The Fight Against The Thalmor

Chapter 10

   

The next morning was not quite as leisurely as the prior day. A quick early breakfast was had and they had the caravan loaded up as dawn had just started to arrive. Travius and Anaelle had decided it was best to just let everyone know about her. They figured with how large this
Payment was no one would be willing to forego their share over a vampire who had always been nothing but friendly and it was better to let them know in a controlled environment and not by accident in a tense situation.

Once the caravan had made its way out the main road Travius knew it was time to speak up.
"I'm sure everyone remembers our conversation last night at dinner. We're unfortunately going in blind but it's not like we've never dealt with that before. We've got some versatile skillsets here and we should be able to cover anything. We also have to tell you though."
He paused and looked at Anaelle not sure what to say, how did you tell people this? He thought to himself.

"So, Anaelle, well..."he stumbled his words and then thought to spit it out.

"Anaelle is a vampire." He blurted out.
She then smiled an exaggerated grin to where her teeth were showing and popped her fangs out.

The caravan went silent for almost a minute. Aratore froze, his eyes wide and mouth agape. The silence was finally broken by J' Zargo turning to Vhoryhyak.

"J' Zargo will take his payment in the form of credit at the frozen hearth if that suites you." And he began to snicker.

"Damn." Vhornhyak said as he crossed his arms and made a pouty face. "It was fifty septims right?"

"J' Zargo told you she wasn't a ghost you buffoon. He thought you were some hero princess from a children's book the shaman mothers read to him as a kid." J' Zargo smugly informed then.

Vhornyak seemed very disappointed. As if he genuinely thought she was a character from a childrens book.

"You had a bet about if I was a ghost or a vampire?" She asked and started to quietly laugh.

"J' Zargo didn't so much gamble as he just took the orcs money. J' Zargo has known for quite some time as does Yarwil. They do not mind, you are a good person so you are no threat. You are not alone at the college just so you know." J' Zargo said. Anaelle threw up her arms in disbelief. Two hundred years of learning to hide it and she found a group of people who knew and just treated it like she has a bad cough.

J' Zargo saw Aratore was still stiff as could be and was still staring wide eyed at Anaelle. He didn't seem like he was scared as much as just amazement. J' Zargo waved his hand in front of his face and it caused Aratore to finally blink.

"Woah" is all he said. He shook his head and seemed to snap back into reality.

"You did know vampires were real right?" Vhornhyak asked him

"Of course. I just never expected to meet one.
Anaelle is not exactly what I pictured. I didn't mean to stare." He said.

"Look kid, all those things you thought weren't real and you thought you would never see? Vampires, ghosts, zombies, spriggans, werewolves, all these beasts you thought were myth? They all exist and none of them are as scary as you think they are.

A group like this? We're always the most dangerous ones in the area. Remember that if we run into something supernatural out there. YOU are the more dangerous one. Keep that mindset and everything will become less threatening." Vhornyak said to him and then he pulled a sausage from his satchel and took a bite.

"Also. That long empty stare thing you just did was kind of strange and off putting. Just saying kid"

Everyone else nodded