Alright so i'm going to be redoing the previous chapter completely and working in a sex scene of sorts. It's been too damn long and it was my original intent in the first place other than the neck biting thing; To explain in a more adult sort of way, (i'm barely eighteen so i'm not claiming i'm very wise or anything) Serana and Irina have physical attraction to each other and while Serana is in love with Irina, the dragonborn doesn't know how to deal with them other than leaving it as it is. Irina's never had someone in love with her and travel with her through Skyrim. So it would be hard to just put off to the side like she tries to do with Serana since it's always being shown.

I hope you guys enjoy this because i'd say it's the chapter where it's written half-decent.

Our hands were once idle, now through them does he speak…

and when the world shall listen, and when the world shall see and when the world remembers…

that world shall cease to be...

The sensation of death was wrapping itself around the dragonborn's throat, it was gloved and the feeling gave the impression that the material was leather. The size of the hand was large and it almost reached all around the elf's throat; squeezing lightly at first, enough to make sure the woman was awoken from the mere contact. Glowing undead eyes opened to be met with darkness, everything was a blur and shrouded in mystery save for a few inches in front of her face. Irina could only make out the glove and robes along with the smell of the ocean and ash, a familiar scent.

The loose robes did nothing to hide the pack of muscle before her, the arm was three times more dense and thick than hers and the shift of muscles could be seen when the leather clad fingers moved about her neck. The grip was getting harder until Irina had to bring her chin up to keep breathing. Strong legs straddled her waist yet she couldn't see them, only feel the robes and muscle against her stomach; stiff tight muscles and the smoothness of the man's robes planted themselves atop her stomach.

Their surroundings were still very much in darkness but it was almost as if a light was slowly getting brighter, illuminating the area. Irina didn't know anything besides what was happening the cultist squeezing her throat and… her brows furrowed at seeing the ocean before her, her back that had lied on a featherbed was up against sand, no, ash- the cultist's hand squeezed the sides of her throat tightly cutting the air out completely and brought the elf's attention back to her attacker.

Irina struggled and made to buck her hips forward to move her legs around the cultist's to try and kick his body away; but he was too big, his weight and size outmatched her three times over. The only thing her struggle did was make her attacker groan in bliss, Irina felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand at the sound and felt disgust course through her blood.

The cultist used his free hand to grasp her chin and turned her head side to side examining her features. Irina made a strangled sound when his fingers dug into her neck causing her skin to turn a light violet. Irina had never felt what it was like to actually be choked to death, she'd usually do it to others; no one really thinks about what the pain feels like when they're killing someone that deserves it, Irina knows now and would never do it again.

The elf had been cut shoulder to belly from the debris of a torn apart house. That was a stinging and sharp pain that the elf would most likely never forget. Then she'd had a decent length of blade shoved through her shoulder and come out the other side; the woman had a numbness in her arm that never felt the same throughout the weeks of the healing.

Then there was the battle with Alduin, the dragonborn had broken ribs and torn muscles on her shoulders and ankles, her arm broken and the bruises on her back and stomach were felt days after the battle, that type of pain was horrible but it was something that Irina had eventually accepted she would and could deal with; but none of that compared to the feeling of suffocation, everything else before had been painful and taxing on her patience; but having this perverse man cut off the circulation of blood and air to her lungs burned and she felt her eyes beginning to water and her lungs shrinking in her chest.

He was sure taking his time wasn't he?

The lack of air caused her to become light-headed and the strength from her arms left her, her hands slid off his forearm and her toned arms fell against ash and sand. From the corner of her eye the dragonborn could see a small outline of a settlement and a dock… This was Raven Rock, Irina was on the island of Solstheim.

Her orange eyes moved back slowly to him again, just in time to catch the small movement of him removing his mask. She expected a dunmer, she expected someone that wasn't another nord, Irina was met with a nord with a blue inked tattoo on the left side of his face. A braid framing the same side with a strong jaw and piercing green eyes, before she could examine him more the sound of a snapped neck was heard.

Irina awoke with a rigid frame and wide eyes. The bosmer pushed herself up from the bed and threw the covers off her frame in a hurry, she expected a silhouette of the bed sheets but found none. The sheets were sprawled on the floor in a mess while the bosmer stared at them questioningly, she could've sworn that someone was there… the bosmer placed a hand to her throat and didn't feel any pain. It was a dream.

Irina shivered at the small breeze blowing her way, it was chilly and mixed with her sweat served to make Irina more uncomfortable than she already was. The bosmer stared at empty space before she picked up the blanket from the floor, the bosmer sure in oblivion wasn't going back to sleep so with a reluctant sigh she decided to make her bed instead.

