They stayed off the main roads, traveling through the forests. For three days they walked, killing every Stormcloak scout and detachment they crossed. Azriel had become increasingly withdrawn, to the point where she no longer spoke. The continued silence had bothered Serana to no end. More bothersome though, was the lack of touch. Azriel's withdrawal held a certain coldness towards her. She had tried more than once to break the silence, but Azriel had either given a short answer or nothing at all.
Azriel simply walked, stopping only once to rest. She had fallen asleep sitting next to a tree after eating a meager meal of bread and an apple. She hadn't slept more than an hour when she had awoken screaming with another nightmare.
Serana had tried to comfort her, but Azriel had quietly stood, brushed her aside, and continued. After that, the only time Azriel stopped was to check her map wordlessly or kill someone. Serana walked silently, trying to understand the feelings emanating from the cloaked woman in front of her. They were chaotic, their constant changes were disorienting. She wondered how the woman could stand the ongoing changes within herself. As they had walked, she concluded that Azriel's continuous internal struggle was not just from habitual sleeplessness and lack of eating. There was more. She was perpetually at odds with herself. Azriel seemed to be at war within her own self. A never-ending battle waged, bringing with it more discord with each passing day. The times in which Serana could understand her feelings were fleeting, at best.
She watched Azriel's cloaked form disappear and reappear from the shadows in the darkness as she moved. At one point Serana thought she was better at stealth than any vampire she had ever known. She had come to realize quickly that Azriel moved as silently as the specter she had called in her room. The coldness that seeped from her was the darkest dark and the very shadows bent to hide her.
Serana decided to end the maddening silence once and for all. "Does it bother you that I am here?"
Azriel stopped walking. Serana could feel Azriel's gaze but couldn't see her face. Her hood and the shade obscured it.
"No." Azriel's reply was quiet, and she continued to walk.
Fuck this... Serana stepped in front of her and caught her by the shoulders.
"I really hate that you can do that." Azriel said quietly under her hood.
Serana smirked at the comment. "Funny, I enjoy it."
"I can tell. You do it a lot." But there was no playfulness to Azriel's tone.
Serana reached up, pulling her hood back. She caught the gasp in her throat as she looked at Azriel's face. Her skin was pale brown and the dark circles under her eyes were huge. Azriel was feverish. Serana could feel the heat radiating from her. "Azriel, you're exhausted, you need to sleep. You look like you are about to fall over." Azriel tried to move, but Serana held her firmly in place. "You're not pulling away from me. You haven't said anything in three days. Tell me what I did wrong."
"Nothing." Her even tone lacked any inflection.
"Azriel, that's bullshit. Why won't you talk to me?"
"I have nothing to say, Serana."
"Nothing at all? Azriel, I don't believe you. Before we got to the Dawnguard you were fine. Now, you're not speaking. So, somewhere in there, something happened. The only constant I see is me." Serana took a breath. "You've completely withdrawn again. What did I do wrong?"
Azriel looked away.
Serana ran her fingers over her scarred cheek, slowly tracing the scars individually. Serana watched Azriel shiver as she closed her eyes. She craved her touch and felt the burn of her thirst, but she couldn't risk drinking from her again. I shouldn't be this thirsty for as many times as I've fed.
Azriel was pushing herself too hard and to drink from her, Serana might kill her. For the last three days Serana had drunk from every mortal she could to stop the ache. She tried in vain to relieve the pressure she felt for Azriel's blood. Each mortal had left her thirstier, the desire to take the Dragonborn's blood clawed at her. The ever-present hunger was maddening.
She tried ignoring it, to focus on Azriel.
The shock of her touch was overpowering, trapping Azriel in place. She wanted to move away from it, instead she found herself pressing into it. For three days she had avoided it, now it made her feelings more real and more chaotic. She wanted to brush the vampire's hand away, but she didn't have the strength too. No matter what the vampire felt for her, she knew she cared deeply for Serana. She realized it the moment Isran had threatened to kill her, and she knew without doubt she would have killed everyone in the fort to protect her.
