Dragonborn Rising Ch. 48

We camped past Whiterun that evening, and it was obvious within a couple of hours that Gunmar and Sorine had been rather intimate before. It was the way she looked at him, and while he tried to be subtle, there was no missing he was giving her the eye in return. The four of us disappeared into our tents together, Gunmar and Sorine sharing one, Delphine and I another. We slept separately, chatting quietly as we waited for the obvious noise. I think they were trying to be quiet.

"Oh, Gunmar!" a feminine voice exclaimed, followed by a loud shush. Delphine and I tried not to giggle as it was obvious what they were doing. Good for them, I thought. I figured they were reconnecting after a long time apart.

"Fuck me, Gunmar!" was moaned a little later. Gunmar didn't bother shushing her this time.

Delphine and I had to wait for them to be quiet before we drifted off to sleep. Joining them the next morning, the smile on Sorine's face suggested she was in a rather good mood, while Gunmar was certainly lighter on his feet. "I assume that wasn't the first time?" Delphine asked. I stifled a groan while Sorine just smiled, wrapping an arm around Gunmar's waist.

"No. That was just the first time in a long time. Worth the wait though." Gunmar just gave her a look as she turned to look at him. "What? Gunmar, we were always good together. I'm not going to deny it."

"Have you not been with anyone else?" I wondered.

"No," she replied.

Now Gunmar looked at her in surprise. "What? Why?"

"Do I really need to explain, Gunmar?"

He looked confused for a few seconds before the smile slowly formed. "No, I guess not." He then cleared his throat, looking away but the smile didn't disappear. I think they needed a long discussion in private, as while he might not have given it much thought, she definitely had.

"Anyway, I'm guessing we'll make it to the fort today and learn what's happening?" Sorine wondered.

"Aye, he'll explain in further detail his ideas. We were just sent to get you," I replied.

We made it to the fort by dusk, all of us weary in the saddle, two full days enough to leave you rather sore by the end. Leaving our horses in the stables, we wandered up the stairs into the fort, Isran already waiting for us, though standing up on the walkway above, obviously warned of our approach. Gunmar looked up, already frustrated by our welcome.

"Okay, Isran, you've got us here. What do you want?"

"Just a moment. Hold it right there."

Before we knew it, we found ourselves enveloped by rather bright light. I knew it wasn't the sun as it was growing dark outside, so I was left wondering what it was. "What the hell are you doing, Isran?" Sorine called.

"Make sure you're not vampires. Can't be too careful."

"Oh, for fuck sakes, Isran, we only left a few days ago," I murmured. I didn't particularly want to get into a fight, but the man was obviously paranoid.

The light eventually disappeared and he continued. "So, welcome to Fort Dawnguard. I'm sure you've heard a bit of what we're up against. Powerful vampires, unlike anything we've seen before. And they have an Elder Scroll. If anyone is going to stand in their way, it's going to be us."

"This is all well and good, but do we actually know anything about what they're doing? What do we do now?" Sorine asked, getting straight to the heart of the matter.

"We'll get to that. For now, get acquainted with the space. Sorine, you'll find room to start your tinkering on that crossbow design you've been working on."

"Remember that, eh?"

"Aye, and I know you'll build something that'll wipe those blood sucking bastards out. As for you, Gunmar, there's an area large enough for you to pen up some trolls, get them armoured up and ready for use."

"Aye, I'm sure I'll get my hands on some that won't be too hard to handle."

Shaking both their hands, they wandered off, as it was clear Isran had something to tell. "As for you, Dragonborn, we're going to get to the bottom of why a vampire showed up here looking for you. Let's go have a little chat with it, shall we?"

Delphine suggested she would make herself scarce as I walked up the stairs, Isran waiting for me before leading me to a closed door. He unlocked and opened it, gesturing for me to enter. What I found made my blood boil, and before he knew what was happening, I had my sword in hand, pointed at his throat. "You'd better release her now," I growled.

"What?"

"Unshackle her right now," I demanded. It wasn't just the fact she'd been shackled that angered me that much.

"It's a..."

I put the tip to his skin. "One more word, Isran, and I swear to the Nine, you won't live to take another breath. Unshackle her then get the fuck out of here."

