Completed Book Two. Nosdyn Saga.

[Deleted member 2578]

He came to a few hours later when the migraine subsided...it felt familiar yet different at the same time.

He didn't feel the familiar presence so that was something new.

"Hello beautiful." He weakly tells Anya seeing her heat signature...he truly missed sight. "I've been such a burden..." He sighs but merely rests as he recovers his strength. He was prone to migraines and headaches periodically but he had never got one that severe except for that time in his final battle with Skotadi.

He looks at her calmly, trying to find his reason to keep on fighting...trying to find his why for it all.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

She sighed happily as he spoke, “are you okay? What happened?”

She gripped his hand worriedly.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

"Headache...a really bad one." He tells her casually. "I didn't feel Skotadi that time though was I think stress and whatever." He told her.

"I've just been trying to do too much, trying too hard." He says to her. "When we take the mines over like I intend for us to do...that will be my final order as Vampire Lord. I am not fit for this title. I've been a burden on everyone." He sighed and moved so he was slightly more comfortable.

"To me it is no longer an issue of being view weak or strong...I have lost the desire to fight." He says to her finally, plainly. "I am a liability."

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

She looked on him sympathetically, “you’re not a burden Nos, and you certainly aren’t a liability. If retirement is what you want, you’ve earned it, and we will name a steward until our next child may step in.” She rubbed her gut when she said this, already a few months pregnant. “Your women will follow you Master. We always will. And if retirement is your desire, so will it be. But please, you are neither a liability or a burden.”

She took his hand gently.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Little didn’t they know that the attack soon to come would hit only after he had retired, and he would have to return to power and fight off the invaders, or leave his people to them.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He looks at her calmly and nods. "I thank you...you are my light." He tells her truthfully.

But for Nosdyn it was a time of darkness, he was facing an inner battle with himself.

She'd be able to sense his turmoil and his thoughts.

But he faced these all with dignity. He carefully studied his wife and sighed. He was content to be there he was, but there was a higher motivation now. He wanted the endless conflict to stop. He knew the war would not be able to be sustained forever and eventually he'd make a mistake that would cost them too much.

He'd already mis stepped and he would always hold himself accountable, even if his loved ones did not see it like he did.

He was most harshest on himself.

The mine would wait until after his retirement was sorted and there was a proper successor in place. The news of Anya's second pregnancy made Nosdyn happy and relieved that he'd done that right.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

She sensed his turmoil. “Nos. Please. Come to bed with me. Let me help you calm down and relax. You’re far too hard on yourself and I want to Help you.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

(He is already in bed just fyi)

He pulls her into the bed with him.

He wraps his arms around her and pulls her close to him. His hand resting on the small of her back. He listen to the sound of her breathing. He kisses her forehead gently. "I am glad you are with children once more." He says that deliberately sensing the unborn within her. He massages her gently. "You've already saved me Anya in more ways than you will ever known."

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

She allowed herself to be pulled into a hug. She burrowed into his side happily, “I’m glad to bear your children Nos. It is a privilege to be yours.”

She herself began to massage his shoulders, trying to help him relax.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He nods.

"The honor is always mine as well." He says to her truthfully. Come what may, he was ready.

He wraps his arms around her waist sighing happily. He knew he'd been blessed with a prolonged life because of his vampirism. He'd already seen and done much. He melted into her embrace. Seeing her heat signature, studying her. Those memories and more he would always take with him with whatever happened next.

He knew enemies waited for him the shadows...

That's how it would always be but maybe he could just walk away once his war was done.

Someone far more deserving than him could take up the mantle of Vampire Lord and continue to lead their people where he had failed.

He kisses her softly, his wife.

Through it all he'd maintained true loyalty to her.

He kissed her neck gently and softly at that point. He knew there was a storm coming. And he would be ready to face it as always. With the people he loved by his side.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

He nods.

"The honor is always mine as well." He says to her truthfully. Come what may, he was ready.

He wraps his arms around her waist sighing happily. He knew he'd been blessed with a prolonged life because of his vampirism. He'd already seen and done much. He melted into her embrace. Seeing her heat signature, studying her. Those memories and more he would always take with him with whatever happened next.

He knew enemies waited for him the shadows...

That's how it would always be but maybe he could just walk away once his war was done.

Someone far more deserving than him could take up the mantle of Vampire Lord and continue to lead their people where he had failed.

He kisses her softly, his wife.

Through it all he'd maintained true loyalty to her.

He kissed her neck gently and softly at that point. He knew there was a storm coming. And he would be ready to face it as always. With the people he loved by his side.

She hummed. She continued to massage the tension out of his muscles. And she continued to do this until there was no tension left. She kissed him back. “When the second child is born, we will retire to the mines. All of your women will follow you.”

When he had relaxed, she cuddled into his side. “I respect your desire to retire, and I agree that you deserve it. But do not think that you must because you have failed. You have done more for these people than anyone else. And I promise you, they will be sad to see you go.”

Meanwhile, the woman he had named Ellsa, was pacing in her chamber. Her surety in her task failing thoroughly.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

The night that Nosdyn recovered from his sudden headache, he looked at Anya sleeping against him.

Retiring to the mines sounds like a good idea...a really good idea. It's better than jumping at my own shadow all the time. I hate this, gods. He thinks to himself as he held her close to him. His loving wife. He massages her gently. Looking at nothing in particular.

He considers what should be his next move...

