Work Text:
They were in Morthal, heading for her home. When they neared the house, she stopped. She was alert, and looking around as best she could.
“What do you need me to do?” Erandur asked.
"Look for anyone around here." Laria ordered. He nodded, keeping an eye out for any movement. Normally her daughters would be out, playing in the twilight with the hopes that their mother would return. It was silent. The only living creatures in the vicinity were the torch bugs floating around her strange garden. She strode towards the door, where a tattered piece of paper was held in place by an elven dagger. She glanced at it and, quite literally, growled. Erandur's stomach twisted in fear. He slowly approached her as she fumed, hoping she valued him enough to not kill him. She looked up, her face twisted into some sort of horrific, bestial snarl. She shoved the paper at the other elf, and he read it quickly.
Illaria,
It's been a while, hasn't it? How long has it been since we chained you up in that Barrow? One tends to lose count. Well, we went down into the barrow and found that you had gotten out. So, we spent two months working to track you down. And haven't you made a name for yourself? You think you're so clever, with all your fancy titles and holdings. Well you know what? We decided to pay a visit to your home. And the best part? We realised that the easiest way to bring you to us is to kidnap what we assume are people you care about and expect you to follow.
So we're going to be in Bleak Falls Barrow. You're going to come and try your damnedest to save your little family. And we're going to put your head on a pike.
We'll be waiting.
Veldis Sadran
He looked up at Laria. She was no longer baring her teeth like a beast, but she was still fuming.
"Your name is Illaria?" She nodded curtly. "Let's get to this trap then." She looked over at him, frowning. "If you tell me to wait here, or to leave, I'm going to tell you there's no way in Oblivion I'm leaving you to face down those old enemies of yours." She was surprised. "You want to know why, don't you?" She nodded. "I care about you. I said it, yes. I care about you, you psychopathic, amoral, cruel, manipulative scum of a Dunmer. And I am willing to stay with you, wherever you go, until the very end." Erandur's words caught in his throat. She looked down at him, curious.
"I'm not letting you rush off to save your family alone. Because you'll be outnumbered. And I know you're brilliant, and you know it too, but you also know that these bandits know how you work, and know exactly how to take you down. So please, Laria. Don't you dare leave me behind." The woman began smiling, in the least intimidating way he'd ever seen her smile before. Laria nodded to him, and gestured for him to follow.
--
"This is where they locked me in." She hissed as the two elves approached the crumbling ruins.
"You know the layout of the ruin?" He asked quickly.
"Of course I do. Follow me, and stay down." She slowly stepped towards where the doors in were, pushing them open forcefully, letting the heavy iron make as much noise as possible. The sound echoed down the high walls and narrow passages of the barrow, and Laria smirked.
"Everything in there heard that."
"Good." She said, and drew her bow.
--
Rage fuelled her. None of the bandits had a chance to even cry out in pain, much less fight back. Her hands were quick, and the men dropped to the ground, the Daedric arrows she favoured hitting each one in the neck.
"Where do we have to go?" He asked her. She pointed straight ahead with her arrow, and walked down the narrow passage.
As the two entered a large chamber, not unlike ones they've entered countless times before, she stopped. There were two people in the room, Muiri and a lanky Bosmer on opposite sides. Muiri's hands were bound, and the Bosmer was grinning.
"I was worried you wouldn't make it, Illaria. Did you like the bandits we hired? I hope they didn't give you too much trouble." He laughed. "Either way, Veldis is up near the wall. He's eager to see you again. So just--" His words were cut short by an arrow Erandur hadn't seen her draw hitting him in the leg.
"Nalephor, tell Veldis that I'm here for my wife and children, and I will drag him into Oblivion if that's what it takes to get them back." She said loudly, striding towards Muiri. The Bosmer didn't respond, trying to heal his leg while whimpering. Laria kissed Muiri's forehead, slicing carefully through her bindings.
"They said you didn't love me, that I was just a--a plaything of yours, I--" Laria kissed her on the lips then, gentle and soft.
"They know nothing." She whispered. "Nalephor, where are my children? Answer me or I will show you exactly why they called me 'the Bloody'." She turned back to the Bosmer man, as he slowly stood up.
"They're with Orinar. Don't worry, they're safe." He smirked, his hand moving to his sword.
"Run, little man. Run before I change my mind and hunt you down." She told him. Nalephor only laughed.