I think he wanted to argue but he would have seen my eyes, heard my tone, and considering who I was, he knew I wasn't someone to fuck with. He carefully walked past, taking the shackles from her wrists, Serana falling to the ground. He handed me the keys and sensibly exited the room. I didn't give a shit what he thought right now.

Sheathing my sword, I immediately went to Serana. Gently lifting her up, placing a finger up her chin, I made her look at me. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Guess I should have expected this sort of welcome considering what I am." Grabbing a nearby cloth, I tried to wipe away some of the blood, though wondered if vampires would be left with bruises. "Nice to know someone here cares."

"I told him you were friendly."

"I don't think he knew exactly who I was." I did my best to clear away all the blood before helping her up. She was a little unsteady for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Ragnar."

"Why are you here, Serana?"

"I'll tell you first before I share the news with anyone." There were a couple of chairs so we sat down before she continued. "It's about me. And the Elder Scroll that was buried with me. I'm guessing you figured this part out already, but my father's not exactly a good person. Even by vampire standards."

"That's putting it mildly."

"He wasn't always like that, though. There was... a turn. He stumbled onto this obscure prophecy and just kind of lost himself in it."

"Another prophecy? Been at the centre of my own."

That made her smile, which made me smile in return. I really am a fool. Or just a sucker for a pretty face. Hers was very pretty, even with the remains of blood. "It's pointless and vague one, like all prophecies. The part he latched onto said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. That's what he's after. He wants to control the sun, have vampires control the world."

"Well, he sounds rather delusional than anything else."

"Maybe not completely. The prophecy said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. For someone who fancied himself as vampire royalty, that's pretty seductive. Anyway, my mother and I didn't feel like inviting a war with all of Tamriel, so we tried to stop him. That's why I was sealed away with the Scroll."

"Oh, well, when you put it like that..."

"Something about you makes me think I can trust you. I hope I'm not wrong."

"You trust me?" I asked, unable to hide the surprise in my tone.

"You've only been a help so far since I woke up. You took me home. You listened to me. And you were... nice when you walked in here."

"You didn't deserve that sort of treatment when obviously coming to help."

"I'm going to need your help convincing your leader that I'm here to help, and that he needs to listen to my warnings. My father has plans, big plans, and unfortunately for both of us, waking me up has now brought those plans to fruition."

I was sceptical that Isran would listen to a vampire, but if she needed help convincing him, I was going to do what I could. We found Isran downstairs, and I noticed he was flanked by a couple of others, and once Serana and I sat down, two more were at the door leading out. He glanced at Serana before glaring at me. "I don't appreciate being threatened, Dragonborn. The only reason you're sitting there now is that I know what you're actually capable of."

"I will not apologise. I don't appreciate when someone hurts a friend of mine."

"This... thing... is a friend?" he scoffed.

"Yes." I could feel Serana looking at me but kept my eyes on Isran. "I helped her get home. She has obviously come here to help us."

"What in oblivion could she tell us?"

"Well, if you spoke to her instead of beating her, maybe she could tell you?" I asked sarcastically, feeling my temper rise again.

He could obviously hear my tone so, after glaring for a few more seconds, he turned away, looking at Serana. "Okay. Speak quickly."

Serana repeated what she told me, Isran barely raising a question, so she finished rather quickly. Isran remained silent. Whether he was thinking or not, I'm not sure. I guess he was trying to put aside his prejudices, deciding whether to believe a vampire or not. So he looked at me before asking, "Now tell me, is there any reason I shouldn't kill this bloodsucking fiend right now?"

"For fuck... Isran, did you not hear a word Serana just said?"

"Why, because of that story about the prophecy? About some vampire trying to put the sun out? Do you actually believe any of that?"

"Considering I'm part of a prophecy myself, yes, I do believe it. And I've met the man, albeit only briefly, and there's no doubt he has something in mind regarding the Scroll, considering that was his first question when Serana returned."

He remained silent again, and he had to know I was right. I was the one who'd located Serana, met her father, and it was obvious I trusted her. So if he trusted me, he had to trust her. Finally, he grunted. "Fine, Dragonborn. But you'd better know what you're doing. It can stay for now, but if it so much as lays a finger on anyone here, I'll hold you responsible. Got it?" Then he turned to Serana. "You hear me? Don't feel like a guest, because you're not. You're a resource. You're an asset. In the meantime, don't make me regret my sudden outburst of tolerance and generosity, because if you do, your friend here is going to pay for it."

