[Skyrim Crossover] As if Skyrim wasn't already hectic enough, with its inhabitants fighting both the Aldmeri Dominion and the Empire. Now there's dragons, too, and Emmet finds himself unwittingly roped into the whole mess. What else could go wrong?
Sirius stepped out into what they had started calling the 'yard', intending to join Lenny at his post. Bruce and Iron-Tail had taken it upon themselves to carve a set of steps spiraling up the side of the remainder of the peak that towered another three storeys above the Temple's ceiling, not only creating a suitable look-out spot, but also carving out a hiding spot for Benny's airship. Once Bruce had gotten over his anger at being abandoned in favor of the dilapidated contraption, even he had to admit the thing could be useful to them. But leaving it out in the open where Benny had repaired it was a flaming beacon for all to see, practically screaming "here we are!" And so they'd created a hiding spot for it.
Lenny nodded acknowledgement to him when he made it up to the look-out post. Things were still slightly awkward between them, but they were slowly moving past the embarrassment. "Have you given it any more thought?" the mage asked, not taking his eyes off the horizon.
"A bit," Sirius murmured in response. "It's... not an easy decision to make. It feels like there's too much going on in my head." Lenny turned to him then, quirking a sympathetic smile at him.
"That's understandable. That was your entire life, your very foundation of being, and everything you believed was completely destroyed in a matter of minutes. I'd be having a hell of a time wrapping my head around it all, too."
"Not only that, but joining you would mean undoing decades of my hard work, like it was all for nothing..."
"I like to think everything happens for a reason." Sirius gave him a curious glance at that. "There are lessons to be learned for all of us. Thalmor aren't the only group of arrogant people in this world, after all. Master Builders are pretty bad for that too. We needed to be knocked down a few pegs, and this whole experience has taught us to put our faith in someone who's not even one of us."
"...The Black Knight isn't a Master Builder?" That was certainly news to Sirius.
"Not by a long shot," Lenny laughed. "Neither is Watevra, or Penn, or May, but together they united us, taught us how to work together." He gave Sirius a considering look. "I think you being so highly ranked among the Thalmor was part of the Divines' plan, as well. I'm no priest, not by a long shot, and I certainly won't claim to speak for Them, but... I truly think They meant for you to come to this point. You are in the unique position where you can either help us regain our freedom, or destroy us utterly, as terrifying as that thought is."
Sirius grimaced at the thought. "Can't say I'm all that keen on 'destroying you utterly' anymore," he admitted. "Not so easy to kill someone you actually know. Well." His gaze darkened. "In most cases, anyway." Lenny nodded. He had a feeling he knew exactly who Sirius was referring to, and most emphatically agreed. The ex-Ambassador certainly wasn't the first to feel that way about a certain Head Justiciar. Many in the rebellion had dreamed at least once of wringing his neck. "Besides, I actually kind of like you."
"Is that so?" Lenny grinned. "Well that's good, cause I actually kind of like you too. Especially now that you're no longer our worst nightmare." Sirius snorted at that.
"I still could be, you know."
"I'm not doubting that at all, I'm just glad you're choosing not to be." They fell into companionable silence, eyes scanning the ground far below them for anything out of the ordinary. Or Lenny was, at least; Sirius wasn't quite certain what the rebels considered to be 'out of the ordinary', but he was trying to make himself useful.
After a few minutes he gave Lenny a nudge, pointing to a black speck staggering across the tundra once he had the mage's attention. "Huh," Lenny said, frowning thoughtfully. "Good eye. Wanna go check it out?"
"Not by myself, I don't have a death wish."
Lenny snickered. "So tell the Knight, I'm sure he'll go with you." He turned, blinking at the stubborn frown Sirius was giving him. "I can't go, it's my turn to keep watch. It's not like he bites or anything, geez."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "I know that."
"Then what's the matter?"
"Nothing. It's fine." Lenny watched as he left in a huff, and smirked to himself as he turned his gaze back to the horizon.
"Well. That's interesting."
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Sirius did end up asking the Knight to go with him to investigate the figure staggering about on the moor. He would have asked Ken, just to spite Lenny, had the red-robed mage not currently been out securing supplies in Markarth.
In the end, he was glad he did have the Knight with him, when the hooded figure glanced up at the pair of them with glowing eyes.
A vampire!
The Knight reacted almost instantly, drawing his sword and pressing it to the creature's neck. Sirius summoned his magic, ready for it to make a move.
The 'move' the vampire made wasn't one they were at all expecting.
"Please," he rasped. "Please, I mean you no harm... I need help..."
The Knight didn't move his blade, simply turning to look at his companion and tilting his head in askance. "What kind of 'help'?" Sirius voiced for him.
"To... stop a... prophecy," he panted, and winced. The Knight bristled as the vampire leaned against him, too weak to keep himself upright anymore. "Tyranny of the sun... I- I have..." Words failing him, he instead shifted to move his cloak, hissing softly as the sun hit his skin but revealing an Elder Scroll slung across his back.
"Shh," the Knight soothed, and Sirius stared at him in surprise. Divines, don't tell me he's going to- yep, he is. He fought the urge to roll his eyes as the Knight put his sword away and offered support to the vampire. Sirius huffed and flicked his magic away.
"And how do we know this isn't a ploy to weaken us from the inside?"
The Knight stared silently at him, then pointedly turned to the vampire who was by this point more being held up than standing under his own power, and back to Sirius again.
Sirius threw his hands in the air. "Bleeding heart," he snarled, though his words held no real heat, and he stomped back toward the Temple. The Knight glanced down at the vampire once again when he felt his gaze on him. There was no telling just yet how old he actually was, but he looked to be in his late teens. To be turned so young... Mind made up, he hefted the slim form into his arms, ignoring the startled squawk it earned him. He gave the vampire a moment to squirm into a more comfortable position- having an Elder Scroll pressing against his back like that couldn't have been pleasant- and rearrange his cloak to cover himself better before beginning the trek back.
