[A/N] ... Hello, there. Been a while, hasn't it?

Long story short is that I'm off hiatus... kind of. During my hiatus, I ended up not really relaxing at all because I came back to this story and tried (in vain) to write more chapters. It worked about as well as you'd expect, but the bright side is that after two weeks of typing a few sentences per day, I finally have a chapter. Not a great one, by any stretch of the imagination, but hey: it's a chapter.

On that note: go forth and read. And I'm sorry about the quality and the hiatus in general and... well, just everything.

[DISCLAIMER] I do not own The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or anything related to it; that's Bethesda's deal, not mine (sadly). However, Ronan Sorleigh and Kajsa Red-Blade are my original characters, and they belong to me.

CHAPTER XXXVII – The Light of Day (Part II)

"It's... not as shiny as I was expecting," Serana mused, eying Auriel's Bow critically. She balanced it in her hands, her skin made even paler against the radiant gold glinting in the dying sunlight. "Still, it's beautiful."

Ronan nodded in agreement. "I'd like to try it out before I pass judgment." He took it from Serana and carefully re-wrapped it; the weapon tended to attract attention, but less so when it was covered. "But yes, it is."

A week had passed since they claimed Auriel's Bow, and yet, it seemed like an eternity. For him, time seemed to move slowly while the rest of the world hurtled on, and the Breton wasn't quite sure why. He was tempted to attribute it to their time spent in Darkfall Passage and the Forgotten Vale – both of which took nearly three days to navigate out of and back aboveground to Skyrim – coupled with exhaustion from the subsequent journey to Solitude, then taking a carriage to Riften, and now, walking to Fort Dawnguard, but a part of him knew that there was more to it than that.

What's between Serana and I... has changed. And that has made all the difference.

Serana's gaze still lingered on the shrouded bow. "Would that be before or after we face my father?" she asked quietly.

Ronan swallowed. "You've made up your mind, then."

"I've been thinking about it for a long time." Her hands curled around each other. "It's the only way I can think of to stop this. If we don't do this now... who knows what he might do? If he found us and got his hands on the Bow –"

"Do you think he'll know how to use it?" the Breton asked. "How to... taint it?"

"Harkon might know already, and if he doesn't now, he'll probably find out." Serana's face was melancholy. "I know it's all hypothetical, but... I don't want to keep running for the rest of my life. I have to face him, Ronan."

Ronan was silent for a moment. Then: "It's possible that we'll have to kill him." Not "possible." Certain.

"I know." Her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles white. "I've – I've tried to make my peace with it. But this has to end somewhere."

"I imagine this must be hard for you," the Breton said, not knowing what else to say.

Serana sighed heavily. "He might be a monster, but... he's still my father. It's just... impossible to see that now." Her hands relaxed, but the tension in her didn't vanish. "I still remember a mortal man who called me his princess and told me bedtime stories when I couldn't fall asleep." She smiled sadly. "I had his eyes. Green, like emeralds."

Ronan remained silent.

"I'm sorry," the vampire finally said. "Here I am, going on about my father, when – when you don't have any memories of yours."

"Maybe it's for the best," he commented wryly, but he couldn't quite make his tone light enough. "Still, both of our family situations are... not enviable."

Serana laughed a little. "That's a mild way to put it." She took his hand and squeezed it slightly. "I appreciate your support, Ronan, but... just try to focus on what you have to do, and I'll worry about me."

The Breton smiled, leaning over and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "All right."

Don't make promises you can't keep, my Champion, Nocturnal chided. Nothing can keep you from worrying over your precious little Daughter of Coldharbour, and don't try to convince yourself otherwise.

Ronan sighed internally. Some encouragement would be nice.

You always have my support.

The outer walls of Fort Dawnguard loomed up ahead of them; unlike last time, all of the quarried stone forming it was in place and the portcullis was lowered. It was impossible to see the walls, but through the portcullis' iron grille, the Breton could see much of the same hustle and bustle visible last time, but this time, the makeshift wooden fortifications were completely gone.

"Hold there!" The voice came from a helmeted soldier on the wall walk. "State your name and business with the Dawnguard."

Ronan sighed. Looks like Isran's stepping up security. "Ronan. Ronan Sorleigh, here with – with what Isran's been looking for." Unwrapping Auriel's Bow slightly, he raised the weapon up over his head for the guard to see.

Shifting his gaze from the hooded Serana, the guard's suspicious look turned to one of awe. "You may pass. Isran's looking for you anyway." He waved a hand to more guards down the wall walk. "Open the gates!"

The Breton frowned. "What does Isran want with me?"

"Do you think he tells me?" the guard demanded. "But I'd hurry if I were you. Last I checked, he was with the High Queen, and neither of them looked to be in good moods."

Kajsa was indeed with Isran when Ronan entered the Dawnguard leader's office; clad in ebony armor that seemed to drink up the torchlight, she stood with her arms crossed over her chest and a grim look in her eyes. Both she and Isran stopped their hushed conversation and glanced over when Ronan stepped in, waiting expectantly for him to speak.

