The games we play Chapter 19

   We made an early start of it the next day and headed to the inner sanctum of the Chantry we had seen from the frozen lake. Once we got their I stood half amazed at the statue of Auriel, it was in the same form as those my parent's had in our shrine. Of course I had known that my family worshiped Auriel, while playing lip service to which ever deity or forma  the ruling body tried to force down our throat's.
    To get in I poured the Initiates Ewer into the basin and watched it run down channels cut in the stone. As we entered the main room, we saw Falmer and other creatures frozen in ice. We went from room to room looking for the Knight-paladin Gelebor's brother and any sign of Auriel's Bow.
     Serana bumped into one of the frozen creatures and it broke from the ice encasing it. We were twice as careful after that fight, as during the fight we woke others, to not bump into any of the frozen creatures. I am not totally convinced that they were alive though, as they shattered apart after a few good hit's with the sword or a fire spell. When we finally made it into the room Gelebor's brother was in, he seemed rather happy to see Serana.
     After his little speech about, prophecies and Daughters of Coldharbor, it's a complete mystery why he didn't melt into a pool of burnt flesh. The look Serana gave him would have killed a lesser being. He told us that while he was appreciative of my bringing Serana to him, I should just lay down and die, it would be easier on us all. Well that was something I had never heard before, I really wanted to go back to killing deadra, at least they didn't try to kill you with inane drivel. Evidently Serana had heard enough also, because she sent a blast of energy at him, that had it hit, might have sent him through the icy wall. He revived some of the frozen creatures and dropped icy chunks from the ceiling on us. After the majority of his icy minions where destroyed he revived the rest and started dropping huge chunks of the ceiling on us.
      When I got in a semi clear spot I summoned my own flame atronach, took a deep breath and charged back in. While fighting 2 falmer's and a frost atronach, I heard the tell tale creak of ice parting ways with the ceiling so I moved quickly to my left. I saw them go down at the same time a large piece of ice hit me on the shoulders, causing me to black out. I came out of it with Serana kneeling in front of me with a potion bottle in her hands.
     "Get up, he ran out-side, all his minions are dead. We should be able to catch him if you hurry". I groaned but got to my feet and followed her out onto a balcony that over looked the frozen lake. When I caught up to her, the two of them were standing at the edge of the balcony and he was taunting her again.
      They were spitting venom back and forth when he finally said that Auri-El, had betrayed him, when one of the initiates had turned him into a vampire, Auri-El had turned his back on him or it never would have happened. Serana spat that this whole thing was because he wanted revenge...on a God? I listened to them go back and forth for a little while longer, I needed to regain just a bit more strength to caste the spell I wanted to caste.
    Just at the point where I knew I had enough strength for one spell, I slowly grabbed a bottle out of my pouch and sipped  the potion inside, holding it in my mouth. When Serana had had enough of his rhetoric, she grabbed him with both hands and lifted him high above her head. She told him exactly what she thought of his false prophecy, that had driven her father half in-sane and broken her family apart. He had also gathered enough strength to break free and did, blasting Serana across the balcony. I knew she was fine, as he needed her alive to do what he wanted.
    It was the moment I was waiting for though, I swallowed the potion in my mouth, it went down like a lump of mud. I felt the serge of power, I knew it would only last a limited amount of time. The first spell was one I generally used only on myself, but had caste it on others time to time, I threw the spell at Serana and she was engulfed in a misty ward.
   Vyrthur, whipped his body around to face me and started gathering the strength for his own spell. But I beat him to it, my magic was already gathered and as I finished the incantation in my head, I sent the Sun spell blasting at him. Before it had a chance to hit or miss I gathered the strength for a lesser spell and held it ready. The light from the spell had left spot's in my eye's and I squinted so that I would be able to see if the spell had worked. Serana screamed and huddled in a small ball behind a stone bench, she would be fine. As the spell hit Vyrthur, it flung him backwards into the balcony railing, I heard the stone of that snap over the sound of fire roaring. I walked towards where he was and as the spell completely dissipated, I could see it had done it's job.
     As he lay there dieing, I knelt beside him and told him the truth, that he had never looked for. " Auri-El, didn't abandon you until you turned your back on him. There is a cure for full blow vampirism, He was testing you, testing your faith in him. You failed and managed to destroy the rest of your people with you." As the light started dimming in his eye's I saw the comprehension bloom. He closed his eye's and whispered, " Auri-El forgive me". Took one last breath and was gone from this world. I stepped back as his body turned to ash, leaving behind his armor and knife.
     Behind us I could hear a Way Shrine rising, so Gelebor was able to open it. I walked over to Serana, who was still behind the Ward I had put her in. I raised a hand and dissipated it. She looked a little sun burnt, but other wise alright. I handed her a bottle and said not to ask, she unstopped it and took a sip, grimaced and then finished it off. In a matter of second's the burnt look was gone and so was the haggard look she had had for a week.
    I turned around as Knight-paladin Gelebor walked up from behind us. I explained everything about his brother, why he said he had done all that he had done. While the Snow Elf wasn't happy to hear the knews about his brother, he said it now gave him hopes that the Falmer could be saved, that maybe some time in the future, they could again be his people. When I asked if he thought he might be the last of his people, he said no, he figured that their would be other pocket's of Snow Elves, just as his people had been here.
   He asked if we had any Eleven arrow's, which I did, he blessed them and they started to glow. He looked at Serana and said she might either want to use gloves or not touch them at all. They would be very effective against the undead. He told us he would be staying here in this area, to repair the Sanctum, so if we needed more arrow's blessed just bring them. Also, any fresh fruit's or vegetables would be a very good trade for them... milk or butter? Maybe a live chicken, he hadn't had any egg's in a couple hundred years.
    I laughed and asked how he felt about company? I knew a couple dozen Altmers that still worshiped Auriel or and I nodded Auri-El in the old ways. They would jump at the chance to find sanctuary here in return for helping put it all to rights. Well plus bringing in seed's and farm animal's to help with his food situation. His face brightened and he said he would love company, just let them know he hadn't had any so might be a bit of a recluse at times. I said that was understandable and I would let them know, but he could tell them as much or little as he wanted about his brother.
   I handed him one of my packs and said it was the rest of our travel food. It was sealed rather well so I told him that when he opened it, he might want to put the contents in a basket and put that in the icy waters to keep it all fresh. He would be very surprised as their was a bout a half dozen boiled eggs, plus some fruit tart's all wrapped in oiled cloth ground with Ice Wraith teeth to keep it fresh. Plus some honey-nut treat's as I found they were a good source of energy.
    Serana and I took our leave of him and walked out of the cave system. I made note of the turns as we went, so that Marcurio and I could bring him back some supplies and also so that I could give directions to my Aunt Irrillia. I knew she and Decion where only playing the game until they could find a safe place to raise their twin's. The boy's should be 5 or 6 year's old now. They were both worried about the war they knew was comming. Decion had already said he was not really willing to fight at the side of the Thalmor, he had been a part of for centuries, but he couldn't be a traitor either.
     I well understood his point of view, although I was considered a traitor by some. I had only joined to fight the deadroth that were attacking our homeland and had gotten out honorably when the Oblivion Crisis was over. Some didn't see it that way though, once a Thalmor, always a Thalmor. I didn't like their politic's then and I have liked them less and less over time.
     As we exited the last cave and came out into the light of day, Serana asked if we were going to head strait to her fathers castle or go tell Isran that we had he bow. I told her I had no intention of just the two of us fighting her father, I really didn't want to end up as either his thrall, dinner or both. I planned on heading to Markarth as I thought it might be a little closer than Solitude, plus it was on the way to Falkreath and I wanted to stop at my house and pick up Marcurio.
    Well plus I had a friend in Markarth that I thought would take a letter to my Aunt and hand it to her. Knowing Serana would never say anything, I told her my plans about Gelebor and that valley. She said she understood and it was a good plan, but did I really need to get Marcurio, weren't their enough people at Fort Dawnguard to take along. I wasn't sure if I was hearing jealousy  or something else, but I explained that Marcurio was a wizard of no small talent and Isran had a habit of discounting wizards so didn't recruit them. I told her that would leave herelf, me and probably that crazy Priest of Arkay as the only magic users and she couldn't caste a healing spell.
   That she seemed to understand. We headed down the trail and got to the road before noon. I kept my eye's out for anything I could eat along the way. Serana might not need to eat, but I did. The Snow berries that were growing right outside the cave hadn't been enough. As we were about to cross a bridge, I saw movement in the water and hurried down, I grabbed my crowbow and tied a string to the end of the bolt. I hit the tiny mud crab dead center, killing it instantly. When I got it to shore, I pulled out the bold and wound the string back up, then cast a fire spell on it until I could smell the crab was cooked. I pulled off the leg's, really the only edible part, without making a stew anyway, and wrapped all but one in a piece of leather and tucked it in my belt.
   I started back on the road to Markarth with Serana laughing at me. I shrugged and broke open the leg and started eating the meat inside. I sighed inwardly about the lack of butter, but I was hungry enough that I really didn't care. Between bites I asked Serana if she had any plans for after her father was killed and she did realize we would have to kill him? She said she knew that, but had not really thought about afterwards. So I offered her my house in Solitude, telling her she might have to hire a maid to clean the place, I had not been their in a couple hundred years.
   Then I startled her, by telling her about the Steward in Solitude being a vampire and she would have to give the woman a letter from me, so that Sybille would know I had let Serana stay their. Sybille wouldn't have a problem with Serana being their and would keep the young vampire in check if need be. I didn't say that to Serana though. I did let her know that their was plenty of money and gem's laying around the house, it would be a good place to hole up for a while and think. Also, the swamp across the canal always had bandit living in it. She understood what I was saying, if she got hungry, the citizens of Solitude were off limit's, but bandit's...well dead is dead one way or the other.
   As we entered Markarth and I found the Bard I was looking for, I asked her if she had ever considered getting cured. I didn't wait for an answer, because it was something she needed to think about. I walked up to Yngvar and asked the surly Nord if he wanted to take a trip and some gold. He played his part well and was as rude as he could be, without being so rude that I should have taken exception to it and challenged him to a fight, which I had done once already. I looked at him and told him I would have a letter for him in the morning and fare for whole trip plus half the money for going. He said fine and walked away, I turned and headed to the Silver-blood Inn and got Serana and I our own room's.
  That night when I went to bed, I left the door unlocked, but I knew I didn't really need to. About 3 am, I heard the knob turn, it wasn't loud, but I was expecting it and woke up. Yngvar slipped into the room and I sat up and lit a single candle as soon as the door closed all the way. He walked over to the bed and sat beside me. " So what's up my tall skinny friend?", he whispered in a gruff voice. I rolled my eye's and told him I need to get some information to my Aunt, but the real pay for him was another tid-bit of information I pulled out of the hidden pocket of my armor.
   I handed him the note and his eye's widened as he read it. I nodded and handed him a sealed envelope and a folded piece of paper. He read the paper and his eye's widened even more. He memorized what the paper said and then got up and burnt it in the candle. I told him if he ever wanted it, the sanctuary would extend to him also. He shook his head and asked how someone on the opposite sides of a war could be friends and why I was constantly giving him information. I replied that was easy, we weren't really on opposite side's of a war, this wasn't a war it was an argument. The war would come and Skyrim and the Empire would need each other.
   He changed the subject and asked what was in the sealed letter. I told him the truth, it was just a chatty letter congratulating my Uncle on his empending retirement from the military and asking him if he and my Aunt with the children would like to visit me here in Skyrim at my holding in Falkreath. Along with directions and a few gossipy things. The real message was the one he had memorized.
   I then handed him another envelope and told him that was the "reason" he was going to the Imperial City in the first place. Inge had commissioned a new Lute, a very special Lute and wanted someone that she thought could actually get to the Imperial City and back with it. You being a known bard and a tough man in a fight, where exactly who she would ask. I gave him a pouch full of gold and gem's and said it was enough to get to the Imperial City and back in whatever fashion he wished to travel, I gave him a second pouch and said that was his pay. He put the letters in a pocket on the inside of his armor and tucked the pouches to the outside.
    Before he got up to leave he asked if I knew that the little vampire was watching my door and that he had had to talk to her before he came in. I rolled my eyes and said that it figured as she didn't really need to sleep. We both stood up and I walked to the door with him, then grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him the biggest most passionate kiss I could, making sure to ruffle his well groomed hair in the process. As I opened the door, he turned toward me with a hazy well kissed look on his face, I adjusted his armor and said have a good night. Then smiled as I watched him go, pretending that I didn't see Serana standing in the shadows at the other end of the hallway. He turned around and looked at me again and nodded once.
    I stepped back into my room and closed the door locking it this time, sighed and laid down to get a few more hours of sleep. I rubbed the right side of my face, it would be red with irritation from his short beard tomorrow. I closed my eye's and took a deep breath and fell into a deep sleep.

