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My ways are all but forgotten upon the world. But as long as I remain alive, they shall live on. The order will be refounded. Rest now my brothers and sisters, for your deaths were not the end, but another beginning.
She walked along the road, her heavy shield and armour weighing her down. A red cross on her armour and shield with her torn and tattered cape flowing in the breeze behind her. Each footfall was heavy and slow, making rhythmic thumps along the stones below. The sun was still quite high in the sky and there was plenty of walking that needed to be done. Her sword lay on her belt still unused, but always ready to. No arrows, or bolts were on her like the rest of her order. Instead, she preferred a more close encounter.
“How much farther, Angelle?” Serana groaned. Her cloak covering up the sun that would shine right into her eyes.
Angelle sighed. “Not much farther, I think we have two days until we make it to Rorikstead.”
“Two days... Do you know what it's like for me to walk in the sun all da-” She cut herself off before she could finish.
Angelle turned to look at Serana but still continued walking with only a slightly slower pace, anger in her eyes. “You know the answer to that,” She said through gritted teeth. She returned to her normal pace which was still quite slow.
“Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up,” Serana said.
“I know,” Angelle said, still with some anger in her voice. “But you did,”
Serana frowned and rubbed the back of her neck. “Still don't know why you're so touchy about that subject,” She mumbled.
Angelle whipped around and ground in her heel; Serana jumped a bit. “Look, that was a really bad time in my life. I'd rather not talk about it, and forget it when I can.” She turned back and continued walking.
Serana walked behind her a few paces which was unusual to her, yet necessary at certain times like that. She didn't say anymore words to her until camp was made.
She watched Angelle pick out a spot in the hilly terrain and set up camp in one of the only flat surfaces that could be found. Angelle pulled off her full-faced helmet and let her long, oak coloured hair flow out. She looked up to her green eyes, that showed warmth instead of the frosty colour they seemed to turn to when she was angry.
Angelle pulled out some dried beef from one of the pouches she had wrapped around her belt and began slowly eating it, nearly lost in thought. Serana licked her lips, hoping Angelle would catch on soon enough to what she wanted. When she didn't seem to acknowledge her, Serana cleared her throat. Angelle looked over to Serana. “What's up?” She asked Serana casually.
“Mind if I have something to eat too?”
Angelle's eyes flickered with an expression that Serana didn't recognize before she nodded. “Sure, come over here,”
Serana sat up from her spot on a log not too far away and onto the bedroll right next to the one Angelle was already sitting on. Angelle threw off her gauntlets and grabbed at the neck of her chestpiece. With a small tug, she showed off her smooth, milky white skin. Serana felt her mouth water just looking at the patch of skin. She approached slowly and latched her teeth down onto the soft, warm flesh.
Angelle gasped when Serana's fangs sunk into her neck; she always did. Serana held herself there for a good few moments before letting go and licking up some stray blood on her lips. She sat back onto the bedroll beside Angelle's.
“How much did you take?” Angelle asked.
“Enough, perhaps a bit too much for you though,”
Angelle smiled. “As long as it doesn't kill me,”
Serana smiled as well. “I'm sure it won't,”
Angelle closed the distance between the two and looked deep into Serana's eyes. She grabbed one hand and held it in her own and leaned in for a kiss and Serana returned it. Angelle felt Serana's cold lips touch against hers and unconsciously shivered. They kissed in the flickering light of the fire as it danced across the wood underneath it for quite some time. Angelle wrapped her arm around the back of Serana's neck and let her other one go to the small of her back. Serana meanwhile placed one hand on the back of Angelle's head and one hand down on her waist. Angelle felt their chests press up against one another and stay there for the remainder of the kissing.
After a while they found themselves cuddling one another while staring up at the stars. They spotted the lover constellation first and took it as a sign. They looked at one another and kissed softly. They soon found the constellation that Angelle belonged to; the Lady. Angelle sat up and then began to unbuckle the straps in her armour, and Serana went to help. Soon she was in her normal clothes and Serana looked down at her curvy figure. They then laid back down and stared to the stars once more.
