He frowned again, as they passed through the courtyard of the keep. Paarthurnax had said something about their shared blood that had stayed with him.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-1.png\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cI would not trust another dovah,\u201d he\u2019d said when Dardeh had mentioned the Blades\u2019 demand that he kill Paarthurnax. They were wise to suggest that, the ancient dragon told him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not? Why wouldn\u2019t you trust one of your own kind?\u201d<\/p>\n
Paarthurnax had grinned his toothy grin and said the words that had seared themselves into Dardeh\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cDov wahlaan fah rel. We were made to dominate. The will to power is in our blood. You feel it in yourself, do you not?\u201d<\/p>\n
He did. It was true. And the worst of it was that Hermaeus Mora clearly understood that will, that overwhelming drive, and had positioned himself to take advantage of it, first through Miraak and now through Dardeh.<\/p>\n
I won\u2019t give him the satisfaction. I will strive to be like Paarthurnax, and overcome my evil nature through great effort. <\/em>He glanced to his left to find Roggi, and smiled. With the help of this man.<\/em><\/p>\n They made their way down through the keep to the kitchen area, where Valerius had set up camp with his men. Marcus Jannus was seated at the table and Valerius leaned nearby against the wall.<\/p>\n \u201cYou told us to give you a day,\u201d Dardeh called out, \u201cand here we are.\u00a0 What\u2019s been decided?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh yes, we\u2019ve been waiting for you! Now that you\u2019re here, we have a matter of grave importance to discuss with you.\u201d\u00a0 Marcus rose from his chair, and Valerius stepped forward to meet him. \u201cDo you really think this nonsensical plan of yours will work, Val?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJannus, it has<\/em> to work. We have no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Two people emerged from the room just beyond.\u00a0 One, a young man, wore the showy red armor of an Imperial legate and the other, a woman, was in standard-issue Imperial light armor. Dardeh reached for his swords without thinking, the fire in his blood readying itself.<\/p>\n It was a trap! They knew we were with Ulfric at Solitude and stalled for time to get the Imperials here to take us down!<\/em><\/p>\n He felt a hand on his arm and glanced at Roggi, to find him shaking his head and nodding toward the young man. The soldier kept pulling at the openings of the armor, and grimacing in obvious distaste. Dardeh relaxed as he realized that these people were there at Valerius\u2019 bidding, and that Marcus seemed unruffled by their presence.<\/p>\n \u201cReporting\u2026 as ordered, sir,\u201d the young man said, squirming uncomfortably in the armor.<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Valerius said. \u201cThe armor looks good on you two.\u201d He chuckled.<\/p>\n The young man frowned. \u201cWell, it itches. And it stinks<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Valerius grinned. \u201cIt\u2019s had a dead man in it. What do you expect?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo now that we\u2019re all here,\u201d Marcus interrupted, \u201cValerius, would you like to fill in our friends on your plan?\u201d<\/p>\n Valerius nodded, whatever amusement had been on his face disappearing as if he\u2019d never laughed before.\u00a0 He turned to face Dardeh.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you ever stop to wonder how my men and I came to this place?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot really, but now that you mention it\u2026 I would assume that you were here to spy on the Thalmor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, yes, but that\u2019s not all of it. Up until a couple of weeks ago we were still in Cyrodiil. Then our sources began reporting on new Thalmor activity taking place south of here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBastards are everywhere,\u201d Roggi grumbled.<\/p>\n \u201cRumor \u2013 credible enough to investigate – was that they were turning an old fort into a prison for captured Talos worshippers. I sent my best man, Korst. He was ordered not to confront them, but to observe only. Unfortunately, he did not return, and I\u2019m afraid something went very wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow long has he been missing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout two weeks. After one week went by we started to fear the worst, so we mobilized and came here. Finding Korst is the main reason we\u2019re here. This fort gave us the perfect spot to rest, resupply, and prepare to find out what happened to him.