shadowkitty
Mistress of Shadows
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN: Back to Ivarstead
Wyldfyre was dressed and fully packed when she opened the door to Marcurios room.
“Wake up sleepyhead!” she sang “Today’s the day.” Marcurio rolled over, rubbing his eyes.
“What?” he looked around sleepily.
“We are leaving. Get ready, I’ll wait for you down stairs” and with that, she left his room. Wyldfyre was eating breakfast when Marcurio trudged down the stairs. He sat down at the table and waved the bar maid over and ordered breakfast for himself. He looked at Wyldfyre, who was humming to herself.
“Why are you so happy this morning?” he asked her. Wyldfyre poured him a tankard of mead from the bottle she had purchased.
“Because we are leaving Riften. Don’t you feel excited about our new adventure?” she asked. Marcurio sat there in his new armour, looking slightly uncomfortable. She cocked her head to the side and then stood up.
“Stand” she ordered him. Marcurio stood, grumbling.
“Brace yourself” she warned him.
“What?...OW!” Wyldfyre had banged down hard on his shoulders. She sat back down and continued eating.
“What was that for?” Marcurio spluttered.
“You were lopsided” Wyldfyre answered him. “Doesn’t your armour feel better now? Sit better?”. He tested it out and reluctantly agreed.
“Yes it does feel better. Thank you” he said a little huffily. Half an hour later they were walking through the gate and took the north-east road leading back to Ivarstead. The day had dawned overcast and Wyldfyre and Marcurio were both glad that they would not have to make the journey in the hot blazing sun. Wyldfyre was equally relieved and disappointed that they had not seen Brynjolf on their way out of the city. He would be down in the training room, pacing the floor, wondering where she was. If he had of known they were leaving he would have had strong words to say about it. He had been particularly protective since Wyldfyre had been taken.
Wyldfyre wondered why Marcurio didn’t seem as concerned about the master Vampire still being out there as what Brynjolf had been. She wondered if Marcurio had ever faced a Vampire as powerful as Lord Manval. It could also have just been his arrogance that afforded him complacency.
They walked the road that ran alongside the lake and for the most part remained silent. Wyldfyre could sense a tension in Marcurio and was not sure if he was just being alert or if something else was on his mind. She decided she didn’t want to discuss it and so continued on in silence. Her peace was broken by Marcurio finally.
“What happened between you and Brynjolf?” he surprised her by asking. Wyldfyre looked at Marcurio, his face stony as he walked beside her.
“Why is it your business?” she asked him. Marcurio glanced over to her.
“I thought we were…”
“What?”
“Never mind” he said sullenly. Wyldfyre was wondering if she should take the opportunity to end their intimate relationship. She was never one to lie outright, but if it prevented more hurt later then what was wrong with a little?
“If you must know” she began “Nothing happened between Brynjolf and I”. He looked at her, eyebrows raised.
“Really?”
“Yes really” she glared at him “I love another and my heart is bound to him” then she added under her breath “Even if he thinks I no longer love him.” Marcurio stopped on the road and Wyldfyre had to stop as well. He looked at her, hurt in his eyes.
“But that day at the cove, we made love. I thought you felt the same way as I did?”. Wyldfyre started off again.
“That day was a mistake. A weakness. One that shall never be made again.” Wyldfyre was not sure if Marcurio was going to follow her and she felt a moment of remorse for her cruel words. A moment later he was beside her again, keeping up with her hurried pace.
“Understood” he said simply. Wyldfyre wondered if he was now lying to her. She decided not to ask, glad that he had at least given her the answer she had desired. They continued on in silence again. Half way through their journey they came to a part of the road that passed through a ravine. They could see smoke rising over a small crest. Wyldfyre and Marcurio looked at one another.
“Shall we go around or check it out?” Marcurio asked her. Wyldfyre remembered the ravine from her journey to Riften and knew there was no way around the cliff faces on either side. She was also concerned that there may be innocent citizens in trouble.
“No” she shook her head “there is no way around and there might be people who need our help.” She drew her sword and flexed her other hand, ready to use a spell if she needed. “Weapons out, be ready for anything” They made their way up the slope and as they crested the top they could see down to the terrible scene below. A cart was overturned in the middle of the road, its contents spilled out everywhere, half of it still on fire. A horse lay dead with half of its stomach ripped out. The cart was also on fire and as they approached they saw a charred corpse, burnt beyond recognition. Wyldfyre’s heart dropped. She knew of only one thing that could burn a person like that. She sheathed her sword and drew her bow out, notching it and pointing it to the sky.
