Lost Legends

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"It can't keep going on like this!" A young woman's voice gasped as two figures dove over a snow drift to avoid detection by passing guards. "We have been fighting for so long that no one even cares anymore!" She added, running her fingers through blue black hair that had already become brittle with the cold.
"Of course they remember, Dex." The young woman's companion replied in an annoyed whisper. "We fight for freedom from the imperial invaders who seek to make us bow down to them!"
The woman who had just been referred to as Dex rolled her grey eyes. "What does it matter who sits on the throne as high emperor? Either way, we're still left down here in the dirt." She added, poking her head up to see if the coast was clear. "The rebellion is just pushing back the tide, sooner or later the imperials will find us all, and execute us as promised."

"Her state may be delicate, but you are the one forcing her to travel through the night!" Ulfric snapped. "Perhaps you should let her rest?"

Dex shook her head, pulling Draco behind the massive trunk of a nearby oak. "We need only evade them a little longer. I am not important, they will not care what becomes of me."

For a moment there was a vulnerable look in Bree's eyes. "Yes. I know." She whispered, taking off her own cloak and wrapping it around her mother's front. "But we are still too close to Windhelm. I at least want to make it to another town before we stop. I will not let those men hurt her the way they did my brother."

Draco could feel the itch. It was all he needed was to spread his wings, to become one with the night. He could have them somewhere warm and safe in no time that way. "It's too risky, Dex." He breathed. "You're still not well."

"No one has even crossed our path since we left Windhelm." Ulfric pointed out. "We could at least let her rest an hour or two." He added, his voice softening somewhat.

"Neither are you." Dex breathed, pressing her fingers to the wound in Draco's side to prove her point. "Don't worry about me... You can rid yourself of me soon enough." She added quietly.

"Why do you care?" Bree asked darkly, though she did take the bag from him. She began setting up the tent in silence, her head down.
"She changed after what became of her brother." The elder elf explained. "My son was a servant at one of the mead halls in Windhelm. Everyone worked so that we could keep warm and eat. One of the men, Rolff Stone-fist, hated him simply because of his race... He told the guards Uselfic had tried to murder him. The guards...killed him on site. Breenan was near enough to witness the entire thing. The men held her back...She has never forgotten it and because of it...I have never seen her smile...It's been four years..."

"You keep saying I want to be rid of you." Draco snapped, grunting at the pain her fingers put on the wound. "And if you touch me like that again, I'll return the favor." He warned in a low hiss.

"I'm sorry I was blond to what was going on in my own hold." Ulfric breathed as he gently set the elder elf down. "I understand what a horror it is to see someone you love, and be powerless to stop it."

"Go ahead." Dex responded in challenge. "But you just proved my point, that right now you are far too weak to be putting yourself at risk!"

The elder woman nodded, tears shining in her aged eyes. "Take care of her when I'm gone, won't you?" She whispered, all but telling him she knew she wouldn't make it through the remainder of the night.

"I am not weak!" Draco shouted angrily. "Never say that I am weak!"

"I owe her that much." Ulfric breathed, taking the old woman's hand gently. "The word of a Nord may not mean much to a Dunmer, but I have allowed awful things to happen. I promise I will keep your daughter safe until she reaches Morrowind."

"Or what?!" Dex shot back, probably the only woman to ever challenge Draco the way she was now.

The old woman closed her eyes, a smile on her lips. She passed away in moments, never even having told him her name.
For the moment, Bree was completely unaware of her mother's passing. She was cursing loudly at the badly built tent that wouldn't stay standing.

Draco narrowed golden eyes at her, all but snarling openly. "I'll kiss you." He threatened. "And I can already tell that would disgust you beyond measure!"

"Here, let me." Ulfric placed his large hands over Bree's as she tried to hold the tent up where it sagged. He didn't tell her about her mother just yet.