"Thank you for your kindness. I'll remember it the next time I'm feeling hungry," she retorted. I didn't know whether to groan or laugh. I watched for his reaction, and a brief smirk did appear before he waved away everyone around us.

"Okay, you seem to have an idea forming in that head of yours. What do you propose?" he asked.

"The Scroll I have with me should lead us to something that can help us. Obviously, none of us here can read it."

"Who can?" I asked, as I didn't have a clue.

"The only people I know are Moth Priests. They spend years preparing before they start reading, but that doesn't help us here, as they are all based in Cyrodiil."

"Moth Priests eh? Tell you what, I'll start investigating and let you know what I can find out," Isran stated, sounding rather conciliatory. I guess ending the threat mattered most right now. "I have some friends around Skyrim who might be able to give us the information. It might take some time though."

"That's fine. Might give me enough time to make a trip north."

"If you're going to the College, Ragnar, you might want to have a word with Urag," Isran suggested, "The orc knows his stuff, and if there's anyone who'd know if a Moth Priest was in Skyrim, it would be him. If he does tell you anything, make sure you let me know before you go riding off to find him."

"Good point," Serana agreed, "If we're looking for one, my father will be too."

"Okay, we'll leave first thing tomorrow," I stated.

I found Delphine and let her know what was happening. She didn't ask to join me and I didn't invite her either. She knew that part of her life was over, but Isran found her things to keep her occupied, and if need be, she would happily return to Sky Haven Temple. Serana and I shared a room that night, taking separate beds, so Delphine didn't approach me that night. To be honest, I wouldn't have accepted an invitation anyway. I was already thinking I'd put my foot in it as I knew I couldn't lie to my girls.

The next day, this time Serana with her own horse, we headed north. Knowing we couldn't stay in Windhelm, as Serana mentioned not wanting to stay within a city, I made sure we had a tent, bedrolls, and plenty of furs to keep us warm, as we'd likely end up camping where it was rather cold. Even pushing our horses hard, we'd never make the College in a day.

We eventually camped to the west of Windhelm, finding shelter under a rocky outcrop though we still need a tent. After building a fire, I cooked myself some meat. I offered Serana some, but she said it was okay as she didn't really eat. I knew what a vampire required so I did ask about her... feeding habits. She was honest about what she did before she went to sleep, admitting she had not fed since waking up. I asked if that made her weaker, and she said it was fine. She could go weeks without needing blood. If she was around me, she would probably enjoy eating raw meat, as animal blood was precisely that.

We didn't share a bedroll that night but did share the bundle of furs I'd brought along, continuing to chat away, getting to know each other, though I knew Serana kept a lot buried. I probably did most of the talking, sharing my adventures, and I found myself being rather open and honest from the get go, making her giggle more than once as I explained some of my shenanigans. But she admitted that it did sound like I lived life to the fullest and tried to enjoy myself at least.

Arriving at the bridge sometime the next afternoon, we dismounted and led our horses across. Aela and Lydia were in the courtyard, appearing to go through some drills, quickly forgotten once they saw me. Within a couple of seconds, I was being cuddled very tightly by the pair of them. I couldn't help laugh as they were rather happy to see me. Once I'd given them both a light kiss, I nodded in the direction of Serana. "We have company," I stated. They let me go and stood back as Serana stepped forward. "This is Serana. Serana, this is Aela and Lydia."

"She's a vampire!" Lydia exclaimed, Aela immediately digging her in the ribs.

"Nice to meet you," Aela stated, offering her hand, Serana waiting a moment before grasping it. "What brings you here with Ragnar?"

"Dawnguard business."

"Ah, that's why he left a while back. I take it things have progressed, Ragnar?"

"Sort of. The fun has only just begun, I think. Anyway, where is Mirabelle?"

"Inside as usual, hard at work. She'll be happy to see you too."

"I'll introduce Serana and catch up with her. Dinner later?"

"Of course, Ragnar. The three of us dine together every night."

Leaving them to resume their training, though I had no doubt they'd just end up gossiping, I led Serana inside to our quarters. Mirabelle was busy reading a book though heard me approach, immediately getting to her feet, taking her in my arms to give her a kiss, holding her tight to me as always. "I've missed you," she whispered.

"I missed you too," I whispered back, giving her another kiss.

