Turning around, Nate grumbled out to Dumbuk bitterly. "Oh, that guy deserves whatever is coming to him. I can fucking promise you that!" Dumbuk cleared his throat, retorting in a calmer tone of voice. "This clearly isn't one of his good days. And need I remind you that we are losing the war... That is not easy for a man like Isran to take." Nate scoffed, snapping back. "Oh? So, he's another spoiled noble who's never lost before? What a shame. Must hurt a lot to know that the world doesn't revolve around his spoiled rotten-" Before Nate could finish, Tolan approached them and slipped in hopefully. "Are you going help me?" Nate looked over the man, sighing heavily at the thought of getting involved in this mess. Tolan read his expression like a book, blurting out defensively. "Don't judge me like that. Isran already does that enough for both of us. Isran thinks the Vigilantes aren't trained for things like this. He thinks we are soft. That we are cowards. He's of the mind that our deaths proved our weakness! He thinks he's better than me because he left us to form... THIS place." Nate looked back at him with a bit more sympathy. Tolan stared deep into his eyes, telling him with a fire in his voice. "I'm none of those things. And neither was your father. I came here thinking he'd help... but Isran is a spiteful bastard."

Dumbuk snorted lightly but said nothing. Nate straightened up a little more as Tolan told them both firmly. "All my friends are probably dead... but I owe it to them to find out why they attacked us. So, with or without you... I'm going back. I refuse to be as weak as Isran thinks." Tolan started to move between them, but Nate grabbed his arm to stop him. Tolan looked to Nate, who told him seriously. "I'll go with you." Tolan nodded, stating out happily. "Meet me at the stables." Nate nodded in return. The second Tolan slipped out the doors, Dumbuk asked Nate curiously. "You plan to help him? Why?" Nate glance to where Isran had slipped off too, growling out. "Because he insulted me and my father's guild. And when WE solve this. I'm going to sing about it and make Isran eat his words. He has no idea who he's pissed off." Dumbuk raised an eyebrow, asking perplexed. "I don't think I understand... You are a mage, sure... but what can you-?" Nate pushed open the door, looking over his shoulder to answer a bit darkly. "Never underestimate an entertainer. We hold the attention of the masses. Our stories make heroes... and villains."

Making his way out of the castle, Nate winced as the sunlight blinded him briefly. Lowering his hand, he lifted his Daedric wineskin and took a few sips before making his way down toward the stables. Behind him, Dumbuk asked him gruffly. "Should you be drinking so early in the morning? Don't you need a clear head?" Nate licked his dry lips, grumbling out. "It's medicinal." Dumbuk huffed, uttering out under his breath. "I've never heard of such a medical condition." Nate smirked to himself, trying to suppress his chuckle. Reaching the stables, Nate saw Tolan petting a gorgeous white mare and asked aloud. "So, where is the Hall of the Vigilant?" Tolan swung up onto his horse, answering promptly. "South of Dawnstar. About a three or four days ride from here." Nate groaned a little, grumbling out. "Great... That will put our asses just north of Whiterun. Well, maybe we'll encounter this 'fabled' Dragonborn." Tolan smirked, shrugging out casually. "Maybe. But my concern is for the vampires. Not mythical dragons." The stable boy brought out their horses and Nate mounted up. Looking to Dumbuk though, Nate informed him seriously. "We should stock up on supplies for the journey. I won't make it on what I have left."

Dumbuk gave him a distressed look, but Tolan was the one to blurt out. "You're shit out of luck like me. The Dawnguard only supplies the Dawnguard. They flog anyone giving food to outsiders. I already tried to supply here. He can get his supplies. But you and I will have to make a stop in Riften." Dumbuk nodded grimly, causing Nate to blurt out. "Oh... Well, I can see why they are so popular. What does that say about a guild that is supposed to help people." The Stable boy promptly slipped in as Nate turned his horse around. "Isran says we have to look after our people first. We aren't exactly getting funded by anyone else. We have to use our resources wisely." Nate looked at the stable boy, before stating aloud. "Ya... but why do you think that is?" Nate kicked Walter into a trot, but the stable boy called out. "Because people don't believe vampires are real!" Nate shrugged to himself, but still thought it was stupid. Tolan trotted up behind him and Dumbuk followed them. They slowed to a stop, letting Dumbuk go to the fishermen to collect his supplies. While they waited on their horses, Tolan told him a bit grimly. "I didn't catch your name?" Nate leaned on the horn of his saddle, answering without looking at him. "It's Nathan."