\u201d<\/p>\n That makes sense. This place has been just crawling with bandits for months and now we have soldiers in it, instead. There had to be a good reason. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSo,\u201d Valerius continued, \u201cwe eliminated the bandits, took over the fort, tried to blend in and not draw attention to ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut Marcus found you anyway,\u201d Dardeh said, grinning. \u201cSo. He said you have a plan?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Fortunately, the Imperials left everything behind when they abandoned this place. It looks like Elenwen herself was here.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi hissed from the other side of the room. Dardeh glanced at him and nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was, and you\u2019re right. They left everything, and almost everyone. I saw it all a bit too closely for comfort. But what does that have to do with a plan?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI need you to pose as an Imperial officer with orders to transfer Korst back to Elenwen for interrogation.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi snorted.<\/p>\n \u201cLegion prisoner transfer parties always travel in groups of three, so Falco and Cienna will be going with you. As you can see, they\u2019re already in Imperial uniform. You must do the same if this has any chance of working. We found some officer\u2019s armor that should fit you, and put a little enchantment on it for you. It\u2019s only worn by high-ranking officers, so it should help you carry a little more influence. If you have any other powers of persuasion, this would be the time to use them. Perhaps between the two, it will be enough for this to work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOut of the question,\u201d Dardeh said as soon as there was a pause. \u201cI fought with the Stormcloaks. I will not impersonate an Imperial. Besides, look around you. There will be four of us, not three, because Roggi goes where I go. That means we\u2019ll already be obviously not<\/em> a prisoner transfer group, so the disguises won\u2019t be necessary.\u201d\u00a0 He felt the familiar surge of pride rising within him, and grinned. \u201cI am confident in my own abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n Gods. This is what Paarthurnax was warning me about. I don\u2019t need to stumble over my own ego.<\/em><\/p>\n Valerius frowned. \u201cOh, very well. I understand. You\u2019ll just have to kill them all. But please do not get my men killed.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh suddenly thought of Jine, telling him when men stand in our way we kill them all. <\/em>He nodded. Sorry to spoil this carefully designed plan but I won\u2019t do it.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry. If Korst is alive you can rest assured we\u2019ll bring him back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, my friend. You know, Marcus seems to be quite impressed with you. And if he trusts you, then I trust you. The prison is located south of here, on the road past Fort Neugrad heading for the Cyrodiil border.\u00a0 I\u2019ll mark it on your map. Please return as soon as you can. And good luck.\u201d<\/p>\n Valerius and Jannus both left the area then, and their two soldiers followed Dardeh across the room to speak to Roggi.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you think? Do we do it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve already told them we will, Dar; we can\u2019t very well go back on your word.\u00a0 Besides,\u201d he said, his eyes glittering in a way that made Dardeh a bit uneasy, \u201cI will be more than happy to spill a little Thalmor blood. Won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. No doubt about it.\u201d\u00a0 Dardeh sighed. \u201cI had actually hoped they were going to set us on clearing rubble. Something that\u2019s only dangerous if you miss your swing and sink a pickaxe into your foot.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi grinned. \u201cYeah, I know. But you\u2019re too valuable an asset, Dar. We probably have a better chance than most of rescuing this Korst fellow.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh nodded. \u201cI agree.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get going, then.\u201d<\/p>\n It was dark by the time they were running south toward the old fort Valerius had pointed out for them.\u00a0 Dardeh grimaced as he ran uphill toward the Pale Pass.\u00a0 This was the very road he\u2019d traversed bound, in prisoner\u2019s garb, in the back of a wagon on the beautiful sunny day that had ended with Alduin destroying Helgen. Just the memory of it made him angry.