Chapter 32

The guards in Riften were a bit jumpy. A dragon had flown over the town recently and while it hadn’t attacked, they were concerned. I did my shopping, then we went back to the Bee and Barb for the night. It was peaceful inside the walls, and we weren’t expecting trouble the next morning right when we left town. More vampires were waiting in concealment for us just outside the city. And there were a lot of them with their thralls.

Two master vampires, three fledglings, and half a dozen thralls came bursting out of the underbrush. The two city guards were quickly cut down. The horses at the stable and the ones pulling the wagons that were waiting outside the gate all panicked, scattering and causing more confusion for us. It was eleven against five, four when Argis got knocked down by a horse. The masters began casting their drain life spells on me, while the fledglings all ganged up on Serana. Argis shouted in pain when one of the thralls shot him in the leg with an arrow while he was getting back up.

Lydia charged into the middle of the thralls, using her shield as a battering ram. Annekke was on her heels, swinging her sword back and forth, cutting off limbs with each swing. I quickly quaffed two potions, one to improve my ability with a sword, the other to regain lost health. With that boost, I was able to get close enough to one to cut his head off. The other kept trying to maintain her distance while still draining me. I felt like I was on my last legs when I got close enough to her to kill her. I had also felt the disease really settle in me this time. I was nearly dead just from that, not from any actual combat injuries. I drank two healing potions and needed a potion of cure disease as well. I had to pause just to regain my bearings, shaking my head to recenter myself, then turned to help the others.

But that wasn’t needed, by then the rest of it was over, with Lydia and Annekke cleaning their swords, Argis drinking a potion of healing while pulling the arrow from his leg, and Serana standing over the corpses of two fledglings, while the resurrected third stood by her side. “That was quite unexpected. Annekke, go tell the guards inside the city they need some replacements out here. Let’s see if we can get our horses back. Were there any civilian casualties?”

After explaining to the city guard what had happened, with our story being backed up by the carriage driver and stable boy, they left us alone. It took a little bit of time, but our horses returned. Shortly thereafter, the resurrected fledgling died permanently, and then we were finally ready to leave Riften.

“Come on, we’ll head this way, see how Sylgia is doing.”

We headed up to Shor’s Stone, and arrived without further incident. Sylgia was in her home. “Oh, Mother, Martina, it’s so good to see you again.”

“In case I didn’t make it clear, you’re welcome to move to my home near Whiterun.”

“One day I will. I want to become the best miner I can, though, and help you as much as possible. We’ve received an order from Ysolda in Whiterun, actually, for iron ore. But there’s a problem.”

What is it?”

“Spiders. We’re not sure where they came from, but they’ve infested the mine. It’s called Redbelly mine, because of the red mist that flows through the mine. It smells like the sulfur vents. Anyway, it’s the lifeblood of the town, and now that you’ve healed me, I want to prove myself the equal of father before I leave.”

“Oh, my darling, you’re so much better than your father ever was. I plan to stay with Martina even when we’re done, she is ... simply wonderful.”

I asked, “So I’m curious about one thing. There are soldiers here in town. Why haven’t they cleaned the mine out?”

“They said they have to be on guard for Stormcloaks. Can you help us?”

“Of course. Come on, let’s go squish some spiders.” We were in and out of the mine in barely more than a candlemark. Sylgia was waiting for us when we came out, dragging the evidence of our victory behind us.

“Unbelievable! Thank you so much, the mine will put this town back on the map!” I wondered if Sylgia would come to our home, or stay here, because she felt that digging ore would repay a debt to me that did not exist. I saw that Annekke wondered the same thing I did, and she went up to her for a private conversation while the rest of us cleaned spider guts from our blades.

Annekke was quiet as we mounted back up. By mid afternoon, she was joking with the rest of us while the miles passed under the horses hooves. We rode around the sulfur pits and then headed west. Nightfall brought us to a place Lydia and I had spent many nights at before, Nightgate Inn. We stopped there for a meal and rest. Our injuries were minor and I didn’t feel that we needed further healing, so we just slept normally. The next morning while we were getting ready to head out, I happened to notice something on my map I’d overlooked. “Side trip south, for a dragon hunt. I completely forgot that Arngeir had mentioned there was a Word of Power there.”

We walked out of the inn to mount our horses and heard a loud thud behind us. A dragon had landed on the roof of the inn and was attacking us. He shot frost breath towards our horses. Four of us drew bows and started peppering him with arrows while Serana used ice spike magic. I grounded him with Dragonrend, and he leapt from the roof towards us. We scattered to avoid being crushed by his body weight. Lydia fell against some rocks and was stunned. Argis took up a defensive position over her.

The dragon sensed he had easy prey, snapping at Argis. His shield deflected the blow, though. I continued shooting the dragon with arrows as did Annekke. Argis and the dragon dueled in close combat, and he was knocked to the side by a blow of it’s head. I dropped my bow and ran towards the dragon, drawing both my dagger and sword at the same time. As it started to bite down towards where Lydia was still gathering her wits, I took a running leap onto it’s back. It felt me and turned it’s head towards me. “Time for you to die permanently, dragon!” I yelled to it in the dovah tongue.

