{"id":2189,"date":"2023-01-24T17:45:51","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T00:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baakay.com\/Snow\/?page_id=2189"},"modified":"2023-01-30T12:08:41","modified_gmt":"2023-01-30T19:08:41","slug":"chapter-17","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/baakay.com\/Snow\/volume-ii\/part-ii-above-and-beyond\/chapter-17\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 17"},"content":{"rendered":"
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 <\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t get her out of his head.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d gotten used to the effect he had on people in general. It was something peculiar to vampires that mortals were always, in some measure, charmed by them. It was undoubtedly why Qara hadn\u2019t retreated to a more comfortable distance from him after he kissed her fingertips. It was why she\u2019d seemed almost eager to accept the kiss he\u2019d given her.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It was true that he took a perverse delight in stoking the fires of Brynjolf\u2019s discomfort whenever they were near each other. He\u2019d felt the heat of Brynjolf\u2019s glare from all the way across the marketplace. It was even more enjoyable knowing that the man was suffering the pangs of protective fatherhood while watching him kiss Qara. Adding Harald to the mix had been a delightful bonus; he couldn\u2019t imagine that the Nord was really \u201cjust a friend\u201d in spite of Qara\u2019s protestations, and he\u2019d no doubt been fuming.<\/p>\n

But none of that explained why he\u2019d needed to struggle with himself to keep from tasting her life essence. It didn\u2019t explain why he\u2019d had an overpowering need to inhale her scent, to touch her skin with his lips. It had been such a strong compulsion that he\u2019d nearly fed on the poor girl right there in the middle of Riften.<\/p>\n

And that would have been a catastrophe. <\/em><\/p>\n

He chewed on the problem all the way up to the shrine and back down into Coldhaven. There wasn\u2019t anything overly special about her, as far as he knew. She was much younger than he was, barely beyond childhood and thus a poor match for him. But he had been the one who couldn\u2019t pull away from Qara, not the opposite. He\u2019d had to exert every iota of his willpower to avoid sinking his fangs into her neck. He didn\u2019t understand it. It simply wouldn\u2019t do.<\/p>\n

As he started down the pathway toward the Sovrena\u2019s tower he finally shook himself back into focus. He had business to attend to here, and he needed to pay attention to it.<\/p>\n

In spite of her suggesting that they meet in court rather than in her private quarters, Tamara was in her central study area when Dale found her. He\u2019d been musing over what he might say to her, how he would broach the subject. It wouldn\u2019t do to seem too eager, but he couldn\u2019t think of another way to start than to simply come right to the point.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreetings, my lady,\u201d he said, approaching from the doorway. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about our last conversation ever since I left. Something you said has been weighing on my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d she asked; Dale was relieved that she did not seem in the least annoyed with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. You mentioned that one of the founding members was missing. Dalaran, was it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed. For a long while now. And I do miss his counsel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cForgive me for being so blunt but you\u2019ve never found a body, correct?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if I were to help look for him? I\u2019d like to do something to repay you for your warm welcome. That\u2019s a rare and wonderful thing to encounter in this world, and I am very grateful for it.\u201d More grateful than you could possibly imagine. I really needed that information to take back to Agryn.<\/em><\/p>\n

Her eyes opened wider for just a moment before she smoothed her expression back to its normal smoothness. Her tone of voice, though, revealed how pleased she was.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be greatly appreciated! Please keep your eyes and ears open. A fresh perspective may well help find clues we have missed to this point.\u201d She paused for a moment, and a small, brief smile took one corner of her mouth. \u201cA fresh perspective that will not automatically arouse suspicion will be most useful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Very good, Dale thought. This is how I hoped this conversation would proceed. \u201cThat often seems to be the case, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll inform the Captain of the Guard \u2013 discreetly, of course – that you\u2019ll be exploring around the city. I hate to say this, given that you may be looking for a body, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d suggest starting in the mine, or perhaps the workers\u2019 encampments. Or, and I hesitate to mention this, but it\u2019s a real possibility \u2013 the sewers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ah yes. The sewers seem to have been an area of concern. I\u2019ll definitely look there.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLet me think. I\u2019ll have Nasaris double shifts in the mine to help find anything hidden there. He\u2019ll make certain the sluice gates in the sewers are raised, too. That may make moving through them easier. I can\u2019t begin to thank you enough for offering to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll get to it right away, then.\u201d Dale gave the Sovrena a half-bow and turned to leave. He was certain she appreciated not having to send any of her own people sloshing around in a sewer, but he wasn\u2019t completely sure he liked the idea of Nasaris being involved.<\/p>\n

