Reborn ~an Alduin Love Story~

Promises to Keep

'Mother..' Alduin scoffed. She was anything but. She birthed dragons through the will of the father Akatosh; but she did nothing while he...Alduin growled as he thought of what their father had done to the dov. The treachery he inflicted on his children all to protect the mortals. The reason Alduin tried to become a god in the first place. But that reason was far too horrible for him to admit. Even now it made his blood boil.

And when he went to his mother with his plan to fix what Akatosh had done she turned on him, turning his closest brother against him for the mortals. His hands balled into fists as the betrayal he tried so hard to forget washed over him. They were all traitors.

But that wasn't important. Compared to what his mother, Vulsaqhonvol (dark crimson horror), most likely had planned Alduin's actions would look like a child's tantrum. If she was truly back, nothing good could possibly come of it for dov or joor alike.

There's no telling what might happen if he went to her temple. But if he didn't, they had seen Sizaa. Which meant she was in grave danger. With so much clouding his thoughts all Alduin knew for certain was he needed to see his Kulaas. He needed to know she was safe.

Though what he saw when he found her was not what he was expecting. His heart started to pound in panic, thinking the man standing over her was an agent of the cult sent to harm her in some way.

"Kulaas...what's happening?" Sizaa turned around and started to answer but Davorin pushed himself in front of her.

Davorin frowned at Alduin finding something strangely familiar about the man he was sure he had never met before. But those eyes...those pools of swirling blood that seemed to tear through ones very soul, he had definitely seen before.

"Who are you, stranger?" Davorin was stepping closer to Alduin, his hand playing with the hilt of his steel greatsword.

"I could ask the same of you." Alduin adverted his gaze to Sizaa.
"Kulaas...come away from him."

"Oh now you want me near you? First you send me away and now you tell me to come?" Another outburst. Another moment of foolishly wasted words. Atleast that's what Arngeir would have told her. She'd nod her head obidiently and apologize for dishonoring the ways of the voice. But now, she didn't care the least bit. She was angry, and she was going to show it. "I am not your slave nor your pet World Eater!" Her hand flew to her mouth as she realized what she had let slip. Guess there was such a thing as foolish words.

"World eater?" Davorin snarled drawing his blade and launching himself at Alduin. Alduin dodged his attack with ease, butting the hilt of his sword into Davorin's stomach and knocking the wind out of him.

He snarled again. "You always did fight dirty, Worm!" He swung for Alduin's head but he ducked down, hitting the warrior's knee hard enough to make it buckle beneath him and lose his balance.

"I don't have time for you." Alduin sounded calm but Sizaa could see the rage in his eyes as he finally pulled out his own weapon. Upon sight of it Davorin froze, recognizing the blade as Aeroaunt's instantly. Alduin took his pause as an opportunity and brought his sword down towards Davorin's neck.

"Unslaad slen gron (unending flesh bind)!" Sizaa shouted, temperarily paralyzing the fighters, growing tired of the both of them. "I don't care what your issues are with each other," she pointed at Alduin, "you've got far larger problems with me. And you," she turned to Davorin, "what IS your problem?"

"That sword..Aeroaunt lost it in Sovengard. She said she stabbed you with it, landing the killing blow, and then it disappeared with your soul." Alduin glanced down at his blade. He had no idea how it had come into his possession he only knew the burning need to keep it with him that he felt when he held it.

'Aeroaunt?' Alduin frowned in confusion having no idea who he was referring to. "Who?"

"The Dovahkiin?" It was Sizaa who answered, releasing Alduin from his frozen form.

"You know the dovahkiin?" Alduin's voice sounded far too hopeful as he approached Davorin. He was decent with a blade now that he was growing more accustomed to his human body but there was no way he could defeat the entire cult and his mother if it came to it without help. Sizaan was powerful but he couldn't bring her anywhere near such danger. As much as he despised the idea the dovahkiin was his only chance. "Where is she?"

"You should know. You probably had a hand in killing her!"

"She's dead?" Alduin and Sizaa gasped at the same time.

"Who could possibly be powerful enough?" Sizaa couldn't believe it. As powerful as the girl was there was no way she could be killed.

"I don't know who they are. All I know is what they wore: a black cloak embroidered with a red dragon."

Sizaa looked to Alduin who seemed deeply lost in thought. He knew who they were which meant he knew where to find them. Would he share that information? Sizaa couldn't question him, not here, not with Davorin listening if Alduin truly meant to keep it a secret.

"If I lead you to them, will you allow me to speak with them before you try to enact your vengence?" Sizaa's mouth dropped to the floor at Alduin's proposal. He was going to tell the man who had a hand in his death what he wouldn't confess to her? Sometimes she could just slap him. Too many secrets for her liking and whether he told her what they were or not Sizaa vowed to find them out.

Davorin was laughing so hard his body shook. At least as much as it could under her spell. "Do you think I'll fall for that Worm?" He needed too. Or at least agree to go with him if Sizaa was going to find out what was going on.

"Look, believe it or not, Alduin isn't the dragon you remember. He wants to help...in whatever is going on that he refuses to share with me." She growled the last part to Alduin who had moved to standing behind her. His expression softened slightly in guilt as he stared down into the betrayal she felt and was trying to hide. He knew the feeling. But he wouldn't risk her following.

"You poor love-stricked little girl. You really believe that don't you? Why would I ever help you or the Serpent?"

"Because if you don't," Sizaa sighed again turning her back to the both of them and walking down the path. "I won't release you. And nothing will break that bind until I do."

That was enough to make him consent, though Davorin didn't belive a word out of either of them. The serpent was undoubtedly lieing, and about far more than the girl suspected. Pretending not to remember him or the Dovahkiin's name? As if that were possible when he traveled a girl that looked exactly like her. Sizaa released him and he trailed behind her, putting himself between her and Alduin. The dragon probably planned to kill the girl and Davorin would be there when that day came.

It didn't take them long to reach Whiterun and settle into the inn for the night. There was no sign of Delphine which didn't surprise Davorin, the blonde always was eager to be rid of him.

There were only two rooms available so Sizaa and Alduin shared one, while Davorin took the one beneath them. Sizaa bid him goodnight and he muttered some snide comment about her sleeping with a dragon that almost resulted in another battle between he and Alduin.

But she called him in and brought him to their room, offering him the bed while she prepared a cot for herself on the floor. Alduin refused her offer, not budging until she accepted to sleep on the bed.

A few hours later when he was certain she was asleep he rose from his cot.

"I'm sorry, Kulaas." Alduin whispered placing a gentle kiss on her sleeping forehead before beginning to walk away. He stopped in the doorway, pausing to glance back at her one last time, hoping one day their paths would cross again. But he couldn't risk denying his mother and ending her life.

Davorin stirred something telling him to awaken. He listened closely to the footsteps above him: heavy and ill paced. Definitely not Sizaan leaving. Peaking out of the crack in his door as Alduin left Sizaan's room and disappeared out of the inn. He sighed feeling pity for the girl who was naive enough to trust the serpent.

Davorin waited a long moment wanting Alduin to get a decent head start before shadowing the dragon. He knew full well Alduin would betray their promise. Now, he needed only wait and let the serpent lead him directly where he wanted to be.