Chapter Text
Delphine and I departed the next day after Isran told us who to find. Our first target was a man named Gunmar. He apparently lived in Markarth. Our other target was a woman named Sorine Jurard. Isran hadn’t been able to pin down her exact location but suggested Gunmar may have a good idea.
It was a two-day journey across the south of Skyrim. The first day was rather quiet between Delphine and I, she being rather tentative to start any sort of conversation. It wasn’t surprising considering how our conversation the previous night had gone. There were still feelings involved, probably from both of us, and I still found her attractive. But it was hard to think positively considering her thoughts regarding matters.
Our first night in camp was interesting. I say that because it was obvious, to me at least, that Delphine wanted things to continue from before. I wasn’t particularly interested in resuming even a physical relationship, though if she was suggestive enough, or gave me enough booze that I changed my mind, then perhaps it would happen as my main fault is that I love to fuck. Though we chatted over the campfire and enjoyed a bottle of wine, nothing untoward happened as we went to bed in our own tents.
Memories of Markarth were generally painful for a variety of reasons, so I wanted to be in and out rather quickly. However, after finding Gunmar’s residence, and knocking at his door a few times, a neighbour told us that he’d left a couple of days prior. The neighbour was full of information, suggesting that he was tracking a bear responsible for some recent attacks around the Hold.
It took us another day to find him, sat on a rock with the entrance to a rather ominous looking cave nearby. Dismounting, we approached him and he immediately advised caution, as the bear he’d been chasing was in the nearby cave. When I introduced myself and told him we were from the Dawnguard, I think he almost burst into laughter.
“Isran? Needing someone else's help? Never thought I'd hear that. I'm afraid he's a few years too late. I've moved on. I have more important business to attend to. Besides, he can handle anything alone! He assured me so himself. What could he possibly need my help with?”
“Vampires.”
That one word definitely gained his attention. “Oh… Well, that certainly isn’t good news. Tell you what, you help me with this bear and I’ll join you.”
“Not so fast. We need to find someone else.”
“Let me guess. Sorine?” I nodded, the big man smiled in return. “Ah, should have known. Isran must be worried if he’s wanting both our help.” He then looked me up and down. “Who are you anyway?”
“Ragnar. I’m also the Dragonborn.”
“The Dragon…” He held out a hand, grasping each other by the forearm. “Well met, kinsman.”
“This is Delphine. She is a former Blade and also part of the Dawnguard.”
Shaking her hand, he did ask, “I thought they were all dead?”
“Most of us are. A few of us managed to survive.”
“Aye. That’s some good news. Anyway, this bear. Think you can help?”
“Sure, lead the way.”
As we entered carefully, Gunmar explained the bear had been attacking travellers for weeks and clearly had the taste for human blood. He also believed the bear was likely part of a pack, so we’d best be careful. I assured him that, if needs be, I’d just use my gift to ensure we didn’t die.
The bear he’d been tracking was enormous, the largest bear I’d ever seen. And he had friends. Four of them, and it was clear they looked at we three humans and saw another meal. Before Gunmar thought about just running and charging, I used my Thu’um twice, first blowing them backwards before setting them alight with flame. I won’t say the fight was easy. None of us escaped without injury. But the five bears lay dead by the end and we managed to stagger out, dripping with both blood and sweat.
“Glad you showed up, Dragonborn. Don’t think I could have taken them alone,” Gunmar stated, taking a seat on a rock.
“Aye, never seen bears that big before.”
We sat in silence, drinking some water, feeling sweat or blood drip down various places of my body. Glancing at Delphine, she had a couple of grazes along her arms, otherwise she looked okay. Gunmar didn’t have a horse with him, but had one back in Markarth, so we headed back there first. It was dark by the time we walked through the gates. He didn’t have any spare rooms available, so Delphine and I headed to the Silver Blood Inn, where it got awkward, as they only had one room available.
Gunmar did join us for dinner and a few drinks before he returned home, agreeing to meet at dawn. He had a vague idea of where Sorine might be working, but he figured we might be on the road for a day or two. Once he departed, Delphine and I headed to our room. At least we had a double, but sharing a bed was always going to be awkward, particularly once we both started to undress.
Down to my underwear, that’s when she made her move, striding towards me before running her hands up and down my chest. “Been a while since we’ve been like this,” she stated softly.
“Aye, it has. You still have quite the body on you, Delphine.”
Reaching into my underwear, she gently grabbed and started to stroke my cock. There was an immediate reaction as I just looked down at her. “I know with everything that happened…”
“What do you want, Delphine?”
“What I want is to suck this cock of yours, Ragnar, then I want you to fuck my arse. And I mean hard.”
I couldn’t help chuckle. “What, some sort of punishment?”