Although I\u2019m not convinced he\u2019ll think I\u2019m worth being concerned about one way or another, as very important as he is. <\/em><\/p>\n

He chuckled as he left the Sovrena\u2019s tower. One of these days my sense of humor will get me into trouble. Or maybe \u201ceven more trouble\u201d is closer to the truth. I\u2019m convinced that Brynjolf would have happily wrung my neck several times by the time I left Riften.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

He nearly jumped out of his skin as a Falmer clutching a pickaxe passed him from behind on the left. Another Falmer waddled down the road in front of him. He wrinkled his nose in dismay as the pungent scent of unwashed Falmer drifted through the air.<\/p>\n

Good gods, the stench. And I\u2019m used to smelling dead things. Honestly.<\/em><\/p>\n

I can hardly wait for the sewers.<\/em><\/p>\n

He followed the Falmer at a safe distance. One of them broke away from the road to enter a substantial and impressive mushroom bed. Not far away was a door set into the cavern wall. It had no sign outside, but what had looked like two plaques proved to be a matched set of torture devices. I should have recognized them, he thought, and stepped out of the way as a large man with flaming red eyes walked in front of him and through the door. That was the torturer, no doubt of it.<\/p>\n

People speak of being afraid of vampires, but I\u2019d put torturers and inquisitors right up there with us as beings to fear.<\/em><\/p>\n

Farther along the road a small stream flowed from a grated tunnel down into a small, shallow pool. An old man with a pole sat at the end of a short dock; he assured Dale that he\u2019d been fishing and hunting there for years. Dale merely smiled, nodded, and went on his way. Apparently senility could strike vampires as well as mortals. That thought had him frowning, remembering Agryn\u2019s comment about having \u201cthe crazy\u201d passed along.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Down the road a bit from the torturer\u2019s place was another door. A man stood there keeping a stern eye on two comely women. The local brothel, no doubt, and he\u2019s their \u201cmanager.\u201d Very well. I do believe I\u2019ll pass on that temptation. <\/em>Neither of them compared favorably to Qaralana, he realized, frowning.<\/p>\n

Finally, at the very end of the street, he found two things of real interest. The first was the smithy – Karsh Metalworks, according to its sign. The blacksmith wasn\u2019t outside, but given the effusive praise everyone had heaped on him, Dale would make a point of returning later. He needed to learn more about the \u201cnew weapons\u201d and report back to Agryn about them.<\/p>\n

The second thing of interest was the mine. He knew it was the mine not only because of its proximity to the smithy, or the array of ore carts, pickaxes and shovels outside the door, but because a smelly Falmer was entering just in front of him. To the best of his knowledge they had two jobs here: farming the fungi or mining the gold. He took a deep breath and blew it out, hoping to clear his nostrils, and then pushed the door open.<\/p>\n

This far underground the mine was not only hot but also very humid, with a heavy mist hanging just above the floor. Dale broke into a sweat, once again grateful to Vyctyna for his much lighter and looser armor.<\/p>\n

There was little light here, making the Sovrena\u2019s choice of Falmer to do the mining a brilliant one. No eyes, no need to maintain lanterns or wall sconces, and no additional smoke. Clever. <\/em>Dale was happy that his vampiric sight allowed him to make his way along the tunnels fairly safely, but even at that it was a deeply gloomy place.<\/p>\n

He wandered for a bit, running across several large veins of gold being worked on by Falmer. At the end of one tunnel he saw two round spots on the wall, and upon feeling them realized he was looking at the cut-off ends of two pipes.<\/p>\n

Dwemer? Hmm. If Dalaran was a Dwemer enthusiast he might well be buried down here somewhere.<\/em><\/p>\n

Around the corner from the pipes was a large chamber with wooden platforms along the walls and Falmer chipping away at the rock. He looked around for a bit, feeling frustrated; then he caught something in his peripheral vision. It looked like one tunnel had partially collapsed. The shape on the floor might well be a body.<\/p>\n

