For the Beauty Of Dawn

by Aimee Wolv

Auri-El's influence has been lost, the corruption of blood, the prophecy has been completed. The Dawnguard has been hunted down and slaughtered like sheep. But there is always hope for the Beauty of Dawn, but that hope will be trialed and tested. Would you go against your own blood to save Nirn?

2. I have a tea party with the Mad God!

ARTISTIC LISENCE FO DA WINZZ!

Okay, enough horrible headache inducing grammar/spelling, also in this chapter is the Thieves Guild! Because my crazyass mind won't let me leave them out. Let's move in to my crazy mind that I need to find the door handle too! (If you come in, leave the door open.)

I can hear your mind
racing on and on through the years of time
the future is their home
and I need to get back to mine-

-Veela, time bomb

I Have a Tea Party with the Mad God, oh and I am hired for the first time in fifty years!

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Red water den, pre Auri-El's corrupted bow, POV: Fransansisco

Isran had told this place was a haven for vampires; idiotic citizens of the Empire would come here for this red Skooma and be turned into food. There was supposedly this fountain that enhances a vampire's natural ability to absorb life.

So far, everything was the normal kind of danger. Vampires, thralls, and death hounds were so common place I would be stunned if I went back to Hjerim without a vampire being there. I wondered if someone was keeping that place dust free for me.

I let out a sigh of annoyance when, surprise surprise, a death hound jumped at me. I kicked at the mongrels jaw; I heard a nice loud crack. I brought the sharpened heel of my boot onto its head; I used my other foot to scrap the flesh off.

I came across a large room; I crouched with my back touching the wall beside the door. I loaded my cross bow and peered into the room, it was… empty. I found that hard to believe with all the blood everywhere so I entered the room.

As soon as I put my cross bow back into its little holder thing my hand was pinned by an ice spike to a wooden column. I screamed bloody murder and swore like a sailor, per the usual. I slide down onto the floor which caused more excruciating which lead to more screaming and swearing. Using one hand, I pulled my cross bow out of its holder.

I loaded the bloody thing using my hand and one of my feet, don't even remember how though. I looked around the room, searching for movement, the Magicka aura from the ice spike was familiar but I couldn't place it.

I saw some form of movement and aimed the cross bow in the general direction, and then I saw some movement to my right and right in front of me. By now the ice spike had melted, but my hand was still useless. I stood up shakily, my arm hung limp at my side blood was pooling, and my boots had been stained red.

I put my back to the exit and started walking backwards; it wasn't my best choice I'll grant. I was halfway there when I bumped into someone; I turned around faster than a Cliffracer can spot you and call the entire nest to kill you.

"Mephala, Fran, I thought I would never see you again! How is my little sister?" Venetia exclaimed my vampire sister was here in this vampire producing Skooma den. No, she couldn't be here, not here. Not now, when she's been corrupted by that vile repulsive Harkon.

"Mara's mercy, Venetia, I am older than you by five minutes! What are you doing here? What happened after I was… removed from the giant fort?"

"Harkon trained me personally on my new form, and then he sent me to Garan Marethi who sent me here to fill this chalice." I smiled, my sister was always talkative it would take something very serious for her to change her personality. I hugged my sister, she was as cold as the dead well considering the fact she's a vampire I should have expected that.

"Well, while we are both here we may as well continue the rest of the way together. What do you say, sister?" I asked her, her eyes glittered. They were no longer their beautiful amber hue, but a fiery orange. There was a slit from her nose down to just below her bottom lip; I searched her face for any sign of remorse for her choice. I found none, she may ne'er seek redemption.

She nodded and grabbed the wrist that her spell went through; another wave of pain left me gasping. If you haven't noticed I am not good with pain, it's a me thing. She sent tendrils of magic through the wound, healing that and a few others I must have of missed.

We walked towards the door; my blond hair had come out of its ponytail when I was fighting some of the vampires. I had forgotten how long it was, I ne'er paid too much attention.

I dropped into a crouch as she opened the door, it was best I lay in the shadows with my great sword and crossbow. I edged around the room I put our one of the braziers, Venetia had just filled the chalice when two immortal scum entered the room weapons drawn.

They started spewing crap about their two political masters and then went in to kill my sister and each other. I aimed a bolt at the female and let it fly, got her through the heart.

"Shot through the heart, and you're to blame, you give love a bad name." I hummed, and unsheathed my great sword my sister was already covered in vampire blood. I jumped and used the brazier as a kick-off to fly through the air and chop off the vamp's head.

I wiped the vampire blood off of my face in disgust, my sister seemed to be relishing in the blood. It disgusted me to see my little sister as a monster, I took a deep breath. The smell of blood, dust, and the dead was over whelming.

"You have your chalice sister, it is best if we part ways now. We are on opposing sides after all." My eyes were closed as I spoke; my head was tilted up like a flower seeking sunlight. She was quiet, but, when she spoke she had hope in her voice.

"Fran, if you begged Lord Harkon for forgiveness you could be come on of us! I am sure he would forgive you, Fransansisco, after all we're enigma!" she had her hands clasped together as if in prayer to the Daedra or the eight and the one. She had long forsaken them when she fell under Harkon's spell, the vampire's living god.

"No, Venetia, I will never beg anyone ever again." My voice was cold and my heart was stone, I saw a flicker of anger and frustration in her face before it returned to its previous state.

