The dull thud of her body as it fell next to mine, her feline eyes staring into my own as blood leaked from her mouth. Her ebony armor shone with the light of the moons, flickering in and out of sight as my conscious thought ebbed away. I felt a hand slip under my shirt and grope my small, mostly undeveloped breast and squeeze urgently.
Were going to have a wonderful time, little elf, a low voice hissed. My efforts to crawl away were halted by strong hands gripping my wrists tightly, pinning them above my head. I closed my eyes and grit my teeth as my trousers were slid over my rear, my belly scraping against the dirt of the desolate Skyrim road. I felt another hand on my rear, gentler, then my legs being spread apart.
I cried out in pain
I jerked awake, momentarily disoriented in the darkness. I kicked the covers off my body, sliding out of bed and onto my knees on the floor. I felt for the solidness of my sword and let out a relieved sigh when I felt its warmth. I pulled it out from under the bed and partially unsheathed it, taking comfort in the soft glow. Dawnbreaker quietly hummed with energy, a sound I had gotten used to in the years I had it. I slid the sword back under the bed and checked behind the curtains of the inn, peeking out the window.
Dusk. The nightmares always woke me up by dusk. It never mattered what they were, whether they had happened or not, but they never failed to wake me up by dusk. Outside my door, the revelries of a party suddenly swelled as laughter leaked under my door, as well as light. I smiled slightly. It was always nice to hear someone having a good time, even in a place called The Winking Skeever.
The jarl had commissioned me to clear out a small nest of vampires near Solitude. Between the woes of her husband dying and the tenacity of the Stormcloaks trying to take the holds in her land, Jarl Elisef had passed all minor responsibilities to Falk Firebeard, a man I was well accustomed to dealing with.
I stood up and stretched, then dressed. I brushed my auburn hair to my satisfaction and held it back with a thin length of rope. I then opened the curtain a bit, letting the failing light stream in, then sat on my bed. I crossed my legs, tucking each foot under my knee, and straightened my back, staring forward. I placed my hands on my knees and began breathing a bit slower, listening to my breaths.
I sat like this until the light was nearly gone. I slid on my armor, a dark leather fit for night-stalking, then slid a cowl on, then decided against it. The strange Altmer that only came out at night made the locals uneasy enough, but add in dark armor and a cowl? I would be lynched for being a vampire, or necromancer. Or perhaps just because it was Tirdas.
I arranged my ingredients, my eyes accustomed nicely to the darkness. I slipped what I needed into the slots on a harness across my chest. Two healing potions, a stamina potion, two magic potions, and a cure disease potion. I slid a brown cloak on to offset the black leather armor, to startle the patrons less. Dawnbreaker was strapped to my hip last, and the cowl tucked into my pouch on my right hip.
The conversations lulled as I walked out. I expected it, yet still nodded at anyone willing to make eye contact with me. I smiled at a small child, who only blinked back up. He smiled back before I turned my head and shut the door behind me.
The air was brisk, as nearly always in Solitude. Spring was coming, though, and the air was a bit warmer than usual. Growing up near the border between Cyrodiil and Skyrim, the warmer months were always appreciated by me. Though light on my feet, my heels clacked against the cobblestoned pavement on my way to the gates. The guard opened it up, and I was out. I slid the hood and cowl on, adjusting it so I could breathe with better ease. There was no need to check my map, as the same cave had been cleared out by me a year before. I walked the familiar road, passing a Khajiit caravan. They averted their eyes, afraid I was a thief wanting their goods. . I kept my pace up, disappearing down the hill.
When I got close, I slid into the brush across from the entrance. The spot was already ripe with the carcasses of animals and humans alike, and any would-be hero would be easily baited in. The folly of the inexperienced is their inexperience.
My old mentors words rang true in my head as my elven ears pricked at the sound of footfalls. A Nordic woman with bright blonde hair stood at the entrance, her hand on the hilt of her steel sword. I could tell she was contemplating entering. She looked at the bloodied bones and the bloody handprints on the ground, black with age. A pained howl suddenly burst from the cave, and she jumped and drew her sword.
I moved to stand up, but the warning on my lips was stayed by her form dropping quickly with a dull metallic thud, her armor hitting the rocks. She scooted forward, the steel scraping loudly, forcing me to cringe as my long ears tingled at the sound. I stood up and silently followed the adventurer down the tunnel, until it became too dark to see.
I held my breath and waited. I heard rustling, then the sound of a torch being lit, then the suddenly blinding light as the torch caught fire. I could hear the heavy breathing of the adventurer as she ventured forward. I let out a silent breath as I followed her though the dark cavern. The sounds of activity were heard as the vampires began to awaken fully. The sound of steel leaving its sheath rang out as she pulled her sword out and stepped into the lit part of the cavern. I readied my bow as she began to speak in a loud, authoritative voice.
Foul creatures! Her voice wavered slightly, but remained somewhat strong. Tonight you will meet your death!
Hissing laughter filled the cavern as they slowly advanced on the woman. She swung as one, and it easily dodged her and shocked her with a spell. Her sword clanged loudly as it hit the ground. Strangled groans from her clenched jaw made me shiver, as I knew that pain. I loosed an arrow from the bow I conjured, and it planted in the unprotected chest of one of the vampires. It fell back from the force of the impact, and the other vampires looked into the darkened tunnel.
Elf! One hissed. Kill the elf!
The lunged at me, and I pulled out Dawnbreaker, the light from its blade blinding them. It pulsed hungrily, a low moan emitting from the ringing sound as I held it out without a word.
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