Isran's threat had made it clear, the Dawnguard were no better than the Silver-Hand. Neither could nor would see past the monster for the individual. Azriel wanted nothing further to do with them. Azriel opened her eyes and looked at Serana. "You're thirsty."
The comment surprised Serana. "How do you know that?"
Azriel shrugged. "I just do." Azriel said softly.
"We're going to come back to how you know that." Serana watched her for a moment. "But you're avoiding my question."
"Your eyes change..." Azriel had no intention to answer.
Serana's fingers cupped her chin, holding Azriel in place. "Stop. Avoiding. The. Question."
Azriel opened her mouth to answer, but they both heard the scream in the woods and turned in the direction of it. Serana loosened her fingers and Azriel took off in a dead run towards it. They raced together through the woods, hurdling rocks, and roots. The woman screamed again, and they sprinted towards her. The smell of alcohol and sweat filled the air around them. They were close enough to hear the men's laughter.
Serana grabbed Azriel pulling her down behind an outcrop to watch.
"Stop screaming, Whore!"
He punched her hard in the face. "Bitch, were gonna have some fun with you!"
He shoved her towards the small group. They held her down and started cutting away at her armor, careless with their blades.
Azriel had seen enough to know what they were planning, and Serana had already drawn her dagger. They shared a look and hurdled the rocks together. Their attack only lasted a couple of minutes. The men were too surprised and too drunk to fight back. The woman screamed when Azriel touched her to remove her hood. "You're safe. Please don't fight me." Azriel whispered. The woman relaxed, letting her pull the hood from her face. She had been badly beaten, her cheek bone was broken and one of her eyes was swollen shut.
"Thank you." Her voice was shaking.
"I'm going to untie you." Azriel kept her voice soft. The woman held up her hands and Azriel slipped a dragon priest dagger from her ruck sack. The woman stared at it and back to Azriel, but movement over Azriel's shoulder caught her attention.
"Vampire!" She yelled trying to scoot away, her hands still bound.
Azriel grabbed her. "Drem."
The woman's eyelid grew heavy for a moment.
"She will not hurt you." Azriel cut away her bonds. "I can heal your wounds, Legionnaire. Will you allow me too?"
The woman nodded slowly still watching Serana drink from a Stormcloak.
Azriel held the woman carefully, healing her and talking to her quietly. "My name is Azriel, what's yours?"
"Honora... You're the Dragonborn, aren't you?" She shook watching Serana drop the man and walk towards them.
"Yes, I am." Azriel looked over her shoulder as Serana wiped the blood from her lips. "Serana is a vampire, but she will not hurt you. Please, don't be afraid."
Honora nodded weakly. "Why do you travel with such an evil creature?"
Serana stopped in her tracks at the woman's words.
"She's no eviler than you are, Honora. She just happens to be a vampire; she is still a person. True monsters are like the men who attacked you and were going to rape you." Azriel sighed still seeing the woman's fear. "She just saved your life. For that, you should be thankful."
Azriel fell silent still healing the woman's wounds. When she finished, she lit a small fire in the clearing and pulled out some food to share.
"I take it you are a scout in the Legion?" Azriel asked glancing at Serana. The vampire's face was unreadable as she watched them across the fire.
The woman nodded while she ate. "They killed the two men I was with about an hour ago and drug me into the woods. Then you saved me."
"We." Azriel corrected her.
The woman stared at Azriel.
Azriel smiled, letting her canines extend and the woman yelped. "Am I a monster to you?"
The woman sat frozen for a moment. "You're a werewolf?"
Azriel nodded.
"But your eyes... I thought all werewolves had silver eyes and hairy ears?" Honora question was full of curiosity.
Azriel laughed brusquely. "No. Mine are gold, they changed from their original color when I became a werewolf. So, you had no idea what I was. Does it make sense why I'm telling you? You judged her unfairly after she saved your life."
"I see your point." Honora became quiet for a moment. "I won't tell anyone what you are, Dragonborn."
"Azriel. I hate when people call me Dragonborn. It's what I am, not who I am." Azriel said gently.
Azriel stood and Serana did as well. Azriel gave her some supplies then brushed off her breeches. "You are safe now. Find your detachment and tell them what happened. Don't leave out details. It will inspire the Empire to know what pigs the Stormcloaks truly are. Good luck, Honora."