<\/p>\n If I hadn\u2019t been trying to find Dag, I wouldn\u2019t have been at the border gate when they caught that horse thief and took me along too. They simply wouldn\u2019t listen to me. How different my life would have been, if not for that. I would never have gotten involved with dragons, or Graybeards, or Miraak, or the war. I would have just gone home to Markarth and spent my days digging up silver ore. I would never have known what sort of power was flowing through my veins.<\/em><\/p>\n He swiveled around for a moment to be sure that everyone else was keeping up to him, and saw Roggi, his blonde hair showing bright in what little moonlight there was on this night.\u00a0 He turned and resumed his run up the mountain.<\/p>\n And I never would have met Roggi. How empty life without him would be.<\/em><\/p>\n I suppose there\u2019s simply no good to be had in second-guessing my life since Helgen. It happened the way it was supposed to happen.<\/em><\/p>\n He took the spur in the road that led around Fort Neugrad. It would be too easy to be distracted from their purpose if for some reason Imperials were trying to take back the fort.\u00a0 He needed to keep Valerius\u2019 people alive, and there was a good chance they wouldn\u2019t be if he and Roggi got involved in another war skirmish. It was a mercifully uninteresting trek aside from the sky becoming even darker than it had been and snow beginning to fall.<\/p>\n Rounding a corner, Dardeh saw up ahead an old Imperial-make tower. He vaguely remembered passing it on his cart ride down the mountain from the border, but hadn\u2019t been truly focused on anything then aside from how am I going to stay alive? <\/em>It hadn\u2019t even occurred to him to wonder what was in there.\u00a0 He slowed to a walking pace and waited for the others to catch up.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the place?\u201d Roggi asked as he approached.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned closer to Roggi so as to get a good look at his eyes. \u201cI hate to ask this, Roggi, because I know what you\u2019ll say but\u2026 it\u2019s a Thalmor prison. You know what we\u2019re going to find inside, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi\u2019s expression was steely. \u201cOf course I do. Some of the best techniques we learned came from those bastards.\u201d He shrugged. \u201cYou know what I am, Dar. And foremost, right now, I\u2019m someone helping to free up things so we can rebuild Helgen. That\u2019s why I\u2019m here with you. Unless there\u2019s a good reason for it I\u2019m not likely to exercise my other talents any time soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh nodded slowly. Roggi clearly believed what he was saying just then and yet Dardeh could feel the shimmering undercurrent of excitement in his words, the desire to use his power the way only he could use it. I know that feeling because that\u2019s how I am. That\u2019s why I didn\u2019t want Hermaeus Mora\u2019s extra gifts. It\u2019s too easy to actually use them. <\/em><\/p>\n But Roggi didn\u2019t need him sowing any seeds of doubt, so he smiled and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cOk. I just wanted to be sure. Now then,\u201d he added, turning to include the other two in his statement as well, \u201cwe\u2019re just going to have to fight our way through these people to find Korst. I\u2019m going to do something to give us a little edge.\u00a0 It\u2019ll likely put everyone inside on high alert, so be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n He drew his breath and Shouted. \u201cMID \u2013 VUR SHAAN!\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi grinned. Falco and Cienna each looked startled until they realized the extra energy they had, and began smiling too.<\/p>\n \u201cReady? I\u2019m opening it up.\u201d<\/p>\n As soon as they stepped in the door, Dardeh found himself face to face with an Altmer dressed in Thalmor Justiciar robes. Tall, as expected of an Altmer, and with medium-length brown hair and beard, the man presented as elegant and refined.\u00a0 Dardeh wasn\u2019t much for mer, as a rule, but he did appreciate an attractive male no matter his race; and when this one spoke, his rich and cultured voice heightened the impression he made. Another Thalmor, in the gaudy, green glass armor they favored, stood behind the Justiciar in a doorway. Dardeh found himself smiling in spite of what he knew was serious danger before him.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d the mer asked. \u201cAnd what do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here for a prisoner transfer. The Nord is to be taken to cell block 1138 in the Embassy.