“What? What did this Wyldfyre?” Marcurio looked at her alarmed just as an almighty roar echoed off the cliff faces. Wyldfyre stole a quick glance at Marcurio whose face had gone pale.
“Dragon!” she cried. Marcurio stood there stunned for a few moments before pulling back his sleeves and readying his lightening spells. Wyldfyre urged Marcurio to take cover under the cliff, as she ran to the opposite side. She hugged the wall of rock as she scanned the sky for the winged beast. She heard a loud beating of wings and then an intense jet of flame shot down from above her. She was protected by the cliff and stood there as the heat of the fire almost singed her skin. It was almost unbearable. Wyldfyre turned her face towards the cool rock. She heard Marcurio shouting and blasting at the dragon with his shock spells. Small rocks and debris rained down on her as the dragon took off into the sky again and she got a glimpse of red scales.
“Well” shouted Marcurio from the other side “Now I have seen everything!” Wyldfyre nodded, still scanning the sky with her bow. She was concerned that there was only the two of them to fight this dragon. Both other times she had had Soldiers to help bring the beast down. A shadow passed over her and she spun around in time to see the dragon landing a few yards in front of her. It crawled along the ground, using its front wings like great spiny legs. Marcurio dashed out and blasted it with a shock spell and it shook its head in pain for a brief moment. The dragon snarled, and gathered itself for another fire blast directed at Marcurio. Wyldfyre dropped her bow and flung out her hands, blasting at the spot right in front of Marcurio with her frost spell. It protected Marcurio enough for him to be able to run out of the path of the dragon’s fire. He looked over to Wyldfyre, surprised.
“You and I are going to have a talk about that when we are done here!” he shouted. Wyldfyre remembered she had never even told him about her magical skills. She gathered up her bow and fired a volley of shots at the dragon while it was still on the ground. It was beginning to tire.
“Try to keep it grounded!” she yelled over the noise of its growling. Wyldfyre was starting to feel a familiar exhilaration swelling in her belly. The dragon souls inside her were urging her on and a new savagery erupted inside her. The dragon was weakening with her arrows and Marcurio’s powerful shock spells and Wyldfyre recklessly cast aside her bow and drew her sword. She uttered a guttural growl herself and charged in to engage the dragon with her sword, slashing away at it as it tried to snap her in half with its enormous teeth. Wyldfyre’s vision was tinged red and all else was forgotten while she duelled with the dragon.
“You mortals have grown arrogant while I slept” the dragon said to her. Wyldfyre slashed at the dragon’s eyes and it flinched slightly.
“You are right to fear me, for I am Dovahkiin!” she snarled at it. The dragon snapped at her again, its eyes burning with hate.
“I do not fear you, Dovahkiin!”
“Then fight!” Wyldfyre shouted. The dragon crawled forward, causing Wyldfyre to back up. As she slashed she could see its body light up as Marcurio’s shock spells hit it again and again. Suddenly Wyldfyre saw an opportunity to pounce and she leapt up onto its head. She held on to one of its long spikes while trying to keep her footing as the dragon thrashed around. She slashed at its neck and opened a gashing wound that sent its boiling red blood pouring down onto the road. Wyldfyre let go of its spike and took her sword in both hands and plunged it down into the dragon’s skull with all of her strength. The dragon bucked wildly and Wyldfyre was thrown from it, landing heavily on the ground, she rolled to a standing position and watched as the dragon finished its death throes, collapsing to the ground in a twisted pile of leathery wings and spikes.
Wyldfyre stood there in the seconds after the dragon’s death, revelling in the thrill of the kill. Her hand was covered in its blood and Wyldfyre took a finger and drew two bloody lines down her face. As before, the dragon then started to disintegrate before her and she felt the new soul enter her body. She swayed as it filled her and let its presence known to her. Her vision went completely red before fading away and she was able to see clearly again. In fact she was able to see more clearly than before. She stood there breathing heavily from her exertions and the excitement of the dragon fight.
“I don’t know what to say”. Marcurio said, astonished. She blinked out of her revere and turned her head towards him. He looked into her eyes and backed up a little, slightly frightened by what he saw. The slashes of blood dripped down her face.
“Don’t speak” she said to him. In her heightened state she didn’t know what she was capable of at that moment. She needed time to adjust to the new dragon soul and to come down from the euphoric high she was in. She bent down and recovered her sword from the dragon bones and sheathed it. She found her bow and satchel whose contents had spilled out. Marcurio helped pick up her things.
“Who is Farkas?” he asked. Wyldfyre turned to see him holding her letter. She snatched it out of his hands and shoved it back into her satchel. Without a word, she started off back down the road in the direction they were travelling. Marcurio ran up beside her.
