Chapter 32

Ivan

"You get any sleep?"

"Look at my face, snow queen. Does this look like the face of someone who got a lotta sleep?"

"Hard to say. You have a face like a troll took a shit on your shoulders."

Kai paused in the middle of packing up his knapsack to look at him. "That's new," he said slowly and then went back to jamming whatever essentials he needed for the journey back into the knapsack. "I'm taking it. Troll took a shit on your shoulders. Heh."

Though Ivan laughed at the small exchange, he couldn't help but notice that Kai was all knackered up. He acknowledged it himself. Ivan knew that it wasn't his place to say anything about how Kai ought to live his life. But still. "Your wife doesn't mind that you're running around all over Skyrim instead of being with her?"

"We're both busy people. I don't stop her from doing what she does, so why would she stop me?" Kai answered as he hoisted his knapsack onto his back, though he shuddered for some reason. "Besides, didn't some poet say that distance strengthens love or something?"

Ivan nodded. "It can, just as too much distance can sever your bond. There needs to be a balance."

"Well, love mage, if ever I run into this particular problem, I'll come to you. Which way's the Dragonborn's room again?"

"C'mon. I'll show you." Ivan stepped away from the doorjamb and closed the door behind Kai. Then he tapped his brother on the shoulder and motioned him to follow up the staircase. "I'm serious you know. Just because you're married doesn't mean your journey's at an end. It's just the beginning." He turned at the waist and brought the sides of his palms together to form a cup-like shape. "It's like a sapling. You have to take good care of it or it'll die."

"Stop lecturing me and look where you're going."

"It's the truth."

"Yeah, yeah."

Once on the first floor of the Hall of Attainment, Ivan pointed at the room where the Dragonborn stayed. Kai went up and knocked.

"Dragonborn, it's me. I'm comin' in."

Ivan liked how Kai didn't care about the muffled protests from inside the room.

When the door was pushed open though, Kai didn't enter. Looking over his shoulder, Ivan could see why.

Conrart was packing his knapsack. All the rooms came with a table, and the man had his bag on it. Surrounding the knapsack were several bottles of mead, with more bottles poking out of the bag. Conrart laughed nervously at them.

"I was just... packing."

I can see that.

"Right," Kai said, drawing it out. "Fetch your friend and come down when you're done. We have a carriage waiting."

"Sure thing."

"His pack contained only mead bottles," Ivan commented as they descended down the staircase. "It's a mystery how he get any work done."

Beside him, Kai grunted. "Too sleep deprived to give a fuck. What I do give a fuck about is these stupid spiral staircases. Can't you have normal staircases?"

"Technically, a spiral is a two-dimensional object. This is a helical staircase."

Kai stared at him. Ivan shrugged. "I'm a natural pedant."

"How I ever forgot that, I wonder."

"By being unreliable."

"You lookin' to start something, ice boy?"

"Believe me thunder-thighs, if I wanted to, it'd be over by now."

Ah, if only Mira saw this, she'd get what I meant about blood pressure.

Thankfully, they were out of the College before it could get to violence and crossing the half broken stone bridge took all of their concentration. Seriously, why does nobody fix this thing?

"Why don't you mages fix this thing?"

Ivan rolled his eyes. "Stop moaning and look where you're going."

Casair was waiting for them at the entrance, standing by the carriage. She waved at them both and Ivan waved back.

"Morning," he said pleasantly. "Had breakfast?"

The girl nodded, then pointed at Kai and tilted her head. The man shrugged.

"I'll grab something at Dawnstar."

"You shouldn't skip meals."

"Yes, mother."

Ivan smiled at Casair. "He's a lost cause. A chronic case of grumpitis. Don't worry about it."

Casair snickered. Kai placed his knapsack on the bench and motioned for Casair to get up.

"They're here," he said.

Ivan turned around and found the Dragonborn and his companion making their way down to the entrance.

"Indeed." He looked over at Kai. "Sure you didn't wanna travel by dragon?"

"Horses are bad enough."

"Sorry we're late," the Dragonborn said, rubbing the back of his neck as he reached the carriage. "I slept in."

"Uninterested," Kai replied. "Get on. Make sure to hold on to your pack. Bumps can make the bottles crack."

The Dragonborn visibly deflated but obeyed nonetheless. Casair helped him up. "Thanks."

Ivan could sense the tension between the group. It was quite undisguised. They were two units instead of a single cohesive unit. Kai and Casair on one side with Conrart and Firo on the other. He couldn't tell why, but he knew that there was no malevolence. Just initial distrust. Or that's what I hope it is.

"And thanks for your hospitality!" Conrart called out with a grin and a wave. Ivan chuckled and waved back.