Tolan extended a hand into his line of sight to shake his hand. Nate accepted it and Tolan told him openly. "I was friends with your father. You met me once when you were really little... but I don't think you remember it." Nate shook his head. He didn't recall a lot of his dad's friends. Tolan released his hand, discreetly telling him. "I thought I was looking at his ghost when you entered the room. You look so much like him." Nate locked his jaw, looking away from him. He didn't feel like he was anything like his father. Tolan nervously changed the subject by saying grimly. "How good are you at hunting?" Nate raised an eyebrow, asking curiously in return. "Why?" Tolan straightened up on his horse, uttering out a bit ashamed. "Well... I didn't exactly leave the Hall of the Vigilant with pockets of money... and getting here took up what I had. And I don't know about Bards... but I'm guessing a stop in Riften won't help." Nate scoffed, chuckling out nicely. "Speak for yourself. They let me play a song and I eat free." Tolan's jaw dropped, uttering out in shock. "Really? Damn..." Nate chuckled, turning his horse around as Dumbuk rushed back to his horse.

Riding back out of the tunnel, they rode along the dirt path and back toward Riften. As they made it to the stables, Nate stopped to take in the ringing bells and loud cheering in the city. It was unusual for a place that looked so dismal. Dismounting, he asked a guard stationed by the gate. "What's going on?" The guard hiccupped and waved a bottle at him as he slurred out. "Nord tradition. Some poor bastard got hitched." The guards burst into giggles, but Nate grinned out to the others. "Perfect! We arrived just in time!" Tolan stiffened, grumbling out meekly. "But... I'm a holy man. I don't drink." Nate laughed, shrugging out. "You're a Nord! And aren't weddings holy unions? Get your ass down and let's drink." Dumbuk hoped down, giving his horse to the stableman as he huffed out. "You Nords drink too much... but I'm not one to turn down a free drink. Let's go." Nate patted Dumbuk's shoulder, happily stating out. "That's my boy!" Nate handed his horse off to the stableman but stopped to eye a horse in the stable. It looked familiar. It was the scrawny mare from Whiterun. Moving to pet the mare's nose, he heard the stableman chuckle out. "Unique, isn't she? She doesn't belong in this environment... but she's sweet. I think the rider called her... Agro?"

Nate stroked the mare's nose, chuckling out to her. "Agro?" The horse's ears perked up as she stared into Nate's eyes. There was a lot of heart behind those eyes. Giving her a smile, he moved away, telling her sweetly. "If Walter tries to mount you, just offer him food." It made him laugh to see a small bay horse start to snort at Walter aggressively, but Walter was completely uninterested in him. Entering Riften, Nate glanced at the wooden rundown houses. Cockroaches scuttled along the road and a few rats wrestled in an alley. Nate stomped on a roach, then headed to a bridge that overlooked a water cannel with apartment homes below that were nestled snuggly beneath the main city. Dumbuk kicked a rat that ran over his boot, causing a drunken man to scream as it landed beside him. Other Nords laughed drunkenly and carried on with lively conversations. The place did seem cheerier than he'd expected. Slipping into the 'Bee & Barb' tavern, Nate told the others. "Let me handle this. Just find a seat and I'll get us something to drink." Just as they got into the crowded tavern, the place cheered toward the stairs as someone was carried up. Nate chuckled, overhearing a few Nords say aloud drunkenly. "Think we'll hear them? The little one looks like a screamer."

Dumbuk intimated his way into getting a table, while Nate squeezed his way to the bar and leaned on it to ask in a charming voice over the loud drunken crowd. "Hello there! I'm looking for the owner of the place?" The light brown Argonian woman behind the bar quickly pulled bottles out to give to people, while she answered him. "That's me. What do you want?" Nate shrugged, asking aloud as he pointed to his friend's table. "Some drinks for my friends. And maybe you need yourself a Bard?" The Argonian woman straightened up, wiping her brow as she told him honestly. "We could use some music to liven the place, but I'm afraid money is tight... So if you are expecting-" Nate cut her off to happily ask. "We don't need money. Just supplies to last us to Whiterun? Think we can trade? My music, your food?" The Argonian put her hands on her slender hips, negotiating flatly. "I can give you a room and enough fish jerky to get you to Ivarstead. No more, no less." Nate nodded, extending a hand out as he told her excitedly. "Deal!" The Argonian woman shook his hand with a grin, then handed him two bottles. Nate took them, going to the table to tell the others the good news.