"Wait!" The woman stood shakily. "Thank you... both."
Serana smiled. "You're welcome, Honora." The woman shivered but nodded.
Azriel turned and started to walk once more, and Serana was instantly at her side. Once they were deep in the woods again, Serana chanced a question. "What color were they?"
"What color was what?"
Serana caught her arm and turned her around. "Your eyes. I have only ever seen silver eyes on a werewolf. You said yours changed to gold. What color were they?"
She was surprised by the jubilance of Serana's question. She had asked it so enthusiastically and sweetly it had made her laugh for the first time in days.
"I lied to her. I've always been an animal, so they have always been this color. She judged you for what you are, so I lied to prove a point. It's why I let her see the wolf, so she'd realize she was wrong. A wolf's eyes are silver, a mark of their diluted blood. I lack silver eyes because I don't have a mortal's blood nor was it passed to me. I can call on the wolf anytime I wish. It's Hircine's gift."
Azriel thought for a moment. "What color were yours?"
Serana put her hand on her hip and smirked. "You're a convincing liar, Animal."
Azriel smiled. "It's a sign of a good thief. So, what color were they?"
"Green." Serana said simply.
Azriel rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. That narrows it down. Thanks."
"Emerald, green." She let a smile slide over her face. At least we're talking again...
Azriel smiled to herself. "They sound like they were beautiful." She cleared her throat. "But I like them better now."
Serana smiled widely at the blushing werewolf. "Why is that?"
"Because this is how I know you and I wouldn't change you for anything." Azriel said sheepishly.
Serana smiled broadly and kissed her softly on the lips. They started walking again. Azriel quietly took Serana's hand, the vampire couldn't stop smiling.
Azriel contemplated her next question for a moment. "Did you always have pale skin?"
"Atmora wasn't the sunniest of places. So yes, but not quite this pale." Serana chuckled. They walked wordlessly for a while before Serana spoke again. "You never answered my question."
Azriel sighed. "You seriously are not going to let that go, are you?"
Serana looked over at her. "No, Azriel, I'm not."
Azriel wasn't going to bring up the friend issue that had plagued her mind or the feelings she was having for the vampire. It was too difficult to think about, let alone try and talk about without sounding stupid. Then there was Serana's apology. It still made Azriel sick, she hated her scars and the life that had given them to her. She figured out it was meant to be a compliment after everything and before Serana had apologized. But then that was embarrassing too. Serana couldn't overlook her appearance and Azriel knew she never would.
Lavish my brown ass... Azriel hated standing out. It was bad enough to almost always be recognized as Dragonborn. But to be recognized at a distance because she was too tall for an Imperial, too brown, and because most of Skyrim thought she was a light skinned Redguard, or half-breed elf. Even in Cyrodiil, she stood out and getting attention there was deadly.
Azriel remained quiet for a few minutes and caught Serana nervously glance at her a few times. She knew Serana wouldn't be able to understand, so she wouldn't try and explain it.
Azriel finally decided to give her at least half an answer. "Serana, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm just sick and tired of the one-track minds people have. The Dawnguard aren't any better than the Silver-Hand. They just see vampires as monsters and have this mind set to destroy everyone. They don't care you have your own thoughts or feelings or that you legitimately want to help. You should have let me kill them."
Serana nodded quietly. "I wanted too, trust me. But we can't walk around killing everyone we ask for help."
She thought for a moment. "Who are the Silver-Hand?"
Azriel growled. "Werewolf hunting assholes. Well, they were. We killed almost all of them. The ones that were left scattered to the winds. Aela and I tracked most of them down."
Azriel smiled wickedly remembering it. "We hunted them for a month after we cleared out their hideouts. We made a game out of killing them. Filthy joor."
She took a breath before continuing her thoughts. "But I'm so... just sick of all of it. Skyrim is constantly at odds with itself. If I live past this fucking war, I'm leaving."
Serana looked at her sharply. "What do you mean if you live long enough?"
Azriel sighed frustrated. "I have another obligation when you and I finish stopping your father."