Realizing the obvious Chapter 18

      As the dragon's circled higher and higher, Serana and I moved across the ice to an outcropping of rocks. I cursed the fact that I had a crossbow instead of a regular bow, I really loved it, but it didn't have the range of my Dwemer bow. I watched them flying around, figuring they were sizing us up. As long as they didn't attack us, we would leave them alone, I said as much to Serana.
       I was going over all the spell's that I knew that would be affective against dragon's. Ranged spells as well as a couple conjuration spells. Slipping my gauntlet off, I felt through the pouch that held the enchanted rings I had, very glad that I had carved symbol's into each. It really helped to find them in the dark or as now, with only one hand. I pulled two out, one with a protect against fire enchant the other protect against frost.  seemed the most likely that I would need. I slipped them on, one per hand and waited.
      One of the dragons can in fast from out of the sun, I caste a Storm Atronach spell and a stoneflesh spell to help protect me. I then readied a lightning bolt, if it got close enough. As it came in it shouted it's spell at me, and I felt weaker for a moment, it then shot a blast of fire at me. Serana was steadily hitting it with Ice spikes and a Flame Atronach that she had summoned. As it veered off, I cast a healing spell and dug into my other pouch for a potion that would help my stamina and health regenerate faster.
      The second dragon came in from behind us, but had to fly around to the side as the stone Word Wall was blocking it from a direct shot at us. I was ready with a lightning bolt, I got off two spells before it shot out a firey blast of it's own, but that was deflected off of my by a ward that I caste. As Serana hit it with a couple ice spikes it seemed to stagger away from us in the air and then the first dragon came back. As it landed in front of me I pulled my crossbow, which was already loaded and shot it with one of the specialty bolts as it exploded in a icy blast I put up the bow and pulled Kruziik Dilon out, before the cloud of ice had dissipated I was at the beasts head.
     I slashed at it's head once and then moved down it's side and gave a great over head swing at the beasts right wing, severing it. As it reared up onto it's hind leg's, I slashed at it's belly with all my strength and ripped open a gashed that caused it's gut's to spill onto the ice. I heard it shout in it's own launguage , but for once didn't understand the words it was saying, I took it to be a name though.
   Serana yelled to watch out and I felt the ice quake under me as the other dragon dove beneath the ice. I tried to move to the solid ground by the Word Wall, but the second dragon came up from under the ice. He was shouting at me "Aus Bah Sil Biinah Fah Fin Dinok Dii Zeymah, Naaslaarum" before I could really get a grip on what he said, he shouted "Yol Toor Shul" at me, which I understood quiet well. I caste a ward just as the blast of fire hit me. I thought quickly and realized I could speak or shout back at him, so I gathered up the energy and shouted " Fo Krah Diin" back at him. I had heard these word's from a frost dragon, understood them and figured it was worth a shot. I watched as he was incased in ice, he froze for a moment and then took off. His wing's sent loose snow and ice at me, blinding me for long enough for him to take off into the sky.
   I put my hand over my eye's and squinted in the direction the dragon had gone. I heard more than saw the ice spike Serana sent after the dragon and sent one of my own in the same direction. This time I made it back to where Serana stood next to the Word Wall. She asked if I was ok and I told her I was fine as I closed my eye's and felt the tear's stream out. I caste a healing spell and my eye's stopped stinging.
   I hear the dragon roar and lament over his brother's death, in that moment I remembered what he had said, Sil Biinah, soul sister. Jarl Balgruuf had said something about  being Dragon born and one of the dragon's Marcurio and I had slain had called me Dovahkiin, I had paid attention to neither. So Auriel had a sense of humor. As I watched the dragon fly back and forth and rage about his brothers death, I too lamented his brothers death, as I would his. I knew he would attack eventually.
    He disappeared beneath the ice again, only to burst out directly in front of us just as the sun was started to dip beneath the mountain. Both Serana and I were ready, She sent ice spike after ice spike, I sent a dual caste lightning bolt and then shouted "Fo Krah Diin" at him again. This time the ice completely encased him and he didn't break free. I whispered " Drem Zeymah" as I felt his soul leave his body and be absorbed into mine. I knew then and there, that it would be very hard to ever again kill another dragon.
     I looked at Serana who was gazing back the way we had come, shrugged when she turned to look at me and started in the direction that I knew the last Way Shrine was in. when it was dark enough I started tripping on mounds of frozen snow, I caste a light spell and kept going. I looked out in the direction I knew I was going and tried to remember exactly where the dragon's had crashed into and out of the ice. I did not want to stumble on weakened ice. When I though we were nearing one of the area's I bent slightly to the right, but knew we wouldn't be able to go to far to the right as there was a waterfall going down to the level the last shrine was on, but much further back.
    As a thought occurred to me, I stopped and asked Serana if she wanted to lead the way, because her eye sight should be much better than mine at night. She replied that under normal conditions, she would have suggested it, but with all the ice and snow and very bright sun over the last two days, her eye's were very sensitive and she was probably seeing much worse than I was.
    I sighed and caste another light spell and kept going. About the time I saw the top of the Way Shrine, I decided that we would go back to the valley and spend the night again and probably the majority of the next day. So I preformed the ritual again and again we stepped through to the valley.
    This time however, I had left wood in the fire ring ready to be lit, so I cast a fire spell and kept it going til the wood was on fire. I told Serana that I would make due with cheese, bread an apple and honey-nut treat for dinner. We both fixed our tents, I ate and then laid down, Serana was already breathing deep and even, which told me she was in the trance that passed as sleep for her.
     I laid their and thought about the day. Bjorn would laugh his fool ass off at the irony of my being Dragonborn. I heaved a great sigh when I thought about what the Thalmor would do if they found out. This was a complication I really didn't need in my life right now or ever really. I had thought the voices in my head were annoying when I didn't understand them, now I wish I could go back to blissful ignorance.  I suppose as Jarl Balgruuf had suggested I should go see the Greybeards. I had been up the 7,000 step's before, Bjorn had wanted to make the pilgrimage, even though he knew the Greybeards wouldn't want to talk to him. I fell asleep with that thought on my mind.
     The next morning I told Serana we would stay here for the day and relax, I was tired and I could see that she was also. So I hunted herb's and other plant's of use and killed a rabbit to roast for dinner, I really needed nothing larger than that. I did alot of walking and thinking, also some prospecting as I found a couple mineral outcroppings in the valley. I did run across a sabre cat with unusual markings, but instead of killing it, I caste a calming spell on it and it went on it's way.
      I decided that after we had delt with Serana's father, I would tell Isran that I had some thing's I wanted to do. He would fuss about it, I'm sure, but it would give one of the others a chance to get out and about and learn to do his "special project's". I would also pick up Marcurio, I think he would enjoy the climb up to High Hrothgar much more than Serana would. Plus her brand of irreverence for people she should show some respect to, was kind of getting on my nerves.
    It would also give me a chance to take it easy, as Marcurio was never in a hurry to go anywhere and if their was a pretty bar-maid involved, he would rather just stay a couple days. All these things decided, I went back towards the camp, finding a deadfall along the way and chopping some of the wood for our fire tonight and chopping more for the next person that might come along and need it.
    I got a very good night's sleep and had a lovely dream of being in Bjorn's arm's again.