"It has been long since Summerset, sister, surely you can pretend-"

"No, Venetia, is that the one word you cannot comprehend when it comes to your undead god? I will never become a vampire and I will never serve a tyrant again!" I had enough, she was taken by that vile monster she was no longer my equal or the sister I used to know. She had once vowed to never be consumed by a man, she broke that vow.

"Venetia, do you not remember when you vowed never to have your life consumed by a man? Do you not remember that day when you summoned a Daedric Prince to vow that in front of them?"

"Things change, Fran, the Daedra cannot do anything now. Harkon has promised that."

"He will only limit Akatosh's influence, not a Daedra's!" I flounced out the door and into the Skooma den, they were all dead. I kicked the door open and climbed up the ladder to the outside, when I felt the warm sunshine on my face I become worried. If Harkon won this war and completed the prophecy I would never feel Akatosh's influence again. If that happened, would my dragon blood falter?

I ran for half a kilometre before realising that the sun was setting, once it set that would mean vampires would be coming out of their little dens to hunt. I wasn't prepared for a small armies worth.

I started running faster, if I was lucky I could convince some bandits to let me stay the night. By convince I mean bribe them with some jewels and gold.

This event was one of many where my sister would try and kill me; sometimes blood is not thicker than water.

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Red Water Den, a few months after the Forgotten Vale, POV: Fransansisco

People change, and it hurts sometimes.

I remembered the day I first step foot in this Skooma ridden place, since then people had fled here to escape the vampires. The only place the vampires hadn't looked, luckily for the poor and those able to escape.

Two teenage boys unsheathed their swords when they saw me, I stood in front of them and waited long enough for them to realise that I wasn't a vampire or a thrall.

I entered the once Skooma den, the place still reeked of Skooma and blood but it wasn't as bad as it was when I had left the place. I saw a small girl, around five, isolated and shivering in a corner, no one went near her no matter how hard she cried. I took a step towards her but an old man out his hand on my arm.

"Don't trust that little façade the monster puts on, it is too weak to move too far. We can't get close enough to get the thing outside to burn." I stared in disbelief at the old man, I had never heard of a vampire turning a five summers old child. But I had also never imagined becoming the lover of a Snow Elf.

"You mean that little girl is a vampire?" I asked, putting on my diplomatic face, the little vampire looked towards me pleadingly. I had been feeling motherly recently and it tore my heart to know that the monsters had no standards. The old man nodded, I took a few steps closer to the vampire. There were only two spells left that could replicate the suns affect on vampires. I knew both.

I had Sun fire in my hand ready to be launched at the vampire; I kneeled down next to it. I felt pity for it, the pity for the vampire was foreign to me now. I hadn't felt pity for a vampire since I last travelled with Serana, and that was when we killed Harkon. When I thought of Harkon I felt nauseous, he had taken control over my sister even if she had broken free, I fear that connection still holds.

The thing looked at me hungrily, and just as it launched itself at me, its flesh was burned off while it writhed in pain. I stood up, and continued through Red Water, the old man stood up and followed me.

"I have never seen someone wield a spell that could replicate the sun, could that light candles and other flammable materials?" he asked, I was surprised by those questions. Mostly because I had never asked them myself, pfft some knowledge seeker I am.

"I do not know, perhaps the spell could. I have never tried, never even crossed my mid. Not with everything that is going on." I answered truthfully, though the months had flown by without anything interesting happening until now it still hadn't crossed my mind.

The man murmured something to himself as we reached where the blood fountain was, the very sight of it made me think of Harkon. Which in turn made me feel sick again, Venetia never told me what happened in that castle and Serana refused to talk about it, I dug my nails into my left arm scars already marked it? From my nails and from other's weapons.

"Have you tried plugging it up?" I asked the old man, he grimaced.

"We did, but the next day the plug was removed. That was also the day we discovered the child's secret. We're going to plug it up again to discover if there are any more in our midst." He explained, then I realised how rude I was for not introducing myself. Heh, my mother would have a field day.

"By the way, my name is Fransansisco daughter of Curamine and Goel from the city of Alinor. "

"I am Snilf I was once a beggar in Riften. When the vampires came I fled here, with most of Riften, including the Thieves guild. Some of them are still here, some left refusing to stay put. The Guild Master died, or so the rumours say some say she left before the vampires came." I nodded it made sense when the vampires took over many people followed their fear and not their hearts

"The Thieves Guild, do they still operate or have they found temporary jobs helping drive back the vampires?"

"They go into the towns when the vampires go to see if people haven't been skipping on the 'donating'. They tend to smuggle people out through the old sewers, but recently their attempts have been failing. Brynjolf is tearing his hair out trying to find out why."

"Who is this 'Brynjolf'?" I was curious; after all I am an Altmer. Though I may not be as snobby as others, well now I'm not.

My back was killing me; it's what I get for lugging around a giant bag full of shit and for being a woman who has gone through puberty.

"Brynjolf is, or rather, was the second for the Guild Master in the Guild. He now has to take care of the Guild, if it survives I guess he'll be officially announced the Guild Master." Snilf explained patiently, actually now that I remember I had seen him in Riften before. When he was a boy and when he was an old beggar.

"Interesting, tell me of the operations here, what are the education systems, the jobs, the food sources, and the protection against vampires?" I asked I was badgering him with questions I needed to know everything for our operations. I lead the Dawnguard since… since the fire.

