"Uh… Serana? Where's the mighty Volkihar Navy and why isn't it docked in port?" Azriel backed away from the dock's edge where water washed over it. The winter storm was causing the waves to crash against the old dock and pushed the ancient boat timbers around in the marina. Snow swirled around them, obscuring the castle's outer flanks. The castle itself, past the upper exterior levels, was whited out from the blizzard.
"Damnit. I don't know, maybe the storm swept it out to sea." The sea gale blew the snow around Serana's legs as she searched the marina for another option.
"Well I think it sank and we aren't swimming back to shore," Azriel retorted, backing further up the dock as sea water splashed her boots. She looked around, watching Valerica stare in astonishment of the crumbling sections of the castle. Azriel watched Valerica move up on the snowy landing to inspect the blocked passageway. She didn't linger long before she began her walk back. She moved slowly and deliberately as if inspecting each stone. Azriel frowned, thinking about Valerica's silence. Walking through the castle passage ways and in the marina, she had somehow become darker.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Serana quipped snidely, drawing Azriel's attention after a moment of thought.
Azriel gave a dramatic bow and righted herself. "Well that settles it. I'm calling Odahviing."
"NO!" Serana and Aela both shouted at her.
Azriel threw a glace up at where Valerica was. She hadn't moved, so it was obvious she couldn't hear them over the wind.
"Are you mad? You call him here, the entire North of Skyrim will hear you!" Aela snapped at her. Irritated, she brushed the snow from her hair and continued to keep a watchful eye on the other side of the dock.
"Fine!" Azriel backed up again as another large wave smashed against the dock. "Then how do you propose we get someplace a little less bitey-eaty and remain dry in the process?"
Aela sighed and glanced out to sea. "I don't know." Aela was watching Valerica walk, but her concerns weren't with the vampires in her immediate company. "But, the sooner the better, Valerica needs to feed." She mumbled something to herself while looking in Valerica's direction. "She seems out of sorts."
"Right then… one big red dragon coming up… Northern Skyrim will just have to deal with me waking them up." Azriel grumbled back at her.
Serana threw up her hands. "Azriel, you cannot use your Thu'um here. Do you forget that there is an entire castle full of my father's vampires just waiting to capture us?"
"And we need a damn ride off this crumbling rock. We can't stand here waiting for them to stumble into lunch." Azriel shot back at her.
Serana stared at her then snapped her fingers. "That's it!"
Azriel rolled her eyes. "So am I calling him because you're hungry?"
"No… a ride… we need to ride!" Serana whistled through her fingers.
Azriel shook the snow from her hair. "You're confusing me."
The sound of galloping filled the air around them, making Serana smile. "You'll understand in a second."
Purple-blue flames shot out of the ground next to where Valerica had walked to on the quayside. The skeletal horse burst from the flames seconds later. It trotted up to Serana and nuzzled her. "Hello again, Arvak."
The horse whinnied.
Azriel laughed. "That's your pony, Princess?"
Serana stroked the skull of the horse and looked at her with a smile. "Keep up your cheek, Dragonborn, and I'll bite off your tongue."
Valerica had only just walked within earshot. She groaned at the comment and started to walk away.
Azriel smiled back at her. "You like my tongue where it is."
Valerica rubbed her forehead opening the distance a little faster. It was obvious she didn't want to be present for the current conversation.
"Can that bag of bones even swim?" Aela asked with a smirk, looking between the two vampires.
Arvak neighed and leapt off the dock, trotting across the wave tops, circling back to the dock again.
"Answers that question, I believe." Serana resumed stroking the horse's skull.
Azriel gave a wicked grin. "Yeah, except he can only carry two people at most and…" She trailed off looking at the shadow cast on the ground near the stairs. She walked over to it, without finishing her thought.
"She's right. It took us thirty minutes to get here by boat. Even if the horse runs on the water he can only carry two of us." Aela added, watching Azriel.
Azriel stopped at the shadow and looked back at the four of them. "I can fix that without calling Odahviing."
Aela looked at her quizzically. "How so?"
"Shadowmere." The word stretched, sounding hollow and tinny as if called into a long, dark tube.
For a second there was nothing.
Another second ticked by.
Azriel took a step back, waiting.
