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“Stop. Please. Stop. Just make it stop.”

The desperate plea of a tortured soul.

In the dark recesses of a narrow and murky cave there laid a short male Wood Elf, curled up like a newborn baby and shivering as if coated in frost. This elf, whose silvery white hair shone like the moon, wore no clothes upon his wiry beaten figure. Streaks of bloody mangled flesh riddled his body, the marks of a monster that liked to play with its prey. His once soft features were now terribly bruised and covered in streams of tears that had managed to escape his closed eyes. The air was here was thin and cold, and on it was a scent that would cause most to wrench – a mixture of rotting flesh, human waste and sulphur. This individual, whoever he was, had endured much pain and now clearly just wanted an end… any end. But it would not be given easily. Somewhere not too far from him, in the unlit abyss that surrounded him, the sound of scuttling began to intensify. A chorus of tiny clicks, pitters and patters, signified the approach of a predator that he did not want to meet. The elf tried to supress his tears and hold his breath, an effort he hoped would make him silent and undetectable. But it was in vain. The sound of the ever-approaching beasts grew larger until finally, two large spiked pincers sprung from the darkness towards him and began to feast on his flesh. Layers of black armoured scales lined the beast, with small appendages sticking out at every other row; spiked arms that were dripping in poison and would cling to anything that dared to escape it’s grasp. It was a chaurus reaper.

Screams of hellish agony echoed throughout the endless cave, reverberating off the damp covered walls and small insect filled crevices. The elf slowly began to be eaten alive until as if by some divine intervention, a bolt of furious lightening raptured the ceiling above him. The flash of intense white light burnt his iris’, leaving him blind, whilst the tremendous roar of thunder raptured his ear-drums and left him deaf to the world.

“Is it over?”

No.

There was no grasp of time for the elf, no measure of duration which he could attribute to the space between being blinded and opening his eyes. Even his memory failed him and he struggled to recall the events that had led him here. He had been at a party, then a war, then a cave? But where was he before that? How did he transition from one to another? What happened at these places? And where was he now? As his light hazel eyes slowly drifted open he found himself in a place he finally did know: home. He stood in the centre of a room that was encased in thick bark; it was in the centre of a tree after all. Mason jars filled with glow lamps hung darted about the room, affording dim but cosy illumination to his surroundings. Beds made of fur, bear, wolf and otherwise, lined the skirt of the room, but were empty. Chests made of chitin were left half open, revealing clothes and other personal possessions belonging to him and his family. Exquisitely crafted bone items adorned the walls, from make-shift shrines, to figurines, to practical weapons like bows and swords. But where was his family? Where were his friends?

The elf, who was now draped in light wolf furs, made his way towards the leather tarp which acted like a door to the natural tree burrow. Slowly, knot by knot, he released the small pieces of robe that held the stretched leather tightly to the tree, until it eventually flapped open and revealed the grove outside. His eyes widened, his mouth gaped, and his stomach began to twist and churn. Before him the Grove in which he called home was nothing more than a desolate graveyard. Smoke lingered on the air but did little to hide the dozens of charred corpses that littered the barren waste. Men and women, both young and old, had been put to the sword. It was only through the size and shapes of the bodies that the elf could recognise who the victims may have been, for any features they had were now melted away. The small of burning flesh was still strong and it would have been enough to bring tears to his eyes were they not already succumbing to grief. The elf turned around and went to retreat back into his home but the door was gone, and instead there laid a figure slumped against the great oak carrying a child. The elf found himself inching towards the body until he could see that it wore a locket that he recognised – a locket that he had made.

Without warning the seared woman’s head shot up and unleashed an unholy scream, causing the Elf to freeze in shock “Húrin! Húrinnnnn! You left me to die! You left your son to die! You left your whole family to die! Curse you!”

“Yasmin? No… this isn’t real. You’re not her. We never had a child…” his words were little more than a quiver as he struggled to process the unnatural sight before him. He began stepping backwards with speed, but in his haste quickly caught his heel on a branch and found himself on the scorched earth. He looked up to see that whilst Yasmin was not giving chase the creature that she held in her arms was beginning to move. The baby (if it could be called that) was shrivelled and ashen black, with lines of small razor sharp teeth and blood filled eyes. It let out a sound even worse than its mother; a demented wail that pierced ones ears and could strike fear into any man’s heart. In frenzied movements the infant sprung free of its mothers grasps and began to crawl after it’s father. Húrin desperately scrambled to his feet and sprinted into the forest. His legs carried him as fast as they could, sending him whirling past innumerable trees but whenever he glanced over his should it seemed like the grove was no further away and the undead child grew ever closer. It was only mere feet away when the mysterious figure appeared. A silhouette of pure golden light, wielding a hammer too large for any mortal man, walked out from a tree and cut off Húrin in his stride. There was no time to react as the hammer struck him in the chest…



Húrin awoke from the nightmare breathless and coated in sweat. In panic he found himself rolling out of his bed and onto the wooden floor of the room he had rented. “What in Y’ffre’s name was that?” he gasped to himself as he laid naked on the floor. He looked around himself and could tell that he was no longer dreaming; there was a clarity to the real world that could not be mimicked in one’s mind. The open window revealed that dawn was rising over the great forest, and Húrin was glad to see such a natural sight.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

A knock at the door startled Húrin, but it was the abrupt entrance that followed that really made him squirm. “Master Húrin, is everything all right?” asked the bust imperial tavern keeper as she made her way in. Her brown eyes quickly found their way to the exposed organs of her customer and she eeped in response. “Sorry! I just heard you making a commotion and thought I’d check in on you.”

Húrin waited a good ten seconds for her to leave before opening his mouth. “I’m fine thank you, just had some bad dreams. You can leave now.” tired of his privates being public, he began to quickly get dressed – starting with his briefs.

“Oh- Erm- Of course. It’s just…” The brunette, who was well into her fifties, pointed to his chest as she posed a query “What is that peculiar mark on your chest? You’re not diseased are you?”

It’s been a hell of a night. The talk on the street was the siege of Leyawin. Even in the Imperial city it was the talk of the town. Scylla wasn’t feeling too well since sunset. Where normal people would soon be heading to bed to sleep, she had not that need. Still tonight it was different. She wasn’t feeling well, which for someone of her kind wasn’t normal.

Scylla’s steps were heavy, her movement slowed from unnatural fatigue that slowly crept into her body, swallowing the last of her strength. She found herself quickly returning to her rented room, a hand placed on the wall of the stairs to keep balance as she could barely walk anymore. A surge from somewhere deep inside her mind stuck just as she reached the door of her room. For a moment she lost consciousness, but hitting the cold wooden door with her head as her limbs lose strength brought her back to it and she managed to walk inside, closing the door behind herself.

Taking a single step, she had not yet reached the bed when her body once again gave all strength and she crumbled on the covered by carpet floor. A soft thud filled the surroundings as her relaxed body touched the floor.

Priscilla couldn’t remember the last time she dreamt. It was now a foreign concept for her as her body no longer required any real sleep. Thus she had forgotten what it was like… now she didn’t even realize she was dreaming.

Everything was a complete chaos in her mind. She was running through a forest then a field. She felt trapped into the body of a hunter as her mind refused to believe it was herself. Running through the moonless night, she reached a farm in the wide fields. The windows were bright, lighted by the warm fires within. As Scylla screamed inside her mind, the body moved, bashing through the door of the remote farm. The screams of it’s residents were muffled as the crazed vampire tore the throats of everyone inside. The whole family was turned into husks as the vampire feasted on their blood.

‘NOOOOOOOOOO! I DON’T WANT THIS!’ Scylla screamed as she remembered the place now. This was one of the farms where she once took refuge for a day. She never did this madness back then. This was not her! She was not some bloodcrazed monster! She was going to find a cure!

Among the huge pool of blood that formed on the floor, Scylla clearly saw her own visage reflected. It was that of a monster who was well beyond saving… What sort of nightmare was this!? Why would she dream of this now of all times? Suddenly a figure formed as the room became even more drowned in light. The best narrowed it’s eyes, hiding them behind it’s arms. As the figure brought down a hammer onto her, Scylla’s eyes snapped open.

She screamed from pain as she began twisting on the floor of her room. It took her a few long minutes before she finally calmed down. Her chest hurt like oblivion and she was sure if she was still breathing, it would have been hard to do that. Suddenly a knock came from the neighboring room as the resident there was shouting at her to stop making all that noise so early in the day. It was then that she finally threw a look at the window, noticing the dawn was slowly creeping over the horizon.

As her chest still felt sore and heavy, she slowly moved to the mirror in the room. Taking off her vest and shirt she saw a rather peculiar sight across her bosom. It seemed like… a hammer mark of sorts.” What on earth happened…?” She muttered to herself, as the sun shined more and more brightly, causing her minor pain across her naked skin. Using the bowl of water, she quickly splashed some on her face… What was that nightmare… this mark… why her… so many questions and no answers… for now.

Andiira was walking thru the streets of the capital, flames were everywhere. She looked around and could see the the city on fire. "What happened?" She walked around aimlessly in the smoke and fire. Suddenly she falls over a charred corpse. It grabs onto her and looks at her with dark, soulless eyes.

"Why did you burn us?" More and more corpses crawl towards her. "Why did you burn us? Why do you hate us?" The corpses are calling out to her, clawing at her feet. Wherever she looked there were corpses, all charred and burned to a crisp. The flames surrounded her as the city burned.

"I didn't do anything!" she shouted at the corpses while trying to push one of them away. Her gaze fell on the one she was holding. It had turned from a corpse into that of a young girl. "N..no." she whimpered as her hands were torching the girl. "Not you..." The girl had a horrified expression on her face as she burnt, screaming loudly. Tears welled up in Andiira's eyes as she recognised the girl as her only friend at the college.

