Rise of the Dragonborn

Chapter One- Joining the Cause

I rode up to the entrance of Dayspring Canyon; I had never dared venture to these parts before; too far from home for comfort. Luckily, I had Onmund; my loving, devoted husband of 2 years by my side. We had met at The College of Winterhold 3 years prior as new students. I had recently been given my Amulet of Mara and he took instant notice, we courted for a while and eventually married in the eyes of Mara. Onmund was a very loyal character, long dark hair in two thin braids. He wore his beige and grey mage robes everywhere he went; I had to buy his novice hood from him because he wouldn't take it off. We had started a great life together; I was unable to have children so we adopted two, Sofie and Samuel. We had everything; however my life as the Dragonborn, leader of the Thieves Guild, a member of The Companions, Thane of Whiterun and Falkreath and loyal subject to Ulfric Stormcloak himself had really taken its toll on my ability to be a family person. That is why I decided to join the Dawnguard.

I had known for a while now that vampires, like the dragons, had been popping up around Skyrim and attacking the settlements and cities. The guards around Riften had informed me that somewhere outside Riften they were reforming the Dawnguard; the guild dedicated to the destruction of the vile race infecting and slaughtering Tamriel's people. What spurred me to join was what had happened a few days before travelling to Dayspring; We were all sat around the flicking flames of our fire pit, laughing and just enjoying family life for once as I had been away fighting for the freedom of Skyrim from the empire, being a Nord family, we saw it best to support our people in their cause. At around 10pm, the children went to bed. As we closed their door, our housecarl Lydia came screaming down the stairs "Vampires! Vampires! They've launched a raid on Whiterun!" Onmund screamed at me to go upstairs with the children but, being Whiterun's Thane, I raced out into the blood-stained streets, only to see carnage. Bodies lay strewn across fences, walls, the living in a fit of utter panic, their family and friends' souls now roaming the planes of Oblivion.

As I looked around in complete disbelief that this was my home, being torn apart one innocent at a time by these monstrosities, I caught a glimpse of one of the vampires staring from the corner of the Drunken Huntsman. His eyes, a mesmerising golden colour, unlike any vampiric eyes I had ever seen in all my years. They weren't angry, hateful eyes like his accomplices but a soft, almost fearful regretful glance, as if he were as much in disbelief as I. The shadows hugged him tightly, so I could not see his full being. I could just make out ruffled black hair, fitting for a vampire. I hadn't realised just how long I had been looking at this Devine-like creature but I suddenly became aware that he was requiting the glance I had given him. It was as if the raid and the world with it were moving in slow motion around us, me and this stranger in our little bubble, trying to figure each other out.

I could hear a muffled voice from behind me, despite being near enough pinned against Breezehome's entrance. The shouting became louder, and louder and with that I felt arms whip around my chest in what seemed like a split second, those strong arms winded me greatly, Onmund's arms. "What were you bloody well thinking!" he was shaking just as much as I was, I tried to catch my breath but it seemed almost lost to the stagnant air of the house, "I... I don't know I'm sorry," A sudden thought dawned; "Where are the children!" My eyes frantically scanning the room, "Onmund, where are they" His eyes turned soft, "You're such a mother" He shuffled and beckoned them forward, both trying not to show their fear. I embraced them as tightly as my shaken bones could take.

I never shook the feeling that there was something about that vampire that was just... well... enticing, but I put it down to it being a way to catch their prey; by luring them in and going for the deathly blow.

I dismounted my beautiful piebald clydsdale mare Sweetpea as Onmund took my hand into his much larger ones for reassurance and gave me a beaming smile, the one that could melt even the toughest Hagraven's cold heart. We entered the narrow, winding cave leading to Clearspring Canyon; I had no knowledge of what lay beyond this ice-gripped channel but whatever it was, I would soon enough find out.

The light was dawning ahead of us. I drastically increased my speed with anticipation with my follower close at my heels. The cave mouth opened to reveal a breathtakingly beautiful sight. To the right of the entrance were the most gorgeous lake and cascading waterfalls coming from what looked like a pure blue ice glacier. To my left were elegant blossom trees that looked like no other I had seen in Skyrim before. Dancing above our heads were the ballet dancers of the insect world, the tiny but magnificent Luna moths, with their bright, luminous fairy like wings. It took me a long while to catch my breath while I took in the true beauty we had stumbled into.

We began to tread carefully through the seemingly untouched and untainted corner of our world, striking elk and deer crossing our path without appearing startled in the slightest, rabbits cruising across the landscape. It was amazing to think such a peaceful place existed in such a tainted, war-stricken world as ours.

As we reached the end of the lake, I caught sight of a lone man by the banks. I became stiff, preparing for a ruthless confrontation, bringing out the ugly side of this haven. The stranger dressed in hide armour and farming boots, startled and turned to face us. My own fears reflected in his, he was no threat. "Oh, hey there! You here to join the Dawnguard too?" He said shakily but the hope was prominent in his voice "Truth is, I'm a little nervous. I've never done anything like this before. I hope you don't mind if I walk up with you." His eyes shifted to a child-like expression of pleading and optimism "Of course, I thought I would be the only one here, to be honest with you, I wasn't much looking forward to the meeting myself" As I answered, the real reason I was in this tiny corner of heaven was for a much more sinister one than sightseeing. "My name is Agmaer, and yours?" His face lit up with a smile as he proudly stated his name, I couldn't help but smile as if at a small child, Onmund answered his question while I was in my own little world "Onmund, and this is my love, Sárkány."

We continued forwards toward the great castle that struck out from the silver canyon walls. It stood majestically and so beautifully as if straight out of the bedtime stories my father would tell me when I was but a child, longing to leave our little village. The elk; still bounding about around us, as we came ever closer to becoming vampire hunters. Onmund could see the wonder, nervousness and determination in my eyes as he held me close to him and Agmaer smiled as he saw me in my husband's arms, by the look on his face he has never had a girl he can really love, or found the right girl with an amulet of Mara.

We reached the majestic entrance, behind which was the next chapter in our lives. Two guards stood at the door, they didn't seem like the usual guards you see wandering the holds. They opened the towering doors and we entered the dark, almost hauntingly cold passageway.