This'll be multi-chapter for sure. I have a pretty basic outline set up in my mind so just sit back and enjoy. Also, this story is F!Dragonborn, so you know right off the bat.
I own nothing but my ideas, and I'm pretty sure I don't even own those anymore.
"Ah Isran, still fighting the noble fight, are we?" The unsettling voice of Lord Harkon echoed of of the stone walls that surrounded the small team who had infiltrated -or stormed depending on which bard would tell the story later- Castle Volkihar. Celestria's grip on the hilt of the ebony sword strapped to her hip only grew tighter as her eyes focused solely on the vampiric lord in front of them. Upon their first meeting she hadn't liked him on mere principle but as she'd spent time with Serana and had been filled in on just what life had been for her all those years before...it made her blood boil at the sight of him.
Isran had responded but the half-Nord-half-whatever-her-father-had-been wasn't listening. Her attention had shifted to Serana, the paled skin beauty standing protectively in front of her in case Harkon decided he would skip the grand gesture of a speech. The brunette doubted this to be the case, the man seemed to love to hear himself speak...but the gesture had not gone unseen. It had been quite the similar case when they'd entered the Soul Cairn as well, though Valerica had warmed up a bit to the Dragonborn by the end of their visit. She couldn't exactly see Harkon doing the same and she was completely sure that she didn't want it to be the case either.
Squaring off her shoulders she stepped forward, listening intently as Serana defended her honor and Harkon turned to her with dark eyes. She almost laughed as the blame was thrown her way, a blame that for once wasn't actually on her shoulders. His words began to leave a bitter taste in her mouth, but she kept her composure and spoke up.
"Your kind is a blight on this world." The words fell false from her lips. She had never felt one way or another about vampires. She had no right to, but when the death tolls began to rise from them she knew they had to be stopped and the Dawnguard were the ones who were stopping them. Their beliefs were far stronger than hers when it came to the species in general, and since meeting Serana she couldn't see herself actually believing what she had just said.
A smooth, humorless laugh left the hovering monster in front of them, causing the brunette to shift about in her armor a bit uncomfortably. "My kind? Well, that is quite interesting coming from someone of your kind, wolf." A chill rattled her spine as she finally broke eye contact with Harkon and caught the other vampire in the room's gaze. Serana stared at her with wide eyes before they both shot their stares at Isran who seemed to be bursting at the seams.
"Well...It seems as though I've touched upon a subject of the delicate variety. Pity you shan't be around to discuss it. Enough talk!" The three sets of eyes focused now on the quickly retreating form on the vampire lord as he readied his attacks. Unsheathing twin ebony swords from their places at her sides, Celestria allowed the Dragon Aspect she'd studied up on engulf her body in it's warmth before setting off at full speed towards their foe. While her body worked seemingly on autopilot during the fight, her mind jumped back to just before she and Serana had entered the Soul Cairn.
"Just know...whatever path you choose I won't look at you any differently."
For some reason Celestria breathed a sigh of relief when this information was presented to her. She couldn't bare the thought of Serana disapproving of her, though she'd never really been one to be all that concerned with what other people had thought about her.
"You'll have to soul trap me." She spoke quietly, eyes cast down at the floor just in front of her. "I...it wouldn't be right. Trading a gift for a curse. Huntsman preserve me." The last part had been muttered, almost silently like a prayer.
Serana stared for a moment, almost taken back by the way the woman in front of her viewed her lycanthropy. A gift, something she could never see what she herself had been given; not that she'd had much choice in the matter. It'd become part of her though, an additional limb she couldn't picture herself not having...even if as time went on since she was rescued from the tomb she realized that the vampires of this era were not the same as the ones of her own.
She thought back to when her father had banished Celestria from the castle, the disgust on the Dragonborn's face when Harkon had referred to her scent as 'filth'. It took a strong heart to stand up to someone with that kind of power (not to mention thralls that surrounded the room), and it was a big part in why she decided to follow the woman in the first place.
"I understand." She finally spoke up, a soft smile across her features as she reached out and gently gripped a glove covered hand in her own. "Shall we? This might hurt a little bit..." She attempted to joke, anything to even slightly lighten the mood between them.
Celestria returned the smile, giving the hand a gentle squeeze before extracting her own and fishing through her belongings to find the soul gem she'd lifted while looking for the supplies the journal had mentioned.
"I was saving it for a rainy day."
The process was taxing and while she'd found herself weaker almost instantly, she could also still feel her inner wolf rattling the cages as usual.
