"What has he done for all this time?" Serana's curiosity superseded priorities. She studied the deck and saw nothing amiss, save for a fishing rod and a hobble-cobbled cooking station. She honestly expected the deck to be destroyed with a madman's scribbles or a light show of nonfunctional magic. She glanced over at Graven, who cussed under his breath as he struggled to bring the heavy anchor up, and she smiled as she approached. "Sorry, I should have warned you. Ships usually have a small crew just for this part. Let me help."

"I have never been more tempted to jump in ice-cold water and just Thu'um the s'wit out of that anchor until it shoots out of water."

"Don't be ridiculous," Serana chuckled. "You'd freeze to death. And what's s'wit mean again?"

"Slow wit, or, more crudely: shit wit. At least I can die knowing I haven't been beaten by a bloody anchor. What is it even made out of?"

"You're mad, anchors don't possess wit. And something heavy enough to keep a heavy ship in place?"

"Yes. Thank you. That's enlightening, I would've never solved that on my own." Graven groaned.

"You asked." Serana shrugged. "You never said it had to be a smart answer." She folded up her sleeves and came up behind him to take the rope. "We have to pull at the same time. Do you want to coordinate, or me?"

"Is that a trick question? You're the only one around who knows what she's doing."

"He can't even-" Serana sighed and rolled her eyes. "Alright. On the count of three, we pull. Ready? One. Two. Three!"

They dug their heels in and pulled with all their might, or Serana did anyway. She smirked and said nothing when his feet slipped on the deck, and she eased her way into leaning back as the tension threatened to pull her more. She waited silently until Graven fixed himself and rubbed his hands on his trousers, before panicking and grabbing the rope again. He shot a sheepish look at her. "Sorry, didn't mean to make you hold that. My hands hurt..."

"It's fine." She curled the rope around one arm and offered him a hand. The flabbergasted look he made was too much and she laughed. "Careful, I think you're drooling. Vampiric strength, Graven. Now give me your hands, I'll chill them so they don't swell. They look like they're chafed raw."

"They are," he grumbled. He seemed more sullen about the part where she had no issues with the anchor. "I wish Erandur were here so he could heal them."

"You don't know the basics of healing?"

Graven shrugged. "I've always been lucky for someone else to know of restoration, which was Runayr, and then Erandur. You wouldn't like to find out what restoration spells I do know."

"What do you mean?" Serana chilled his hands as promised, then hissed when he paid back the favor by channeling the most repulsive ball of light in his hand. Her fangs bared.

"That's what I mean," he grinned and extinguished the light. "It's to repel... undead." A brief look crossed his stoic face, but left too soon to tell what it was.

Serana didn't want to dwell on the topic. "Let's get this anchor up already."

It took several failed coordinated attempts before they both finally transitioned into a rhythm together. With determination and teamwork, the anchor was back on the boat in no time. Serana smiled when Graven fell on the deck, limbs sprawled out, gulping for air and being all-around noisy. She balanced on the balls of her feet, poking his cheek when he closed his eyes and seemed ready to fall asleep right there.

"Don't die on me now," she teased. He huffed and his teeth playfully snapped at her fingers on her next poke. "Go on, I'm sure the bed is more comfortable than here."

"I don't want to go," Graven sighed. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Unless... do you want me to go?"

"Damn him." Serana hated being thrown to the pit like this. She never knew what to say, and it always saddened her when reality won over desire. She rose and left for the steering wheel without giving him a straight answer. She opened the box of the compass and looked out at sea. "You need to rest. If we sail well, then we should be home before dawn." She removed the club to unlock the wheel and began to steer, aware of the gaze on her. Her body grew rigid when he approached her and came up behind her.

"I have connections. We can ask friends about your elder scroll, Sera."

"And I have a duty," she whispered. She teetered on the brink of sanity when his hands came to rest on her hips. "Please don't do this to me, Graven."

"I'm not doing anything except offering a choice. It's up to you to decide what path to take, I can't make that decision for you." His hands rolled up her waist, and her dream pulsated in her mind. All she wanted to do was lock this wheel and explore with their hands and mouths as they did in the dream, but then she would be opening the door to a world of hurt. She pushed his hands off.

"No, but you're trying to manipulate me into making the decision you want me to make."

"How so?" Graven hummed into her neck. It made her freeze, and all she could think about was the kiss on the jaw she dreamed of, or the way he pulled on her sleeve to expose her shoulder to his lips. She shuddered in his hands. Her head lulled back to rest on his shoulder, and one of her hands developed a mind of it's own as it released the wheel to hook behind her, around his neck. Before she could fix that, he sucked in a patch of skin between teeth and seduced a gasp out of her. She tightened her hold on him and the wheel for dear life, her breaths falling out of coordination.