Then she noticed Serana, noticing her immediately blush and take half a step back. "Who's your friend?"

"Mirabelle, this is Serana. I mentioned her a while back."

"Oh, I remember." Mirabelle was immediately friendly, stepping forward, offering her hand. "Nice to meet you, Serana."

"You too," Serana replied, and I could see she was surprised at the welcome she'd received so far.

"I'm glad you're back, Ragnar, but what does bring you back here with your friend?"

"Well, Isran has to find out one or two things, so I figured I could return here for a couple of days, though he mentioned Urag might be able to help me. But that's for later anyway. How have things been here?"

Leading me by hand, we sat side by side on the bed, Mirabelle gesturing to the now empty chair. "I've been very busy getting things in order for when I eventually leave." I nodded without saying anything. "Aela and Lydia have kept themselves entertained too. How about you?"

"Oh, I have one or two things to share. Not right now though."

She glanced towards Serana before looking back at me. "Have you slept with her already?"

I couldn't help chuckle. "No, Belle." I glanced towards Serana, who appeared very surprised by the question. "I'm merely helping her, and she's helping me."

"We're just friends. I trust him," Serana added, and I could hear how awkward she was already.

Mirabelle noticed. "Apologies, Serana, but when Ragnar finds himself with a beautiful woman, it usually happens quite quickly."

"Oh..." Serana trailed off.

I cleared my throat. "Anyway, I'm assuming dinner will be soon, so we can catch up at least."

"Of course. There are a few spare beds. Why don't you relax and I'll show where she can sleep while she's here?"

"Sounds like a good idea. Serana?"

"That's fine, Ragnar."

I hadn't taken all that much, I just assumed Mirabelle wanted to chat with Serana alone for a few minutes. She returned, I assume having left Serana in privacy, immediately hugging and kissing me again. "I can see why you like her, Ragnar. She's very pretty. I'm surprised you haven't fucked her yet."

"Our relationship isn't like that."

"Yet..."

"I honestly don't think she sees me that way. Anyway, it's good to have at least one or two women who I can call friends without fucking them."

"Do you want to fuck her?" I just looked at her. She smiled in return. "Well, no surprise. I didn't lie when I said she is very pretty."

That evening over dinner, I shared what I'd been up to. The girls naturally worried about the rise of vampires, assuring them that I'd do everything humanly possible to stop it. But I was also honest about one or two other things. I admitted to sleeping with Sybille, though left out the part about her being a vampire. That wasn't for me to share.

However, I had to take a deep breath before admitting that I'd also been with Delphine. Mirabelle didn't share an opinion. Aela just shook her head, I think muttering I was a fool. Lydia was most upset, immediately on the verge of tears, before she stood up and walked out of the room. "Shit," I muttered.

"I'll go talk to her," Aela suggested.

"No. I was the one who did it. I should."

I headed outside and upstairs towards the elevated walkway. Lydia had been smart enough to grab a large fur to wrap herself up in. Even in the near darkness, when she turned to look at me, I could see the tears falling down her cheeks. "I didn't think you would, not after what happened..."

I sighed. "Well, we ended up needing to share a room and... it wasn't loving, Lydia. I mean, we've had some pretty hard sex, but there's always feelings. What happened in Markarth was... angry, for the most part anyway..."

She nodded before asking, "Did she ask about me?"

"I told her the truth. She broke your heart."

Lydia sniffed. "She did. She's a bitch." She turned to face me. "I can't demand anything of you, Ragnar, but I will ask."

"If you don't want me to again, I won't, Lydia. You are far more important." With those words, I wrapped her in a hug. "It was a moment of weakness, which I obviously suffer often. And, well... You remember..."

"I do," she whispered, "But I can't stand the thought that you would be intimate with her again."

"So I won't be again. I give you my word. If she asks, I will say no. What happened in Markarth will be the final time."

"Anyone but her, Ragnar. I don't want her to have you again. She can suffer alone for what she did."

"Okay." I just held her in the darkness until she seemed to settle down. I knew it would upset her but I didn't anticipate as much. The request not to do it again wasn't a surprise. It was a request I could easily accept. Lydia was far more important to me and, if I did it again, I'd feel nothing but guilt, certainly couldn't lie to her about it, and it would probably spell the end of our relationship. Aela and Mirabelle probably wouldn't be particularly happy either.