Whiterun
Temple of Kynareth
Hadvar and Krog swiftly carried Dovah into the temple, bringing him to the healers. Tullius, once he saw Dovah and his gash was furious!
"I'll have Galmar's head for this!" Tullius exclaimed.
"How dare he do this to his emperor…" Delphine muttered under his breath.
Dulian immediately started to apply a Healing Hands spell once Dovah had been lain onto one of the cots, trying to repair the worst of the damage. For some reason, the spell wasn't being as effective as Dulian desired.
"Something's not right here…" Dulian said. "The healing spell isn't being as effective as it should be…" That's when she noticed a jelly-like paste around the edges of Dovah's pierced chainmail!
Dulian quickly put two and two together! "My god! Galmar laced his spear with some sort of poison! I guess we're going to have to heal Dovah the old-fashioned way." She turned to Kalur, wiping off some of the poisonous paste with a piece of treated tundra cotton. "Kalur, take a sample of this compound and see if you can figure out what it's made of. As for you," Dulian pointed to Krog and Nazir. "Go to the Bannered Mare and bring me five bottles of Holda's best whiskey! And after you are done there, go to Acadia's Cauldron and have her make a healing poultice, since this compound is interfering with magic healing."
Krog and Nazir nodded, then took off on their duties.
"I'll be up at Dragonsreach with Farengar figuring out what this is made of." Kalur took the tundra cotton with the poison and ran off out the temple to the palace.
Taliq, Mirra and Lucia stood behind Dulian, Tullius, and Delphine. "Is there anything we can do for him?" Taliq asked after a dreadful silence.
Dulian and Delphine gave Taliq and Mirra a look of sympathy and understanding as she wiped away as much of the jelly compound from Dovah's wound. "Right now, the best thing you can do is stay here and help watch over him." Delphine said. "I know you don't want to just stand around and do nothing, but you two are our best candidates for guard duty."
Both Khajiit nodded solemnly, then took up positions in the temple to watch over Dovah. Taliq took position in one of the corners of the temple nearest the doors, keeping an eye out while Mirra and Lucia helped prepare bandages.
# # # # # # #
Plains District
Whiterun
Kahyla walked through the plains district, appreciating the beauty of the city now that she was able to enter. Balgruff had rescinded his decree that kept Khajiit out of the city, due to him viewing their presence now as an advantage.
Kahyla wandered down the street in front of Joorvaskr, admiring the city's remaining beauty seeing that it survived the Stormcloak attack with little to no damage.
As she wandered, she wasn't paying attention to what was in front of her, which caused her to bump head-on into an Orc and Redguard that were in a clear hurry, causing them all to fall over each other and onto the ground.
Kahyla sat up after being knocked over. "This one should be careful!" She snapped with irritation.
The Redguard quickly helped Kahyla up to her feet. "Oh! I'm sorry about that, miss…"
"Kahyla. So, what is these one's hurry? Is there any way Khajiit can assist?"
"We've got to get to the marketplace to get some healing items for a friend who was wounded during the defense of the city!" The orc spoke. "My name's Krog, and I also apologize for knocking you over, Kahyla."
"You are forgiven." Kahyla said. "This friend must be very important to these two. May Khajiit ask who they are?"
"There's not a lot of time, I'm afraid." Nazir said, starting to walk. "If we don't get the items required to get rid of that Magicka poison, Dovah will most likely die…"
Kahyla let out a gasp, turning to the duo in an instant. "Wait!" She called out, grabbing Krog by the shoulder. "Did you say Dovah? What happened? Wait, nevermind! Just tell me what you need help acquiring, and I will do everything I can to get it."
Nazir looked at Kahyla, then handed her a list of items on a piece of parchment. "Get these from Acadia's Cauldron, and meet us back at the Temple of Kynareth, post-haste!"
"Understood." With that, they separated, running off on their vital tasks.
# # # # # # #
Dragonsreach
Farengar's Quarters
Kalur and Farengar Secret-Fire looked over the compound sample from the tundra cotton, separating it from the cotton and placing it on an alchemical plate with a pair of tongs.
Kalur then held up a magnifying glass, looking over the compound carefully with Farengar. They noticed glowing red speckles of what appeared to be a ground-up plant, colored crimson mixed in with the compound. There were also small bits of lavender in the compound, along with grains of fine-cut void salts, and Kalur could smell traces of bleeding crown as well.
"Void salts and lavender mixed with bleeding crown. Someone clearly knew what they were doing when they concocted this…" Kalur said.
