Chapter 12: Checkmate

Previously: Alythia

Viktoriyah was summoned next, leaving Sybille Stentor with the gleeful task of introducing Selara Vantinia to Lord Harkon. She figured Valerica would like to ask why she was back at court so soon, to which Viktoriyah would take great pleasure in telling her why.

 

But to her surprise, Valerica was not alone. The grim matriarch was with Vingalmo and Katarinya, and she had no idea what this could possibly be about.

 

"You summoned me, my Lady?" 

 

"I just have one question," Valerica began, and Viktoriyah noted a subtle tremble in the ancient vampire's voice. "Where did you go after Harkon confiscated your life's work?"

 

Viktoriyah stared at her for a moment, first processing the question, then disbelieving, then finally laughing. 

 

"It must have been hard," Valerica continued, when Viktoriyah kept laughing. "You went to such great lengths to protect yourself. After all, on the surface, you were perfectly innocent. It looked like Katarinya was a thief which, technically, she was. But you were the one who was punished while she spent centuries living a lavish life all across Tamriel."

 

That ended Viktoriyah's laughter. She looked at them, each of them: first Valerica, then Vingalmo, then Katarinya, then back to Vingalmo. His eyes met hers, beseeching. And she could feel Katarinya shaking behind her.

 

Her jaw tensed, red eyes flashing in annoyance, but she didn't speak.

 

"Alythia," Vingalmo gently began, "you didn't have to do... all this." He gestured at her appearance. "You could have come back as you were. You could have come to me."

 

She glared him back into silence. 

 

"For centuries I carried this shame, thinking I ruined your life, and I couldn't even find you to apologize," Katarinya said over her shoulder. "I thought --"
 

"No one cares what you think," Viktoriyah suddenly snapped at her. "No one has ever cared what you think, Katarinya, or Amani, or Aminah, or whatever the hell your name really is. You were not welcomed into the countless beds of lords and ladies because you could think! You were a pretty face who could suck and fuck, and even humans knew that's all you were good for!"

 

The room seemed to quake at the shrillness of her outburst. Now Viktoriyah was the one trembling, trembling with rage that had been festering for centuries.

 

"You want to know where I went?" she growled, looking at a shaken Valerica. "I tried to continue my work. I tried to reconstruct decades of research. But not even the College of Whispers nor the College of Winterhold had the resources I needed -- only Volkihar. But I couldn't come back, Vingalmo," she snapped again, looking at him. "I couldn't come back, I couldn't come to you. Do you even remember how you reacted back then, when she left? You drowned yourself in bottles of blood and brandy. You had neither the power nor even the presence of mind to help me!"

 

"And me?" Valerica asked. "Why didn't you come to me? I wanted her gone as much as you."

 

"No, you didn't," Viktoriyah spat, rolling her eyes. "She annoyed you. But me? She infuriated me. Katarinya made me absolutely fucking livid, because the one man -- the cleverest man -- was inexplicably besotted with her!"

 

 

"When it was clear I could no longer be the mage I once was, I joined the Dark Brotherhood," she told them. "I needed new skills, a new identity. I recycled Vingalmo's accent, gave them a Breton name, and they welcomed me with open arms. But it wasn't until I returned to Volkihar, to the pitch black armor of Volkihar, that I finally felt like myself again."

"But you're not yourself," Vingalmo protested. "Look at you! You changed your hair, your face, your form -- everything!"

 

Viktoriyah was amused. "How do you know this isn't my real face?" she challenged, smirking when they responded with silence. "And Viktoriyah's no more my real name than Alythia," she snickered.

 

"What do you want?" Valerica asked finally. "You already know what I want. I want you to come back and resume your work. Volkihar needs mages like you. We lost so many the day Harkon seized your research. And yet more refused to come here for fear they'd suffer the same fate. You can keep your new identity to avoid the stigma of the past, Viktoriyah. And Harkon --"

 

"Oh, we took care of Lord Harkon, didn't we... dearest?" Viktoriyah asked Katarinya, grinning viciously. "Along with Sybille, we found him the perfect new mistress, a descendant of Vantinius who will keep out of all our hair."

 

Katarinya was fuming, but didn't speak. 

 

"So you do want to come back," Vingalmo pressed.

 

"Not for you," Viktoriyah said, shaking her head. "Not anymore. I thought I was so in love with you, but I was merely infatuated with an idea of you. And now? I just want my lab back. I want my 'Relics' back. I don't care what happens to the rest of you."

 

"Then how will you smooth over the Blue Palace?" Katarinya finally asked. "Just by taking the King's mistress -- with no explanation -- you've created chaos. You're supposed ensure stability, remember?" 

 

Viktoriyah snorted. "My enchantments will cause those sheep to forget I ever existed," she said. "As for Selara's disappearance, they will conclude she either ran away, or Elisif had her killed. The Nords will favor the latter, and it will endear her to them somewhat, seeing how weak they consider her to be. The Emperor, knowing fully well Elisif is innocent, will still press the claim she murdered Selara, and use it as leverage to get that infamous 'Child-Queen' in line once and for all.

 

"With his mistress mysteriously vanished and their child on the way, Skyrim's dumbest couple will have no choice to finally shut up and reconcile."

 

The room was silent as everyone tried to think through what she just said. When Viktoriyah figured they had enough time, she stated, "Checkmate."

 

*** 

 

Settling back into life at Volkihar was easier than Viktoriyah thought it would be after she was outed. Valerica kept her word, allowing Viktoriyah to return to her life as a mage. She spent her days back in the lab, this time with Sybille as a partner. As two scholars free to study to their heart's content, Sybille and Viktoriyah soon found each infinitely less annoying.