“Wyldfyre. Wyldfyre!” He grabbed her hand and immediately let it go, crying out in pain. Wyldfyre stopped and studied Marcurios hand. It had been burned where he had touched the dragon’s blood.
“Why is the blood not affecting you the same way?” he asked as he rubbed his hand. Wyldfyre peered at her own hand. It was stained red, but otherwise felt completely normal to her.
“I don’t know” she answered honestly “I guess it’s another perk from being Dragonborn”. Marcurio frowned.
“You really do need to see the Greybeards” he said. Wyldfyre agreed and they continued along the road, passing under the flaming orange trees. Occasionally they would see a deer bounding through the trees and Wyldfyre desperately wanted to hunt them. Her instincts were still heightened and she found walking along the road to be tedious. She quickened her pace when she saw smoke rising from several thatched roofs in the distance.
They arrived in Ivarstead in the late afternoon and Wyldfyre went immediately into the Inn to seek out Wilhelm. His smile when he saw her was so infectious that Wyldfyre could not help but smile as well. They hugged warmly and Wilhelm nodded politely when Wyldfyre introduced Marcurio to him. Wilhelm directed them down the stairs to his quarters and he set about his small kitchen, preparing a meal for them all. Wyldfyre peeled off her armour, leaving the undershirt on, and asked Wilhelm if she could use his bath. As Wilhelm filled it he asked her about the blood slashed across her face. Wyldfyre could not even remember doing it. Wilhelm let it go and soon she was alone, soaking in a steaming tub of rose scented water.
When Wyldfyre emerged from the bath, smelling sweet again and not covered in Dragon’s blood, she sat at the table and told Wilhelm of her journey to Riften. She left out her meeting with Brynjolf and the Thieves Guild, instead telling him of her capture and torture by the Vampires, and the dragon attack on their way back. Wilhelm was shocked when she had finally finished and shook his head.
“It’s a wonder you are still alive my girl” he said to her, placing a fatherly hand on her shoulder “And now I suspect you are wanting a room for the night so you can rest up for your journey to the Throat of the World?”. Wyldfyre nodded and smiled. This time she was determined to start the journey and finish it the way she had planned. Just before she retired for the night she handed over her letter to Wilhelm and told him whom to have it delivered to.
Wyldfyre was dressed and fully packed when she opened the door to Marcurios room.
“Wake up sleepyhead!” she sang “Today’s the day.” Marcurio rolled over, rubbing his eyes.
“What?” he looked around sleepily.
“We are leaving. Get ready, I’ll wait for you down stairs” and with that, she left his room. Wyldfyre was eating breakfast when Marcurio trudged down the stairs. He sat down at the table and waved the bar maid over and ordered breakfast for himself. He looked at Wyldfyre, who was humming to herself.
“Why are you so happy this morning?” he asked her. Wyldfyre poured him a tankard of mead from the bottle she had purchased.
“Because we are leaving Riften. Don’t you feel excited about our new adventure?” she asked. Marcurio sat there in his new armour, looking slightly uncomfortable. She cocked her head to the side and then stood up.
“Stand” she ordered him. Marcurio stood, grumbling.
“Brace yourself” she warned him.
“What?...OW!” Wyldfyre had banged down hard on his shoulders. She sat back down and continued eating.
“What was that for?” Marcurio spluttered.
“You were lopsided” Wyldfyre answered him. “Doesn’t your armour feel better now? Sit better?”. He tested it out and reluctantly agreed.
“Yes it does feel better. Thank you” he said a little huffily. Half an hour later they were walking through the gate and took the north-east road leading back to Ivarstead. The day had dawned overcast and Wyldfyre and Marcurio were both glad that they would not have to make the journey in the hot blazing sun. Wyldfyre was equally relieved and disappointed that they had not seen Brynjolf on their way out of the city. He would be down in the training room, pacing the floor, wondering where she was. If he had of known they were leaving he would have had strong words to say about it. He had been particularly protective since Wyldfyre had been taken.
Wyldfyre wondered why Marcurio didn’t seem as concerned about the master Vampire still being out there as what Brynjolf had been. She wondered if Marcurio had ever faced a Vampire as powerful as Lord Manval. It could also have just been his arrogance that afforded him complacency.
They walked the road that ran alongside the lake and for the most part remained silent. Wyldfyre could sense a tension in Marcurio and was not sure if he was just being alert or if something else was on his mind. She decided she didn’t want to discuss it and so continued on in silence. Her peace was broken by Marcurio finally.