Dex arched her brow slightly at this as she held Draco's golden gaze. "You think you know me so well, dragon." She breathed, taking Draco's face between her slender hands as she reached up on tip toes to kiss him firmly. That done, Dex said little else as she turned away, looking for somewhere they could shelter.

Bree looked from the large battle worn fingers back to the man that was practically dragging her back along with the tent pole. It almost terrified her to realize just how much strength this man truly possessed. She'd have to keep a better watch on him unless he really did make good on his threats to kill them. "Thank you." She whispered, something that was very hard for her to say.

Draco was left staring at Dex, his mouth moving as if he were planning to say something. But what could he say? This woman apparently wasn't through surprising him.

"I haven't done anything." Ulfric replied softly. "You did all the hard work." He added, standing back to check the tent was indeed level now. "You should get inside before it gets any colder. I shall bring your mother, then I will keep watch outside." He was avoiding Bree's gaze, knowing she would see the truth about her mother in his eyes.

Dex was shivering as she moved through the overgrown trees of the forest, an arm hugged against her injured ribs as she walked. Draco confused her more than she cared to admit. Now the taste of him was upon her lips again, it was hard to ignore the desire she felt for him. It was only the sight of a tiny, battered old shack that helped take her mind off him.

Bree shook her head. "You will stay and watch over my mother." She said darkly. "I'm not going to let a Nord protect me. I don't trust you not to try and leave."

"I could transform and keep his safe from this wind." Draco reminded her. "It would be easier to do if I had my wings out."

"But you trust me with your mother's... Life?" Ulfric asked. "When did you last sleep?"

Dex shook her head, forcing pen the door of the run down shack. "I just want to sleep..." She whispered, even as her teeth chattered.

"For some reason my mother seems to like you." Bree said, shoving her fingers through her windblown hair. "It's been a day or two...I've gotten a few hours in here and there. My sleep patterns are of little import...And you are in no position to argue with me."

Draco stalked past her, already carrying an armful of logs. "Someone had these cut..." He explained, dumping them in the fire place. Though he knew it was likely to burn the ramshakle shed down, he blew on the logs and they immediately ignited. He would not let Dex freeze to death if he could help it.

"Funny, I was thinking that your tent wouldn't be standing, if it wasn't for me." Ulfric mused with a slight smile as he watched the elf.

Dex was quick the sit in front of the fire, the shivers of her slender frame easing slightly as she held her fingers close to the flames. "For what it's worth... I'm sorry I cause you so much bother."

Bree sighed loudly, shaking her head. "I need to bathe, Nord. When I'm done I'll bring back water for my mother and you. Think you can watch out for her long enough for me to do that?"

"You are no bother. Just...unlucky." Draco chuckled, settling himself behind her and wrapping his arms around her whether she wanted him to or not.

"Oh, I don't know... I know when a woman says she is going to bathe, what she really means is she is going to simply wallow in the water." Ulfric teased. "For at least an hour."

Dex's whole body tensed at the feel of the arms around her, fear gripping her chest. Then just like that, it faded. She sank back against Draco's powerful chest, glad of the warmth he offered her. "Unlucky... The story of my life..." She whispered.

"Nonsense." Bree snorted, already beginning to take off her light armor. "I don't waste time on myself. My mother is the most important thing to me. Really I should be taking care of her first. But...I can't seem to help her when I'm dirty myself."

"All your lives." Draco agreed, resting his chin on her head. "But perhaps this time...you are stronger than you've ever been. Maybe this time we can make a better go of it."

"Then perhaps, for once, you should make time for yourself?" Ulfric suggested, dropping his gaze from Bree when she began removing her armour. "Life is too short to simply middle through... Even for a Dunmer."

"I don't understand." Dex confessed. "How could I be the same person again and again?" She asked, her fingers idlly tracing arcross Draco's forearms where rested against her.

"But not for a Nord?" Bree asked as she tossed aside her chest armor and then her dagger. She was standing before him now in little more than a thin white dress. "You and your kind are so busy trying to run kingdoms and armies. What right have you to tell me to live a life that you don't have any intention of doing?"