Going in Circles Chapter 17

     As he introduced himself, I had another face flash into my mind. It was very similar, but something said more dangerous. A shiver went down my spine and I tried to keep the image in my minds eye to figure out what it was, that was giving me pause. I couldn't pinpoint what is was and the sharp tone of the Knight-Paladin jerked me out of my thoughts.
      I interrupted Serana who seemed to want to belittle the man for some reason. I told him that yes we were looking to get Auriel's bow and asked him about his Chantry, as he seemed to want to talk about it. I listened with interest as he told about how and why his people built the Chantry here and all the things that had happened since. He said he would help us with the bow if we would help him with his brother. Serana made a snippy comment and I really wanted to smack her upside the head, I made a mental note to ask her how old she was when she was turned. I said that we would help him, I didn't really see the problem and if his brother was in the main part of the Chantry, not just a way-point, then more than likely Auriels Bow was their anyway and we would have to do something to help his brother anyway.
     He then explained that we would have to take the Initiates way and travel from Way-Shrine to Way-Shrine filling up the Initiates Ewer along the way to open up the main Chapel, where his brother should be found. He opened up the Way-Shrine and I filled the Ewer that he gave me and a portal opened.
     Searana and I stepped through into a dark cavern, filled with glowing fauna. As we moved on and passed out of what I thought might be hearing distance of the Portal, I turned on Searna and asked, "What in Oblivion is your problem? Did you expect to just waltz to the end of a cave and find Auriel's bow guarded by a couple skeletons? Or is it the contempt that young often feel towards anyone old? Or perhap's you sense his power and know that it is a kind you will never have and you fear it because of that? What ever your problem, if you ever treat another person like that in front of me, we are done." I paused just long enough to see her eye's get slightly glassy and watch her lip's tighten, " If it's his religion, then get over it, I have never made a derogatory remark about your worship of Molag Bal. You have never said you regretted what you have become, so it is your choice, even if it hadn't been at the very begining.", With that I walked down the passage fast enough that she would have to yell after me or pant as she ran to talk.
      When we ran into the first Falmer I caste a flame Atronach  spell and then blasted them with firebolt's without even a pause in my step's. When the first little group of Falmer were dead, I paused long enough for Serana to catch up. I looked at her and apologized for my out burst, but also told her I wasn't joking about the derogatory remark's. She looked a bit rebellious, but finally nodded her head.
      I really liked the girl, but I often got the impression that even though she had been in that crypt longer than I had been alive, I was the elder of the two of us by a couple hundred years. I really didn't think she had been walking Nirn much longer than her apparent age of early twenties. Even though she is a vampire I would like to keep her as a friend, I knew that she would be around for awhile. To often I have left friends only to return and find that their grandchildren are now adults and they passed away some time ago.
       I know it has always been my choice to be around the shorter lived Human and Beast races than around other Mer. Sometimes I wished that I had found my love in another Altmer, instead of a Nord, but their is still no telling if he would still be alive. It's not like I have lived the safe life of a courtier or city merchant and the type man I like wouldn't be one either.
      It seemed like half the day had gone by, by the time we exited the cave system. When we exited the caverns it was early evening by the angle of the sun. I both way's down the valley, to our left the cliff's and mountains were close, to the right it seemed we could walk through the forest for quiet a bit. So that is the direction I choose to go, feeling that if their was a Way-point in this valley, it would be a little bit of a walk to get their. It seemed I was right, in the last hour before the valley would be in complete night, we found the next Way-point.
     I stopped a little distance away and even though the spectral guardian looked our way, I went no closer. To the right and slightly behind the Way-point was a pocket valley. I made my way in that direction, picking up kindling and deadfall along the way. If their was enough, we wouldn't have to chop one of the fallen tree's. I lit our fire while Serana set up her small tent, then I set up my tent while she started dinner.
     When I finished that I wandered a little ways away from our camp and picked up more deadfall to keep the fire going. I found a largish limb that was just barely dry enough to burn without smoking to much, I used my hand ax to cut it into a reasonable size for our fire.
     I sat on the log that bordered one side of our camp and Serana handed me a plate with my dinner on it. Venison, potatoe  and roasted apple, much better than the bread and cheese I had been eating of late. I watched her pick at the food she had put on a plate for herself, it wouldn't have been enough to feed a small child , IF she had been eating it in the first place.
   "You know you don't have to pretend to eat, I know that if you actually ate that, it would make you sick.", she started and then put the plate down. I caught her looking at me several times and finally asked what was on her mind.
    " You aren't like any of the Altmer vampires that my father has around, not snooty and full of yourself." She kinda blushed, which was rather odd for a vampire. I took pity on her and answered the question she didn't really ask.
   " I have spent much more time around Nord's, Imperials and Breton's, that I have around other Mer. I think that gives me a slightly different view of the human races than what alot of other Altmer have. I don't think we are superior, just different." Finishing my food, I dumped sand on the plate and scrubbed and then rinsed it with water. I said good nite and got up and went to bed. Serana woke me as color started creeping over the mountains.
    We went to the shrine and talked to the spirit guardian, who raised the Way Shrine. I went in and filled the Ewer. I looked at the  portal that opened up and decided that it could be the one that Knight-Paladin Gelebor was at. I walked back out and talked to Serana for a minute and then picked up the pack's I had made and walked through.
   It turns out I was correct and I waved at Serana who waited on the other side. I walked over to him and told him that I made a pack with some fresh venison in it and also some fall apples and gourds I had found in the valley.They were for him, as it had looked like his supplies were a bit low. I told him the other pack was herb's and samples of plant's and fungi that I had collected along the way and wanted to leave with him, for us to pick up later. He said that was fine as any Way Shrine I opened would always be open for me to use.
    I asked him a couple questions about the different Way Shrines and then walked back through the portal. On the other side Serana looked relieved when I came back. I told her we would be going up over the trail I had seen to find the next Way Shrine. I knew we could have walked through the other portal that opened up, but as it wouldn't actually exit at a Shrine anyway, I preferred to walk.
   So we walked back the trail I had seen the day before and started up it, along the way were some familar foe's, Ice spiders. I was always nice to see a friendly face. As we crested the top of the pass, we could see a large valley, mostly covered in ice and snow. Waterfalls frozen in timeless beauty and a large lake who's ice could be a death trap, to those unwary enough to walk the middle of it. As we turned on a switch back I caught a glimmer of sun gold in the distance and pointed to Serana, who also thought that it might be a Way Shrine. We headed in that direction and sure enough, it was a Shrine.
   I went through the ritual of talking to the guardian spirit and filling the ewer. I looked at the new portal that opened up and it also seemed to be on this icy lake. Along with the last two Way Shrines that I had opened up. I thought about that for a minute, from the view it appeared on the opposite side of the large lake. I was pretty sure we could make it to that next Shrine before sunset and then we could go through to the wooded Shrine, camp their in relative warmth and go back to that Shrine to head for the last one in the morning.
   Which, sounded great, until we got out on the Lake and I heard two great explosions of ice as two dragon's came up through the ice pack. I told Serana to keep close and we would fight the dragons together.
 

Future Shadows, Past Lives chapter 16

        I laid out on the seat as Serana and I were the only passengers on this trip. With my pack as a pillow and my hood pulled over my face. I was soon in that misty realm between waking and sleeping. I had told the driver that we wanted out at Dragon Bridge, if he wanted to continue on he could, but please do stop.
        In this state it was easier to understand what the dragon's conversations were about, most of it was non-sense about territories and not being greedy about their hord. It didn't take long to realize some of them thought Man, Mer and Beast race were food though. That would put those particular dragons on level with vampires and they would have to be put down.  They were happy that Alduin had resurrected them and some were more than happy to follow him. Others seem's to be cautious because they had heard about a Dragonborn that had already killed a few of them. She had a Dragon that she summoned to follow her already. I forced myself to calmness when I realized they were talking about Durnehviir and myself.  It seemed some were very afraid and other's felt that the dragon's I had killed were wimp's. Well that's not the word's they used, but the meaning was pretty clear.
        Then the topic switched again, they had heard the call of a couple of the Dragon Priests, but the call's had all been from underground. The consensus their was that those Priest should have built up a following, not just have draugr, to help them. Then like a whisper, I heard the name passed back and forth, with terror, Miraak. If other Dragon Priest's were waking, surely he would be coming also... he already had...no he was still in another realm... dragon's disappeared...
        In the silence that followed, I decided to tune out the dragon's gossip, they really were worse than a bunch of fishwives.  I had run into a couple Dragon Priests over the years, they had all been pretty formidable, but from the dragons I had fought, so were they. For dragon's to be that terrified, even for just one, that spoke volumes about Miraak.
       But I had another problem Harkon, Serana's father. I had no doubts about his demise, Isran was a fanatic, but he was a smart fanatic. I wasn't exactly a helpless, I laughed inside at a thought. Hrongar had made a quip about hiring an assassin to take him out. Once the contract was signed, surely the Night Mother would help the assassin who was assigned to it. Two creatures of the night fighting it out, when he had made the comment I had giggled like a small girl, giggles that had turned into laughter so zealous that tears ran down my face and I fell out of the chair, though I blamed that on the mead.  I do so love the Nord people, they are so very unrestrained in thought's and deeds.
      The change in sound of the horses hooves on stone had me sitting up and looking around. We were on the Dragon Bridge. The driver stopped infront of the Inn and told us if we needed the return trip, he would be coming back through here tomorrow morning around 9am. I thanked him and said if we finished our business before then we would be waiting for him, but he shouldn't wait for us, not that I thought he would anyway.
      I looked around and noticed the banner on the building opposite the Inn, seeing two soldiers walk in the building and a couple more walk out. None wearing officers uniforms. So probably six to eight  soldiers plus at least one officer. So the private guards of the Emperor, could only mean a visit was in the offing from the Emperor or his near and dear. I shook my head and shrugged, none of my business.
    I turned and walked back by the mill as the easiest way to the cave the Elder Scroll had showed me was in this direction. Before crossing the water I closed my eyes and tried to visualize the route we would need to take. I stumbled forward into the waist deep water and crossed over to the other side. I had gotten the impression  of a long dark cave system, maybe I wouldn't want to return to Blackreach, I heaved a great sigh, and continued on.
    A Spriggan stepped out of her tree as we passed and decided we didn't need to be their, so sent her nearest allies after us, a cave bear, then a pair of wovles. I pulled out Kruziik and proceeded to hack her into kindling. I felt rather bad about it, as generally they allowed peaceful creatures to pass. I killed the cave bear and Serana took care of both wolves, with the help of all things an Elk that she resurrected. I shook my head at Serana's choice of creature to thrall, next it would be a rabbit or chicken. I turned and walked away from the dead beasts, hoping that their was some carrion creature nearby that could eat the remains. That bear alone could feed a small family half the winter, I hated the waste. I wasn't really partial to wolf meat myself, but some hunters I knew swore by it.
      We got to the entrance of Darkfall cave right as the sunset over the mountains and I asked Serana if she was rested enough to go ahead or would she prefer to sleep at least part of the night. She replied she was rested enough and besides, nighttime was the best time for her to travel, even through a cave.
      The cave system seemed rather strait forward and at first we ran into nothing more dangerous than a couple skeevers. Then we found a dead body and searching around a note saying that she didn't think the troll's were all that friendly. Really, she expected wild trolls to be friendly? Well I guess that's one kind of stupid that get's you killed young. I shook my head sadly and thought that maybe the Orc's had a good system after all. Only the strongest, smartest and bravest were chosen as husband's or wives, weeded out the weak and stupid for sure. It really did take all kinds to make a society.
      We soon ran into the cave troll's, who actually seemed stronger and meaner than other troll's I had run into. I half expected Serana to thrall the first troll we killed to help take care of the second troll, but she didn't. As soon as the second troll was dead, I cleaned up my sword and armor with a damp cloth and then ran an oiled cloth over the sword before sheathing her. I made sure all the blood was washed off my body and out of my hair. Deep cave's generally meant Falmer and while they might be blind, they could hear and they could smell even better. When Serana just stood their, I explained exactly why I was cleaning up. She hurriedly availed herself of my cleaning supplies and washed up. She had thought I was just being polite to her about being covered in blood, as I knew she hadn't fed in awhile.
     We headed up the cave system a little bit and started seeing what appeared to be ruins of one kind or the other. I stopped and looked at a pillar, it looked familiar, but at the same time very foreign. I had seen something very similar, but where, when, I could not remember. As we rounded a curve in the cave wall, I came to a complete stop and Serana readied a spell in each hand.
      I knew that symbol on top of the shrine, Auriel. It took me a minute to notice the mer standing their gazing at us. I heard Serana gasp as the mer called us forward. Serana let go of her spell's and I the hilt of my sword. I soon realized that the paleness of the Mer was not due to lack of sun, no it was a racial trait. "Snow Elf",I whispered,  I almost heard Serana's "but", though it never left her lip's, his people were thought extinct, except the Falmer, even before she was put in that crypt.
     "I am Knight-Paladin Gelebor, and I take it you are seaking Auriel's Bow?"