She tried to drop the corpse and run, but she could not. Slowly the corpses started to develop faces, their skin and muscles growing back in a grotesque fashion. Andiira looked around her, all of these corpses were people she knew, people she had known, people she had killed. There was the would be rapist from her youth, a teacher at the college, and many more. Some had been accidents, or before she had known how to control her magic. Some she had killed in rage when only meant to sear them or scare them, or in self-defence.

They all horrified her, and she remembered them all, and now they were standing in front of her, ablaze like torches. Their eyes were soulless, dark, accusing. "Why did you kill us?" One asked. "We were only there to help you." Another said. "I loved you, and you killed me!" the girl shouted and grabbed onto her sleaves.

Andiira could see the figures turning to ashes one by one, creating a tombstone where they stood. There was at least ten tombstones at the graveyard she suddenly found herself in. Only the girl had not turned into ashes, she was standing there with an evil look on her face. "You like killing. It's the only thing you're good at. Look at the city around you, all in flames, caused by you. You're a murderer, a pyromaniac, a destroyer."

She wanted to yell how wrong the girl was, how that was not her, but she could not. There was truth to what she said, but she refused to believe it. She did not like killing, unless it was for a good cause. With the others however...there was a vacuum in her heart, a vacuum they had created.

Suddenly she was in the middle of the city, burning it, destroying everything she came across. Andiira was crying while doing it, but she could not stop herself. The girl was walking behind her, grinning, edging her on to keep doing it, holding her arms as the girl directed Andiira towards targets to burn.

Around a corner a tall man approached carrying a hammer similar to her own forging hammer. The girl behind her hissed and he waved with his arm and she faded into ashes. Andiira's flames died down as she looked up at the man, tears still in her eyes. He didn't say a word as he raised his hammer and struck her chest.

She opened her eyes and found herself in her chambers in the cellars of the college. Soon a strong smell of charred wood entered her nose and she looked around. Everything in the room had burned to crisps, at least the few things that she had. The stone walls were black as night and she could hear footsteps running back and forth with buckets of water.

Andiira got up and walked out of her room, she could see the next room over in flames as they tried to put it out. It did not take long before she returned to the room and sat down on her stone bed. She looked around before opening up her corset, looking down at her chest and found a mark. Andiira gently touched it and found it cool to the touch, it reminded her of that man in her dream.

Not too long after she had dressed up again she felt a force hitting her from behind, knocking her against the wall and she passed out. "She was trouble since day one, and now she outdid herself," a voice said. "This place is lost, we need to find another," a second voice said. "Take her outside and dump her somewhere," a third said. "I know of a place, I keep an extra room nearby," the last person said. "I'll take her over there now," he said and lifted her up.

“Do you remember some of the things that I taught you?” Laskaria asked, her sing-song voice blending well with the river flowing over the rocks. Vaenlen thought for a bit, tried to remember. He didn’t want to disappoint her by telling her that her only legacy for him was his own failure of her ideals and goals. Of betraying the cause with his eyes blinded by the fire of his youth.

“Of course.” He nodded. Laskaria had been many things to him, a mother when he had none, a mentor when he had none and when he felt his own awakening as a man, somewhat of a first love. Though he never told her. It wouldn’t mean much to tell her now.

“Like what, then?” She had a knowing smile on her face. She’d never been easy to lie to, and not because Vaenlen was a bad liar.

“To use violence as a last resort. To give the chance of peace often.” Vaenlen said, “And more…” He finished lamely.

She chuckled and shook her head, “And why, then, do we use violence as a last resort?”

“It is the tool of simple minds.” Vaenlen answered, not meeting her eye. If violence truly was the tool of simple minds, then Vaenlen’s must be the simplest of all, knowing the wending rut in the dirt his life had carved all the years past.

“Indeed. I should never have saved you had I known how far you would set my goals and hopes back.” And she nodded just behind him. ”A good punishment.”

He felt lightning shooting from his back, and then another. He whirled around to see a man holding a dagger red with blood. His face screwed up in confusion before it dawned on him. It was his blood. He suddenly felt sick and scared, and his legs pumped as fast as they could, carrying him through the woods. The trees grew closer together the farther he ran until all semblance of the sky was blotted out so thoroughly it may as well be night. “You let your anger control you so much.”

“I’ve gotten better!”

“At what cost did this one lesson come though?” Laskaria’s voice came from all around.

“What do you want from me?” Vaenlen screamed at the dark, “I refuse to be dogged by ghosts! You of all people know that only the dead can afford to be still in the past!”

“Then join me.” The words dripped with malice, totally unlike Laskaria. At that moment, the brightest light stabbed its fingers into Vaenlen’s skull before revealing a man larger than himself, carrying a hammer. He felt rooted as deeply as an old oak, unable to do anything but gasp as he watched the head of the hammer become a blur-

* * *

He jolted awake with a heart’s pace that almost made his chest hurt. He looked around himself, finding that he was no more inside a dark and terrifying forest any more than he was in the grand halls and opulent gardens of a noble’s manor in Alinor. He sighed deeply and rose to his feet, the pitiful, teeming dirt of Cyrodiil’s swamps under his toes. The dark iron of a cloud-choked sky pressed down on the world around him. How he’d fallen. His ears twitched at a sound and a niggling at his shoulder told him to turn. “Your footsteps are still too loud.”

“No one else can hear me.” Tamas huffed, no doubt crossing his arms the way he did when things didn’t go his way. Had he ever been so stubborn in his ignorance? More than likely.

“But I can and that means you’ve much to learn yet.” Vaenlen finished buttoning his shirt, choosing to leave his hood down for a time. He ran his fingers through his long hair and his fingers came away greasy. His beard had grown unruly as well. Laskaria, doubtlessly, would have told him to shave and then forbade him to eat until he could fill a bucket to its rim with water using only what water he could carry in his mouth from the river, or to strike a rock with the edge of his hands or the back of his fists one hundred times. She was fond of creative punishments, was Laskaria. But she taught him well. Taught him that struggle and suffering were the best thing a person should get used to, rather than comfort and a life of uninterrupted ease.

“Have you been having your dreams again?” Tamas asked. Vaenlen said nothing, only looked at him over his shoulder, letting the boy of sixteen summers know that he was in no mood to discuss such things with anyone, much less him.

“There are Dominion troops in the mainland, in Cyrodiil. That means there are Thalmor among them, Tamas. Your footsteps that may as well be thunder and your prying about the business of my sleep will not help our cause.” Vaenlen said.

“And what is our cause? You’re paying us, remember?” Tamas sighed, as if he was a parent explaining to an errant child why inane things must be done in such inane ways.

“I’m paying Bor, Shimbul and Valdas. I am keeping you as a ward, as an apprentice.”

“As a prisoner.” Tamas muttered.

“You do not know what it is to be a prisoner, boy.” Vaenlen growled, “I may as well be feeding you rice pudding with a silver spoon as you sit on a mattress of feather down lined with velvet. Only pain makes a man stronger, pain and struggle.”

“You seem to hate the Thalmor.” Tamas crossed his arms and leaned against a tree.

“They hate what I am. They’ve taken much from me, so I break whatever they seek to build at every chance I can.” Vaenlen said. He turned and walked past Tamas, “The only thing that will stop me is my death.”

Lyreia sat in the back of a darkened vehicle, slowing blinking herself awake, before falling back into a deep sleep once more. The stuff her captors had forced into her certainly was strong. Especially since Lyreia had never done skooma before. Her head swam, and suddenly, so did her body.

She was underwater. That was the only way to describe it. Her auburn hair lifted into the air as she floated, revealing her Elven ears. Revealing her shame. She opened her eyes, and was floating in space. Just as suddenly as she had been there, she was gone.

She laid down on a dusty bed of hay in a prison cell, as she was approached by a hooded man. She clutched to her chest a silver box, holding so tightly that her knuckles whitened. She heard the prison door open, and then felt the first of many blows. The cloaked figures were all around her, kicking her like a dog. One of them reached down and tried to rip the box from her grasp as the rest mercilessly landed blow after blow on her body. They drew their swords, and started to plunge their blades into the less vital parts of her, slowly killing her off. She tried to fight, but she could hardly move; a thick fog was over her vision. Out of the fog emerged a dark figure, different from the rest. It raised a glowing hammer and brought it down hard against Lyreia's chest. She screamed in agony as her body collapsed into nothing.

She woke up in the back of a dimly lit carriage, with some kind of makeshift roof built to keep out the light. She groaned as she ripped open her shirt, still feeling the open wound bleeding on her chest. She looked down, and saw instead a swirling pattern.
"What the fuck!?" She yelled.
"What're you doing back there!?" A rough voice yelled, and she scrambled to fix her shirt. The carriage stopped, and footsteps sounded around the side. Lyreia lay in the carriage, breathless, as the back doors opened, and her captor smiled inside. In his grubby hands was a silver box.

"Heimdal?"

Jaza reached out to her companion of many moons, a tall, well built Nord with a battle axe. He shushed her and motioned to lay low, which she did. Just ahead, on the road, a guard turned around, his pike up but his eyes weary and tired, unable to notice the two hunters hiding behind a bush.

The two bounty hunters had stalked through the cold, Skyrim night, tailing a target on his journey to Whiterun. The caravan was strung out, tired, and the guards were getting careless. Following them was easy. Their mark was in the furthest carriage, hauled by a lone horse and its rider. The terms of the contract were to nab him and bring him back to Makarth. Alive. All for a hefty pay in septims.

An easy hunt.

Or so she'd thought. At first.

The memory was stuck in her head, but tonight she was reliving it in a dream. As she writhed gently on her bed, the events of the night played on in her head.

The caravan reached a fork in the road and stopped for the horses to catch their breath and for everyone to take stock. The pair stopped behind some brush and a fallen tree as the guards changed around; a fresh man with a crossbow took the place of the previous, while their mark emerged from his carriage. The robed man yawned and stretched, before exiting and walking over to where they were.

Heimdal raised his head a fraction and signaled her. She drew her bow and nocked an arrow, whilst he crept round the fallen trunk to ambush their mark.

