The night was refreshing against Arela's skin, as the breeze brushed between her exposed fingers, and the air had a soft chill that ran up her spine and hid between her shoulder blades leaving her with a shiver.
Arela had left Castle Volkihar an hour ago to get the Blood Stone Chalice, but the need for supplies has caused Arela toside track to Solitude.
It felt unnatural to walk amongst people again now that she was a vampire. Arela's need to retreat to her house Proudspire eclipsed her desire for blood; though her throat felt as if needles were being driven into her esophagus.
Solitude was thought to be the most beautiful city in Skyrim; with its intricate brick work on the buildings and the fancyspires that towered in the sky, with the sallow colored shingles lined on the roofs like dragon scales.
The blue-graystone gave the city a dark complexion, and an old powerful feel. But every buildingwas accented with vegetation from ferns to moss and even small mountain flowers of every color she could think of; this flowers were bright and wonderful with her enhanced vision.
The city walls around were high, with moss curtaining down the walls highlighting the thick graystones. The walls look like theycould touch the shadowynight sky, they were too tall, so tall they seemed to mix withthe back splash of mountains in whichthe cityhad been tucked into.
Arela got frustrated with Solitude; there was no escaping the city, the main exits were always coveredwith outrageous amounts of guards. It was onlytoo often tohear about guards killing fellow thieves; it always made Arela feel fortunate to be blessed by Nocturnal. Her mistress would never be as cruel to allow her to be caught in this city. She hoped.
She weaved between merchants, drunks and city folks, trying not toknock anyof them over, because causing a disturbance was the last thing Arela desired.
She quicklymade her waydown the gravelly cobblestone path; passing the hanging lanterns that linedthe streets. The lantern light irritated her pale skinned hands, which was the only skin exposed in Arela's armor.
She steadied her pace once her house was in view.
Arela stared at Proudspire Manor; the elegant look of the house was something that Arela would never get use to.
Manyin the Guild saidArela had spent the Eyes of the Falmer well. But the house never felt like a home toher, so she had decided to make Proudspire a Guild safe house in Solitude.
The house itself contradicted her style, she had lived in Riften her whole life where everything was simple and rustic. Proudspire was nothing but expensive, cold andhollow emptyspace.
Though now she was pleased at the houses convenient location to Castle Volkihar, so she didn't have to travel all the wayto Riften toget supplies.
When Arela had attemptedto buypotions, Feran had dumpedeverybottle of value on the floor just to spite her. So searching through her house in Solitude had seemed like a great bet.
Arela ascended the steps to the front door; the decorative metal work on the front door made the house seem more inviting than it actually was.
Arela pushed the doors open and entered the stuffy sitting room; the roomhad only enough space for a basic chair and table. A juniper tree had fanned its branches wildly from the planter pot. It was wild and untamedfromlackof being trimmed.
The limestone colored bricks left the room feeling veryprimitive and yet chalky. It lacked a natural feeling of soft and relaxing; making Arela feeling like she was trapped in a stone box.
This was where her housecarl, Jordis, had spent most of her time, and currently she was sitting in the roomreading a book.
InstantlyJordis reacted to the sound of an intruder; her hand shoot for the steel sword attached to her belt. But the tensioned relaxed when Jordis had finally recognizedArela in her Nightingale armor.