Old Friends Chapter 15

     I heard a scuff of boot on stone and a pebble rolling down an incline, so I caste a detect dead spell. Looked like a whole group of vampires and their friends. I caste Stendar's Aura on myself and pulled Kruziik Dilon from her sheath, it felt good to have her back in my hands. Serana made a snippy comment, I had forgotten about her for a minute, so i moved away from her. Where she touched, Kruziik set flame to vampires, made their gargoyles howl and turned their thrall's to ash. When nothing more came at me, I banished Stendar's Aura, I know I could have just waited out the time, but Serana looked uncomfortable.
     Once it was gone, Serana walked over and asked me if I knew where Auriels bow was. I replied that the Elder Scroll's had given me their location. I thought about going by Lakeview and checking in, but decided it wasn't a good idea. Instead I headed strait to Whiterun and the carriage, when I thought of buying a horse for Serana, something in my head said it wasn't a good idea.
     Looking at the sun and gauging how long t would take and not wishing to travel through The Reach at night, I delayed leaving til the morning. It was early enough that the merchants were still open so I went to the Alchemy shop and got a couple healing potions and a couple more cure disease ones. I wasn't ready to go to sleep but we did go into the Inn and get our room's. I told Serana that I had a couple friends I wanted to see and I would meet her at 5am tomorrow morning by the carriage.
     I headed to Jorrvaskr, I wished to speak with Kadlak Whitemane, who had been a friend since he was but a Welp. I waved at Skjor, who seemed to be arguing with the firey redhead I had seen with Marcurio. He nodded back at me and kept talking quiet heatedly with her. I asked Tilma if Kodlak was down in his room, she nodded and kept sweeping. A beefy young man came out of the sleeping quarter's and asked if I was lost or was a a new recruit. I replied neither, just a friend of the Pack. It took a minute for it to dawn on him exactly what I was saying, he smiled and nodded.
     I got to Kodlak's room with out any one else stopping me. He was in ernest discussion with a man that looked remarkably like the one that stopped me, only thinner. I leaned against the door frame and listened to the two of them for a minute. Kodlak turned his head and asked if I was going to grab a chair and sit or just hover over the two of them. The young man that Kodlak introduced as Vilkas, told me it was extremely rude to listen in on private conversations. I told him that the Pack had few secrets that I didn't already know.
    Kodlak broke into what might have ended in an argument with, " What bring's you back to Skyrim? That armor look's like a uniform, but I don't recognize it." I told him that Isran had written to me and asked me to come back and help establish a new Dawnguard, to hunt vampires. His eyebrow's rose and he did remark that they had been getting more job's to deal with vampires, than ever before. I chuckled and asked if he was sending the "circle" after them, the young man started as if goosed.  He said yes, when they knew it was vampires, after all it's not like they could catch the disease.
     I nodded and asked why he looked unhappy. Only one word was nesassary "Sovngarde", I looked down and knew, " You are now regretting your choice to become one of Hircines?" He replied yes, he was along with the twins. Skjor was happy with the idea of an eternal hunt so was another member of the circle. I reminded him of how I thought that the curse could be broken and surely these two stout young men would be able to do the task.
      "Kodlak my friend I would gladly help you out with that, but I have issues of my own to deal with at the moment," I tapped the side of my head, " and I have a Master Vampire that wishes to darken the sun. He may be able to get the ability to do so." Kodlak looked surprised, but didn't say anything about the vampire, instead asking about the voices. "I finally understand them and know who and what is talking. Dragons, would you believe? I've only been hearing them for the last two or three centuries. I read an Elder Scroll," at that both men started like they had been goosed, "and now I understand them. I can hear them talking to each other over great distances, sometimes I hear them arguing a very short way away. The odd thing is I hear the whisper of power coming from the ancient word wall's and I understand them also. I know I have at least one Dragon to destroy, that must be destroyed." I paused because this might be a hard thing for him to believe. I took a deep breath. " Kodlak, my old friend, some time, some how I travel to Sovngarde. I saw you there, so I know you can get free of this curse. The Elder Scroll showed showed me, I was their talking to Bjorn and I saw you also. I don't know as Tsun would allow an Altmer to cross the bridge to the door's of Shor's Grand Hall, but can or rather would an Elder Scroll lie about such a thing?"
      Kodlak had a very thoughtful look on his face, as did young Viklas. Both seemed to be pondering as the three of us sat their sipping mead. Kodlak finally spoke up, " Knowing who Bjorn is to you it seem's that is something that you would want, to spend the rest of eternity with him." I nodded and he kept talking. " At the same time, by my understanding an Elder Scroll only tell's of the possibilities of the future, present or past. What will happen, what can happen and what may happen IF other things happen. So at some point you may become a great hero to us, the Nord people and that may be the reason that Tsun allowed you past the gates into the hall." he paused for just a brief second, "You really saw me their also? That's not something you just thought of because I said I was regretting my curse?" I looked at him and told him I would never say such a thing to him, I had seen him their, the Elder Scroll showed me. But as he had pointed out it was only what may happen, he would have to work at it to ensure that it did happen.
       I sat their with them for another hour or so and listened to Kodlak tell the young man of our exploits when he was a young Whelp, though I had never been part of the Companions, I had always been a friend. I told one of my own, about catching him and a very prominent member of Riften society in a very compromising position. After a few more stories and a couple bottles of mead with cheese and bread to soak it up, I gave the old man a kiss on the cheek and a warrior's grip to the shoulder and took my leave. I knew I would not see him again in this life.
        I went up to Dragonsreach and looked in on my old friend's their, the Jarl I just waved at as he seemed to be in a heated debate with a Redguard man. I talked to Hrongar for a while out on the balcony, it seemed he wasn't really happy with his brother's neutral stance on the civil war, he wanted some action. After awhile he left and I was beside myself, well aside from a couple guards, that never said anything to me. It was exactly what I had wanted, I needed to sort out my thoughts.
        I listened to the dragons talk to each other, mainly about the return of one named Alduin. They seemed to be both terrified and in awe of him. After awhile I tuned out their voices, a trick I had learned in self-defense long ago. As Masser and Secunda trailed across the sky, I thought of the last thing the Elder Scroll's had shown me. War, not the Civil war here in Skyrim, but another massive war like the Great War. I didn't recognize the armor I was wearing, not totally unexpected, but their was nothing that I recognized either. The landscape had been faintly familar, some place I had been, but had not stayed long enough to know the land well. So definetly not Skyrim, while I can't say I know every trail, I do know all the roads, I know all the mountains well enough to use them to navigate. The Summerset Isle's perhap's, one of the few places I haven't been to often since I first left. I did not really know, but I had recognized the language of the men and women around me, Nord's. It would make sense that I was fighting at their side, I have for centuries.
        I listened to the whispers of words floating on the wind, I could still see the glowing symbol's on my eyelids when I closed my eyes. I held face dearest above them all and I felt a little thrill that I would be seeing him again, even if it wasn't soon. I got up from my chair as the first light of dawn crept over the distant mountain tops. It was almost time to go. I thought for a moment and went down to Farengar's office, I knew he would be awake and I wanted to borrow some paper and send off a letter to my Aunt.
       I very carefully crafted a letter to my Aunt, one that would let her know that I needed to speak with her. That some very great changes were coming and this time, she would have to pick a side. Well knowing her, she wouldn't have to pick a side, their were places she could go that might let the War to come pass her by. Decion on the other hand could not stay out of it, IF he stayed in his home. I didn't know when and I let her know that, but I did know it was coming. I would send the letter off with a ships captain I knew, that traded with an Altmer ships captain on a deserted island.
    I got to the carriage right behind Serana, I don't think either of us actually slept. I knew I planned on sleeping in the carriage on the way to Solitude.

