Chapter 4

Wearily, A’Krilla walks through the castle gates with a full bloodstone chalice in her backpack. Almost as soon as the gates close behind her, Stefana has tackled her in a hug.

“A’Krilla, you’re back! I knew you’d be back, but grandpapa said you couldn’t handle the change and you’d left. Mama hasn’t come out of her rooms for days. Come on.”

A’Krilla forces a smile as she effortlessly lifts Stefana onto her hip, “ just needed time to think, and your grandfather gave me an excuse for it. Before we see your mama, I need to talk to Garan.”

Stefana smiles and leans into A’Krilla’s head fur, “Ok.”

A’Krilla makes her way to the antechamber that housed the chalice, and gives a grim smile as she sees the faintest hint of surprise in Garan’s face, before it is expertly schooled into a concerned frown.

“A’Krilla, I’m glad to see you made it back safely. I suppose you ran into Salonia and Seff.”

A’Krilla nods, “This one did indeed. It was quite fortuitous that Lord Harkon sent two powerful vampires, otherwise this one might have been quite stuck as to what to do.”

Garan shakes his head, “They were underlings of Vingalmo and Orthjolf, two powerful vampires that have long sought Harkon’s throne. If they were able to claim…”

A’Krilla shakes her head, “This one is not interested in what passes for politics here. Instead, this one is going to take that one to her mother.”

Garan says, “Lord Harkon wishes to speak with you.”

A’Krilla looks back at Garan, her eyes flashing green, “He can wait, I am only here for Serena and Stefana.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Following Stefana’s hand signals, it doesn’t take long for A’Krilla to find her way to Serena’s suite.

Serena looks up, “You left.”

A’Krilla nods, “This one needed space to think. The whole experience was…”

“Degrading.”

“…This one thinks that word is a poor but accurate substitute.”

“Will you stop with the ‘this one’, ‘that one’, just once. You’re my apprentice, and you left!”

“It is the Kajiiti way, this one is…”

Serena stands up and slaps A’Krilla, “Stop it, stop it, when you talk like that it’s like you weren’t even there. You could have died, and Stefana would have to live with that. I would have had to live that.”

Stefana squirms out of A’Krilla’s grasp and hugs Serena, “Mama, she didn’t die, and now we’re all daughters together.”

Hesitantly, A’Krilla says, “It is hard for Kajiiti to think in terms of I. In Ta’agra there is no life without community and this one is part of that community. Some Kajiiti leave the desert and the desert leaves them to become men or mer. This one needed to walk to understand this one’s new place in the world, and accept it, as this one cannot change what was, only what might be. In Elsweyr others would have walked with this one, to show that this one is not alone. But that is not the way in the land of men.”

Serena collapses back on the chair, “But what about me, what does it say about me?”

A’Krilla crouches down next to Serena, “It means that this one and that one walk together, and together we will survive where one would die alone.”

Serena looks into A’Krilla’s green eyes, “How? I thought I was prepared for it, and I was proud to survive. But then you, in the hall…”

A’Krilla holds out her hand, “It is simple, Serena stands up and stands with A’Krilla and Stefana. We acknowledge that Molag Bal is above us, but he is a god and gods are always above us, and we are their playthings. All others will face us together, and together we will overcome them. But simple is not easy, that is why this one needed to walk.”

Hesitantly, Serena takes hold of the offered hand and pulls herself up.

A’Krilla gets a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, “This one was informed that Lord Harkon wished to speak to her. Will Serena join this one in speaking to Lord Harkon?”

Serena looks confused, “I don’t understand.”

A’Krilla points to herself, then Serena, then Stefana, “This one is this one, that one is that one, and that one is the other one. Or maybe this one is this one, that one is the other one, and that one is that one. Now Serena’s turn.”

Hesitantly, Serena points at A’Krilla, “This one is…”

A’Krilla shakes her head, “No, This one is always this one, even when that one is this one. Serena is always Serena even when Serena is that one. We are daughters of coldharbour, and this one is this one. The gods can take what they want, but we are all daughters together against anyone else that wants to take from us. Kajiiti thinking, we are stronger together, so stop thinking like we are alone.”

“Fine, let’s go and see what my father wants.”

A’Krilla shakes her head, “No, not my father, this one’s father. Serena is not facing father alone. Dragons think like Molag Bal too, need to be on top, the only one and the strongest. This one killed dragon on way to den and took its soul. This one not like thinking like that.” A’Krilla points at Stefana, “That one understands, without life there is no world, without world there is no life. Without mortals there is nothing to dominate.”

