Bond Of Blood

Chapter 31

Serana smiled at the sight. After Valerica's return, Serana had insisted that the three of them take their leave of the castle interior and to talk some more in the courtyard garden. She had been glad that she had made a start on restoring the garden to it's former state after centuries of neglect, and when she saw her mother smile a little, Serana had to hide the smirk that was trying to escape.

But it was the sight of Morgan and Odahviing that pleased her at that moment. Her lover had called the dragon the second she had entered the courtyard, her thu'um ripping the sky asunder. Serana had forgotten after a mere month how Morgan's voice could give her a thrill like no other, and to see how the her voice caused the snow to fall less was something she would never get tired of.

Odahviing had been prompt, landing a few minute afterwards. And Morgan had sprinted over to him and was now wrapping her arms around his snout, nuzzling her head into his red scales. Serana couldn't hear what Morgan was saying, but she could feel the vibration of the air itself when Morgan was speaking in the dragon tongue, and she knew she was saying something meaningful to her ally.

Valerica had raised an eyebrow but stayed silent. Instead, she gently took a hold of Serana's arm and motioned her to sit on the bench beside her. Serana said nothing and did as asked, giving her mother an inquiring look.

"I apologise for not giving you the space Morgan and yourself need my daughter, but I need to tell you many things. And some of them may be upsetting to you."

"Mother?" Serana asked, not sure what her mother was saying.

She is back and she seems happier than I have seen her in a long time. Yet she clearly has something on her mind.

"Do not be fooled Serana."

Serana raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? Morgan is back, you have somehow returned...."

"And that is the problem," Valerica replied, keeping Seranas gaze fixed onto hers. "She may seem happy now but you must have noticed that something about her is different. She is hiding something from you."

Serana made to retort but Valerica placed a hand on hers, shaking her head slowly.

"I do not mean to sound ungrateful Serana. Morgan has given me a second chance and I will forever be in her debt for that. But you need to know what happened to her."

"She will tell me eventually," Serana insisted.

"She does not wish for you to be burdened with her own emotions, and while that is admirable, she will not be able to tell you."

"What are you getting at Mother?"

"Serana....Morgan was in Coldharbour."

Serana had no body heat any longer, but if she had, she would have felt as though someone threw a bucket of cold water over her as Valerica said that word. She still had the nightmares but they had receded in number after so many years of deep slumber.

No, she cannot have been there...

"She cannot have been there..."

"She was," Valerica said quietly. "Molag Bal tricked her into coming into His realm. He forced her to battle slaves for his own amusement and afterwards...."

Serana hissed but Valerica hadn't finished.

"Morgan was forced into a variation of the Ritual, Serana."

Serana felt as though the ground was trying to swallow her whole. She couldn't bear to see what Morgan and Odahviing were up to at that moment and she focused on her mother instead.