An Innocence Lost Chapter 14

     The rest of the trip to Riften was quiet, which was good for everyone. Macurio and I talked for awhile and he said he needed a break even if I didn't. He wanted a week or so, to relax, not have to worry about vampires, drink more than one ale and not worry about the hangover the next morning.
    I thought very quickly and asked if he would like to go and check up on my house in Falkreath Hold, take the carriage to Whiterun and perhaps ask that redhead if she wouldn't mind playing house for a little bit. While he was seeing if any repairs needed to be done and getting workmen from Whiterun, Riverwood or Falkreath to actually do the labor. He thought about that and said he would. I told him I had some gold and gems at Fort Dawnguard and also where one of my stashes were at the house.
   He didn't really want me to travel on by myself or to go on any of the job's Isran might have, but he really needed the break. When I told him I would take Serana with me, he didn't seem any happier. Explaining that if I didn't get her out of the Fort Isran might forget she was an asset and I had had dealings with worse creatures than one teen age vampire. She would actually need to get out and feed on something or that something might end up being Isran. He grimaced at that and I shrugged in return, she may or may not actually need to feed, but vampires weren't exactly known for having a lot of patience.
     I left all the loot we had with Marcurio to sell and headed off to Fort Dawnguard on my own. Only one lone wolf interrupted a nice evening walk in the Rift. I caste a calm spell in her and sent her back to her cub's. I got to thinking about that house, Marcurio wasn't the kind of man that would except the house as a gift, but perhap's if I made him the steward. Perhaps if I got the housecarl that I knew the Jarl would try and foist on me, he had tried once and I distracted him. Maybe adopt one or two of those orphans I had seen around the cities, with a nanny to care for them. I chuckled to myself, Marcurio had a very large sense of responsibility and would care for everyone in the household with determination. It would surprise him, he considered himself a playboy, but I knew, if he had been an Altmer, I would have put on a low cut dress and an amulet of Mara, to get his attention. Even though Mages tended to live longer than other humans, I just couldn't bring myself to get in any relationship beyond just friends with one, not again.
       Bjorn, from the day I met him, when he was a mere 25 til the day he died in my arms at the rip old age, for a Nord, of 72. Long lived for one of his race and profession, but short for one of mine. I felt the same pain in my heart thinking about that day as I did, when I felt him breathe his last breath, just not as intense. I looked up through the leaves and found the sun, very low on the horizon. I picked up my pace a little, and bit the inside of my lip and ran through all the wording for all the spells I knew. I needed to stop thinking of him, it would get me killed one day.
       Perhaps I needed a break also, when Serana's father was taken care of, yes I would take a break..... while planning an expedition back to Blackreach. It would take time to get letters written to all the right people and they might not be able to drop what they were doing right away.
     In the meantime, maybe I could set up a household. Since Marcurio was checking on the house and getting it in order, I'd see how he did their and if he did well, ask if he wanted the job permanently. Adopt some of those kids that seemed to need a home, I really had thought Nords were more caring of their children than to leave them running he streets. Housekeeper, I'd need a housekeeper, one that loved children. Maybe I could find a woman that had lost her husband and needed a job. As I walked up to the gate of the Fort, I figured maybe a Bard also, one with more knowledge than singing skill, I'd just tell him or her not to sing while I was their. Nord's didn't ever seem to notice that there Bard's were singing off key, could have something to do with all the mead and ale they drank. As I rounded one of the parapet bases, I noticed some tent's and people in farming cloths. Damn, Isran was leaving these people outside, of course they were safer outside here than inside at their own homesteads. But still there was more than enough room for all of them in one of the wings. The Fort probably still needed the cobwebs swept from the corners, Isran didn't care about those things.
    I entered the doors and the first thing I saw was Serana hovering nearby. Great now I really would have to take her out the next time. When I found the Moth Priest, I saw the cloth wrapped over his eyes, that wasn't good news. I walked up to him making sure that I scuffed the floor so he would know I was close, then I sat on the bench next to him. "I found the Elder Scroll Dexion, but I have the feeling you can't read it."
     He shook his head, but then told me all hope wasn't lost as he knew of a way I might be able to read them. I listened as he explained where I would need to go and exactly what I would need to do. I squeezed his arm and asked if their was a chance that he'd get his sight back, as he shook his head. I felt terrible, but he explained that it wasn't unexpected, he would always have a home in the Imperial city with the rest of Moth Priests their. That was a weight off my mind, but I would have found him a place where he felt useful.
       With both Serana and Isran hovering nearby, but on opposite sides, I chose Isran first. He just wanted an update and to tell me he might have a job for me. I replied that I already had a couple things I needed to do and they all had to deal with Serana's father, so they would come first. I brought up the farmer's outside and the fact that I thought they would make good with farming, with some of the ladies perhaps cleaning. One could only hope a couple of the men could make repairs that were desperately needed. By bringing them inside the walls at night, they would feel safer and might not mind doing some of the labor that no one else wanted to do.
       I turned around and walked away before he could come up with the reason's it wasn't a good idea, to find Serana a come up closer. " Marcurio had some business to tend to, so if you want you can come with me. I do want to make it clear, IF you can't hold your own and still watch my back, they way I will watch yours. I will send you packing right back here. We will leave about 3 am, so we can travel some by night". While she didn't look happy, she did look relieved to be getting out of the Fort.    
        The next morning before the sun came up we were in the carriage heading to Falkreath Hold, the nearest place to the Ancestor Glade that Dexion had told me about. We made our way to the glade, not even going into town from where we were dropped off at. Once inside I realized it was a very special place, the flora and fauna inside the cavern were amazing.
         I picked up the ritual knife and peeled some of the bark from the Canticle tree and applied the sap over part of my skin. I felt like a fool, but I walked around and soon noticed that Moths were swarming around me. After about the fourth group Serana said I began to glow, I couldn't see it. I walked around drawing more and more of the Ancestor Moths to me, about the point where I started wondering how many groups I would need, I suddenly knew I had enough.
         I could hear the Elder Scrolls, very distinct melodies from each of the Scroll's I carried on my back. If I didn't know better I would say they were talking to each other in a language that sounded like music to my ear's. I walked slowly back to the ritual stone that had held the Drawing knife and reached behind my back to grab one of the Scrolls. At the point where I almost had my hand on one scroll it seemed as if another moved itself under my hand, the way a puppy will to get attention first.
          I pulled that Elder Scroll around and untied the ribbon holding it. I opened it and words and symbols and music all played itself out in front of my eyes and in my head. I knew were Auriels Bow was, I knew exactly what Harkon would do with it if he got hold of it. I read all three Scroll's, I would say I don't know what came over me, but I do. All three of the scrolls wanted me to read them, because all three had somethings they wanted to say to me. When the last Scroll showed me Bjorn standing in front of a roaring fire drinking mead in a grand hall, I hit my knees. Beside Bjorn laughing up at him, was myself. Sovngarde, I had seen myself standing next to my Love in the Nord afterlife. Could an Elder Scroll lie?
           Serana broke into my thoughts by asking if I was okay, for a second I wondered as I couldn't see, but then my sight came back slowly. I told her I was fine, but joy and dread fill my step's as we started making our way out. I had seen so much, They had told me so much. I knew I would not die soon if fate had anything to do with it. I had much to do,  the voices I had heard my whole life now made sense, I understood them. I wish I didn't
   
   