\u201d He held out the papers Valerius had given him, but the elf\u2019s eyes crinkled up with amusement and he laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not even in uniform. Do you take me for a fool, spy<\/em>?\u201d Without taking his eyes off Dardeh, he raised his voice and called out.\u00a0 \u201cGuards! To arms!\u201d<\/p>\n Chaos erupted. The Thalmor standing behind the Justiciar swung around to his side and began firing lightning bolts at Dardeh.\u00a0 Another Thalmor soldier hurtled toward Dardeh, raising his sword to strike.<\/p>\n Dardeh whipped his own swords into position and blocked the mer\u2019s blow, then began his own counterattack.\u00a0 Behind him, he could hear Roggi shouting at the Thalmor; and from the corner of his eye he caught the red of Falco\u2019s pilfered Imperial uniform as he took on his own foe. Dardeh could neither see nor hear Cienna and was a bit worried; but he was fully occupied taking down the Thalmor soldier before him and hoping to avoid the spells sizzling and crackling off to his left.<\/p>\n I can\u2019t use my Voice in here. I can\u2019t! It\u2019s too close and there are too many of us. I\u2019d burn one of my own people.\u00a0 <\/em>He grimaced and kept hammering at the Thalmor closest to him.<\/p>\n The soldier finally went down.\u00a0 Dardeh swung around to find both Roggi and Falco in a tight knot of enemies. Another Justiciar had joined the fray and was casting a frost spell at Roggi. Dardeh roared and hurled himself at the Justiciar with both swords flying, hoping that Roggi would step back out of the magic\u2019s range; but of course he did not.\u00a0 He merely held his sword up before him, in a blocking stance that Dardeh knew would shortly be followed by the deadly diagonal slash that had ended so many other foes.<\/p>\n The mage in glass armor had faded back toward the exit door and was once again raining lightning bolts down on all of them. Dardeh swung around to his right, intending to take him on, but as he stepped forward an ice spike caught him just under the arm.\u00a0 He gasped, almost blinded for a moment by the pain of it, and looked for its source: one of the Justiciars had stepped back into a more open corner of the room and was firing ice spells one after the other.<\/p>\n Dardeh gritted his teeth and forced himself forward. Even in this more open area he didn\u2019t feel comfortable using a Shout. Instead, he threw all of his weight into a whirling attack that dropped the mage after only a moment or two.\u00a0 Dardeh cast his healing spell and blinked in surprise; a single casting had him feeling almost fully restored.\u00a0 He frowned.<\/p>\n Damn it! I didn\u2019t want to use it! I don\u2019t want Herma Mora in my head! But I had no choice. I don\u2019t have time to rifle around in my pack for a potion.<\/em><\/p>\n He looked across the room to see Cienna facing two Thalmor soldiers at once.\u00a0 She was holding her own, slashing with her single sword; but he saw her gathering the icy blue of a frost magic spell into her left hand and knew that meant she was going to need help.\u00a0 He dashed across the short distance between them, felling one of the soldiers by barreling into him and then stabbing him once he was down. Cienna finished the other and then ran back across the room to assist the others.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll need to do better than that!\u201d Roggi was shouting.\u00a0 Just as he lifted his sword to engage the Justiciar in front of him, a female Thalmor mage in the doorway once again fired sparks at him.<\/p>\n Roggi only taunts people like that if he\u2019s in trouble. Go! Go!<\/em><\/p>\n Dardeh practically flew across the room \u2013 to the extent his heavy body could fly \u2013 and brought his double-edged sword down as hard as he could in a leaping attack that would have done great damage even to a dragon. The mer in glass armor crumpled to the floor, dead.\u00a0 Dardeh swiveled around just in time to see the final Justiciar meet his bloody fate at the hands of all three of his companions.<\/p>\n Everyone stood silent for a moment, just catching their collective breath. Cienna cast a healing spell on herself, and Roggi downed a potion. Falco seemed mostly unscathed, a testament to both the heavy officer\u2019s armor and his own impressive swordsmanship.<\/p>\n \u201cThat went pretty well, all things considered,\u201d Roggi said.\u00a0 Dardeh couldn\u2019t help it; he laughed out loud at the familiar refrain.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess so, Roggi.\u00a0 Now then.\u201d\u00a0 He pointed down the short flight of stairs leading to a closed door.\u00a0 \u201cIf I know anything about old Imperial buildings it\u2019s that the most secure locations are either at the very top or the very bottom.