"You don't want to go," he murmured before he nibbled on another patch of skin. "So help me understand why you're still going along with something you don't have to do."

"I... do have to."

"Why?"

"Because I just have to." Serana arched into him when he found a sensitive spot on the crook of her neck and shoulder.

"Now shut up and don't stop."

She wished she had the courage to say that, but courage was in short supply for her. She couldn't find her voice and prayed he wouldn't do the right thing, because she wasn't sure her dreamstate could concoct anything even half as good as these sensations. Her nerves buzzed and serene pleasure shot out with every well-placed kiss on her throat, melting her muscles. It was thrilling and terrifying, what he was doing to her body, and yet she couldn't remember a time where she was more relaxed than this. He touched her with such care and reverence that it threatened to break her.

"I don't deserve this kindness."

"Graven..."

"I hear that tone." He moved and tended to the other side of her neck. "Allow me to indulge a few minutes more before you try to convince yourself you're undeserving. Allow me to convince you that you are deserving." He wrapped his arms around her waist and rocked from side to side. The nuanced detail bore resemblance to the same move in the dream, and it unhinged her.

Serana looked down at her hand to poke her palm. Warmth collected on her face when Graven stopped and looked over her shoulder.

"Why are you poking yourself? Do you need me to pinch you to prove this isn't a dream?"

Embarrassed, Serana huffed with pride. "My hand's itchy."

"Mm hm." Graven grinned. "What was it that you told me before? Ah, yes. Just lose with grace, Sera." He turned her by her shoulders and cupped her cheek, his bandaged hand scratchy against delicate skin. "Before you go through with this, may I selfishly ask for an hour of this night with you, and your hand to dance?" His grin widened. "Your itchy hand, that is."

Serana landed a swift jab on his shoulder and it made him laugh. He pretended it hurt and rubbed his arm, then caught her off guard and yanked on hers, making her crash into him with a yelp. He didn't waste a second and rocked from side to side, holding her hip and her 'itchy' hand.

"You're like a diamond," he whispered by her ear, and she snorted a laugh. She was about to remark on the cheesiness of the compliment until he brought down the hammer. "You need a little pressure. And heat. Something tells me that even if I burn too bright, that's what you come for. Is that an accurate statement?"

"It's one out of the blue," Serana mumbled. "Where has this idea come from?"

"You didn't deny it, I'll take that as a confession."

"It's neither a denial nor a confession. You still didn't answer where that came from."

"From you, of course. It's inspired by you. You're already pressured by this apparent duty and idea where you must go home, and I wish to be the force that counters that, to show that you don't have to do anything you don't want to. There lies the beauty of freedom and choice. If you feel as though it is wrong to return-"

"Because it would be wrong not to return."

"So you're choosing the wrong that absolves you of the consequences that would come from your own decision, adhering to the consequences of what someone else has decided? What I'm having trouble understanding is why you would waste your energy inserting yourself into a situation, not enjoy yourself, disagree with what's going on, and furthermore expend even more energy to remove yourself from that very same situation."

"You don't know that's how it's going to turn out."

"Perhaps not right away." Graven squeezed her hand. "I did not find you at home, Serana. I found you locked under an intricate bloodseal in a cave far out of the way of travelers, lost for eras to come. Had it not been a Vigilant of Stendarr's research into vampiric artifacts and stumbling on you in that cave, you would still be trapped. It was thanks to him, not whoever intended to free you, for it was only because of his research that the vampires found out and slaughtered the Vigilants for it. How is it that a priest was able to find out about you during an idle hobby, but not a family of vampires with aeons to live and a daughter lost? Did they not want to find you, or were they responsible for your seal?"

Serana chewed her lip. She tucked herself close and rested her head against his chest. "It's complicated."

"Is it because of the elder scroll?"

"I'm not going to change my mind, Graven. I'm going home."

"How can you trust me when you spend more time shutting me out?"

"I never said I wanted to," she hissed without thinking. "You're the one who wants to trust me just because you're enamored by whatever fairy tale you have in your head. And that's not going to happen either."

"You want it to."

"You don't know what I want." Serana was beginning to get very annoyed, very fast. His confidence was one matter, but his arrogant presumptions were aggravating.