An unlucky day Chapter 13

       I woke at a very early hour the next morning and saw the Carriage driver eating. I asked if he minded company and we had a nice conversation over our breakfast. I told him that I would like to hire him to take Marcurio and I to Riften. He said he had already been paid for another party to go there, but had informed them that he wasn't a private conveyance. If we paid, we had a ride, so I paid right then. I had two hours to get Marcurio up and ready to go. I first asked Hulda if she would fix two lunch meals and a small light breakfast for Marcurio.
       I went to the back room where Marcurio and his companion were sleeping or rather he was sleeping. As soon as I walked through the door the Lady sat up, it wasn't the little blonde but a rather fierce looking redhead. I quirked my lip's sideways and told her that Marcurio needed to be at the carriage in two hours.
       I took our stuff to the carriage, Marcurio liked to wear an old robe when traveling by carriage, so his armor was packed away. He really didn't need to wear it as neither spell nor arrow ever got through his wards. But he did like to wear the Eleven warhammer that he had gotten off a bandit, said with the armor it looked dashing to the ladies. The Lady he was with last night was a real warrior and would never be fooled, but at a distance it would fool bandits.
      As it looked like rain I bought two waxed and oiled cloaks from the general store. I left it hanging on the room door for Marcurio, not wanting to interrupt. I walked out and talked again with the carriage driver and put the Elder Scroll under his bench seat, asked him if Marcurio could ride up their with him as he would get motion sick otherwise. He and his lady friend walked out, I had judged her correctly, the armor and her weapons screamed warrior and a competent one at that. We talked quietly next to the driver, who commented here and there and watched our fellow travelers come out.
     The first group was obviously rich, male and female alike their armor, clothing and weapon's screamed of money, but not a great deal of use. Cloak's of velvet with spells to ward off the rain and probably mud as well, spoke of more than just money. This was going to be an interesting trip. Marcurio took one look at them, then the group coming up behind them and started cussing up a storm. They weren't to hard to size up, either mercenaries or bandit's, possibly both. The carriage driver got a tight look to his mouth and Marcurio's lady friend, put her hand on the hilt of her sword.
       As the two groups got closer, I climbed into the carriage and sat right behind where Marcurio would be sitting. I hooked the Dwemer sword on the back of the seat and put my crossbow across my lap, with our lunch basket sitting at my side. Their was more than enough room for all of us to be spread out and I didn't want to be squeezed in. Sitting this way I could watch Marcurio's back. Marcurio gave his lady one last kiss and climbed onto the seat  the driver. One of the bandit/mercenary looking fellows had walked up and from the look on his face had expected to ride up front. Another got in the carriage and walked to the front and sat across from me but slightly back, putting his backpack against the front of the carriage.
     The well to do passengers got in next, followed by two more ruff looking characters. It wasn't adding up to a trip that would end well. With everyone at last settled into a seat the driver took off. I had ridden with him several times and Bjorlam didn't look happy and the tension in his back was almost painful to me. I slouched down and pulled the hood almost over my eye's and relaxed into the sway of the carriage. I watched the other passengers from under the hood. It wasn't so much that I could see their faces, but I didn't need to, I could see their bodies and most specially the tension in them or how relaxed they were.
     A couple hundred years and I considered myself a very good judge at reading people, not everyone's body language was making sense.  The bandit/mercenary across from me was wearing an excellent quality plate steel, but it had seen a lot of use and even more abuse from swords and other weapons. He was relaxed to the point of almost being asleep. Three of the four well to do youngsters were relaxed and jovial, the third nervous , but by the fingernails bitten to the quick, it was normal for him. The last two of our party, looked pretty rough on the surface, but as I looked more at their armor and weapons, I noticed that both were of the finest quality, so more than likely mercenaries over common bandit's at least. They were nervous to the point of being unable to sit still. Not the excited nervous that anticipated an upcoming raid or swindle, they were both tense nervous that could speak of so many things.
     Just to see what would happen, I slowly relaxed my hands so that it appeared I had fallen asleep, letting my crossbow start to slip down my lap. As it hit the floor of the carriage the bandit/merc across from me tensed, but didn't open his eyes. The well to do group stopped chattering for half a second as the young lady next to me leaned over and picked up the crossbow, she then put it on top of my pack in a way that would be handy to use, but wouldn't slip off. The oddest reaction was  from the two at the rear, they just about jumped out of the carriage.
     With the sun saying it was noon and more than half the trip to Riften over, we stopped for lunch. It appeared to be a place that Bjorlam stopped at often. As the carriage had stopped I sat up and looked at my crossbow. So, she was a mage and a pretty subtle one. I couldn't see what had been done, only that something had, I wouldn't count on it. It was a good thing I really didn't need it for distant targets anyway. As I stood up I put the crossbow in it's holster and grabbed the Dwemer sword and strapped it on. It wasn't the normal Dwemer sword, it's length and width said opposing things, Length said greatsword, width said one hand, I could use it either way. I grabbed the basket on the way to the back of the carriage, definitely wanting my lunch.  I met Marcurio on the side of the carriage, he, Bjorlam and I took the horses down to the creek and let them drink, the men sat on a log, I sat on a stump and we ate our lunch has the horses munched on grass.
      I asked Bjorlam where he thought the best place to attack the carriage would be. He got a very thoughtful look on his face, took a couple bites of his lunch, took a deep breath. " Just slightly up the road, there is a very steep grade and a switchback. The horses can't go faster than a slow walk, lot's of tree's, shrubs and rocks to hide behind."  Thinking quickly, I told Bjorlam to just drive the carriage, Macurio and I would take care of his safety. We finished our lunch, helped hook the horses back up and climbed back in, the other passengers not far behind.
      I didn't want to caste any spells to see if anyone was ahead, but I watched the birds and listened to the sounds of nature. The breeze was almost non-existent, so when I saw some bushes moving ahead, I bumped Marcurio's back with my elbow as I stretched my arms over my head. When they attacked I wanted out of the carriage, so I figured out how to do that by going over the side, my knee's were going to protest.
       As we hit the turn in the road an arrow came at us, Marcurio must have been looking in exactly the right direction, because he slammed up a ward around Bjorlam, the horses and Himself, and helped get the horses stopped, as the couldn't keep up that large a ward up while moving. I put up a ward for myself and looked for a target, as I found my target the Lady next to me found one also and shot out an ice-spike. She wasn't the only one though, it seemed like everyone but me fired off one kind of spell or the other.
         I did a detect-life spell and chuckled as their was no one else there. No one had been injured and as the two on the back of the carriage jumped down to go look at the bandit's, the older man in plate steel introduced himself as Captian Kiran of the Imperial Army. He had been instructed by the Legate to get rid of these particular bandits, who were targeting rich merchants and caravans. He had just been hoping that she and Marcurio didn't think they were the bandits, he knew her reputation and basically counted on her savvy.
         Everyone but She and Marcurio, were part of his patrol unit. All battlemages or spellswords, as he figured they would be most useful. The young lady came up and asked after her crossbow, saying that the spell she used would just cause it to freeze if the trigger were pulled, but she banished it. Zyne thanked her and had the young lady show her the spell, in return the soldier wanted to know the enchantments that were on her armor. Zyne laughed and told her that the enchantments weren't just on the Armor itself, but also on the gambeson, so many mages didn't even think of that, it was after all a separate piece of clothing.
       The two in badit type armor came back and one of them waved a piece of parchment at his Captain. The Captain read it and laughed. "Well it worked, they got the information that a group of rich young adventurers would be traveling from Whiterun to Riften today, now all we have to do is figure out who was giving up the information." The Captain was well pleased with the ruse and we all climbed back into the carriage to continue on our way to Riften,
      I looked back and thought.... It was a very unlucky day.... for those bandits.
   
   
 

Dwemer Machines chapter 12

   It was late on the third day that we found The Tower of Mzark, someone had been here in the not to distant past. If their had been any automatons in this tower they had been disabled by the people that left their stuff behind. Unfortunately for them at least one member of their party had left their corpse in the Tower.

     Looking at the Dwemer machine it was obvious where Septimus's lexicon went. It was also rather plain where the Elder Scroll was. The hard part would be to determine which button to push when. Marcurio and I decided to move our stuff to this place. So before we touched the machines we went back to the small building.
    Eating dinner Macurio and I discussed how we would go about activating the machine. Neither of us had seen any traps and it appeared that the skeleton had died of starvation. We also decided that instead of carting everything over to the Mzark Tower, we would take it up to Alftand on the lift.
  So I packed up all the Herbs I didn't recognize from up above, making sure that light wouldn't get to them. Put the loot that we wanted to take into a different pack and put a label on the pack of herbs. I figured if anyone found our stuff and decided to "loot" our loot, herb's might be the last thing they would want. Marcurio and I divided the precious gem's between us.
   First thing in the morning we went over to the lift and took our stuff up, I unlocked the gate, leaving it closed, but jamming the lock in a way that could be undone, but would take some work. We then went back to the small building and made sure it was neat and tidy. I then locked the door, put a small rune acrossed it and we hurriedly went to the Tower.

I put Septimus's lexicon in the machine and we watched it spin and take on another color. We both noticed that one of the lights on the console of button's lit up. So I went and pushed that button, the mechanism in the center of the room moved and another light lit up. I kept doing it that way until the mechanism lowered an egg shaped device that opened and revealed an Elder Scroll, that looked just the same as the one Serana carried.
  Taking the Lexicon from it's holder we walked down and then climbed up the device, taking care to stay on part's that appeared solid metal. I wrapped the Elder Scroll in one of Marcurio's spare robes and made a carry strap out of leather strip's that I always carried for repairing armor. I gave the Scroll to Marcurio to carry, as the War Axe he carried was more for show than for use. I on the other hand actually used my sword and crossbow and the Scroll would make it awkward to draw.
  Their was a lift in the down the hallway from the Dwermer machines. As we took that lift upwards, I asked Marcurio if he wanted to go back to Alftland and get the packs we left of just head on to Fort Dawnguard. After asking if the herb's I had packed would go bad and being assured they wouldn't, I didn't really know that, but none of them were one of a kind, he said he would rather head to the nearest town with a carriage, spend the night, getting a mug or two of ale, a full hot meal, a pretty lass on his knee and a warm bed, not necessarily in that order. I laughed, cause I really didn't feel like hiking all that much myself. I made sure to rib him about sore feet verses a sore behind though. This would not have been a good trip to have a horse.
  Early that afternoon we made it into Whiterun, selling off our loot first thing. I also asked the smith if I could use her forge and other equipment to do some repair's on our armor. After agreeing I told her I would be back after I changed out of it and had a good lunch. After going to the general store, we went to the Alchemy shop where I sold some of the reagent's that I knew she would know of and some of the more rare ones. I then asked if their was anyone here in Skyrim that she knew of that was an expert on Nirnroot's. She replied that while she knew of someone she wasn't sure of her name, but if I asked in Riften they may know as the woman lived in The Rift. We then headed to the Bannered Mare, where we rented room's, We both went and changed out of our armor, bringing it out to the common room where I put both set's on a chair and ordered a light lunch. Marcurio ordered a heafty lunch. He'd probably end up sleeping half the afternoon away, which was fine. After eating lunch I headed to the blacksmith shop with our armor.
   As I was pounding away on one of the Pauldron's, a large man stopped next to me, just in my line of sight, obviously waiting til I finished what I was doing. I finished knocking the small ding out of the metal and then wiped my hands and asked him how I could help.
  "Well we need the plowshare fixed because it cracked when I  hit a large rock." The young man spoke so fast that I almost didn't catch what he was saying. As I shook my head, his hopeful face fell, I had to quickly tell him that I wasn't the smith, she had went inside to eat her lunch, but he could go arrange the repair with her husband.
  I was sitting outside on the edge of the bridge, replacing some of the leather plates on Marcurio's armor when they came back outside. Adrianne came out and knelt down next to the blade, ran her hand's along the crack and then shook her head. Telling the young man what I had already known,  the crack in the metal was to extensive to simply repair, the blade would have to be remade. When she gave him a price, he told her he simply didn't have that much money, even with selling all the produce and hunted meat he had brought.
   I spoke up, "Adrianne, what about taking some of the cost, in trade", I nodded toward the pile of swords, " If the young man came back tomorrow, wrapped all the hilt's and sharpened the blades, that would save you a good days work. Actually, that might be two days worth of work. Melt the blade tonight and you can have it half done by tomorrow noon, make some more swords in the afternoon, have the young man work those also. Have him help you with the actual shaping of the blade, I'm given to understand that is easier with a second person. He can finish any swords up in the afternoon and leave the next morning with the plow done." She looked thoughtful for a moment and then looked at the young man and said "Well?".
   He looked confused for a moment and said that was a deal. Adrianne looked at him and told him to go inside and tell her husband to fix him a bowl of stew and show him a bed for the night. "Could you imagine him down at the Mare?" I laughed softly and said,
" No a man came in and asked me if I wanted to get in a drinking contest with him, I declined. I thought for a moment my partner was going to accept, specially when he said the prize was a staff, but  a pretty little blonde walked up and he also said no." Adrianne shook her head and said that the boy probably would have excepted and ended up married to a Hargraven or something.
   She thanked me for thinking about having the young man do all that work for her, she hated the tedious but necessary task of hilt wrapping and sharpening blades. I told her I understood completely, then got up and walked back to the Bannered Mare. Either the erstwhile merry maker had went elsewhere or had found someone to have his contest with and they drank themselves into an early stupor.
   I ordered a light dinner and took it up to my room, where I read for a while and fell into a deep sleep.