I slammed my dagger into it’s side, using that to swing myself onto it’s head. My feet punched it in the eye, then my sword pierced it’s spine. The dragon flopped and then fell over, dead.

I jumped down and ran towards Lydia. She and Argis were by this time both drinking potions of healing. I saw he had several dents in his orcish shield, and her Blades armor would need refinishing.

I heard a lightning bolt behind me as Annekke screamed, “Look out!”

I felt a weight crash into my back and was sent sprawling as a sabre cat body landed on me. Fortunately, they had killed it in mid leap, since I didn’t actually have any weapons on myself at this point. But it still knocked me for a loop, dazed, and also stuck under the dead body of the cat, with my face buried in snow and slush. Amusingly enough, I was still close enough to the dead dragon that even in my condition, I absorbed it’s soul.

I could feel my companions dragging the body of the cat off me. Serana was by my head, lifting me up so that she could pour a potion of healing down my throat. “Martina, don’t do that again, you scared me.” I reached up to her and pulled her face down to mine, giving her a good kiss as I felt the power of the potion healing my wounds.

Lydia, Argis, and I had all received some injuries that were deep. While the potions had healed the physical, we still could feel the hurt. “We didn’t take care of the injuries from Riften last night, and with these on top of those, now we need to do that. Come on, let’s go back into the inn and get healed up properly.”

“What do you mean by that?” Serana asked.

“Oh ... that’s right. Wow, I wonder if it’ll work on you. Um, how do I explain this?”

“It’s simple, my Thane. Serana, when we make love with Martina, probably because she is the Dragonborn, something special happens. A simple, friendly session between lovers can heal such things as the fatigue you feel after combat, or minor injuries. A longer session can heal broken arms. Multiple, or stronger, sessions ... well, Argis was blind in one eye, and had been for years. Adrianne, our smith, had scars on her arms from a forge accident nearly a decade ago. Even instructing Annekke’s daughter, Sylgia, in the arts of Dibella, helped heal her leg that had been injured in a mining accident.”

“Lydia, that ... I was going to say that makes no sense, but maybe that explains what I feel when I taste her blood. I almost feel the stirrings within myself to experience that, but ... I fear the influence of Molag Bal is still too strong within me. Although it is growing weaker as time passes, I can tell that, too.”

“Great. We can spend all day talking about it. How about let’s get inside and put it into practice. I have a serious headache that the potion did nothing to help, and I’m certain that feeling from Argis plunging that hidden sword he carries between his legs into me will help the pain.”

Argis chuckled. “I’ve never had it described quite that way, my Thane.”

Annekke said, “You three go on in and get healed. I’ll stay out here with Serana and get our horses settled down, and get all your weapons gathered up. Things sort of went flying there for a bit. We’ll see you at lunch.”

We did. So instead of early morning, it was early afternoon before we left the Inn. But we were as healthy as possible, and Argis was drained more thoroughly than if a vampire had sunk her teeth into his sack. Serana was amazed at the difference in us. “By the blood, I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Hopefully we’ll get you fully into the family before long, sweetness. You know that when you drink my blood, I feel your soul mingling with mine.”

“I didn’t think I still had a soul, after everything that’s happened to me.”

“Oh, yes. I can tell. And I’m the Dragonborn, so don’t argue with me on that.”

We headed south, skirting around the giant camp. As we climbed the cliff, I realized that I could see the dragon sitting on the Word Wall from partway up the mountain. Since there was no such thing as a fair fight, I drank a potion to help my archery skill, then shot the beast right in the butt with an arrow. I was shocked that I killed it with a single arrow, as was everyone else.

We got to the top of the hill. “Somethings not right here. Be careful, I think we may be in for some trouble,” Serana warned. “I agree. This is the first wall with a...”

Before I could get the words ‘draugr tomb’ out of my mouth, the lid popped off. One of the dragon priests came rising out of it. I shot him with an arrow that didn’t seem to hurt him at all. “Oh, I don’t think so.” As my trusty shield bearers closed with him, I drank another potion to increase my archery skills. The dragon priest was casting spells at Lydia and Argis. I could hear Argis cursing him over the sounds of the lightning spells being flung around.

I circled around behind him and then shot the priest with an arrow. He felt that! I got him again, and then Argis cut him down. “That’s better, and that’s how we do teamwork. Is everyone okay?”

“I’m sorry, my Thane, I pulled a muscle slipping on these rocks.” Argis apologized.

“Okay, let’s...” I could feel the Word Wall, calling me. “Hang on, we’ll be on our way home soon.” I walked closer to it. Ah, this was a special wall, no wonder it was guarded as it was. I read the words on it aloud. Modir the Fair raised stone in brothers memory, Oskar the Fool, whose voice was weak and not a might shout of his clan. ZUL MEY GUT ... Voice, Fool, Far ... a shout to throw my voice, and all of it on one wall.