"Which is what, exactly?" Serana asked her nervously. She hated the thought of not being near the woman now, but for her to be gone, she couldn't dwell on it.
"I promised to help defend Whiterun from the Stormcloaks. Whiterun is the merchant hub for Skyrim and the Jarl cares for his people. If the Stormcloaks were to take it..." Azriel stopped talking.
Serana stepped in front of her. "What? Finish what you were going to say."
"Ulfric Stormcloak would execute anyone loyal to the Jarl. He'd make a point of it." Azriel took a deep breath. "And he would drag out my execution to make an example out of me, since I kind of threatened to kill him and all. I'm sure you gathered that by now."
Serana hissed.
"Serana, it's alright. I'm going to die eventually. I came to terms with that a long time ago."
Serana watched her look off into the woods as the pieces began to fit together in her mind. "You dream about it, don't you? Your nightmares are about being executed."
Azriel nodded. "Sometimes. But my dreams vary. I can only hope they hold the Pale Pass. I may hate the Empire, but the Legion is the only hope Skyrim has against Ulfric. He's hateful and cruel. He believes Skyrim should only belong to the Nords. He really doesn't give a shit about the Nords, not all of them. Only the ones who believe he should lead them and the bullshit he spews."
Serana looked at the young woman's sad face. "What is it?"
Azriel shook her head. "I just hope, if it does happen, some people remember that I fought for all of them. Not just some of them."
Serana stopped and took her face in her hands. The woman constantly amazed her. "And what if you live? What would you do then?"
"I'll leave Skyrim. I want to get away from here. There are other things I'd like to see. I would like to just explore other places, where no one knows me at all. Nirn is a big place..."
Serana felt a weight in her chest, crushing her. She decided to take a chance. "Don't you want a family of your own?"
Azriel pulled her hands away. "That's not going to happen. Look let's just go. We're almost to the ridge. The plains are just on the other side."
"No."
"What do you mean no?"
"We're not going anywhere. Why won't that happen?" Serana pressed.
"Because the Pale Pass is going to fall. There's no way the Legion can hold it. I will never live to see twenty when it does. Skyrim will rally behind the Stormcloaks because those who don't will be killed by the new High King. So, there's no point in daydreaming about a life that's never going to happen."
Azriel realized she was still holding Serana's hand. The vampire entwined her fingers with Azriel's and looked back up at her.
"I really hate not knowing what you are thinking." Azriel said quietly.
"I think you're cutting yourself short." Serana said after a moment. She couldn't say what she was thinking about Azriel possibly dying. It was too painful to think about.
"What about you, after we stop your father, what are you going to do?" Azriel asked changing the question around on her.
Serana started walking again and pulled Azriel along with her. "I'm not staying at the castle, that's for sure."
"Family seems to be important to you. Why not find someone, have one of your own? Find a partner you can share a long life with." Azriel's insides were twisting from her own words.
Serana looked at her for a long time. What if I already did? "I can't ask the Gods for that, Azriel."
Azriel laughed softly. "Fuck the gods, Serana. Ask someone you care about. If they care for you, there's no reason not to. You're immortal, you've got nothing but time."
Serana watched her, searching her eyes as she spoke. "Azriel, the things I've done..." Serana sighed. "I can't ask for that kind of happiness."
Azriel pulled her hard to a stop. "That bullshit and you fucking know it! You are kind... considerate... everything that most of the fucking idiots in Skyrim aren't. Don't tell me you don't deserve to be happy. Everyone does. No one deserves to be treated the way you've been treated your whole life. Maybe you should have some damn confidence and realize that you do deserve it. It's got nothing to do with the gods and everything to do with you. Anyone in their right mind can see how beautiful you are, and I would..." Azriel stopped, blushing madly at what she was about to say.
Serana waited for her to finish. When it was clear she had no intention of finishing her thought, Serana leaned close to her and whispered in her ear. "You would what?"
"I would... I'd... I'll... I'll punch them if they don't."
Serana let go of her hand and slowly wrapped her arm around Azriel's waist, pulling her close. "That's not what you were going to say." Her lips grazed Azriel's ear as she spoke.