“Mind telling me more about your past? I'm very sure I don't know the full story,” Serana asked, nervousness in her voice.
Angelle bit her lip them nodded and began to tell her tale.
* * * * *
She was in Cyrodiil, after the years of the Oblivion Crisis. She was helping rebuild the streets around the Temple of the One. There was a man who walked into it every day and then walked back out an hour or two later. He seemed to be mourning. Then she saw him talk with another man, he handed him a note and walked off. He opened it and his eyes went wide. He dropped the note and ran off in a near sprint. Angelle curiously picked up the fallen note and read it.
E,
Head over to Anvil as soon as you can, all the priests in the chapel have been murdered and you need to see the so called 'prophet' that showed up days later. This is urgent and you're the man for the job.
Sincerely, the Countess.
She paid the note no mind for the rest of the day.
Soon enough, rumours began to spread that someone was collecting relics of old. Of the divine crusader. She also began to hear that someone had refounded the Knights of the Nine. She set off as soon as she could to find this order. She had done some bad things in her past that she wanted to cleanse. That would be the way to do it.
None of the priests knew of the location, or any locals. Nor did they know anything about the whereabouts of Knight's recruiter; the same person who refounded it.
She walked into the last chapel and was sure that this one would be like all the rest, with nothing useful. But she saw someone walk past dressed in finely crafted armour that just looked divine. She walked over to the man, wringing her hands.
“Um, hello?” She called out to the man.
He turned his gaze to her. “What can I do for you?”
She bit her lower lip. People were finicky with how you said things, if she said it wrong she might never be able to redeem herself. “Are... Are you the Knight of the Nine recruiter?”
The man gave her a look and fear shot through her body. But he nodded only moments after and she let out a small sigh of relief. “Looking to sign up?” He asked.
She nodded, and hoped that he would accept.
He looked at her for a moment, then asked a few questions. “Are you alright with being in combat?”
She nodded.
“Do you stress out and shut down when under pressure or combat?”
She shook her head. “No,”
“Are you good with a sword, claymore, or bow?”
“Sword,”
He dipped his head as if saying 'good'. “Are you willing to devote yourself to the gods?”
She nodded. “Yes, I am.”
He nodded and perhaps grinned but she couldn't see past his helmet. “Pull out your map,”
She pulled off her pack and began rummaging through the carrying bag. She found her map eventually and handed it to him. He took it and pulled out a small quill and an inkwell with a little cork in it. He dabbed the quill into the inkwell and jotted down a small 'x' near the border of Elswyer and Valenwood.
“Thank you so much,” She said. “I promise I'll do the order proud.”
He nodded and moved one foot but stopped. “I guess you should know me by my name if you are to be a loyal follower of mine,” He extended his hand. “I'm Elegast,”
She shook it and said her name to him. “Angelle,”
* * * * *
“Is that when you...?” Serana asked hesitantly.
Angelle nodded. “Yes, it was when I turned.” She squeezed Serana's hand tightly as if trying to form a fist, yet stopped soon after. “It took me nearly two hundred years to get it cured.”
Serana felt sympathy for her. She had been a vampire for over two hundred years when they were the very things she despised. She was a Knight of the Nine. An order that once saved the world from the once proud Aylieds. And an order that turned to the next thing after; vampire hunting.
“What happened to your order?” Serana asked, intending to find out more about the woman she loved.
Angelle kept her eyes to the stars, and took in a breath before delving into another, smaller tale.
It was none other than the Fighter's Guild that put an end to the holy order. The order killed the creatures and horrors of the night for nothing, but the Guild did it for coin. They were taking too many contracts from them. So they killed the order and burnt their home. It was then that Angelle had arrived, inflicted with Porphyric Hemophilia to find that the only place she could be cured for weeks in any direction, was gone.
