Shea: Well I suppose this is what I get for asking a mad queen for a trial by combat.

 

 

Shea: But it isn't the worst, at least I have a cell no one has access to.

 

 

Shea: Now I suppose it's just the wait until I'm killed or freed.

 

 

Shea: Maybe I should start a sing along.

 

 

Shea: Even if I am in a prison. But better things have come from worse.

 

 

Shea: "And who are you, The proud lord said, that I must bow so low?"

 

 

Shea: "Only a cat of a different coat, that's all the truth I know."

 

 

Shea: Actually I'll forget the song, this cage looks loose.

 

 

Shea: In fact, I can almost crawl through it.

 

 

(Footsteps)

 

 

Shea: They sound as if they're coming straight here. I admit it might be comedic if they saw me like this.

 

 

Shea: (Now who is this?)

 

 

????: So this is the one whose been in the queen's hair for so long?

 

 

Kywin: Yes Sir Gabriel, this is the one, she put up quite a fight.

 

 

Gabriel: If she beat you, I think I'd like to have her fight for me.

 

 

Kywin: I'm not sure the queen would approve, she rarely approves anything now.

 

 

Gabriel: Well could you see, if she'd let me have her, I'd like to see her in the arena

 

 

Kywin: I can try, but I doubt you'll get her.

 

 

Minutes later...

 

 

Gabriel: So, what's your story, I've heard some scraps, but they're dreadfully light on the details?

 

 

Gabriel: But then again, my past is the same. Speaking of which, Kywin you still haven't asked the queen my question yet.

 

 

Kywin: Sorry, I'll go now, Sir Gabriel.

 

 

Gabriel: Well now she's finally gone, do you mind telling me your story?

 

 

Shea: It's a long and violent one and it certainly won't have a happy ending.

 

 

Gabriel: I still want to hear it, I don't care how long or violent it is. The queen makes slow decisions and we'll have time.

 

 

Shea: Well it goes like this...

 

 

Some time later...

 

Gabriel: Very interesting, but how did it happen the greatest swordsman fell to Count Destro?

 

 

Shea: He had armour, and a big fucking sword. That's how!

 

 

Gabriel: Fair enough, he always was a coward to wear armour, but I've heard your story, now you'll hear mine, then maybe you'll see we aren't so different.

 

 

Gabriel: Well I was born in Skyrim, a couple hundred years ago. To a red-guard mother and nord father. As you can tell I take after my father.

 

 

Gabriel: I ran with a group of cutthroats for a while. We were mercenaries really, we were hired to deal with some vampires while in Hammerfell.

 

 

Shea: And let me guess, you were bitten and now you're a vampire?

 

 

Shea: I've heard this story too many times.

 

 

Gabriel: Oh you haven't heard this one. So yes I was bitten, but I was enslaved. I was thrown into an arena.

 

 

Gabriel: Thirteen years I spent in there. Sure I made my owners a lot of money but I couldn't have my freedom, and I don't have the powers of a pure blood vampire like yourself. So I didn't get the opportunity to escape. Then my masters died, killed by the Vigilants of Stendar. I was thrown into a cell for fifty more years.  Then I moved back to the arena, but earned my own money and not for someone else. It felt better.

 

 

Shea: Yeah you think fifty years is bad, try nearly a thousand years in a tomb, it's even more uncomfortable.

 

 

Gabriel: Anyway, I did that for another twenty years, until I got a message. It was from here. From Queen Esmeralda. She needed an operative, a spy in Hammerfell. I became that. You'd be surprised what people say when you're a gladiator and they think that you don't know anything.

 

 

Gabriel: Then I was called here after a certain family of vampires was ousted. Well, my parents found me. They were old and frail, barely clinging onto life. I was in Skystone Castle, your home, well mine by decree.

 

 

Gabriel: My mother's final words were "I can't believe I gave birth to a monster." And my father was even worse. He didn't even say anything. He just stared at me. Disappointment in his eyes he said "You killed her, you are no son of mine."

 

 

Gabriel: That was the final straw. I killed him. With the very sword I'd earned in the arena.

 

 

Gabriel: And now I'm here, negotiating for you.

 

 

Gabriel: Quite an interesting journey, with a good reward too.

 

 

Gabriel: But I don't know how the queen will react to the request. My head might be mounted right next to your's.

 

 

Gabriel: You don't talk much do you?