“I know it’ll never be like it was. I’m figuring you’re angry with me, so I’m thinking an angry fuck…” She met my eyes as she asked, “Interested?”
I leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips, her hand quickly moving from my cock so she could wrap both arms around me. I returned the gesture, pulling her towards me. It was the wrong thing to do. I knew we shouldn’t be resuming… Breaking the kiss, I had to tell her. “We do this, we don’t tell anyone. I don’t like lying but the reaction…”
“I don’t plan on seeing any of them again, Ragnar. I will help the Dawnguard then do what I need to do otherwise. All I want now is your cock inside me.”
“Okay.” I kissed her again, underwear was quickly removed, and she ended up on her knees, licking up and down my shaft. “You were always very good at this, Delphine.”
“Aye, I was. And I’m hoping you’ll give me a load soon enough.”
Watching her swallow my cock, she was always going to get one, but she took her time trying to bring me off, seeming to just enjoy having my length in her mouth again. I certainly wasn’t going to complain about that. “Gods,” I groaned.
Resting my cock against her cheek, she looked up and smiled, before she resumed. Reaching around the back of her head, I didn’t thrust into her mouth but she did let me control her head. Whatever she was doing, it was driving me wild, and I warned her rather quickly that I was going to cum. She seemed to clamp her lips around my shaft as I started to gently thrust into her mouth, and she received what she wanted soon enough, groaning loudly as I emptied myself.
“Fucking hell,” I stated, my legs immediately feeling weak. She happily moaned and audibly gulped before she removed her mouth, though licked up and down my shaft, cleaning up any residual cum.
“Forgot how good you taste, Ragnar.” Stroking my shaft, she added, “And it looks like you’ve stayed quite hard.”
“Bring oil?” She blushed immediately, so I asked, “Did you plan this?”
“Not like this but I was hoping to get my arse fucked eventually. If it took too long, I was just going to be blunt and offer it to you on a plate.”
“Want your pussy eaten first?”
“By the Nine, yes,” she whispered.
So she laid back on the bed, spread her legs nice and wide, her pussy already glistening under the candlelight. I kissed her first before moving down her body, giving her breasts plenty of attention, before finally tasting her once again. She moaned loudly, keeping her legs nice and wide, though urging me on to eat her out and make her cum.
I remembered her body well, particularly what she liked. I wanted to get her off fast and more than once. Sliding a couple of fingers into her, that drove her nuts, and once I found her spot, I made her cum even quicker than I expected. “So fucking horny,” she moaned.
“That’s a good thing,” I stated before continuing to pleasure her.
“One more, then focus on my arse, Ragnar. I love it when you do that.”
That sounded like a fine idea, so once I made her cum again, I flipped her over and started on her arse while coating my cock in oil at the same time. She could see what I was doing and made sure she was on all fours. I ate her for a little while before she practically begged me to fuck her.
Sitting back, she rubbed her arse against my cock, looking back with the smirk I remembered rather well. Pushing her forward, I prodded her with my cock, and she pushed back, desperate for me to enter her. So I gave her arse a hard slap. “Good things come to those who wait, Delphine.”
“Please, Ragnar,” she begged.
I leaned forward, running my cock against her crack as I leaned close to her ear. “How much do you want it?”
“Like nothing else, Ragnar. More than I want my next breath.” She paused. “I’ve missed you fucking my arse constantly.”
She pushed back, and I managed to blindly slide my cock into her. She gasped as, while I tried to do it gently, I didn’t let her get used to it. I didn’t slam it in, but I slid my full length into her rather quickly. “Oh fuck,” she groaned. I buried myself rather quickly and let her at least get used to it. “Holy shit, you feel as big as ever.”
“Ready?”
“Fuck me hard, Ragnar. I want it to hurt.”
“Are you sure?”
She turned her head to kiss my cheek. “Hard as possible. Make me cry. And I want to know you’re angry with me when doing it.”
I wasn’t going to ask if she was sure. She knew what she wanted and, if that’s what she wanted, that’s what she was going to get. She settled down, resting her head on her arms, as I rested on my forearms, letting her get used to the angle, before I just started to slam into her.
Within a few minutes, she was moaning and grunting, and I knew it was hurting, as I was not being gentle, holding nothing back at all. Even with Lydia at our wildest, I always held something back. She knew, just liking it nice and hard, but she knew I didn’t want to hurt her. Tonight, Delphine was getting what she wanted, and I wasn’t going to be as kind as I used to be.
“Fuck!” she cried quietly.
“This is what you wanted, Delphine.”
“Gods, yes, Ragnar. Keep going!”