The shadow elongated on the ground. It grew wider and darker. An unnatural cold emanated from it, chilling the air around them further and freezing the seawater that washed against the dock. A specter of a horse burst from the shadow with blazing red eyes. The specter solidified into the blackest animal any of them had ever seen. Aela and the vampires backed away from the disturbing animal as it cantered to Azriel. "Hello, girl."
"Azriel…" Aela whispered to her. "…where in Oblivion did you find this creature?"
Azriel rubbed the horse's neck affectionately. "Her name is Shadowmere and I didn't find her in Oblivion."
"Where then did you find her?" Aela pressed, looking straight at the horse.
Azriel didn't say anything for a moment. She relented when Aela looked challengingly at her. "The Void... sort of."
Shadowmere tossed her head as Azriel mounted her. "Yes, you can run, girl." She looked imploringly at Aela. "Aela, I promise I'll tell you everything soon."
Serana gave Aela a look of encouragement, but Aela wasn't convinced. Shadowmere pranced in place and nickered, impatient with waiting.
Azriel chucked and reached into her bag, pulling out an apple she offered it to the black steed. Shadowmere snatched the apple out of her hand. "You could at least enjoy it by chewing." The horse whinnied again. "Oh, come on, no you didn't…"
Serana watched them for a moment. "Do you understand that horse?"
Azriel smiled at her. "Perfectly." She looked at Aela. "You have nothing to fear from her when you're with me."
Tentatively, Aela walked to Azriel's mount. She put her hand on the saddle and growled at the ghosted image of a handprint. "You most certainly are going to explain everything, Dragonborn."
Azriel sighed. "I promise, I will."
Serana hopped onto Arvak, Valerica following suit. "The best route to go is the way we came around the East side." Serana pointed to the large rocks on the right side of the marina. "We'll catch the shore and head up into the mountains to get back to Solitude like we talked about." She spurred Arvak on and the horse leapt onto the water. Azriel did the same, Shadowmere trailing behind the flaming horse. The two horses were neck and neck as they raced, streaking across the water faster than any living horse could possibly run. Steam rose behind Arvak's hooves and frost trailed from Shadowmere's.
Azriel laughed, calling out to Serana. "Wanna race?"
"You're on!" Serana called back to her. She whispered to Arvak and the skeletal horse sprinted forward. Leaping over small pinnacles that cleared the very surface of the treacherous water, they left Azriel and Aela behind.
"Shadowmere, don't let them win!"
The horse whinnied its reply and surged ahead. Aela clung tightly onto Azriel as they rode, in no time they had caught up to Arvak. Ahead, loomed a large field of pinnacles attached to a small island of boulders and sand bars. Serana laughed as Arvak pulled away, sprinting Southeast to avoid the perilous island. But, Shadowmere headed right for it. The closer they drew to it, the tighter Aela clung on.
"What in Oblivion are you doing?!" Aela shouted at her. "This beast is going to kill us!"
Azriel grabbed her arms, holding them in place. "ZII VOKUN NIL!"
Serana heard the shout. Glancing behind her, she watched the two riders and the horse become shades just before hitting the rocky dykes.
"Maker! They can shadow travel?" Valerica exclaimed.
Serana spurred Arvak on, rounding the tip of the island she watched the ethereal horse and its riders emerge from the darkened shadows. The water shallowed up, yet the horses remained above the water. The storm also dissipated the farther Castle Volkihar trailed behind them.
Valerica pointed over Serana's shoulder. "There! Take us up that spit to the shore."
They had passed Widow's Watch ruins, which lay to the South of their path, crisscrossing the road a handful of times since leaving their horses behind near the wreck of the Orphan's Tear. Instead they followed an old footpath along the North ridgeline. The footpath followed an older, overgrown road way which would eventually take them down next to the front gate of the city. They walked silently along the North ridge of the Druadach Mountains, overlooking the Haafinheim coast. The blizzard had subsided to flurries. The cold wind from the sea persisted, carrying the smell of salt on it. Their destination was Solitude and they had miles to go. They'd make it into Solitude before nightfall, which had given Valerica peace of mind. It was the only reason she had agreed to it.