 

 

Gabriel: That's fine, for what I want you for I don't need you to talk.

 

 

Kywin: Sir Gabriel! The queen has agreed to it, but she has some terms she wants to make sure you know before you take her.

 

 

Gabriel: So what are the terms?

 

 

Kywin: Shea is not to leave Raven Castle under any circumstances.

 

 

Kywin: She's also only to be in your service for a maximum of three months, after that period she is to be returned to Queen Orianna for execution or prolonged imprisonment. The rest will be personally discussed with Queen Orianna after the Night of Fangs.

 

 

Gabriel: And she couldn't entrust the terms with you because?

 

 

Gabriel: Wait I can guess.

 

 

Shea: Well that's three months more life I'll get.

 

 

Kywin: True, but your outrage didn't help that.

 

 

Kywin: You cut three months off your life.

 

 

Shea: Well I wasn't going to survive this anyway.

 

 

Kywin: You could've escaped execution if you were willing to submit you know? It doesn't matter now though.

 

 

Kywin: Sir Gabriel will be taking you in the morning, so be ready for some dirty looks from everyone. And get some rest.

 

 

Shea: Oh I will, don't worry.

 

 

Shea: I do feel much lighter knowing I won't die tonight at least.

 

 

The next morning...

 

 

Gabriel: Good, you're still here, no stupid escape attempts. 

 

 

Shea: Well, what other choice did I have?

 

 

Shea: It's not like I can leap through walls, well not since last time I checked.

 

 

Gabriel: At some point you're going to have to tell me why you tried to go through a wall.

 

 

Gabriel: But I think you need to get to your room, somewhere nicer than a cell.

 

 

Shea: Thanks, it's really cramped in there you know. Anyway, do you want to show me to my room?

 

 

A few minutes later...

 

Gabriel: Well this is it. I hope you like it.

 

 

Shea: Well it's luxurious, I'll give it that.

 

 

Gabriel: Is that a good thing?

 

 

Shea: Very good, it's been months since I've had this sort of thing.

 

 

Shea: And even longer since I've seen kindness from another vampire.

 

 

Gabriel: Well I'm glad you like it, and I'm sorry that I couldn't get your things from Kywin, she insisted on keeping them.

 

 

Shea: Of course she insisted on that didn't she. A sort of trophy she has to remember how she beat me.

 

 

Gabriel: But since you'll be working for me you'll need a uniform, don't give me that look. It isn't some skimpy maid dress. You're a warrior it'd be wrong to confine you to a dress. There's a few things in there, try them on and I'll choose which looks best.

 

 

Shea: How about this one?

 

 

Gabriel: Too outstanding. You're pretty much asking to get a knife in the ribs wearing that.

 

 

Shea: What about this one?

 

 

Gabriel: I chose you to be different, and that looks like a child's idea of the Dark Brotherhood.

 

 

Gabriel: Try something heavier.

 

 

Shea: So this one is better?

 

 

Gabriel: Now that's more like it.

 

 

Shea: Well I'm glad I could find something that suits your...wants.

 

 

Gabriel: Wants? No I'm just glad to have someone who looks so beautifully dangerous in my service.

 

 

Gabriel: But I have work to do, you can help me if you want, my study's just down the hall.

 

 

Shea: Oh lord, what have I gotten myself into

 

 

Shea: Now I'm serving someone who serves someone who took everything from me.

 

 

Shea: What is my life coming to?

 

 

Shea: I suppose I should get to work, sitting around isn't going to help me in the slightest.

 

 

A few minutes later...

 

Gabriel: So you finally got here. Good because I need to write a lot of letters.

 

 

Shea: I'll pass on the writing, I haven't written in a long time and I'd end up butchering whatever you wanted me to write.

 

 

Gabriel: I didn't think you'd cosy to that idea.

 

 

Shea: But what are they about, I never wrote this many letters while I was here?

 

 

Gabriel: The usual, taxes for nearby villages, sentences for vampires. Normal things.

 

 

Gabriel: Well if you can call that normal.

 

 

Shea: I don't know how, there's piles-

 

 

Shea: And piles of them, that's not normal.

 

 

Shea: So if this is normal, perhaps I should leap back into my cell.

 

 

Shea: Maybe I should just leave you to deal with it, you do seem far more used to this.

 

 

Gabriel: Well I'll get this done, and since you don't want to help me, wait until evening and meet me in the dining hall. And please try to avoid other vampires they certainly want to kill you.