Irina wasn't truly family, this Brotherhood is more like mercenaries who live together and treat each other kindly and with respect, at least that's what it looked like to her, aside from a couple tomes she'd read about the Dark Brotherhood she didn't have a clear idea of what they were supposed to be like- from what she has read, the Night Mother is supposed to be the true leader not a self-appointed member like Astrid. Irina wasn't complaining nor did she care much for what the others thought of Astrid, but, tradition wasn't something to be thrown away as if as though it was nothing- she'd have to find out more about how this came about before she decided to judge these people.

Not that Irina could say she was any better with her countless dealings with daedric princes, thieves and even having married a corrupt nobleman. Nonetheless, this sanctuary was offered as a place for her to stay and she'd stepped over a boundary by bringing Serana inside. The least she could do was present the bed the way it was offered to her. Clean and neat so that's the way she'd leave it.

The sheets were being tucked under the mattress before Irina noticed her hands were trembling. Though Irina wasn't sure if it was because she was pissed or because she was scared, it was a bit of both if she were to admit it to herself.

She knew who the nord in her dreams was supposed to represent, it was supposed to be that damned Miraak. The man who wants her dead for who knows what, she didn't get a good view of his face due to her disorientation and lack of light but she made out a pair of green eyes they were almost a navy color and Irina be damned, they were a beautiful shade.

Miraak must have been an extremely powerful mage to be able to manifest himself into her dreams to try and kill her, but how? The bosmer wasn't aware of any spell that could do so, and if this was due because of the strength of his magika then she was hopelessly lost. The dragonborn gulped and flexed her hand some to try and calm her nervous tendons, it didn't do much.

Irina pondered this question as she resumed to fluff the pillows enough to look decent.

On any normal day she would've dealt with something like this immediately and taken a carriage to Windhelm and take a boat to Solstheim. However the woman had no idea what sort of reaction Harkon would have to her just coming and going whenever she wanted, she wasn't traveling at her own expense anymore and she was still to find another elder scroll that Valerica might or might not have. Harkon would have every reason to distrust her, be annoyed and gods be damned if he decided to teach her a lesson in obedience with those stretching racks.

Irina could go without that.

A shudder ran through her back and arms at the idea of Serana's reaction; Irina wouldn't have taken Serana along this time either for a whole magnitude of reasons, but imagining her anger when she came back? By the eight.

Irina dread the thought of another slap to the face and lecture of how she didn't bother to think about herself or how reckless she was with her life; because Irina had them all that night in Castle Volkihar, they were all very true to some extent.

The elf used to love walking through Skyrim before she was dragonborn, even before she came to Skyrim actually, in Valenwood she was but another elf who travelled with her close friends. Irina had been nobody at all and while that was nice, being named the fabled dragonborn was also a welcoming prospect. Until she realized how much was expected of her and realizing how important she was to the people of Skyrim, Irina understood this with a sense of neutrality not because she wanted to boast.

The bosmer possessed an inborn ability to speak as dragons did, the bosmer had the ability to learn to learn the language of the dragons as if it were something that had already been etched into her head! Irina could learn words of power in a matter of minutes when it took normal men and mer years to fully grasp what the word meant and how to harness it into their voice. It was because of all this greatness that a responsibility bigger than being a thane or noblewoman was given to her by Akatosh, to bring and then keep peace.

The idea of disappointing every living person in Skyrim made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in fear. No one else had the talent that she possessed, so there was no one else that could do it for her. Irina just never got a moments rest with Alduin, and then there was the civil war with nords fighting nords! Irina despised the idea of being told who you could and couldn't worship, but at the same time… Skyrim's independence? The mere notion was nonsense. There is no Empire without Skyrim, and there is definitely no Skyrim without the Empire.

The bosmer rubbed her temples slowly and sighed through her nose, the bosmer knew- and she hated to boast, but she knew, that whichever side that she decided to choose would ultimately end the civil war in a matter of months or less. With Lydia having her child being born soon… it would be better for her to wrap things up quickly with Miraak and then turn to the legion. Harkon hasn't the faintest idea of where the other elder scroll is and the elder scroll Irina herself has will be stored away somewhere he wouldn't be able to find.

The bosmer looked at her hands again and was baffled by how much older they looked than what her age was, Irina was young, having just barely hit twenty-six the beginning of the year. Though the skin on her hands looked even more aged and roughened up by fighting as well as time. The dragonborn could only imagine what Serana saw in her when she decided to ogle at her breasts and backside.

Dying a valiant death, it's all she ever really wanted after killing Alduin and thinking that her work in Skyrim was over.

Miraak flashed again into her mind and the idea of the nord hurting Serana had Irina's fingers curl into a fist. Irina had to deal with him soon and then relieve herself of all her burdens.

Irina would despise herself if she ever let the nord set foot onto Skyrim, if she did… she would've failed as a thane as well as a dragonborn. The mere idea of failing her duties, which was her main reason for standing upright and not slumped over dozens of bottles of ale sent waves of terror and anger through her veins.