She didn't have to wait long. Almost immediately, she heard a muffled yelp followed by a small commotion. Jaza stood, watching her companion strong arm the man down as she took aim at the back guard. Without warning, she let fly, and the arrow buried itself in his neck. A faint gurgle issued forth from his mouth as he sank to his knees, grasping at his throat while blood spilled onto the dirt.

She had to grin. Another job well done.

Except not really.

The pair had, unwittingly, failed to conduct research on their mark before the hit. As a result, they missed the fatal information that their mark practised Destruction magic.

Heimdal suddenly screamed as the mage set him alight with his hands. The furs he wore were set ablaze by the torrents of fire that issued from the mage, along with the trees and grass nearby. When the Nord let go, the mage ran free and, upon spotting his second would-be kidnapper, gathered a fireball into his hands and shot it at her.

Jaza turned tail to run as the guards shouted themselves awake and chased after her. The forest around her was set ablaze, fire spreading and eating every single branch and leaf it touched. Soon she was encircled by the flames.

But this time the memory was different. For from within the flames, Heimdal emerged. His flesh burned down to the charred bone beneath. As he raised his axe to chop her down, he rasped at her.

"You left me to die, Jaza. You betrayed me. You betrayed my trust."

She tried to run but found herself unable to. In a panic, her hands raised.

"P-please, Heimdal, you were dying, and-"

"You had a waterskin. You could've saved me but you didn't. You valued your own scales over a friend."

"There wasn't enough water, I-"

"It is too late. Now die."

The axe chopped straight down.

Jaza squeezed her eyes shut. She felt something hard jam itself into her chest and cried out in pain, but when her eyes opened she saw not the blade of an axe, but the head of a hammer, glowing gold. It's wielder, indistinct and faceless, said something she couldn't hear, then raised its hammer again and swung another blow straight at her chest.

---

The Argonian started out of her sleep, covered in a cold sweat. She turned and found her blanket on the floor, and a throbbing, aching pain in her chest. Jaza winced as she slowly took off her tunic shirt, and in the reflection of her water basin, she saw it.

A circular mark. Plastered over her cleavage and bosom. Throbbing in pain. A stark black against the green of her scales.

"What in the world...?"

She leaned closer to examine it, trying to will the water to be still, when she heard a pounding on her door.

"Jaza?! What's the racket?!"

"None of your business, Tariq! Go back to the tavern!"

The Khajiit grumbled and left as Jaza pulled her shirt back on and got to work putting on the rest of her armour. A few minutes later and she was downstairs, nursing a bowl of warm oats and a flagon of cider.

The inn wasn't the best, considering it was Makarth, but at least she had a place to stay and get work. The Rusty Flagon was something of a den for bounty hunters, swords for hire and their potential employs. Only recently had it been built too, and business was slow but regular. Many old regulars were already here, of course. In the corner sat the Bethel brothers, a trio of mercenaries who were always doing some dirty muscle work when not drowning in ale and women. At the counter was Tariq, the Khajiit thief who'd thumped at her door and was her current partner in crime. Many other hunters and the like littered the chairs, mostly eating breakfast, discussing jobs and making small talk.

As she ate, Tariq pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

"Familiar, Jaza?"

Jaza peered at the parchment. It was a bounty poster, a little worn, but easy to read. A man by the name of Turis, wanted for assorted crimes against the Jarl of Whiterun. Attempted assassination, for one. The charge that piqued her interest was the theft of some of the Jarl's treasures. Meant that their potential employer was rich and obviously working for the Jarl.

"Don't know him, but the job looks good."

"Let's take it then. Word is this guy's hiding out in some forgotten crypt east of Helgen. If we leave now we can probably get there by the morning tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan, Tariq. You have everything we need?"

"Of course. Our horses are outside, and I swear this time I didn't swindle them from a stablehand."

Jaza rolled her eyes. Her partner was hopeless. She mostly relied on him for his smarts at getting jobs and securing...essentials. A lightfingered thief was perfect at pilfering things she couldn't get on her own.

"Right then. Let's go."

(Collab between me and @Zhaliora)

"Aghh..." Scylla made a pained sound as she started dressing up. It already has been some time since the sun rose above the horizon. She spend the time till now hiding under her bedsheets, but now it was time to get going. The vampire threw one last look through the window, before pulling the curtains.

Finally out of the direct sunlight, she put on her tight leather armor that protected her body from the sun, took her bag, put on her hood and quickly walked out of the tavern. Her white leather armor certainly did attract attention, but it wasn't unheard of to wear such garbs. With her having proved her worth as an enchanter, people agreed that her wearing this while strange and unusual armor, was normal considering she always carried a lot of enchanting equipment worth a lot of gold that she had to be able to fight for. Thus she wasn't questions anymore for while she dressed like this. Coupled with the fact she never fed on humans in a way that would leave traces, it only helped her cover.

She gave the innkeeper a nod before heading out. The first rays of light hit her hard as she narrowed her eyes, but because she had to keep her cover, she made no sound as the pain filled her body. She simply started walking close to the wall to avoid bumping into people until her eyes adjust properly. She then made a turn in a nearby alley only to find a curious sight. There, curled on the ground was a woman with fiery red hair. She seemed out cold, maybe even dead.

Scylla frowned a she crouched by the slumped body of the woman and put a finger at her throat, feeling a pulse.'So she lives.' She thought. Then without any reservation she poked the woman by the side with her index finger." Hello... hello... you okey?" She asked with a smile." You need a potion?"

Andiira was dreaming once again, but this time it was a gentle dream. A dream of fields of flowers and she was running around with a big smile on her face. The flowers danced in the wind until one flower hit her in the face.

She groaned as she was poked, slowly regaining consciousness. Her eyes slowly opened as she looked around. It looked nothing like what she last remembered, although she was staring into another wall. Andiira turned her gaze to her side only to find a woman hovering over her.

"Whe-wha-who?" was all she managed to say as she quickly backed up against the wall with a frightened look on her face. "who was this woman? where am I? Shit.." Andiira slowly started to prepare for the worst.

Scylla looked with pure curiosity and amusement as the woman panicked and ran back to the wall." My name is Priscilla and I have a room in this tavern over there." She said, pointing at the building on the other side of the street. With a smile she then turned back to the fiery haired woman.

"I simply found you here laying on the cold stone." She explained with a friendly smile." I wondered if you were alive so I checked up on you and hey you were, thus I tried to wake you up." She added with a smirk." So back to my question, you need a potion? I have one I can give you in case you are hurt and need it."

"Priscilla?" she said slowly. She did not sense any evil intent about the woman, but she had been wrong before. Andiira closed her eyes for a moment, taking stock of the situation and what had transpired. She also noticed that it wasn't night any longer, nor was this somewhere she had been before. She had barely left the surroundings of the college for many years, and this was not near it.

She tried to recall everything that had happened so far. She had been in her 'cell' for lack of a better term, felt a force impact from behind before she slammed into the wall and was knocked out. That much she remembered. "guess they finally did it, they threw me out" she thought to herself before looking at the woman once again.

"I would consider myself alive, even though it's not much of a life." Andiira started to brush off the dust from her dress and hair. "While I appreciate the offer for a potion, I don't like owing people anything, so I have to decline."

Whomever this woman was, it seemed like she did not fear her, or seemed to care too much why she was lying in an alleyway, at least for now. "My name is Andiira," she said and bowed slightly. She looked around once again. "By the way......where is here?"

"Yep, that's my name. You can call me Scylla for short if you want. Most people who know me do so." She said with a smile and reached a hand to help Andiira stand up from the ground." Your choice really. Potions are pretty precious right now so I guess that's better for me then. WIth the war going on and everything. Most are diverted to soldiers." She said with annoyance.

"Nice to meet you, Andiira. You are currently residing in the majestic Imperial City." Scylla said with playful friendly overly dramatic voice and then waved her other hand around." The place where everything can happen, from grave robbers, to honests thieves and even strangely talking people." She added with a giggle.

Andiira slowly accepted the hand that was offered and stood up. It was odd though, to wear a leather armour that covered almost the entire body, but whom was she to say anything about weird. Lying on the ground in an alley and all. It was almost comical to her.

However when Scylla started describing their location Andiira could not help but to smile and laugh a little. She shook her head at the absurd description and just smiled. "I do know that much, but you forgot to say that this is also the place for mystical rendezvous in dark alleyways. However silly me forgot to bring the wine!"

Andiira liked this short woman in front of her, and they did seem to be about the same age. She was hesitant though, the last friends she had made had burned, or fled her presence. But something about this woman felt, calming, she could not really place the feeling. Suddenly a great fear struck her as she quickly began to rummage around, looking for something.

She quickly found what she was looking for and grabbed the purse and hugged it tightly. As if the purse meant the world to her. It was still here, she stuck her hand into it and felt the familiar feeling of her hammer. If it had not been she was prepared to storm her old place, but now she had no attachment to it.

Priscilla only smiled at the woman's statement about the place and wine. She felt a small pinch of guilt sneak through her mind, she was getting friendly with this girl, but didn't inform her of what she was. She couldn't! If she did it, it would escalate into full blown hell around her. Guards trying to kill her, hunters coming after her... even this girl would probably try to kill her out of fear. Thus she silenced the guilt in her head and continued to smile friendly. Was it really that wrong to wish to have a normal human company and friends?" We can always buy some wine from around the trade district." She said, fully aware her body couldn't really process wine. Sure she can drink it, but it would serve no purpose except for it's taste.

Andiira seemed to suddenly panic a little as she went through her clothing till she found the purse. It was so clear she must value whatever was inside a lot considering with what desperation she searched for it and held it. It made Scylla's curiosity strengthen right away as she now wondered what was inside the purse. She tilted her head to look at it from the other side, then the other and then looked back at Andiira's face." Forgive me for asking, but what's that you are holding with such zeal?" She asked with friendly voice.

