Sedsha: The Anniversary

“Here this is for you,” Vaesha said as she handed Sedric a wrapped gift.

Sedric raised a brow at the Demented vampire, placing a finger in his book to mark his spot as he took the gift from Vaesha.

“What is this for?” He asked “and it better not explode like the last gift you gave me…” he added as he narrowed his eyes.

Vaesha let out a hearty laugh,

“I can’t believe you have forgotten!” Vaesha exclaimed “It won’t explode because it isn’t a prank, in fact I will see if you can figure out the occasion for this gift on your own…” she said with a wink.

Sedric sighed, placing his book on the table beside him before he eyed the gift once more. With a heavy sigh he began opening the gift, a little surprised to find a heart.

“What in Oblivion?!” he called out, nearly dropping the heart “are you trying to propose to me?!”

Vaesha burst out into laughter,

“I’m touched that you would even think that, my dear princess. But no, because I haven’t tried to kill you,” Vaesha replied “That is a memento from our first meeting;” Vaesha wiped away a tear “Don’t you remember stabbing me in the heart?”

Sedric narrowed his gaze at her,

“I even have the scar to prove it!” Vaesha shouted, placing her hand over her heart.

“What is the point of celebrating our anniversary?” Sedric asked as he rose from his chair, placing the heart in an empty goblet next to his book “It just any other day,”

Vaesha brought her hand to her chin in thought, her lips in the shape of a smirk.

“It should be a big deal that we’ve been together for a year,” Vaesha said “I mean, Skyrim in a harsh land, most people don’t have time to court properly…”

“You got that from the imbecilic priest of Mara in Riften!” Sedric exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air “Besides, we are vampires; a year doesn’t matter to the immortal…”

“It should with the Dawnguard,” Vaesha commented in a low voice “As for me, I will just return to the Shivering Isles until Sheogorath no longer has a use for me…”

“Way to rub it in!” Sedric hissed.

Vaesha raised her hands in defense,

“Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I find that as a curse rather than a gift,” she commented.

Sedric let out a heavy sigh before turning on his heel to leave the room.

“Where are you going princess?” Vaesha asked as she cocked her head to the side “I’m not done talking with you!”

“I’m going to my Enchanting lab,” he answered aptly “I don’t want to be bothered!” he snapped.

Vaesha let out a huff of air, her bangs billowing from the force,

“I’d hate to see how you are next year, let alone on the other milestones…” she grumbled.

Sedric responded by slamming the door to his enchanting lab shut, her sensitive ears picking up the sound of the door locking.

“You know I can pick locks!” she called back, but all she received was silence.

******

When the blood running through Vaesha’s veins began to tingle from the fast approaching dawn, she knew it was time to retire. With a not much needed yawn, Vaesha climbed the stairs with Sedric’s Death Hound following after her.

“Fluffy, you know we don’t like you sleeping in the bed…” Vaesha groaned as she reached the top of the stairs.

The Death Hound grunted in response,

“You know we leave the fire going for a reason…” she grumbled.

Fluffy snorted and went back down the stairs, Vaesha sighing in relief that she wasn’t going to deal with Fluffy snoring in her ear or kicking her ribs as he dreamed.
Vaesha brought her arms up over her head as she bent backwards to stretch,

“Humph, Princess has been locked in his Enchanting lab all day, maybe I should allow Fluffy to sleep on the bed,” she muttered to herself as she started walking into their bedroom.

Vaesha heaved a heavy sigh as she plopped down onto the bed, pulling off her boots and tossing them in the corner before unclasping her Volkihar clan cloak, tossing it aside. She fell backwards with yet another heavy sigh. As she rolled to a more comfortable position, she took notice of a small red box with a black ribbon wrapped around lying in Sedric’s spot.

“What in the-?” Vaesha said as she sat up, ruffling her hair before she reached out for it.

As Vaesha pulled the ribbon free, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind of what it could be.

“If this is a trick, you will regret pulling it on me,” Vaesha said in a low voice.

Instead it wasn’t a trick, inside the box was a golden ring with a bright ruby settled in the center with an unusual glow. Vaesha slipped it onto her finger and felt a rush of Magicka run through her veins. Like being shouted at by a Draugr, Vaesha leapt from the bed and ran to Sedric’s Enchanting Lab, her bare feet thumping against the wooden floor.

As she yanked open the doors, she was surprised to see him leaning against the Arcane Enchanter, a wide, but smug grin stretch across his face.

“I thought you didn’t particularly care about anniversaries,” Vaesha said with a slight tease in her tone.

“I swear I have no idea what you are talking about,” Sedric replied with  a smug tone.
Vaesha scoffed and took two steps towards him before pulling him into a backbreaking hug, surprised he didn’t try to push her away like he usually did when she hugged him like this.

“Thank you princess,” she whispered into his neck.

She could practically hear Sedric smiling as he wrapped his arms around her waist,

“You are welcome, Vaesha,” he whispered as he placed his nose into the crook of her neck.
They stood there for a few moments before letting each other go, Vaesha smiled at him before examining the ring once again.

“By the way,’ Sedric said in an even tone “That ring is enchanted with a master resistance to fire and a Magicka fortification,”

“Yeah, I felt the rush of Magicka as I put it on,” Vaesha replied “I should get you a proper gift since you made me this,” she raised her hand to examine the ring once more.

Sedric chuckled lightly,

“Don’t bother,” Sedric replied as he placed his hand over hers “Anyway, we should be getting to bed, it is starting to get late,” he brushed passed her, leaving the enchanting lab.

Vaesha followed after him, scoffing when she noticed Fluffy sprawled out on their bed,
“I wasn’t even gone for five minutes!” she exclaimed.

Sedric remained silent, approaching the bed and nudging the Death Hound awake,

“You know what we said about you sleeping in the bed,” he said in a tone similar to a parent scolding a child.

Fluffy looked to Vaesha with sad crimson eyes, but all Vaesha did was shake her head, pointing towards the floor. With a whimper, Fluffy jumped down and curled up on the floor at the foot of the bed.

As they settled, Vaesha turned to Sedric,

“You know I am still going to get you a proper gift,” she said.

Sedric looked to her, matching her blank expression,

“I know…” he murmured.