Azriel shivered in her arms. "Yes, it was."
Serana chuckled. "I take back what I said earlier." She kissed Azriel on her ear, then her cheek. She ran her lips across her cheek bone to Azriel's lips.
"Which was?" Azriel could barely think.
She brushed her lips across Azriel's. "You're a terrible liar."
"You're not playing fair." Azriel started to tremble.
Serana growled like a feral animal. She twisted her hair around her hand, tilting her head back. "Life isn't fair, Dragonborn."
Serana kissed her throat. "Answer me."
Azriel was trembling. "I can't think when you do that."
Serana didn't stop. She worked her way down her throat and back up to her ear. "I said answer, Ahziial."
The sound that Azriel emitted what a cross between a growl and a yelp. "I... Can't."
Serana kissed her ear gently. "Fine. Then I'll stop."
Azriel shook hard. "You are such a fucking tease."
Serana chuckled. "Then answer."
Azriel opened her eyes and looked at her. "I think it's stupid you think you have to ask the gods permission to have some semblance of happiness in your life."
"Azriel, you don't know the things I've done."
"So let me get this straight. You are going to piss and moan about how unhappy you are and how lonely you are for all of eternity? What if someone, who truly loves you, asked you to be with them? You're telling me you'd tell them no? Serana, we all have a fucking past. You at least have a future." Azriel growled.
"Azriel..."
"You're unbelievable." Azriel pulled away from her and started walking towards the ridge and stopped again. She turned around, glaring at the stunned vampire as she walked backwards up the rocky ridge.
"You'd throw away a lifetime of happiness over your fucking past? You might as well lay down and die because you will always be unhappy. You finally have freedom, and you cling tightly to the chains of a life you don't live anymore. Serana, immortality isn't about living forever, it's about what you leave behind! You're being... You could ask... You're just..." Azriel yelled frustrated.
Azriel turned looking down over the valley and out to the plains, then jumped.
"FEIM!"
The fall took less than a few seconds when Azriel landed on her feet at the bottom.
Serana ran to the edge but couldn't see Azriel. She yelled in annoyance and ran to the path leading down to the valley. She ran hard, a thousand images of what she'd find at the bottom flashed through her mind. Rocks and trees passed indistinctly by.
The sight that greeted her instantly infuriated her. Azriel had spread her bedroll on the ground. She had made a campfire and was laying leisurely on her back twirling a long stem of grass looking at the stars.
"What the fuck! Why the fuck would you do that?" Serana stormed toward her.
Azriel turned her head and smirked at her. "Felt like it."
"You felt like it? Do you have any idea how scared I was?" Serana glared at her.
"No. I don't. Did you have a clue as to how frustrated I was?" Azriel propped herself up on her elbow. "Why do you care what I do?"
Serana slapped her forehead. "Because I care about you, Azriel."
"I got you to say it..." Azriel laughed at her own joke.
"Azriel, this isn't a joke, and that wasn't funny." Serana stopped at her feet. "I thought something terrible happened to you!"
Azriel couldn't stop laughing. "Fuck sakes, Serana give it a rest. I'm fine."
In a second, Serana was on top of her, pinning her down. "Azriel, you could have been killed doing that."
"I do it all the time, so chill." Azriel said, finally getting herself under control.
Azriel looked at her and Serana glared back down at her.
"You can get off now." Azriel's tone was even, but firm.
Serana let go of her wrists and planted her hands above her shoulders, hovering over her. "Not until you swear to me, you will never do that again."
Azriel moved fast, switching their positions. She pinned the vampire down and leaned over her. "Not until you tell me why you care so much. Why do you care what I do and do not do?"
Serana was trapped and she knew from the look in Azriel's eyes, she wouldn't let go.
"I said I care about you. What more do you want?"
Azriel was consumed by her urges. The desire to claim the vampire had been building for days. Now, leaning over her she felt the stir in her soul. The dragon thrashed against her cage, desiring freedom. Azriel closed her eyes, fighting the chaos within.
Serana could feel everything Azriel was fighting. It made her desire for the young woman burn hotly. "Azriel, let me go." Serana said the words, but wanted exactly opposite of what she was asking.
