.
Serana stroked Azriel's hair as she continued. "It laughed as it ripped open your chest. It was then I could finally move. I ran as fast as I could to you, but it was too late. It... it pulled..." Azriel started to cry. "...I'm sorry, I can't."
"Azriel, it's alright. I'm fine. It was just a nightmare."
Azriel shook her head. "You don't understand. My dreams... they have meanings, Serana. They show me things I don't always understand until it's too late. Vaermina's idea of a gift..."
Serana could feel the boil of her emotions and her exhaustion like they were her own. She pulled away, but Serana held on to her. Azriel wouldn't look at her as Serana wiped away her tears. She said nothing about Azriel's connection with yet another Daedric Prince.
"That's not going to happen, Azriel." Serana said reassuringly stroking her cheek.
"I can't get it out of my head." Azriel looked up at her with tears still clinging to her lashes.
"Azriel, it will be okay..."
"I swear, I won't let that happen to you." She growled after a moment.
Serana took her face lightly in her hands and kissed her softly on the lips. She tipped her forehead to touch Azriel's. "It seems I have chosen well."
"What?" Azriel's voice was the barest of whisper.
Serana's fingers rested on her cheeks and she stole another kiss. "You care about me. No one else does. You can't know what it means to me, to have your friendship."
Serana felt Azriel's fingers snake into her hair and grip her tightly for a second. Then Azriel held her head gently and closed her eyes. Serana's hand slipped from her cheek to her chest, resting over Azriel's heart. She could feel her rapid heartbeat as it thumped in her ears.
"I know what it means, Serana." Azriel took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I also know we need to leave soon."
"Azriel you need to rest, you..."
Azriel cut her off, silencing her with a long, deep kiss. Her right hand ran down Serana's side to her hip, pulling her closer. Her left hand coiled in Serana's long hair holding her firmly in place.
Their lips worked feverishly together, their tongues dancing around one another.
Serana gripped Azriel around her shoulder and she tore Azriel's tunic away. Azriel laughed into their kiss, pulling away and looking down.
"I didn't feel like asking." Serana breathed heavily.
Azriel snarled softly, amused. "Neither do I..." Her hand caught Serana shirt, ripping it open completely and she threw it aside.
Serana rested her hands on Azriel's arms as Azriel took her in. Serana's pale skin was flawless and as white as a lotus flower. Azriel's face slid into a wicked smirk as their eyes met once more. Serana watched her arch an eyebrow, her eyes held a mischievous gleam in them.
Azriel stroked her cheek with backs of her fingers. "You know you're absolutely beautiful, don't you?"
Serana blushed and looked down, she didn't think of herself as beautiful.
Her eyes resting on the paw swipe across Azriel's stomach. She put her hand on it, spreading her fingers to almost cover it. She followed it with her eyes to where it disappeared below Azriel's breeches.
Azriel swallowed hard watching her. She wasn't sure of Serana's thoughts, but she waited for her to react in some way.
"Your scars are so..." She looked at Azriel's eyes and Azriel's face had changed. She saw the apprehension in it. Serana's fingers slowly ran down the scar making Azriel shiver. "...lavish."
Azriel froze.
Her blood ran cold, she felt like she had been kicked. Azriel looked at Serana stunned for a moment. Then her hands slipped from Serana's sides.
She was completely humiliated by her comment. She fought the pain in her chest. It was stupid for her to think Serana would ever find her remotely attractive. She felt idiotic for thinking the vampire might see the person she was, through her dirty coloring and hideous scars. Obviously she didn't. It didn't surprise her, she had expected it.
Just not like this...
Azriel closed her eyes for a and embarrassment made Azriel feel like being sick. She wanted to crawl away and disappear. She tried to make her face a stony mask to hide behind.
Serana felt the woman's embarrassment. She had wanted to say the right thing, not lose the direction where things were going. "Azriel, wait. I think you misunderstand my meaning."
Azriel looked away red-faced, shaking her hair into her face. She pulled free of Serana, walking to the dresser in silence and pulled out a new shirt, tugging it over herself.
"I know what you mean, Serana." She bowed her head and stood with her back to Serana. "I know how ugly I am and how different I look to you. I'm sorry to have burdened you with it." Her voice was quiet as she pulled a second tunic out and set it on the dresser. "It won't happen again."
