Dovah's Mate

One

The first thing Calida encountered in the world she found herself in was the sight of a grotesque creature hunched over and consuming something distinctly not an animal. It turned towards her as if sensing her gaze upon it. She really wished it hadn't. It had a large bulb head and a manic grin set upon it's grey face, pointed ears turned downwards. It wasn't just a creature, but a monster. 

Calida quickly tried to scramble backwards from where she'd been lying, catching her coat sleeve on something, yet she refused to take her eyes of the creature for even a moment. 

"Talos!" Calida hisses as reaches for the dagger at her waist, spinning it in her palm to strike upwards at the monster as it advances towards her. 

It's never a good sign to be attacked as soon as one arrives. 

"I'll burn you! Stay back!" Calida threatened, a rumble building in her throat as she prepared to shout. 

Well, at least there was something to her advantage.  

It still advanced. 

With smoke building in her throat, Calida opened her mouth and forced her Thu'um into the world. 

"YOL!" 

A great deal of flames came forth form Calida's mouth, causing the monster to shriek as fire burnt away at it. 

Getting upwards to one knee, sleeve still caught and dagger clutched tightly, Calida exhaled black smoke from her nostrils into the air, warmth still curling at the back of her throat. 

"YOL TOOR!" 

The world pushed back hard against Calida with the second word of Fire Breath, taking whatever air remained from her lungs as she struggled for a moment to exhale the remnants of black smoke from her throat. Fortunately, the monster collapses into a burnt pile of bone and ash some feet away from where Calida still remained kneeling. 

And here she was, having missed the excitement of 'adventuring'. Should just have Odahviing throw her into a wall next time to convince her otherwise. 

Yet, she was here for Ciri. 

Calida turned her focus to her sleeve, tugging It free from a broken spear embedded into the soft ground of where she'd landed. It was decent luck it hadn't been stabbed into the ground face down or that she hadn't landed directly on it. 

Wouldn't put it past any of the Daedra. 

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The lands the Dragon Queen found herself in were cold, almost tricking her into thinking it was Skyrim- until a monster would attack her. 

The damn things would not stop no matter how many she had burnt. 

Calida exhaled smoke from her lungs once more, feeling the warmth remaining curled in her chest as she traveled. It wasn't as cold as Skyrim, yet Calida's fur armor wasn't meant for long time exposure. She'd already been traveling for three days without rest, how much longer would it take to reach civilization? 

Unlacing her fur armor a bit, Calida reached underneath to find the pouch at her belt where the rest of her rations were. Calida had to begin hunting soon, but she would hold off for as long as she could. She'd need to preserve her arrows until she could reach civilization. 

Chewing on a piece of Horker jerky, Calida continued walking, reaching the rise of a snowy hill. Peering out over the vast distance in front of her, Calida exhaled a sigh of relief as she spotted looming architecture due North. It would take her only a day or so more to reach it hopefully. 

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Hopefully Ciri is alright. 

Calida hissed as she pressed a hand over where her heart lied, feeling the ache that came with the knowledge of her daughters being in danger. Karlieyah had the entirety of Skyrim at her back, ready to shed blood for the beloved DovahKiir, yet Ciri supposedly had these Witchers as her only allies. Her white-haired daughter had also spoken fondly of a Sorceress named 'Yennefer', who she almost viewed as a second mother. 

In another life, Calida would have been jealous of such a relationship, yet with age came wisdom and understanding. 

An understanding that Calida owed her deepest gratitude to Yennefer, for giving Cirilla love and affection that Calida was unable to. 

As well, Cirilla had reassured her mother of the paternal affection she received from a Witcher named 'Geralt of Rivia', who she held a great deal of respect and love for. Calida hadn't the heart to speak of Miraak, Ciri's birth father, for fear of saddening her long-lost daughter even further. 

Otherwise, it seemed Calida also owed Geralt her gratitude. 

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I am almost there.

Calida was closing the remaining distance between her and this village with a steady pace, feeling fatigue press down on her shoulders. Would this village allow her to barter for shelter for a night or two? Calida did have a decent amount of Skyrim currency on her person, yet would it be able to pass as gold anyways? 

Calida approached what seemed to be a guard standing watch by a narrow path leading down to the docks, keeping her hands at her side. 

"Excuse me." Calida spoke, the guard swilving his head down a bit to focus on her, given that she stood only a little shorter than eye level. Her voice was calm, if only a bit raspy from lack of water, as she continued.

"Can you tell me where we are?" 

The guard snorted and replied in a guttural accent, that thankfully was still in Common, "How can ye not know where ye are?" 

Calida had to bit back a sarcastic response, something along the lines of 'You don't answer a question with a question', and gave a partial truth. 

And by partial, Calida lied through her teeth. 

"My ship was attacked and I washed ashore farther South." 

"How far South?" 

"Nearly a week by foot." 

The guard didn't respond and Calida could nearly taste his surprise in the air. Which is fair, she mused, Calida presented herself as nobility most of the time. It was when she was in her own court that she portrayed her mantle of the Dragon Queen.

Her white fur armor, silver chain with a three headed dragon pendant draped from shoulder to waist, and numerous braids helped with the nobility assumption. 

Her quiver of arrows, bow and Dragonbane strapped to her back did not. 

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