"Anytime," he replied. Then looked at Kai. "All set?"

"Well, that's all aboard at any rate," his brother muttered as Firo sat himself beside Conrart.

"Get going then."

"Yeah," he said and placed his knapsack on the bench, but paused before hauling himself up. He looked back over his shoulder. "Take care of yourself."

Ivan smirked. "You need it more."

Kai smiled and sat himself beside Casair. "So you say."

"So I know."

This was good enough. There were no needs for tearful farewells. Never had been, between them.

It's just how it is. Besides, this isn't goodbye.

As the carriage drew away from the entrance of the College of Winterhold and disappeared down the slope on its way to Dawnstar, Ivan knew that he'd be seeing his brother again. Later, if not sooner.

Reina

Reina was not pleased. "The one day I'm sleeping in, you remember to knock."

"Manners maketh man, lass," Brynjolf said as he strode into the bed room. Reina stuck out her tongue at her. Brothers should be abolished.

"This it?" he asked and Reina turned around after closing the door. Brynjolf had picked up the crown from the nightstand and was turning it around. "It's beautiful."

"That it is," she said and sat down at the edge of the bed. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to tame it, but soon gave up. "What're you even doing up so early?"

"It's midday."

Well. She'd gotten back to Riften late last night. Well past midnight. Reina didn't even remember what she'd had for dinner. She'd bathed, changed and then flopped onto bed and faded off to sleep, only to be woken by her dear old brother. But if it's midday, I suppose I had this coming.

"When d'you want to have the gems fitted?"

She shrugged. "Delvin said he'd handle it, right? I'll just give it to him. Anything else? Or did you wake me up just for that?"

"There was also the matter of a Thalmor justiciar walking around Riften asking about you." He grinned lopsidedly. "By name."

"By name?"

"Mhmm. Was looking for a Reina. Nord, female, red hair."

"And?"

"And he didn't receive any assistance so he went away. Just thought you might want to know."

The Thalmor? What would the Thalmor want with her? The only time she'd had anything to do with the Thalmor was when she'd infiltrated their embassy to get some documents that Delphine woman had wanted. That too had been almost three years ago. She chewed on her lip. If the Thalmor were going to start snooping around, she would have to lay low for a while. It didn't matter why. The Thalmor were always bad news.

"Thanks," she said with a sigh and rubbed her face. "No better way to start off the day than with some good news."

She heard him laugh, followed by a gentle pressure on her head as Brynjolf ruffled her hair.

"It's part of the job," he said. "Smile, sister. The Boss should always be smiling, right?"

That made her chuckle and she smiled up at him. "Yeah." Then a thought struck her. "Hey, Bryn?"

"Hmm?"

"Being Nightingales... it means we're basically Nocturnal's champions, right?"

"Aye. Why?"

She hesitated. "Has she ever... spoken to you?"

"How do you mean? Like the one time in the Nightingale Hall when we took our oaths?"

"No... like, in your head."

He looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "What's this now?"

"Never you mind." She waved it off. She'd ask Karliah later. "Just something I was thinking about."

Brynjolf didn't believe her. She could see it from his expression. He chose to ignore it with a shrug.

"All right, then. I'll take this thing down to the Guild. Hand it over to Delvin." She nodded. "You'll swing by later, yeah?"

"Mhmm."

"I'm off then."

"Let the door hit you on the way out."

He stopped and turned around at that, grinning. "That reminds me."

"What?"

"Your husband's newest letter. Arrived about an hour ago." He pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and held it out. Reina snatched it from him. "Good stuff, this."

She rolled her eyes. "Will you stop reading my mail?"

"Never."

"Piss off, arsepiece."

And he did, grinning all the way. Brothers. Reina lay down on her front on her bed, propped up on her elbows, and unfolded the letter.

Reina,

That's me. Flattening expectations since forever. Like right now. I wrote this just after I received yours and sent it along. I'm on a job, so my responses will be sporadic. Don't expect replies as fast as this one. I just didn't want to keep you waiting without a warning, that's all. If you call me adorable over this, I'll strangle you.

On the topic of work, you don't have to worry about me. This is what I do. I don't want you worrying over me. I'll collect my pay one way or another. I'm sure we can work something out. As for uprooting lampposts with my nose. Can't say I've ever tried it, but now that you've mentioned it...

Whaddaya mean? You definitely look like the vindictive type. Not cute at all. It's why children don't go near you. It's why parents tell their misbehaving little kids to go to sleep or The Reina will come get them. You're a monster. You need to be put down.

