Chapter 6: Morthal

Though they were once more headed for Dragon Bridge, Yazir had reluctantly decided to pass through Morthal to stop for food and rest.

"I thought you didn't want townspeople to see you in the company of a vampire?'

"The snow fall here isn't as strong as it was in Dawnstar, but keep your hood low and none should be able to see you for what you are."

"About that–"

Yazir brought his horse to a stop, forcing Serana to do the same. "What?" He asked sharply. Serana took a breath and said, "Look I should have brought this up sooner, but I wasn't quite sure how. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you haven't noticed already, but I guess you must be getting used to my company."

"What, Serana?" Yazir snapped, losing his patience. Serana stared at him for a moment contemplating her next words, before averting her eyes. "I haven't fed in awhile," she said softly. Yazir scoffed, "And how does that concern me?"

Serana's eyes found the Redguard's again. "It concerns you," she said slowly. "Because the longer I go without feeding, the easier it is for ordinary citizens to see what I am. You rarely glance in my direction, Yazir. Take a good look at me, and tell me what you see."

Yazir rolled his eyes, but did as she said. He ignored her obvious superficial beauty, and tried to see her as a whole. The longer he looked, the more he saw. She was paler than the snow that was falling around them. Her eyes had turned from blue to a glowing blue, and her skin was drawn tight around her face. She looked like a starving vampire.

Yazir swore at himself for not having noticed sooner. She was right. He could barely look in her direction due to his own hatred for her kind. He vowed silently to put his hatred aside for the good of their mission. He needed to treat her more like a partner… even if he still didn't trust her completely.

"You may feed from me before we enter the town," he said grudgingly. "But be warned, if you fail to stop when I tell you to, I will kill you, and take that elder scroll you carry." Serana's eyes bored into his. "Are you sure that's a risk you want to take?" She asked. "You can still contract the vampiris disease from me even if I do not try to turn you." The Vigilant shook his head. "All Vigilants are taught how to cure diseases with magic. It's another way for us to help the citizens of Skyrim resist the lure of the Daedra. I can cast the spell on myself after you feed. We cannot risk your discovery by the townspeople or any other vampire hunters. I doubt they would understand the importance of our mission." The vampire nodded, "Very well, tell me when."

The pair rode in silence again for another half hour until they had just passed the Kjenstag Ruins. Yazir pulled his horse to a stop. "We can stop here," he said. "We shouldn't risk you being seen feeding any closer to the town." The two dismounted, and Yazir cast a magelight into the ground. They wouldn't be there long enough for a fire to be of use. He sat on one of the broken stones of the ruins, and placed his crossbow in his lap before holding out his arm. "Let's get this over with." Serana knelt before him, and took his arm in her hands. Yazir made sure she saw him aim the crossbow right at her chest. "Remember my warning," he said.

Serana nodded. She took a deep breath… and bit him. Yazir had been wounded fighting vampires before. He had been bitten a dozen times before, and contracted the vampiris disease three times after such encounters. Each wound had hurt more than the last. Yet now he barely felt when Serana's fangs slid into his arm, and began draining the blood from it. It was not unpleasureable. After a few minutes he saw her eyes stop glowing. Her face had returned to a fuller look, and she was not quite as pale as before. He gave her another minute to feed and then, "Enough," he said quietly. Serana withdrew immediately, and wiped her the blood from her mouth on her sleeve. Yazir pulled his own sleeve back down and cast his spell to cure any new diseases.

"Let's go."

*

"Welcome to the Moorside Inn! My name is Jonna, come in and sit awhile!"

Yazir and Serana took the seats furthest from the orc bard who was absolutely butchering the song he was trying to play. Within a few moments, the barkeep Jonna was there. Yazir ordered a room along with some wine and cooked beef before asking Jonna if there were any rumors of note in Morthal. Jonna poured the wine into two cups. The barkeep told them of the burned down house just outside the inn, and of the man who lost his wife and daughter as a result of the fire before moving in with another citizen, Alva the following day. "Many people think he did it himself, but of course the jarl does nothing to investigate this crime. Too busy with her visions." Yazir thanked Jonna for her information while she served the food, before walking back to the bar. Yazir was only a few bites into his beef when Serana spoke up.

"The jarl's having visions huh? Sounds like the town could use a Vigilant to investigate." Yazir shook his head. "The woman said nothing of vampires, werewolves, witches or Daedra. The guards are more than capable of solving a murder." He swigged down the last of his wine, and stood. "I'm going to sleep awhile. Do not wake me until dark unless you've been discovered," he said quietly. With that he strode off to his rented room, and removed his robes before falling on the bed and drifting off into a dreamless sleep.