Skryim III: The Dawnguard Wars.

Part Six: The Volkihar Clan.

Castle Volkihar was located north west of Solitude. We stopped at the water's edge where a little rowboat stood in between the mainland and the castle. Through the flurries, I saw the castle's tall domes and spires pierce the white sky. I never remember even hearing of this castle. It was as if it just appeared. Serana stood near the boat, she wore a hood over her face. Said she didn't like the sun, but missed the fresh, cool air. How different she was from Fennorian. We entered the boat and Sinding and Fenn rowed us across the sea until we made land on the other side. When Serana and I stood from the boat, Serana cleared her throat. "Ok....so, we may have a problem." I pulled my cloak closer around my body as the snow fell into my hair. I looked at Sinding and then back at her. "Alright?"
Serana crossed her arms. "So.....we are going to be walking into a den full of vampires, I see that doesn't bother you as you have one for company." She nods towards Fennorian. "But, I think...for your sake and your husband and friend, only you and I should go into the castle." 
I look at Sinding, who looks like he wanted to object. "Go on." I said to Serana.
She nods to Sinding. "I understand you probably aren't happy about this, sir. But I think it would be dangerous for you, if you had went in. Especially since I can still smell dog on you." Sinding's mouth dropped when Serana turned to Fenn. "You said yourself that you are not an ally of my father's. I think you both will be safer if you hide out in this silo until things settle down. My father and the rest of the court hasn't seen me in centuries." 
Fennorian nods. "I think that is an excellent idea. Sinding and I will stay near, but not too close." Sinding shakes his head, "You may think its a grand idea, Fenn, but I don't. I won't have my wife walking into a den of vampires." Serana's yellow eyes flickered so I took a step closer. "Sinding. It's going to be ok." I whisper.
He shakes his head. "With vampires?"
I give him a small kiss on the lips. "I lived with werewolves my whole life, and I married one." Sinding's shoulders relaxed a little. 
"You trust me, right?" I say, softly. 
"You know I do." Sinding sighs, "I just don't trust others." 
I take off my dragon scale necklace and give it to him. "Take this as a faith promise....that I will want my necklace back." I gave him an ornery smile. "And my husband and daughter." 
Sinding clutched the necklace and gave me a passionate kiss.  I wish it could last longer.  
   "We should go. I want to....well, I'm not ready to deal with what is through those doors." Serana said, looking around uncomfortably. I nod and after saying my farewells to Sinding and Fenn, I follow the vampire up the bridge towards the castle. "Sorry about all the....coldness." Serana said as we got closer to the big doors. "I've never been very comfortable around others....and being locked away for hundreds of years...."
I don't respond. I've heard excuses before when I met Delphine...but Serana wasn't like her. Serana wasn't like anyone who I ever met.
 We walk towards the gate when an old man steps from the shadow. "Begone! No one enters Castle Volkihar-" he stops short. His long, gray hair blows into his weathered face. "Lady Serana?"  Without hesiation he opens the large doors and calls, "LADY SERANA IS BACK!" he steps back as the doors open, and the smell of rot fills my nose. I look at her and she gestures for me to follow. The doors slam behind us and at first I can only see darkness. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I see gargoyles stand by the corners. Small pools of blood stain the floor as Serana murmurs. "Home sweet....castle." We step into the open space that led to the balcony over a huge room.  An Altmer in silver armor and leathers turns to glare at us with his piercing yellow eyes. "Who dares to enter-Serana?" He stops mid sentence. Seeing him makes my skin crawl, he reminded me too much of Vulono." 
Serana looks at me when the Altmer turns to the audience below. It looked like a hall, and throne room together. "Lady Serana has returned!" he shouted to those below.  Serana smirks. "I guess, they have been expecting me." 
"Oh, we have, for so long, my lady." The Vampiric Mer purrs. Serana walks down the steps of the small balcony to the hall below. I walk closely behind her. I watch as other vampires, Nords, Imperials, Dunmers and a Bosmer all gather around, whispering to themselves.  In the midst, is a tall man who stood before us. His long dark hair was tied back, his beard trimmed nicely. He wore similar colors to Serana, but he dressed more extravagant. His bright eyes shone as he lifted his hands up a gleeful surprise. "My dear daughter as returned. I trust you have my elder scroll?" He says in a rich, strong voice. 
"After all these years, that's the first greeting you ask me?" Serana sneers, taking the scroll off of her shoulder and handing it to the man who referred to her as daughter. "Yes, I have the scroll."
He takes it from her and hands it to one of the Dunmer by his side. A tall man, with withered, gray skin and his red hair tied on top of his head. Her father then takes her hands in hers and kisses her cheeks. "Of course, I'm delighted to see you my daughter. I only now wish that your mother was here now so she could see our little reunion before I would skew her head on a spike."  I feel bile rise to my throat. 
  He looks past Serana and I hear him snarl, "And who, pray tell, is this my daughter?" 
Serana turned. "Father, this is my rescuer. This is Taniiaae. Taniiaae, this is my father, Lord Harkon." 
Serana took a step beside her father as Lord Harkon took a step towards me. "I should thank you for bringing back my daughter safely to me. I can smell.....those vampire hunters on you, girl....but you still brought her back to me." He scratched his chin. "I don't usually spare those who aligned themselves with the Dawnguard-" He spat and his entourage laughed. "But....you saved my daughter. I want to offer you a gift in return." 
I cross my arms. "No offense, my lord, but I wouldn't be able to accept anything from you." Harkon waved his hand, "Nonsense. I want to give you this." Before I could argue, he raised his arms and yelled, "Behold, this power!" In an explosion of blood and dust, Harkon changed. He wasn't a man anymore, but he was....he was creature. A creature of the night. His face became disfigured and smashed in. His eyes turned black. His body grew long and his bare skin was gray. Wings formed from his back and his hands became claws. He wore ornate jewelry on his bare chest and a large crown was on his head. But when he spoke, it was still his rich voice. "I can offer you eternal life, the gift of Molag Bal. You could be as powerful as us." 
  I see Serana turn her face away as I try to find my voice. "I was a slave to Hircine for months....I rather not be under another Daedra's thumb." 
The whole court laughed. "No one you still reek of dog." Harkon said. "But unlike the path of the Wolf, you will no longer have to fear about death. You will feed on your enemies, and all with tremble before you." I start to slowly back away. "I don't want this." I whisper. 
Harkon waves a hand, and the Altmer from the balcony and a tall Nord with shoulder length hair and beard grab me by the arms. "Vingalmo, Orthjolf, bring her to me." I struggle as the two vampires lift me by the arms and push me towards Harkon. Serana looks at her feet as I'm brought over to Harkon. I'm thrashing. "Let me go! Let me go!" I scream, trying to pull from their grasp, but its no use. Harkon smiles and says, "When you wake up, everything will be fine." He grabs my hair and pulls my head to the left side, exposing my throat. My thrashing stops when his cold teeth bite into my neck. I feel my body go cold, like all my blood was turned to ice. After he releases his hold on my throat, he holds my body in his arms as I struggle to wriggle away. My thoughts go back home, to my family......"Lucia, Sinding...." I whisper as I feel my body dropping from my own control. Harkon sets me down on the cold floor. He turns back into a man, I'm surrounded by yellow eyes. He nods at Vingalmo and Orthjolf who grin. "When she wakes up, we will welcome our new sister into the fold." He says. I let out one more, blood curdling scream as I grab my chest, feeling as if my heart would explode. The last thing I see before all goes black, is Serana's mouthing something to me. 
It looked like she was saying she was sorry.