The Breton tried to search her face – some similarity that would prove them related – but he couldn't find any. We are so different... worlds apart.

"The watchmen at the gate told me you were here," he finally said. "I see Finverior succeeded in getting in touch with you."

The Dragonborn shrugged. "Not precisely. My men and I had already arrived by the time Finverior and the two vampires returned to Fort Dawnguard."

Ronan glanced at Isran questioningly.

"No need to worry about the blood-suckers; they're not dead or even harmed," Isran said gruffly. "Same goes for the queen's agent."

"Thank you for that courtesy." Kajsa's tone was decidedly frosty. "Regardless of personal foibles, we need every asset we can get, seeing as that our goals are aligned."

Ronan frowned. "The vampires, you mean?"

"Yes, but I'm more concerned about the Thalmor agent in their ranks."

"A Thalmor vampire?" the Breton echoed, shocked. Could the Disciple be...?

"Now you understand why I'm here," the Dragonborn said grimly. "There's more to my being here than that, but we will discuss that more later." Her dark eyes bored into him.

In his stunned state, all that Ronan could do was nod. "What's our plan, then?"

"We take the fight to Castle Volkihar," Isran cut in. "With the Dawnguard's and the queen's combined forces, we have more than enough to put an end to those damned things. Unless," he added, narrowing his eyes at the wrapped bundle in Ronan's hands, "you have another asset you'd like to add to that effort."

"I do." Unwinding the cloth around Auriel's Bow, the Breton showed them the weapon. "Dexion's ritual worked. Serana and I were able to read the Scroll and follow the trail to the bow."

For the first time since Ronan had met him, Isran almost looked awed. "Stendarr's mercy... I'd heard it described in tales, but to actually see it in all its glory..." His voice trailed off and he reached out, fingers brushing over the gleaming surface of the bow. "Good craftsmanship, but... a little too shiny to be practical."

"Legendary weapons are rarely 'practical,'" Kajsa said wryly. "And a bow associated with a god of sun can hardly be made of lead."

Isran snorted, turning to address Ronan. "I'll admit, I didn't think you could do it, Sorleigh. But you've proven me wrong this time around." Despite his gruff tone, an approving sort of smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Now we're truly ready to stop those monsters."

Ronan nodded again, and in the silence, up from below, he heard the sounds of boots shuffling and stamping across the floor and the low murmur of a hundred different voices all whispering amongst themselves.

"Isran." They all turned to see Durak standing in the doorway, fully clad in Dawnguard armor with a helm under his arm. "The Dawnguard and the queen's forces are ready to leave whenever you are."

"That moment has come, my friend." Clapping the Orc on the back, Isran paused on his way out the door and turned back, his features once again clouded with suspicion. "Sorleigh, what of your vampire? Can she be trusted to lift a blade against her own kind – or is her usefulness at an end?"

Ronan barely swallowed the anger welling up in him. "Serana's just as committed to this fight as you are," he answered. "She's proven herself again and again. You can trust her, Isran."

Isran scrutinized him for a moment. Then: "Trusting a turncoat bloodsucker... I never thought I'd see the day." He chuckled humorlessly. "Very well. She can come." With that, he turned around and started towards the balcony railing just as Ronan realized that for once, the Dawnguard's leader hadn't used 'it' to refer to Serana.

Kajsa brushed past him, and the Breton shook himself out of his surprise to follow suit and join her and Isran at the railing. Looking down at the main hall of Fort Dawnguard below, he saw a varied sea of people filling the space: a motley mix of men and women clad in the browns of Dawnguard armor and Stormcloak blue and bronze. At the very back, near the entrance, Ronan caught sight of a smaller, pale-skinned figure in black and red leather armor, and he smiled slightly.

"My brothers in arms!" Isran's voice boomed out. "For too long, we've allowed these vampires to poison the night and kill our people – but we finally have the means to strike back! Not only do we have soldiers of the crown, we have Auriel's Bow." He motioned to Ronan.

Sensing a cue, the Breton held up the still unwrapped bow for all to see. The reaction that got, from gasps to murmurs of amazement, was palpable even from this great height.

"The gods themselves have favored us and we must answer with action!" Isran continued, pounding his fist against the railing. "The time has come to finally put an end to these vampires and their unholy prophecy! We will march on their lair and destroy those wretched abominations so they can no longer corrupt our world!" He paused, allowing the impact of his words to sink in. "This is our fight – and this is our fate! Who's with me?"

The walls of Fort Dawnguard echoed with shouts and cheers: all the answer Isran needed.

Ronan swallowed. This is it. The end is at hand.

[A/N] Before anyone asks, I have no idea when the next chapter's going to be written. Probably not in the next week, but two weeks would be a safe bet. I'm really trying to write when I feel up to it, but those times are rare.

Anyway, thanks for reading and feel free to review if you want to!