Dalaran?<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A few steps nearer had him holding his sleeve up across his mouth to filter the stench. It wasn\u2019t a mortal, or a vampire, but a dead Falmer, its head crushed beneath a huge stone. He found a Dwemer cup nearby, as well as a dwarven warhammer lying by the Falmer\u2019s leg. A small draft whispered from behind the stone that had crushed the creature. He took a nearby shovel and poked at the rock with its handle; and to his surprise the wall crumbled to the dirt below. The poor Falmer had just gotten unlucky, the lone substantial boulder striking at just the wrong spot.<\/p>\n

Probably when it tried to pull this warhammer out of the pile.<\/em><\/p>\n

For a pile it was. There were gauntlets, and a helmet and mace, all of heavy Dwemer metal. A couple of large scraps lay just beneath the Falmer\u2019s body, and a container of oil just beside its hand. Even more interesting was a chest just beyond where the crumbling wall had been. Dale reached carefully across the putrid body and lifted the chest\u2019s lid to look inside. He saw a dagger, and some potions, and something radiating magic folded up at the bottom, but he didn\u2019t take any of the items.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not a thief.<\/em><\/p>\n

And this is not Dalaran.<\/em><\/p>\n

At the very end of this branch was a heavy vertical partition topped with grillwork. He recognized it as something one could find throughout Dwemer ruins, metalwork that could mean the difference between life and death through the gnashing teeth of gigantic gears. No, this wasn\u2019t Dalaran. It was, however, an indication that he\u2019d very likely found more of the ancient city that once thrived here deep beneath the mountain.<\/p>\n

All he needed to do was find the right tunnel. He was certain he\u2019d find Dalaran at the end of it.<\/p>\n

Dale eased himself back out past the Falmer body and up the mine, stepping into the open air of the city with more than a little gratitude for being in it. It wasn\u2019t as though the huge cavern had the crisp air of the surface of Skyrim but it didn\u2019t reek of Falmer and for that he was more than happy.<\/p>\n

He took a different route this time, circling around the far side of the Tower rather than cutting through the gardens beside the magic shop. He needed to find the sewer outlets and so far all he\u2019d seen was the grate near the fisherman. And that one, he discovered on his way back out, didn\u2019t open. There was a butcher shop to his right, a provisioner\u2019s store tucked into the cavern wall on his left, and more plots of the odd red grass and purple grain. As he passed the Tower he saw a number of people tending to the huge glowing mushrooms inside the gates of the Tower\u2019s plot. He had intended to skirt completely around the fence, but motion and sound caught his attention.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Snug against the base of the Tower\u2019s stone foundations, almost hidden between two large upright supports, there was a fountain. And not just any fountain: it was, as far as he could tell, identical to the one Agryn had shown him at Volkihar castle. Curiosity had him cutting through the Tower grounds to stand before it.<\/p>\n

It certainly was a blood fountain, no doubt about that, gurgling quietly like the Volkihar\u2019s shrine to Molag Bal. He found himself thinking about the plaque near Coldhaven\u2019s entrance. \u201cDrink of the font\u2026 paths will be opened.\u201d Well, what can it hurt, really? It\u2019s not as though I don\u2019t live on blood already, and I do have a directive to learn as much as I can about this place. <\/em><\/p>\n

Dale leaned forward and cupped a palmful of the deep ruby blood up to his mouth. It tasted different \u2013 richer, he thought \u2013 than any mortal blood he\u2019d ever tried. That made sense if it was actually the blood of a Daedric Prince; but there were many fountains and only one Molag Bal.<\/p>\n

Then the blood took effect. He suddenly felt himself suffused with power and energy, unlike anything he\u2019d ever felt before. He looked down at his hands and saw them glowing bright red; he could feel the same flush of warmth and power spreading over his face and suspected he was glowing like a beacon. Suddenly the world around him went red, his vision completely obscured in the same way it was for a brief moment after each feeding. Agryn had explained that this was the power of fresh blood rushing through his system. At first it had frightened him, but he\u2019d eventually accepted its regularity as part of his existence.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This, though. This, he hadn\u2019t expected. It was so much stronger a feeling than any he\u2019d had before; it was at the very least disconcerting and at worst terrifying. As the sensation neared its height he heard a voice, deep and echoing but whether throughout the cavern or simply in his mind he couldn\u2019t tell.<\/p>\n

You bend to me? Ah hahahahahahaha\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Dale\u2019s vision returned to normal. He felt no different than he had, except for the fact that he was angry. Extremely angry.<\/p>\n