 

Regretting how she'd spoken to Katarinya, Viktoriyah forged her a brand new ring for her and her alone. 

 

It was gold, set with a large ruby, and Katarinya was ecstatic. All was instantly forgiven as she tried it on.

 

"It's perfect!" she gasped. "It matches my necklace!" She paused, brow furrowing. "Wait... does this mean you want me gone?"

 

"I am now free to do as I please, as you should be," Viktoriyah told her. She bowed her head slightly. "I was jealous of you, and in the end, that caused my downfall, not you."

 

Katarinya nodding, mulling that over before asking, "Have you spoken to Vingalmo?"

 

"What for?"

 

"You two can still play chess, you know," Katarinya reminded her. "Debate history or politics or whatever you bookish types talk about."

 

Viktoriyah shook her head. "That stuff is boring. I just did it to be closer to him, and I don't want that anymore."

 

"You sure?" Katarinya asked. "I've always suspected he'd be a tremendous lover. Find out for me, will you?"

 

Viktoriyah stiffened as her old awkwardness returned. "He's never seen me that way."

 

Katarinya laughed. "You are a very beautiful woman, Viktoriyah, no matter what form you take. I can assure you everyone in this castle sees you 'that way'."

 

"Where are you headed?" Viktoriyah asked, changing the subject.

 

"Home," Katarinya replied.

 

"Hammerfell?" 

 

Katarinya nodded. "I plan to pass through Skaven, where I once attended Queen Mijurti herself, then onward to Taneth, by the sea." Her shoulders rose and fell. "The North has never really agreed with me, you know? When you tire of this place, let me know. I'll bring you home."

 

Viktoriyah nodded mutely, genuinely touched. She was suddenly curious about the vampires of Hammerfell; it had been too long since she was home.

 

The two embraced and Viktoriyah watched Katarinya go, pondering her words.

 

Sybille walked in after Katarinya left, saying, "Well, you must be relieved."

 

"Actually," Viktoriyah confessed, "I think I might miss her."  

"I understand," Sybille admitted. "After dealing with Lord Harkon, I suddenly found myself missing King Istlod's wife. She was a wise woman, and had I been more mature, we could've been friends." She sighed. "I don't ever want to be a mistress again. Or a lady. Or a queen. I'm a mage, and that's good enough for me."

 

Viktoriyah's eyes widened as she suddenly realized that even though mortal wounds could haunt a vampire for centuries, there was hope they could be healed. 

 

"I'll be back," she told Sybille, and left.

 

She found him where he always was, playing chess by himself. As usual, she took a seat opposite him, but this time, didn't say anything.

 

At the sight of her, Vingalmo sat up straight. "Viktoriyah."

 

"My Lord Vingalmo," she said with a stiff nod. "Why do you always play alone? Surely there are others who play chess at court."

 

"They are, they just don't play as well," he replied. "I hear Lord Harkon has appointed a rather young vampire, Salonia Caelia, to be his new Sword."

 

"In life, Salonia served in the Legion," Viktoriyah said, nodding. "She'll make a good Sword."

 

"But not a spy. Who will he assign to the Blue Palace then?" 

 

"He's taking his time. He's considering bribing her Thanes... through a third-party, of course. Either way, I completed my mission. The Queen is married and with child. I earned the right to resign."

 

"It's probably best to let the humans spy on each other anyway," Vingalmo reasoned. "We were never meant to live among them." He paused, then tentatively asked, "Have you gotten all your Relics back?"

 

"It's going to be a process, but Valerica assures me it's feasible. She says Harkon's new plaything takes up all his focus. She's just waiting for the right time."

 

Silence fell, and Viktoriyah watched the elf play for a time. After a while, she steeled herself and said, "My lord... I owe you an apology."

 

"You owe me nothing," he said, without looking up.

 "I do," she insisted. The words threatened to stick in her chest; she had to push to get them out. "I was entitled. I felt superior. I was so certain that I knew better than everyone. I 'knew' I was the better woman for you, I thought you belonged to me, and I was very irritated when you couldn't understand that." Her eyes stung, but she forced herself to continue. "Even worse, I pretended ignorance of chess and history, just so I could be near you. In hindsight, I would've found me repulsive as well. Thus, I apologize."

 

She thought she was over this man, but she knew she was about to hear how much he loved someone else, and she knew it was still going to hurt. Viktoriyah wondered if it was her heart or simply her ego he was bruising.

 

"You owe me nothing," he repeated. Vingalmo hesitated before speaking again, and when he did his voice was very low. "To be honest, I don't like who I was back then either. I was blinded by a woman, an admittedly shallow one at that, and I made the most... vile excuses for myself. I told myself that a woman didn't need to be intelligent, only beautiful, so it was understandable why I would want someone who just very, very wrong for me. I felt entitled. I felt superior. I told myself many things to feel better about the fact some frivolous child didn't want me." He looked her squarely in the eyes, and she could tell that doing so required all his strength. "Love, infatuation, and lust all bring out the very worst in us, so much that we become lost, unable to recognize or remember who we are."

 

Viktoriyah was surprised at how much better she felt. This was the Vingalmo she respected, the wise, honest, and insightful man who won her heart all those years ago.

 

"I love you," she said without thinking, her voice breathless. "And you just reminded me why, out of all the madness from that era, loving you is the one thing I don't regret. You are worthy of love, my dearest Vingalmo, and you deserve to know that."

 

She rose to her feet, bowed low, and promptly left. That took the last of her strength and courage; she was too weak to hear his reply.

 

After all, tomorrow was another day. Tomorrow, she might have the strength.

 

~ FIN ~