Azriel felt unbearably foolish. Her body hurt from the shame and how low she felt.
Azriel felt the vampire behind her and then Serana gently put her hand on her arm. "No. Azriel, you don't know."
Azriel pulled her arm away. "I do know, Serana. I thought..." Azriel sighed to herself. "...just never mind."
Serana sighed. She'd managed to ruin everything with a single careless sentence.
"Azriel, please just listen to me." She could feel the bitterness and disappointment in Azriel, but it was almost as if she had been expecting it.
Azriel turned slowly and looked at her and Serana noted the walls were again in place. Azriel tucked her hands under her crossed arms and waited as she stared at the floor.
Serana struggled with herself. She needed to make things right. But, Azriel was standoffish and Serana could feel her slipping out of reach. Serana didn't want to make things worse, but wasn't willing to be openly honest. She could admit to her own feelings, but she couldn't attempt to explain them. She didn't know how.
"I didn't mean to offend you, Azriel. I know it seems like I'm very good at insulting you. I don't think you are ugly." Serana sighed. "I think you are so very..."
Azriel took a breath and looked away again, interrupting her. "Look, you don't have to pretend to care how I feel. I'll get over it. Just let me go."
Serana put her fingers on her lips to silence her. "Azriel please. Let me finish." She said gently.
Azriel stared at the floor, waiting silently.
Serana chewed her lip as she quickly thought. She'll think I'm mocking her if I tell her what I think of her. She decided to apologize.
"My interactions with people in the past, even other vampires, were limited. My parents have always ensured that people knew their place." She tilted Azriel's chin up so she could look into her eyes.
"Talking to you is the most interaction I think I've really ever had other than with my Mother. You can't know what it's like to be in a room full of people that won't say a word to you. To be alone constantly... it's mind-numbing. My parents ensured the court knew their place, including when it came to me." Serana paused when Azriel shifted.
"It's been centuries since I've really spoken to anyone." Serana took her hand and stroked her cheek. "So, I'm not very good with talking to people either. I'm sorry it seems like I insult you, I honestly don't mean it that way. I'm just not very good with words when it comes to you."
Azriel's swallowed hard. "So I'm hard to talk to?"
Serana rubbed her temples. This is just getting worse. "No, that's not what I mean either. Azriel, I say things and you take them wrong."
"I... understand..." Azriel whispered. She tried to walk away, but Serana stopped her.
"Damnit. That didn't sound right. I say them and mean one thing, but you're interpreting them another way. In a way I don't mean... This is just getting worse, isn't it?" Serana sighed.
The redness blazed on Azriel's cheeks. She pulled the red shirt from dresser top and looked at it, then handed it to Serana. "It's not my color." She said quietly, keeping her eyes on the folded shirt.
Serana slipped the soft tunic on and brushed Azriel's hair from her face. "Please don't hide from me. Tell me what you're thinking."
Azriel swallowed and shook her head. She felt like throwing up.
"Azriel, please tell me what you're thinking." Serana tilted Azriel's chin up gently.
"It's not important."
Azriel tried to look away, but Serana held her gently in place. "It is to me. I really wish you'd tell me."
Azriel closed her eyes for a moment, she hated talking about herself. "I've seen my reflection. I know what I look like." Azriel felt her ears burning in her shame. "I just... I hoped you'd overlook it."
Serana was confused. "Why would I overlook your appearance?"
Azriel could feel her face going numb as her blush spread. "I... I don't know. I thought you... I..." She stammered and couldn't finish her thoughts. The way Serana looked at her made the hurt worse.
For a moment they were both quiet.
Azriel desperately wanted to change the subject. "I have to do some things before we can go. You can stay here or..."
"Azriel, I'm coming with you."
Azriel grabbed her ruck sack and stuffed everything into it, praying silently for Serana to drop the subject. She pulled Dawnbreaker from the wall effortlessly and dropped it into her sack.
When she finished she looked at the vampire for a moment. Then she slowly held out her hand to her. Azriel smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.
She felt Azriel's emotions and needed to figure out a way to make up to her. She could kick herself for being so tactless. She slipped her cool hand into Azriel's. She'd have to find a way to apologize... again.
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