"You think I'd abandon my clan? None of us are as foolish as you, Illaria." She straightened up, rolling her shoulders. Without another word she stepped towards him and stabbed him. His eyes widened as the dagger entered his stomach, right in the chink of his elven armour. She withdrew the blade, looking bored as he fell.
"I warned you." She told him as he grit his teeth, trying to heal himself. She didn't finish him off, simply walking through the empty doorway, as Erandur and Muiri followed.
They were backtracking, headed up towards the surface, following the Clairvoyance spell Erandur cast. When they reached the top, a thick Altmer bandit had Runa by the hair, moving towards the trail down the mountain.
"You leave my child alone, Orinar." Laria shouted, the Thu'um rippling through her words. Without allowing him any time to surrender, she lunged forward with the same inhuman speed she often had, and slashed at him. He shouted curses at her, throwing Runa in front of him like a shield. As he did that, Laria bared her teeth, her bloodied gums nearly white.
She grabbed Runa, spinning the child out of the way, and slashed at Orinar's face with her dagger, slicing through his cheek entirely. She hissed gutturally, spinning her blades in time with his defensive blocking, moving her daggers around his sword. Finally she sliced open his sword arm and dropped her daggers, moving her hands forward to wrap around his throat.
"You should have left me alone." She said, her words harsh and unwavering. As he choked for air he began grappling with her, fighting to move the vicelike hands from his neck. He spun her towards the edge of the cliff, fighting to free his airways, and with a kick to the shin by him, she stumbled and she lunged for the edge, pulling him with her. The two teetered for a moment at the edge, trying to stay upright. Then Laria let go, letting him fall off the side, screaming all the way down.
"Mother!" Lucia ran towards the Dunmer, from where Erandur had killed the bandit holding her. She turned, kneeling down and embracing the girl. "Mother, I'm scared."
"Why? Was it my doing or theirs?"
"Mother, they terrified me. But your voice, it shook the ground, and the bandits, they ran. They're gone, Mother." Laria nodded silently.
"But I have not hurt you?" She asked. Lucia shook her head.
"No, Mother." Runa ran towards the two, and Laria reached up to take her shoulder.
"You are both safe?" She asked.
"Yes, Mother." Runa said, eyes wide.
"Stay with mama. There's one last thing I have to deal with." She stood up slowly, accepting the daggers her children had retrieved. As she moved back towards the Barrow, Erandur stopped her.
"Laria, why are you going back in there? Everyone's dead."
"One last bandit. Their leader."
"Is that Veldis?"
"Aye."
"Let's go, then."
"No. Lead Muiri, Runa and Lucia to the Sleeping Giant for the night. I will be there soon." Erandur nodded slowly, but let her go, leading the three down the mountain.
Two hours had passed, and it was getting dark. Erandur shook his head and headed back up the mountain, pulling his mace out and eyeing the dark forest. He moved quickly up the mountain, not pausing as he reentered the barrow.
As he wound his way through the dark corridors, he swore he could hear voices. Specifically one voice. The voice that coldly ordered him around, but clear and strong, mocking something. As he quietly passed under an iron grate, he found himself inside a huge cavern, with old trees, a river and newly-forming grass. At the centre, on a stone platform, stood a Word Wall, and an altar. As he carefully approached, the scent of old blood and innards turned his stomach.
Laria was drenched in blood. She was grinning, proud of herself. On the altar was a dark elf, barely recognisable.
"Laria." She turned, snarling. "You've done it. Please, kill him now. Kill him and leave this behind. Leave this behind, and return to your family." He chose his words carefully, unwilling to provoke her. She took his words, though, and turned, grinning that foul, unnatural grin, staring down what remained of Veldis. Without another word, she raised her dagger. Erandur looked away as she cleaned off her weapons and armour, leaving the corpse to rot.
"They locked me in there." She whispered. "I listened to the chanting of the wall for two centuries." As they neared Riverwood she grew silent.
"Why did they call you Illaria?" The question was open-ended but blunt, and Erandur was aware of Laria's eyes on him.
"That was my name, long ago. Now I am Laria Shadow-Born." She said harshly as they entered the inn, heading to the room where her wife and children were asleep. Erandur sat down on the simple wood chair as Laria stretched out on the double bed.
"Sleep, priest. You need rest more than I." She said quietly. Erandur nodded, lying down on the cot wedged in the corner.