Skryim III: The Dawnguard Wars.

Part Ten: Moth Priest.

Serana.

   With her hood pulled over her head, Serana walked with Taniiaae and Fennorian towards Dragon Bridge. She takes in the beauty of the Hold. After being locked away for hundreds of years, she didn't realize how beautiful everything was. How fresh the air was. But despite the beauty of the world around her, she couldn't shake what her father had told her when he was convening with Garan, Vingalmo and Orthjolf. "'We will find the moth priest. I will do whatever I can in my power to let the Tyranny of the Sun come to pass. No matter the sacrifices."'  When Serana tried to inquire more, her father told her not to fret and it wasn't anything she needed to fear about.
 That made her worry  more. As the three vampires made their way to Dragonbridge, Serana halted.  She looked at Taniiaae and said. "I have a bad feeling about this." 
Taniiaae gave her a confused look, "What's wrong?"
 Serana looked at her, "The moth priest.....he's no longer in Dragonbridge."  
"How do you know?" Fennorian asked, taking a step closer. 
Serana shook her head, "I just....know." Her eyes adjusted and she swallowed, "Forebears' Holdout. He was captured by other vampires and taken there."  
"How do you know?" Taniiaae asked. "I just do, Taniiaae. We need to go over there before they kill him." 
Taniiaae nodded. She turned to Fennorian, "Do you know where Sinding is?" 
"As we discussed, Fort Dawnguard." Fennorian said. She blinked, "Can you find him and tell him to meet us around this Holdout?"  
Fennorian bowed his head, "On my way." With that, he hurried off. Taniiaae turned to Serana. "Let's go."
...............................................................................................................................................................

      I put my hood over my head after Serana and I entered the cave. We both wanted to blend in the shadows as much as possible. As we crept down into the dark, I could hear two voices. One was gruff. "You are tough, priest, but you can't hold out forever." 
"I won't be your slave, blood sucker." Said the other voice. 
Serana looked at me and then whispered. "Malkus.....he was a former servant to my father." 
I looked closer and I see that the vampire was a large orc, and the other voice belonged to a man, who was locked in a cage. The vampire kept trying to use his spells on the man, but he was strong. The other man was bald, but had a long beard and wore old robes. "He must be the moth priest." I whisper to Serana. She nods. 
"What's the plan?" I ask. 
"We take out Malkus, then we free the moth priest.....but he won't be willing....you will have to make him your thrall." Serana said. I furrowed my brow, "If he becomes my thrall, is there a way he can be freed?"  I really didn't want to have man under the vampiric spell that I could now commit. I was only doing what I had to for the good of Skyrim. 
 Serana seemed hesitant. "I don't know." 
I sigh, "Ok, what choice does any of this leave us?" 
Serana shook her head, "Not much." 
I nod and red magicka forms around my palms. "Let's do this then."
I rush into the clearing and the vampire called Malkus whips his head. "One of the damn Volkihar scum!" He shouts as I use the the Drain spell. He uses his own magicka and throws me back against the cage of the Moth Priest as Serana throws ice spikes into his belly. If I was still human, that would of hurt a whole lot more, but since I was 'unliving' I hardly felt anything. I look up as Malkus explodes into ash. Serana lowers her hands and studies me. "Are you alright?" I stand up, "Never better." I say, shaking my head. I turn to the cage and look at the cowering Imperial priest. "Get away from me you blood sucker." He spits at me. "You won't get a word from me. Oh no, Old Dexion Evicus rather die than help you!"
I step back as Serena opens the cage. She looks at me as the grate gate falls to the floor in a slam. The Moth Priest stands in the back of the cage, his fit out, ready to fight. I look at Serana and she nods. I swallow, I know what is expected of me "I promise, this hurts me more than you." I tell Dexion Evicus as I approach. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" He tries to fight back but goes slack as soon as I sink my teeth into his neck and bite. I let go almost as soon as I latch on it order to not drain his blood or even transform him into one of us. He only needed to be sedated. When I take a step back, I see the man's eyes glaze and he says, "Where am I?" 
I swallow and Serana puts a hand on my shoulder. If I was human, I would weep from knowing I controlled a powerless man, but I wasn't, and I couldn't mourn now. "You were captured by one of our rivals. We are going back to Volkihar Castle. I need you to read an Elder Scroll." I say, my voice shaking. "Yes....of course." Dexion says, "Anything you would like, Master." He said, his voice kind and soft. I nod at Serana. "Do you know how to get back to the castle from here?" I whisper. She gives me a smile, her yellow eyes glowing. "Yes." 
   