Blackreach chapter 11

  Have you ever walked into a place and just felt at home? I had that feeling as I gazed around, it felt as if I had returned to a beloved spot from my childhood, though I had never been here before. Marcurio and I walked to the nearest Dwemer building and opened the door, both of us ready for anything to attack. Nothing did, but the room looked as if someone had. That someone was a skeleton, so it was at least some little while ago. We looked around the room, that the person was an Alchemist was plain from all the herbs on the desk and counter. I was looking at one that I had never seen before, but recognized the noise from, when Marcurio found the Alchemist's journal and read it to me.
  We cleaned up the little building because both of us felt it could be defended pretty well. We burried Sinderion and I carved a stone marker for him with magic, then had to show Marcurio the spell. It didn't take a lot of power, just a lot of control. Marcurio was always willing to learn any spell I would teach him, he was also a very fast learner.
  After the building was all clean and straitened up, we cooked a meal and set up to sleep. The one thing about the Dwemers bed's they didn't fall apart, but weren't soft either though. With running water nearby, food and wood for the fire pit is the only thing we were lacking. Marcurio slept first so I sat in a chair and thought about this situation some.
  Surely the Dwemer would have more than one way in and out of here. Well it's not like their would be a big arrow over the tower we were supposed to find, so we'd have to go in and out of a few. Perhaps we would find one of the lifts, they dotted the landscape up above, so a few had to come from here. With  access to a lift we could get wood and food and continue to look for the proper tower. I got up and lit another of the little pot's of oil that I found in a Dwemer automaton, they weren't always the easiest to light, but once lit burned brightly and slowly.
  As I sat back down I thought how much Bjorn would have loved being here. Finding someplace completely new was something he really loved to do. We had always meant to get out of Skyrim and explore some of the places he had only heard about. He always talked about the walking trees in Valenwood, how much he would love to see them or the giant mushrooms that housed people in Morrowind. The deserts of Elsweyr were such an alien concept to him that he had a hard time picturing them in his mind.
  I laughed softly as I remembered the way he, Kalin and Talin had constructed a miniature mushroom village, complete with tiny stick people, cows and a couple sticks with feathers representing chickens. They worked on it for a couple week's, all the children in Solitude running in and out of the Inn to look at it. When a Dunmer merchant had come in and asked them which village it was supposed to be, the three men beamed with pride. I had rolled my eyes and laughed. It was rather amusing to see a mushroom with tiny windows and doors and even a chimney. When I had suggested they construct a wood mushroom, to make a playhouse out of it to go along with the "village", they did just that. With little carved dolls that had clothing and armor that Kalin made. Talin not to be outdone carved miniature horses with saddles and bridles. Bjorn, made the furniture and I, I caste a light spell on tiny pieces of clear rock, so that they would caste light in the darkness and placed them in tiny lanterns. We then gave the whole mess to a local orphanage for the children to play with.
  Shaking my head, I let the images go and went back to figuring out the best way to explore down here. It seemed to me that I had seen a wall opposite the building we were in, on the other side of the balcony we had come in through. Start their and work our way around the big cavern clockwise? Septimus had said Tower of Mzark, which to my mind left out buildings such as the one we were in. Peek into doors and gates to see what was their, Map each place out and write down about where it was at.
  With all that firmly in mind, I decided I needed at least a little bit of sleep before we went exploring. I woke Marcurio up and took his place on both our sleeping furs.

   When I woke up Marcurio had made something to eat, where he had gotten the egg's from I don't know and don't really care. Egg's, buttered bread that had been toasted and roasted apple, Lovely. I went over what I had thought about last night and he said he had come to the same conclusions. So we left most of our gear in the building and I put a small rune spell on the door, anyone opening it would have a shocking surprise.
  We walked strait across from the building and headed clockwise along the base of the balcony til we reached a dark area, where we found out that their are some nasty flying insects down here. The next thing on our trip was a Dwemer machine infront of a gate. I pushed the activation button and the gate opened, we both walked in and looked at the lever, smiling at each other I pulled the lever and up we went. Looking out it was very easy to guess where we were. So supplies wouldn't be a problem, if it took to long to find Mzark Tower. We debated on unlocking the gate, but in the end decided that Dwemer automatons, Falmer and their pet's were enough to deal with. We didn't need to add bandit's to the list.
  I kept tract of where we were and which direction we where headed in on a large piece of paper, I am no cartographer, but I can do a reasonable map. Each building I marked. I would see about making different colored ink's with herbs and such one night while Marcurio slept, it shouldn't be really difficult coming up with a couple different colors do mark the different types of buildings. I also kept a journal with directions, Devines help the person trying to figure it out. It was more for me, so I could explain it to others.
  Fighting a few Falmer and Chuarus along the way, we made pretty good time. After the last small group of Falmer, we climbed the ramp and crossed the bridge to the tower on the other side, after a peak inside, we decided it didn't look as if it might be what we were looking for. Going back the other way, we saw a giant globe, yellow in color, but obviously constructed by the Dwemer. It was over what appeared to be a large fort type structure, though it was very hard to tell in the darkness. We walked a little further and saw a couple towers in the near and far distance. We both decided that they could wait for the next day and headed back to the building we had set up shop in.
   After I dissipated  the rune on the door, Marcurio went inside and then came back out with a small table and the stew we had left simmering, along with some bread and mead. We both sat on the spongy like ground and enjoyed our dinner and the view of the underground river. From this vantage we could see the yellow globe in the distance and a slightly different side of the "fort".
  "Unless  it's no other place, I would prefer not to have to go into that Fort like building. I would be my last piece of gold that their are Falmer their and probably a lot of them." Marcurio narrowed his eyes looking at the fort.
  "Not a bet I will take, I have a feeling your right. We'll just keep going the way we did today and leave that area for last. Did I see the wheel's turning inside your head, about coming back here at a later date?"
  I laughed at him and said in a neutral voice, " Now what would ever give you the Idea that I might want to come back to this dank, dark hole in the ground?" He burst out laughing and I joined him.
  " The same thing that makes me want to come back, cur-i-os-ity. And knowing that no one else had explored this place in a very long time."
  I nodded and then said it would probably be best if we went inside before we drew the attention of every Falmer in this place. We went inside, and I spent Marcurios sleep time writing my impressions of this place, along with some sketches of things we had seen.
  When I went to sleep that night, it was to the sound of the Crimson Nirnroot and picture of the giant glowing mushrooms swaying in an un-felt breeze.

A matter of perspective Chapter 10

   Marcurio woke me early the next morning and we managed to get most of the supplies I wanted from the Inn Keeper. Those that we couldn't weren't really the important things anyway. Wood could always be picked up along the shore. Plus the Inn Keeper had also told me that most of the things we hadn't been able to get, we would have to go all the way to Solitude to get.
  After two days of rowing around the islands closest to shore, I climbed up one of the rocky spire's late in the evening and waited til long after dark. After looking for an hour I finally spotted what looked like lanterns out on one of the Islands due North of us. I took note of the islands between us and their most prominent landmarks, I also looked behind me to the landmarks their, so that I would have a strait line to guide me.
   When we got to the Island that I had noted, I pulled out one of the long pieces of driftwood that I had gathered and walking a couple step's onto the island, caste the tiniest of fire spell's, then jammed the wood into the ice-pack, used the side of my wood ax to smack it further in, then caste a frost spell to make sure the wood was secure. Marcurio laughed and tied the boat up to my make-shift anchor.
   We walked to the entrance of the cave and down the passage, long before we made it to the cavern at the bottom, we heard the voice of a man, who appeared to be talking to himself. I looked at Marcurio, who rolled his eyes, I gave him a sideways smile and we walked into the presence of the man talking to himself.
  After a very rambling conversation, half of which made no sense what so ever. Septimus, because that's who it was, gave me two pieces of Dwemer artifact's. I know he gave me instructions somewhere in that nonsense, I could only hope that when the time came, I would understand it.
   The trip back to shore was much quicker and Marcurio and I tried to make some sense of what Septimus had said. We understood that we needed to go to Alftand and that somewhere deep inside we would find a gate of sorts, that the round artifact would open up. After that gate, we would find Blackreach, a very deep Dwemer dwelling.
  I knew were Alftand was, but we made two detours along the way, one to the Library at the college so I could tell Urag that we had found Septimus, but that he was stark raving mad. Urag said that dealing with Elder Scroll's could do that to a person, but I wasn't so sure that was the cause... he hadn't went to get the Elder Scroll, just knew where it was.
  The second stop was in Dawnstar so that we could get more provisions and most important healing potions. Marcurio said he would teach me a healing spell if I didn't know any. I laughed and said I knew quiet a few healing spells, I just choose not to use them unless their is no other choice.  I really don't think he understood that one, most young mages wouldn't. I sighed, "what happen's when after a really hard fight, you are exhausted and can't use any magic to heal the axe wound to my thigh, that has nicked an artery and I am unconscious and can't "heal" myself?" I saw the instant he understood what I was getting at. "You can pour a healing potion down my throat or just put bandages on it and hope I don't bleed to death."
  The trip to Alftand was otherwise uneventful, a couple wolves and a snowy sabre cat, a calming spell too care of all of them and they meandered on there ways. Dwemer ruins are Dwemer ruins, the architecture is amazing, but very repetitive. I've been in an out of them for over 200 years, what I don't like is their mechanical guardians. Many a sword has been broken on them, which was my other purchase in Dawnstar, a Dwemer sword. I paid a courier to take Kruziik Dilon to the Temple in Riften, one of the Priestesses being a long  time friend, I made sure to enclose a note so she would know I was fine.
  We ran into plenty of Dwemer automan's doing their job of guarding the ruins. When I saw the first dead Falmer, I stopped and thought a minute. It was mid to late evening, we would soon be getting tired and it wasn't how I wished to find Falmer. I thought back to the last set of rooms and remembered an area with a floor to ceiling grate. Going back I found the gate locked, I picked it and we both went in, I stood in the doorway and caste three  frost rune spells, in a half circle in front of the gate. I then shut the gate, re-locked it and laid out  my sleeping furs.
   Marcurio handed me some cheese, bread and and apple. I looked at the bread and cheese, then gave a rueful grin. I handed him a flaggon of water flavored with snowberries.
   "Zane, I was wondering, why it is you rarely use magic, I mean obviously you are well skilled and powerful." He asked in a voice that was more hesitant than I had ever heard from him.
   I paused for a moment to figure out how to answer the questions that I knew he really wanted answered, but had been to polite to ask.
  " What is the difference between good and evil, in the use of magic?", I didn't expect an answer right away and I didn't get one, as he thought about it. I let the silence drag on for a moment longer and then said, " If you were an observer and saw someone attack me and I used a lightning spell to kill them, you wouldn't consider that evil, would you? and neither really would the person that had attacked me, had they the ability to answer that question. Now if that same thing happened, but instead of a lightning spell, I used a teleportation spell to rip out the attacker's heart or a healing spell to stop it, would you as an observer consider that evil?" I could see the thoughts going through his head, it was actually amusing to watch.  " Most people would, I on the other hand might not, because I might feel it is worth anything to save my own life. I have never taken the life of Man or Mer or beast race for that matter, by using such spells. I did during the Oblivion Crisis, use such spells on dremora. I used the spells to save the life of my Aunt Irrillia, her unborn child, two children we found along the way and myself. I have never, used them since, because you see good and evil are all a matter of perspective."
  I let him think about that as we settled in to get some rest, I knew he would have more questions the next day.