She eventually lowered herself down, lying flat on the bed. When I slammed into her a few times, that got a reaction that I was expecting. “Fuck,” she cried, and I heard the catch in her voice, “Oh god…” I kept on going and she could barely get words out. “So good, Ragnar.”
I could feel myself dripping with sweat now as I was putting everything into it now. I watched her face and when she turned to look at me, I saw her eyes. She blinked rapidly, thought it didn’t clear her eyes completely. “I’ll cum soon,” I assured her.
“Don’t pull out once you’re done. Keep it inside me.”
Leaning down closer to her face, I gently kissed her as I continued to pound her, feeling my orgasm approaching rather quickly. I think she appreciated the soft kisses, her moans and grunts rather soft by now as I think she was rather worn out herself. As I said, I wasn’t being gentle at all.
“Oh god,” I groaned.
“Yes, Ragnar,” she cried quietly.
I groaned loudly as I thrust hard one last time before I felt a torrent erupt from my cock, keeping it completely buried. I think Delphine may have even yelped during that final thrust, though immediately reached back with a hand to make sure I stayed inside her. I groaned a couple of more times before I finally felt empty, slowing resting on my forearms so I didn’t squash her underneath. It was only when it was rather silent that I heard her sob. I… I didn’t want that reaction… So I gently caressed her head as she turned to look at me. I understood why, having learned during my time with Haelga, but I never liked to see tears.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“I hesitate to say you’re welcome…”
“I needed that, Ragnar. So did you, from what you just did.” I felt her squeeze my cock. “And you’re still quite hard.”
I couldn’t help chuckle. “If you want to keep going, I won’t say no.”
“I’ll need a few minutes…”
I finally pulled out and rested on my back, Delphine taking a few moments before she sat up and straddled me though only rested on my cock, leaning forward so she could lie on my chest. I ran some fingers up and down her spine, hearing her sigh as she snuggled against me. “So you enjoyed that?” I wondered.
“Immensely. Once I’m ready to go again, all you need to do is lie there this time. I’m going to ride your cock hard and fast. You won’t even have to fondle me.”
“Though I like doing that.”
“I know. If this happens again, next time you can destroy my pussy.” I couldn’t help chuckle at how bluntly she put it. She’d always been honest from the day we started fucking “What can I say, Ragnar? I loved it when you fuck me hard. I went so long without…” She trailed and looked up into my eyes. “How in oblivion are you here with me now?”
I grabbed her firm arse. “Well, this is fantastic and I love to fuck it. Then remember that, despite what happened, I still find you rather attractive, Delphine. And the fact you like to fuck is a real bonus.”
“I’m just glad you still want to fuck me, Ragnar. After what happened, I’ll take what I can get.”
“It’ll just be different this time around.”
She smiled before saying, “I know and understand. But since you’re hard and my arse needs filling, I think we should continue.”
Grabbing the base of my cock, she quite quickly slid it inside her and lowered herself down. Even I couldn’t help look at her in surprise as she planted her feet down on the bed, gestured for me to grab her hands to balance her, then she rode herself hard and fast straight away. She couldn’t do that position forever, as it put a tremendous strain on her legs, but watching my entire length disappear inside her arse each and every time, and she was slamming herself down into me, I couldn’t help but be impressed.
She eventually had to switch to a more comfortable position, resting on her knees and leaning forward, where I could reposition my legs too. Taking her with me slightly so I could sit up a bit, she slowed down enough that we could at least make out a little, and she didn’t stop me when I started to fondle her. “You going to cum again?” she asked quietly.
“Not yet. You?”
“If I cum again, it’s going to be big, and I won’t be able to continue.”
“That sounds fine. If you need a shoulder…”
I started to thrust up slightly as she rode herself harder still, my thumb rubbing her clit fast. Her body shuddered and writhed as she tried to keep a steady rhythm, listening to her breathing to know when she was going to orgasm. Wrapping both arms around the back of my neck, she kissed me hard, really slamming herself down onto my cock, moaning into my mouth but desperate to keep kissing me. I had one hand fondling her, the other resting on her arse to keep her steady.
Breaking the kiss, the moan released told me she was close. “Keep going,” I urged gently.
“So good, Ragnar,” she groaned, but she kept going for a couple more minutes before she just couldn’t hold it back any longer. I could only watch, rather impressed, as the orgasm seemed to take over her entire body, before she collapsed onto my chest, feeling her body rise and fall as she breathed deeply, unable to say anything.
Wrapping my arms around her, she sighed as I gave her a gentle squeeze, feeling her knees squeeze me in return. Since I hadn’t cum, my cock was still hard and buried inside her, though she made no movement to remove it yet. “I haven’t cum that hard in a while,” she admitted.
“Glad you enjoyed yourself.”
