Sangreal

Chapter 1 - Remembrance

Sangreal-Chapter 1-Remembrance

In the Imperial City, Cedric made his nightly rounds along the dark city walkways. There had been very little call for knights by the time he had left knight school so he had taken the job of a city guard. He had reached a status that even a knight could be proud of, Watch Captain.

The cobble stone streets glistened in the moonlight as Cedric traveled over them. He stared at each house intently, making sure nothing was out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, a slight glimmer appeared from the darkness. He stopped and stared when it revealed itself again. He walked towards it silently. All of a sudden, he heard a faint gasp along with the flash of a bright, glowing pair of green eyes.

He suddenly saw a figure running away from where he had seen the eyes and he chased after it, yelling, "Halt!". Whatever it was, he grabbed them by the arm, discovering it covered in soft fur. The creature turned on him and lashed out, a few claws catching him on the face. He lunged forward but ended up stepping on the stranger's tail and a soft squeal barely passed through its lips. Taking advantage of his position, Cedric took a firm hold of the creature and looked upon its face in the moonlight. His own became filled with shock and he mumbled, "Sirai-" but the person hissed, "Leave me be. I'll pay the fine." Cedric shook his head and led the person away forcefully.

"Where are you taking me!" It asked in a surprised tone, but the guard refused to tell all until they were out of the city gates and inside of a small farm house.

Cedric pulled the cloak off of the creature. "Sirai Allessia, what are you doing stealing? That is disgraceful! Especially for someone like you!" He had revealed the Champion of Cyrodil. There she stood in all of her humbleness, a female khajiit, with long curly hair, glowing green eyes, and beautiful red fur with the customary white and black points and markings of her race. On top of that, she was now aglow with child, her stomach very round beneath her maroon gown.

The cat looked at Cedric and said, "First off, who are you? And, get a bandage for the scratches. You don't want them to get infected." Cedric pulled off his helmet and took a step towards her, running his fingers through his dirty blonde hair and rubbing the sleepers out of his swollen blue eyes.

Sirai took one look at him and stumbled backwards. "Cedric Galaynus… I-I was hoping I would never see you again." Cedric finished taking off his armor and said, "I knew you'd be happy to see me." Sirai took a seat at the small table near the roaring fire and shook her head in disbelief.

"Why did you leave me?" Cedric asked as he stood up, staring at her stomach in a vicious envy. Sirai looked down in shame and sadness. She stared up at Cedric and muttered, "You remember that day don't you?"

Cedric laughed to himself. How anyone could forget such a thing was a wonder for he remembered that day vividly, occurring a little under four years past, but seeming like it was only yesterday. He remembered being so happy at the arcane university infirmary, standing over his bride Sirai and their newborn baby daughter Kaya. Sirai, despite being dog-tired, looked absolutely stunning. Kaya seemed even as beautiful, if not more so, as she lay curled in her mother's embrace. Kaya was the darkest shade of black, her eyes a bright blue.

It was so sudden what had happened. Sirai had been smiling upon Kaya when her heart sank. She put a finger up to Kaya's nose and no warm air emitted from it. She ran a finger along her cheek. No response. Cedric had seen the horror on his wife's face and yelled for help, hollering at the top of his lungs. Moments afterwards when the doctors had taken the child away, the couple was told that their little girl had been delivered to the stars, by a disease that attacked her lungs. Three days later she was buried in the Allessia family grounds in Elswyr, the land of Khajiits.

Cedric shook himself back to reality and stared at the glassy-eyed Sirai. He was completely destroyed by the event, but he had no idea of how Sirai must've felt to have her first child die in her arms.

Back in the tiny sitting room of the little farm house, Cedric walked over to the khajiit and helped her up and over to his bed where he laid her down and covered her with a blanket of different colored wolf pelts. He sat beside her and rubbed his hand over the swollen belly. Sirai didn't seem to mind and laid her head back on the downy pillow. Cedric smiled. "I always loved seeing you pregnant. It's almost as if you haven't changed from the last moments I saw you." He laid his head upon her stomach and listened to the developing child's heartbeat. Sirai closed her eyes, blinking away her emotions. Her face portrayed neither happiness nor sadness. It was merely there. Content perhaps, but just there.

The guard slowly frowned, wishing the baby was his.

He sighed and sat down in the chair in front of his blazing hearth. After poking the coals for a while, making the fire sparkle several times, he grabbed an old ragged quilt and closed his eyes. For the first time in four years, Cedric went to sleep peacefully and slept fully through the night.

The next morning, Sirai woke very early, disturbing Cedric in the process of leaving the bed. As she slipped on her cloak, Cedric muttered, "Where are you going?" She turned around and said, "To the Temple of the One. I have to pay a friend a visit." Cedric shot out of his chair. "Let me take you there! Please…" Sirai gave him a grave look but reluctantly allowed him to escort her.

They soon arrived at the temple and shortly thereafter, whispers about the Champion of Cyrodil filled the air as citizens and priests stared at her. Sirai held her stomach as people bowed their heads to her. Cedric followed behind her, and they entered the temple.

Cedric stood to the side as he watched Sirai walk forward. She knelt at the altar as a priest anointed her with holy water. The hundred foot statue of Akatosh stood at the head of the temple, in honor of Martin Septim's actions. It was, him in fact, when he combined with the divine spirit.

Sirai stared up at it longingly and she thought back to that fateful day.