"We have the Mercenary mage from the Bee and Barb tries to teach the children, We are trying to establish some form of Economy, we have miners from Shor's Stone making tunnels and larger rooms, We get food from scavengers and farms that have been left alone by the vampires, we also train as many young people as we can. There's not much we can do we can only hope they don't try to reclaim the spring."

"I see if it pleases you I would be willing to send some of the remaining Dawnguard to help. Perhaps you could start building up once they arrive?" I remembered when my mother tried to get me interested in diplomacy didn't work, though I remember some things about it. No, I can't lie I remember nothing.

He thought for a moment, and then nodded hesitantly.

"I believe that would be most helpful, but tell me, why help us?" I gazed at the spring; blood flowed from it as easily as sand from between open fingers.

"That question will be answered in time, we need every able bodied mortal to answer the call to this war of fate. May Azura guide you in the twilight." I turned around to find a glass sword pointed at my neck. My eyes widened as I looked at its owner, a furious red headed Nord.

"I thought you had more sense, Snilf, than to trust the sister of the vampire who started this whole apocalypse." He spoke with a strange accent; there were a few greys hairs in the sea of red.

"We may have been blood but she has betrayed me by trying to kill me and by blocking Auri-El's influence on Nirn. I would ask of you to point that sword elsewhere but if you feel more secure keeping it there I ask you to move so I can leave for Fort Dawnguard so I can salvage some things."

"How do I know you're not going to tell the vampires of our location?" he asked, I raised an eyebrow.

"You will not know unless you follow me, but that has risks itself."

"Those risks will have to wait, because I am not letting a renegade guild member ruin what we have here."

"'Renegade guild member'? You must be mistaken Nord, I was never in your guild".

"You lie! You betrayed us; you left us at the mercy of Mercer. You knew there was something wrong and you left! Not only did you leave but you stole our most important plans!" he was most certainly angry, I remained silent.

"Are you not even going to defend yourself? Are you going to be such a coward you will not speak? Answer me!"

"I am old enough to be the midwife that helped with your birth, I am old enough to see your grandparents grow up. I am old enough to have of been your great grandmother's midwife! I have fought dragons and been to Sovngarde; I have faced two thousand years old vampires and lived to tell the tale. I have gone up against Ulfric Stormcloak. Don't you ever accuse me of cowardice, child, because compared to me you are nothing!" I shouted the last part as I unsheathed my weapon and knocked the sword out of his hands.

I blocked his next strike with his secondary weapon; I jumped and kicked at his chest sending him back some way. I picked up his sword and ran past dozens of other people to get out and away. A few of his fellow guild members tried to stop me, I managed to get out of there with only a broken arm and a few scratches.

I ran towards the general directions of Fort Dawnguard the blood rushing in my head made me ignorant of Brynjolf following me. But I still ran like an elk being hunted by wolves, I avoided Riften or what was left of it. I saw smoke stacks rising from the once shady city, it was like a dozen blacksmiths had taken refuge there and were making weapons and armour.

Once I reached the valley entrance, I slowed down some and leaned against a dead tree. I kicked some midnight black wood away from me; I glanced at the ruins of the fort. A lump formed in my throat, this was a place I called home for a time and it had been reduced to… this.

I sighed and closed my eyes; I had to dig my nails into my palm to stop the flow of memories. This had all been because of my sister; my lovable, kind, empathetic sister had changed so much. Or perhaps she was always like this and I just refused to see it.

Snow Veil Sanctum continues from last chapter, POV: Lilith.

A single Frostbite spider was sitting on the roof, its fangs dripped with venom. I stood there frozen; a moment of foolishness was rewarded with being attacked by the bloody thing. I screamed and tripped landing on my back, I scrambled backwards. I have a chronic fear of spiders, that's how I got kicked out of Morrowind.

I tried drawing on my Magicka but it was like there was a blockage between me and…where ever Magicka comes from, Aetherious? I scrambled back further, there was someone screaming in my head that something wasn't right, that this wasn't real. It couldn't be it wasn't there when we searched.

I bumped into someone's legs, I felt them grab my arms and pull me up. They held me in place gripping my shoulders tightly; the frostbite spider kept coming closer and the closer it was the more I struggled. Tears streamed down my face, this didn't feel right this wasn't happening this couldn't be happening.

I managed to get away from whoever was behind me's grip, when I saw who it was I knew that this wasn't real. He was dead; everyone knew that, the tribunal made sure of that. I turned and ran there he was again, he grabbed my shoulders again.

This shouldn't be happening; he was dead for thousands of years, he was dead by the hands of the tribunal! He couldn't be back…

I was shocked back into my body; I was staring at an empty spot on the ceiling. I blinked a few times trying to process what the hell had happened, I swayed back and forward ever so slightly. What in Oblivion had happened, Sheogorath must be taking me. Yes, nothing but the meddling of a troublesome Daedra.

You haven't seen me meddling yet, lass.

Markarth, POV: Alise

I looked at Markarth from my vantage point on the roof of the keep; vampires inhabited the place and tore it a part looking for the Jarl. Who of which had headed into the Dwarven ruins to escape, he could be anywhere now. There were two vampires harassing an old woman, they were worse than the Silver bloods.

I saw a vampire dragging the Jarl's daughter behind her by the hair, I half stood, waiting for a chance to kill some of them. I moved towards the edge, I got an arrow out of my quiver and nocked it. The vampire must have of felt safe since it had its head unprotected, a prime target for an arrow. Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity could I?