“You need to cum?” I shrugged so she offered to blow me once she’d taken a few minutes. That sounded like a deal. Once she was ready, she sat up and my cock fell out, and I was surprised when she spun around and immediately swallowed my length. I did tickle her pussy with my tongue, just to distract her slightly, but I’ll admit, I did want to cum in her mouth.
Eventually I did stop and just concentrated on what she was doing to me. I’d always joked that with age came experience because she was an expert as far as I was concerned, or perhaps she just learned my body and what I liked rather quickly. It didn’t take long for me to let her know I was going to cum and she received a second load that night, which she again happily swallowed down.
We definitely needed a clean up after all that, sitting at the table and sharing a bottle of wine. She winced when sitting down, though told me that was exactly what she wanted. We finished the bottle before heading back to bed, Delphine spooning into me and, as I held her, it felt just like how it was prior to what happened at High Hrothgar.
The next morning wasn’t awkward at all, dressing in silence, sharing the occasional glance, before heading out to the bar for breakfast. Gunmar wandered in while we were eating, finishing whatever we were chewing and heading out straight away. Mounting our horses, Gunmar led the way as he had the best idea of where to find Sorine.
Riding for most of the day, we ended up approaching an orc camp by the name of Mor Khazgur. While orcs were not particularly friendly, they would only attack if we showed aggression. Thankfully we didn’t approach their gates, eventually turning off the road and dismounting, Gunmar stating there was a dwarven convector nearby.
We found Sorine near what looked like her camp. If she noticed our approach, she didn’t even glance our way, apparently distracted by something. It was only when she appeared to notice Gunmar that she turned to greet us. “Well, never thought I’d see you again, Gunmar.”
“How are you, Sorine?”
Just those few words, and how they were stated, told me everything about these two. They’d either been intimate or had a very close relationship. As for Sorine, she was definitely Breton, and another in a long line of cute Breton women I’d come into contact with. “I’m well, Gunmar. Who are you friends?”
“This is the Dragonborn. He’s here with the Dawnguard.”
“Isran sent me,” I added, “He needs your help.”
“Isran? Wants me? No, you must be mistaken. He made it exceedingly clear the last time we spoke that he had no interest in my help. I find it hard to believe he's changed his mind. He said some very hurtful things to me before I left.”
“Vampires have returned. I found one with an Elder Scroll. I’m not sure what’s going on myself, but Isran is concerned.”
She sighed and I guess part of her felt some responsibility, just like Gunmar. “The guy was a bastard. Gunmar can tell you all about it.”
“He said some pretty nasty things, Ragnar,” Gunmar added.
“Look, I haven’t known him as long as either of you. I can tell he’s a bit of a bastard. But I just put it down to the fact he’s blunt, doesn’t worry about feelings, and he’s concerned about the vampire menace. I’m willing to look past his faults if he’s willing to work with you guys again. He’s asked for your help for a reason.”
“What do you think, Sorine?” Gunmar asked.
“I’ll do it for two reasons. One, it’s the right thing to do. And, two, well, you’ll be there, Gunmar. Guess someone will have my back.”
“Got a horse anywhere around here?”
That made her laugh before she said no, so Gunmar offered to take her. He’d brought some camping gear, figuring it would be a long journey back, so we found a road heading east and made our way back to Fort Dawnguard. I didn’t ask them too many personal questions, at least about Isran and what happened before, but did ask about what they’d been up to since. Gunmar worked as what could only be called a pest controller, usually helping sort out issues with wild animals. I did ask why he hadn’t thought about joining the Companions, but he didn’t want to leave Markarth. As for Sorine, her interest was in the Dwemer, so she spent most of her time in and around the ruins that dotted the landscape of Skyrim. She admitted to often working alone, which was sometimes dangerous, but she wasn’t interested in hiring help. She wasn’t interested in treasure, simply wanting to know more about Dwemer machines and how they worked.
We camped past Whiterun that evening, and it was obvious within a couple of hours that Gunmar and Sorine had been rather intimate before. It was the way she looked at him, and while he tried to be subtle, there was no missing he was giving her the eye in return. The four of us disappeared into our tents together, Gunmar and Sorine sharing one, Delphine and I another. We slept separately, chatting quietly as we waited for the obvious noise. I think they were trying to be quiet.
“Oh, Gunmar!” a feminine voice exclaimed, followed by a loud shush. Delphine and I tried not to giggle as it was obvious what they were doing. Good for them, I thought. I figured they were reconnecting after a long time apart.
“Fuck me, Gunmar!” was moaned a little later. Gunmar didn’t bother shushing her this time.