     We got up the next day and ate breakfast, I dissipated the runes so that we could leave without setting them off and we headed out. I was right, as we met Falmer shortly after the next set of doors. And then it was like a gauntlet of them and their Chaurus pets. One could feel sorry for the ancient Snow Elves that became the Falmer, but I was hard pressed to feel the least bit bad about killing them.
   We made it to a chamber with a couple Falmer and a Dwemer Centurion behind locked gates. Marcurio and I played tag with it, each of us hitting it once, drawing it's attention and then running to avoid it's steaming breath, then the other would hit and run. When we finally dispatched it, we went through another gate where two people seemed more intent on fighting each other than noticing we were their, so we let them fight it out. I put a crossbow bolt into the winner.
  We walked up to the Dwemer device and I put the round artifact into the receptacle, as we heard movement in the floor. We both hurried backwards onto what we hoped was solid ground.
   We walked down the steps and through a door onto a dark balcony, I caste a light spell and was immediately attacked by  Falmer. As I fought the Falmer that came at me, through the haze caused by my light spell and the deep darkness beyond, I seemed to be seeing.... giant glowing mushrooms? Two Falmer attacking me and a Dwemer construct attacking all three of us, was keeping me from getting a good look. Marcurio was busy as well, but we got rid of our attackers at about the same time. We both walked towards the break in the balcony railing, figuring that is where any steps would be. Right as we go to the top of the step's, my light spell dissolved.
   As my eye's adjusted to the darkness after my spell, I stood their transfixed by the sheer beauty of the giant cavern we were in. How to describe Blackreach to someone that has never seen it. The dark velvet of the cavern roof was dotted with some kind of glowing fungus or creature that seemed to be swaying to a breeze that I couldn't feel. In white/blues and greens with  some red's for color variation, it was like the twinkling of stars set to a music that only they could hear. Their were giant glowing mushrooms and also some kind of rock that seemed to have a light of  it's own, even the water was giving off a pale light that made the ripples and eddies fascinating to look upon.
   Dwemer towers and buildings dotted the landscape and I wondered at the Dwemer that could leave such a beautiful place. I also knew  some Dwemer scholars that would give their family fortunes to come down here to study. Once the main vampire threat was over,  I could get an expedition together, some alchemists wouldn't hurt either. But a small part of me didn't want to share this place at all. All this ran through my head in an instant, next to me Marcurio was staring wide eyed and saying wow over and over. I knew the feeling.
 
 

Hunting an Elder Scroll Chapter 9

   It was still well before dawn when I woke to find the blizzard had passed, knowing both Masser and Scunda would be full and up til past dawn, I fixed breakfast.  I woke Marcurio, we ate then left the barrow. The land was lit up by the moon's and an Aurora, putting on a beautiful display. We walked quickly to warm up our bodies, but not so fast that we would start to sweat, something that could be deadly in this weather.
   Reaching Winterhold in the early afternoon we walked strait up to the College, where we ran into a hiccup in our otherwise smooth day. One of the members was guarding the way in and seemed to want me to perform some kind of test to prove I belonged at the college. Just as I was about to unleash a levitation spell on the her, Marcurio walked around me. She smiled at him with a slight blush, the little hussy. "Oh, I didn't see you. You two go right in, I didn't know she was with you". I almost caste the spell on her anyway.
   "Have you flirted with every female in Skyrim, Marcurio?"
   " Now, why do you think I am here instead of The Imperial City?" he said with a roll of his eyes
  I snorted and kept walking. Finding my way to the Library was no problem, I had been their countless times before. I asked Marcurio to distract the Librarian, so I kept my hood up and my head down. When Marcurio caught his attention and he started in a spiel that must of been decades old.
  "Old Man, I'll take your Atronach's and raise you two Dremora Lords". I said slyly as I pulled my hood down. Then started laughing as his jaw dropped and he snapped his mouth shut. Orc's really have to be careful about that, he just about bit his lip.
   He moved around the desk and caught me in a bear hug that threatened to crack my rib's. "Zane, girl, you don't look a day older and it's been.... at least 25 yrs. Where have you been?"
  "Chasing vampires," I shrugged one shoulder, "That's what I am doing here. I'm searching for an Elder Scroll or a rumor of where one might be. I don't suppose you have one?"
   "No, not a single Elder Scroll in my library, it could use one though. I do however have a couple book's that might point you in the right direction". He walked over to a locked book case and brought out two book's laying them on the counter.
   " You remember Septimus Signus, I think he had just gotten here before you left". I looked at both book's and chose the one not Signus, after leafing though that one quickly, I picked up the book by Signus. Read through it twice and grimaced, as I put it back down.
   "I don't think I recall him, but from reading his book, he sounds a few eggs short of a dozen."
Urag, shook his head and then said he probably was. He had disappeared, somewhere up in the Ice flows and hadn't been heard from in a couple year's.
   " Do you know if I still have my room here or did they give it to someone?" I didn't hold out much hope, but it never hurts to ask.
   " They gave your room away about 10, maybe 15 years ago, you really should come by more often". I Just nodded at him and said thank's, gave him a kiss on his cheek and walked out.
    "He's a Librarian Marcurio, he'd rather my story in writing, than spoken. If that is your wondering." We left the college and walked to the Inn, where I ordered dinner and two room's. " I suppose I should write a journal and then send them to him, that he would be interested in."
    " Actually, I was wondering if you planned on taking us out to the ice flows and wander around". He said as the bar maid brought us our food. I saw him slip a gold piece in her rather low bodice, well she was showing off her asset's.
  " No, not wander, I did some Ice fishing and Horker hunting with a couple of families that used to live up here. There are a good many island's with cave's and such, but their are a few that I think might interest a crazy scholar, we'll start with those". I could tell he wasn't really listening, but that was ok, if I was a young man, I wouldn't be listening to me either. She really was pretty and well built.
    After dinner I left Marcurio to his own graces and went outside to talk to the guards. They are always a good source of information. One of the guard's remembered the family that fished the waters, but said they had moved closer to Solitude. After a couple more questions he did tell me that he had overheard one of them tell the other they would miss the extra coin from the mage. He didn't know anymore, but called over an older guard that told me the family had taken supplies out to a mage, that was hold up in a cave. He gave directions as best he could and also told me where a boat could be found, the owner having disappeared. I thanked both men and asked if they got off duty soon, both said yes, so I told them I would buy them some ale and dinner.
    I pulled an old book out of my pocket, sometime in the past it had gotten wet and the ink was smeared or just plain gone, I used it to write lists and other things I wanted to remember down, with a piece of charcoal. Just as I finished up my lists of supplies we would need, the two guards came through the door or the Inn, with a third. I motioned them over and the Inn Keeper brought all of us a round of ale and asked the guards what they wanted to eat.
    "All of us got off duty at the same time, but Raic will pay for his own meal". the eldest guard said. I told them not to worry, I would enjoy their company. One of the guards asked about my armor, having noticed that My and Marcurio's armor were similar. I told them we were part of the newly formed Dawnguard and on the look out for anyone that wanted to join in our fight against vampires. I listened to them talking for awhile and joined in with stories of my own.
  "Let me tell you about the Barmaid at the Inn right outside the Imperial City and how she...volunteered to join the mages guild. She was a pretty little thing, dark of hair, blue eyes and a curvey figure that belied her small stature. It seem's that guards and traveler's to the Inn alike kept coming up with coin missing, but none could figure out exactly how. Coin purses tied on the inside of clothing and sealed shut would come up empty just as quickly as mugs of ale. After a couple months of complaints and the guard not figuring it out, they asked the Mages guild to send someone around. A Little old man of a mage walked through the door, in clothing that looked strait off a merchants caravan. He spread a little coin around and rented a room for a couple days. He watched everyone for a few days, while reading various book's he pulled out of his bag's. When some coin and a precious stone disappeared from his pocket, he noticed the change in weight. He concentrated but neither saw nor felt a body around him, which would happen if one was using an Invisibility spell or potion. He whispered the tiniest spell and felt the answer, magic but not what he had thought. He got up and walked out the door and walked a little bit up the road. When he ran into one of the city guard, he gave the man a note, which he said to deliver to the watch Captain. He then strolled back down the road, taking his time getting back to the Inn.
  He sat back down and pulled out his book's. About three quarters of an hour later the watch Captain and two guards walked through the door and over to where he sat. With a couple word's to the little mage, the Captain called everyone in the room together, as they stood their in a line the little old mage stood up.
  "Captain, the reason I asked you to bring battlemages with you, is that your thief stole a precious stone, but it's not just any stone. This stone has a spell on it, this spell is peculiar in that it can only be removed from one person to another by magic and the holder can't remove it at all. It is in the pocket of one of the people in this room. Just have them turn their pockets inside out." as he finished his sentence the barmaid disappeared for a brief second and then reappeared. " Oh did I forget to mention, that it also won't get more than 100 paces from the caster of the spell?"
   The Battlemages walked over to the barmaid and watched her closely as the little mage called his rune stone back to him. " If the Lady is willing, she may become a pupil of the mages guild, in Bruma. Otherwise the Lady can sit in a prison cell until she changes her mind".
  As it happened gentlemen, she choose to go to Bruma with the old mage. In the course of time, she became a very highly respected mage in the guild. I know because I was one of the Imperial Battlemages that escorted her to Bruma. The old mage had her cast a rune spell on another stone and kept hold of it, so that she wouldn't run away. And with that Gentlemen have a good night".
  I then got up and made my way to my bed and a good nights sleep.