Skryim III: The Dawnguard Wars.

Part Thirteen: The Lord's Court

Serana.

Serana stood with her back to the wall as her father spoke softly to Vingalmo and Orthjolf. Her father had asked her to convene with him but the whole time, he was only speaking to this two advisors.  
   She wondered if Taniiaae had done what she mentioned.  Turn her spouse to be one of us. She mentioned that Vingalmo had asked her, but she seemed emotional about the whole thing. 
  'I guess if I had a family who I loved dearly, I don't know if I could give this type of life to them.' Serana thought. 
   "That will be all, gentleman." Her father's voice brought Serana back to the present.  She watched as both advisors left, leaving only her in Harkon's chambers. 
  "You have been awfully quiet, daughter."  he says as he looks up at her from his seat. 
 She shrugs, "I've been just listening and thinking about what you have said. About my mother."
  "Your mother, is a treacherous woman. She hid you from me for decades. If she ever has the gall to show herself here, she will be punished, severely. Even though, I need to find her anyways." 
  "I thought we needed to find Auriel's Bow, father?" Serana asks, softly.  
"We do, Daughter. But if we can find the Scroll first, that would be most helpful." Harkon says, his piercing eyes glancing towards her. "After speaking to Vingalmo and Orthjolf, I have reasons to believe that your mother has the Scroll that will give us access to where to find Auriel's Bow."  
He stands up from his seat and walks over to his table where he has a chalice and a vile of blood. He pours the red substance into his chalice and slides it towards Serana. He then pours himself the blood. He picks up the two cups and holds one out for his daughter.  Serana removes herself from the wall and hesitantly takes the cup. 
Harkon holds up his goblet, "To a new age, and to you, my daughter." He sips it as Serana looks down at her cup hesitantly. She takes a sip as he sets his down. "I see you have grown closer to our newest member of our family." Harkon says, pouring himself some more of the blood into his goblet. 
"She did save me, Father. And she is new at this, much like I am." Serana says, lowering her cup. 
Harkon nodded, "But you have been gifted by Molag Bal for centuries, daughter. You are not new at this." 
   Serana sets down her chalice on the table and says, "No, but I was locked away for most of those years after I was...blest by the Daedric Lord."  
Harkon sighs, "You are right, my dear. You can thank your wicked mother for that. But what I want to tell you, is I want you and your little friend to be cautious. There are some members of this court who would love to see me fall, and with me, anyone I deem that I love."  He gently brushes his fingers against Serana's cheek and drops his hand. "Keep an eye on your friend, Serana. I can feel that she still has emotions clinging to her past. If she is meant to be a loyal subject, I need her to cut off those ties. Or bring them to us." 
    Serana nods, "Vingalmo had told her to make her husband one of us. I suspect that is what she has gone to do."
Harkon laughs, it wasn't kind. "Young love. Give or take a few decades, they will be lunging for each other's throats. Just you wait and see." 
   He turns towards his daughter and says, "You look tired, my dear. Perhaps you should go get some rest." 
  Serana nods, she wanted nothing more than to leave this room. Her father was acting stranger than usual and she didn't like it.  "If you say so, Father." She opens the door to his chamber and before she could step out of the room, Harkon's voice speaks. "And Serana. I know you find this hard, speaking of your mother in such a way, but if the time came, do not think I would hesitate if I saw her. What she did to our family is a crime. She doesn't deserve to be spared." His voice is harsh and cold. He felt no love for his wife anymore. 
"Yes, father. I'm aware." Serana says before leaving the room and closing the heavy doors behind her.  
    Serana hadn't remembered much of what her father used to be like, but she remembered that he was once a well loved husband and father. But that was before the Ritual of Coldharbor, before Serana was defiled for the sake of Molag Bal. Whatever was once there, was no more. Serana entered the throne room while the court either feasted on living corpses or bickering with one another. 
Garan stood in the corner of the room, looking at a tome as Serana stepped beside him. 
"Ah, Lady Serana, how are you?" He greeted willingly.
 Serana looked around the court. She needed to find Taniiaae, and speak to her. " I am well, Garan....have you seen Taniiaae? I am expecting her." 
  "Your little friend? I was told by Vingalmo that she was to turn her spouse into one of us. She is the out of decades that we have offered that choice to."  Garan said, his yellow eyes peering down into his tome. "It seems that this is a bigger deal than anyone thought." Serana says. 
  "It only is because the girl is already a new blood. But she has a history towards her name. Your lord father wants to have people of significance to our family here. The girl's husband is of little significance to us, but it's a price we are willing to pay to keep her in our midst." Garan says, looking up at Serana.  
Serana tilts her head in curiousity, 'price to keep her in their midst?'  "Garan, what do you mean? She is one of us, it's not like she can change what she is."
  Garan snapped his book shut, "Oh, but my dear. That's where you are wrong. Your little friend was no mere human that we picked up. Not only did she save you and bring you to us, she has quite a name for herself back in her old life. She was the protege of Kodlak Whitemayne, a long standing member of the Companions for decades. She rescued a convicted criminal for the murder of a child, yet was able to sway her authoritarians against prosecuting the boy, who is now her husband.  She has had fights with the Silver Hand and the Thalmor. The most important is that she Dragonborn. We have not had an era with a Dragonborn since the fall of Martin Septim. Not only did she defeat the dragons, she took down Miraak, who was the first Dragonborn. We would be foolish to turn away such a person with her rank." 
Serana's mouth dropped open. She knew that Tanii had done quiet alot and was what they called Dragonborn, but knowing that she most likely was the first since the fall of the Septim Dynasty, meant she was no ordinary girl.
"I wasn't aware of how popular she was." Serana said, trying to figure out how her father could use her friend to his advantage. 
   "We have had people keeping an eye on her for a while now. Long before she even knew who she truly was."  Garan said.  He smiled at her. "But I believe you should ask her yourself, since you are becoming, such great friends." The doors to the castle open and Serana sucks in a breath. Taniiaae walks in, with her husband behind her. His newly yellowed eyes take in the throne room as he walks behind her. Serana nods toward Garan. "I appreciate what you have told me. Perhaps I will speak to her myself."  
  Garan bows to her as Serana walks towards Taniiaae, her steps quick. Before the other girl could stop, Serana grabs her by the arm and whispers. "Meet me outside in the courtyard. You are being watched very closely." Taniiaae's eyes widened only slightly and she nodded. 
  Serana bowed her head towards Taniiaae's mate, Sinding and left the throne room. She needed to find her mother....and before her father found her first.