“What happened between you and Brynjolf?” he surprised her by asking. Wyldfyre looked at Marcurio, his face stony as he walked beside her.
“Why is it your business?” she asked him. Marcurio glanced over to her.
“I thought we were…”
“What?”
“Never mind” he said sullenly. Wyldfyre was wondering if she should take the opportunity to end their intimate relationship. She was never one to lie outright, but if it prevented more hurt later then what was wrong with a little?
“If you must know” she began “Nothing happened between Brynjolf and I”. He looked at her, eyebrows raised.
“Really?”
“Yes really” she glared at him “I love another and my heart is bound to him” then she added under her breath “Even if he thinks I no longer love him.” Marcurio stopped on the road and Wyldfyre had to stop as well. He looked at her, hurt in his eyes.
“But that day at the cove, we made love. I thought you felt the same way as I did?”. Wyldfyre started off again.
“That day was a mistake. A weakness. One that shall never be made again.” Wyldfyre was not sure if Marcurio was going to follow her and she felt a moment of remorse for her cruel words. A moment later he was beside her again, keeping up with her hurried pace.
“Understood” he said simply. Wyldfyre wondered if he was now lying to her. She decided not to ask, glad that he had at least given her the answer she had desired. They continued on in silence again. Half way through their journey they came to a part of the road that passed through a ravine. They could see smoke rising over a small crest. Wyldfyre and Marcurio looked at one another.
“Shall we go around or check it out?” Marcurio asked her. Wyldfyre remembered the ravine from her journey to Riften and knew there was no way around the cliff faces on either side. She was also concerned that there may be innocent citizens in trouble.
“No” she shook her head “there is no way around and there might be people who need our help.” She drew her sword and flexed her other hand, ready to use a spell if she needed. “Weapons out, be ready for anything” They made their way up the slope and as they crested the top they could see down to the terrible scene below. A cart was overturned in the middle of the road, its contents spilled out everywhere, half of it still on fire. A horse lay dead with half of its stomach ripped out. The cart was also on fire and as they approached they saw a charred corpse, burnt beyond recognition. Wyldfyre’s heart dropped. She knew of only one thing that could burn a person like that. She sheathed her sword and drew her bow out, notching it and pointing it to the sky.
“What? What did this Wyldfyre?” Marcurio looked at her alarmed just as an almighty roar echoed off the cliff faces. Wyldfyre stole a quick glance at Marcurio whose face had gone pale.
“Dragon!” she cried. Marcurio stood there stunned for a few moments before pulling back his sleeves and readying his lightening spells. Wyldfyre urged Marcurio to take cover under the cliff, as she ran to the opposite side. She hugged the wall of rock as she scanned the sky for the winged beast. She heard a loud beating of wings and then an intense jet of flame shot down from above her. She was protected by the cliff and stood there as the heat of the fire almost singed her skin. It was almost unbearable. Wyldfyre turned her face towards the cool rock. She heard Marcurio shouting and blasting at the dragon with his shock spells. Small rocks and debris rained down on her as the dragon took off into the sky again and she got a glimpse of red scales.
“Well” shouted Marcurio from the other side “Now I have seen everything!” Wyldfyre nodded, still scanning the sky with her bow. She was concerned that there was only the two of them to fight this dragon. Both other times she had had Soldiers to help bring the beast down. A shadow passed over her and she spun around in time to see the dragon landing a few yards in front of her. It crawled along the ground, using its front wings like great spiny legs. Marcurio dashed out and blasted it with a shock spell and it shook its head in pain for a brief moment. The dragon snarled, and gathered itself for another fire blast directed at Marcurio. Wyldfyre dropped her bow and flung out her hands, blasting at the spot right in front of Marcurio with her frost spell. It protected Marcurio enough for him to be able to run out of the path of the dragon’s fire. He looked over to Wyldfyre, surprised.
“You and I are going to have a talk about that when we are done here!” he shouted. Wyldfyre remembered she had never even told him about her magical skills. She gathered up her bow and fired a volley of shots at the dragon while it was still on the ground. It was beginning to tire.
“Try to keep it grounded!” she yelled over the noise of its growling. Wyldfyre was starting to feel a familiar exhilaration swelling in her belly. The dragon souls inside her were urging her on and a new savagery erupted inside her. The dragon was weakening with her arrows and Marcurio’s powerful shock spells and Wyldfyre recklessly cast aside her bow and drew her sword. She uttered a guttural growl herself and charged in to engage the dragon with her sword, slashing away at it as it tried to snap her in half with its enormous teeth. Wyldfyre’s vision was tinged red and all else was forgotten while she duelled with the dragon.