Irina's eyes focused on the pale nord clutching her pillow to her chest, the bed she was in was much too small and Irina almost laughed at seeing the tall nord's knees all the way up to her chest curled in a fetal position. Serana was sound asleep and this time Irina was sure of it, her slow rise and fall of her chest made the elf stare at how… pretty she was. Well, Irina had taken notice ever since their night in Solitude that the nord was a beautiful woman though…. it was something of a first glance of perfection.

The bosmer would be out of the homely sanctuary and off to solstheim before the day even started for her.

Irina stood straight and left the room with her sword going into her conjured bag without making a sound. It was better if the elf left with Serana and once they were out of the sanctuary to go their separate ways, but something told her that it wouldn't be so easy, besides, Serana was an excellent mage- she could take care of herself on the road.

As she silently walked out the room her feet took her somewhere that wasn't the entrance to the sanctuary. The bosmer found herself coming face to face with the word of power smacked right in the centre of the cavern. To think that even the Dark Brotherhood has had connections to a past dragon cult, it made her wonder how ancient they were as an order. Her fingers moved about the etched letters lun, the word that had ingrained itself into her mind when she first stepped foot inside. The whole shout was to drain your opponents life force until they died or came close to dying, usually the latter but Irina almost always ended up killing the people under the effect of this shout since she used it mostly on bandits or just some cutthroat who thought he could take on the dragonborn.

"You know the whole language don't you?" Came a voice from behind her, Irina made a sound of surprise and turned around to see that Cicero was walking to her with his arms crossed. His ridiculous hat was gone and his red hair replaced it instead "I do, the Greybeards taught me when I took refuge with them- quite the simplified language really, took me almost three months to learn it all to add onto that- I'm a slow learner"

The jester gave a sound in response before stopping next to her. Irina didn't know what compelled her to compare their heights but she did and nearly choked on a laugh. Irina was already short to begin with but Cicero? By the eight, the man barely came up to her chin. Cicero turned his head to meet her gaze and she blinked back into focus "what does this say? The whole wall, I mean, I've always wondered"

Irina turned her attention back to the stone written all over with dovahzul, it was almost like reading bosmeri and tamrielic- it came natural to her. She skimmed it over before finally declaring "Here fell the treacherous thief Skorji-Leech-Fingers, whose head was removed by the very axe he tried to steal" the jester gave a hum at what was said, not something he expected, the imperial thought it would refer to the Night Mother in some way but apparently not.

He turned his attention back to the elf whose hands still haven't stopped their trembling. He spotted this from across the room and yet something was off about her, Irina didn't seem afraid and she didn't seem angry either... whatever it was piqued his interest.

"Are you cold, sister? Do your undead hands tremble because of the weather? Or something else?" He asked her with concern that she couldn't tell was either genuine or fake, with a voice like his it's hard to tell the difference. Irina glanced at her palm and closed her hand tightly, trying to make herself stop but it was no use. Irina sighed and ultimately letting her arm hang loosely at her side, there was no harm in telling the jester what was wrong.

"It's the dovah within me, we want to spill blood… but I've so many things to take care of in the morning I know I must resist" she explained flexing her fingers about, it was half-true. A normal persons hand would've stopped their shaking in a matter of minutes, for Irina it took her peace of mind and soul for it to stop.

Cicero made a sound that only implied interest at her dragon soul. The man glanced to her hands once more and asked "may I?"

Irina didn't know what he wanted until he pointed to her hands, the dovahkiin chuckled and shrugged "you may, but I don't see the point of… this…?" When Irina extended her bronze hand outward the jester took it within his gloved hands and unbeknownst to her, casted a spell. A soft sigh exhaled from her lips and she retracted her hand when she saw the magikas light slowly simmered away, "what did you do?"

"I cast a simple calming spell, it won't last very long since you're really quite powerful- but we can work past that and sate that murderous appetite you have" he suggested placing a hand on his hip, it weren't for his muscular build then he would've resembled a flamboyant man.

The bosmer seemed to be thinking it over before finally caving in and said in a hesitant tone "I'd really like to… alright, yes- let us send a soul to the void together"

Cicero laughed merrily and clapped his hands excitedly bringing a smile to her face "spoken like a member of the Dark Brotherhood, oh how well we're going to get along!" The elf smiled and shook her head, the man was peculiar and little bit insane, but then again so were a few of her friends, if one could count Sheogorath as a friend "You're an odd one, Cicero"

The man grinned and responded "I would say so as well, though, technically speaking I'd say you're more odd than me" he referred to her vampirism and it only served to make the woman laugh.

Irina chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest, "technically speaking, of course"

Truth be told Irina didn't care if it was a civilian life or a bandit's, although just because she was a good person for the most part, she wanted it to be a bandit. Not only that but killing something was a good distraction to get her mind off of Miraak and to relieve some pent up aggression. "Fine then, let's ride far from here I'd like a change of scenery" she lied expertly, tonight would be her night that she left Serana and would venture to Solstheim.

Cicero could help her with the lie too, if he so wished.