"Some wine had been nice after all of this," Andiira said, looking up from her purse. "Could use it to relax, forget about my problems for a while. Who knows, might even find me a place to stay." Andiira was smiling as she was talking. "And in here?" she said and held up the purse to the sky. "In here, is everything that I've got left." She looked at Scylla. "I guess you don't happen to have a place for a homeless gal to rent or stay for a while?" She gave a half-smirk and put her purse away.

Scylla didn't say anything when Andiira held up her purse up. It was clearly something that meant everything to the girl, but at the same time judging by it's relative shape it certainly wasn't gold... so it was probably something very sentimental of value. The vampire nodded with a smile. She herself had little left, in fact the only thing she kept from her past were skills and memories, some of which only brought more pain than joy.

"Well... I do have a room in that inn I pointed to you earlier. I have not a place of my own, but I suppose you can crash in my room if you so desire..." The vampire explained with a nod, but remembered the girl said she didn't want to be indebted to anyone." Hmmm... or you can come with me for the day, I'm an enchanter and can use an assistant for the day. I will pay you a fair wage with which you will be able to rent a room for the night and buy some food. What do you say?"

Andiira actually smiled a happy smile for once, the conversation drifted towards something she really liked. "It would be quite nice to get back to work. I do know quite a bit about enchanting and such things actually. Let me reintroduce myself," she said and bowed slightly. "Andiira Dradssen, practicing enchanter, smith, and professional pyromancer," she said with a smile. "Sadly though unless the enchantment or magics are related to fire, they never seem to work, for some reason, so I can't do those, but I would gladly assist you."

She looked at Scylla and reached out her hand. "If it works for now; can I stay at your place until I get more established in the neighborhood? Don't worry about a steady pay, I can just get a little share of whatever you sell. If that works for you?"

"Well then, it seems you will be in luck today." Scylla said with a smile as she nodded to lead the way out of the alley and towards the trade district." My customers are mainly soldiers and they do like themselves some fire enchantments on their weapons." She added." I can let you do some of those to get some cash going, though naturally you need the soul gems for that. You have any?" The vampire asked in the end throwing a questioning look.

"As I said most of my current work comes from soldiers and the occasional enchanted trinket I sell on the markets, so you will have the chance to earn your gold. Granted I will have to cut some of your pay for it because the soulgems aren't exactly cheap." She said and pulled a common sized soulgem from her bag, giving it to Andiira." Here, have this one as a gift then. No charge for it, this one I created myself a few weeks back. The charge inside it isn't as big is it should be." She said with a smile. Scylla could very well do without this gem. For her it wasn't really useful, but for someone like Andiira it would be quite a useful start.

Andiira chuckled. "These soldiers and their love of fire. You'd think they wanted to sleep inside of it if they could. All warm and cozy." She started to rummage through her purse once again. A few metal on metal sounds escaped from it as her hand moved around. "I've got a few empty ones, but no full ones," she said as she accepted the soulgem. She studied it for a few moments.

"Who was the poor bastard that got turned into it? An ex boyfriend?" she asked with humor in her voice. She had already decided that this one would go to something for her own sake though, something she felt she had to do. "You don't happen to have any more? I can trade my empty ones for a minor one, if needs be, along with some coins. This one here," she said and raised the gem up against the sun as they walked out of the alley, "I want to turn into something precious, or at least it'll help me with forging."

She looked at Scylla once again. "You don't happen to know where a nearby forge can be? I've got this little business idea. I can forge items, and you can enchant them. In the end I'd want to buy a forge for myself," she said with a bright smile.

"This one was a wolf actually..." She replied with a smile. Black soul gems sure were good and handy, but creating them was a chore... and questionable. People who knew a thing or two about enchanting would often look at you as possible danger when you carry them.

"Sure, I have a few filled minor ones. That we can trade, it's not like I can't just fill them back up by going exploring around the wilderness for a little while or hunting some vermin or something. Those also sell well to soldiers to recharge their weapons." She said with a smile.

"There is a forge this way." Priscilla said and pointed down a side road." The smith should allow you to use it for a small fee probably. As for something to help you forging... what do you have in mind for that?" She asked her new found friend as she led the way down to her usual table on the market square where she sold her skills. She could see some soldiers there already." Well... that's a very good desire for the future. I do indeed can see the market potential in that..." She said with a smile, but hid her real thoughts on the matter. She couldn't stay with this girl for a very long periods of time. Eventually her secret will be found and she feared what will happen then. So her priority was still finding a way to remove her curse and become a human again. After that she will deal with this dream... still for now she will hang around with the human girl. She liked her a lot so far and it felt nice to have a normal friendly companion for once.

Andiira thought about what Scylla said. She had never used the gem of an animal before in her work. It had not bothered her, she had been told that the souls inside of the gems were criminals, wicked people, she hoped that was the case at least. So she had expected a harder time to fill up her gems than what it actually was. She felt slightly like a fool, but she felt it better not to expose that little tidbit.

"I thank you for the offer of an enchantment, but I like to work pure in form. I've got my own little trick for forging," she said and followed after Scylla towards the market. She looked around and actually found some buildings that she remembered from her youth. She sort of knew where this was now. But part from those familiar buildings, a lot had changed in her years of isolation. No matter though, that was not important any longer. For now she would create a new life for herself, hopefully a life without incidents. "Probably impossible, knowing me something will go wrong," she thought and looked around before her gaze fell on Scylla. "Hopefully I won't torch this one."

She looked at the number of people already queuing up for 'their' stall. "Is it always this busy?" she wondered, slightly hesitant about being close to that many people, or rather being in front of that many people. She had grown accustomed to her solitude, used to only being around one or so at a time. Andiira took a few deep breaths as she prepared for her 'debut' as an assistant.

"Well yeah the animal filled gems are generally weaker, but as an exchange for that it's a lot easier to obtain them. Also work marvels for situation like mine where I have to mass enchant soldier equipment. They generally just want it to be enchanted as much as possible as cheap as possible. A thing for which these gems are perfect for." Scylla said with evil businesswoman smile. Enchanting was a very precious business for enchanters of good skill weren't it big supply.

"I see, it's your right and I respect you for that decision. True smith indeed doesn't need these enhancements to aid her. I look forward to seeing a creation of yours in the future." The vampire said with a big nod and looked at the line at her stall. She replied to her companion as she got some sighs of relieve when her customers saw her appear just in time.

In no time she sat on her chair, pulled a soul gem and started with enchanting the first client while she directed customers who just wanted to buy some weak gems to charge up their items. When they were done here, she would have to go visit the bookstore to check if that book on vampires she requested had arrived. With the war such deliveries weren't always successful, but she still hoped it did. It's been so long since she got this... curse. She wanted out of it already.

Andiira also got busy with work, fetching soulgems for Scylla if she needed more as well as refueling items of power along with doing some minor fire enchantments. She didn't want to do too much before Scylla could see that she could do the work properly. Nothing worse than losing a friend so soon after gaining one, and messing up her business at the same time.

After their shift, and Scylla going off to the bookstore Andiira went over to the forge and paid a few coins to be allowed to use it. She took out the soulgem she had gotten before and withdrew her hammer from the purse and placed the head in the flames. She slowlyt made it warmer before applying her magics to it. She worked and focused the metal and heat and melted the back part of the head and started to create a flat surface there. Soon a pattern emerged on the flat surface of the hammer. She did not know if anyone else knew about the pattern, but that did not matter. As she was getting done she slightly pulled on her top and looked down before putting on the final touches on the hammer. The pattern that emerged on the hammer was identical to the one she had on her chest.

She tried a few swings of the hammer's front against some pig iron that was laying around. Slowly she could see impurities slowly vanishing at a quicker pace than normal without diminishing the amount of ore as rapidly. Andiira was quite pleased at what she had done. Not only had she managed to enchant something that was not fire, but she had also managed to get a new friend. "Today might be a good day after all," she said and inspected the hammer.

Although the sun was now on the horizon and its glorious morning rays washed over Tamriel, there was little light to be found beyond the walls of the Elder Council Chambers. Several newly lit braziers littered the columns that adorned the large circular room, their glowing coals and flickering embers producing an eerie glow that set the mood quite nicely. Elongated and twisted shadows danced along the cold stone walls as various members of the Council began to take their places. Thirty seats made of ancient wood and the finest red silk were placed around a giant round table made of stone. Only around a half of these seats were occupied though, with many chancellors either missing or simply busy elsewhere with the war efforts. Those who were familiar with the council would instantly notice that many of the chancellors sat in small groups, pulled together by similar beliefs or goals.

Only one figure seemed to sit on his own – an elderly Imperial which everyone knew to be High Chancellor Marius. Even those who didn’t know him could guess by the exquisite crimson and golden-threaded robes that he was a man of power and importance. The badly aging man sat slumped with his elbow resting on the arm of the chair and his hand propping up his tired head. His skin was like dark leather, both in colour and texture, which small scars and blemishes adorning his entire body. Dark grey hair covered the sides, back and face, but left a large empty area on top. Both his head hair and his beard were kept well-groomed and had a slight shine from where they had been oiled. “Please could everyone take their seats and quiet down. I think that we have waited long enough. Those who have yet to make it here will just have to catch up.” the voice that filled the room was not quite a shout, but it was loud enough to capture the attention of all present and it carried with it an air of authority. “We all have important responsibilities that we need to attend to, so let’s not drag out this meeting longer than necessary. We’ll start with an update on the war efforts from General Mordecai before discussing strategy and logistics. We’ll then move on to recruitment strategy. Then financial matters. Then we’ll move onto reports of Daedra cult activity. And we’ll finish by discussing any other business that members wish to bring up. Is everyone in agreement?” a chorus of mumbles and murmurs along with the gentle nodding of heads was enough to convince the High Chancellor that no one had any issues. “In that case, if you could give us your report General?”

