From her perch above the North Gate she watched as Alarne and his friends passed through in search of his father; she hoped that they would be able to succeed where she had failed. She had set them on the right path and now it was up to them to find what they were looking for, yet she was unsure if she had done the right thing; had she sent them into needless danger? Danger that they were yet unready for?
Shaking her head she scoffed at how soft she had become; here she was the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, the one who held Maven’s leash and she was worrying about some young fools. She did not know them and had no reason to fear for them, but still she did.
Seeing Alarne for the first time had caused her to feel hope like she hadn’t felt since she had known his father, he had saved her from a group of Nords who were intent of taking their frustrations out on a “filthy grey-skin”. They had been standing over her crumpled form when he had appeared as though from thin air. At the sight of his naked blade they scattered, leaving her to wonder what this giant of a man would do next …
Movement below caught her eye and she shifted to get a better view; walking towards the gate was a man clad in black who would have towered over any nord. As she leaned out over the edge of the ramparts he stopped mid stride and looked up towards her; caught in his gaze she froze and stared into his glowing orange eyes.
After what felt an eternity he continued on his way leaving her still frozen in place; after only a moment she jumped to her feet and started running towards Honeyside. Reaching the spot where the wall met the house she worked her way over to the window she had left open and slid inside. As soon as her feet met the ground she started towards the stairs.
Something about that man had been off almost as though he wasn’t really there; she paused at the top of the stairs and shook her head “No, that can’t have been right, he was definitely there. Those eyes, something about those eyes… SHIT” Without a second thought she started taking the stairs three at a time in her haste to follow the man with the orange eyes.
Rushing through the basement she almost collided with Iona her Housecarl, who stood with her many pouched belt draped across one arm while on the other was her sword belt with both her short sword and dagger strapped on either side. Without a word she took the belts and proceeded to strap her sword belt around her waist and drape the other over her shoulder so that it sat across her chest where she would have easy access to the many pouches.
She took a step and then stopped to remove her sword and dagger “Bring me the silver ones. Now” Iona having served the Thane for years was already returning with her silver weapons as she finished talking. This caused her to stop and stare at the housecarl before remembering the reason for her haste; giving Iona a quick nod she exchanged the weapons and started back up the stairs towards the back door.
Stepping out onto the porch that faced Lake Honrich she made her way down the ramp and back towards the North Gate. She was fairly certain that she knew where the man would be heading and so as she reached the main road she started jogging away from Riften in pursuit.
She had hoped to find him before night fall, but that had been over an hour ago and she was yet to see any sign of him or Alarne and his friends. As she rounded a bend she found that she could see the flickering of a camp fire up ahead and she slowed to a walk as she approached. Stopping just outside of the clearing she stared into the circle of light cast by the fire, apart from the fire which had started to burn low there was nothing there.
Drawing her sword she started to circle the clearing watching the other side in search of any sign of life. Behind her a twig snapped and she spun around just for the light of the fire to reflect off of her sword and into her eyes blinding her; in that instant she was struck in the stomach with enough force to send her flying backwards into one of the trees that ringed the clearing.
Opening her eyes she could see a hooded figure standing with his back to the fire staring at her as though he was deciding what to do next. Looking around she couldn’t see her sword anywhere so she reached for her dagger which thankfully was still strapped to her belt. But even the act of releasing it from its scabbard was enough to send pain flaring through her body.
The figure; who could only be the man she had been following, had noticed the movement and made his way over to where she was lying. As he got closer she was able to see his glowing orange eyes and like before she was frozen in their gaze, reaching down the man took a hold of her wrist and quickly snapped it, she let out a cry of pain and tears sprang to her eyes as the dagger feel to the leaf covered ground.
Picking the dagger up between two fingers a deep hiss started to emanate from his mouth as the places where his flesh touched the blade started to smoke. With a flick of his wrist he tossed the blade into the fire and turned to looked her square in the face “Hmm, you seem to be more trouble than I had anticipated. Know how should I address you? Hmm. Black Rose perhaps? Or maybe Thane Sheliah of Riften?”
He paused to let her digest the fact that he knew not one but both of her identities; that knowledge plus the ease with which he had defeated her terrified her, for what could she do against a man such as him? Whatever he decided to do there would be no escape for her. She could only hope that he was yet to catch Alarne for if he had there was no hope for them. Crouching in front of her he seemed to be waiting for a response to his question “Well? Which is it?”
With as much courage as she could muster she answered “Sheliah, I came as Thane to protect those that you seek, foul beast” Even with her best effort she had been unable to keep the waiver from her voice and he had noticed for his mouth had curled into a cruel smile.
“You call me a foul beast when it is you who is the leader of a group of crazed murderers who worship a corpse, oh I’m sorry that’s Black Rose you’re Thane Sheliah are you not” As he finished speaking he burst into a deep booming laughter which sounded out of place coming from his lips. “Now then if you would be so kind my Thane as to tell me where you sent the fool and his friends, I might be inclined to let you live. Hmm?”
“Never” It sounded weak even to her but she could not let this creature reach Alarne before he found his father. She owed the Dragonborn that much at least.
He let out a chuckle at her response and looked at her with avid curiosity “You know that’s what most people say, but then very few of them are faced with a vampire who just snapped their wrist like a twig. What is it that you think you owe that boy?”
“Not him his father. Now do with me what you want as I’ll never tell you what I told him.”
“Oh is that so? Very well then, I think I’ll leave you here with one bit of information then if you don’t care what I do. That boy, Alarne, he is already my thrall and while he may be protected from my commands I can still sense him wherever he may flee.” At the look of dread that grasped her face he stood and walked away into the shadows cast by the last embers of the fire.
Once he was gone it took her a moment to find her voice and as she did she yelled out after the figure “NO, THAT CAN’T BE TRUE Y…Y…you must be lying… please tell me it’s a lie… please”
*****
Alarne was awoken to the pounding of his head by the sun as it crested the hill they had camped behind for the night. His sleep had been filled with nightmares of a man with glowing orange eyes and the screams of a woman and now that he was awake it felt as though the fog that encased his mind was straining against the barrier created by the amulet he wore around his neck.
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