The jester walked ahead to get their horses and Irina followed Cicero out the sanctuary. As they walked out into the night forest the woman conjured her bag and strapped her sword belt to her hips tightly, the bosmer also made sure to strap her Deathbrand gauntlets around her forearms, some protection was better than no protection. Whilst the bosmer was examining her Daedric sword and making sure the point was alright the jester untied Frost and her newly bought unnamed steed.

He held their reins in a firm grip whilst glancing back to the bosmer, "that's some expensive material, wherever did you buy that?" He asked her handing her the reins to Frost and keeping the brown steed for himself. "I didn't buy it, I found it on the island of Solstheim- along with the rest of the armor"

The rain from the day previous had the ground beneath their horses muddy and the cobblestone path slippery. "Ah yes I know of that island, used to be a part of Skyrim right? But now dunmer reside there"

"From what I remember someone mentioned that on the northern part of the island, a small nord village kept to themselves- I never got the chance to see it for myself however I can assume they wouldn't take kindly to a stranger especially an elf" Irina spoke taking a glance about her shoulders, the forest seemed very quiet and peaceful which was a good thing had it not been for her desire to kill someone in cold blood. Usually she would've found at least one traveler in the night or even an animal but there was nothing save for Torchbugs and butterflies.

Cicero could see the elf was growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of people but prompted her to continue to stick on the roads by keeping his horse fairly close to hers, he had no doubt that they would trip upon some bandits or even some a Stormcloak courier, should the brave soul even dare attempt going into imperial territory.

"Ah but dragonborn... you're the dragonborn! I'm sure they would let you into their village" Cicero spoke while squinting his eyes at the road ahead, sooner or later they would find someone. It was hardly an hour past midnight so there should be at least a few cutthroats. "There's always that possibility, who knows? Would you like to come along next time?" she responded with a half smile and a chuckle.

The jester opened his mouth to respond and agree but his eyes took notice of two hulking brutes and a woman just descending a hill in the road. They were equipped with a war-hammer and great-sword, the woman had what looked like a one-handed sword strapped to her hip or an axe, he couldn't really tell, but it was definitely designed for one hand to use. Their backs were shown to the pair and they all walked with a slouch and sluggish steps, it appeared as though the group was tired.

Irina took notice of Cicero's silence and then followed his eyes, she immediately recognized their armor and felt a spark of emotion in her chest.

They were Dawnguard.

The assassins were still a ways off from them so their horses wouldn't have been heard nor seen but Irina wanted to pick up their pace so that she could have her fresh blood. The woman hadn't fed properly in days, drinking from animals is what got her by when she refused to feed off people in the Rift, but the taste of them was absolutely horrible and the blood got cold almost immediately after being killed. Irina hadn't thought that she'd ever be picky about what sort of blood she drank, but vampirism does work in mysterious ways.

The men looked barely past their twenties and still had fresh young faces, the woman was a tad older but clearly still young.

Irina motioned for Cicero to halt, in turn the man looked at her with a lazy grin "see? Just stick to the roads and someone's bound to appear, they all look tired so this should be quite simple, who knows maybe we can drag this out for longer, play with them a little" he suggested with a nonchalant attitude and a gloved hand holding his chin. She shook her head but then pursed her lips, the very idea of getting some payback after what their organization had done to Lydia was tempting- beyond tempting, it was seductive and Irina would've done it to Celann if she had had the chance but he was a different case altogether.

The elf sighed before glancing to Cicero her glowing eyes saying everything before she even spoke "leave one alive, I've a few questions for them"

The two slowed their horses down to a walk and dismounted them off road. The imperial hummed a tune while tethering his horse and Frost down to a nearby tree trunk; the imperial watched Irina conjure the rest of her armor from her enchanted bag save for the helmet.

The bosmer buckled and tied her armor in place while Cicero waited patiently for her to finish, the Dawnguard were only a couple minutes ahead before Irina was done. Her skill in the art of thievery made the noise from her armor basically soundless unless you were Cicero who followed close behind her. The imperial smirked and unsheathed an ebony dagger twirling it about between his fingers while Irina had equipped her bow and arrows, she didn't have any ebony ingots so she couldn't make arrows of the quality but elven arrows were a decent alternative. The night was dark and quiet and the men tired and keenly unaware of their soon-to-be fates; this was almost too good to be real.

Irina's mind went back to Lydia and her face hardened and her eyes focused "come on then"

They both crouched low and stayed off the road, should they be noticed and with their weapons unsheathed that would only cause their prey to retaliate. Cicero watched the trio curiously, as if concerned as to why they haven't made their camp yet. The forests many trees and bushes would've served useful to make a bed and fire to rest for at least a few hours. However the trees and bushes also served to provide shadow and muffled noise, he concluded that that must've been the reason why. The two assassins were covered easily, the only problem now was how to initiate the attack.

