Skyrim: Fall of the Dawn

20. Day of Reckoning

Snow outside castle Volkihar was slapping the ground. Old as castle was, there were small holes in the windows and walls where the wind got through. All fireplaces were on fire even though vampires are not extremly sensitive to cold and they don't like fire much.

Mina Darkash was sitting in her room again like she always did. Lopt Shadowfire knocked on the door this time. Mina turned to face Lopt and command him to enter. Red-haired Dunmer obeyed the order and slightly bowed in front of his Lady. His gaze was sharp as always but tired and sad. And Mina once again felt guilty for sending his brother Hvedrung to death.

"M'lady?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"My brother Loki Shadowfire is coming to the castle. I am afraid I have done everything I could to calm him down and make him realise you are not the one to blame, but he doesn't want to listen. My only hope is to beg you to spare his life if he insults you."

"It is my blame. I sent Hvedrung to death."

"No. My brother failed the mission. It is his failure. Please, m'lady, do not blame yourself."

"I cannot express my gratitude of how thankful I am you forgive me, but Loki has right to be angry. However, I will spare him, but if he tries to kill me and avenge Hvedrung, I will defend myself."

Lopt slightly frowned, not in the way of disapproving Mina's words, but of how his brother was stubborn. He never learnt to control emotions and to think clear. Out of all three brothers Shadowfire, he was the far most bloodlusty. Dawnguard is hunting him for years now. He killed every hunter that was able to track him down. Loki was surely one of the strongest allies to Volkihar.

"I fear he won't be willing to take part in your plan, Mina."

Lopt said carefully. Mina sighed and started walking around her big room.

"I already know that. But he will have to."

"I hope you will succeed in turning him back to our side."

"Hope? I do not need hope. I need people who believe that I will succeed. And if even you don't believe that, who does?"

Mina said. Her voice was not so steady as usual. It slightly shivered. Nobody would notice that but Lopt, who knew her better than her parents. The older vampire sighed and approached Mina. He grabbed her shoulder.

"Your mother would if she was here. And certainly your father. And Clay. And so do I along with the rest of this clan. They maybe don't show that, but if you were weak Lady as you think of yourself, you would already have been thrown off the throne. You are strong and you are the most capable and the strongest who ruled of this castle I ever knew. You will succeed."

Mina nodded and turned to hug Lopt. But she couldn't stop asking if this all was truth. What if her parents wouldn't be so proud? After all, she wants peace. This is all she ever wanted through her childhood. But both of her parents were bloodlusty warriors. Just like Loki, Asturae and the others. Her mother was once what Mina is now, but time corrupted her as it did to her father and their enemies, Dawnguard. Mina just wants to stop that. And she will.

Mina stopped hugging Lopt when suddenly, Idun Dark-Sea, blacksmith and master of two-handed weapons and daughter of courtwizard Morrigan Dark-Sea enetered the room without knocking. She was all covered in pitch black blood, colour of oil. Idun almost fell on the floor as she was exhausted and breathing heavily.

"M'lady...I-I ap-apologise for...Disruppting you...But...Loki Shadowfire is here."

She barley made it to say that. Her usually ginger hair was now covered with sticky blood and her eyes were darker than usual. Mina always imagined them to be blue if Idun was a human. They were about same age. Idun's father died in the same battle where Sylvianne, Mina's mother did.