A Vampires Heart and a Dragons Soul
Chapter I-Sweet Dreams
(Serana POV)
Eldergleam Sanctuary….that's where I found myself. I sat up and looked around. I took in the beauty of the Sanctuary from the butterflies flying around, to the birds chirping from the trees, to even the rainbow that formed at the base of the waterfall. "When did I get here?" I thought to myself.
"Hey, Serana." I heard a voice behind me. I turn around to see Kaius, the fabled Dragonborn, and Harbinger of the Companions. I noticed that he wasn't wearing his stalhrim gear but he was wearing normal maroon fine clothes.
"Come on Serana." Kaius called from the trail leading up to the Eldergleam. I got up on my feet and then I noticed another thing. I was not in my Vampire Lord Armor, but I was in a dark red dress.
'I don't recall having a dress like this.' I thought. I started walking up the trail and when I reached the tree, I saw Kaius sitting down at a picnic.
The picnic consisted of cheeses, bread, wine, various sliced fruits and vegetables, and freshly cooked venison with a candle in the middle of the blanket. 2 plates were set right next to each other. It looked like a small feast fit for a Jarl. When I sat down I was trying to absorb all of this.
"Hey Serana, are you feeling all right, your acting like you haven't seen Eldergleam Sanctuary before?" He asked looking at me quizzically.
"Yes, I'm fine, just wondering what all of this is for?" I asked gesturing to the picnic. He continues to look at me quizzically.
"You don't remember? I invited you to have a small picnic, just to relax a little bit instead of clearing out the nearest cave, dungeon, or ruin. I asked you about it last week and you said yes." He replied. I didn't recall anything regarding that but I went along with it.
"I remember, it just escaped me for a bit. My court has been very trying as of late." I said. He nodded his head and patted the spot next to him for me to sit.
I sat down next to him and we dug into the feast, we talked about what has happened recently, he told me that Lucia had turned 17 and he got her a skyforge steel war axe and she was beginning her training to become a Companion. I smiled, fully aware of Lucia's dream to become a Companion and to explore all of Tamriel.
"Have the peace talks made any progress between the Stormcloaks and Imperials?" I asked nibbling on a piece of venison.
He took a sip of wine first. "I could be going better. Every time I get Ulfric and Tullius to agree with one thing, Ulfric asks for something else that is completely outlandish and then Tulius disagree and asks for something just as outlandish as Ulfric. And in the end, we get nothing done because they constantly remind me that they could just settle their differences on the battlefield. Then there is the interference of the Thalmor. Ulfric still gets reports of Thalmor hunters killing Stormcloaks patrols, Elewyn denies it, of course, saying she has called back her agents to the Thalmor Embassy. It's all a lie, I know she still sends groups out to hunt Talos worshippers, I encounter them on the roads, but I try to keep Ulfric on the matter at hand."
I took another bite of venison, understanding his trouble. He has told me in the past that ever since he defeated Alduin, he has been trying to end the war between the factions and reuniting Skyrim. My father and Mirrak did not help his progress.
"But the point is I'm making progress, even if it's at a snail's pace. What about you, how have you been?" he asked me.
"I have been better; some members of my court are still cynical about the alliance between the Vampires and the Dawnguard saying we are waiting for a knife in the back. Velkon, my court wizard openly shows his displeasure for the Alliance every day. that we shouldn't reason with the living, that we should be the ones to control everything. He also believes that I have no reason to lead the clan. He voices how my mother or the other high-ranking court members should lead the clan" I replied.
It has been 2 years since Kaius and I defeated my father. After defeating him, the fighting between the Vampires and Dawnguard stopped and the Vampires who were still alive dropped their weapons and surrendered. Isran suggested to eradicate the rest of the court but Kaius proposed a solution that wouldn't involve any more bloodshed. He said if the Vampires could help keep feral vampires under control, release their current prisoners, and help clear out anything that could harm the citizens of Skyrim such as bandits, forsworn, and necromancers. And in exchange, the vampires live and they could use any of the bandits, forsworn, and necromancers as livestock. The Vampires agreed to the terms begrudgingly and asked who would be their new leader. Of course, Vingalmo and Orthjolf were the first to volunteer for the position. That was when Kaius volunteered me. He believed I could be an excellent leader/ambassador for the Vampires. Isran trusting me over Vingalmo and Orthjolf, agreed with him and I was named Lady of Castle Volkihar. Since Vingalmo, Orthjolf, Ronthil, Garan Marethi, and Hestla were the only ones who were still alive, they agreed to the terms of the alliance. After the Dawnguard left, the first thing I did was I told my mother about what happened to father. She was so elated she gave me a big hug and came out of the Soul Cairn. I made her my advisor.
"Do the other members of your court support you?" Kaius asked.
" Ronthil, Garen, and Hestla either support me or they just don't care. Orthjolf and Vingalmo say they support me but I know given the chance, they would rather rule the castle and clan. My mother is the only member who openly supports me." I replied.
