Hef Verkiir

Groaning of trees in winter is something that Kaelan has never gotten used to, the way they threaten to explode as he rides past and the sound of the hooves of his horse echo through the mockingly empty space. That feeling of unease was again stirred from where ever it had slept only to torment him. Phantom noise with no obvious cause followed him for hours and hours until he had set up his first camp. It felt as if what ever had been tormenting him with this strange 'curse' of sorts had been waiting for him to leave the safety of his home, that carved rock and comforting potions was hours and hours behind him and while Kaelan was no push over and had in fact been quite the fighter and mage in his day it was still unsettling to not know what had you so on edge. 

Nightmares once more rose from his sleep to torment him, dragons chasing him, snapping at his heels while he ran for his life. Surely he could fight one, maybe two, but there were dozens behind him and he was hardly prepared for that many. Snow crunched below his boots and his sword was nowhere in sight, magic had failed him and he was running as mortal and 'human' as a Nord on his way to the College with lungs burning and muscles aching. Unlike before when he simply couldn't remain asleep, this time he couldn't wake up, fighting his sleep, trapped in his nightmare for what felt like impossible years as he ran and ran. 

" Ru sen! Ru wah hin dez! Daal wah un jot! " 

The dozens almost sang it behind him in a demented chorus and while he didn't understand a single word, it felt familiar, like when you're only half paying attention in a language you've not used in ages. 

Shooting up from his bedrool like he had been shocked Kaelan sucked in deep breaths with wide eyes, sore muscles aching as if he had ran all the way to Winterhold and for a moment he was sure he had until he had thrown open the flap to his tent to see his horse tied where he had left him, the burnt out remains of the fire he had used to cook his dinner and his belongings untouched strung up in a tree away from bears. Everything was normal, normal and far too quiet. Not even birdsong. Swallowing with the same unease fromt he day before he bundled everything up with grace and trying to use it to focus and get his mind of this creeping feeling before packing up and climbing back onto his trusty steed. 

Two more days of riding followed and the whole while by the feeling of being stalked was not a very good ride, or adventure. Upon his arival at Winterhold he had gotten some looks that said he wasn't exactly welcome, but alas, he didn't plan to stay long and informed the only inn of this while paying for his horse to be boarded and for a room. With luck this condition of his would be gone by tomorrow and he would be able to return home and live a long boring life like most of his people did. 

Sadly, this was not the case. 

Climbing up the stairs to see the mages his heart felt like it was in his throat, or perhaps like he was going to be sick and he looked forward to neither feeling. Swinging the door open with a gentle ease he became aware of the eyes that had fixed on him, an Altmer, and he had known what had happened with the last one of his people who visited so with his Altmer blood screaming at him for it, he had hung his head in somewhat shame before walking slowly over to where the mages sat clearly in study. 

"You've come about Nightmares."

Looking up wide eyed, almost afraid, at the mages he had stopped mid step and after a moments diliberation had simply nodded twice. "How did you-"

"Please, let us speak in private." The mage who had spoken said before beconing him and crossing the room to his own private chambers. Unsure if he wanted the answer after such a startling happening he slowly followed after him and sat on a stool while the mage closed the door and uttered a spell, one that Kaelan didn't know. "To keep out ears that have no need to hear." 

"How did you know about my nightmares." It was more of a demand than a question as Kaelan stared him down until the mage sat a good distance from him on the foot of his bed. 

"The magic that you radiate isn't normal, it's very... different. Magic that doesn't belong to you often times brings about nightmares, it unsettles because as natural as magic is, un-natural magic is... tabboo." A deep breath on the Mage's part. "How did you get it?"

"I don't know. I just, It's happend since I can remember but it's only recently gotten this bad. I don't understand." 

"No one expects you to. This is the magic the dragons use, but it's not the same as the magic that the Dragonborn had. You are... very strange and I don't know quite what that means. Would you stay and allow me to observe you?"

While it was hardly what he wanted, what choice did he have? Clearly this mage knew at least a little about what was happening, about what was going on with him. As much as he wanted to return home, to tell him no, and simply live on the potions his friend had made he knew it was far from a solution so he gave in. "What ever makes this stop." 

Something inside him twisted in unsettled nervousness. While he felt safe once more in the stone building surounded by powerful mages it was still an unsettling feeling, like he was stood atop the back of a sleeping dragon who might wake at a moments notice and snap him up in a bite or two. 

"I'll prepare you a room." 

[ I've got a general idea where I'm taking this, and while there's yet to be the sexy times, there will be eventually. Later. Way later on. ]