They had taken the horses as far as they could. In the late hours of the morning, just before the sun rose, they had dismissed them. Arvak would draw too much attention from travelers or Legion scouting parties. Walking would take them longer, but sticking to the footpath removed them from the main road and gave them plenty of cover with the foliage.
Hours had passed and the morning was young. The gray, overcast sky above them cast dull light through the leaves. Azriel lagged behind the other three. Her limp had worsened, feeling the walk wearing on herself she quietly gritted her teeth in pain. In the Soul Cairn, the dead had shattered her ankle trying to claim her. Too many other injuries had required attention as well, now she was paying for not spending adequate time healing her ankle or resting.
They were in desperate need of rest and supplies. Azriel had given thought to things and Sybille Stentor had popped into her mind. The jails never lacked in pirates, murderers, or other unsavory characters. Both vampires could feed and get what they needed to make potions easily in the port-city. Azriel had also thought about the implications of being gone for a week. She needed to hear news within the Province and where the war was taking them.
Aela had taken point, her bow in hand. She scouted the area ahead, which suited Azriel just fine. Aela wasn't pleased about Shadowmere and was even less pleased with explanation of where she had found her. Serana had tried to calm her down when Azriel had told her about the Dark Brotherhood, but Aela had walked away from both of them.
Serana and Valerica remained together as they walked, talking amongst each other. Occasionally, Azriel would hear Valerica ask about the plants they were picking. If Serana didn't know, Aela would answer, explaining the benefit of the plant and its name. Stuffing them in Azriel's ruck sack or her own bag, Valerica jotted down notes in her journal. Azriel suspected she was tallying the reagents she was gathering, planning their usage ahead of time. Or she was plotting how to poison Azriel with them, she wasn't sure.
The path began to climb in elevation and the two vampires stopped to gather pinecones and mountain flowers. Azriel overheard Valerica tell Serana, "Everything is so very different."
"Skyrim has changed, in a lot of ways. There are trees that have leaves as colorful as the sunset. It's so very intriguing, the flowers, the people, even the weather…" Serana held open Valerica's bag, letting her put the pinecones she'd gathered into it. "…it's all so very different. Wait until you see…"
"We aren't visiting, Serana." Valerica cut her off. "We have a duty to stop Harkon and reclaim our kingdom of shadows."
Azriel hobbled past them. "That's right, cut yourself off from this world. See where it gets you this time around."
Valerica glared at her. "There is no place amongst the herd for us."
Azriel stopped, turning around slowly. "What did you call us?"
"You are mortal…" Valerica started.
"I'm not your fucking food, bitch." Azriel lashed out at her. "I'm also not mortal."
"Nor am I." Aela added, reappearing from through the brush. "This world is your only hope for defeating Harkon. I suggest you figure that out."
Valerica drew herself up to her full height. "You are not involved with our affairs enough to even begin to fathom our situation. Vampires must dwell in shadow. It is how we are to survive without drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves. We are not meant to walk amongst mortals, for fear that we draw suspicion of our actions and agelessness."
No one argued with her, but she could see the anger on their faces. She sighed, knowing they could never understand. Leading them away from the clearing back to the path she decided to continue. "Long ago, when we had first obtained the castle and had begun building our home, we were visited. Vampires from the South had ventured to find others. They brought with them scholars and warriors. When they arrived at the castle they brought a treaty."
The three women listened raptly as they walked quickly, keeping with Valerica. Telling them her story, she followed the switchback. "They represented an Order, or so they claimed, one older than ourselves. With the treaty they offered an allegiance of sorts." She paused long enough for the three of them to process it. "To bind ourselves to this Order, we gained favor and trade with the Southern clan. However, Harkon saw this treaty as a means of their control over us. We argued and in his shortsightedness, he chose to forgo their offer against my wishes."
They crested the mountain ridge, looking down the pathway, they could see it turn and begin to come inland.
"What's left of the Thalmor Embassy is Southeast of that point over there. We need to follow that branch of the path there." Azriel pointed to a small spire of rocks as they began their descent.
"Mother, continue. They need to hear all of it and so do I." Serana pressed.
"They left with a warning. To bring ourselves into the light would bring our swift demise. Harkon began his hunts of pure-blooded vampires shortly after their departure. In his quest to prove our supremacy, he hunted them for their power."