"No." The low rumble of the Dragonborn's voice had changed.
Azriel's exhaustion pulled her into torment. The dragon had snapped its chains.
"Tell me why you care, Serana. I want the truth."
Serana stared at her. Her voice had changed to an animalistic growl, but different than the wolf she was use too.
"Azriel, we're friends. Of course, I care."
Azriel leaned closer, their noses touched. "Friends? Is that what you want from me when I share my blood with you? To you it is intimate, isn't it?"
Azriel's scent washed over her, and Serana felt like she was going to explode. "Azriel..."
Azriel's lips touched hers when she spoke. "Answer, Serana."
Serana breathed hard against her lips, she wanted to feel them on her own. "Yes... It's intimate."
"Do friends show you the darkest reaches of their soul? You have touched mine, yet you think this connection is one sided?" Azriel growled deeply, slowly dragging her lips along Serana's. "Do you understand it? Do you know it as I do?"
"I don't know." Serana moaned, she knew it wasn't, but she couldn't think clearly anymore.
Azriel gripped her wrists in one hand and unbuckled Serana's armor, never moving her lips away.
"You do know. I am not the only one who wishes to be whole. I have felt your fractures when you touched me. You think I'm not perspective enough to know the meaning of it." Azriel hand slipped under her tunic and Serana cried out with pleasure from the woman's heated touch.
"Now answer me. Why do you care so much?" Azriel's calloused hand slowly slid up her stomach and over her ribs, making its way upward. "Say the words out loud. I want to hear them. I want you to admit to them."
Serana writhed against Azriel's touch, panting hard.
She licked Serana's lower lip as her hand reached Serana's breast. "Tell me you only care for me as a friend and I will stop."
The vampire growled loudly. "Not just as friends. I want more from you." Serana could barely hear the tunic ripping as Azriel gently kneaded her breast.
"How much more do you want?" Azriel's voice was a low snarl.
Azriel tugged her bottom lip into her mouth sucking on it tenderly. Serana groaned under her, pushing her hips into her leg, grinding against her.
Azriel released her lip and her breast. Moving her hand down to her breeches, she untied the knot and ran her fingers just under the waistband. "Answer me or I'll stop."
Serana hissed in frustration. Her entire body screamed for her to answer, to not relinquish the electric fire coursing through her. Her mind spun as Azriel's fingertips teasingly worked farther down, finally touching the top of her manicured hair. She was dizzied by her appetence, words failed her. The intensity of the blaze threatened to incinerate her. Azriel's nails scrapped against her skin and Serana whimpered. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't say the words Azriel tried to coax from her. She couldn't admit to her feelings more than she had, she didn't felt she deserve what she wanted.
Azriel's fingers followed the contours of her hips over her cold skin. Her lips traced Serana's jaw, kissing her slowly. "Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you."
Serana groaned trying to adjust herself into Azriel's hand. Serana breathed her in, her body keening under her touch.
"Tell me what you want, or I will stop."
"I... Can't." Serana breathed.
Azriel growled in frustration and pulled away. She let go of Serana's wrists and pulled away from her. "I'm just a toy to you."
Serana gnashed her teeth furiously at the loss of contact, enraged with herself. She slammed her hands against the ground and sat up. "That's not true and you know it."
Azriel growled, standing. "You think you can pick me up and put me down whenever you like. You talk about mixed messages from me, but you can't even admit what you want. Tell me what you want from me because you're driving me insane!"
Serana started to speak, but Azriel never heard her. She reeled, almost blacking out from pain. Her body convulsed and she stumbled backwards, falling into the fire.
Serana grabbed her, pulling her out, but Azriel didn't feel it. Her vision swam, no longer her own, the scene before her changed to men attacking through a blaze. Azriel screamed when the katana pierced her eye.
She stood dizzily, never having a shared vision before the other way, but she knew the place it occurred. Serana was speaking, but the words were jumbled in Azriel's ears. She knew she needed to find him. Azriel pushed herself away, stumbling. Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, she shook her head and let her knowledge of the plains guide her.