Delphine and I had to wait for them to be quiet before we drifted off to sleep. Joining them the next morning, the smile on Sorine’s face suggested she was in a rather good mood, while Gunmar was certainly lighter on his feet. “I assume that wasn’t the first time?” Delphine asked. I stifled a groan while Sorine just smiled, wrapping an arm around Gunmar’s waist.
“No. That was just the first time in a long time. Worth the wait though.” Gunmar just gave her a look as she turned to look at him. “What? Gunmar, we were always good together. I’m not going to deny it.”
“Have you not been with anyone else?” I wondered.
“No,” she replied.
Now Gunmar looked at her in surprise. “What? Why?”
“Do I really need to explain, Gunmar?”
He looked confused for a few seconds before the smile slowly formed. “No, I guess not.” He then cleared his throat, looking away but the smile didn’t disappear. I think they needed a long discussion in private, as while he might not have given it much thought, she definitely had.
“Anyway, I’m guessing we’ll make it to the fort today and learn what’s happening?” Sorine wondered.
“Aye, he’ll explain in further detail his ideas. We were just sent to get you,” I replied.
We made it to the fort by dusk, all of us weary in the saddle, two full days enough to leave you rather sore by the end. Leaving our horses in the stables, we wandered up the stairs into the fort, Isran already waiting for us, though standing up on the walkway above, obviously warned of our approach. Gunmar looked up, already frustrated by our welcome.
“Okay, Isran, you’ve got us here. What do you want?”
“Just a moment. Hold it right there.”
Before we knew it, we found ourselves enveloped by rather bright light. I knew it wasn’t the sun as it was growing dark outside, so I was left wondering what it was. “What the hell are you doing, Isran?” Sorine called.
“Make sure you’re not vampires. Can’t be too careful.”
“Oh, for fucks sake, Isran, we only left a few days ago,” I murmured. I didn’t particularly want to get into a fight, but the man was obviously paranoid.
The light eventually disappeared and he continued. “So, welcome to Fort Dawnguard. I'm sure you've heard a bit of what we're up against. Powerful vampires, unlike anything we've seen before. And they have an Elder Scroll. If anyone is going to stand in their way, it's going to be us.”
“This is all well and good, but do we actually know anything about what they're doing? What do we do now?” Sorine asked, getting straight to the heart of the matter.
“We'll get to that. For now, get acquainted with the space. Sorine, you'll find room to start your tinkering on that crossbow design you've been working on.”
“Remember that, eh?”
“Aye, and I know you’ll build something that’ll wipe those blood sucking bastards out. As for you, Gunmar, there's an area large enough for you to pen up some trolls, get them armoured up and ready for use.”
“Aye, I’m sure I’ll get my hands on some that won’t be too hard to handle.”
Shaking both their hands, they wandered off, as it was clear Isran had something to tell. “As for you, Dragonborn, we're going to get to the bottom of why a vampire showed up here looking for you. Let's go have a little chat with it, shall we?”
Delphine suggested she would make herself scarce as I walked up the stairs, Isran waiting for me before leading me to a closed door. He unlocked and opened it, gesturing for me to enter. What I found made my blood boil, and before he knew what was happening, I had my sword in hand, pointed at his throat. “You’d better release her now,” I growled.
“What?”
“Unshackle her right now,” I demanded. It wasn’t just the fact she’d been shackled that angered me that much.
“It’s a…”
I put the tip to his skin. “One more word, Isran, and I swear to the Nine, you won’t live to take another breath. Unshackle her then get the fuck out of here.”
I think he wanted to argue but he would have seen my eyes, heard my tone, and considering who I was, he knew I wasn’t someone to fuck with. He carefully walked past, taking the shackles from her wrists, Serana falling to the ground. He handed me the keys and sensibly exited the room. I didn’t give a shit what he thought right now.
Sheathing my sword, I immediately went to Serana. Gently lifting her up, placing a finger up her chin, I made her look at me. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“Guess I should have expected this sort of welcome considering what I am.” Grabbing a nearby cloth, I tried to wipe away some of the blood, though wondered if vampires would be left with bruises. “Nice to know someone here cares.”
“I told him you were friendly.”
“I don’t think he knew exactly who I was.” I did my best to clear away all the blood before helping her up. She was a little unsteady for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. “Thank you, Ragnar.”
“Why are you here, Serana?”
“I’ll tell you first before I share the news with anyone.” There were a couple of chairs so we sat down before she continued. “It's about me. And the Elder Scroll that was buried with me. I'm guessing you figured this part out already, but my father's not exactly a good person. Even by vampire standards.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“He wasn't always like that, though. There was... a turn. He stumbled onto this obscure prophecy and just kind of lost himself in it.”
“Another prophecy? Been at the centre of my own.”