I will not bow to you. How dare you presume? I\u2019m just looking for paths to be opened. As advertised.<\/em><\/p>\n

And yet you have accepted my mark, <\/em>the voice in his head said, sounding amused.<\/em><\/p>\n

I accepted nothing. The terms of this agreement were not made clear to me beforehand. I bow to no one, neither gods nor Princes, nor earthly kings and queens. I worship nobody. I accept directives voluntarily and gladly, from those I choose to respect. That is all.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The great, sardonic laugh surrounded him again. Dale cast surreptitious looks around to see whether anyone else had noticed, but the voice seemed to have been confined to his own consciousness. He could only imagine what his expression looked like.<\/p>\n

I do not like surprises.<\/em><\/p>\n

He strode angrily around to the far side of the Tower and looked up at the Noble\u2019s platform. He was supposed to be looking for the thralls\u2019 quarters, or the Falmer encampment, or the sewers themselves, but he was angry and wanted nothing to do with stale, putrid air for a few more moments. His gaze fell on the remote shack, alone on a rock pillar far removed from the rest of the Noble quarters. There. He would go there, and investigate that. Agryn had asked that he do that, as well.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There were several flights of stairs leading up onto the plateau. The first led to a small, dome-like structure with yet another shrine to Molag Bal on its roof. Dale approached the doors and pushed on them; they were locked, though, with a lock far too complex for his modest skills to pick open.<\/p>\n

He turned right and climbed two more flights to a landing holding a public garden of sorts, with stone benches to accommodate those wishing to relax overlooking the city. There was a bulletin board against the wall to his left, illuminated by braziers burning with the blue fire of Oblivion. At the far end of the landing was a metal cage like the one at the city\u2019s entrance. This one, though, was glowing with magic emanating from the disc set into the stone floor and filling the space inside the cage, lighting it up like a beacon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

He frowned. He was tempted to investigate but couldn\u2019t afford to let himself be distracted by shiny things while he had a directive to complete. He turned instead, and mounted the next staircase. This one curved slightly, toward both a great manor house and two shacks connected by a rope bridge, just beyond it. A man wearing leather armor with wide pauldrons and many pouches leaned against the manor house. Though he couldn\u2019t see the man\u2019s eyes from under his heavy hood, Dale was sure this was a guard, someone he didn\u2019t want to cross. He nodded as he passed, turning toward the nearer of the two shacks. He hadn\u2019t seen this building from below, tucked away in the darkness as it was.<\/p>\n

Interesting. I wonder who lives here. I suppose there\u2019s one good way to find out.<\/em><\/p>\n

He walked up to the door and rapped on it. There was no response from inside, so he pushed gingerly against the wooden panel and, to his surprise, it swung open.<\/p>\n

It was, indeed, not much more than a shack, he saw as he stepped inside. A raised stone platform at the back held a coffin. A long table flanked a couple of chairs filled the center of the room. A tiny noise off to his right turned Dale\u2019s attention to a cage with a human swaying unsteadily inside it, tucked back in the corner. Candles cast flickering light over what was, in the end, just a small room enclosed with boards. It even had a dirt floor rather than a proper floor of polished stone or wood. The only nods to comfort were a couple of threadbare animal skins.<\/p>\n

A woman, an Altmer by her looks, sat next to a small, round table at the far left end of the shack. She was neatly dressed in what probably had been quite fine clothing at some point but was now, like the rugs on her floor, a bit worse for wear.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I help you?\u201d the Altmer said, pleasantly enough for a high elf but in a tone of voice that said she had no doubts about her ability to defend herself if necessary. Dale approached her, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI humbly beg your pardon for simply bursting in like this,\u201d he said, holding out a hand. \u201cOndale Perdeti. I\u2019ve been asked to search for something and didn\u2019t expect an open door to\u2026 Never mind. I\u2019m sorry to have intruded. And you are\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

He approached her, hoping that she would take the hand he\u2019d offered. She did not. Instead, she stared implacably at him with intense amber eyes and gave him the tiniest smirk.<\/p>\n

\u201cSicara. And we\u2019re kin; otherwise I would have drained you the moment you walked in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dale stifled a gulp. He\u2019d expected to find Sicara in the truly isolated shack, across the rope bridge \u2013 but here she was. The former Sovrena. With that face, and those eyes, and that attitude, he had no doubt that she could have done just that, drained him before he was even aware he was being attacked. He wasn\u2019t partial to Altmer personally, but she was quite striking, a handsome example of the more pleasant things that could happen when a person was turned. And he sensed that she was ancient, as well.<\/p>\n