Stefana pouts, “This one just wants to see the world, is that so bad?”

Serena scowls, “Stefana, stop making fun of the way A’Krilla talks. I can say the words too, just as A’Krilla can say I. What she is asking is to think the words too. To put the identity of the group above that of myself. To submit to the group and accept it is more important than myself. That is what I have trouble with. Not just the words.” Looking at A’Krilla she forces a smile, “Come, we need to speak to my father. I think I can do we.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 The three of them make their way through the castle to Harkon’s quarters, somewhat slowed by Stefana’s need to scritch and cuddle the death hounds (dogs that have been fed vampire blood to make them larger, stronger, and faster) they pass on the way.

As the three of them stand together beside Harkon’s chair, Harkon looks up at A’Krilla, “I thought I only asked for you.”

A’Krilla shrugs, “This one was only told Harkon wished to speak to A’Krilla.”

“It is of no mind, I have an announcement to make, join the others and listen to my words.”

Together they troop out after Harkon, knowing that whatever he was after, he’s already got. Seeing that the two adults are both looking down, Stefana takes their hands and drags them towards the door, “Come on, papa wanted me to fix his shrine, and A’Krilla is better now.”

A'Krilla lets out a short laugh as she’s pulled out of the castle while Harkon is talking about a Moth Priest, and how his court must go out and find rumours of them.

As they disembark on Skyrim’s northern shore, Stefana imperiously asks, “Which way is Markath?”

Laughing, A’Krilla pulls out her map, “Why don’t you show me?”

While Stefana’s frowning over the map, and the landscape, Serena looks back towards the castle, and the small flotilla of rowing boats heading towards them. “You know that they are all going to believe my father gave us some hidden advantage.”

A’Krilla nods, “This one understands. Create division where none exists. The dominion tried to do that to the Kajiiti.”

Proudly, Stefana points and calls out, “This way!” before marching to the south.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 After an hour of walking, Stefana falls backward onto the floor and a horrible tearing sound comes from Stefana’s backpack, a moment later, a fountain of plates, bones, rocks, blood potions, hammers, weapons, armour, and miscellaneous other bits and pieces, comes out of the top of the backpack as the tie fails before any of the seams do.

Serena looks around at the debris around her, “Stefana, what is this?”

Stefana looks up at Serena with innocent eyes, “Stuff?”

“Stefana…”

“I was trying to make my backpack hold more, like we did our home. But it kept collapsing, so I filled it up, but then I couldn’t lift it, so I made it weightless too. But that didn’t work.”

Serena sighs, “That’s because it’s a spell, not an enchantment.”

Stefana looks up at her mother, “Mama, how do enchantments work?”

Serena smiles, “You infuse an item with both a soul and the effect that you want the item to have. Then the soul you used will provide the magic needed to power the effect. So, if you use a small soul, then you’ll get a small effect, if you use a large soul you’ll get a large effect. We use soul… gems…”

Serena trails off as Stefana slips the backpack off, and disappears with a pop. In the distance they can here Stefana laughing as she chases something.

A’Krilla looks around the mess as Serena bends down, “This one will start setting up camp.”

Serena nods, “Oh, this is my hair brush… I’ll start teaching you some spells as well. What do you know about casting magic?”

“You open a book and read the first few pages, then the book turns into magicka and gives you a headache for an hour. After that you know the spell and can cast it.”

Serena looks at A’Krilla in disbelief, “You what?”

A’Krilla roots around in her backpack, before pulling out a book, “This one opens a book and reads the first few pages. Then the book turns into magicka and gives A’Krilla a headache for an hour. After that A’Krilla knows the spell and can cast it.”

“Tell me you at least know how to draw in magicka.”

A’Krilla nods, “All children are taught to do that until they stop thinking about it. This one uses it to spread their weight across the ground, making it harder for them to be heard, and also doesn’t set off pressure plates in caves and tombs. This one also uses it for other things, like lightening A’Krilla’s armour.”

