After they had eaten their fill, Beric's father retired to his study, where he usually read until he felt the urge to sleep; Reshi started on the dishes, and Beric went to his room, where he prepared for bed. He was needed at Nilhniin's shop early in the morning. Nilhniin was the wood elf that Beric was apprenticed to. Wood elves, unlike the high elves called Altmer, were mostly kind and generous people. They made many reasons to smile when there usually weren't any to be found. As he crawled into his bed and wrapped himself in his warm bed, he slowly began to drift off to a peaceful sleep.
Just when the sweet unconsciousness of sleep was tangible, there was a hard tapping on his window.
"What?" he thought sleepily as he raised his head. The tap became harder and more desperate, "Alright, alright, I'm coming," he knew it had to be Drake. When they were younger, he would sneak over and climb the side of the house so they could get into mischief. But that was when they were younger. What could he want now? He pulled the curtain away seeing Drake in a slight panic, "Drake?" Beric said pulling the window up and letting him in, "What's wrong?"
"They're coming!" he said quickly, "They're coming!"
"Wait, wait, who's coming?"
"The Altmer! They're saying your father is a traitor, and they're on their way here,"
"Wait, how do you know this? The Altmer wouldn't dare try anything against Father. He's too close to the Emporer,"
"Whether it makes sense or not, it's the truth. We have to warn him," Drake said rushing to the door and bolting down the stairs before Beric could stop him. He quickly followed and failed at stopping him from bursting into the study.
"What?! Drake? What is the meaning of this?" said his father being rudely awoken from dowsing off in his chair.
"There's a company of Altmer on their way to arrest you as a traitor!"
"What? That makes no sense! This had better not be a joke, Drake," He said rubbing his eyes with his hand.
"It's the truth. I overheard them talking about it with my own ears," Drake said before a moment of silence. Beric's father folded his arms and stroked his gray beard.
"You're sure?"
"Yes, sir,"
"Alright, what did you see?"
"Well, I was headed to borrow some cheese from the tavern owner 'cause my mother was out of it. When I got there, a hooded Altmer said that after he finished the drink he was on, they'd be heading straight here to arrest you. There was a name they mentioned. They said he'd be leading the soldiers. They were saying he was more than happy to be the one to arrest you. Some Mer by the name of...Aww, what was his name...It was something like Neccer...no, that wasn't it..."
"Necroman," Beric's father said quietly with a horror in his eyes that scared the breath out of Beric.
"Yeah, that's it," Drake nodded
"What is it father? Who is he?" Beric half shuddered. If his father showed fear, there was good reason to be afraid.
"He was quite possibly the most brutal general in the Aldemeri Dominion's army during the Great War. He...killed your mother in front of me," the room turned stone cold. Beric was speechless, "If he's coming, then we have no choice but to run. He's not coming to arrest us, Beric," he said stepping toward him, "He's coming to kill us and send our souls to Molag Bal," he said with anger and fear in his eyes. Beric started to tremble, "We must go. You too, Drake. If he finds out you warned us, he won't let you live, either," Beric's father said grabbing them both on the shoulder, "Reshi!" he called out marching out of the room, "We need to leave, now!" Beric and Drake looked at each other knowingly. They knew at that moment that they were not boys anymore...
_______________________________
After several moments of rushing around the house and grabbing essentials, they were prepared to exit the house and approach the stables in the side of the courtyard. Beric's father looked completely transformed from the politician. He was wearing a rugged looking tunic with chain mail underneath, and a sword and a dagger on his belt. He draped a cloak over his shoulders and a hood hung over his head. He looked for all the world like a ranger. Reshi wore a similar garb minus the hood, cape, and chain mail. Beric wore one of his traveling outfits that was brown with dark red accents and hung a sword on his belt. Drake...well, Drake was Drake. He wore his usual common garb and hung a battle-axe on his back.
They then headed toward the door, but as soon as they opened the door, they saw the sickening sight of a host of elves in their golden armor glistening in the moonlight.
"Ugh," Beric sighed as his father quickly shut the door.
"Come out, Leonidas!" came the usual prim and proper voice of an Altmer. Beric's father looked sick.
"Necroman?" Beric asked as his father slowly nodded.
