(Warning: Story contains graphic violence and may also include sexual encounters. Viewer discretion is advised. Rating: MA only)

(Authors Note: I have begun to mark changes in perspective with the characters names. Falaja will be referred to as "Main" while other characters will be referred to by their names. I hope this makes reading my story easier.)

Chapter 14: Forgive the Daughter for the Sins of the Father

(Main)

After getting my ear blown out by Isran and having to convince him not to, quote "stretch that monster across the fort and play her like a harp", I was thoroughly irritated and just wanted some sleep. I headed for my chambers in the castle. I passed Amaros on the way and he tried to tell me something but I didn't listen. As I opened my door, which I had installed for my privacy, I realized what he had tried to tell me.

Serana stood by my dresser in nothing but her underwear. She was holding her normal clothes in one hand and browsing my wardrobe with the other. Turning around at the sound of my entry, she simply stared at me. "What are you doing in my room and why are you half nude?" I shut the door behind me so that no one could see her. "Your leader told me to come here while you were being yelled at. When I got here, I decided to change. So, that explains why I'm here. Now how come you didn't knock?" I was taken aback by her question. "Because it's my room! Now, change and get out!" She shrugged, and proceeded to get dressed. Ignoring her, I went over to my bed and began to take off my armor. For every piece I took off, the stress of the day seemed to ease. Taking off the breastplate though, brought it all right back. The wound I had received from the gargoyle hadn't been fully healed by the potion, so I had wrapped a bandage around my midsection to prevent myself from bleeding out. I managed to knock the wound while taking off the last piece of armor though, and so my fur and tail shot up as I hissed in pain.

I sat down on the bed and gripped my side. Serana, who was now fully clothed, came over to see if I was fine. I waved her away and she was about to leave when she spotted something on my armor stand. "Who does that necklace belong to?" She pointed to an Amulet of Mara that hung around the neck of the mannequin. I turned my head and looked at her, my whiskers twitching. "It's none of your business. Now, get out." She wasn't frightened off and stood there. "C'mon, it's just a simple question." I stood up and grabbed her arm, pushing her towards the door. "None. Of. Your. Business." She tried to resist but I simply had better leverage. "Just a name, that's all I need to know!" I shoved her out the door and she spun around to face me. "Listen girl, understand this right now. I don't like your dad very much because of something that happened to me that is related to that necklace. So unless you want to find out firsthand what I would do to him if he was standing right in front of me, I wouldn't ask any more questions." And with that, I slammed the door in her face and went to take a nap.

(Serana)

I stood there for a few seconds in front of Falaja's door. Why was he so hostile towards me? Ever since we had left that cave he seemed to get grimmer with each passing hour. I couldn't figure out why and his outburst had left me even more confused. While contemplating what had just happened, I noticed Amaros in the hallway. He was trying to flirt with one of the female members of the Dawnguard when I approached him. "You wouldn't believe how many I had to take on, it must have been hundreds." "Amaros, could I borrow you for a second?" Amaros seemed reluctant to go but said goodbye to the warrior.

"Alright, then…?" "Serana." "Oh yeah, Serana. What did you need me for?" I motioned with my hand and led him to a more private area of the fortress. Ignoring the stares from some of the members was easier said than done. As we approached the forge, Amaros turned his head towards me. "Why are we going to the noisiest part of the fortress?" I sighed at his stupidity. "Because, when one has a private conversation, one doesn't wish to go to an area where they can easily be heard." He nodded and kept silent as we approached one of the smelters. As we approached, I gave a wave of my hand and cast out a ball of energy. The pile of coal nearby shifted and slid until a small hole was revealed. I ducked down and walked through it, Amaros trailing behind. We arrived in a small cave, large enough to hold four people, with a little chimney that I assumed led to the outside.

Amaros lifted his head and whistled, "Damn, didn't know this place existed." I flashed a little smile at him. "Yeah, no one else knows either. A little place to talk in private about anyone, even the Dragonborn." "Did someone say Dragonborn?" We both turned at the noise and watched as an Argonian blacksmith walked through the hole behind us. "Oh, hey Neesei, what are you doing here?" I turned towards Amaros. "You know her?" The Argonian tossed her head, her hammer earrings shaking wildly with her horns as she did so. "Well, we have been best friends for the longest time, he just doesn't visit me in the forge as often as he used to." "Hey, I try." Before they could continue, I interrupted them. "Can I just ask how you know about this place?" She shrugged. "I've got to have a place to eat lunch without being bothered. But that's not important. What's important is gossiping about the Dragonborn."