Serana watch Azriel stumble the first few steps. Then she ran, leaping over a pile of rocks and transforming in the air. Serana was so stunned she looked down at the smoldering bed roll. There was nothing else there. She looked at the fleeing werewolf and broke into a run after her.
The werewolf ran like the wind, the vampire alongside of her. When Azriel cut sharply left, Serana leapt over her to avoid a collision. Azriel didn't stop running for anything. She hurdled every obstacle in her path and Serana ran by her side, matching her impressive pace. Azriel ran until she saw him and the men. She heard them yell when they saw her, rising from the ground. They pulled their Akaviri blades to defend themselves from the wolf.
She skidded to a halt in front of them, staring at him as he laid motionless on the ground. The men cried out charging her as Azriel transformed. The feeling of emptiness made the sounds die from her ears as she stumbled towards him.
The men stopped and fell to their knees in front of her. She no longer saw them. Serana stopped behind her, seeing the men and quickly pulling her hood over her face, walking towards them.
"Hail Dragonborn, rightful and true Empress of Tamriel!" One of the men held his sword high. The others followed suit. Serana looked from them to Azriel and back again in shock. Empress of Tamriel?
Azriel didn't hear them or anything else as she came to a stop in front of his body. She reached out to him tentatively. Her hand shook as she did. Azriel's mind was devoid of thought, her body numb, and her ears deaf.
Her fingers touched his cooling skin first, then she pulled them away. The men fell quiet watching her, ignoring the other woman all together. She tried again, knowing he would stir, he couldn't ignore her. Her hand touched his snout, and she gently caressed it. The coldness of it made her breath hitch in her lungs. She put both hands on him, pushing at him, but he didn't move. Azriel pulled her hands away, looking down at them. They were covered in blood. The sight of it made her shake harder, her entire body began to shudder violently. She pushed against him again. "Get up!" He didn't answer.
"GET UP! NOW!" Her Thu'um shook the ground.
She felt only the emptiness as she reached for him, searching him out though their link. The pact that the dovah make with their souls, binding them together for all time was inseparable, but his was gone. The thread had severed, leaving behind only a void in the wake of the mighty dragon that once lived.
She shook her head in denial, her hands and mind frantic for an answer. The wounds on his face and head still seeped. She tried to heal them, but it didn't work. She looked at his eyes, one was empty and the other was missing, making Azriel choke. Her eyes followed his body, for the first time noticing the wounds and arrows. She madly started pulling at them, trying to free his body of the obscenity that was inflicted upon him. Her sanity slipped away as she pulled arrow after arrow from him.
Cold arms reached around her, gently pulling her shaking form away and she screamed at her. She pushed Serana away and held onto him, desperate for nightmare to end. The gashes and oozing blood seeped the reality onto her as her shaking hands found his face. The world assaulted her, driving away her blindness and deafness, drowning her in the unmistakable truth in front of her. The mighty dragon she had fought with, laughed with, and shared a piece of her soul with, existed no more.
Odahviing was dead.
Azriel's knees buckled under her as she held his face under her hands. She tried to regain her breath. Minutes dragged by. The gentle breeze making the grass of the plains dance in the early morning sun.
No one made a sound as they watched her.
She tried to form the words that her mind screamed at her. She pulled her hands away, looking at them. She was covered in his blood.
Azriel drug her feet under her as she looked at him. Her despair gave birth to hate. The dragon deep within her roared. The grass around her blackened and radiated out in every direction. The wind picked up, the gale carrying the cold in it. The cloudless morning began to darken, and lightning cracked across the sky.
Serana took a step backwards as she felt the sorrow change in Azriel. The woman's grief becoming rage. It filled her with a coldness she had only felt when she touched the dragon through her blood.
The wind moved the smoky tendrils on the valley floor, giving them a pseudo life and making them seem as if they had a mind of their own. They brushed Serana's fingers, painting them black in their fragility. She stared hard at them, wondering where she had seen them before and then remembered.
A jarring bolt of lightning struck the valley floor, drawing Serana's attention to the sky. The clouds moved with a speed she had never seen before. They fought with each other as they coiled, spreading like poison. The sunlight dimmed and the first rain drop struck Serana's cheek.