\u00a0 I\u2019m guessing that\u2019s where we need to go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah the cells and torture room will be down there,\u201d Roggi said matter-of-factly.\u00a0 \u201cI picked up a key off the leader here. Guaranteed it\u2019ll open that door.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh slipped him a glance and tried not to shudder. \u201cRight. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh let Roggi unlock the door but then pushed him aside, motioning that he himself would take point. \u00a0On the other side of the door were two branches: the first, directly in front of them, led to another closed door. To the right, though, light and color caught Dardeh\u2019s attention.\u00a0 A short hallway with a set of descending steps at the end led to a lighted room; and, standing just beyond the opening, was another Thalmor.<\/p>\n Dardeh crept forward, but as usual his heavy armor gave him away. He saw the moment in which the mer began drawing in power for a shock attack. The path before him was clear. He drew his breath and let the power erupt from him almost joyously.<\/p>\n \u201cYOL- TOOR SHUL!\u201d<\/p>\n The fireball didn\u2019t kill the mage outright, but Dardeh could see and smell him cooking inside his glass armor as he dropped to one knee. Roggi, Falco, and Cienna rushed past him to attack, and it was only a matter of a few blows before the mer was dead. There was a cage door beside the spot the mage had fallen. Dardeh peered into the area beyond and saw no prisoners. It was clear, though, that they were closing in on their target.<\/p>\n A sound to Dardeh\u2019s right and farther down into the prison had him pulling his swords out defensively.\u00a0 Before he could get fully into the descending stairwell another green-clad Thalmor mage came flying toward him, casting a flame spell.\u00a0 Darden smirked.\u00a0 You don\u2019t know flame, son. <\/em>But rather than Shout again, he merely knocked the mer to the floor with his weight and lit into him with both weapons.<\/p>\n Dardeh stepped back to set himself for another attack but never got a chance. Falco and Cienna rushed into the room and attacked the Thalmor, keeping him down. Then, out of the shadows behind them, Roggi stepped forward, calmly raised his greatsword, and took one massive, perfectly-placed swing between Falco and Cienna that finished the mer off.<\/p>\n They killed one more Thalmor soldier on their way down through the keep to the main prison area, a large open space full of rows of cages. After taking a turn through it to be sure nobody was imprisoned in them, they returned to the previous room and took the opposite passage. The narrow hallway was well-lighted, and at the far end of it was a female Thalmor walking away from them.<\/p>\n Dardeh grinned. The path was clear; none of his own people were in the way. Once more he allowed the flames within to blast out from him. He could almost hear Paarthurnax saying What will you burn? What will you spare? <\/em>Not these, he thought. These, I will never spare.<\/p>\n The Thalmor groaned, burned by the Shout but not killed. \u201cTime to finish this!\u201d she taunted from jaws clamped nearly shut.<\/p>\n Dardeh laughed. \u201cIndeed.\u201d And within a few moments, between his swords and those of the people accompanying him, it was well finished.<\/p>\n Around the corner to the left and down one more half-flight of stairs was another large interment area lined with cages, a very well-lighted open space at its far end.\u00a0 The smell of blood was strong in this area and behind him Dardeh heard Roggi grunt as he recognized it, too.\u00a0 They had no time to discuss it, though, as two more Thalmor, a Justiciar and a mage, ran out from the open space.<\/p>\n The mage was a conjuration specialist, a fact that became obvious as a large ball of blue energy revealed a flame atronach.\u00a0 Dardeh snarled and ran toward the mage. It didn\u2019t matter how deadly the Justiciar might be; if he could take down the mage he would also likely dissipate the conjuration as well. He was well on the way to doing so when a fireball caught him square on, burning fiercely, the sound of its explosion deafening him enough that he couldn\u2019t track how the others were doing against the Justiciar as he knew they must be.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t help but cry out as he felt the skin under his ebony armor begin to cook; but there was no time to heal himself.\u00a0 It was life or death: the Thalmor mage, or him.<\/p>\n Roggi growled. \u201cLet\u2019s see what you\u2019ve got!\u201d<\/p>\n That taunt \u2013 for reasons Dardeh would never understand \u2013 drew the mage\u2019s attention away from him for just long enough.