All eyes in the room then turned to General Mordecai, a Dunmer male is his early forties. The general was large set for a Dunmer, a trait which was exacerbated by his heavy steel imperial armour. The impressive set was equipped with a regal red cloak and a red plumed helmet, both of which matched the fiery eyes of the general perfectly. The pale lips that were framed by a pitch black goatee parted slightly as the general cleared his throat and prepared his gravelly voice for the report. “Thank you High Chancellor. Not much has changed since yesterday’s report. Leyawiin remains under siege but the latest scout reports that it was still standing late last night. Unfortunately Bravil appears to have been bolstered by another small army, making getting reinforcements down south even harder. Still-”

“Do the armies stationed at Bravil pose an immediate threat? Should we be moving our battle-lines?” a Breton chancellor cut in, fear evident in his voice.

“The forces stationed there are not large enough to pose any immediate threat to any strategic points. Our forces stationed at Fort Variela would be enough to stop them should they move North, and any attempt for them to go West would lead them into the second Legion fighting along the border; either way it would end in them being defeated and the city becoming vulnerable. The Dominion knows this.”

“Then why don’t we retake the city?!” barked a Nord, one of Skyrim’s Jarls.

“Because fighting a force deeply imbedded in a well-fortified position is a lot harder than it would be fighting them in the open on your own turf. Once we build up a big enough force or see the right opportunity I guarantee you that we will take back Bravil. But for now we must exercise caution.” The general sighed at having to explain this, for it seemed like he was having to do so on a daily basis. Rather than dwell on the point he moved onto other situations. “Fighting along the West Wield continues as usual. It’s actually been a bit calmer. Neither sides have made any significant moves in weeks, the battle lines remain constant, and bloodshed has remained to a minimum. We expect however that this won’t last – once the dominion forces receive rest and reinforcement they’ll no doubt try to push us back or break through. I recommend we bolster these lines whilst we have the chance.”

“Why don’t we ask the Redguards to divert their armies there to reinforce? What’s the situation like in the West?” The High Chancellor asked with a lazy wave of his hand.

“The Dominion is dug deep in Kvatch. Reinforcements keep pouring across the Strid river and it seems the Dominion is trying to push towards Anvil. Countless sightings of Bosmer units persist all over the County Kvatch and The Imperial Reserve. These Bosmer units, although small in size, are numerous and are causing massive trouble for local militias and supply lines. The Redguards need to focus on protecting Anvil and the Sea, and ridding the countryside of the Bosmer infestation. Ideally once reinforcements arrive from High Rock we’ll use our western forces to retake the Strid and cut off reinforcements.”

*Clap clap clap*

All eyes in the room turned to the source of the slow and deliberately interruptive clapping. A Nord sat beside a few other men made the gesture with an arrogant fake smile on his face. A few in the room, including the General, sighed at this, knowing it was trouble. The Nord in question was Jarl Assur, the Jarl of Winterhold in Skyrim and an outspoken hater of all Mer. His very position as Jarl was somewhat controversial, as his father Jarl Korir had previously been removed after siding with the Stormcloaks during the rebellion. It was through almost blatant political assassination that Assur was able to reclaim his father’s title later in life. Hostilities towards the Mage’s College of Winterhold, refusal to raise troops, and regular participation in political intrigue only served to mire his reputation further. Thus, when the slimy looking raven-haired Nord spoke it was almost guaranteed to cause offence. “Very nice speech ’General’, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s less than impressed with this façade.” The Nord stood then to gain further attention (not that there was a single soul not watching already), “I still cannot fathom why it is we trust a dirty elf to give us information and advise us about war! It’s his fucking kind that we’re fighting! It’s their kind that razed the Imperial City all those years ago!”

Whilst few were so brave as too cheer out-loud, there were certainly those in the room who on some level agreed with the Nord. Many others however moaned and booed in outrage, including Chancellor Iluvian – the representative of the Synod. The golden skinned, golden eyed, golden haired Altmer jumped to his feet and sent a fist covered in flame crashing down on the table. “How dare you! You who’s on father was a traitor to the Empire! You dare to accuse any non-man of being a traitor simply because of your own bigoted beliefs? When the Dominion took over the Imperial City decades ago it was not just the families of men that were slaughtered! Innocent Mer were also tortured and mutilated by the savage Thalmor! You weren’t even alive back then! You didn’t lose anyone! I still remember finding my home in ruin, my family dead! You might find it easy to refer to old memories, but for some of us the wounds still run deep!”

“Fuck you. You elfs are all as bad as each other, especially dirty mages like you. We should burn all of you.” The Nord’s reply was cold and bitter, and it might they might have caused a bloody battle then and there were it not for the intervention of the High Chancellor.

“That’s enough!” The High Chancellors voice boomed so loud that it could be felt, like a small tap to the chest. It was almost like a Thuum, but the Nords in the room would know otherwise. “Jarl Assur, your remarks are boring, offensive, unneeded and utterly unuseful. You will hold your tongue. What we need now are practical suggestions and constructive debate, not childish bickering.”

“No. What we need is an Emperor!”

Yet another interruption.

“…We need someone to fight for! There is no Empire without an Emperor. This interregnum has gone on for almost two decades, and it is time it came to an end!” The charismatic voice this time emanated from a middle-aged Imperial named Chancellor Sulla, a man even more renowned for political scheming. The well shaven, dark haired man had an air of sophistication and regalness about him, and it seemed many were happy to hear him speak. “As over half the members of the council are present, we meet the quorum, and so I would like to put forward the following motion to be voted on immediately: That in twenty-one days time we vote in a new Emperor!”

Audible cheers were raised in the small room, but a few were visibly mortified. Suddenly it became clear that many members mysteriously absent were likely held back from the meeting or killed in order for this vote to be passed. Nearly every absent member would vote against the move, but twas not the case. The High Chancellor felt his mouth go dry and he was uncharacteristically lost for words.

“Foolish boy! We have refrained from electing a new Emperor because it is guaranteed to end with in-fighting and bloodshed! If you covert the throne so much, at least wait until the war is over before you plunge us into chaos!” roared Queen Lucia of Wayrest as she sent a goblet of red-wine flying in the trouble makers direction.

“I agree with Queen Lucia. If we had a legitimate candidate, an obvious choice (someone like the Dragonborn), then I would welcome a new Emperor. But this I just about the petty aspirations of a few greedy politicians and is a waste of time. If my nephew High King Frothar was here he would agree.” the thick Nord accent belonged to Jarl Hrongar of Whiterun.

Bickering and arguing continued for some time, but eventually the room settled and the vote was cast. In only three weeks’ time the Empire would have a new Emperor.

---

Sparks of lightening flashed against the cold black sky, but there were no clouds in sight. And thunder was replaced with the shouts and screams of soldiers, fighting desperately for their lives. Thin lines of imperial soldiers adorned the battered but vigilant walls of Leyawin, all doing their best to find cover and occasionally return fire on the invading force. Furious elemental bolts and precise arrows often found a mark, even if it was not the intended one. “We can’t hold out against these mages for too long Legate! What should we do?”

Thalmor mages had been brought in and now, in the middle of the night were launching a barrage of magical attacks against the city. Flashes of all colours could be seen hurdling towards the ancient stone walls, sending exploding fragments of flint, blood and bone flying through the air. Dominion soldiers sat crouched in the tree-lines behind the mages, waiting for an opening in the wall or any other opportune moment to strike. They had no more siege engines at the ready, having lost them all the night before, but they had managed to make a few ladders.

Legate Fasendil stood atop the Great Chapel of Zenithar with his second-in-command, watching the carnage unfold bellow. His amber eyes showed no hint of fear and a slight smile grew on his lips. “We don’t need to hold out for much longer. Their mages are powerful but their magic has limits; they can’t keep up with this for too long. Not that they need to. Tell Niryaire and Earoov to do what we discussed.” With that his petite altmer subordinate Charm disappeared into the chapel tower with haste. The legate ran his rough callused hands through is blonde oiled back hair as he looked on towards the Thalmor mages. Flashes of green light brought back painful memories of the Night of Green Fire, of the slaughter he witnessed in Hammerfell almost two centuries earlier. He wondered if any of the mages that stood against him now had been there. He hoped they were.

His attention was eventually torn away from the enemy line by movement in his own ranks. On the walls ahead of him he watched with scrutiny as his men quickly evacuated a section of the wall, leaving only two Altmer battle-mages standing on the stretch. Then, just as planned, the duo seemed to blow themselves and the section of the wall into oblivion. The explosion was tremendous and it generated a cloud of dust that took minutes to settle. When it did, it exposed to their enemy the gaping hole in their otherwise strong defences. It was the window that the Dominion was waiting for. Without hesitation the golden armoured enemy charged forward with bloodlust, quickly funnelling towards the exposure.

“Just as expected.” The legate mused to himself.

It was just as the indomitable hoard came within the ideal range of the Imperial troops above the walls that they sprung the deadly trap. Dozens of explosions came at once as the invading troops found themselves entering the freshly laid mine-field of destruction wards. Whether due to ignorance of the situation, unflinching discipline, or just plain bloodlust, the Dominion forces pressed on. Explosions of fire, ice and lightening tore apart their ranks, reducing many bodies to nothing more than gory messes and trip hazards. The Dominion soldiers even began to slip and trip on their fallen comrades, leaving them exposed to the unrelenting brunt of the imperial mages and ranged attackers, and even causing them to be trampled to death by their own comrades. Within minutes the bloodshed saw the Dominion loose more soldiers than the entire sum on the imperial defenders. But their numbers were massive, and despite their loses they pushed through past the mine-field and to the wall. In fact the Dominion might have found themselves at a turning point in the battle… had they not been deceived. Just as the first of the Altmer soldiers went to rush through the gap, they found themselves halted by a hard invisible barrier. Dozens of Altmer crashed into this barrier, breaking bones as they collided or were crushed by those behind them. It was around this moment that the curtain dropped and the wall magically reappeared, in as good condition as it had been before. For you see, the two battle-mages Niryaire and Earoov were not suicidal experts of destruction – they were respected experts of illusion. The gap that the Dominion had lost more than half its troops to abuse did not exist. And it was this fact that shattered the invaders morale and send them retreating back.