"Give it some time, I believe they will come around." Kaius said.
"You clearly don't know the fir-." I began until Kaius interrupted me.
"I know that you are a great person, you're brave, your courteous, your smart, and you were able to stand up to your father and for what was right! You may not have a bunch of experience but you more than qualified for the job and since we had this alliance, we have been helping the people of Skyrim. Ignore what Velkon says and prove him wrong and show the other members that you can lead the clan" He said.
I was stunned. Kiaus had that much faith and respect for me? I started to blush. I turned away and spoke.
"Do you really have that much faith in me?"
"I do." He said. I smiled at him.
"Oh, I made you something." He said reaching towards a satchel.
"Is this another piece of armor?" I asked jokingly.
"Close your eyes." He said. I rolled my eyes but obeyed.
"Ok, you can open them." He said.
I opened my eyes and I saw he had a necklace. Upon closer in section I saw the necklace was an amethyst pendant crafted into the frame of a flower, the frame being a gold trim with a gold chain. The craftsmanship was completely astonishing. It reminded me of nightshade flowers my mother grew in her garden. The amethysts were carved to look like an exact copy of the purple flower.
"It looks amazing! And you made this?" I asked.
"Well, I did require help from Earlund with the amethysts being carved." He admitted
I looked at the necklace a little longer and I looked to Kaius. "Thank you." I said.
"Can you turn around?" He asked.
I turned around and I gave him the necklace. After he put the necklace on me I turned around to face him. He looked at the necklace then to me.
"It looks good, as is expected of my work." He said in a conceited tone.
I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, until you can make Dragon Bone or Daedric armor, then I will be impressed." I said knowing he is only skilled up to Stalhrim and Ebony.
"Hey, I'm getting there, I just need some more practice" I replied.
I laughed and then he started to laugh. Once we calmed down I looked at the necklace.
"Thank you again for this." I said.
"You're welcome." He replied.
I looked at his face and I took in his features. I have seen him without his helmet before but this time I really took in his features. His long brown hair with a braid in the front of his face, to his ice blue eyes, to his goatee on his square jaw, the scar he had on his right cheek, and his thin lips with a downwards scar on the right of his mouth.
"He looks so handsome." I thought. 'What?! Where did that come from?'
"You look so beautiful." Kaius said. That caught me by surprise. He has complimented me in the past but has never called me beautiful before.
"Thank you." I replied blushing.
I looked at him and this time I seemed drawn to those eyes of his. It seemed that those ice blue eyes stared right through my gold ones and I could them searing my soul, like a dragon eyeing its prey. I felt paralyzed. He placed his hand on top mine. If my heart could still beat, it would be racing. He leaned towards me and I began to do the same. As we were getting closer I closed my eyes. I already knew what was going to happen, but I couldn't stop myself. A part of me didn't want to stop.
I waited…and waited…and waited.
'Did he stop?'
I opened my eyes, instead of seeing those eyes, I saw the familiar ceiling of Castle Volkihar.
'It was all a dream.' I thought.
I sat up in my bed and looked around my room. I felt…disappointed and flustered. I wanted to see what would have happened next, but at the same time, I did not want too. I took a deep breath.
'Ok, I need to calm down. It was only a dream. It will never happen again.' I thought to myself getting out of the bed.
I looked around my room, or what used to be my father's room. After I became the Lady of the castle, I did some cleaning up around the castle and remodeling. I ended up taking my father's old room. I offered it my mother, but she said this room is for the Lord or Lady of the Castle. She ended up taking my old room. I got rid of the cage and the torture table and cleaned up the blood and bones. Now it just looks like a normal master bedroom in a castle.
"Well I better get ready for my duties as Lady of the castle" I said to nobody.
I stood up and stretched. I got on my Lord armor and walked through the corridor. I approached the court I saw everyone either drinking blood from the cattle or their chalices. When I get to my throne I am greeted by my mother.
"Serana you are late. How many times do I have to tell you, you have to be on time for meetings with the court." My mother scolded lightly.
"I'm sorry, I've haven't been sleeping well, that's all." I replied.
She gave me the look that said we will talk later then sat in her seat next to me.
"All right lets this council meeting over with." I said.
Hey guys, Sinbad here! Welcome to A Vampires Heart and a Dragons Soul revised. During the spring semester when I was working on chapter 9 and juggling school and work, I was rereading my earlier chapters and found out they needed to be revised because of the grouping of the paragraphs made it hard to concentrate and separate the dialogue and actions. So, I tore down my story and revised. There are no more confusing jumbled paragraphs and I also edited and added more stuff. Chapter 2 should be done within the next 2 weeks. I'm just revising the chapters that need it the most, so no flames please if the is no difference in the chapters. I hope you enjoyed the revised chapter, leave a review if you like and take it easy.