Dragons Fangs and Tiger Claws {1x1 with DarkMudkip}

"We'll find him, just stay here." Three of the men returned to the cave entrance, two remaining behind to protect Akihime. After many dreadfully long minutes passed, one of the men exited the cave and spoke softly to the archer beside Akihime, a solem expression on his face. "Akihime-sama, it's best that we leave immediately." The guard said, bringing Yukimura's horse to Akihime for her to climb on. "More of those heathens could be on the way, we need to get moving."
 
There was no point in hiding it anymore; leading Akihime back into the cave, they walked around the corpses on the floor. On the far side of the room, was Yukimura, but he wasn't dead yet. The two guards who stayed with Yukimura had removed his chest plate to make him comfortable. His skin was pale and clammy, and among other grave looking wounds on his body, where many bite marks; and worst of all, a large chunk of his throat had been ripped away, exposing muscle and severed arteries.
 
Akihime gasped and wailed loudly, rushing towards him, "Yukimura-sama...! O-Oh Gods, no...please no...!" She cupped his cheek gently and bit her lip, "Please don't leave me, my husband...I beg you, don't die..."
 
All five guards jerked forward when Akihime moved closer to Yukimura, but none of them stopped her. Yukimura wheezed and opened his eyes, showing a glowing red. "Don't get... So close.. Akihime-dono.."
 
"H-Hush, love...m-maybe I can...I-I can heal you and then we can come home a-and be happy again...!" She told him, "We'll go to the Temple of Mara and ask for Her blessing and live back in Whiterun with Daihachi a-and..." Tears were blurring her vision now and she wheezed, "I-I can't loose you...not again...I-I'm so sorry for leaving you, Yukimura-sama, please forgive me...! I love you so much...!"
 
A tired smile crossed Yukimura's blood-stained lips, and he reached out for her hand weakly. "Akihime... I love you so much.. Even when I fell from the Gods graces.. And took a darker path..." He coughed heavily and more blood gushed from his wounds. "I never stopped loving you, not for a moment..."
 
A shadow fell over Yukimura's eyes, but even then, the glowing red could still be seen. "Akihime... I'm not going to die..." He had a coughing fit, blood spilling faster from his wounds. "I've been infected.. You have to kill me before I become a monster... Please..."
 
"Akihime, please.." He begged. "I don't want to become a monster again.." He was barely able to reach up with his other arm to cup her cheek. "We'll meet again... I promise you..."
 
She cried weakly and kissed him gently, not caring if she tasted blood or if she would contract Vampirism from it. Her husband was dying and begging her to kill him and it broke her heart into several pieces. "I'll pray for you every single day, Yukimura-sama. I'll gladly meet you in Shor's Hall and serve you as your humble wife forever more..." She wept.
 
Yukimura kissed back weakly, looking up at her when she pulled away, his eyes were becoming distant, but the red only became more intense.
"Lady Akihime, please step away from him.." The archer ordered, voice sympathetic, but in his hands he held a bow and arrow, ready to fire at Yukimura.
 
She rose her hand, covered in her husband's blood, "No...it's ok..." She said gently. She gently placed her hand on Yukimura's chest, over his heart. "I love you so much. I'll miss you even more so. Find peace now, my husband...I won't allow you to suffer any longer..." She told him gently before sending a lightning spell straight through to his heart, powerful enough to make it stop beating without the risk of it bursting and causing him more pain. It was quick and painless as she whispered sweet nothings to him.
 
Yukimura jolted once, and then fell still, eyes still half open as he lay limply in his wife's arms, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Sanada Yukimura was dead.
 
She couldn't fight it any longer. She screamed and wailed and cursed, damning the Daedra for taking her husband and begging the Divines to give him back. She clutched onto him and sobbed into his chest, begging him to forgive her for leaving him on his own and not being a better wife to him. She chanted that she loved him and wanted him back but knew it was in vain. When the guards tried pulling her away, she only held him tighter, refusing to leave Yukimura to rot in this cave. "We're taking him back to Skyrim! That is my will and you will follow it!" She stated firmly though her voice was quaking with grief.
 