They were impressed by his ability to charm people so well, but he didn't stay to dwell on their gratitude. He had work to do. Removing his mandolin, he started to weave a little magic into his work as he set himself up. He only hesitated a little when the hair on his arm rose. He was sensing power... and lots of it nearby. More than he had ever felt before. Scanning the room with weary eyes, he inhaled and began to play. The Nords cheered and danced drunkenly to the song. The more Nate got into the song, they happier be became. Hopping up onto the bar, Nate grew louder until the place was humming with music. Nate used his magic simulate other instruments that he needed to add ambience. The Nords were too drunk to notice and loved every second of his performance. Between songs, Nate drank and laughed with his friends. The place just got wilder and wilder as people got more relaxed from being sloshed. Since regular alcohol wasn't doing it for him, he resorted to his Daedric wine for the buzz he wanted. As it got late, Tolan ushered them to stop partying and get some rest for their ride in the morning. Dumbuk and Nate groaned like two kids being told to go to bed, while Tolan muttered out. "Ya. Ya. Hate me all you want..." Shoving them into a room, they all spread out to find places to sleep.

Tolan laid himself out on the floor and Dumbuk fell across the table, shattering it under his weight and making them all laugh. Nate crawled into the bed by the wall, groaning as the room spun a little bit. He could easily sleep this light buzz off if he could just manage to close his eyes. For a little while he napped, until something woke him. He felt something like static in the air... and it was growing. Sitting up slowly, Nate put a hand on the wall and asked aloud. "Do you feel that?" Tolan was passed out, but Dumbuk got up on his knees and crept to the bed stiffly to ask groggily. "Feel what?" Nate tensed, whispering out. "Feels like..." Before he could finish, a white light pulsed through the wall and struck both him and Dumbuk. As the wave of uncontrolled energy shot through the room, it shattered every window and broke every glass! Nate's body tensed from the sudden rush of an orgasm, causing him to fall backward off the bed with a loud gasp. Even as resist as he was to magic, this overwhelmed him. Landing flat on his back, Dumbuk dropped over him on all fours, groaning like an animal as his eyes glazed over with an orgasm of his own. Nate arched his back, moaning uncontrollably. He'd had some strong orgasms in his life, but this topped them all!

The wave of pleasure was so overwhelming to the senses, that Nate didn't know who had done it first... but as the pleasure faded... he found himself kissing Dumbuk! Knowing he didn't have the strength to push him off, Nate just put a hand to Dumbuk's broad chest. In all his years, he'd never kissed an Orc. He'd been told it was horrible, but they had lied. The most intimidating thing about it was how small be felt compared to Dumbuk in this moment. He worried about his sharp tusks protruding from his bottom jaw, but they were set far enough apart that they didn't affect the kiss. Unlike other men that Nate had been with, Dumbuk's scent was a heavy musk that was a mix between horse and wet grass. As Nate trailed his hand over his broad chest to see if he could gently coax him up without enraging him, his fingers found deep prominent scars. Dumbuk broke the kiss, rising slowly with a look of shock. Nate was more interested in his scars now. He'd never noticed them, but he could see them now. Dumbuk had slashes from what appeared to be a bear or large cat over his pectoral muscle. He had a scar along his shoulder and down his bicep. He had a curled cut along his side and smaller cuts along his neck.

Nate moved the animal skin Dumbuk was wearing to reveal the scar on his side better and let out a low whistle. For the first time, he noticed Dumbuk was fucking ripped! Dumbuk jerked back off Nate, pushing the animal skin down over his ripped abs with a burning blush forming on his cheeks. Nate rose onto his elbows, chuckling out playfully. "How are you still single?" Dumbuk swallowed nervously, covering his lips with a look of pure fright. Nate had seen that look before on girls at the Arcane University. Sitting up more, Nate blurted out completely baffled by the idea. "Oh, by the nine... Was that your first kiss?!" Tolan sat up, asking groggily. "Whoa... What happened here?" Nate chuckled, pointing to Dumbuk as he started to say jokingly. "I think I just stole- AH!" Dumbuk swatted Nate in the balls, causing Nate to double over in pain across the floor. Clearing his throat, Dumbuk rose and gruffly answered. "I'm going to check it out. See if others felt it." Snorting, Dumbuk turned on his heel to leave the room. While Tolan blushed and asked confused. "I just had the weirdest dream... What happened to you two?" Nate huffed, holding his crotch as he strained back. "Oh... You know... Just the usual... I'm used to it." To Be Continued...