She tipped up her chin and continued speaking in a slightly more defiant tone. \u201cI\u2019m not interested in being a zoo exhibit for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, not at all. Don\u2019t misconstrue my motives. I\u2019m just trying to find my way around Coldhaven and learn about it, as I am new here.\u201d He sensed her attitude relaxing, not by much but by enough that he felt it might be safe to continue. \u201cWould it be alright for me to ask a few questions, since I\u2019m here? After that I will promise to be on my way and not bother you again.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked him over for what seemed an interminable moment, and then nodded. \u201cIf you must. What would you like to know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the person who used to be Sovrena, am I correct in that?\u201d<\/p>\n

She grimaced. \u201cThank you for bringing up such a sensitive topic. But yes. I was Sovrena, not that long ago. I founded Coldhaven, alongside Galain and Dalaran. Of the three of us I am the only one left, so far as I know. Galain was killed by those damned Dawnguard, and Dalaran became obsessed with his own research to the point at which it overwhelmed him. Nobody knows where he is, now.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked down at the table for a moment and shook her head. \u201cThe Noble houses deposed me. Our city was secure and was everything its founders could have hoped for, but that bitch Tamara stoked people\u2019s fears.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm,\u201d Dale murmured, thinking hard. \u201cThat does seem to be the way some take power. They aren\u2019t strong enough to take it by force, or good enough to earn it on their own merits, so they frighten people into thinking they are the only thing standing between them and disaster.\u201d He realized that Sicara was starting to bristle again. \u201cNot that I know much of anything about the situation here, of course. I\u2019ve seen it happen elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this case you are correct, however,\u201d Sicara said smoothly. \u201cShe scared everyone with tales of doom and gloom. We have many enemies in Skyrim, for certain, but this city is all we need for security now. Tamara brought new technology and superior weapons and armor to help \u201cdefend\u201d all vampire kind, or so she says.\u201d She snorted. \u201cMy fangs and my magic are all that I need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dale\u2019s mind raced. It was becoming more difficult to see where exactly Agryn\u2019s beliefs might fit into this puzzle. All vampire kind? Is Tamara looking to do the same thing Agryn wants, in that case? Organize all the vampire clans under her roof, and her rule? I wonder. <\/em><\/p>\n

But rather than give voice to his confusion, he smiled warmly. \u201cI have no doubt about it. I can sense that you are a powerful vampire. Considerably stronger than I am, by far.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed. And while I am currently living in a hovel,\u201d she cast a hand around the tiny expanse of the room in a sarcastic gesture, \u201cthis is my city. Our city. There\u2019s no place I\u2019d rather be. Even though I think Tamara and the Nobles are all fools, I\u2019m in this for the long haul. It may take centuries, but everyone will realize Tamara was wrong, eventually. We\u2019re secure. We don\u2019t need to stay vigilant and hyper-alert.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yet I found my way here with not all that much effort, really. I really don\u2019t know which side of this issue to embrace.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand,\u201d he said, bowing and backing toward the door. \u201cThank you very much for your time, lady. I\u2019ll leave you to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She made no response, merely nodded. Dale stepped back outside and looked around the plateau once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, then. Who is over here?\u201d<\/p>\n

I may as well go see, he thought, heading across the rope bridge. A remote cabin on a tower all by itself \u2013 I would have expected Sicara to be out here, but now I\u2019m wondering whether Dalaran might have hidden himself out here exactly because it\u2019s remote. But I won\u2019t know until I see for myself.<\/p>\n

He tried the door. Like that of Sicara\u2019s home it was open, so he stepped in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs someone there?\u201d a woman called out.<\/p>\n

Dale had just enough time to form an impression of the place \u2013 a fine stone house with polished stone floors and wooden beams and rafters \u2013 when the ringing of a weapon being drawn had him swiveling to the left. He instinctively gathered the energy needed to cast the blue flames of Coldharbour.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cNever should have come here!\u201d the woman yelled, reaching out and casting her vampiric drain spell across the room, toward\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cDawnguard!\u201d Dale yelped in spite of himself. The woman in the distinctive helmet of the Dawnguard cast her own spell, this one a flame cloak.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow you\u2019re mine!\u201d the Dawnguard snarled.<\/p>\n