I released the arrow; the whizzing sound must have been thrilling for the vampire. I have always wanted to hear the whizzing sound. But no one shoots arrows at my head, I don't understand why though. Maybe Stanley the talking Grapefruit from Passwall knows! I can't wait to ask him!

The vampire's head shot forward when my arrow connected, blood splattered everywhere. I grinned, oh such fun! Killing in my sheep form is almost as exciting as being in my wolf clothing! I began climbing down the walls of the keep; once I reached the ground the Jarl's daughter ran to me and hid behind me. I unsheathed my ebony war axe and began defending us both. Whenever one vampire died I would dance a little, either a jig or a waltz with a stunned vampire who I then used as a meat shield.

I lifted the decapitated head of a vampire and wore it as a hat while I fought, I believe it was rather stylish and nothing you say can sway my opinion. Ever, nothing you say ever can change me.

It was an intense dance, my hair went to the wind as I twirled, whirled, twisted, and hopped around the vampires. I had more than a few scratches; no one comes out of a hunt unscathed, not even a big bad wolf.

Once the last vampire was dead and skinned I turned back to the Jarl's daughter, there was vampire blood all over her and she looked terrified. I grinned at her; blood splattered my teeth and the rest of my body. I didn't notice the sword sticking through my stomach.

I took a step towards her and landed on my knees, the grin faded from my face and so did the spark as I would later learn. Everything became duller and greyer, then it went black and I was on my side. Bleeding my life's worth of blood.

.

While I was comatose I was having a tea party with the Mad God, in this dream I was wearing the Wolf Armour of Solsthiem's older days. It suited me, I believe.

"Now lass, I want you to go to the ruins of that town with all the fish and picky pocketys to meet up with this other lass who will be with another lass and the lass will ask you to train the other lass and I want you to train that lass and help them with their mission. Got it?"

"Yes, milord, will there be rabbits on the way? It's been so long since I saw a white one; their blood looks so nice on white fur." Sheogorath thought for a moment as I imagined the beautiful red colour on silky white fur, the sticky feel of bloody fur was so comforting like the caress of a lover- before you plunge a knife into their belly!

"Yes, I believe so lass! Well that's what Hircine says, and you know Hircine! Always favours the special ones, don't know why. Perhaps it's because they like Strawberry Tortes!" then Sheogorath started laughing madly at his little inside joke, I sat there smiling about the sweet taste of Khajiit flesh.

"Tell me Alise, how is a Hagraven like a Cyrodiilic writing desk?"

"Both are considerable ugly and yet popular?" I answered, Sheogorath was about to say something but then an Oblivion gate opened.

Now this gate wasn't the generic ugly gates you get in Cyrodiil, this gate had crawlers wrapped around the spires. Birds flew out of the portal; through it you could see a dense forest with animals stalking the prey. But you could also see an olive skinned man with the head, or mask, of a deer skull.

"Don't tell me that our asking our dear Alise impossible questions, Sheogorath. She's far too taken by you as it is, our hunters need her sane for now." The way Hircine said the last two words sent a shiver down my spine. I sat up straighter and bowed my head down respectfully; Sheogorath squinted at me then turned his attention back to Hircine.

"It's not impossible, just so difficult it would take an entire pack of were bears to pick it a part! But while they're doing that the sheep dance the tango!" Sheogorath magicked a tea cup out of thin air in front of Hircine, it landed neatly on Hircine's out stretched palm.

"Have a seat Hircine; I'm sure the hungers won't bite." Sheogorath told Hircine, the Daedric Prince of the hunt sat down uncomfortably. He wasn't used to formality or tea parties such as this, and never used to it when a mortal observer is near-by.

"I suspect you know why I am here, Sheogorath?" Hircine asked, Sheogorath sighed and began to speak.

"You are here because Mother Fadomay liked me better, because Alise is mad, because she isn't growing into her skills as a werewolf as you would like, because you want some tea?" Sheogorath rattled off, raising a finger each time, I had the feeling there were hundreds more he could say but Hircine spoke before he had the chance.

"No, it is because Alise is dying before her time, Molag Bal must be stopped. It is in both of our interests to let her live." Hircine's voice rose, he didn't remember I was here, he didn't know that I wasn't meant to know who was behind it all in the grand scheme of things.

He didn't remember me; he never did anyway not once. How strange is it to be forgotten by the one Daedra who 'favoured' you?

"Alise will survive, Hircine, unless you have forgotten how strong our Alise has become and that she is not a pup to you any longer. I expected better of a wolf, or are you, too, a mongrel with no sense of smell?" I sipped the sweet tea in the delicate cup, my pupils were dilated. No doubt I was regaining consciousness, but I needed to stay. To hear what was to come, so I could do their will.

"She is awakening, what possessed you to bring her here?"

"This is where nothing can touch her, where she has her mind again. Do not patronise me for trying to keep her alive, Hungry Cat. Now we must discuss business…"

Windhelm Stables, POV: Adarume

I had barely gotten away from them; fleeing once more I had come here to Windhelm. A heavily vampire based town, though the mortals and vampires had been civil to each other at the start I did not know how it was now.

I sat in the warm straw; I had a good visual of the roads travellers would take with the new vampire crisis. In fact, I saw four travellers avoiding the roads. They came in from somewhere behind Windhelm, a more direct way to Winterhold if you were desperate. I heard their voices carrying over the wind.

"This is all your fault, Lilith, you elves, vampires and necromancers are all in it together! No wonder the one who started all this is an elf!"