\u00a0 He had just enough space to slip around behind the mage and slice him to ribbons.<\/p>\n And then the atronach exploded.<\/p>\n Dardeh went down on one knee, yowling in pain.\u00a0 His heart was pounding in his ears; his vision was dimming, his breathing was shallow, and he knew that if he couldn\u2019t somehow cast the healing spell right then he would be dead.<\/p>\n I can\u2019t do it. It\u2019s too hard.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNo! DAR!\u201d he heard Roggi shout.<\/p>\n He nodded \u2013 or at least he thought he nodded. It was hard to tell. It felt almost as if he was floating above the body in black armor that knelt on the floor of the cell block.\u00a0 He focused on his hand, as hard as he could, and brought every tiny shred of magic that he owned into it.<\/p>\n Heal.\u00a0 Cast heal.<\/em><\/p>\n The feeling of burning inside his skull intensified, and it was as if yet another layer of understanding of healing had been revealed.\u00a0 He released the spell.\u00a0 Comfort washed over him. He gasped, a deep cleansing breath, and raised his head to find Roggi staring at him. Roggi held his greatsword horizontally before his body and was pushing back against the Thalmor Justiciar\u2019s sword.\u00a0 He shouldn\u2019t have taken his eyes off his enemy for a moment, but he did, just long enough for Dardeh to see the relief wash over his face.<\/p>\n I won\u2019t leave you, love. I promise.<\/em><\/p>\n Dardeh cast another healing spell on himself. This time he felt almost completely well; definitely well enough to rise to his feet and rush toward their final adversary, a female mage in green glass armor.<\/p>\n \u201cHah! Found you!\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n Dardeh sneered. And you\u2019re done. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYOL- TOOR SHUL!\u201d<\/p>\n The woman dropped to the floor, dead.<\/p>\n \u201cWell there,\u201d Roggi murmured. \u201cThat\u2019s the end of that. Dar, are you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n Except for having Hermaeus Mora floating around wriggling his tentacles in my brain, I\u2019m super.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I\u2019m ok now. It was close, though. Closer than I\u2019ve been in a long time. I guess I shouldn\u2019t get quite so cocky about my own strength.\u201d He rotated his shoulders around under the heavy armor, trying to relax, and taking stock of the place before them.<\/p>\n The Justiciar had been seated before a rectangular table.\u00a0 Dardeh glanced at it and did a double-take; for the items on it included a saw, a nasty-looking hook, some embalming instruments, leather bindings and \u2013 most horrible to his eye \u2013 a full set of torture implements in a case much like those that Roggi owned.\u00a0 He glanced at Roggi and saw him staring at the table, his face a stony mask that revealed nothing at all.\u00a0 He wanted to go to Roggi, pull him away from the display; but a cough and a metallic noise on the far side of the room drew his attention.<\/p>\n A large Nord man with steely gray hair hung manacled to the wall.\u00a0 There was blood on the floor all around him and for a moment Dardeh thought they\u2019d been too late and had fought all the way in here to recover a corpse; but then the man coughed again. They all rushed to his side. Falco wrestled with the manacles for a moment until figuring out how to release them. As he was freed, the big Nord collapsed onto the floor, then struggled to rise.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me see if I can walk,\u201d he mumbled.\u00a0 He took a couple of steps forward and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cSo\u2026 so dizzy,\u201d he said, dropping down onto his knees and groaning. \u201cSo weak. Can\u2019t\u2026 can\u2019t walk.\u201d<\/p>\n Falco spoke up. \u201cCienna, he\u2019s not going to make it if you don\u2019t help him.\u00a0 See what you can do.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded and raised her arms.\u00a0 Warming magical light flowed out of her hands and surrounded the Nord.<\/p>\n \u201cHang on, Korst,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ll have you as good as new in a second.\u201d<\/p>\n Healing hands. I wish I\u2019d learned that.<\/em>\u00a0 Dardeh looked back over his shoulder and saw that Roggi had taken a seat next to the torture tools.\u00a0 He winced.\u00a0 What is he thinking? What kind of thing goes through his mind when he sees those? How can I help him?<\/em><\/p>\n He approached Roggi, slowly, watching the blank look on his husband\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you ok?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Roggi glanced sideways at the table and then down to the floor. \u201cNo, not really.