"We have the house surrounded," the voice came again.
"What do we need to do? Just say the word and we'll do it," Drake said enthusiastically leaning forward.
"We need to negotiate to see what we are dealing with," he said cracking the door, "Well, it's a good thing this isn't our only way out!" he called out to Necroman.
"Evan if I believed you, you wouldn't get far. You're only delaying the inevitable, Leonidas. Let's just get this over with," Beric's father turned his head toward him. He then cracked the door open. The elves had lit torches by then, and the light creased onto his hood casting a shadow on his eyes. Beric couldn't tell what he was thinking.
"What do you want?" he called out.
"Your head, Leonidas,"
"Can't say I like the sound of that," Beric saw a smirk in his father's beard.
"Well, it's going to happen regardless. If you don't come out, I'll be forced to come in,"
"Then come in, you filthy slug!" Reshi screamed out in a blood-curdling battle cry and pressing her snout to the cracked door. Her challenge was answered with five arrows hitting the door and two passing the crack and into her chest and stomach, knocking her back a few steps. Beric's father slammed the door shut and grabbed her before she fell and eased her to ground. His hand started to shake a little as he felt the area around the arrows.
"Reshi..." he whispered gripping his fist.
"It's alright, Leo," she sighed out, "It was going—to—happen...somehow, and I wasn't going to die...a housemaid...." She said as her breathing stopped, and her head rested lifelessly on his shoulder. Beric's father's hand slowly relaxed and closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Reshi. You were among the few I'd call my friend and one of the handfull I could trust...You sacrificed so much..." his voice started to quake. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and slowly stood up and turned around to face Beric and Drake. It was so quiet that you could hear the fire of the torches outside crackle. Beric was fighting tears and trying not to breath. Beric's father slowly walked to the staircase and pulled one of the rails up. The staircase slowly lowered to a cave path down, "Drake," he said without turning around
"Yes sir," Drake said quietly.
"I want you to make me a promise,"
"Yes sir,"
"I want you to take care of my son and make sure he makes it to Skyrim. You two will be safe there,"
"What-what about you?" Beric managed to get out.
"I have a score to settle. A score that has waited too long," he said quietly looking at Reshi and then turning around. His dark, cloaked form was unreadable in the darkness, "Go," he said motioning down the cave, "I'll distract them as long as I can," Beric couldn't believe his ears. After a moment of hesitation, Drake slowly walked toward the cave opening and shook Leonidas' hand, took a few steps and looked back at Beric who was blinking back the tears without success.
"...Father..." Beric struggled out.
"Beric," his father said walking toward him and putting both his hands on his shoulders, "Listen to me very carefully. What I am about to do is necessary. Both of us can't make it out alive. They'll come barging in soon, and there's no way to close the opening," he said as Beric could see the glistening of his father's eyes under the shadow of the hood, "...I'm sorry...I wish it could have been different, but as so many times in life, it can't be..." he said choosing his words carefully, "...I wish I could see the man you'll become. I know you'll be a great one..." he said starting to sniffle a little, "The world's a big place, my son, and full of evil. But it is men who are willing to stand up for what's right, no matter the consequences that make it a better place..." Beric bowed his head only to have his father lift his face up, "Stiff upper lip, son...I'm proud of you...Your mother would be too..." his father forced a smile, "Now go show that wide world out there what you're made of," he said before giving him a bear hug and letting him go. He then marched to the door and looked back, "I love you," he said quietly before turning around and opening the door wide open and shutting it behind him, "Necroman!" Beric heard his father shout.
Beric quickly crouched and peeked through the window.
"Beric, no," Drake whispered, "We need to go,"
"Wait," Beric held up his hand. His father was midway between the elves and the door to the house with his sword drawn.
"Let's settle this here and now. That is if you have the courage to fight me yourself," he said brandishing his sword. The moonlight reflected off one edge of his sword and the fire of the torches lit the other. Necroman was sitting on his white horse in his dark blue and golden accented uniform. He raised his hand and motioned to some of his soldiers. Five golden figures clanked out of the troop and pulled their swords as they approached Beric's father, who was more than ready.
