Fire And Fangs

Chapter 32

Morgan and Serana made good time as they headed west to Markarth. On the way, they encountered a few Stormcloak patrols and had promptly massacred them all, knowing that Elisif would appreciate their efforts at delaying Ulfrics advances. They did come across a dragon as well, and Morgan still chuckled when it had looked at her and roared before flying away. Serana had smiled, saying she had scared it off.

But their levity vanished when they reached the road that led to the city itself. After two days travel, they were eager to see what had happened in the city, but they weren't prepared for what they encountered as the main gates came into view.

Pillars of dark smoke rose into the air, and the smell of decaying flesh and spilled blood filled the air. Morgan exchanged a look with Serana as they crept towards a rocky outcrop, ignoring the bodies that littered the ground around them. The stables had been set alight, and while they had been of Dwemer construction, the fires that had gutted the buildings had left scorch marks all over the stone itself. At first, Morgan thought it had been a dragon attack, but when she spotted that many of the bodies still had warped daggers and other weapons still buried within them, she knew it was something different.

"There."

Morgan looked at where Serana was pointing and narrowed her eyes as a pair of children were being shoved out of the city gate and left sprawling on the ground. The Stormcloaks that had thrown them were laughing, and that was what triggered Morgans anger once more.

She shifted into her full Vampire Lord form and flew out of the rocky outcrop at a tremendous speed. The first of her victims didn't even see her coming as her fangs ripped his throat out. The second soldier had only managed to unsheathe his weapon before Serana pounced on him in her humanoid form, straddling his waist and draining him dry by biting into his throat.

"What...what devilry is this?!"

Morgan threw the lifeless corpse in her hands into the river nearby, smiling as the slaughterfish within began to feast and quickly grabbed the last Stormcloak by the shoulders and pinned him against a wall, his feet a good three feet off the ground.

"What are YOU doing here is the better question." Morgan snarled, blood dripping from her mouth.

She could smell urine coming from the soldier but her rage was enough to bypass the revulsion she felt towards him. She wanted answers.

"I...I won't tell you," he stammered.

"Still attempting to be brave even though you have let loose of your bowels." Morgan snorted in amusement before embedding one of her pointed wings into his shoulder, breaking the bones around the joint with a sickening crack.

"I'll ask once more boy...and you better be honest." Morgan hissed as she brought his face close to hers.

The Stormcloak started shivering.

"We had a few agents here. The Dragonborn gave the city to the Stormcloaks during the Dragon Crisis. But Tullius managed to secretly regain the city with the help of mages and even the Forsworn. But they didn't know that the Forsworn can be bought. Ulfric offered them riches and even offered them the city. They accepted."

Morgan sighed inwardly. She had had a bad feeling when she had been there at that negotiation table with Tullius and Ulfric exchanging insults like a bunch of children. She had to offer one major city in exchange for another. So she gave Riften to the Imperials and Markarth was given to the Stormcloaks in return. And now that had come to bite her in the arse.

"And what happened since?" she pressed quietly.

The man gulped before speaking, his eyes never straying from her vampiric face.