Skryim III: The Dawnguard Wars.

Part Eighteen: Lasting Decisions.

  I open my eyes to see a bright ceiling before my head. I feel throbbing in my neck and arms, but for the first time in weeks, I don't feel thirsty for blood. I just feel hungry. I feel like I can breathe clean air....I feel alive. I look around and try to lift my arms up to see them wrapped in bandages with some red stains. 
  I reach to touch my neck when the door opens and a voice says, "Oh no, you don't." I look up as Sinding steps over and takes my hand in his. His face.....it's normal, he's no longer a vampire. His blue eyes shine as he smiles as he takes a seat on my bed.  "You're here." I whisper, "You're you."  He kisses my palm and laughs. "And you're you. Welcome back." 
  "How.....Serana? How is she?" 
"I'm fine." 
   The door opens and standing in the threshold, is Serana, but she looks different. Happier. Her skin is more of natural color and her eyes are a piercing blue. 
 She walks over and stands at the foot of the bed. "I guess you can say I joined your little 'human' guild."  As beautiful as she was as a vampire, she was stunning as a human girl.  Her dark hair was more vibrant and full of body, her blues eyes full of hope.   
   I look back at Sinding and then at Serana, "How long was I out?" 
Serana sits at the foot of the bed. "My father nearly killed you back in the Cathedral, he tore you up pretty badly. After his death, Isran and the brutish orc had come in to take in the view. You are lucky to have this husband of yours, he was able to get my mother and bring her out of the Soul Cairn and help heal you." 
  I look at Sinding, "How?" 
"Old Soul Stones." Sinding says, nodding.  "Valerica remembered me and had no trouble needing convincing, especially since she knew that you both needed help."  I blink, "And...then what happened, you are human, Serana...where's your mother?" 
   Serana smiled, "My mother said she needed more time to think about what to do with her new freedom. She decided to travel to that House Ravenwatch. When I told her about Fennorian and his family back in High Rock and how Ronthil and Hestla became two members with them, it piqued her interest. So, she left for Ravenwatch until we hear otherwise." She looks down at her hands. "Me, on the other hand, thought about what you had said, and...I wanted to also start over, start new."  I smile at her. "How do you feel?" 
  "Honestly? I feel like I can breathe again, and don't have to worry about ever hurting anyone in an unnatural way. I still have my magicka, but that is really it out of my old live. I'm clean now, and for once, I feel like it was something that I had the choice."   
   "I'm happy for you. I'm happy for all of us." I say, and for the first time in weeks, I feel real tears prickle my eyes, and I smile. "Are you coming home with us?" 
  Serana looks between Sinding and I. "If you want me..."
  "We live in a nice sized home back in Whiterun, and now that Fennorian has gone back to High Rock, we have a spare room..." Sinding says, nodding. 
  "Then, I guess I'll take that as a yes." Serana says.  
I slowly get up from the bed, Sinding helps me stand to my feet and I walk over to Serana and hold my hand out to her. "Thank you, for everything. For helping save my life back there." 
   Serana looks at my hand for a moment, and instead hugs me. The gesture catches me off guard for a moment, but then I find my own arms wrapped over her. It was the first time she ever even showed this kind of affection towards me. 
   "You are the sister I never had." Serana says, "No, thank you, for finding me, and staying by my side the whole time."  
    "I'm sorry to interrupt this touching moment." Says a new voice.  Serana and I pull away as Isran stands in the doorway. I remember that we are still in Fort Dawnguard. Serana takes a couple steps back and Sinding stands up from sitting on the side of the bed.  "Isran." I say.  
  He nods, "May I have a word with you alone, Dragonborn?"  His eyes flicker towards Serana and Sinding. Sinding nods, "We will be just outside, my love." He says as he puts a hand on the small of my back and him and Serana step out of the room, the door closing behind them.  I drop my arms to my side, they were still sore from injuries I had sustained during my fight with Harkon. In some ways, I felt bare in front of Isran. I was covered in bandages and in my undergarments. My hair was down around my face, not in it's usual two hair buns. But yet, I never felt more accomplished standing before this man as I do now. 
  "Taniiaae, I wanted to thank you for what you have done for Skyrim, once again. You may have not only slayed dragons, but now vampires." Isran says, "We are in your debt." 
  "Is it true, you let Valerica go to High Rock?" I ask. 
"Yes, we paid for her passage to meet your friend there. A deal is a deal and if he is what he says he is, we won't have trouble from his clan." Isran says, rubbing his chin. I nod my head, "No, you won't." 
   Isran sighs, "Listen, Fort Dawnguard is in your debt, anything you want that we can do, it's yours." 
  "Anything?" I ask.
 Isran nods, "Yes. You have my word."
   "I want you to keep Auriel's Bow hidden away from the world, it is better if no one knows that it ever existed." I say. "The prophecy died with Lord Harkon, Serana is human and her mother left Skyrim. Let that legend die with their choices." 
   Isran exhales, "Alright, it shall be done." 
  "And," I add.
"I'm listening." Isran replies. 
"I want to go home. Sinding and I have a family, and Serana is now part of my family. I want the three of us to be able to leave as soon as we can." I say, my hands clenching. 
    "It shall be done. Remember, you have allies here in Fort Dawnguard, if you ever need us, you know where we are....or just send an courier." Isran said.  
   He lifted his hand up and took of one of his rings. It had the Aedra Diety Stendarr. "I was given this when I had become a Vigilant of Stendarr when I was a young man. I think it would be more beneficial to you." He held it out to me. "Take it, for my thanks." 
    I hesitate, then I take the ring and put it on my index finger. "Thank you." 
Isran held out his hand, and I took it and shook it. 