Serena nods thoughtfully, “I will need to look into that when we have time. But for now, the basics of all spell casting is a visualisation, an effect, and the magicka needed to power that combination. For convenience, magic is split up into different schools of effects, as it makes it easier to visualise. Conjuration, Alteration, and Destruction are some examples you’re probably familiar with. A spell is a fixed construct that takes an effect, visualisation, and the appropriate magicka channels, and locks them into a static mental construct. In the past, there were mages who could cast without spells. But the practice is a lost art, as the trade off between flexibility and ability to cast quickly fell in favour of spells. Normally, an apprentice would be started out with a simple effect, like fire. As it’s something they’d be used to working with and around. However, I’d imagine you already know a few fire spells?”

A'Krilla nods, “This one does.”

Serena nods, “Then we will start with something else, like sound. Sound is usually considered an illusionary effect, but it can also be used with destruction. What I need you to do, is try to use magicka to make a sound, as this is always the first step in creating a spell, and both the hardest and easiest part of the whole process. It’s hard because you need to understand the effect you’re trying to produce, and visualise the method it will be produced in. Start on that while we’re setting up camp, and we’ll talk before bed about your progress, and how you’re approaching the problem.”

A'Krilla nods, “This one will do that.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 It’s starting to get light by the time Stefana makes it back to the camp carrying a struggling fox, “Sorry I didn’t come back sooner mama, I found a rabbit, and then a wolf ate it, before Spot ate the wolf. Then Pusspuss accidentally killed the deer I found. That’s when I started playing hide and seek, and managed to hide well enough I caught this fox.”

Serena looks up at the horizon, “Well it’s time for bed young lady. Tie up your new friend and make up your pallet.”

Stefana nods, “Yes mama.”

It’s around midday when Serena is woken up by the sound of a fox squealing in agony. Bolting upright on her bedroll, she looks around urgently for any sign that they’re under attack.

A moment later she hears Stefana shout, from behind a rock outcropping “Stop wriggling around, I’m trying to extract your soul to make my backpack bigger. And you’ve made me lose my grip again.”

Cautiously standing up, Serena walks around the rock until she’s standing behind her daughter, “What are you doing?”

Stefana lets go of the fox and looks up guiltily, “Nothing mama.”

The fox takes the opportunity to try and run, and manages several yards before it runs out of rope and is jerked to a halt by the heavy collar it’s wearing.

Serena looks down at Stefana, “So you weren’t trying to enchant your backpack without supervision?”

Stefana shakes her head, “No mama.”

Serena nods, “That’s good then, as if you were, and you made a mistake, then it would be a waste of all the hard work you put into making that backpack. As it’s much much harder to remove an enchantment without damaging the item, than it is to apply it in the first place. Now if you’ve finished playing with your fox, you should be in bed.”

Stefana looks at her backpack guiltily, “Yes mama. Mama, if I was learning enchantment, what would I use?”

Serena smiles, “Things that don’t matter, rocks, spare weapons, books, whatever you want.”

Stefana nods as she stands up and pulls the resisting fox, and her backpack, back to her bedroll.

Once Stefana is sleeping again, A’Krilla asks, “This one wonders why Serena did not tell Stefana about soul gems?”

Serena smiles at her sleeping daughter, “It’s part of the learning experience. She will either succeed or ask for help, when she asks for help I’ll talk about soul stones. If she succeeds, we all learn something. Though, I think we already know that she’s a true Daughter of Coldharbour, as only one of the Dark Lords children would be as untroubled by the torture they’re inflicting as she is.”

A’Krilla nods, “This one agrees, though she showed mercy to my children so she still as an Adric soul.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Over the next week, the three of them take a leisurely pace towards Markath, with one day spent exploring the outside of an old Dewmer ruin that some bandits had setup camp in. After sleeping from first light until they were awoken to the sounds of a tortured fox, they’d then travel through the afternoon, before settling down to do their own studying, or playing, at night.

On the last day, Serena wakes to unfamiliar the sound of Stefana crying. Leaping off her bed roll, ready to eviscerate whatever made Stefana cry, she’s surprised to see Stefana holding the chewed end of rope that used to be attached to a fox.

Cautiously she approaches her daughter, and asks, “Stefana, what’s wrong?”

Stefana turns around with the rope, “Mr fox chewed through the rope and ran away while I was asleep.”

Serena nods, “What about that has you upset?”

“Mr fox ran away with our only collar.”

Serena nods deliberately slowly in understanding, “I see. We will be in Markath tomorrow, they should have a blacksmith there. You can make yourself a new collar.”

Stefana brightens immediately, “I can, oh thank you mama.”