"Shut up, Onmund. Your precious Nordic history isn't so great either, remember the Dragon Priests? Ysgramor who killed thousands of mer? Your Talos was a bastard to Barenziah Queen of Mournhold, and they attacked the Chimer as well. No race is perfect, but no other race should discriminate because of that."

I came out if my warm straw pile and brushed anything that stuck to me off; those strange Bosmer toddlers have a good grip. I watched the travellers come towards Windhelm; they looked like they had been on the road for months.

"We need to get Brelyna into the city, surely the vampires won't bother someone who is wounded?" the male's voice sounded hopeful, naïve, the next voice sounded sharp and cold.

"You are truly ignorant, Onmund, vampires are capable of anything. They attacked the college and took over Skyrim, they could possibly be moving onto any other of our neighbouring countries. They are ruthless and must not be trusted. Though I do believe that we will be able to survive two nights without drawing attention to ourselves, we must stick together."

"She is right, Onmund, and we only need be here a single night. Then we will move onto Riften, and then Fort Dawnguard. No vampire ever goes there anymore, not since the burning." A sickly voice, infection perchance?

"Do not speak, Brelyna, you need to recover. Not open up wounds." The voice turned warmer and softer, when speaking to the injured woman. There was some form of care or affection for this woman.

"I doubt talking is going to open up almost healed wounds, Lilith, but either way there is someone watching us." The voices ceased, the woman, Lilith, looked in my direction. A younger woman, when she saw me, looked nervous and almost afraid. I threw back my hood, white hair and white skin went together like snow and… some more snow did.

I waited for them to reach and have most of them pass me before grabbing who I presumed was Lilith's arm.

"I heard you will be travelling to fort Dawnguard, please, let me travel with you. Also, avoid the Palace of Kings; vampires inhabit the Jarl's throne."

And just like that I had been accepted into a group of, as I later learned, college mages on a trip towards an insane- wait no spoilers.

Castle Volkihar, POV: Venetia (Sound the alarms!)

I paced the length of the cathedral, I had risked countless immortal lives trying to find my damnable sister, and a majority of them had never even heard a whisper of her! My stupid sister had dared reject Harkon's gift and then stole my bow!

When I get my hands on her I'll crush her windpipe and then before she dies I'll rip it out for her to see. Make no mistake about that, I looked at the altar to Molag bal. It hadn't been so long ago since I last heard from him, that time he had chosen Harkon's voice. To throw me off? Possibly.

I clasped my hands in front of me, debating on whether or not to approach it or not. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear Harkon's voice or not, his death had lessened me being his 'fan girl' but that connection still existed. It grew stronger when I heard his voice, even if it was just Molag Bal.

But, perhaps that connection was just a figment of my imagination? Perhaps this was truly all me, not him from the dead. A burst of courage bloomed in my chest, or perhaps that was just a sudden unexpected rush of once still blood. Either way I began walking towards the altar.

Once I reached it I placed my hands on either side, and peered into the illusion of blood. Or perhaps it was blood; I never dared to find out.

"Ahh, Venetia I see you have approached the altar once again. Yet, you still do not have the bow; I believe the old lord of the castle would be extremely disappointed. Harkon rather enjoys it here I believe, he gets to see how his little toy is managing without him. Though he does seem rather disappointed, he thought he made more of an impression. Or perhaps you are hiding it from us?"

"Enough tricks, Molag Bal, I need guidance not to be cowed like some milk maid who screams at the sight of a Skeever." My voice trembled, that was what betrayed me. The unnatural desire to join Harkon had been there when Serana, Fransansisco and I had gone to fight him. I wanted it gone when he died but, as I feared, it had grown stronger.

"I have no tricks, just silent truth my champion. After all, you are the one with a connection to a dead man."

"THERE IS NO CONNECTION, THERE NEVER WAS." I tore the altar from its place in the floor and threw it across the room. It cracked and splat in two, I stormed out of the room. I ended up in Harkon's room; I had long thrown out the cage and his torture tools. Though blood stained the floor, no all of it was from his time.

Gaerin, Molag Bal's vampire priest, entered the room. Ever since he had arrived he had felt entitled to do whatever he wanted, so far he hadn't annoyed any one yet so I allowed him to do so.

"I heard something in the cathedral, did something happen?" he asked lounging on my throne near the fire; I didn't speak and just attended to my soul gems. Said soul gems had mysterious been rearranged, like some joker had tried to mess with me again. Trying to break me, I will not break.

"Nothing happened, Gaerin, nothing. Go back to your preaching to my court, perhaps they will stop drinking for a moment to listen to your religious nonsense?" I insulted him clearly, but that was the desired effect of my words. He stood and exited my- I mean- Harkon's room; I sat down in my throne. I had my legs over one of the arms; the smooth and old velvet was soothing for me.

I stared in to the embers; I would have to put some more kindle in there later. May have to restart it entirely, though that would be new, maybe doing so would make the room feel more like mine than his.

There's a woman out there somewhere, expecting a child. She'll probably be with her husband, and they'll be happy despite the condition of the sun which should worry them. I wish I could conceive a child, but my body is dead and the only thing keeping it from rotting is my soul and magic unknown to me.

I looked at my large selection of books, I had read a majority of them and only one called out to me. One that I had found in Harkon's bookcase, before I threw them out that is. I stood up and walked over to my bookcase, I picked up the book and then I realised that it was a bit too heavy for an ordinary book.

I opened Harkon's book to find it hollowed out with a small potion of blood inside of it.