"We have to leave before anymore cultists return."
"We don't have anywhere to put the body..!" One of the archers hissed.
"Just put him on one of the horses until we can get a cart." The guards had finally agreed, and one of them knelt down before Akihime.
"Akihime-sama, we will take his body with us, but we have to leave now." He said firmly.
 
She hiccuped and nodded, allowing them to take Yukimura's body from her. She took her husband's horse, riding with them to Chorrol and leaving her escourt in the stables so she could ask the innkeeper if they had a spare cart she could use to better bring Yukimura home. Getting the cart and a spare blanket to protect the body, they laid Yukimura in the cart and strapped it to his horse. Akihime's face was unreadable the entire ride, not stopping for food or rest until they passed the border, and even then she kept going until they reached Whiterun. She stabled the horse and untied the cart, refusing the guards help and sending them back to Solitude to inform Mitsunari she would not return until she had had the proper time to mourn and oversee Yukimura's burial. She hauled the cart through Whiterun, blank faced as she ignored the gasps of disbelief from the Hold's residents and their murmurs. "The Housecarl has passed? How?" "Was it his illness?" "What will happen to the Jarl without him?" "What did the Oracle do?" Tears burned her eyes again and she bit her lip to keep from crying. "Here, Lady Akihime, let us help you take him to the Hall of the Dead." A Hold guard offered, a few others with him. She nodded deafly and two went to grab a carry cot from the Hall; when they returned, Yuiimura was loaded up and carried off. Akihime stood there with the cart for a while longer before finally following. She would have to write to Daihachi soon.
 
Everything after Akihime had let the guards take Yukimura to the Hall of the Dead was a blur. His body was cleaned, and his wounds wrapped with cloth to hide them, and his body preserved to keep him from perishing. Still waiting for Akihime's decision on when to ready his pyre, the priests kept Yukimura's body in the cold crypt, dressed in his golden armor.
 
"I need to send word to my son..." She said weakly, "We will finish his burial ceremony when he arrives." She didn't give the priests the chance to agree before she began to leave. She went to Dragonsreach, her feet carrying her without her even really knowing or caring where they took her. She approached Jarl Shingen and the news of Yukimura's passing tumbled out of her mouth; she didn't even hear herself talk, she couldn't hear the nobles or her husband's replacement gasp in horror, nor hear Shingen's disbelief and condolences. She didn't want to be here, she wanted to be with Yukimura and her sons. She excused herself before Shingen had the chance to speak further and she left to find a quiet spot to write to Daihachi about his father.
 
The day after Akihime had brought her husbands corpse home, a letter arrived for Daihachi in Riften. Minehime carried the letter to the outpost where Daihachi was - and where the both of them slept and called home. "Daihachi, a courier came for you early this morning." She held up the neatly folded piece of paper. "From Whiterun, it sounds pretty serious, he rode all night to deliver it." She moved over to him and handed him the letter, sitting down to wolf down the rest of her breakfast that was now cold.
 
Daihachi opened the letter and read it carefully. His eyes widened slowly and he shook his head, "No...No way..." His body shook and he scowled heavily, "What kind of shit is this, mom?!"
 
Minehime looked up from her breakfast and swallowed he food she had in her mouth. "What's wrong?" She set down her fork, growing serious.
 
Daihachi gave a cruel and harsh laugh, "My dad is dead! Can you believe that? The great Sanada Yukimura is dead." He threw the letter into the fire and laughed again, "What a sick joke to try and get me to come home."
 
Minehime stared at the fire, watching the letter burn before looking at Daihachi. "Daihachi... I don't think your mother is the kind of person to play at such a mean joke.." She frowned, getting the feeling it was nothing but the truth.
 
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