“Fire everything you’ve got! Kill as many as the bastards as you can!” the legate roared from atop his tower as his men rained death upon the fleeing force, “Kill them all!”

[Me and @Rivaan]

Andiira was making her way over towards the bookstore Scylla had said she was going to before. She figured that the book Scylla wanted had to been delivered since she still was not back. Andiira had waited a little while after she was done at the forge and had stuffed down her belongings again. But still no sight of Scylla and she was starting to get slightly worried about her new friend. But she figured it just had to be Scylla getting engrossed in a book.

It took a little while, getting lost twice, before she made it to the store and asked at the counter. "Excuse me, I'm looking for a woman about my age, dressed all in leathers which had ordered a book and was going here to collect it. Do you know where she is?"

"Ohhh?" The bookstore clerk made a questioning sound with a questioning expression before nodding." That's your friend? Yes, she is still here, gave me hell of a surprise when she appeared... dressed like that. I thought an assassin had come for me or something. She's back behind that bookshelf over there at the corner of the hall. She is at the table there."[/b] The man said with a nod." Is everything okey with your friend? She grabbed that book like her life depended on it when she arrived earlier" The man asked.

"I'm sure she's fine," Andiira said and smiled gently. "She's been waiting on that book for a while, if I understood her correctly. Thank you for your time," she said finally and bowed slightly and made her way over. A faint grin appeared on her face as something fun came to mind. Andiira slowed down her steps, trying to walk as quietly as possible as she snuck up from behind Scylla.

She was indeed still reading the book and Andiira leaned over slightly and read a few lines before smiling wider. She very slowly and carefully inched closer to Scylla's neck made a hissing noise before gently biting on Scylla's neck.

The book was such a dead end! Scylla had already skimmed it a few times to check for direct answers, but nothing was inside on first glance. She lost track of time as she started reading it more carefully at least till she sensed a pair of lips and teeth on her neck. Her eyes opened wide in shock and horror as she in fear swung her elbow back and jumped back to bring even more force on the unknown attacker. A look of fear and hate could be read in her eyes as she used her fore arm to press the neck of the person to the wall.

Her eyes expression quickly turned confused as she focused who was that bit her." Andiira?" She asked as she sensed something and reached with her other arm to her neck. A fine stream of blood was flowing down her fair skin. She must have caused Andiira's teeth to hurt her with that violent movement earlier." Why?" She asked her new friend.

Andiira had not expected that violent a reaction and had by instinct bit slightly harder as the elbow hit the side of her head. She was still feeling slightly groggy as she was firmly pushed up against the wall. "Hai..." she said slowly before a few pained moans escaped her lips along with a few droplets of blood. "I just wanted to scare you slightly, expecting you to freeze up," Andiira said with a nervous chuckle and rubbed the place where she had been hit.

She quickly grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket and reached out for Scylla with it. "I'm sorry...I did not mean to hurt you," she said with an apologetic look on her face. She honestly was concerned about Scylla, her prank gone quite wrong and she looked down at the floor in shame.

Scylla took the handkerchief and pressed it against her neck. It wasn't going to be really needed, but considering she couldn't run around town with bloody neck this was for the best. She nodded with a sigh, put the book in her bag and quickly began dragging Andiira with her away from the library." COME!" Priscilla said with slightly angry voice as she was dragging the girl away and towards the inn she was staying at.

She paid no attention to anything right now, didn't even hear if her friend was saying something. When they were finally at the inn and in her room, she closed the door behind them, locking it up." Why... why did you have to do this..." Scylla mumbled as she rummaged through her bag until she finally pulled a small potion." Drink this... the whole of it to the last drop!" She said to Andiira. It was a potion for curing diseases, a few drops usually would suffice for certainty if she drank someone's blood, but this time her blood was drank so she didn't want to risk Andiira turning into a vampire.

Andiira had not said anything as she was dragged along. The angry tone and the speed of which they walked meant something was up. "guess I messed up badly this time," she figured as Scylla locked the door behind them. "I'm sorry.." she started as the potion was shoved into her face. Andiira eyed it and sensed what it was and was quite confused. She knew that some diseases infected through blood. "Are you...?" she said while looking up at Scylla, wanting to ask if she was dying or something.

Andiira looked down at the potion again and started drinking it. The taste of it was quite bad so she made the occasional pause when drinking it. Eventually though she forced the entire potion down and made a twisted face as the aftertaste came around. Slowly her face returned to normal and she looked up at Scylla with a face full of worry. "Are you.....infected?" she asked with concern. "I don't see anything wrong though...." her gaze made it's way across Scylla's form wondering in her mind if the reason because of the armour was some skin disease she was trying to keep secret.

Scylla sighed again as Andiira began asking about her disease. She ran her fingers across her temple. This was going to be... problematic. She could keep quiet or try to lie to Andiira, but even if some vague rumors start there will be people for her head. She shook her head again and looked at her new(maybe now former) friend. Scylla took an unneeded breath and in the very next moment hissed at Andiira, her fangs quickly resuming their full length, clearly revealing her nature.

"This is what I am..." Scylla replied." Infected with this... curse... a disease I cannot remove as it's taken roots inside my body." Scylla explained." Question is what will you do now? If you go tell others about me... even if it's simply me being sick eventually people will come for my head..."

Andiira shook back slightly as Scylla hissed at her. But slowly her face turned from worried and scared to concerned. She slowly approached Scylla and observed her. Vampire, the word echoed through her mind and what little things she knew about them. She knew about the different stages, about the lords and common vampires. She was sorely lacking on actual knowledge though.

She smiled sadly, her eyes looking into Scylla's. "People fear many things," she said and averted her gaze. "I know what it's like to be feared," she walked up to Scylla and gently placed an hand on her shoulder. "You don't come across as someone I need to fear, more like a person in need." She turned around and raised an hand slightly above her own waist and produced a bright blue flame. "In comparison to you, I think this is scarier. A thing that is more frequent than vampires, mages. Especially people like me who can't control it properly," she said and snuffed out the flame. She turned around once again. "I fear what might happen if I lose control......I've already left enough corpses in my wake."

Andiira smiled brightly. "Besides, I do consider you my friend, vampire or not makes no difference to me as long as you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you."

Scylla smiled gently and with sympathy. She too was a mage so she understood he fear of going out of control that her friend had. What the human girl said afterwards made Scylla's face turn almost as if she was about to cry for a moment. Not that any tears would have been shedded for a vampire's body couldn't cry at best her tears would be those of blood.

"I... always wanted simply to have friends even after I got turned into this..." Scylla said with a smile of joy." I too consider you a friend now..., but I fear what I may do in the future to you." Scylla said suddenly and took a step back.

"Closer I have people around me, sometimes harder it is to resist this..." She explained as she finally put the needed effort to turn her face as normal as possible. Her fangs began to retract and the muscles of her face relaxed." I can often hear the pulse of peopel around me... the blood that surges through their veins... does that not scare you?"

"No," she said simply and shook her head. "I'm more sad than anything. Sad that you have to go through that. With my problem at least I can live as a hermit out in the wild, you can't really." To prove her point Andiira took a few steps closer and gently embraced Scylla before backing off again. Thoughts raced through her mind. At least now she understood why Scylla wore that armour everywhere which had been on the back of her mind for a while now.

Finally she opened her mouth again. "How much blood do you need to stave of the call? I can probably provide it for you," she said and shrugged. "Like, a glass every week or something? I could probably just drain that from myself," she said and scratched the back of her head. She figured it would not be too much, otherwise the world would be overrun with vampires; right?

"I cannot ask you to do that for me!" Scylla said shocked. Drinking blood from humans was something she did rarely, but to do it from a friend? That sounded even worse... though then she made a thoughtful expression. Andiira was the one who proposed it and certainly would have been nice to have fresh human blood every now and again... a glass of blood would keep her for a day or two... Naturally drinking blood from didn't always infect the victim especially if you were careful about it.

"That... I..." Priscilla said, still struggling with herself about it." I will be grateful. I usually drink blood from my horse..." She added finally, looking down." I rarely risk drinking from humans unless it's travelers somewhere in the wilderness. I try to not infect them and that's why I have potions against diseases." She explained." Surviving off animal blood is possible, but unless it's a big animal like a horse, it won't survive drinking from it every day or so."

Andiira chuckled slightly as Scylla told her about her horse. For some reason in her mind she saw Scylla walking up to it and biting it in the leg because she was short. She smiled as the mental image faded and she noticed that Scylla was still talking. "Then...since I've already had an entire potion; should it still not be active?" She thought about it for a little while before she made up her mind.

She walked over to a chair and sat down on it, facing the wall and moved her hair out of the way along with some fabric. "Come on, see it as my first rental payment," she said with a joking tone and took a few deep breaths and tensed up her body preparing for what would come. It was almost exciting, which she found weird, but it was also relieving to be able to help someone else for a change.

Scylla stood there, staring surprised for a few moments. She then nodded an slowly walked next to the sitting Andiira. She could feel...hear the blood passing in Andiira's neck. The sigh so clearly displayed made her start losing control of herself. The beastial instincts that made part of her mind now, quickly began to gain strength as her eyes locked on the neck of the girl." This should... not hurt... some even like it..." Scylla managed to say as she felt her fangs growing and soon she bit into Andiira's neck.

It wasn't long before the vampire had to use all her willpower left, to pull herself away from the soft neck she feasted on. She didn't drink too much from Andiira's blood, but it still would have left an effect on the smith girl.Even with this much lost blood, she would feel quite tired and weak for a little while. Scylla pulled a small healing potion from her bag, handing it to her friend." So... how did it feel? I tried to be as gentle with it as I could..." She asked before shaking her head, realizing what she was asking." AHm... you will feel weak for a little while... it will pass."