"Fuck you, Harkon, just fuck you, and fuck you and your fucking blood hoarding. I don't even know why this sort of shit still bothers me." I downed the potion and felt the effects instantly.

This wasn't normal blood, this wasn't even mortal blood. I don't want to know what type of blood it was because it made me feel sick and I would rather forget it.

"Krosis, why do I even drink anything here anymore?"

Markarth, Cidna Mine, POV: Alise

I woke up in a strange room which I presumed was underground by the dirt roof. I looked around and noticed the Jarl's daughter was making something with a mortar and pestle. I sat up; a flash of pain went through my torso. Well not a flash, more like spontaneous human combustion, now you know what it felt like.

The Jarl's daughter jumped when she saw me up, she rushed over like I was dying or got stabbed in the stomach. Ha, crazy talk. She pushed me down gently; she was surprisingly strong for a noble's brat. Where were those singing mice?

"What are you thinking? You got stabbed straight through the stomach; you didn't get a little prick on your finger!" now isn't this a perfect fairy tale? Do you hear that?

"I'm not exactly a china doll, pup." Another flare of pain, I gasped. This was just torture, fu-

"Even so, even the heartiest warrior would be bedridden for a few days at least with a wound like this. So suck it the hell up and get some rest while I prepare a potion." She turned back to her alchemy fully expecting me to actually listen to her.

I swung my legs off of the bed, fully ignoring every wave of pain from then on because I am not weak. I took a few careful steps towards the door before feeling confident that I could walk for a few meters.

I managed to get out of Cidna mine before she even realised I was gone, freaking unaware money baby. I looked around; the sun was still this black and red thing that I didn't like and Markarth was still as confusing as ever. Obviously I hadn't been out for more than a century.

I began walking towards the main gate, completely ignoring the pain and the blood that was now trickling from the wound to my calf. No one was out surprisingly, not even any guards, there was a pile of vampire bodies and ashes visible even from near the main gate. I am so badass. Well time to catch a carriage to Riften should make it within a few days. Ha who am I kidding, this is Skyrim we're talking about. Time doesn't have any true affect here!

Rift Watchtower, POV: Lilith

I couldn't believe I agreed to this, it had only been a few hours since I had agreed to the Snow Elf's plan. Only a few hours since we had ditched the others, including Brelyna, to travel to Riften. If Onmund caught up to me he would most likely kill me, tension already ran high since his hysteria with the sun. Now his racist Nord side had been brought out.

I followed Adarume, slinking quietly through the night time forest and away from the watch tower. I felt a little guilty about leaving Brelyna but sacrifices must be made, even if that sacrifice was either one of our lives.

The Snow Elf had long discovered that I was hopeless without my Magicka, and when I told her about my little spell back at the Nordic crypt she was going to hire the first mercenary she saw to train me in combat. Can't wait to see the aftermath of that.

I crouched down low in the shrubbery, I love shrubs don't you? anyway, the Snow Elf went very quiet and still. I glanced over at her and then took in our surroundings, I couldn't detect anything wrong. I guess I didn't take on the fact that vampires can turn fucking invisible.

I felt the unwelcome temperature of cold steel and the, also unwelcome, warm breath of a bandit.

"Lookie here boys, we got two more, who recons that their all together?" his accent screamed Nord, a bandit obviously, great.

"Let go of me, followers of the sky fish! I told you I'm not a grasshopper!" a few more bandits approached us, two of them held a woman with black hair. Another Nord, she seemed to have no idea what she was talking about. Either that or she was insane.

"Boss, I doubt these two would be travelling with this one. The Dark Elf doesn't seem the type to put up with it." My eyes widened, what did this asshole know of me? I am a member of house Indoril not someone to be trifled with!

"Bah! What do you know, whelp? You're too green to know anything of the world; every wise man knows that Dunmer, insane freaks, necromancers and werewolves are all in it together. There'll be a good ransom with these three!"

I dug my nails into my palms, I could wait. But I wouldn't have to, because the Nord woman grew angrier. The leader turned his eyes onto her, I closed mine, and the next sound the rip through the world was the howl of a werewolf, the chosen of Hircine.

I didn't open my eyes, not even when blood splattered my face. Not even when hot bloody breath covered my face.

Forest, POV: Alise

Tearing, crunching, ripping, biting, clawing, and bleeding. I loved it, hunting again the death and dying, the bleeding and pleading. Everything was as it would be in Hircine's realm if I were to die. I barely heard their screams or their prayers.

It was like when I first changed when the moons had say over whether I was human or not, but that era had long passed and I was free.

I snarled at their leader and grabbed him by the throat; I heard the blood rushing around his body the beating of his heart too. He was terrified, the smell of fear rolled off him in waves. I crushed his throat and popped off his head, blood splattered everywhere onto my fur, the ground, the other two women and onto the other dead.

I tore into his chest, tearing away bones, muscle and fat to get to the heart. It burst on my tongue flavour simply flooded my mouth and senses. I howled and saw the life blood around me, deer were a few hundred meters away the two women were to the right of me and another bandit was hiding behind a tree.

I started to change back into a human, there was coldness, so cold it almost burned, and it hurt as always. Bones snapped and were forced into their original positions and sizes, the numbness from the cold helped. Apparently the cold only happened with me, some luck eh?

The last thing to change was my left shoulder, it snapped into place leaving me cold, numb, and naked in the unforgiving forests of Skyrim. I kneeled down and pulled a cloak off of one of the bandits, it was thin and it's only purpose was to cover and not to keep warm but it would do.