“That was an impressive display of magic from the Word Wall. What did it do?”

“Watch this.” I moved away from the wall, then Shouted. The Shout itself was quiet, but my voice then came from the wall, “Hey, skeever butt!”

“Neat trick, that would be distracting for someone looking for you. But do I really have a skeever butt?”

“No, Serana, what I’ve seen of it so far, you have a very nice butt. Perhaps you ought to let me examine it a bit closer?”

“We’re never going to get home at this rate.”

Lydia was right. “Okay, let’s mount up and head home. We need some armor repairs and Adrianne should have made more arrows for us, we’re starting to run low.”

We arrived at home in time for dinner with everyone. There was a festive atmosphere with all of us being present, once I said that we’d be home for a couple of days. I didn’t quite understand it, but just went with it. Wyla explained to me that night as she lay cuddled in my arms, in the afterglow of making love.

“It’s quite simple, Martina, my liege, my queen. The reason we’re happy when you’re here is that we are your family. When you are with us, we are complete. All of us here would fight and die for you, and we know that you would do the same for us.”

She took my nipple in her mouth and then faded off to sleep. I lay there, just brushing her hair with my free hand, while I thought on and pondered what she’d said, before I also fell to sleep.

The next two days were busy with repairing and upgrading armor. Adrianne and I worked together in improving the armor that Annekke, Argis, Lydia and I wore. She had made plenty of arrows for us as well. “I’m a bit frustrated, Martina. I can repair your armor, but crafting new armor like that is still beyond me.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’ll come. In the meantime, how is Halldis doing?”

“Oh, she’s becoming quite the little smith in her own right. And since Ulfberth moved out, it’s been a lot more comfortable in town.”

“He left town?”

“No, he simply stated that since it was obvious our marriage was one of convenience, we may as well not even pretend any more. He released me from our vows publicly, and since the shop was mine in the first place, now he simply works the counter. I know I’ll never have you to myself, but with everyone here, especially since ... well, you saw those other cousins that Irileth found, right?”

“You mean tripod?”

She laughed. “That’s a good nickname. I heard even Ysolda decided to not use a mammoth tusk for a while after a session with him.”

After the stress of fighting so often, it was nice to simply relax in the bathing pool, enjoy the banter of people who weren’t seeking anything from me, and just unwind. The evening of the second day home Serana sat down next to me while I was resting.

“Martina, this ... this home of yours is amazing. Please don’t ever change it.”

“It’d be nice if we could stay like this forever. But you and I still both have destinies to fulfill.”

“I understand that. I just ... this home life, the sheer happiness here ... I haven’t seen the likes of it ever. Try not to ever let it change.”

I smiled at her. “I understand, sweets. Now, go get some rest, if that’s applicable. We’re leaving in the morning.”

The next morning we packed up and headed out. We arrived in Solitude without any issue, surprisingly enough. We entered the Blue Palace. Erikur saw us. “You there, traveler, over here.”

“What is it, Erikur?”

“So it’s true, you’ve turned traitor. I can’t believe it.”

“I’d watch my tongue if I were you, Erikur.”

“As you’re aware, Elisif’s husband, High King Torygg, was recently killed. I fear the dead have become ... restless. Would you care to comment on that, perhaps?”

“So how did you find out that I spoke to Torygg?”

“A rare few are born with the gift for making money. My investments are my strength and my wealth is my weapon. A little coin always greases the wheels. I know many things. My spies are everywhere.”

“So you’re the one who told Elenwen to have her agents waiting at the shrine.”

“I’ll make this very simple for you. You’re seen things one should not see. We keep a constant vigil against those who practice the vile arts of necromancy.”

“Ah, so now I’m a necromancer. I see where this is going.”

“I myself know it’s all a terrible, terrible misunderstanding. I’m quite sure you’re innocent in all this.”

“Sure you are. What happened, I’m too close to Elisif for your liking?”

He laughed. “Go on. See what she says.”

I walked up to Elisif. She looked at me, her voice disappointed. “I can’t believe you’re speaking with my husband.”

“He spoke about you.”

“Does it somehow involve blood, or beheading, or the honor of my forebears?”

“Not hardly. He cares for you.”

“That’s quite a bold claim. I’d need proof before I could possibly accept it.”

“He met me at the Shrine to Talos.”

“Talos worship is outlawed in the Empire.”

“We’re in Skyrim, and Torygg was Nord before Imperial.”

“If I...”

“Elisif, he said...”

“Don’t say that out loud, not here! He doesn’t talk to me, this hardly seems fair.”

She shook her head in frustration. “Do you have any idea what that’s like? What I’m going through? I don’t want to hear another word about what you’re hearing from my dead husband! Best you forget whatever you think you saw.”

She stood up and started to pace. Erikur was smirking at me and started to take her hand when Sybille stopped him. “There’s talk of conjuration and necromancy, but I find that hard to believe. And I know necromancy, trust me on that.”

“My Lady, surely you’re not that naive,” Erikur said.