User blog:Sararebeka/Haunting Man

'''Rain’s Hand, Tirdas Winterhold Stables'''

As I woke, Shadow was still sleeping. His eyelids quivered as he felt my warm breath on his skin.

The very first lights of the rising Sun slowly reached the window of the stable.

I just laid there for a while in complete silence, and started to realize something.

The sound of birds, and nature were missing. I probably spent too much time wondering around in forests, spending the nights in abandoned places and I got used to nature embracing me.

But in these parts of Skyrim there was hardly any life, only some ice wolves and those damn trolls.

If I would move even higher, the wind and the storms would be so strong that it is only possible to move forward with magic. At least that’s what the rumors say.

We sneaked out in the week sunlight, and headed out to the quiet town. The ice and snow cracked under our feet, making our every step louder and louder. Oh how I craved back into to the woods. Where my movement is stuffed, it’s easy to hunt, and I am invisible.

Here I just felt naked. There is nowhere to hide, and there is no chance to take cover. Only the best of assassins could stay  out of sight in the snow. Some of them are even capable to hide their footprints. I still have to learn my way up there.

Suddenly that familiar feeling hit me. That gripping feeling in my chest when I knew that somebody is behind me and ready to attack.

With a blink of an eye, the edge of my dagger was slightly touching the person’s throat who stood behind me. I didn’t made the move yet to slice, I wanted to see who was following me, and most of all I wanted to know why.

As I peaked out from under my hood my eyes met a dark-brown pair of eyes. I sighed, and I lowered my hand.

“Nazeem.” - I muttered softly.

His dark skin slightly turned pale as he looked in my eyes. He did not expected a dagger held to his throat. He was part of the Family but still, not the best assassin. Instead of killing, Nazeem mostly dealt with convincing and misleading people. When there was no need to shed blood, it was Nazeem’s time to act. His height was just about mine, maybe slightly smaller.

He had thick dark hair, and a deep gaze in his eyes. Women were always surrounding him, thanks to his manly and handsome figure. As a redguard, he was not used to the cold as much, and as I was investigating his state apart from the shock I saw his shivering lips turn slowly blue.

“What are you doing here?” - I asked firmly

“I came to see you, and… talk to you.” -he muttered quietly. “I have to talk to you, Rebecca, about your journey. The Family doesn’t think you should start contracts given by strangers. They don’t think you are faithful enough if you accept anything that comes in a form of a strange letter.”

I watched his mouth moving, and his eyes getting shinier from excitement as he moved forward with his message.

I knew what he was saying has no meaning. If the Family would have any objection regarding my travels I’m sure I would not see the next sunset.

Nazeem came all the way here to tell me all this, because he simply cared.

Poor bastard.

As he finished his sayings he just looked at me with expectations. He was expecting me to fall into his arms, to stroke his face, maybe to even press my lips agains his. Since I was about to do none of these, he sighed. Hi lowered his shoulders, and made a few steps backwards. He leaned agains the wooden walls of the shelter and buried his face in his hands.

“Why did you came all the way here?” - I asked softly. “You know that I cannot give you, what you are craving for Nazeem. I told you many times.” Since he was madly in love with me and I did not share his feelings, the unrequited love was eating him alive. Making him mad sometimes.

I did not know much about love, and I didn’t even wanted to. Love was just like magic for me. Unknown and way under my interests. However I had some skills with my body, and all these men like Nazeem tend to fall in love with that, but eventually they all gave up on me, since I had no feelings towards them.

However when I looked at this man, I felt a slight push in my stomach. Maybe I felt pity for him. Even if I was sorry, I could not express that feeling towards him in any way, so I just nodded my head and walked out the door. Before I disappeared I stopped for a second and said, “Do not follow me.” He shouted something to me, but I could not hear that anymore from the sound of Shadows’ hooves. On the way up to the College I was keep looking backwards as I was expecting that crazy fellow to jump out of any corner.

I knew Nazeem is gonna turn up again at some point. However he had no guts to follow me anywhere as where my road usually takes me, there is no sight of safety.

I left Shadow a little bit further down the road, away from sight and the main gate. I didn’t want anybody to hurt him in the first place. Talos knows what’s waiting for me there. I stroked his head, looked in the black eyes for a while, then I started climbing some rocks. I never approached any entrance from the front. I always arrived from unusual places, and unusually sudden.

The building was massive, and I could feel some magical wall or some sort of protection around the stone walls. I’m sure they were protecting themselves from intruders form above, maybe from dragons too. The place looked like almost impossible to sneak in. I would need weeks, maybe months to come up with an idea how to get inside without being caught.

After a few sharp edges, I arrived above the main gate. I tried to climb over, I knew it was impossible but my curiosity win over the facts.

I carefully leaned over the sharp edges of the gate, and as I moved my hands closer and closer I could hear and feel the magical barrier around the gate. I knew it is dangerous to touch, or to move any further but I wanted to know what these mages are made and capable of.

I clenched my teeth and leaned over the top of the gate. I was prepared for everything. I had my arrows and daggers in my right hand, I was insanely looking into every direction expecting these mages to pop out from everywhere.

There was only silence.

I heard some voice when I leaned over, and felt a slight vibration but nothing else happened.

After a few seconds I started giggling.

This place is a lie.

All the legends, and the rumors about how strong and dangerous is to dare close is a myth. I was about to start laughing and climbing downwards the gate which formed a huge eye, when I could feel the metal shake between my hands. I had no time to realize what is happening around me. Everything was so sudden.

A force, unknown to me, with great power pushed me off the gate and as I was trying to catch up some breath I realized that I am petrified. I could not breathe, move, or shout, I was just flying helplessly, and could not do anything. My body crashed the cold ground and I swear I could hear some bones cracking. However I could not feel a thing.

As I was still not breathing I was about to loose consciousness but I fought agains the urge to black out.

Just hold on Rebecca. You’ve been in worse situations before. You cannot just give up against a damn wall built by mages.

I tried to force breathing but my lungs were like stones. Nothing moved. I was helpless.

The sky was white, there was thick snow falling from above, slowly started to cover me up.

This cannot be. This is so ridiculous. I started praying. Praying for something to happen.

Jus before I fell into the darkness, I saw a figure. A grey robe leaning above me. I thought it was a man’s figure. There was a bit of gold shining in his neck. I wasn’t sure. I could not tell, if what I saw was real, or if it was only my brain lacking oxygen playing some tricks on me.

Then everything went black.