 

 

A few hours later...

 

Gabriel: I'm sorry for the lack of people, but not many want you walking free, the queen doesn't really. She's only letting me have you, because she wants some use out of you before she kills you.

 

 

Gabriel: A mistake, but a profitable one.

 

 

Shea: Well death is awfully boring, but don't think I'll do anything she wants. She took everything from me. And I'm not here to help her either. So don't try anything.

 

 

Shea: But I suppose anything is better than death. 

 

 

Shea: But what were you talking about outside my cell. Something about fighting in an arena?

 

 

Gabriel: Really? I must have misspoke.

 

 

Sofia: So it's true then?

 

 

Gabriel: I should've known you'd hear about this.

 

 

Shea: Oh I didn't know you were still alive, I thought she would've cleared house.

 

 

Sofia: Well the queen kept all who were...useful.

 

 

Shea: Maybe that explains why I'm alive.

 

 

Sofia: I doubt it, she has given you three months. useful people live long.

 

 

Sofia: But her choices are strange so maybe she'll find a use for you.

 

 

Gabriel: Well I think we should take this to your room.

 

 

Gabriel: Lets not talk too much in the open.

 

 

 

A few minutes later...

 

Sofia: Nice room you have.

 

 

Shea: Well it's not really mine.

 

 

Shea: But nobody else lives here, so I suppose it is mine isn't it.

 

 

Gabriel: Well I gave it to you, it was actually some council member's until he left.

 

 

Gabriel: But I think I'll leave you two to have some time alone, I understand you were-

 

 

Shea: Yeah you don't need to say anything else.

 

 

Shea: Well now he's gone shall we get cosy by the fire?

 

 

Sofia: Well why not? We do need to catch up somehow.

 

 

Shea: Well you seem comfortable.

 

 

Sofia: Oh I am, your arms seem somehow friendly.

 

 

Shea: Just friendly?

 

 

Sofia: Yes just a friend, things have changed.

 

 

Shea: Like what?!

 

 

Sofia: Everything.

 

 

Shea: Why? Whats happened ?

 

 

Sofia: Shea, you can't just waltz back into my life after months away and expect everything to be the same. I'm sorry I have to go.

 

 

Shea: Wait!

 

 

Shea: Fuck!

 

 

Shea: Well time to sleep. At least I can't fuck anything up in my sleep.

 

 

The next day...

 

Gabriel: So, I forgot to tell you about the Night of Fangs, it's tonight. And you need a lord to take you to the feast. Happens I need a lady.

 

 

Shea: You know going to feasts and celebrations isn't really my thing.

 

 

Gabriel: I'll have no excuses this is a serious thing.

 

 

Gabriel: Besides, you have three months. Best to make the most of them.

 

 

Shea: Fair enough, but I don't look so glamorous in a dress.

 

 

Gabriel: Perhaps, but tonight will be a busy night, and every vampire is expected to come.

 

 

Shea: Okay point taken, I need to put on something nice.

 

 

Shea: Yeah I'll try and find something.

 

 

Gabriel: Make sure you do.

 

 

Shea: Great as if it's that easy. How long has it been since I've had to choose some dress attire. Never nearly. Maybe once or twice.

 

 

A few hours later...

 

Shea: Well I think this looks nice, it matches my hair and...well red has always been my colour.

 

 

Shea: Actually, I think I look good, very good. This could get a few looks.

 

 

Shea: So my hair's done, jewellery-

 

 

Shea: And the dress ironed perfectly, well I hope it is.

 

 

Shea: But I can't shake a thought. And it isn't Sofia.

 

 

Shea: I'm starting to look a little bit like my mother. Or maybe I've always looked like that, I'm not sure it has been a while since I've looked in a mirror.

 

 

Shea: Well there's no turning back now, I need to go to a feast, eat and drink my share. And get up for a dance with Gabriel afterwards, can't be that hard right?

 

 

Shea: C'mon Shea get yourself together you'll do fine, nobody will kill you and you'll go to sleep like normal. Maybe.

 

 

Shea: Well time to face the music.

 

 

Shea: Give em a good smile at least. 

 

 

Sofia: You're ready then? And you look...gorgeous.

 

 

Sofia: Well c'mon it's time to join the celebrations.

 

 

Shea: Yeah, lets go then.