"Speak no word of this around Dawnguard members. They'd sooner turn on another non-human than allow two of us to walk the halls freely."
They both knew the words to be true, and Serana had promised never to utter a word to anyone, much less the fanatics they'd been working with.
The battle ended with a well placed shot from Auriel's bow, a sunhallowed arrow directly sunk into the chest of the hulking vampire lord ended his reign. Celestria let out a ragged breath, her body cut and bruised from the fight, not to mention the roaring of the beast inside of her. Her wolf seemed pretty displeased that it wasn't invited to the events that had taken place. She knew that a hunt would be needed if she were to ever have a moment of peace again.
"We...we've done it." Serana's voice overpowered the raging animal as the brunette turned to face her, allowing the bow to rest across her midsection with a nod before reaching for one of the healing potions she stored away for moments like these.
"Indeed we have. Any regrets?" She asked, raising a brow towards the vampire who merely shook her head, staring at the place where her father had once stood.
"None."
Before either of them could speak up again, Isran used a speed neither had expected, drawing a silver dagger and pressing it to Celestria's neck. Serana stiffened, standing still only when a hand belonging to the Dragonborn motioned for her not to move. The woman in question growled, a sound from the pit of her stomach as her steel-blue eyes shown gold and angry.
"Watch where you point that blade, old man. If you value your life you'll sheath it and walk away." Her tone was even, though the remnants of that growl still echoed through each word.
This seemed to only anger the Redguard, who pressed the flat of the blade harder against pale skin, causing it to split ever so slightly. Another growl bubbled up, though she knew she was far too weak to overpower the man in her current condition.
"The Dawnguard trusted you, Dragonborn. Your kind is worse than theirs. I've seen the corpses of a were-hunt. You're filthy animals who deserve a fate worse than the leeches!"
Another sound filled the room this time from behind the two of them. Serana had her dagger drawn, hand cackling with the start of a lightning bolt just waiting to strike the man in front of her. "Step away from her, Isran. I, unlike Celestria will not hesitate to kill you. It's a leech thing." She sneered, red eyes boring into the man as her fangs elongated and presented themselves. "Or, I'll make you endure a far worse pain. Your own personal hell. I bet you wouldn't even be fast enough to stop my teeth from entering your neck." A snarl followed her words, watching as he slowly began to step away, dagger still out in front of him.
"This isn't over. We'll be back and none of you abominations will survive the wrath of the Dawnguard!" His eyes remained on the two women until he was at the door, rushing through it with a slam before either of them let out a breath of relief.
Shaking the spell from her hand and putting the dagger back in its rightful place, Serana closed the gap between the two, cold fingers lightly brushing the wound on Celestria's neck. "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you too much, did he?" She asked, concern showing fully on her features.
The brunette shook her head, swallowing before a soft wince left her body. "I've had worse. Just an addition to the already long list of ailments from today. Some mead and a warm meal should do me just fine." She offered a lopsided grin, running her fingers though her hair as it slowly dropped. "But I believe his words. This is far from over."
"Can't you get your...what would you call them? Your pack? Can't you get them to assist you in fighting him?" Serana wasn't foolish enough to believe that what Isran had said was just him speaking out of bravado. He'd strike back, and when he did they would be in for a fight.
The idea didn't settle well with Celestria at all. "No, there are too few to fight him. I cannot put my shield-brothers and sisters in harms way like that. For now, we must lay low and figure something out. The man is slow planning. We'll have time to put something together but for now...we have to get out of here. We'll ride for Solitude when we reach land, so long as those bastards stay away from Shadowmere." The wolf narrowed her eyes, growling softly at the thought of Isran laying a hand on her assassin horse.
Serana blinked a few times, raising her brow in slight disbelief. "We're speaking of the horse who nearly trampled me when I nudged you in her presence the other day, yes? I do believe she'll fend for herself if they're foolish enough to try anything." Reaching down she rested a hand on the visible skin of the woman in front of hers' arm, running it down the length a few times before nodding towards a door to the back. "Alternate route, in case they're still standing by the exit. Come, we've got planning to do."
So, to recap the Dragonborn of this story so far.
-Female
-Nord and Mystery race (probably Redguard or Imperial)
-Duel wielder with bow skills (non-magic)
-Werewolf (Companions will not be making an appearance, saving that for something else)
-Dark Brotherhood (explains Shadowmere)
-Thieves Guild/Nightingale (will come into play eventually, not a major part but I'd like to get that out in the open now, to spare any confusion)
Depending on the hits this gets, it has the potential to continue. Review even if you hate it. Thanks for reading.