That made her smile, which made me smile in return. I really am a fool. Or just a sucker for a pretty face. Hers was very pretty, even with the remains of blood. “It's pointless and vague one, like all prophecies. The part he latched onto said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. That's what he's after. He wants to control the sun, have vampires control the world.”
“Well, he sounds rather delusional than anything else.”
“Maybe not completely. The prophecy said that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. For someone who fancied himself as vampire royalty, that's pretty seductive. Anyway, my mother and I didn't feel like inviting a war with all of Tamriel, so we tried to stop him. That's why I was sealed away with the Scroll.”
“Oh, well, when you put it like that…”
“Something about you makes me think I can trust you. I hope I'm not wrong.”
“You trust me?” I asked, unable to hide the surprise in my tone.
“You’ve only been a help so far since I woke up. You took me home. You listened to me. And you were… nice when you walked in here.”
“You didn’t deserve that sort of treatment when obviously coming to help.”
“I’m going to need your help convincing your leader that I’m here to help, and that he needs to listen to my warnings. My father has plans, big plans, and unfortunately for both of us, waking me up has now brought those plans to fruition.”
I was sceptical that Isran would listen to a vampire, but if she needed help convincing him, I was going to do what I could. We found Isran downstairs, and I noticed he was flanked by a couple of others, and once Serana and I sat down, two more were at the door leading out. He glanced at Serana before glaring at me. “I don’t appreciate being threatened, Dragonborn. The only reason you’re sitting there now is that I know what you’re actually capable of.”
“I will not apologise. I don’t appreciate when someone hurts a friend of mine.”
“This… thing… is a friend?” he scoffed.
“Yes.” I could feel Serana looking at me but kept my eyes on Isran. “I helped her get home. She has obviously come here to help us.”
“What in oblivion could she tell us?”
“Well, if you spoke to her instead of beating her, maybe she could tell you?” I asked sarcastically, feeling my temper rise again.
He could obviously hear my tone so, after glaring for a few more seconds, he turned away, looking at Serana. “Okay. Speak quickly.”
Serana repeated what she told me, Isran barely raising a question, so she finished rather quickly. Isran remained silent. Whether he was thinking or not, I’m not sure. I guess he was trying to put aside his prejudices, deciding whether to believe a vampire or not. So he looked at me before asking, “Now tell me, is there any reason I shouldn't kill this bloodsucking fiend right now?”
“For fuck… Isran, did you not hear a word Serana just said?”
“Why, because of that story about the prophecy? About some vampire trying to put the sun out? Do you actually believe any of that?”
“Considering I’m part of a prophecy myself, yes, I do believe it. And I’ve met the man, albeit only briefly, and there’s no doubt he has something in mind regarding the Scroll, considering that was his first question when Serana returned.”
He remained silent again, and he had to know I was right. I was the one who’d located Serana, met her father, and it was obvious I trusted her. So if he trusted me, he had to trust her. Finally, he grunted. “Fine, Dragonborn. But you'd better know what you're doing. It can stay for now, but if it so much as lays a finger on anyone here, I'll hold you responsible. Got it?” Then he turned to Serana. “You hear me? Don't feel like a guest, because you're not. You're a resource. You're an asset. In the meantime, don't make me regret my sudden outburst of tolerance and generosity, because if you do, your friend here is going to pay for it.”
“Thank you for your kindness. I'll remember it the next time I'm feeling hungry,” she retorted. I didn’t know whether to groan or laugh. I watched for his reaction, and a brief smirk did appear before he waved away everyone around us.
“Okay, you seem to have an idea forming in that head of yours. What do you propose?” he asked.
“The Scroll I have with me should lead us to something that can help us. Obviously, none of us here can read it.”
“Who can?” I asked, as I didn’t have a clue.
“The only people I know are Moth Priests. They spend years preparing before they start reading, but that doesn’t help us here, as they are all based in Cyrodiil.”
“Moth Priests eh? Tell you what, I’ll start investigating and let you know what I can find out,” Isran stated, sounding rather conciliatory. I guess ending the threat mattered most right now. “I have some friends around Skyrim who might be able to give us the information. It might take some time though.”
“That’s fine. Might give me enough time to make a trip north.”
“If you’re going to the College, Ragnar, you might want to have a word with Urag,” Isran suggested, “The orc knows his stuff, and if there’s anyone who’d know if a Moth Priest was in Skyrim, it would be him. If he does tell you anything, make sure you let me know before you go riding off to find him.”
“Good point,” Serana agreed, “If we’re looking for one, my father will be too.”
“Okay, we’ll leave first thing tomorrow,” I stated.