"You wouldn't continue to dance with-"

She pushed away and stormed back to the wheel. Her skin crawled when he sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets, smiling sadly at her.

"You tease me for being a child often. Don't you think trying to stick it to me is borderline childish? Why is it so hard for you to be honest?"

"I am being honest," she grumbled. "Just because it's not something you want to hear doesn't mean I'm dishonest." She removed the club from the steering wheel and turned it, wishing the winds were stronger to push the sails. The ship groaned and creaked, moving ever so slowly. This was going to be an extra long trip if he didn't leave her alone and stop talking.

"Are you? I don't expect you to be honest to me, but at least be honest to yourself." Graven picked up and slung his coat over his arm as he left for the hatch. "Well then, I'll retire to the cabin. Wake me up if you need anything, and help yourself to the fish I caught if you'd like. Let me know if you need a fire to cook it." He stopped and carded his hand through his hair, looking over at her. She ignored it, but she wasn't so blessed to ignore what forced it's way into her brain.

"It is far simpler to discredit a man than listen to the uncomfortable truth he tells."

Serana waited a minute after the hatch closed to groan as loud as she could. She locked the wheel and walked to the bow of the ship as it sailed straight with no destination planned, and couldn't bother checking the compass to see if she was even sailing closer or farther away from home. This was driving her mad. He was driving her mad. He kept challenging her and what she wanted at every turn, and postured as if he was everything she could have ever wanted. "Haughty man, he's no different than past suitors. It's like it would kill them to think beyond their ego."

Or was it her that it would kill if she would just listen to that uncomfortable truth? Graven had proven that he was not without wisdom or reason, and she had the sense that much of it was learned the hard way. She groaned again and rested her forehead against the railing.

"You make my head hurt, Graven," she sighed. "You'd think a vampire hunter would be more than content to let a vampire ruin her life, but no... He has to meddle." Her arms dumped over her head, fingers idly brushing the spot on her neck that he kissed. She pondered on what he meant by her coming to him even if he burned too bright. "Maybe an allegory to his brand of honesty?"

He wasn't wrong about heat. She should have hated it, yet now she found herself missing his warmth the second he wasn't near her. "So much for the House of Troubles and avoiding those Daedric Lords. He wishes to court the product of Molag Bal's power. He's like Sheogorath incarnate right now, driving me to the edge of insanity." Serana softly hit her head against the railing in a rhythm meant to stir some sort of decision, but what it was she was deciding, she was too scatterbrained to tell. There were so many different things that needed her say and her attention. Graven kept coming to the forefront of her mind, and so he must be dealt with first.

Serana didn't think about it and descended to the lower level in a flurry. She froze in front of the door, her brain having caught up with her, but it was too slow to stop the hand that rapped on the door. She cringed. "There goes thinking things through." She listened for him, but there wasn't any noise. There was a rather putrid smell though, like something rotting. "Graven? May I come in?"

There was no answer, and she counted her blessings. "Silent. He's asleep, then."

Something crashed inside the room and he yelped. Serana cursed herself. "Never mind." She cracked the door open a sliver for her voice to carry in. "Graven, are you okay?"

"Don't come in!"

"Well now I want to." Serana tried to respect his request, but she was curious. She opened the door a little more and hissed when a bright light exploded before her eyes.

"Out, out!" A hand pushed at her to turn around. She wanted to demand why he was attacking her with this light, and her question lost it's appetite when he didn't shut up. "Before I traumatize you!"

"Please tell me you have your loincloth on," she groaned.

"I was changing," Graven blurted. It was the most unconvincing thing she'd ever heard him say and her cheeks scorched hot. "I swear I was changing."

"I believe you," Serana blurted back. "I don't believe him at all." She was very conscious with where her hands were and waved over her shoulder as she stepped forward. "Just put the light out and I'll find my way to one of the other cabins. Let me know once you're done... changing."

"Promise you won't look?"

"I promise." Serana wanted to roll her eyes, but she couldn't risk such a move with him so close. "I don't want to traumatize myself either."

The bright ambient light disappeared and she could finally see the hallway. She rushed to one of the other cabins and closed the door, leaning against it with all her might. The weight of what Graven might have been doing, that had nothing to do with changing unless it was to change his loincloth for a more preeminent reason, had taken the root of her anxiety and soared to the heavens with it. She honestly felt nauseous.

"How am I supposed to face him now? I can't!"

Minutes later of hyperventilating and internal panic, and the most hesitant knock came on her door. She closed her eyes and wished she was anywhere but there.

"Sera?"