They both tensed when the woman spoke breaking the silence "how far do you intend to take me and Leigen, Curin? It's dark and like I said before vampires are always lurking about in the shadows- not to mention Falkreath" the tallest of the two men stopped walking and gave her an exasperated sigh before condescendingly shaking his head at her. His name was Curin, an odd name for a Breton; Curin looked to the woman and responded "if you hadn't spent all our septims on silver ingots then we would've had an inn to sleep in, don't put the idea in your head that we didn't have a choice, stupid woman"

They creeped closer at a slow pace while the two Dawnguard members argued, the other, Leigen remained silent and his eyes watched the road ahead. "What do you mean waste all our septims? I'd like to refresh your memory that we needed those ingots to smelt down to your stupid war-hammer! It already has enchantments to fight vampires, but no you wanted to have be effective against all undead, we're not going to be fighting draugr and skeletons, you simple minded oaf"

Curin's annoyance flickered all across his face and faced her fully, he was a tall one, with blonde hair and tan skin "I can do whatever I so please with my weapon, and don't act as if you didn't need it either because your axe seems to have the same effect as my hammer does"

The woman flushed a bright pink before raising her voice again "fine then! but you were the one that spent nearly fifty gold on ale alone!" Her voice was that with an accent, it hard to tell if the woman was either a Breton or a nord, judging by her blonde hair and her features Irina could only assume that she was mixed with a Breton and Redguard.

"A man needs a drink to warm himself in the night when a woman refuses, pardon me for being a gentleman and giving you your much needed space" Curin responded as if the answer was obvious and he had the audacity to sound as if he were being offended, the woman groaned loudly and shook her head much how like a teen would, "look, let's just make camp now we can rest and be good to go for tomorrow, I'm cold and my feet are becoming one with my damn boots, Leigen are you listening? I'd appreciate some support!"

The other Dawnguard, Leigen, looked at her with his head tilted to the side. He was much shorter- but his build was more muscular than Curin's. A helmet covered his face but one could see in the small space of his armor, pale skin and small tufts of black hair on his neck "we haven't even been walking for two hours, you can hold on for another two- with all the noise you two have made I'm sure the dragonborn could hear us from Solitude" the bosmer raised a brow at what he said and glanced to the jester who simply shook his head in confusion. Irina looked back to them and wondered why they were looking for her, she understood if she went into the Rift and had a bounty there for killing Durak. But to have a small search party looking for her? With their lack of men? Isran must really want her back… for an execution or something else.

Irina's patience thin and her feelings complicated towards the Dawnguard, she couldn't help but draw her string back with an elven arrow at the ready. The only one without their helm in place was the woman whose name was unbeknownst and the only one whose voice seemed the most aggravating. Cicero held his dagger firmly and waited for her to shoot in order to barge out and kill the other two; a quiet breath was heard and the soft light sound of the string being released was the only thing heard.

The arrow traveled a good distance and made its target burying itself deeply within her knee, the woman cried out in pain and fell to the ground in a shivering mess clutching her knee tightly as she fell. Irina smirked and proceeded to nock another arrow in place, at this point Curin and Leigen were at attention and their exhaustion disappeared to be replaced with adrenaline. The two men frantically looked around the area to find who shot their fellow Dawnguard but the darkness and the shadows from the forest made it near impossible; Curin narrowed his eyes and drew his war-hammer, a giant hunk of steel with silver melted down and fused at the blade- there was no way Irina would have survived a blow to her body with that monstrous weapon.

"Come out you damned bandits! You think you're good at sneaking around? Come a little closer and we can find out!" Curin shouted with might and chest, his back was straight and his strong arms held the war-hammer in one hand. Irina rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. He clearly should have been the dragonborn, he had the voice for it. If she hadn't heard him being such a sexist then the bosmer would've been impressed with the display of masculinity, alas, now all she saw was a big hulking dunce.

While Curin was shouting empty threats and cursing at the assassins the jester sneaked around them. It would take a good three minutes for him to do so without being detected so Irina made sure to silently and slowly retrieve her nocked arrow and coat it with a poison of slow. Leigen, who felt unsettled by the silence kneeled down to the woman and uncorked a potion of healing with his eyes darting about, it was one of little bottles that you could buy for barely thirty septims. There was no way that cheap potion would help her now, maybe only soothe her pain, and even if by some miracle that it did, she wouldn't be able to run again. Pretty useless as a soldier now.

Her eyes were a green that resembled Irina's when she was a mortal, bright and beautiful. Leigen cared to her while the other held his war-hammer in his hands; he shouted at the shadows for someone to come out and face him, which would've been a death match for either Cicero or the dragonborn. The woman's moans and crying was all that was heard while Leigen did his best to calm her down, his hand cradled the back of her head while the other held her tiny hand within his own.

A warm glow was seen from her blonde hair and it took Irina a few moments to realize that Leigen was using a spell on her to keep her from hyperventilating.