I turned to the other two, the Dunmer had her eyes closed but the pale elf thing was staring right at me. I raised an eyebrow; I could practically feel her resentment and astonishment like a mist covering the body. She stood up and helped the Dunmer to her feet, the Dunmer was only about the elven equivalent of fourteen lucky kid.

"So, you're a werewolf. May I know your name?" the pale white thing asked, she paler than the average Nord locked in a cave for eight years. I am bloody serious!

"Alise, mercenary, trainer and other things." I answered, no use revealing my secret weapon, wait. No, my identity isn't a weapon my inventory is, I always get those two mixed up.

"Trainer? How much does it cost?" She had a strange fading accent, from a time long ago perhaps? I had never heard an accent similar to it ever.

"That depends on how incompetent the trainee is, I once had to train an imga thing thousands of Septims were made that year." She frowned; her head leaned to one side.

"What's an imga?"

"An ape like creature, they happen to want to be elves. They shave off their fur and wear capes and stuff, don't like us men races though, they're rather rude." I thought about it for a moment, it seemed like centuries ago when I had trained that ape. I learned some rather interesting curses that year; well at least my vocabulary was increased!

"Anyway, are you considering hiring a Nord like me?" I didn't need the money; I had paid off all of my old debts long ago when I travelled to Solsthiem again. I was upset to learn how my old friends had died, though the Skaal remembered me somewhat.

"My... adopted sister here needs to learn how to wield even the smallest blade, where we are going she needs to learn how to defend herself. Would you be able to train her?"

"I need some adventure, and a new job might help. Where are you travelling? I could train her on the way." If my own plans didn't get in the way first, after all my lords need to come first.

"Riften, and beyond." Short sharp and shiny, well hat tip to you sir- madam, I mean.

"Well, looks like our paths would have have crossed anyway. I'm going to Riften as well, better get going in case anymore bandits show up, eh?" I waited for the white pale elf to started walking, I meandered a bit. This visibly, for some reason, annoyed the pale thing.

Ruins of Fort Dawnguard, POV: Fransansisco

I stepped over fallen pillars and looked for some cloth and a healing potion, in my flight my broken arm had gotten past the stage of having a simple healing potion. It would need a sling and a few healing potion to speed along the natural healing, Gelebor is going to be so angry.

Some people had said I was too dependent on Gelebor, that I should spend more time away from him. But I have always thought I spent too much time away from him, and with the sun the way it is he was tightly strung, nothing more nothing to do with… children.

I absentmindedly laid my hand over where my womb should be, we tried a few but we stopped after the miscarriage. I feared it would drive him away from me but perhaps it just made us closer, or so everyone around us said.

I smiled as I spotted some cloth and a miraculously spared healing potion, I got down as low as possible to pick them up. I looked around for some form of table or chair to sit on as I fixed the make shift sling, I spotted a weak, charred, one a little way away. This table if I remember correctly had the map of Skyrim on it. I grinned as I remembered some of us pretending to be Isran scowling over a map.

I sat on it and began turning the cloth into a sling, it hurt unsurprisingly it was to be expected. It still hurt like Oblivion.

"One problem down, Fransansisco, eight thousand more to go" I grumbled, I stood up. I guess I could high jack a carriage and get the vale faster or maybe a horse if I can't find a carriage. I would prefer a carriage, but that's just me.

I walked back to the entrance hall and gazed at where we used to sleep, maybe some of the beds were still intact? It would be nice to sleep, even if it is for an hour or two, a nice warm bed.

I scrambled over the debris and jogged towards the sleeping area, I held my broken arm away from me to avoid bumping it against myself which would induce pain upon me. I went over to the single undamaged bed and sat on it.

I laid back and stared at the sky; with the lack of light coming from the sun the stars were clear and visible. It was beautiful really, to quote an old war veteran. I curled up into a ball and fell asleep to the sound of the night and someone entering the fort- wait, entering the fort?

Okay, so I didn't actually fall asleep I kind of just pretended to even though I was really tired and really needed it I was bloody scared though. I stayed awake so I wouldn't get killed in my sleep, also so I could find out who was in MY fort. Well it's not mine per se but that doesn't matter, I am pretty sure if I inhabit the fort for a month I own it by right of something something.

Anyway, they trespasser entered the sleeping quarters and spotted me. They sat down in a chair and waited. They just waited, didn't try to kill me or anything they just waited. I tried to remember where I had put my great sword and that spare dagger; I knew I had an iron dagger in my boot but would that be enough? I recalled having my great sword at the entrance with my pack but not after that, so if I got the chance there was a good place to look.

My hand inched towards my boot, which was hard because I can be an impatient idiot at the worst of times. My hand had just touched the top of my boot when the intruder lit a torch, you know who it was?

It was fucking Gelebor; he scared the shit out of me. How the fuck did he find me- wait, Serana! Or maybe Clinton told him, I thought that kid would keep him distracted! Well there's always plan B, I can't have Gelebor getting hurt.

"Gelebor, can you ignore y injuries and just go back home where you are safe and I don't need to worry about?" is what I felt like saying, but I knew it would probably lead to him pinning me on the floor and tickling me. Eff that noise.

I fell asleep, somewhat comforted by the fact Gelebor was there and I wasn't alone but also afraid of the chance he might die if he travelled with me like almost all of the others.