Oh, no.<\/em><\/p>\n

But the vampire\u2019s spell had a long range. She drew a lethal-looking blade into her right hand and cast the spell toward the Dawnguard without any signs of fear whatsoever.<\/p>\n

Dale stepped forward and began blasting the woman with his magic, drawing his own blade and slashing at her once he was close enough. Between Dale and the other vampire, the interloper was soon on her knees, crying \u201cenough!\u201d But Dale knew better than to show mercy to any one of the Dawnguard. Not only would they not back down from any particular fight, they would continue to follow their intended target through entire holds until they came to blows once more. He stepped into his own flames and hers, wincing as exposed skin burned, but brought the shortsword down across her neck and ended her.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

As he healed himself, the other vampire put away her sword and turned to look at him. She also was an attractive vampire, a slim Breton who had come through her transformation largely intact. He smiled at her even as he grimaced at the burns\u2019 sting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to just have barged in here like that,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m lucky you didn\u2019t think I was an opponent as well. I didn\u2019t even think about it. I see Dawnguard, I attack. It\u2019s just as simple as that. Oh, I\u2019m Ondale Perdeti, by the way. I hope you came through that unscathed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did,\u201d the woman said, \u201cand thank you. I\u2019m Madi. I don\u2019t know what happened, or why I was being attacked. I was resting in my coffin when the lid suddenly burst open and this scum started attacking. It\u2019s fortunate that I am very fast. I\u2019m still thankful that you came in when you did, though. I\u2019ve not seen you in Coldhaven before, but I believe I owe you my life. If there\u2019s ever anything I can do for you, just ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just glad I was able to help. I wonder how in the world a Dawnguard managed to make it all the way up here, though! You\u2019re not exactly in the center of town.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what to tell you,\u201d she said. \u201cI mostly keep to myself, mind my own business. Once in awhile I help bringing in new workers. I enjoy the stability our city offers. It\u2019s my home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stability \u2013 at least until now. This is truly troubling. I don\u2019t know how safe it truly is if one of these bastards made it in without being noticed. <\/em><\/p>\n

Madi continued talking, apparently not noticing the growing frown on Dale\u2019s face. \u201cI used to be a member of a noble house in Cyrodiil, but I don\u2019t want anything to do with intrigue or politics anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps not, but you seem to have found them, Madame.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dale finished healing himself with a sigh of relief. He examined the Dawnguard\u2019s body. Two things stood out to him. First, she was wearing armor styled so as to resemble the commonly-seen vampire armor. The cloak had the Dawnguard symbol on it; but, he realized, that was considerably closer to the Coldhaven standard than he had noticed. The matching cloak and armor would have made this woman seem completely unremarkable, particularly with the Dawnguard closed-face helmet masking the fact that she had mortal eyes. Second, she carried a note. He slipped that from the body and tucked it into a pocket, to read later.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

He rose and nodded to Madi. \u201cPerhaps I shall come and visit you another time? Only with your approval, of course. But it seems to me that, politics or not, I should let the Sovrena or her assistant know that there\u2019s been an attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

Madi nodded to him and looked down at the body, sighing. \u201cWhat a mess,\u201d he heard her muttering as he stepped back out of the home.<\/p>\n

The note turned out to be orders from the Vigil of Stendarr. \u201cWe have no idea if the rumors of a vampire city are true or not,\u201d it read in part. The woman had been ordered to gather information and report back to them as soon as possible. If the city existed, she was to have found a \u201cnon-descript observation post\u201d and wait for reinforcements. The last lines were chilling. \u201cThese vampire abominations may enjoy a brief taste of power if they have a \u2018city,\u2019 but we will ensure any and all threats who prey upon Stendarr\u2019s children are eliminated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dale shuddered. This one, at least, is dead. But had she gotten in touch with the Vigil, yet? Will more be coming? Does this mean Tamara is right and the city needs to be defended by force? I don\u2019t know, and I don\u2019t know how to find out.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Home Previous \/ Next   He couldn\u2019t get her out of his head. He\u2019d gotten used to the effect he had on people in general. It was something peculiar to vampires that mortals were always, in some measure, charmed by them. It was undoubtedly why Qara hadn\u2019t retreated to a more comfortable distance from him … <\/p>\n

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