Aela picked at her nails. "He drank their blood."
Valerica nodded to Aela. "To gain our power, one must feed from us. Only a pure-blooded vampire can drain another, thus destroying them entirely. Harkon himself lead these battles, in doing so, he learned of this prophecy."
Azriel pondered a question out loud as they made for the new pathway. "What about the Order?"
"Harkon cast them out of the Province, claiming Skyrim for the Volkihar clan. In time, I managed to persuade him to end his hunt for the other pure-bloods. But, we were already drifting apart over the Prophecy."
"Why?" Azriel didn't understand her reasons.
"I met with a member of the Order behind Harkon's back. They had sent an ancient half-blooded vampire, a hunter. His original purpose was to destroy me, he was an assassin. However, he chose to give me a chance to change Harkon's mind. He bore with him a simple message..." Valerica stooped to pick a batch of purple mountain flowers.
Azriel was irritated she had stopped so abruptly. "I think you do this on purpose."
Valerica smiled viciously with an armload of flowers. "Do I now?"
"Just finish the damn story." Azriel growled at her angrily.
Valerica examined her for a moment before continuing. "The message was concise. Cease hunting the pure-blooded vampires, lest we wish our bones to be feasted upon in turn." Valerica motioned for them to continue walking. "We talked about alternative routes to end Harkon's madness. I had never agreed to the destruction of the others in the first place. He had both of the Scrolls and was trying to decipher them. To end the hunts, we planted false evidence of the eradication of all other pure-bloods. It took time and cunning to thoroughly convince him. After which, he turned all of his resources to divining the Elder Scrolls."
"One obsession led to another…" Aela muttered unimpressed.
"It did, indeed. For Harkon, nothing was ever simple or quick. His obsession with hunting the other pure-blooded vampires lead to this prophecy. Once he was satisfied that we were the last, he focused everything on the Scrolls." Valerica sounded distant, lost in thoughts thousands of years away. "But, we are not the last, nor were we the first. Others were far more cunning than Harkon could anticipate."
For a while, no one spoke. They walked without a word to the forked path and took the route that turned Southeast. Azriel watched as the two vampires drank in the sights around them. The flurries had ended. The wind carried the scent of snow, with it pine and an undertone of sweetness from the mountain flowers that dotted the path. The overcast sky above shone brightly, reflecting off the snow around them. The purples, greens, and browns of the landscape stood in stark contrast to the dazzling white.
Azriel took a deep breath. The sight around her filled her with so many thoughts, though none she'd speak of out loud. Limping along with the others, she felt happy, a true sense of happiness, one that had left her in the Soul Cairn. Something in the back of her mind nagged at her. After a minute or two, Azriel realized what it was. "How did you last so long in the Soul Cairn?"
Valerica stopped and looked directly at Azriel.
Azriel quickly rephrased her question seeing Valerica's indignity at Azriel's implication of weakness. "I mean… How did you not go mad? There's no one there, there's nothing in it… How did you not lose hope?"
For a moment, Valerica only watched her. Turning on her heel, she started back down the path without a word.
Azriel sighed. Asshole, next time keep your fat mouth shut!
They walked in silence for a short time.
"I did for a while…" Valerica said suddenly.
"Lost hope?" Azriel asked tentatively.
"Indeed." Valerica said softly.
Serana looked at her mother and Azriel saw a brief glimpse of sadness in her eyes.
"Time has no meaning in the Soul Cairn nor has it meaning for the vampire." Valerica looked off the edge of the pathway and over the cliff. "Once I was imprisoned, I was bound to remain in the fortress. I had my research and threw myself into it. I saw the standoff with the Ideal Masters as a challenge to my will. It was a challenge I was not willing to lose. But, there were times that I was reminded of the things I've given up and the reasons why I was there. I lost hope in ever leaving the Fortress until you both arrived."
Azriel let her answer sink in, then remembered the book in her bag. She drew it from the confines and handed it to Valerica. "There were mortals that found their way in." She flipped the pages of the journal and pointed at a passage. "Obviously, necromancers like this person."
Valerica gave a small smile. "I am aware. Those fortunate enough to find themselves near my prison, I spoke to. I do not know how long they lived for though." Valerica turned the pages as she walked. "Each had their own reasons for entering the Cairn, however I cannot imagine any making it out."