I had a dream; it was a nice dream full of bright colours and fish. I love fish; they're nice to look at. Anyway, this dream reminded me so much of when I had the miscarriage, when I woke up think I was crying. I think that because my face was wet and Gelebor was holding me, go him!

I looked up at him, kind a like a puppy would I love puppies, and pressed my forehead to his chest. I sat up properly and kissed him full on the mouth; I placed a hand on his cheek and broke off.

"You are amazing," I whispered and kissed him again and then got up from the bed to search for my great sword which had somehow gotten onto the second floor, how did it get up there I don't hear you ask? Well I don't bloody know I was making out with Gelebor and having familiar dreams duh.

Of course the stairs had collapsed and that meant somehow scaling a rather large wall to get to it, this is why we can't have nice things. I picked up my pack which was still at the entrance, good; I managed to find some rope which I don't remember putting in there.

I tied my spare dagger, along with some curved charred wood, to the rope and swung it up using it as a grappling hook. It missed completely because it was way to light and there was no way to fix that that I can think of. So screw that idea.

"Gelebor, can you scale the wall?" I asked sweetly, when in doubt suck up to someone.

"No." well fuck you too, well later anyway, I thought about tackling the collapsed stairs but then I remembered my arm. I'll just force Gelebor to do it for me, no big deal. That snow elf…

Soul Cairn, POV: Venetia

Was it wrong of me to miss my sister? Was it wrong of me to value her life over my broods? I could only hope they followed my orders to bring her back alive, then again, perhaps the anger boiling deep in their hearts over powered my voice. Harkon wouldn't have this problem; no one would dare double cross him unless they were his advisors.

Did I have full confidence in my advisors? Vingalmo I was sure wouldn't double cross me, I made sure of that, after all I'm more than just a powerful leader. However his counterpart, Orthjolf, I cannot trust yet. I do fear being over thrown, but not by my advisors only by that priest of Molag Bal. he can never be trusted that is for sure.

If he is to betray me and tries to secure the help of my sister I can only hope she puts him to the sword, if she hasn't changed with her vision of justice.

I picked up a clay cup and threw it at the opposing wall; it shattered into what seemed like a million pieces. I picked up another clay cup and threw it at the door, then a plate, then a bowl and so on. In a way having the clay shatter relaxed me, but also made me angrier?

Every bowl was the traitorous Serana, every plate the priest, and every cup was my sister's lover Gelebor. Gelebor had taken her away from me; I knew that deep inside of me. I sat on the kind sized bed with my head in my hands, I didn't cry not anymore.

You know, sometimes when I think of my sister I can almost hear her laugh and that makes me smile. But I can also hear Gelebor's voice talking to her, contradicting her decisions and arguing with her. Even though I had never heard the two arguing, recently I had heard her scream at him that she wasn't a china doll.

I looked up as the door opened and Jeyne entered a lowly mortal if I ever saw one. However I allowed her the time of day due to her usefulness with the bow situation, she made her ambitions clear when she first arrived. Though they are as petty as any other mortal aspirations.

"Yes, Jeyne, is there something you need?" I couldn't help the dislike and scorn from entering my voice, being in this castle for so long has drilled it into me.

"I came to inform you about what my, ah, connections have learnt that the one person your sister would die for has left their base. He had headed for Riften and my connections didn't intercept him in case you wanted to exact, ah, revenge upon him."

"No, have your spies follow him and find out where he is going, and, if your spies are able tell them to bring me my sister alive."

"Don't trust your immortal court, Venetia? I don't blame you, the only way you can get rid of members is to have them killed or to kill them which you are obviously too weak to do. if you had a human court though, they eventually die which is the best part."

She spoke as if she had lived long enough to have a court of mortals, even though she barely passed for seventeen. Her fingers grazed my dining table; I thought my eyes were deceiving me because it looked as if her fingers burnt my fabulous table.

"Get back to your slaughterfish asshole drinks, Jeyne, your games are tiring." I turned away from her and stood up; her words were starting to take root. Perhaps I was to kind to my brood, like my mother was to her family.

The door opened again, who were they to think they could just waltz into my room without being summoned!? I am the lord of this castle not one of their rank! I whirled around lightning flickering within my hands, my anger died down once I saw who had entered.

"Vingalmo, if you keep entering unexpectedly the others might become suspicious. What is it you need?" I asked, I walked towards him, there was no sense of 'warmth' like he would have usually emitted had he only visited for simple pleasure.

"There is a visitor demanding your presence, so far all attempts to get rid of him have proved unsuccessful."

"You should have of come to me right away." My own court held things like this from me; this was getting out of hand. I am not a whelp or someone to hide the world from. "I shall meet with this 'visitor'."

"My lady, I fear you may not want to visit this one. Perhaps it is best if you-"

"I will not have my choices contradicted Vingalmo." My voice, to me, sounded like two people speaking at the same time. This weird feeling came over me, anger, resentment and something dark.

I exited my room and rushed down the stairs, there was indeed a visitor. The very sight of him made a familiar feeling stronger, but that feeling also felt dead.

"Who is this?" I demanded, no one answered no one knew, no one asked.

The visitor stepped forward, and as he came closer the stench of rotting flesh and bloody ash was overwhelming. Once the visitor was close they looked up, and revealed their face to me.

I thought I would never see that face again, I hoped I never would.

And that's it guys, it's kinda late for me and I really wanted to get this out quickly. Reviews would be appreciated but not required! Because I already know how terrible this is.