"I wasn't going to gossip, I just wanted to talk to Amaros about him." Neesei sat down alongside Amaros, who was sitting on a small boulder, and leaned back against his leg. "Well, ask him whatever you wanted to ask then. Maybe I can answer better than he can." She took out her lunch and waited for me to start.

So I told them. I told them about Falaja and how he was always angry at me now. I told them about the Amulet and how he reacted. But mostly I told them about wanting to know why he was acting the way he was acting.

"I just don't understand," I concluded, "from what I've heard around the fort and countryside, he seems like the best Khajit that ever existed. But as soon as I enter the room, he acts like the worlds grumpiest troll."

Neesei nibbled on a bit of cheese while Amaros took a swig from her wine bottle. When she finished, she cleared her throat. "I have to admit it, I've got no idea why he acts like that. I haven't known him for that long and I don't get to talk to him as often as Amaros here." She nudged him and he sputtered as the wine spilled onto his tunic. "Thanks for that," he wiped at the mess with his free hand, "I'm in the same boat as Neesei. The few times I've gone out after vampires with him, we haven't really talked a lot. To busy fighting those bloody blood suckers, you know?" He paused. "Sorry, that may have been a tad offensive. But moving on from that, there may be something that I know that can help you."

I leaned forward with interest. This could be it. My chance to find out. "One time while we were out hunting a vampire acolyte, we came across a werewolf as it was eating a bandit. I tensed up, ready for a fight, but he stopped me from drawing my sword. He walked over to the werewolf and laid his hand upon its snout. When it reared up from its meal and drew back its arms, I thought for sure he was about to die. But do you know what happened?" "What happened?"

"It gave him a hug."

Both Neesei and I were shocked by this news. The Dragonborn had been hugged by a werewolf and lived? Such things didn't happen! Amaros detected our astonishment and continued.

"I couldn't believe it either. I was shocked. After it gave him a hug, it licked the top of his head and nuzzled his shoulder. After that, it began to change back to human form. Falaja blocked my view so I couldn't see the person while they were naked. But I did see their face. It was none other than the female Companion herself, Aela the Huntress. She spoke a few words to him and then ran off into the bushes, faster than I could follow. I don't know what was said, but all I could make out was 'meet' and 'Whiterun'. I'm guessing if you want answers, you could try tracking her down. She must know something."

Once he was done talking, we heard a clacking from further back in the cave. I looked over and saw a large, black shadow move from its spot. Neesei simply gave a little squeal when she saw it and ran over to the shadow. "Spitter! You grew another two feet!" I stepped back and gaped at the monstrous Chaurus that I realized was standing in front of me. "How has that thing not turned into a Hunter?" I asked Neesei, who was petting one of its mandibles. "First off, HE isn't a thing, and second off, he's not been living underground for most of his life. The reason Chaurus only grow to a certain length and then turn into Hunters is because they have to fit in the tunnels that the Falmer create. You can pet him, by the way, he won't hurt you." I hesitantly walked over and began stroking its neck. Spitter began to emanate a low growl from deep within his chest. "Ah, he likes you!" "How big is Spitter, I've got to know." "Well, he's thirteen feet long now. Once he gets too big, I'll have him leave this cave and patrol around the fort. Within a few months, he should grow to be able to circle the castle with his body. And I don't think he'll ever stop growing" "That is interesting." We stayed there for a little while longer, the only notable event being when Spitter decided to "spit" on the wall, before we crouched out of the cave and went our separate ways.

(Main)

I had been listening to their conversation for some time. Neesei had never really figured out where the chimney led. Especially since she wouldn't have talked about me with those two if she had known it led to my room. I smiled to myself as I realized Aela's reaction to a full-blooded vampire appearing outside Jorrvaskr. As much as I wanted to see that though, I had more pressing concerns. Mainly, healing the seven centimeter hole in my chest. Even though I had prevented internal bleeding by drinking the potion when I did, there was still muscle and skin that needed to repair itself. As I sat back down in my chair and started reading about The Aetherium Wars from where I had left off, I simply wondered how Serana would react when she heard about my past. That is, if she was able to get Aela to spill the beans.