"Give up or die, Leonidas. It is your choice," Necroman said as the slight breeze lifted his nemesis' cloak gracefully to one side.
"I'm surprised you don't think I have a third option, Necroman,"
"Not this time," Necroman said cocking his head, "Even if you could fight all my soldiers, you won't be able to defeat me. So, give up now to prevent further bloodshed,"
"Preventing blood-shed has never been in your methods, Necroman. Do you honestly think I'm that Naïve? I'm rather offended," he said twirling his sword and holding it in front of him with both hands. Necroman nodded to his soldiers, commanding them to move in. They slowly surrounded him, "You said you wanted my head!f you wanted to prevent bloodshed, then you'd fight me yourself!" he called out before one unwisely thrusted his sword. Leonidas quickly parried, side-stepped, wrapped his arm around the elf's sword arm, twisted the sword out of his hand and back kicked him in the hind quarters knocking him a few steps forward and to the ground, "I've seen old women fight better then you!" he shouted at the soldiers who were now taking a step back as the warrior taunted them and twirled his and the elf's swords. They looked to their leader for an order to retreat but received none. After the one picked himself up, he snatched a sword from one of the others and charged in again, swinging the sword down to his enemy's neck. Leonidas spun out of the blow, hacked the back of the elf's leg and kicked him on to the ground once again.
"Come on!" Necroman finally shouted, "Remember your training! All of you are disgraces to all Mer kind!" At his rebuke, the three with weapons moved in flanking him and striking. To Beric's amazement, his father was blocking and holding all three of them off. He marveled at the ease with which he would move in and out of the three elves' strategic flanks. It wasn't long before the three were dead, and the last one standing was unconscious.
"Is that all you've got?! Come on! Fight me Necroman!" Leonidas challenged. Necroman slowly got off his horse and faced Leonidas. He put his hands behind his back and walked over to the Leonidas' first assailant who was still getting over the pain of his slashed leg.
"I see you haven't lost your touch, Leonidas," Necroman said pulling out a strange looking black and silver blade with a jagged edge. As Beric looked closer, he could see it had glowing streaks of red. Without any hesitation, he slowly thrust the tip into the chest of the elf and yanked it out.
"I see you still don't have a heart," Leonidas responded.
"That is why I'm still alive," Necroman said quietly still looking at the dead elf at his feet, "If you don't have a heart, you can't be killed,"
"I beg to differ, you elvan filth," Leonidas said readying his sword in front of him.
"We'll see," he said twirling his blade and facing Leo, "I'll enjoy this," he said swaggering to his opponent, "Just as much as I enjoyed slitting your precious wife's throat in fr..." Necroman began to pull back the scab of an old wound but was stopped by several quick and strong blows that he barely was able to parry. Beric couldn't keep up with the sword play that was going on. He concluded that he had underestimated his father's ability to fight. He knew he was a veteran, but he didn't know he was a warrior. Finally, Leonidas parried a blow, spun around, and kicked Necroman in the jaw, knocking him off his feet. As Necroman started to rise, he was met with Leonidas' sword at his throat.
"I wonder how long you'll live without a head," Leonidas muttered.
"Only one way to find out," Necroman smiled. Leonidas' teeth barred as he pulled back his sword ready to strike. At the same time, Beric saw an archer ready an arrow.
"Father, look out!" Beric yelled causing his father to swing around and look to the house, but it was too late. Beric saw his father flinch as the shaft past through his chest before he slumped to his knees. Tears streamed down Beric's cheeks and filled his eyes so that he could barely see. He quickly wiped them away to see Necroman on his feet beside his father and chuckling and looking toward him.
"So that's what you were trying to do, protect your s..." he said as Leonidas gathered his dying strength and shoved his sword into Necroman's back and out through his chest causing him to fall to his knees. He then pulled Necroman back, reached around with a dagger and sliced his throat.
"Beric! Run!" his father said as the archer sent another arrow into his side. Beric felt his heart sink to his feet as he felt a strong grip on his arm pull him away from the window and into the darkness of the cave.
"We stayed way to long, Beric. We need to go, now!" Drake's deep voice resonated off the cave walls. Beric barely heard him. Beric didn't care. His father was the only one he looked up to. And now, he was dead and gone from this world forever...