As Tsunar and Borgakh continued to row, Serana remained silent, looking over their shoulders, only speaking to guide them when she saw a familiar landmark. Before long, the three arrived at Serana's home. They stepped off the small wooden boat and were greeted by an enormous castle. It easily dwarfed Dragonsreach in Whiterun, and was likely bigger than the Blue Palace in Skyrim's capital.
"Home sweet… Castle." Serana shrugged.
"How come you didn't say it was so big?" Borgakh asked, staring at the massive structure.
"I didn't want to give the wrong idea. Like I was… You know. The type of rich girl who just sits in her castle all day, content with swimming in gold without earning it?" Tsunar nodded.
"Still would've been nice to know what to expect." He looked up. Circling the ancient, weather worn castle were a number of hawks. Tsunar could see that they were unnatural. Their feathers were black and tattered, and they remained silent, never perching or resting. Merely watching, endlessly. Tsunar felt a small shudder run down his body. He gestured at Serana.
"Lead the way I suppose."
The pair of adventurers followed Serana as she led them across a small stone bridge to the castle proper. Tsunar could smell the stench of blood the second he set foot on the cobblestone. Serana seemed decent, so he wouldn't judge her family of vampires for smelling of blood just yet. Still, it wasn't a great first impression. As they approached the large wooden gates, an old man shouted at them from behind a raw iron portcullis.
"Go away! You don't belong here!" The old man stopped his shouting when Serana lowered her hood. "My lady, Serana? My! The Lord will be so happy to see you've returned!" The elder raised a lever and opened the iron barrier.
"I thought you were gone for over two thousand years? This guy seems human" Tsunar whispered to Serana. "Even Altmer don't live that long." Serana shrugged.
"We have an alchemist and a few mages."
As soon as the doors opened, Tsunar and Borgakh had to stifle gags. The putrid stench of rotten meat and congealed blood infected the air. While the stench made Borgakh queasy, Tsunar was in a world of discomfort. Hircine's Ring had quieted the beast within. To the point of Tsunar forgetting that there was a monster ratting in a cage within his soul. This however, this aura of bloody scents made the wolf hungrier than ever. Even the ring was barely enough to contain the hunger. Tsunar placed his hands on his knees and focused for a moment. Confident that he could handle the raging animal, he straightened himself up and continued to follow Serana.
An Altmer wearing light gray robes waited in the darkened corridor, face mostly shrouded in shadow.
"How dare you trespass here." His orange eyes glowed with fury as he looked the group over. The High Elf's demeanor changed when he noticed Serana.
"Serana? Is it truly you?" Tsunar could see a fanged smile appear on the Elf's face as he stepped into the light of a window, examining Serana more closely. The Altmer retreated to a balcony that over looked a large, well lit room. "My Lord!" The Elf called. "Everyone! Serana has returned!" The man descended down the stone steps with a grin. Muttering emanated from the room as the occupants talked about the unexpected news.
"I guess we're expected." Serana muttered. She briefly looked over the balcony before walking down the steps. Tsunar and Borgakh followed nervously.
The room they entered was a grand dining area. Braziers held bright flames and a pair of long dining tables lay opposite a smaller table, each lined with silver plates goblets and pitchers. Three thrones, one larger than the others, sat proudly behind the smaller table. It would have been a beautiful sight were it not for the blood. The tables were caked in thick, red liquid, the plates all held bloodstained bones, the goblets and pitchers were filled with blood, dried red stains soiled the walls here and there, there were even humans laying on the tables with clear bites in their arms. Borgakh stifled another gag while Tsunar quietly wrestled the beast inside. A Nordic man stood at the far end of this room with a fanged smile and arms held open.
"My daughter returns. I trust you have my Elder Scroll?"
Serana rolled her eyes. "After all these years that's the first thing you ask? Yes, I have the Scroll."
"Don't misunderstand me, child. I couldn't be more happy with your return." The father's words seemed hollow. "Why, if only your mother were here I would allow her to watch this heartwarming moment before I put her traitorous head on a spike." The vampire's gaze fell upon the mortals in his presence. "Tell me, who are these strangers you have brought to me?"
"They're the ones who rescued me." Serana said flatly, looking at the pair nervously. The man turned to face them.
"You have saved my daughter and recovered a precious artifact, for these, you have my thanks. Now, tell me, who are you?"
"Tsunar Wolf-Brand." Tsunar replied flatly, trying to hide his fear of his predicament.
"Borgakh." The Orc seemed scared of her circumstance, a face Tsunar had never seen her wear before. The new expression made him even more uneasy.
"I am Lord Harkon." The vampire replied. "I expect great deeds like this to be rewarded." He gestured in Serana's direction. "There is but one gift I can offer that is of equal value to both the Scroll and my daughter." Harkon took a step forward. "I offer you my blood."
"Vampirism?" Tsunar raised an eye brow. Harkon scoffed.
"We are not merely vampires. We are of pure blood. Gifted the powers directly from Molag Bal himself." Serana flinched at the Daedra's mention.
"And if we refuse?" Borgakh asked, inching closer to Tsunar. Harkon scowled.
"Then I would spare you once. After that, you are just as any other mortal to me." Harkon stepped backwards with a smile. "Perhaps you still need convincing!?" Harkon became covered in a thick, red layer. In a split second, the cover shattered as Harkon's demonstration of his gift was put on display. In the fraction of a moment Harkon had been covered, he underwent a dramatic transformation. He stood at least seven feet tall, his hair turned a pale white. His skin became an almost gray shade of blue and his face shifted into a more bat like visage. His feet morphed into claws and wings sprouted from his shoulders. Harkon's monstrous mouth opened to reveal a dozen new fangs. "This is the power I offer! Make your choice." Harkon smiled expectantly. Tsunar and Borgakh exchanged looks.
"I have spent almost a year trying to control the curse of a Daedra." Tsunar said, staring the vampire down. "I'm not about to throw that all away just to take on a new curse and abandon daylight."
"Damned mutts were always a nuisance." Harkon muttered. "Very well, child of Hircine." Harkon turned to Borgakh. The Orc looked more nervous than her companion. She merely shook her head in refusal, unable to speak a single word in fear. Harkon hissed quietly.
"Very well. I shall spare you this once." He said as he flapped his wings and hovered a foot in the air. "I banish you from my castle." A purple energy appeared in Harkon's hand. "But know this: From now on, you are prey, like all mortals!" Harkon extended his arm and a swirling vortex surrounded the mortals. Within a moment, the darkness vanished and they were stood at the boat they had arrived on. Tsunar looked back and saw the hawks sitting on the bridge, staring at him. By the time he looked back, Borgakh was already in the boat, oar in hand. Tsunar joined her without hesitation.