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"Are you nervous?" Sinding asked me as we neared our Tundra Homestead. "More ready than anything." I smile as he helps me dismount from my horse. Serana dismounts behind us and takes a deep breath. "The air here is so crisp, and you can see the city from here." She points to Whiterun in the distance. 
  "Just close to enough to run to town but far away from the hustle and bustle of the people." Sinding says.  
   He removes a strand of hair away from my eyes and tucks in behind me ears. My face is unusually clean from war paint, and my hair is still down. Once my arms, neck and the wound by my eye heals, I can go back to my usual look. But right now, I'm still healing. 
   As we near the house, the door opens, and Lucia steps out. She's grown taller since I last seen her, and her hair was longer. A huge grin spreads across her face when she sees me. "MAMA!!" She squeals as she runs towards me. I rush towards her, my arms outstretched as we collide into each other's arms. I fall to my knees and hold my daughter against my body. I can feel my tears stream down my face as I kiss her head and hold her against me. 
  "You're home! I knew you would come back, Papa told me he was going to get you and he did. Uncle Malborn and Aunt Lydia said the same thing." I pull away and look at Lucia's face. She hasn't changed much since I last seen her. Which was good. She grinned. Sinding came and kneeled besides us.  Lucia flings her arms around his neck as he hugs her. I wipe my eyes as Sinding puts his arm around my shoulders and we have a group hug. 
   I hear Lydia laugh, "I knew you would be back, Tanii." 
As we stand up, I nod. "You know me."
   Sinding says, "Now Lucia, your mother had a rough couple of weeks, she's going to be resting alot more than usual."
  "We can still play with wooden swords." I wink at my daughter. 
"We will see about that." Sinding smiles. 
 "Who is that?" Lucia points past me towards Serana. She is standing back beside the horses, her hand holding her arm as she seems almost nervous to meet our household. 
   I walk over to her and grab her hand. Her blue eyes widen as I walk her over to where Lucia and Sinding are standing.    "Lucia, this is Serana, a dear friend of mine. Serana, this is my daughter, Lucia." I smile. 
    Serana blushes and she bows towards Lucia. "Nice to meet you, Lucia." 
Lucia smiles. "Are you going to be staying a while?" 
Serana looks at me and then nods. "Yes, I will be staying here for a while."  
   Lydia laughs, "Good, because Malborn made a bunch of food for your arrival, come in and let's eat."