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat can I do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing. Not unless you can revive one of these bastards and tie him to the rack so I can get in some practice.\u201d\u00a0 Roggi chuckled, and then looked back at Dardeh.<\/p>\n My face must give me away, he thought as Roggi\u2019s eyes widened and his face went pale.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Dar. I don\u2019t really mean it.\u00a0 I mean\u2026 well\u2026\u201d\u00a0 He trailed off, looking distressed.<\/p>\n Dardeh reached for one of his hands.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, you do,\u201d he murmured. \u201cI understand, Roggi. It\u2019s ok.\u201d<\/p>\n He was about to say more, but heard the voices behind his back.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It\u2019s much better now, Cienna. Thank you.\u201d There was a pause and then he continued. \u201cWhat are you two doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cValerius sent us here to find you and bring you home,\u201d Falco said. \u201cDid you think we would let you rot in here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know, Falco. I thought I might die in this stinking place. Are all those guards dead? You killed them all?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, not all of them. Our new friends here are quite the fighters.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes? Who is this with you? I\u2019ve never seen him before.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh was about to respond when Falco cut him off.\u00a0 \u201cA traveler. And a new friend of Marcus Jannus.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh chuckled. \u201cKorst, I\u2019m happy to meet you. I\u2019m glad we got here in time.\u00a0 My name is Dardeh and that\u2019s my husband Roggi over there. We live in Falkreath Hold, up near the border of Whiterun, and, well\u2026 I\u2019m one of the people who was in Helgen the day Alduin burned it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKorst, you won\u2019t believe it,\u201d Falco said. \u201cMarcus is in Skyrim. And he\u2019s back in Helgen with Valerius.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHelgen? I\u2019ll bet Valerius never saw that one coming,\u201d Korst laughed. \u201cWhy is Marcus here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure, but\u2026 something about rebuilding Helgen, I think.\u00a0 Korst, we can talk about that later. We need to go.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh glanced back over his shoulder and saw Roggi standing, leaning against the front of the table, inspecting all the grisly tools laid out there.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, we really do,\u201d he said.\u00a0 I need to get him away from here. For that matter I need to get me away from here. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Korst agreed. \u201cLet\u2019s get out of here before any more of those Thalmor maggots show up.\u201d<\/p>\n Korst\u2019s gear had been stowed in a chest just beyond the table where Roggi stood. As Korst got himself re-equipped, the rest of them moved in that direction.\u00a0 Dardeh was all ready to move toward the exit when he noticed that the set of torture tools had disappeared from the table.\u00a0 He stopped for a moment, and looked up at Roggi, questioning him silently.<\/p>\n Roggi said nothing.\u00a0 But his face and his eyes carried an expression that said he would not be sharing any thoughts on this issue and did not want to discuss it. Dardeh looked at him for a moment longer, then sighed and nodded.\u00a0 As he passed Roggi on his way toward the exit, he patted him on the shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, that\u2019s much better,\u201d Korst said. \u201cPerhaps our new friend here will lead the way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s get going,\u201d Roggi agreed.<\/p>\n Dardeh still looked grim by the time they returned to Helgen. Roggi had done his level best to cheer him up. He\u2019d sung songs, told funny stories, and kept Dardeh well occupied when they stopped for the night in Kynesgrove. Dardeh had felt very cared for, and even managed a smile now and then in … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-2.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-3.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-4.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-5.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-6.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-7.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-8.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-9.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/5-1-4-10.png\")
<\/p>\n