Brynjolf you fucking turd-flavoured fart-lozenge, I'll turn your face into a mangled fud. Just wait till I get my hands on you! As for you, princess, you leave us be. What are men if not infantile and unstable, amirite? I'm right. So there.

Also, fuck you. I was five! You took all my marbles! Do you know how much effort I put into collecting them?! You're mean. And horrible. You stay away from me.

Anyway, I think I'm going to end this now. If this was short, it's because I'm absolutely fucking knackered, Reina. I need sleep. I hope you're well. Take care.

Yours without wax,

Kai

P.S. – Figure it out, fannybollocks. It's a riddle.

1234567890

Reina smiled as she finished the letter. He was entertaining as always, but it touched her that he was willing to overlook exhaustion just to tell her that his responses would be delayed on account of work. He didn't need to, but he had anyway.

She hummed and kicked her legs against the mattress. You bastard. Say you're not nice all you want, but I know the truth.

"I really need to see about this bloody wax thing."

Conrart

"This is it?" he asked aloud and the girl nodded. Conrart grimaced. "Looks pretty scary. Like I'm walking into my own execution, you know?"

"You'd know all about that," Kai said as he marched up the steps towards the entrance of the crypt, followed by Firo. "C'mon up Dragonborn, we're burning daylight."

He knew that. They'd reached Dawnstar by midday, lunched, and headed off southwest down and up a mountain trail until they'd arrived at an entrance cut into the mountainside, with steps leading up to the mouth of a narrow cave. The stonework was unmistakably Nordic.

As Conrart waited at the steps, looking up at the mountain, he heard Kai's voice again and turned his attention to the man. The dark haired Nord had been addressing Casair, however.

"You wanna come with us, or be on your way?"

These two aren't together, then? He looked at Casair, who shook her head and pointed at them. Kai nodded. "Good enough. Okay, Dragonborn, here's your cave of wonder. Step up."

This was always the hardest part. Conrart kicked a pebble lying near his feet.

"But it's so dark," he almost whined. "Can't we at least have a torch or something?"

Firo said nothing, though Kai placed his hands on his hips.

"You're shitting me, right?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "We came all the way here and now you're getting cold feet because you're afraid of the dark?"

"It's a perfectly valid fear, okay?" he insisted. He heard Casair chuckle and turned towards her. "Don't laugh! All the weird and creepy things come out in the dark, you know!"

"We're dealing with vampiric artefacts." Kai sighed and turned towards the entrance. "Darkness is kinda a given. I'll be goin' in first."

Conrart was never more grateful. Kai poked his head inside the darkness.

"Bloody hell, I can't see five feet ahea – jumping fucking shitballs!" He leapt back out as a colony of bats stormed out of the cave entrance. Conrart immediately shielded his face, but the damn chirping assaulted his ears regardless. When the little hellspawns had departed, he looked at Kai, who stood patting his chest with his back against a stone column.

"You said nothing about bats," he said after a while, voice shaking.

"Well, we're dealing with vampiric artefacts," Conrart shrugged smugly. "Bats were kinda a given."

The man shot him a dirty look and Conrart smiled triumphantly. So there!

"Fine. We'll go in double-file. Me and this guy will take the front." He jerked his chin at Firo, who nodded. "I want Cas behind me and you behind your friend. Try not to step our feet. Sound good?"

Anything's better than going into the darkness headfirst.

Kai frowned at the cave entrance. "Bloody bats. They give ya rabies, ya know?"

Firo looked at him. "These are quite harmless, I assure you."

"You'd say that. They're your relatives."

"Your information is incorrect."

"Yeah, yeah."

As Kai and Firo walked into the cave side by side, Conrart smiled at Casair and bowed slightly. "Shall we?"

The girl nodded shyly and off they went.

It took a while for Conrart to get used to the darkness, though Firo and sometimes Kai called out obstacles and directions. The cave started out narrow, but widened out. There was even a stream running down the floor and Conrart found it a hard temptation to resist, not splashing about in the water.

No, no. This isn't the time for fooling around.

Their party followed the stream, since it was the only thing for them to do. The walls were damp with water and moss. The unpleasant odour of bat droppings didn't make things any easier.

Firo and Kai had no trouble navigating through the darkness. Beside him, Casair didn't seem to be having any either. They'd all fallen silent as they made their way deeper into the complex. Conrart had no clue what to expect or where they were going. He glanced at Firo, but couldn't make out anything in the darkness.

After about a half hour, Conrart felt like they were going uphill. Soon enough, they came across a dead end in the form of a metal gate.

"Light," Kai said and Firo created a ball of white light in his palm. Conrart had to shield his eyes, blinking away tears from the sudden assault.