"Not the same person." Draco told her, shivering at her touch despite himself. "The same soul. The soul is never tethered to being the same over and over again."

"We do what we do for good reason!" Ulfric suddenly hissed. "Or have you forgotten that the Falmer nearly wiped the Nord people out centuries ago? We lived in peace,t hen one day they simply thought us a threat and attacked!"

"So... I was the princess you spoke of?" Dex breathed, trying to wrap her head around this new information.

"Perhaps they saw something that everyone else was blind to." Bree said as if it were that simple. To signal the conversation was over she removed her dress and dropped it down with her armor. "And don't think of trying anything." She warned as she stepped into the water. "I still control you, Nord."

"The same soul." Draco nodded. "But not the same person. No. The princess was something else entirely." Before he'd thought better of it, he was dropping light kisses on her neck and shoulder.

Ulfric didn't give Bree the courtesy of averting his gaze as she walked to the waters edge. He watched the elf every moment, silently telling himself he did so only because that was how she wanted it.

Dex's long lashes fluttered slightly as she closed her eyes, her head turning slightly to expose more of her slender neck. "I guess... To be a princess... One must be virtuous, in a way I could never be..." She breathed, Draco's light kisses helping in easing the pain she still felt.

True to her word, Bree didn't stay long in the water. But for a brief moment, when she allowed herself to sink into the river she found herself closing her eyes. It was when she did this that a vision came to her, one of the Nord...his battle worn hands sliding across every inch of her body. Her eyes flew open and she shook her head several times. What the hell was wrong with her? Angry she stomped to the shore, ignoring the man completely.

"The virtous part didn't last long." Dex purred, pausing to nibble at her neck. "But then again it never does with me." He added with a chuckle. "Rest now, Dragonborn. You will never heal like this."

"Water too warm for you, ice queen?" Ilfric remarked as Bree stalked past him. "I hardly think you had time to... Enjoy yourself." He added with a knowing smirk.

"But this... Feels..." No further words tumbled past Dex's lips. The Dragnborn had already turned slightly, curled up in Draco's lap now with her head lolling peacefully against his shoulder.

"Your turn." Bree said suddenly, flicking her hand back toward the water. Ulfric would find himself undressing and marching toward the icy water with no way to stop until he'd stepped in belly deep. "Don't forget to scrub behind your ears, Nord." She added cheerfully.

Draco smiled. "Like heaven." He finished for her, kissing her forehead as he held her close to him and fell asleep as well.

Ulfric scowled at Bree from the icy lake. "I'm a Nord! You think a little cold bothers me?" He called to her. "I am in heaven right now!" He added, even if that was far from the truth.

For once, Dex slept through the night, and she had Draco to thank for that. The young woman has slept close against him all night, the steady beat of his heart coupled with his natural body heat aiding her in a peaceful nights rest, which in turn would speed up her healing process.

Bree laughed, though it wasn't a cruel sound.She was teasing him. Her mother would have been pleased. "Is that what pleasure sounds like?" She asked him, picking up his clothes and shaking them out. "Chattering teeth?"

Draco groaned when the morning sunlight began to peer through the cracks in the abandoned shack. He was so warm and so comfortable. He didn't want to get up and have to move them. For once he didn't even want to transform.

"Yes." Ulfric huffed, trying to wade from the water, though Bree's magic wasn't allowing him to. "I am filled with so much pleasure my teeth are chattering!"

Dex murmured quietly, curling closer against Draco's side, her slender arm still draped across his chest. "Just five more minutes..." She mumbled, apparently just as reluctant to move as her companion was.

"Then why don't you wash your entire body and not just the...nether region?" Bree asked him, giving him an impish grin. "That hair is really dirty." She added, flicking her fingers so that he was cupping his hands and pouring the icy water over his head.

Draco purred at this. One of Dex's bare legs brushed his own and he nearly lost control. It was everything he could do to keep himself in check. He wanted his mate and this time he wanted it to last.