Irina used the darkness and shadows to her advantage whilst moving more to the left of them, so their backs were facing her now.

Much to the woman's surprise the redhead walked out of the shadows and threw his hands up in the air. The dagger strapped to his belt, Irina shouted a thousand curses in her mind and gripped the trunk of a tree to keep from dashing out and grabbing Cicero by his neck. "That blind fool…" she whispered fiercely, her eyes furrowed in frustration.

None of them had crossbows or bows on their person so Irina would assume that the imperial would be safe until he reached about eight feet. Curin made an ugly battle cry and charged at Cicero not even thinking about how the jester hadn't a bow on his person, he didn't bother to think that there might be someone else lingering in the shadows. Irina would've nocked another arrow but the calmness and the confidence radiating from the jester halted her movements, Curin thought the keeper's small stature would've made him a coward or simply an easy target but the Dawnguard and Irina were surprised when imperial ducked under the man's swing with such agility and grace only to grab ahold of Curin's shins.

Curin tipped forward from the force of his swing and landed on his chest with a cough, his war-hammer still tightly in his grip. Cicero sprang up to his feet and took in a deep breath, his hands gripped Curin's hips and flipped him on his back. The woman and Leigen watched in shock at the short man's strength and skill. "By the eight…" Irina mumbled completely dumbfounded.

Curin growled and grabbed ahold of Cicero's ankles pulling the jester to him, the redhead grunted loudly but fell with the force of his tug.

In a flash the redhead unsheathed his dagger with a twirl and plunged his dagger through the man's armor and to his heart, Curin stared wide-eyed up at him and bit back a scream with a strangled grunt. Blood squirted out of his chest and unto the imperials face giving Cicero a menacing appearance to go with his crazed smile. Irina moved her gaze to Leigen who had wrapped an arm around the woman's shoulders and hoisted her up to her feet, Curin was already dead or at least going to be, his body was violently twitching and his face turning white from the lack of blood in his body.

Cicero glanced to the pair and then back to where Irina was hiding, they weren't going to get very far with Leigen carrying around his comrade as dead weight. Irina had a sense of relief wash over her and exposed herself to them by walking into the pale moonlight showing her scarred face and distinctive Deathbrand armor; not only that but without a helm she was pretty easy to identify; the woman and Leigen stared at her in shock for they already knew who she was.

"Well don't you look like you've seen a ghost?" Irina joked stepping over Curin who tried to reach for her ankles but missed, the bosmer glanced down to his body in annoyance before shoving her boot in his throat, the Breton struggled before Irina silenced him for good by kicking his temple with the tip of her boot. Leigen gulped while the woman looked away and buried her face into the nord's chest; the dragonborn lazily returned her gaze to them and scoffed at her reaction, the Dawnguard were such heroic people weren't they?

Irina caught a quick flicker of movement from Leigen and snapped back into focus, the man set the woman down on the ground and poised himself with a leg behind his back to give him an extra boost to charge at her.

It was obvious to everyone what he wanted to do and with a sigh the bosmer looked to Cicero who had already silently moved behind him and sliced the back of his ankle.

It was a lot harder than it looked. His boots were heavy with padding and metal, with too much in the way it took Cicero a good three slices to finally make it to the bone, of course, Leigen screamed and was in pain- the usual bit. Though Irina found herself wincing at how loud the nord screamed with his helmet on. In a fit of rage the nord moved his fist backwards and connected with Cicero's jaw, the jester groaned and stumbled back while Leigen scrambled to stand up but couldn't due to his heel. Blood seeped unto the dirt and stained it red, Irina sighed at the sight and walked calmly to the nord who was trying desperately to stand on his own two feet.

Normally Irina would've felt bad about hurting someone so horrifically but when the same people leave a pregnant woman to starve and have her forego any basic hygiene among countless other things... Well, that tends to sway ones opinion on the matter of mercy.

The bosmer easily caught a punch that the kneeled man attempted to throw with her hand tightly locked onto his wrist. When comparing his arm to Miraak's it didn't even come close to the amount of muscle, he was clearly still just a boy. Irina let go of his wrist and chuckled at the icy glare being thrown her way, "you disgusting elf, how in the name of Talos did you ever come this far?"

Cicero clicked his tongue in distaste at the mention of race and wrapped an arm around the short mans shoulders, Leigen made to shake him off but the imperial pointed the dagger to his armpit and smirked at the man's body going rigid. "Insulting someone based on their race is so distasteful, but I suppose someone like you wouldn't understand would you? You're a true son of Skyrim right?"

Irina glanced to the woman trying to crawl away with her bleeding leg leaving a trail on the cobblestone, comparing her experience in Ivarstead this wouldn't have even been considered a challenge. Cicero and Leigen glanced back to her and Leigen attempted to move forward to save his comrade but stopped once the jester shot his dagger straight into his armpit. The nord screamed as loud as he could in pain and for help that only sounded like a strangled mess of words, the bosmer made a face and Cicero sighed before removing his helmet and shoving his gloves into his mouth.