"No levers anywhere in sight," he heard Kai say. "Ah well."

His vision returned just in time to see Kai kick the gate out of its hinges. He stared at the now fallen gate and then up, hoping the ceiling wouldn't cave in. When nothing happened, Conrart sighed in relief. "That was reckless, you know."

"Hey, we're all still alive, right?"

It was a valid argument. Conrart fell into step behind Firo and walked into what was a balcony of sorts, overlooking a giant circular island surrounded by a shallow body of water. Light entered the cavern through a few holes in the ceiling and Conrart could see that it wouldn't last for much longer.

A single rectangular block of stone lay on the middle of the island and Firo pointed at it. "I believe that is the objective of our quest."

Kai shrugged and started walking towards the bridge leading across to it. "Then let's just get to it and get out, yeah?"

Sound logic as always. Conrart really didn't want to hang about the place. Not after it would be getting dark outside too.

The rectangular block of stone turned out to be a sarcophagus of some sort, but it looked like a single piece of work. There wasn't a lid they could pry off as far as Conrart was concerned. Beside the block stood a pedestal. Firo dusted it off.

"There is a button here."

"So press it," Kai replied.

Firo did. Nothing happened. He tried again, but nothing happened still. He looked at Kai.

"Nothing happened."

"Astute observation, genius," the man muttered and punched down the button with his fist, but to no avail. "C'mon, you son of a bitch! Don't you mock me, I'll beat your ass!"

"That is counterproductive."

With a growl, Kai turned towards Conrart. "Your turn."

He blinked and pointed at himself. "Me? Why? It didn't work for you, why would it work for me?"

"Because you're the Dragonborn, innit? You're all special and shit."

"I doubt a button knows the difference, though," he muttered and came up to the pedestal. What can it hurt? Conrart sighed and brought his palm down onto the pedestal.

The pain was momentary but blinding, enough to bring him down to his knees. Looking up, Conrart saw that a blade had protruded from the button and impaled his palm. It retracted before he could utter a word. Kai was there by his side instantly.

"See? I told you you were special," he said as he took his injured hand. Conrart laughed as he felt the soothing healing magick seal up his wound.

"I don't feel special, I can tell you that."

"If you ask me-"

What it was that Kai wanted to ask him, Conrart never found out because a sudden eruption of force sent them all flying. To him, it felt like a dragon had just used the Unrelenting Shout. Does not bring back good memories.

He didn't see where the others went. As he slid to a halt on his side, Conrart propped himself up on an elbow and reached back and patted down his knapsack.

"My mead? That's the most important thing. Nothing broken? Oh... shit."

The top of the sarcophagus went flying and splashed into the river. Nothing good ever came of that. He'd seen too many Dragon Priests do that. What came next would not be pleasant.

A figure floated vertically out of the sarcophagus, much like a Dragon Priest. But it was the most beautiful Dragon Priest Conrart had ever seen.

For one, she wasn't skin and bones. She was dressed in clothes similar to Firo's, with bobbed black hair which framed her face and scary looking orange eyes.

Eleven out of ten. Fifteen, twenty, who cares. If I die tonight, I'll die a happy man.

"Who are you?" the woman asked roughly, still doing the floating thing. "Ans... no. Firo?"

Before him, Firo had also risen to his feet. "Lady Serana," he said cautiously. His voice conveyed surprise, but not the Mate-I'm-happy-to-see-you kind. Conrart sat up, worried.

"Oh great, they know each other," he heard Kai groan from somewhere to his right. "Fuckin' beautiful. They'll hug and drink all our blood and waltz through the night."

"Has my father sent you?" the woman asked next, her palms glowing with red magick. "Have you come to use me for the prophecy?"

"Lady Serana, I assure you, I did not know where you were."

"Why should I believe you?" The tendrils of magicka formed two long, red whips in either hand of her. "Who are these mortals you bring with you?"

Firo raised his hands. "Lady Serana, calm down. I beg of you." He looked back at them and then back at the woman. "They are my associates."

"Does my father know where I am?"

"No."

"Are they in league with him?"

"No."

Conrart felt Kai come and stand beside him and offer his hand. He took it.

"Looks like we walked into the middle of a vampire family feud, huh?"

The man nodded. "A bat-fight."

Conrart decided that Kai wasn't all that bad.

Before them, the levitating lady had descended to earth and disengaged her vampiric whips of red death.

"Then what are you doing here, if you did not come to fetch me? How did you even find me? Are you colluding with mother?"

Conrart raised an eyebrow as Firo got down on one knee before the mysterious Serana.

"I believe, my lady, that there are many things you need to be appraised of."