“You mortals have grown arrogant while I slept” the dragon said to her. Wyldfyre slashed at the dragon’s eyes and it flinched slightly.
“You are right to fear me, for I am Dovahkiin!” she snarled at it. The dragon snapped at her again, its eyes burning with hate.
“I do not fear you, Dovahkiin!”
“Then fight!” Wyldfyre shouted. The dragon crawled forward, causing Wyldfyre to back up. As she slashed she could see its body light up as Marcurio’s shock spells hit it again and again. Suddenly Wyldfyre saw an opportunity to pounce and she leapt up onto its head. She held on to one of its long spikes while trying to keep her footing as the dragon thrashed around. She slashed at its neck and opened a gashing wound that sent its boiling red blood pouring down onto the road. Wyldfyre let go of its spike and took her sword in both hands and plunged it down into the dragon’s skull with all of her strength. The dragon bucked wildly and Wyldfyre was thrown from it, landing heavily on the ground, she rolled to a standing position and watched as the dragon finished its death throes, collapsing to the ground in a twisted pile of leathery wings and spikes.
Wyldfyre stood there in the seconds after the dragon’s death, revelling in the thrill of the kill. Her hand was covered in its blood and Wyldfyre took a finger and drew two bloody lines down her face. As before, the dragon then started to disintegrate before her and she felt the new soul enter her body. She swayed as it filled her and let its presence known to her. Her vision went completely red before fading away and she was able to see clearly again. In fact she was able to see more clearly than before. She stood there breathing heavily from her exertions and the excitement of the dragon fight.
“I don’t know what to say”. Marcurio said, astonished. She blinked out of her revere and turned her head towards him. He looked into her eyes and backed up a little, slightly frightened by what he saw. The slashes of blood dripped down her face.
“Don’t speak” she said to him. In her heightened state she didn’t know what she was capable of at that moment. She needed time to adjust to the new dragon soul and to come down from the euphoric high she was in. She bent down and recovered her sword from the dragon bones and sheathed it. She found her bow and satchel whose contents had spilled out. Marcurio helped pick up her things.
“Who is Farkas?” he asked. Wyldfyre turned to see him holding her letter. She snatched it out of his hands and shoved it back into her satchel. Without a word, she started off back down the road in the direction they were travelling. Marcurio ran up beside her.
“Wyldfyre. Wyldfyre!” He grabbed her hand and immediately let it go, crying out in pain. Wyldfyre stopped and studied Marcurios hand. It had been burned where he had touched the dragon’s blood.
“Why is the blood not affecting you the same way?” he asked as he rubbed his hand. Wyldfyre peered at her own hand. It was stained red, but otherwise felt completely normal to her.
“I don’t know” she answered honestly “I guess it’s another perk from being Dragonborn”. Marcurio frowned.
“You really do need to see the Greybeards” he said. Wyldfyre agreed and they continued along the road, passing under the flaming orange trees. Occasionally they would see a deer bounding through the trees and Wyldfyre desperately wanted to hunt them. Her instincts were still heightened and she found walking along the road to be tedious. She quickened her pace when she saw smoke rising from several thatched roofs in the distance.
They arrived in Ivarstead in the late afternoon and Wyldfyre went immediately into the Inn to seek out Wilhelm. His smile when he saw her was so infectious that Wyldfyre could not help but smile as well. They hugged warmly and Wilhelm nodded politely when Wyldfyre introduced Marcurio to him. Wilhelm directed them down the stairs to his quarters and he set about his small kitchen, preparing a meal for them all. Wyldfyre peeled off her armour, leaving the undershirt on, and asked Wilhelm if she could use his bath. As Wilhelm filled it he asked her about the blood slashed across her face. Wyldfyre could not even remember doing it. Wilhelm let it go and soon she was alone, soaking in a steaming tub of rose scented water.
When Wyldfyre emerged from the bath, smelling sweet again and not covered in Dragon’s blood, she sat at the table and told Wilhelm of her journey to Riften. She left out her meeting with Brynjolf and the Thieves Guild, instead telling him of her capture and torture by the Vampires, and the dragon attack on their way back. Wilhelm was shocked when she had finally finished and shook his head.
“It’s a wonder you are still alive my girl” he said to her, placing a fatherly hand on her shoulder “And now I suspect you are wanting a room for the night so you can rest up for your journey to the Throat of the World?”. Wyldfyre nodded and smiled. This time she was determined to start the journey and finish it the way she had planned. Just before she retired for the night she handed over her letter to Wilhelm and told him whom to have it delivered to.