"That's for sure." Farengar agreed. "Whoever mixed this has great talent with Alchemy. Though I can't figure out what those specs of glowing red plant are… It appears to be Nirnroot, though I've never seen any like this."
"The plot thickens…" Kalur added, scribing down some notes onto some parchment with a quill and ink. "I will have to discuss this with Dulian. Perhaps she may know something, seeing she is a traveling mage."
# # # # #
Temple of Kynareth
Nazir, Krog, and Kahyla entered the temple with haste, carrying all the needed items to heal Dovah. They quickly handed them off to Dulian and the priestess Danica Purespring. They then got to work immediately, cleansing Dovah's wounds of the anti-magic compound.
Kahyla stepped forward, and sat down next to Dovah, who noticed her at once.
"Oh! Kahyla!" Dovah tried to sit up but was in too much pain. That, and trying to sit up only added to it. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to see you and the caravan… Things have been very hectic." He let out a loud hiss as Dulian applied a rag covered in whiskey to Dovah's wound to clean it. "Though I'm proud to say, your lessons in stealth have come in handy during my travels…"
"Well, it was the least Khajiit could do for the one who managed to convince the Jarl to rescind his decree. The caravan is very grateful." Kahyla said. "Though I don't know how this one managed to land himself in such a scrape…"
Dovah looked at Kahyla with an innocent face. "That, my friend is a very long story…"
"Yes, and Khajiit will have plenty of time to hear it after you are healed." Kahyla said with a smile. "For now, this one should take it easy and focus on healing."
Dovah smiled sheepish as he looked a Kahyla. Then he let out a loud yelp as Danica started to thoroughly clean his wound, feeling the sting of the alcohol in the whiskey. "AIIEEE!"
"By Kynareth! Ravencroft, Hold still!" Danica exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, it just hurts!" Dovah protested.
"Oh, come on, Ravencroft! You are a Nord, don't be such a milk-drinker!" Danica snapped.
Dovah looked at Delphine and Lydia with pleading eyes, as if begging her to get Danica to let up.
Delphine just shrugged. "Sorry, sir. There's nothing I can do about it."
Lydia also shrugged. "I'm afraid it's for your own well-being, my Thane."
Later that evening…
Serana walked through the gates of Whiterun with Isran at her side. After hearing of the Defense of Whiterun, both members of the Dawnguard set off to make sure their close friend, Dovah Ravencroft was alive and well since they received a message about his involvement in the city's defense via courier.
"I just hope he hasn't died…" Serana said quietly. "He's done so much and has not had time to live a life of his own."
"I Agree." Isran said gruffly. "Aside from the Vampire Crisis, Dovah's also dealt with the Dragon Problem, as well as helping to manage the cease-fire in the war. He has every right to settle down and take a break in my eyes."
They both walked up to the Temple of Kynareth. Isran opened the door, allowing Serana to go in first. Then he stood by her side, shutting the door behind him.
They saw Dovah, asleep on one of the beds, a Khajiit woman seated next to him, caressing his forehead and running her fingers through Dovah's blonde hair tenderly. Serana knew that was Khayla. She had never met the Khajiit personally, but from what Dovah had told her, she knew it had to be Khayla.
"Greetings." Serana said quietly, walking up. "Are you Khayla?"
"Yes." Khayla said. "May I ask who you are?"
"I'm Serana, and this is Isran. We're from the Dawnguard." Serana introduced herself and the Dawnguard's leader.
"A pleasure to meet you." Khayla shook Serana and Isran's hands.
"Charmed." Isran replied. "So, Dovah was involved in the City's defense?"
Khayla nodded. "Galmar used a poisoned spear on him. It was coated with an anti-magical compound, so Dovah is having to heal the regular way. He's been asleep for about seven hours so far. He's really needed it."
Isran nodded. "No surprise. Dovah's always had a habit of burning the candle at both ends."
"Kind of like a certain Redguard vampire hunter I know." Serana quipped.
"Don't start." Isran said flatly, as a young girl walked in, accompanied by an Ala'kir Redguard, a Jester, and an Orc.
"Pardon me, are you friends of Dovah Ravencroft?" The young girl asked.
Serana turned to face the newcomers. She raised an eyebrow, realizing that the girl was a vampire as well. "Yes, we are. I am Serana, and this is Isran."
"A pleasure to meet you at last, Serana. Dovah has spoken highly of you and the Dawnguard. I am Babette, and this is Nazir, Krog, and my entertaining friend Cicero."
"Nice to meet you all, though I'm surprised to find another one like Serana here as well." Isran motioned to Babette, his other hand hovering over his axe, ready to draw.