The moth priest was walked in between us. Serana lead us out of the cave as I followed. He didn't say much, except for the occasional idle chatter. I felt sick to my stomach. I knew I was helping the greater good, but doing anything for Lord Harkon made my skin crawl. I didn't know what the Tyranny of the Sun was, but it didn't sound good. As we came into the light, once we left the cave, Serana stopped short.  I come up behind her. "What is is?" I say, but before she answers, I already knew. 
Fennorian stood in front of us, and by his side, was my husband, Even if only a few days apart, Sinding looked exhausted. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he looked like he was at his wit's end. The moth priest didn't say anything, he just stood by, with a pleasant smile on his face. 
  "Fennorian, that was fast." Serana mused. 
Fenn smirked. "Serana, you give me too much credit. Sinding was in Dragonsbridge. He found me before I even saw him." 
  Sinding looked at Serana and said, "May I have a word with my wife, alone please?" His eyes flickered to Dexion and Serana nodded. "Of course." She put a hand on Dexion's shoulder as I walked towards my husband. We took a few steps away, out of earshot of at least the Moth Priest when Sinding tilted my chin up. "Are you alright? You seem exhausted?" he said, looking at my pale face. 
 "Me? How can you tell? I look as dead as I did a few days ago." I say, with mirthless humor. "You, my dear, look as exhausted and hungry as when I first met you? Have you been sleeping, eating?" I say, my voice trembling. Sinding shakes his head, "Haven't had much time other than trying to help you. The moth priest....why does he seems so...." 
"Enslaved?" I said, bitterness in my voice. "Because I bit him." 
Sinding looks at me in confusion.  
"I-I had to make him serve me.....in accordance to what Lord Harkon wants...or so he doesn't suspect." I say, looking down. "So....with my vampiric powers, I bit him, and now he's my thrall. He will listen to anything I have to say now." I sigh. "I know what you are probably thinking, how cruel...or how wrong-"
"Don't do this to yourself." Sinding said, shaking his head and putting his hands on my shoulders. "I know what you are doing, and don't beat yourself up too bad. You are doing what you have to, to allow yourself to find out what this vampire lord is up to." 
"I'm lucky to have such an understanding husband." I say, a small smile curving on my lips. 
"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon, I'm glad I have, but...." I say and Sinding nods. "I found out what your Lord Harkon has planned...or at least.. what he has in mind for your moth priest." Sinding said, his eyes flickering to Dexion Evicus. 
  His voice falls low to a whisper, "Serana....she's a Daughter of Coldharbour, isn't she?"  
I nod. "She is. As is her mother." 
"And....does anyone know where her mother is?" Sinding asked, alarm in his voice.  I feel my skin prickle. "N-no....I don't think so." 
"Are you familiar with the Tyranny of the Sun?" Sinding asked. I shake my head, "Not really. These vampires are very.....secretive."  Sinding nods, "I figured so.....so I spoke to Isran, if all goes to plan, he plans to attack Castle Volkihar, but he agreed to spare you, Serana....and I think those other two you mentioned...Hestla and Ronthil...is it?" 
I nod, feeling relieved. "Yes....Hestla and Ronthil....they aren't evil like the others....and I fear that they are just pawns in this game." 
Sinding smiled, "I figured....Isran only agreed to spare them as long as they leave Skyrim to go to House Ravenwatch with Fennorian...or they become clean of vampirism. I'm pretty sure there is a way to do that, there was for our beast blood."  I nod, thinking of my own cure.  
"But that's not it." Sinding said, and his voice became urgent. "The prophecy of the Tyranny of the Sun....it's eternal shadow, and a way for the vampires to have control over the whole of Skyrim." 
"How do we prevent that?" I say, my voice becoming urgent. "We are bringing Harkon this moth priest right to him, all that's missing is a fine box and a ribbon!" 
"Earn the Vampire Lord's confidence, see what else it requires to move forward with the prophecy, then let me know. I might be able to get to you before Isran plans to move." Sinding said, in a whisper. 
  "Is Serana in danger?" I ask. 
"To put it simply, yes, she is." Sinding said and I gasped.  
"The Prophecy of the Tyranny of the Sun requires the Blood of a daughter of Coldharbour. And from what I have heard, there are only two daughters of Coldharbour." Sinding said. 
"Serana and her mother, Valerica....but Valerica is missing....so that leaves-" I start to put the pieces together. 
"Serana would be the perfect sacrifice for her father's dream. How more poetic could it be?" Sinding says, anger in his voice. "A father fulfills his dream with the blood of his child. Absolutely sickening." 
I feel my gut clench and I say. "Do I tell her?" 
"Not yet," Sinding said, "wait until you have to find the next piece of Harkon's puzzle...and then we can talk." 
"How will I know to find you?" I say.  Or...how can he find me? 
  Sinding thought for a moment, "You are a vampire now.....your senses....they must be at least the same as they were when we were infected with the Wolf Blood." 
 "They are actually more powerful......" I say in a low voice. "I'm more powerful than when I was a werewolf....and.....I never ever struggled so hard. I yearn for blood, to fulfill my need. I feel weak without it." I met Sinding's eyes. "I could hurt you, Sinding....kill you even. You thought you were dangerous before? I'm so much worse." I say, knowing how dark this power I had was now. Sinding took my hands in his and shook his head. "You didn't abandon me when I needed someone. I won't do that to you. We will find a cure for you...together."   My shoulders slump and I nod. "Alright....I believe you."
"Good," Sinding kisses my head and then says, "Now, since you are the one with much better senses all now, I think I will send a message to you when we need to converse. Isran is growing impatient. I can meet you at Dragonbridge again once a week. If anything happens before hand, I will make the journey to Volkihar myself. Fennorian will be coming back with me to help in this fight." 
 I nod, "And if anything happens sooner at the castle, I will make the journey myself to the Dawnguard fortress....even though I think Isran will want me dead before hearing what I have to say." 
       "Hey...I think we need to start heading back...." Serana calls from behind as Fennorian bows his head towards her and steps towards Sinding and I.  I look at Sinding and we share a kiss before I break away first. We don't speak but we share an agreement in the silence. We would let each other know if something happens....either on the side of the Dawnguard or the Volkihar Vampires.   Dexion Evicus turned to me with blank eyes. "Lead the way, my master." 
I swallow as Serana crossed her arms awkwardly. "Promise not to tell your father that I saw my husband."  I whisper. 
Serana nods, "Believe me, I don't tell my father much of anything anymore, so I think your covered."