But he is glad that whatever comes next he will not face it alone.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

He’d hear a knock on his door, soft and nervous. When he answered, he’d see Ellsa there. “Can I talk to you please. I... there’s something I need to tell you.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He saw Ellsa and nods at her.

"Yes, let me just get dressed and be more presentable." He puts on his clothing quickly and walks towards Ellsa, notably though, he had his guard up he hadn't fully trusted others because of Morgana's betrayal.

He walks over towards Ells and nods. "Come with me to my office we can speak freely there." He tells her.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

She stood out of his way as he exited the room and lead her to his office. When they arrived and the door was closed, she took a deep breath and steeled her nerves. “I’m sorry. I know that it won’t be enough to make up for it, but I’m sorry.”

She turned around to face him, but she couldn’t meet his gaze. “I... I was planted, in the mayor’s home, he was working for someone, another vampire lord. I was told to act as a spy for him. But I can’t do it, and I felt like I had to tell you.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He listened to everything she had to say. "I somewhat had a feeling that was the case." He nods. "Listen...we're all fighting a war that cannot be sustained." He explains to her. "There are bound to be innocents who get wrapped up in this needless conflict."

He stood up and walked in front of his desk to face her, her heat signature was dim because only recently she'd started to eat well.

"You have done nothing wrong." He tells her.

Suddenly...voices pierce the veil of his mind.

He listens to something far away. This was not Skotadi but something else, something that had always been there far longer than Skotadi.

He had not heard that voice for a long time...not since the mines.

Too much to loose now young soldier... The voice that was not Skotadi says calmly.

Nosdyn listened to the voices of his ancestral people. I am afraid. He responds back.

You don't fight alone anymore...we have pierced the veil for you. To show you the truth. The voices said calmly.

He looks at Ellsa calmly now. "When I saved you, you had no freedom and no name. I cleaned you myself and you became one of us. Can you set your deal with this other Vampire Lord aside and trust me now?" He asks of her.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

“It isn’t that I don’t trust you. He... he threw me at you after taking me from a prison he calls the Abyss. He keeps people there for any perceived slight. He threatened to put me back in there. Your forgiveness is undeserved by me. Thank you. And I’m sorry.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He frowns at that point.

It was not about forgiveness or being forgiven. He'd not said anything about that. He stands up at that point carefully keeping a distance from her. "Return to your chamber, I will decide what will be done after." He said calmly to her. He was not angry...she was placed there to spy, as little more than a play thing in a mad man's toy collection. He wasn't angry.

He looks at Ellsa. "It is my decision who is to be worthy of forgiveness or not." He tells her before he leaves the chamber to go outside, he needs some fresh air of the night...it was getting to him the stupid game of subterfuge. Their opponent lacked honor he thinks as he walked outside of the castle by himself.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

She realized that she had assumed too much. “Yes my lord.”

She bowed and left. She returned to her chamber, anticipating that she be thrown into the cells beneath the castle. She’d deserve it too.

On the balcony, Nosdyn was no longer alone. Anya stood behind him, having shadowstepped to his office. She wasn’t there for the conversation, but she didn’t have to be. Her husband’s thoughts told her everything.

“We can’t just forgive her outright Nosdyn. She did right by coming forward, and perhaps forgiveness can be given, but until our enemy is vanquished we cannot let her walk free.” She walked to his side. “If you wish to be lenient, a cell is something to be considered.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He looks carefully at Anya and nods. "My wife."

He smiles softly at her. "It is a nice night tonight." He tells her calmly. But she would be able to tell, the subterfuge game was messing with his head. He'd lost much because of the endless war. He didn't want anymore innocents to get caught up in their struggle. "She mentioned an abyss like prison." He tells her.

"Maybe that's nothing maybe it's something. But we cannot ignore that detail. If our enemy is using more would be pawns against us." He sighs at that point. Then he looks out towards the darkness. "We will decide Lady Ellsa's fate after." He tells her calmly. "I suspect her fate won't be my only decision we will have to make together anyway." He looks at her.

"How is Conrad?" He asks, was a mere question and he sincerely wanted to know. "After this is all over with we can get together as a family especially because you are carrying again." He explains.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

“Conrad left yesterday.” She said calmly. “Ellsa could be telling the truth or lying. There is a way to find out. I will question her, no harm will come to her rest assured, but she will answer and she will answer truthfully.”

She says back, “but yes. We can be a family once we’re done.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He nods at that point...his edge was there Anya had trained him far more effectively by that point.

"Do it." He tells her simply. "I will wait here after you get the results back. I just need to think for a wile longer what to do about this whole situation." He says to her after he kisses her deeply and nods.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Anya self’s nods, and disappears. She allowed him time, while she interrogated Ellsa. She didn’t lie. There was indeed a prison called The Abyss. And from what she understood, it was the worst prison to be stuck in. The place was without light, and radiated fear, and terror. And torture was commonplace.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

A hunch....he'd had a hunch at that point. Lyssa was amongst their newest recruits in the library. He impulsively goes to check on his beloved Lady Tia and their library. He had to make sure that Ella was acting alone and she was the only one...

He entered his library and immediately goes to seek Lady Tia and Lady Lyssa...nobody could be trusted outside of his inner circle, and he had to be certain Tia was safe. "Lady Tia." He calls out to her.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Tia responded. “Yes master?”

Then she saw his expression. “What’s wrong.”