Andiira felt a bit groggy, the loss of the blood reminded her body that she had not eaten anything of worth today and hunger and tiredness crept on her. She shook her head quickly to shake it off and placed her handkerchief on the wound left by Scylla. "It wasn't too bad," she said as she tried to stand up but had to support herself on the chair. "Like two tiny pricks of pain before a....a calm feeling." She looked at Scylla with a smile and accepted the healing potion and drank a few sips of it before handing the rest back.

She took a few deep breaths and stretched her body as another wave of tired hit her. The long day and not sleeping properly for the last few days were taking it's toll on her along with the loss of blood. "You don't happen to have anything to eat? Despite being a vampire and all," she asked.

Scylla gave a sigh of relieve as she was told it wasn't really bad experience. She had always tried to keep this at least not horrible for her... victims. Her own infection with this disease was very painful and horrible for her captors didn't really care about her. The vampire quickly put the remaining potion in her bag, planning to use it later in similar cases.

"Well I usually buy food cause if I don't it starts to arouse suspicion on myself." She replied and looked around." Ohh yeah... I threw away that food last night to pretend I ate it..." She said in realization as she saw the empty plates." Going to be right back then, I will go ask the innkeeper to prepare two sets of meal for us then and bring them here." Scylla said and walked to the door." Make yourself at home..." She added with a smile as she left the room.

"All righty then," Andiira said and plopped down on the bed, resting her tired body for a while. It did not take too long though until she started looking around in the room. She was curious about what Scylla kept in here, but she was not going to do the same mistake twice. Sure, even if it had worked out all right in the end, she did not want her new friend to be upset. She closed her eyes and laid there, thinking about the day as a whole. It had been quite an interesting day.

Scylla carefully opened the door of her room after a little while, carrying a pair of trays. She had wanted to have the innkeeper or a waitress bring those, but it turned out the food was already ready so she simply brought it.

"Andiira...?" The vampire asked quietly, checking if the other woman was sleeping. It was still daytime, but she must be quite tired so it wouldn't be a surprise if she did. Seems she wasn't...for now." Here..." She said and placed the two trays on the table." Baked potatoes, some stew, salad and a jug of wine. You can eat also from the second serving if you are really hungry and the first isn't enough." She said with a smile.

"Thank you," she said with a smile and got up and sat down at the table. "Man, I could eat a horse right now," she said and winked towards Scylla as she dug into the meal. "They do make quite lovely food here I must say," nodding approvingly and quickly finished her plate. After a while though she spoke up again. "Can you taste food? As a vampire I mean? And what's it like in general? Who turned you? ........how old are you?" Questions rushed out as she didn't give them too much thought but then she added. "Sorry if I ask too much, you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"No need to apologize, it's natural to be curious, but afterwards you too will have to tell me something about yourself, okey?" Scylla replied with a smile and tilted her head, thinking where to start." Well answers in order of given questions... yes I can taste food through eating it gives me no benefits at all... I occasionally cook for myself and people around just to remind myself of what it was like to do so." She added with a smile.

"It's... for me at least a constant nightmare... I feel things no person should... a hunger that constantly I need to resist to not turn into the blood thirsty monsters many of those like me turn into. It hurts to stand under light even when I'm well fed. I don't really need to sleep though I can if I want to pass the daytime faster. Also I can rarely stay at one place or around people much... I don't age... I don't eat... even if I try to hide it eventually people find out." She explained with a sad voice. "I'm 37 will turn 38 the end of this year..."

Andiira was nodding slowly, trying to take it all in as Scylla spoke. She realised that Scylla had it far worse than what she had it, by a long margin. Her life had been rough, but Scylla's had been hell, or so it sounded at least. She felt it even more now than before. She wanted to help this poor unfortunate soul. Others saw a vampire, a creature to be feared, but Andiira saw a sweet woman, twi....

"You're 37!?" she exclaimed and her jaw dropped. Even though being a vampire for 14 years she still did not look any older than what she herself did. Most of the other things left her mind, but the age. Andiira sighed and rested her chin on the table, muttering something along the lines of lucky girl. For a moment her thoughts randomly drifted and she couldn't help but think to herself how amazingly awesome Kyle was.

"Yes, I've been like this for 14 years... 14 cursed years... as for who turned me... I would prefer to not say anything about it now..." She finally said, her eyes full of pain. It hurted to remember." I'm now trying to find a cure, but I have no luck so far."

"Yeah that's what most people would think... 'lucky' is it lucky that I cannot have a normal contact with a person?" She asked her friend." I used to have a suitor back in the day before I got turned into this... I used to have a family... I used to want to have a family of my own too..." Immortality isn't a sunshine as they would have you believe."

Andiira had to agree with Scylla about the points she mentioned. "I guess good looks is the only perk of being a vampire," she said and smiled gently. "I don't know, it just, sounds so good to be immortal, never to age, never get sick. You can basically do what you want," she looked Scylla in the eyes, "part from the whole, risk of running bloodcrazed, infertility and such."

She looked dreamily up into the room. "The power of immortal life, something that has been sought for ages. I guess all good things come with a downside. Like paying for food, getting up in the mornings" she said with a giggle before her face turned slightly more serious.

"However, you also wanted to know something about me...I'm not as interesting as you, but feel free to ask anything."

"I suppose normal immortality that still allowed you for normal life if you wanted just not aging might be good." Scylla agreed with a shrug of her shoulders before giving a tired sigh and sitting down on a chair next to Andiira.

"Not as interesting?" The vampire asked with raised eyebrow and a smirk." Why not start with the usual things like where are you from, how old are you and why were you out cold in a side alley where thieves roam? You probably would have had nothing left on you if I hadn't found you that early this morning."

She chuckled before she started telling the story. "I'm from my mother's loins 17 and a half years ago and I like sleeping in weird locations," she said with a big smile. She let those words sink in for a few moments before talking again. "I was born in a brothel here in the imperial city. I don't know who my father is, nor do I care. When I was younger I was sold to the college of whispers. I've been living with them for many years, until I had a weird dream about hammers and accidentally torched the place. I was forcefully thrown out and then you found me."

Andiira chuckled as she finished, taking it quite lightly before gently grabbing Scylla's hands and looking deeply into her eyes. "And I thank you dearly for not robbing or killing me," she said with a grin on her lips.

"No need to thank me... it just didn't feel right leaving you there and... wait..." Scylla began saying as Andiira grabbed her arms. " You dreamt about hammers? Last night?" The vampire asked with narrowed eyes. Was that a coincidence... she didn't believe in those. This was too much of a thing to be a chance.

"Was it by chance a night mare and a guy with a big hammer? Striking you on the chest?" She asked, unbuckling the belts on her chest armor so she can take it off, revealing the strange mark.

At first Andiira blushed and turned her gaze away, but then she blinked a few times. "No way...." her mouth was slightly open, stunned before she quickly unzipped her corset and revealed her own mark. Her eyes went between the two, back and forth a few times before she spoke up. "Does this mean.......that we're fated lovers?" she laughed after she said the last words but then her face turned serious.

"I had a nightmare, a person from my past tormenting me before a strange man wielding a hammer appeared and she was ushered away and then he slammed the hammer against my chest, and left this mark........ Dang, and here I thought I was special," she said with a playful tone and smirked as she studied the other woman. She reached out towards it for a touch, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Ehhh... I'm pretty sure that's not what those mean." Scylla replied with a laugh herself as she also studied the other mark. Both were completely identical, surely left by the same cause. This surely was no mortal occurrence... whoever caused it was on a divine level... or something at least near that.

"Yeah my own nightmare was similar... nightmare of a past, tormenting me to a point of insanity till the figure with the hammer appeared and stopped it, hitting me on the chest." She nodded as the smith reached to touch the symbol. Scylla wondered to herself, what she was doing. She barely met this woman this sunrise and now it was late afternoon and she was acting as if both of them were as close as... She shook her head as she felt the fingers touch the skin. She let Andiira touch for a few moments before she started getting the armor back on." This will require investigation... something must be going on for this to happen..."

Andiira was too deep in thought to notice what Scylla might be thinking about Andiira touching her. Her fingers ran across the scared tissue then placed one hand on her own. They felt the same, part from bodily differences. She was just about to do more touchies when Scylla started putting her clothes back on and it occurred to Andiira what they were actually doing and she blushed a bit before quickly zipping up her clothes again.

"Sorry about that," she said gently before she gave it more thought. "It's a scar, so the being must have 'physically' imprinted the mark......like branding cattle" she said and her face twisted slightly. "But it also saved us from our dreams. So the question is if he caused the dream, or stopped something way more sinister. I hope it's the latter, I hope that this mark is a sign of....hope, or a warning."

Andiira scratched the back of her head. "I've never come across anything like it in my studies, not even close. If anything perhaps the Moth Priests know something, or the elder council, but they don't often share what they know," she said and sighed deeply.

"Yeah... I also hope the hammer wielding figure didn't cause the nightmares, but saved us from them instead, but until we learn more, hope is all we have on it." She said with a node and a smile, sitting back comfortably on the chair.

"I doubt asking the Elder council is a smart move with the war going on. As for the Moth Priests... ehh I prefer not get close to them with me being what I am." Scylla added with a shrug." For some reason my instincts tell me to keep away from them... Well we still have some time before nightfall." The vampire said, throwing a look at the window." You want to do something till then?"

Andiira shrugged her shoulders. "I guess we can walk the streets, or go to a pub or inn and listen in and see if we can glean any information about the marks," she paused for a few moments, "or on how to turn you human again."

(Collab between me and @Zhaliora)

" Getting any information about about the marks would be grand!" Scylla agreed with a smile, pulling her bag and starting to arrange the things within." If we get any information about it, we should keep quiet we have those marks though. Never know if someone might be out for your blood because of those things!" She said and pulled an empty soulgem, making a displeased expression and putting it to the side." Also getting any info about vampirism will be incredible, but is doubtful to happen... Those things aren't really talked about much. I've listened for years and aside a few false rumors, nothing..." She added with a sigh." I've wondered if I should ask around the temple, but am afraid they may kill me on sight..." She said, making a sad smile.