"I want to have fun with this one, I think we should leave him alive for someone to find, all mutilated and red, this soldier deserves it doesn't he?"

"Do as you will, I'm going to speak to her" the bosmer pointed to the blonde crying as she crawled for her life, she made good distance for someone with an injured leg but she didn't leave eyesight which was an effort made in vain. The imperial stood up straight and dragged Leigen by the straps of his armor away from the road, the nord struggled against Cicero's surprising strength and in order to make things easier the imperial kicked him to the ground and cut open his wrists making sure to leave his hands useless.

Irina grimaced and shook her head, the jester was cruel… but Irina didn't have much love for the Dawnguard so she easily turned a blind eye.

"You are very pretty, what's your name?" Irina asked the woman once finally catching up to her, the woman tensed and looked up at the elf who kneeled down to her level. The blonde remained silent whilst the elf placed a delicate hand on her cheek. Green eyes stared worriedly at her and she swallowed before answering "J-Joldis, my name is Jol-"

"I heard you the first time, Joldis- by chance were you three in Riften say, four to six days ago?" Irina asked her with a hint of annoyance laced in her voice, the woman was terrified and it showed when she tensed at the tone Irina used.

She was clearly too inexperienced and had some idiotic idea appear in her mind that she was fit to to be out with the intention of hunting vampires, Joldis wasn't Dawnguard material- she was hardly bandit material. Isran must have been drunk to allow her to join, and to give her and her unskilled friends a mission to look for Irina even so, better her than Sorine or Gunmar.

"Curin was the first to notice Durak had been gone a long time… so he went and checked the area, it ended up with him finding Durak's body with an ebony arrow through his throat"

The bosmer snapped back to their conversation and Joldis was cut off by a punch to her face her hair whipping to the left, she groaned in pain and furrowed her brows tightly. Her lip begun to tremble and Irina already knew where this was going, the blonde had begun to cry whilst Irina moved her wrist in a slow circular motions to ease her tendons with a more than bored expression. Tears spilled from her eyes and she couldn't stop them from flowing onto her cheeks, the bosmer tilted her head to the side with a blank expression "You're in pain, I suppose I could understand… being in a position where you know no one will come to save you from me, I can imagine that's quite horrifying"

Irina let magic seep through her fingers and she pressed her hand against the woman's collarbone, Joldis's eyes wilted and her breathing became heavy. Her green eyes stared up at Irina whose eyes contrasted with the night sky. "I don't have the time nor resources to do what I need to send Isran a message… but you know what I can do?" Irina leaned in close to the woman's ear sending shivers down her spine, despite herself the woman blushed a pink hue at the dark beauty before her; her fear was still in place but for some reason Irina became that much more beautiful. Joldis looked to her with a raised brow and a tear connected to Irina's face, "I'm going to drink your blood until I know you're as dead as him" the elf pointed to Curin who was deathly pale and unnervingly still.

The effect of her Vampire Seduction was gone almost instantly when the blonde cried out in desperation and what Irina thought to be anger "you're the dragonborn! Why are you doing this, you're a vampire now..- haven't you got any shame from that? You need to stop this and go back to saving the lives of the people and stop this farc-"

Irina grabbed a fistful of her hair and brought her face close, Joldis grunted and eyed her from the corner of her eye "I am the dragonborn, I save innocents, I kill bandits and rapists, I do such great things for the people of Skyrim- I do not have the patience for entitled little wenches like you to tell me what I'm not supposed to do, especially after what your people did to my housecarl"

"I never touched her! You can't blame that on me-" Irina laughed and stared at her with a face that couldn't be convinced of anything else, the bosmer chuckled and sighed "you're an idiot" before she punched the woman right in the nose, a crack was heard and her knuckles came back crimson, the blood dripped to the earth beneath them and Irina silently praised herself for the damage done. The bosmer chuckled and glanced to her hand, "Truth be told, I really shouldn't you haven't done her any wrong, maybe, and you seem to have a good head on your shoulders" the very words caused her face to light up and her blush to return. Her eyes sparkled with the influence of the bosmer's magic and the elf shook at her head the fickleness of the spell.

"… but the very idea that you even know about it?- my dear there isn't anything I wouldn't do to see your beautiful face suffer like Lydia did, and her husband I suppose. I already killed Celann, by the scrape of my teeth and with lots of time to think from then. You see, I came to understand that the Dawnguard deserves the worst I can bring upon them and what's more terrifying than a vampire?" the woman asked pointing to the sky with a bloodied finger. Just like that the spell's effect dissipated and the green glow of magic wore off.

"You wouldn't dare bring down a dragon, not even you could perform that" Joldis spoke in slight awe as if she couldn't believe what she was saying.