I found Delphine and let her know what was happening. She didn’t ask to join me and I didn’t invite her either. She knew that part of her life was over, but Isran found her things to keep her occupied, and if need be, she would happily return to Sky Haven Temple. Serana and I shared a room that night, taking separate beds, so Delphine didn’t approach me that night. To be honest, I wouldn’t have accepted an invitation anyway. I was already thinking I’d put my foot in it as I knew I couldn’t lie to my girls.
The next day, this time Serana with her own horse, we headed north. Knowing we couldn’t stay in Windhelm, as Serana mentioned not wanting to stay within a city, I made sure we had a tent, bedrolls, and plenty of furs to keep us warm, as we’d likely end up camping where it was rather cold. Even pushing our horses hard, we’d never make the College in a day.
We eventually camped to the west of Windhelm, finding shelter under a rocky outcrop though we still need a tent. After building a fire, I cooked myself some meat. I offered Serana some, but she said it was okay as she didn’t really eat. I knew what a vampire required so I did ask about her… feeding habits. She was honest about what she did before she went to sleep, admitting she had not fed since waking up. I asked if that made her weaker, and she said it was fine. She could go weeks without needing blood. If she was around me, she would probably enjoy eating raw meat, as animal blood was precisely that.
We didn’t share a bedroll that night but did share the bundle of furs I’d brought along, continuing to chat away, getting to know each other, though I knew Serana kept a lot buried. I probably did most of the talking, sharing my adventures, and I found myself being rather open and honest from the get go, making her giggle more than once as I explained some of my shenanigans. But she admitted that it did sound like I lived life to the fullest and tried to enjoy myself at least.
Arriving at the bridge sometime the next afternoon, we dismounted and led our horses across. Aela and Lydia were in the courtyard, appearing to go through some drills, quickly forgotten once they saw me. Within a couple of seconds, I was being cuddled very tightly by the pair of them. I couldn’t help laugh as they were rather happy to see me. Once I’d given them both a light kiss, I nodded in the direction of Serana. “We have company,” I stated. They let me go and stood back as Serana stepped forward. “This is Serana. Serana, this is Aela and Lydia.”
“She’s a vampire!” Lydia exclaimed, Aela immediately digging her in the ribs.
“Nice to meet you,” Aela stated, offering her hand, Serana waiting a moment before grasping it. “What brings you here with Ragnar?”
“Dawnguard business.”
“Ah, that’s why he left a while back. I take it things have progressed, Ragnar?”
“Sort of. The fun has only just begun, I think. Anyway, where is Mirabelle?”
“Inside as usual, hard at work. She’ll be happy to see you too.”
“I’ll introduce Serana and catch up with her. Dinner later?”
“Of course, Ragnar. The three of us dine together every night.”
Leaving them to resume their training, though I had no doubt they’d just end up gossiping, I led Serana inside to our quarters. Mirabelle was busy reading a book though heard me approach, immediately getting to her feet, taking her in my arms to give her a kiss, holding her tight to me as always. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered.
“I missed you too,” I whispered back, giving her another kiss.
Then she noticed Serana, noticing her immediately blush and take half a step back. “Who’s your friend?”
“Mirabelle, this is Serana. I mentioned her a while back.”
“Oh, I remember.” Mirabelle was immediately friendly, stepping forward, offering her hand. “Nice to meet you, Serana.”
“You too,” Serana replied, and I could see she was surprised at the welcome she’d received so far.
“I’m glad you’re back, Ragnar, but what does bring you back here with your friend?”
“Well, Isran has to find out one or two things, so I figured I could return here for a couple of days, though he mentioned Urag might be able to help me. But that’s for later anyway. How have things been here?”
Leading me by hand, we sat side by side on the bed, Mirabelle gesturing to the now empty chair. “I’ve been very busy getting things in order for when I eventually leave.” I nodded without saying anything. “Aela and Lydia have kept themselves entertained too. How about you?”
“Oh, I have one or two things to share. Not right now though.”
She glanced towards Serana before looking back at me. “Have you slept with her already?”
I couldn’t help chuckle. “No, Belle.” I glanced towards Serana, who appeared very surprised by the question. “I’m merely helping her, and she’s helping me.”
“We’re just friends. I trust him,” Serana added, and I could hear how awkward she was already.
Mirabelle noticed. “Apologies, Serana, but when Ragnar finds himself with a beautiful woman, it usually happens quite quickly.”
“Oh…” Serana trailed off.
I cleared my throat. “Anyway, I’m assuming dinner will be soon, so we can catch up at least.”
“Of course. There are a few spare beds. Why don’t you relax and I’ll show where she can sleep while she’s here?”
“Sounds like a good idea. Serana?”
“That’s fine, Ragnar.”