"Irsan, relax and please don't make a scene." Serana said flatly. "If Dovah trusts her, it must be for a good reason."
Isran stood down reluctantly.
Serana then turned back to Babette. "So, how has he been hanging in there?"
"Dovah's been doing well on his road to recovery." Nazir explained. "Despite the poisoned spear, he's been handling it like one of the Companions."
"Indeed! Alas, Dovah Ravencroft, the mighty warrior! Injured by the poisoned pike wielded by the treacherous Galmar Stone-Fist! But he continues to endure, resting and waiting to fight for Skyrim another day!" Cicero spoke, striking dramatic poses as he spoke like a narrator for a timeless play.
Nazir facepalmed while Isran scratched his head. "Is he always like this?" He asked Babette.
"Yeah, but it makes for good entertainment value, as well as a good mood booster." Babette said. "Though don't be fooled: Cicero is an excellent fighter."
Isran scoffed. "I'll believe that when I see it."
Cicero raised an eyebrow. "By the divines! Is that a challenge I hear?" Cicero then drew an ebony dagger from underneath his Jester coat, twirling it in his fingers like a pro as he bounded around Isran effortlessly, each step light and quiet, but filled with energy and zeal. "If you wish to spar, I'd be more than happy to show you my skill. Just remember: Your combat strategy…"
Cicero then threw down a small smoke pellet, vanishing from view.
"…Isn't as foolproof as you think!" Cicero finished with a quick tap of the dagger's hilt on the back of Irsan's head. He then holstered the dagger again, skipping back into Isran's view next to Babette.
"...Did he just do what I think he did?" Isran asked.
"Afraid so." Serana answered.
# # # # # #
Agent Vingil Larethiuth walked into Whiterun, disguised as a priest of Kynareth. He casually walked along the streets to the temple, walking inside. He saw Dovah Ravencroft asleep on one of the cots, a Khajiit sitting next to him. Vingil took a quick glance around, seeing Babette, Cicero, Golamus Llaram, and Nazir all present. To add more complications, Kalur Rune, Krog Gro-Garak, and two members of the Dawngaurd, Serana and Isran were also present. Vingil kept his cool, causally walking through the temple and aiding the other priests with their tasks, even if it was just a front. Vingil knew his original plan of extracting Dovah's blood directly would not work. There were too many witnesses present. He quickly started to think over an alternative.
He then unexpectedly found one when he saw a pile of bloody bandages. Vingil walked over to one of the priests. "Excuse me, my brother… Do you know where these bandages came from?"
"Those? Oh! Those are Dovah Ravencroft's old bandages. We just changed them a few hours ago. Haven't had any time to dispose of them yet."
Vingil's heart shot up into his throat! With the amount of blood on the soaked bandages, all the Thalmor would need to do…
"I'll take care of those." Vingil replied, picking up the bandages. "Don't worry."
Vingil took the bandages and quietly made haste towards the door. He was met at the door by Serana.
"May I ask what you are doing with those?" She asked, giving the undercover agent a suspicious eye.
"Disposal." Vingil lied. "To prevent any sort of plague."
"True, I guess." Serana said, not backing down. "Though when healers dispose of bandages to prevent plague, they burn them on site."
"I really have no time for debate…" Vingil said, trying to keep his temperance.
"Oh, I'm sure you don't, Thalmor." Serana said, flicking off Vingil's hood with a finger. "You bear the Thalmor jewelry upon your ear. It has their insignia. A dead giveaway, other than that you are a high elf."
Everyone was stunned. Some quickly got suspicious. Cicero, however, became incensed.
"Defiler! Traitor! Debaser! Filthy degenerate spy!" Cicero hurled a throwing knife at Vingil, the flying blade catching and tearing his earring straight from his ear! Vingil grit his teeth in annoyance, shutting out the pain as he saw his bloody thalmor earring dangle from Cicero's knife, now embedded in the wall. "So, you thought you could sneak up on the Emperor?! Perhaps you planned to poison his healing salves?! Kill him in his sleep?! Oh, ho-ho-ho, I think not!"
Vingil didn't have the time or the patience for this simpleton and company. He quickly cast himself in a lightning cloak, emitting a magican blast that tossed everyone aside around him!
"I'd love to stay and chat treachery with all of you, but Madame Elenwen requires these bloody bandages, the smallest of concessions, to proceed in our plan: resurrecting and controlling the world-eater! I bid you farewell, and tell you to enjoy your remaining numbered days! See you at Windhelm!"
With that, Vingil took off through the temple door! Cicero and Serana were up before the rest, and took off after the treacherous agent, Cicero screaming at the top of his lungs!