Angelle stifled a sob. “I will say no more,”
Serana cuddled into Angelle's shoulder, finding comfort while in her arms. She kissed her once more. Angelle sighed, and wrapped her arms tightly around Serana. The two women got into the tent soon enough and into a bedroll. They needed the energy for the day ahead. The air was cool, the sun was a ways in the sky and the grass was covered in dew. They both breathed in breaths of fresh air, and sighed. Angelle got her armour back on and Serana got into her usual noble looking clothes. They both began walking as soon as they could, and not much conversation passed between the two.
The sun was a little over noon and the day had warmed up significantly, the sun did its best at scorching anyone in its rays. Before long, a man driving a carriage could be seen in the distance and the cart seemed to be full of people. When they got within speaking distance, Angelle began to talk.
“Hello, traveller,” She said.
He nodded and asked, “You need a ride too?”
She shook her head. “Not in the direction your going, but I was wondering something,”
He raised his eyebrows.
“How far do you reckon Rorikstead is from here?”
The man shrugged. “I'd say perhaps a good week for you two,”
She nodded her head. “Anywhere else that's closer?”
The man pondered the question. “There is one place... A farm off the road, you can find it along the road, it has a dirt trail that leads to it. It's no more than two days away I say. The people there are very helpful,”
Angelle smiled. “Thank you,”
He nodded and cracked the reigns down on the horse and the carriage began to move once more.
Serana glared at Angelle. “You said it would be two days,”
“Alright, I made a mistake! Honey, no need to be mean about it,” Angelle said, grabbing Serana's hands in her own.
Serana looked down, and then gently let her hands fall to her sides. “Let's just get to that farm,”
Angelle nodded and continued walking.
They walked in the scorching heat for the remainder of the day and by the time the sun went down, both Angelle and Serana were thanking Azura for that. They spent their nights in one another's arms, kissing when they could. Serana wanted to know more about her partner, though she knew that Angelle wouldn't talk about her past for long lengths at a time. It pained her too much to do so.
The road seemed to stretch on forever, and by the time the trail to the farm was seen, both women didn't want to walk for an era. The farm was small, but seemed to be quite homey. A small windmill turned in the breeze in the air and the crops seemed to be doing very well growing. They walked up to the doors and knocked on it.
They waited a few moments until the door opened and a middle-aged man showed his face. “Hello?”
Angelle spoke up first. “Hi, we are in desperate need of some rest on the road, this place was suggested that we could stay at. Is that offer available?”
The man pondered the thought for a moment before opening the door and letting the two women past. “Honey? We have guests,” He called out.
“Ok!” Came the reply.
The man sat at the table in the centre of the room and urged the two women to sit as well. They did after looking at one another for a moment.
“So, what brings you to our farm?” He asked.
“Just in need of a place to rest for a day or two, even a night would be great.”
He nodded. “Hm, alright. We have a spare room in the house anyways. Always use it for guests. I hope you two don't mind sharing a bed,”
They both laughed. “No, we don't mind at all,” Serana said. She curled her hand around Angelle's and he understood what it meant almost immediately.
Angelle glanced around the room and her eyes stopped on the woman cooking something over the fire pit. “Hope you all like stew,” She chimed as she grabbed a few bowls.
She turned around and the two ladies noticed she had a toddler in one of her arms. The toddler's hair was of a golden blonde and her eyes were of a clear blue. Not an icy blue that most people of Skyrim had, but a deep and nearly pristine looking one. Something not resembling Skyrim at all.
“How old?” Serana asked.
The woman continued handing out bowls while she talked. “Oh, her? She's two,”
“Name?”
The woman smiled. “This is Talia, our little bundle of joy,” The man also smiled once she had said her name.
The woman served the stew and Angelle ate it as fast as she could. Serana ate a few bites while trying to keep her churning stomach in check. She pushed the food away from her and said she wasn't hungry. Serana and Angelle both knew that wasn't entirely true.
They left the next day, and bid the family at the farm farewell. While they didn't like that they had to leave, they were happy to be going somewhere once more. Serana went in and grabbed Angelle's hand with her own and Angelle made no movement to take it back.
They walked like that almost all the way back to Fort Dawnguard.