"That one didn't. His bones were still clutching the book." Azriel watched Serana gather flowers. "He spoke of bringing back the Dragon Cults in his journal, which is why I kept it."
Valerica chuckled. "A fool's notion… The cults met their demise once the dragons were exterminated in the Dragon Wars. Very few dragons remained after that. Durnehviir is one of the few that has actually been seen and documented within the Cairn."
It was Azriel's turn to laugh. She couldn't control it.
Valerica arched an eyebrow at her, but Azriel didn't see it through her hysterical laughing.
"Azriel has slayed Alduin and many other dragons, it's probably why she's laughing." Aela offered nonchalantly as she passed Valerica and Serana.
"Or it could be because she talks to them on a daily basis." Serana interjected, putting another batch of flowers into her mother's enchanted bag.
"Or because I am their Overlord..." The words slipped from Azriel's lips before she could stop them, ceasing her laughter altogether.
The three women stood, watching her.
"Zu'u Thur." Azriel mumbled to herself. She quickly looked at the ground and started walking again, leaving the other's behind.
"Surely, you jest. The Dragons were defeated by men in the Late Merethic Era, only the most cunning survived. The Dragon Cults existed in a new form believing that Dragons would eventually return." Valerica said softly to Aela and Serana as Azriel walked away.
"I assure you, we are not being lighthearted." Aela's tone was firm. "It's also why she's interested in them. When Alduin returned, he summoned the buried dragons from their burial mounds. She eventually conquered Alduin in Sovngarde. It took her days to defeat him. In doing so, she became their Overlord. As Dragonborn, she is blood and soul a dragon, but different from the previous Dragonborns."
Valerica stood in stunned silence, but quickly recovered. "The Prophecy of the Dragonborn is not foreign to me. But, a living soul in Aetherius itself? Interesting…"
"A lot of time has passed, Mother. More than you realize, actually. Azriel is the last Dragonborn." Serana's words were gentle. "Like I told you, she found me. She took me as far as Solitude. When I returned to the Castle, I found father there. I left just as quickly realizing he's never changed. I looked for her and she's accompanied me ever since."
Valerica started to walk and the other two trailed behind her. "Serana…" Serana and Aela quickly fell in step with Valerica. "…how much time has passed?"
Serana cleared her throat. She knew the sinking feeling her mother was about to have. "It's the fourth era…" Valerica flinched. "…two hundred and fourth year."
"And the First of Evening Star." Aela added.
Valerica groaned. "So much time... Harkon must be closer to knowing the truth."
"But, we had the Scrolls." Serana interrupted.
Valerica's face was a stern mask as they caught up to Azriel. "The Elder Scrolls change, Serana. There are other clues he could follow that would aid him bring the Prophesy to fruition. The Scrolls only foretell events, past and future."
Azriel rolled her shoulders. "Until the event comes to pass, then they become fixed, their words leaving no room for interpretation." She smiled at Valerica. "About ten years before I was born, in the Fourth Era, One Hundredth and Seventy-Fifth year, Elder Scrolls in the Imperial Library disappeared. No one knows why, but every one of them went missing. Well, until I found one… the one about me."
Valerica gave her an inquisitive look. "Imperial Library?"
Azriel saw the look on Valerica's face, realizing her mistake. "I forgot you don't know... Cyrodiil is the seat of an Empire now, well really, since the late First Era." Azriel weighed Valerica's reaction to see if she was interested in hearing more.
When Valerica motioned her to continue, Azriel obliged her. "It all started with the slave-queen, St. Alessia. After conquering most of Cyrodiil, she made a pact with Akatosh. The Amulet of Kings was forged with his blood. Supposedly, only a Dragonborn could wear it and…" She fished a book from her ruck sack out and held it out to Valerica. "…the establishment of the line of Dragonborn Emperors was founded. The Dragonborn would use the Amulet of Kings to relight the Dragonfires on their coronation day. This kept Mundus and Oblivion separated."
Azriel continued her history lesson as Valerica thumbed through the book while they hiked and the morning wore to afternoon.
How was this chapter? How do you feel about the story arc thus far?
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-Red