The men were still kneeling, waiting on the Dragonborn. "How could you do this?" Azriel's eyes were closed as she spoke over her shoulder, slowly turning to them.
A single man rose and walked forward. When he reached her, he bowed his head and spoke. "We have carried out your orders to the letter, Dragonborn. The lieutenant of the World Eater is dead by our force! The dragon killed several of our men, but we got him." The men behind him cheered.
Azriel slowly opened her eyes. The human was gone, only the dragon looked through their glow. Serana looked between Azriel and the fifteen men before her. The rain was falling harder, pulverizing the blackened grass, and pummeling them. Azriel's tilted her head slightly as she observed the man and Serana felt what was coming. Azriel caught the man by his armor lifting him off the ground. "My orders…?"
The coldness in Azriel's voice sent a shiver down Serana's spine, but it wasn't fear she felt. She could feel the raw power the woman exuded and was thrilled by it. She was excited by the rush it elicited from her. Serana heard herself growl in anticipation.
"The Grandmaster sent out your orders. We've been hunting the dragons down since. I'm happy you found your path again..." Thunder rumbled loudly in the sky, the lightning casting a sinister light onto her face.
Azriel pulled the man close. "My orders were to leave the Dov... alone."
She pulled the man's helmet from his head and held it in front of his face as she crushed it, then threw it away.
"Your oath..." Azriel said looking up at him. "...is to me, Knight. Not to Delphine."
The calmness of her voice made Serana lick her lips. The fury was coming, and she wanted to see the woman's power for herself.
"Dragonborn, you were born to rule Tam..."
Azriel's hand punched through the man's chest ripping out his heart. The words dying on his lips. She threw the man and his heart aside and looked at the rest.
They looked confused, then they realized that they were in danger and rose as a group.
"TIID! KLO! UI!" Time slowed and Azriel looked at them for a moment. Then she drew her swords and started her advance.
Serana blinked and Azriel was standing in front of her. Azriel held the man by his hair to her as an offering. He was thrashing around violently trying to free himself. Azriel handed him to Serana wordlessly. Serana smiled wickedly, sinking her teeth into him. Azriel walked to the last man, who stood shaking looking at the headless corpses around him.
"Please, Dragonborn... Please don't..." He begged as he urinated on himself.
Azriel crushed his helmet into his face, closing his mouth. "You will be my messenger." She held out her other hand which held the missing heads by their hair. "Tell the Grandmaster to gather her army." She held their heads in front of his face. "Tell her, Death is coming for her Blades."
He tried to scream, but the helmet locked his jaw in place. Azriel shoved the man away from her and he ran, slipping in the mud and rain. Her fingers loosened of their own accord, dropping the heads onto the saturated soil.
Azriel turned back to the dragon, her feet were heavy as she walked to him. She dropped to her knees in front of him, her strength finally gone. The anguish welled inside of her, and the storm increased furiously, whipping her wet hair wildly.
Serana dropped the corpse of the man, watching her kneel in front of the dead dragon. She looked up at the sky, watching the lightning crack violently. Then her gaze fell back on Azriel. Azriel's hands touched his cold snout, her grief flooding down her face mixing with the rain. She reached for the amulet that was no longer around her neck, forgotten days ago. Her hands fell to her sides, limp.
She sank farther into the wet ground, watching the flames consume his body and her hope for him with it. All that remained was his skeleton and her empty shell.
The storm had reached the apex of its hysteria and Azriel began to wail.
The sound shook the earth, pushing against Nirn. Her cry so loud, the bodies of the Blades exploded around her. Their fragments filled the air and time slowed.
Serana fell to her knees, the pain in her ears and body was excruciating.
The ground tremored destructively, the ridge surrounding them crumbled as it thrusted upward with a massive push. The ground itself faulted, cleaving open and caving into itself. The quake propagating it for miles.
The ground water surged, filling the massive cracks, and carving a new river. The sky was electric, bolts of lightning scattered the darkness in every direction. The valley was flooded by the monsoon washing away the blood and the blackness. The sounds of Nirn were muted by a single voice.
Serana covered her ears and screamed before her world went black.