"Agreed," Andiira said and got up from her seat and started walking towards the door. "Are you coming?" She called as she looked back at Scylla, opening the door at the same time. She had already made up her mind to figure out more about this strange mark. If they both had been marked, there was bound to be more; right?

She walked out off the room and downstairs. She figured they could start at the inn they were living at. Andiira almost fell down the stairs as she slipped with her foot. She was still slightly dizzy from the loss of blood. It had drained her stamina a lot more than what she had initially thought. But it was just going to be once or so a week so it was not too bad. Just do it before bedtime.

Andiira shrugged her shoulders and straightened up her pose and walked downstairs and into the main hall at the inn. She ordered a beverage before finding a table to sit down at. She scanned the crowd. It was your average bunch of people you'd find in an inn in the afternoon, no one stuck out in her eyes. She closed her eyes and started to listen if she picked up anything.

Scylla was a little concerned about Andiira's condition after she fed on her, she nearly fell down the stairs! It wasn't a nice thing... she was going to have to start feeding on her only before they go to bed from now on... though now a strange thought appeared in her mind... When will going to bed be for both of them?

Scylla was a nocturnal creature... a vampire she usually slept during the day if she slept at all while Andiira was a day walker. 'That's just so confusing.' She thought and also ordered a drink, just so she has something on the table and not look out of place. Maybe she was going to start doing a semi sleep thing... both of them to go to bed late into the night and sleep till about noon or something? That could certainly work, if Andiira agrees to it at least.

"So... nothing interresting as usual..." She said after a little while of listening for rumors... Sure there were events going on and rumors circulating, but those were about events that didn't concern them... unless they wanted to go daedra hunting or try to stalk the dark brotherhood or something..." I say this place is a bust..." She finally said with a smile.

"We can try out luck on the streets... certain elements of society actually know a lot of things... We can try to ask the 'working' girls at the public houses or the corners of the streets... or even beggers... those guys know a lot of what's going on... for the right price." She said, giving her friend a playful wink.

"Well, you never know until you've tried," Andiira said and shrugged her shoulders. "However dosn't vampires originate from the daedra? Perhaps the cults knows something about it?" A lot of thoughts went through her mind as she was thinking about the options. "As long as I don't have to pay the beggers with my body, we can try that as well," she said and chuckled. And most working girls don't talk much to strangers, and unless you're planning on becoming one, the chances of finding out much there is slim."

Andiira placed her hands in her cheeks and sighed deeply. "The cults might also know about the marks. There is a possibility that it was a daedric entity that caused it. So I think we should make way there." she said and shrugged again. "That, and on the way to the mountains we can always ambush some bandits for your supply." Andiira winked towards her friend.

"Ahmmm yeah... they do..." The vampire replied and made a slightly disturbed expression, partially afraid partlially disgusted." Dealing with the deadra is always a bad thing... no matter what. They rarely hold their side of bargains... Most deadra are evil incarnate... exception being Meridia who still will kill me on sight cause she despises undead..." Scylla said." So no getting close to cults... unless we wana destroy them or something."

"Hehe... beggers don't need our bodies... they work perfectly well with coins... give them some septims and you usually learn a lot of interresting things that has happened around... No one notices them... so they can basically spy without problem and they do."

"But... if the mark's aren't originating from the daedra they will try to kill us probably.. or sacrifice us... plus it could be mark from another deadra not belonging to a cult we stumble upon. The different daedras rarely like each other so yeah..."

"Well bandits is it... those I actually sometimes take bounty jobs for. It works nice with creating soulgems also... get money, get souls, get fed... a nice three in one, don't you agree?"

"Either way, even if they don't know, we can always root them out. It probably pays quite good, and we can keep one alive to interrogate for information. Plenty of souls for our business as well, along with the bandits." Andiira's mind was quite set on going to the cults. "We can also gather information about the marks, vampyrism, other rumors and much more on our way up north. There are a few major cities along with villages. Sometimes villages have these stories, myths, which are based in truth or history. Never know what you might pick up."

Andiira finished her drink, starting to feel a little tipsy. She waved over the innkeeper and ordered another drink and started drinking. "I think....that we should take a contract...and kill some bandits...then destroy the cult," Andiira started to sludder a bit in her voice from the drink.

"I declare us the new cult hunters!" she said and stood up and tried to walk over to the bar but fell over and faceplanted the floor.

"Fine... fine... we will head up north the first thing tomorrow..." Scylla said before noticing how Andiira was acting. The vampire turned really quiet as her friend tried to stand up. Scylla watched in pure shock as Andiira faceplanted into the floor...! She never knew her friend didn't carry her alcohol! If she knew, she would never have allowed her to drink any!

Andiira tried to get up a few times, but failed to get further than to her knees where she was standing face against the floor and butt up in the air.

The other patrons in the inn quickly got roudy, some of the men making lewd remarks, some directly proposing company for the night to Andiira who looked drunk enough to accept it!

"Alright... that's it for the night..." The vampire said, leaning over Andiira and pulling her up from under the armpit and finally with an arm by arm over the shoulders, she started walking and pulling her friend towards their room.

"Come on Scrylla, just one more drink," Andiira said and leaned heavily onto Pricilla and tried to walk towards the bar again.

"Come on now... time to rest a little... it must have been a long day for you." Scylla said as they neared the stairs. They walked right by a table of some little drunk men, one of which grabbed Scylla's backside." Come here, sweetie..." He was talking in his delirious drunken state, trying to pull her. She simply replied with a pinch on his hand, causing him to cry in pain as she started walking up the stairs.

"Haa... htere we go..." She said when she finally let Andiira on the bed. She needed to take of Andiira's clothes and have them washed... she reeked of alcohol...

Andiira giggled like a crazy person as she was dropped off in the bed before she was rolled over and she went; "Whee!" as Scylla undid the corset and Andiira kicked off the dress. She rolled back over and hugged Scylla before giving her a slobby kiss on the cheek to which she soon after covered up her mouth and looked at her in a panic. "I think I need to puke..." she said through the palm of her hand as she looked around for somewhere to puke before making her way very slowly and pathetically to the window and hung her face out from it and let it all out.

Scylla sighed heavily as she watched the drunk woman move over to the window to puke... Hell it was nothing new for such things to happen really. While Andiira was over at the window, Scylla took the blacksmith's clothes and put them in the corner of the room so they don't reek near the bed.

The vampire then slowly took off her hood and then began unbuckling all the small belts on the leather top she wore untill she was finally able to take it off. It felt nice to feel the air with her skin again, though with her being a vampire, she didn't sweat so it wasn't really a bad experience wearing the form fitting leathers. She then pulled a big white soft shirt from her bag and put it on, before taking off her pants and boots.

"Are you feeling better now?" She asked after a little while, the girl who was hanging her head by the window, and pulled a cup of water. Sadly potions didn't work on hangover and alcohol... unless it was specialized for that, but she had no such potions on herself.

"A bit..." Andiira said and coughed before waving at someone on the street. Her mind was slowly clearning up from the drunkeness. Quick there and quick off apparently as she slowly stood up straight and accepted the glass of water and drank it slowly. Her body started to shiver and she slowly made her way over to the tub in a corner of the room that was filled with water.

Andiira sat lay down in it and just barely inclosed her body in flames to warm up the water. It seared the tub slightly but not enough to case it to break or catch on fire. As she water finally came up to a comfortable temperature Andiira closed her eyes and focused and the flames died off.

It did not take many moments until Andiira was fast asleep in the tub, her head staying above water due to the small size of the tub. She started to dream. In her dream she was roaming north along with Scylla. She hissed as they came upon some bandits and they launched themselves into the fray, sinking teeth into them as Andiira could feel a wash of pleasure from it.

Her eyes opened again and she looked around with a paniced face, splashing some water around. "Just a dream....." she said quietly and sank slightly lower into the water, but her mind was still on the dream. It had been so vivid, as if she was really there. Andiira touched her mouth, then her teeth before glanzing towards Scylla then back at her feet.

Scyla let Andiira sleep for a little while in the bathtub, she looked so peacful sleeping in it that the vampire decided not to wake her up... She still was going to bring her out of it soon enough though. Too much staying into water wasn't good for the body, besides it was bound to get colder too.

That said, Andiira seemed to wake up just before Scylla was about to take her out of the bath, and bring her to the bed. The vampire was surprised at the slightly paniced expression on her friend's face for she seemed to be having fun in her dreams just a moment before... what was she dreaming about?

"Andiira, you okey?" Scylla asked, bringing in a big towel... it was cheap one that the inn had, but it was more than enough to take off the water off one's body." Here, dry yourself... it's getting colder so you'd better dry up. You can put on that..." She said and pointed a a big robelike nightgown." I will get your clothes washed up while you sleep." She said with a smile.

"I'm all right," Andiira said quietly and slowly got up from the tub and wrapped the towel around her body. The dream....it had felt....so alive, so real. She wondered what it meant. Was it bound to happen? She almost laughed at it, that was a silly thing. Scylla was not going to turn her into a vampire in the first place. It was just a silly dream.

She dried herself off absentmindedly, stealing a glance towards Scylla every now and then. Andiira shook her head and sighed before getting into the big nightgown. It was much too big for her and it was sort off just draped over her, the hem of it dragging on the ground.

Andiira chuckled at it before laying down on the bed and closing her eyes. "Thank you Scylla...." she said with a slight smile. "I guess neither of us have to be lonely any longer." It was something she had dreamt about before, having a friend. She had one before, a long time ago...but she was gone.

She gently grasped the locked on her chest and opened it up, smiling at the picture in it. She only had it open for a few moments until she closed it again and sighed. She could feel a slight tingle in her neck where she had been bitten before. She did not think much about it and slowly lulled back into sleep, that same dream coming back to her.