"You won't be alive to see for yourself dear, when you get to Sovngarde, say hello to Tsun for me"

Joldis cried softly at the fangs sinking into her neck and the feeling of her blood leaving her body. Irina slipped her eyes closed and groaned at how delicious human blood tasted. It's been too long since she had actual, well she couldn't say food, but sustenance. Irina covered Joldis' mouth with her calloused hand and made sure that she wouldn't scream. It wouldn't serve anyone any good if they saw the thane of Falkreath was a vampire.

Cicero came out of the shadows a good twenty minutes after Irina had fed, while she waited the bosmer had a bottle of Black-Briar Reserve to keep her company while the imperial finished things. He came back a bloody mess and his pale hands were covered in dried blood that turned brown and highlighted every detail on his hands, Irina downed her bottle before tossing it next to Joldis' blue face. The jester sauntered over where she was and sat down on Curin who served as a good seat, "I'd say I feel pretty damned great, how about you dark sister?"

Irina reached into her enchanted bag and pulled free more bottles of Reserve while she nodded in agreement. "Would you like one?" She asked him whilst opening her own, the satisfying sound of the cork leaving the glass was heard as she used her free hand to hold another bottle . The imperial nodded and thanked her while he gripped the cool glass, "they're cold?" He asked with a chuckle and bewilderment. Upon closer inspection the bosmer could see that there was some dirt mixed in with his crimson hair, the small man looked quite roughened up, maybe it would serve to prove the false story that she was currently crafting in her mind.

"I normally use magic to create ice around it, aside from handy little tricks like that I'm no good with the delicacies of magic" she explained roaming her eyes all about the imperial's torn attire, whatever the jester had done to Leigen, it sure was… handsy. Cicero caught her staring and slowly took a drink of his Reserve thinking strangely of her eyes, as soon as his lips touched the bottle Irina had expected him to recoil at the strength of the ale.

When Cicero groaned in delight and tilted the bottle further up to faster drink its contents; Irina was left stunned with a stupid smirk forming on her face. "You would assume I'm a pushover when it comes to ale, but I can assure you I'm very much capable of holding my own" he spoke in a voice that was as deep as his high-pitched voice could get, Irina glanced back to his eyes curiously and hunched over her knees. Her elbows rested on her knees while her right hand swished the ale inside the bottle, "I'm impressed, even Serana doesn't drink the Reserve, she sticks to her Alto Wine"

Cicero chuckled at the mention of the nord's name and then gave Irina a suggestive smirk, "that woman, just who is she to you? If I had to guess I'd say you two were lovers"

Irina rubbed the back of her neck and looked back to the imperial, "she said she loves me, though I don't feel the same way, it's quite a tale really…" Irina trailed off slowly seeing the imperial chuckle softly and almost choking on his Reserve, "what's gotten into you?" She asked while observing the dried blood on her knuckles, she already had an idea of what he was going to say.

"I can't be fooled when it comes to love, sister- I knew at a first glance when I saw that nord look at you, she's quite smitten with you…and your assets"

Irina blushed brightly and shook her head quickly, "Cicero! by the eight, stop speaking nonsense-"

"Don't play innocent dragonborn I know you're more than interested in her as well, me and Babette were just speaking of it before she went off to her books, are you?" Irina let her blush die down before rubbing the bridge of her nose. She was going to reply to his question and answer a confident no; the question had been asked so many times that she didn't know any other response, but her voice caught up in her throat and Irina hesitated for a moment surprising herself and gods alike.

Cicero grinned and finished his ale before placing his chin in his hand and watching her with drunk eyes, was she actually thinking it over? The nord seemed so sure of her feelings… Now, Irina was starting to question if she ever reciprocated any of them. "I'm not sure, to be honest I'm not certain if this feeling is love… But I want her to be safe and I actually need a favor from you to do that" she explained slowly as if she was surprised at her own words. Cicero set his bottle in Curin's dead grip, the imperial stretched a little before glancing at her curiously.

"Alright, what is it?"

Irina blinked in surprise at his easy willingness to do what she asked, no questions asked. The man saw her surprise and grinned, with the dried blood on his face one could see the smile outlined in a dark brown. "I have to do something important and I need to leave Skyrim, when she wakes up could you say that I've went along ahead to Solitude? And… to make sure Astrid doesn't plant someone to follow her, trust me. Serana cares not of the Brotherhood's ties to death and blindly trusted me by going inside"

"Of course, sister, I hope everything goes well for you on your journey-"

"That's not all…" Irina spoke up with a pink dusting her cheeks, the imperial raised a brow and tilted his head to the side. Irina didn't know she was blushing like a child, it certainly wasn't because she found the imperial attractive; Irina was sure that her flustered attitude was because of more platonic than romantic. Almost as if she were embarrassed to ask this question, would anyone feel romantic when both parties were covered in blood? Cicero read her expression and his curiosity grew more; he waited patiently for her to speak and he held a smile in tow at her next question.

"After you've done that… would you come to Solstheim with me?"