I hadn’t taken all that much, I just assumed Mirabelle wanted to chat with Serana alone for a few minutes. She returned, I assume having left Serana in privacy, immediately hugging and kissing me again. “I can see why you like her, Ragnar. She’s very pretty. I’m surprised you haven’t fucked her yet.”
“Our relationship isn’t like that.”
“Yet…”
“I honestly don’t think she sees me that way. Anyway, it’s good to have at least one or two women who I can call friends without fucking them.”
“Do you want to fuck her?” I just looked at her. She smiled in return. “Well, no surprise. I didn’t lie when I said she is very pretty.”
That evening over dinner, I shared what I’d been up to. The girls naturally worried about the rise of vampires, assuring them that I’d do everything humanly possible to stop it. But I was also honest about one or two other things. I admitted to sleeping with Sybille, though left out the part about her being a vampire. That wasn’t for me to share.
However, I had to take a deep breath before admitting that I’d also been with Delphine. Mirabelle didn’t share an opinion. Aela just shook her head, I think muttering I was a fool. Lydia was most upset, immediately on the verge of tears, before she stood up and walked out of the room. “Shit,” I muttered.
“I’ll go talk to her,” Aela suggested.
“No. I was the one who did it. I should.”
I headed outside and upstairs towards the elevated walkway. Lydia had been smart enough to grab a large fur to wrap herself up in. Even in the near darkness, when she turned to look at me, I could see the tears falling down her cheeks. “I didn’t think you would, not after what happened…”
I sighed. “Well, we ended up needing to share a room and… it wasn’t loving, Lydia. I mean, we’ve had some pretty hard sex, but there’s always feelings. What happened in Markarth was… angry, for the most part anyway...”
She nodded before asking, “Did she ask about me?”
“I told her the truth. She broke your heart.”
Lydia sniffed. “She did. She’s a bitch.” She turned to face me. “I can’t demand anything of you, Ragnar, but I will ask.”
“If you don’t want me to again, I won’t, Lydia. You are far more important.” With those words, I wrapped her in a hug. “It was a moment of weakness, which I obviously suffer often. And, well… You remember…”
“I do,” she whispered, “But I can’t stand the thought that you would be intimate with her again.”
“So I won’t be again. I give you my word. If she asks, I will say no. What happened in Markarth will be the final time.”
“Anyone but her, Ragnar. I don’t want her to have you again. She can suffer alone for what she did.”
“Okay.” I just held her in the darkness until she seemed to settle down. I knew it would upset her but I didn’t anticipate as much. The request not to do it again wasn’t a surprise. It was a request I could easily accept. Lydia was far more important to me and, if I did it again, I’d feel nothing but guilt, certainly couldn’t lie to her about it, and it would probably spell the end of our relationship. Aela and Mirabelle probably wouldn’t be particularly happy either.
“Suppose you fucked her arse?” she mumbled into my chest.
“Aye, of course.”
That did make her chuckle briefly. “Well, can understand why you did from that perspective.”
I leaned down to her ear. “Your arse is better,” I whispered. That made her giggle again as I squeezed her a little tighter. “So to prevent any temptation, I won’t work with her anymore. And she knows she won’t be coming up here again.”
“Good. And Aela may not have said anything but I know she’ll be thinking the same as me.”
“And that’s fine. Trust me, it’s not a problem. If it was, then I’d tell you.”
“If you need to fuck someone in the arse, Ragnar, I’m always available. Well, when you’re here.” She looked up with a lopsided grin. I just wiped her cheek and gave her a soft kiss. “I’m not being dramatic, am I?”
“Not at all. Come on, we should head back in. It’s bloody cold out here.”
Heading to bed later that night, I was surprised when Aela and Lydia suggested I should go to bed with Mirabelle, those two going to bed together. Once in bed, Mirabelle simply spooned herself against me as I wrapped my arms around and pulled her tight to my body. “I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered, “But I just want you to hold me tonight. Is that okay?”
“Love it when you fall asleep in my arms, Belle.”
“Good. We’ll make love in the morning. Best way to start the day.” She paused before asking, “How long are you back for?”
“I’ll make sure it’s a couple of days before we leave.”
“Sounds perfect. Might have to spend an entire day in bed, though we’d have to include Lydia and Aela of course.”
“Of course.”
We made love the next morning as soon as we both woke up, Mirabelle a vision of beauty as she climbed onto my cock and slowly rode herself to her first orgasm, simply holding her against my chest as she took some time to recover, waxing lyrical about my prowess and how much she just loved my cock. Any thought of breakfast ended when Aela and Lydia eventually joined us, and Mirabelle wasn’t lying about spending all day in bed. I don’t think any of us dressed until after lunchtime, and by then I was drained, my cock was a little sore, and the three women were exhausted. Not a bad way to start the day.