Bond Of Blood

Chapter 40

"Another cold night."

"Yeah, it's getting worse, be glad to get inside with a barrel of mead after our watch ends," the other replied with a grin, showing half of his missing teeth.

"Better yet, one of the slave girls," the first Forsworn guard said with a leer.

"Hah! As if Madanach would let any of us anywhere near them. The king likes them all to himself."

One guard glanced back over his shoulder and sighed, watching the other members of the Forsworn faithful swarm around the city streets. His fellow guard slapped his shoulder and chuckled.

"Not long now and we can get inside. You know why he posted us here don't you?"

"To stop any outsiders from coming in and taking what is rightfully ours?"

"Well, yeah, but there was another reason, remember?"

There was a moment of silence and both men looked into the sky as the rumble of thunder echoed through the valley.

"Oh! You mean what the King asked us to do in person?"

The other guard let out a sigh of relief and nodded.

"He said to watch for a specific person, someone most likely wearing black armour with a hood and cloak."

"He said it was the Dragonborn herself, you idiot. But yes, you get the idea. You have to wonder though...why would she come back?"

"Maybe because the intruders in that old temple were wiped out by our own? They shouldn't have been there, we were acting in our own defence. You know that they were involved in wiping out the forces at Karthspire Camp."

The thunder intensified and the first drops of rain began to fall. The two guards exchanged identical sighs of frustration and pulled their hoods over their heads before continuing their conversation.

"But they vanished didn't they? None could get through that door. Even the hagravens were saying that it involved blood magic that they did not command."

"Maybe...but what of the Dragonborn? Even Madanach stated that she was not on good terms with those at the ruins. So why would she come here? For revenge? For that matter, how does anyone know where the woman is anyway?"

"Because she was spotted only a few hours ago," came a voice from behind both guards.

The two guards spun around and placed their right hands on their chests in a bruising salute at the sight of the King of Rags standing there with a small smirk on his face.

"She found her 'associates' and I am sure she will head this way. The girl is predictable," Madanach said, walking past both guards, patting them on the shoulders as he passed.

"She is also dangerous," he continued as he stared at the rainy sky.

"Will she attack outright, my lord?"

Madanach laughed again.

"No, my boy. She will be angry but curious. After all, she would wonder at how she and her whore missed us in Cidhna Mine. She will also ask herself why I wanted the vermin in the ruins on the cliffs out of the way."

The guards waited for him to continue but another voice came out of the gloom behind them.

"She will come because her anger is great. I can sense her even from here."

They guards shivered as the woman dressed in red walked towards them, her blazing orange irises holding them in place. And when she looped an arm in each of theirs and let out a small laugh, they found their fears begin to fade.