Gods, Graven sounded so pathetic.

"Sera, I'm very sorry you had to witness that... You didn't see anything, did you?"

"No," she affirmed quickly. "The worst is over. It can't get worse than this. We can move past this." She took a deep breath. "Nothing at all."

"You didn't hear anything either, right?"

"This can get worse." Serana chewed her lip and shook her head, even if he couldn't see her. "No, I didn't hear anything."

"And you didn't smell anything?"

"Please stop making this worse, Graven." She didn't dare mention the smell she most definitely smelled, but her mouth ran off on her. "Like something rotting."

Graven groaned. Something thudded on the other side of the door. "Sera, I promise you it isn't what you think it is."

"I wish it was anything but what I'm thinking right now."

"But sometimes I like to experiment and-"

"Stop. You are not helping me. You're inventing new ways to make this worse and I just..." Serana whirled around and whipped the door open to confront him. "What were you thinking? Have you no shame? I'm just on the deck above!"

"I thought I'd have privacy to experiment, like before!"

"Molag Bal take him, he did it earlier too?!" Serana's hand closed over his mouth and horror seized her. "We're on the same ship!"

"We're on different floors, and you have to sail because you have to go home and-" Graven's head hung lower and lower like a child being punished, forced to sit in the corner. "I've been getting brilliant ideas thanks to you, I just wanted to experiment."

Her hand closed around his mouth even tighter. She wished the words were muffled and distorted beyond comprehension, and she couldn't utter for him to stop, in shock.

"I love trying new things and seeing what happens and- ow! Ow, ow, ow, ease up!"

"Graven." Serana was about ready to break his jaw. She came in close to his face with the most menacing of a look as any vampire in the history had. "That is wrong. You are wrong. Ideas because of me? Inspiration?"

He nodded.

"That wasn't meant to be answered!" She didn't know if she wanted to flay him alive, but her embarrassment demanded justice. Who knew what he was thinking of, of her?

"And what is with that god awful smell?"

It wouldn't disappear. She braced herself for the absolute worst and released him, marching for the room. His pleas for her to stop fell on deaf ears. If he had those sorts of intentions with her, it was best to find out what specifically those intentions were so that she had scarring evidence for her heart to stop thinking of him with absurd romantic notions.

"Wait, please, Serana!" He rushed around her and blocked the door. "You can't see it, it's embarrassing!"

"All the more reason why I should see it with my own eyes. If you blind me with that light again, I'll... unsheathe my dagger," she growled.

Graven gasped. "You wouldn't."

"I would. Now step out of my way." She restrained her true strength, but she wasn't overly gentle as she grabbed his shoulder and pushed him over to open the door. All the horrors she had imagined, with some dark and dingy cabin repurposed to sate twisted fetishes, had been pushed to the further corners of her mind. Fresh fish hung from the rafters, with a disarray of improvised tools of pots and broken off handles. "When did he even bring all this fish down here?" The pots were balanced carefully on edges of drawers with enough space for a hand that could conjure fire to fit beneath them. She stood, staring and stuck, thumbing at the set up when she looked at him. "What is this?"

Graven buried his face in his hands. "It's a disgrace is what it is."

"Graven. What. Is. This."

His head lifted and he peered at her with a mix of horror and confusion. "Is it so bad that you can't tell what it is?"

Serana grabbed the hilt of her dagger, but hadn't unsheathed it, and came up to his face to rattle and intimidate the answer out of him. It worked like a charm.

"Alchemy! It's an alchemy set up!"

Serana waved an arm at what could have possibly been the furthest thing she had imagined. "Why would you be embarrassed about that?! The truth is better!"

"The truth?" He looked puzzled. "I can't imagine anything worse than what's in there. Also, you may not want to sleep in there tonight. I know vampires are immune to poison, but the pot of river betty exploded on me and contaminated everything. Should I wash myself? I think changing my clothes should be okay, but-"

She groaned and stormed off.

"Wait, Sera! What did you think I was doing?"

"Something I didn't think I would feel disappointed over that it didn't happen."

Author's Note

HaMiroKar420: There will be more on Molag Bal yes, and Vaermina as well since they do share a connection! Thank you very much for taking the time to review and I'm glad you've been enjoying the story :)

SeraphimicDestiny: She will slowly loosen those bonds but not without a fight! Change is hard and sometimes you have to hit rock bottom first. It's a shame she's treated more like a chess piece than a daughter and that there's not much conclusion to her or her character growth after the DLC is done and Harkon's dead, but that's what fanfiction is for :D