Chapter 1

"Young man… You will never achieve a place in this world. So long as you walk this realm, the only expectation I can see for you is your own death. You are unworthy of our family name, and for that you are to be sent to Skyrim for execution. May the eight divines have mercy on your soul." Those were the last words Ethan has ever heard from the head of his family in Cyrodiil.

Jumping out of his bedroll from another nightmare. Ethan brings his hands to ruffle up his sleeping face. Picking himself up, he takes a seat on a nearby rock inside the cave. Seeing that it's not yet dawn from outside the cave, Ethan gathers some spare firewood, and with one snap of his fingers, he lit a soothing, warm fire. The heat brought a refreshing sense of comfort to Ethan as his dream began to resurface.

"Fuck you, and your family name, I'm still alive!" Ethan groaned under his breath.

Going through his knapsack he found a couple of bottles of black briar mead, and a few apples.

"Better breakfast than no breakfast at all." Ethan said lightly as he began eating.

By morning, the fire began to die, and Ethan finally had his possessions packed and his leather armor repaired. Before he could leave any further, Ethan pulled his black fur hood over his face.

"Ah, It's so good to breathe again! Even in this weather, it's better than the cave." Serana spoke as she embraced the fresh cool night air. The falling snowflakes, and the light of the crescent moon reflected off the throat of the world. Her entire presence paints a glamorous and beautiful portrait around her as Ethan exits through the Dim Hollow Crypt. Ignoring Serana's fascination of what she has forgotten through her time underground, Ethan makes his way to the open cliffside.

"Hey! Where're you going Ethan? You promised to help me get home." Serana whined as she struggled to catch up to her escort.

"Yeah I did, but you didn't say anything about waiting on you to enjoy the view. So hurry up!" Ethan ordered as coldly as the weather.

Serana huffed in a puny mannered pout as she made her way next to Ethan at the edge of the cliff.

"So are we leaving or not?" Serana asked as she watched Ethan stare at the skies for a good long while.

"Give me a moment… OD-AH-VING!" Ethan yelled at the dark sky.

Serana suddenly felt the earth around her feet tremble in a small but sudden second. Soon after about ten seconds, she could hear a monstrous roar from behind her back at the Throat of the World. When she jerked her sight back over to the view she first saw, Serana bore witness to a large and mighty figure unknown to her. Every passing moment brought the creature closer to their location.

Ethan walked past her and awaited their flying visitor. Growing bigger as the creature flew closer, and when it was at a direct, face to face view it arrived to be the size of a full grown mammoth.

"Did you take the scenic route, my friend?" Ethan spoke to this unknown creature to Serana as if he was in equal power to this creature despite their difference in size.

"I am Dova, Dovakiin, every route los brit! Is beautiful!."

"Yes of course it is." Ethan brushed off while climbing above the creature's head.

"Ethan… What is this monster?" Serana asked in complete disarray and fear even for her perspective as a vampire. Let alone in the amount of years she has no idea of how many have passed in her long slumber.

"Are you kidding? There were no stories of Dragons from the time you grew up?"

"A dragon? This is an actual dragon? They were just bedtime stories when I was a child."

The crimson scaled dragon slithered his way towards the curious young, and slender vampire woman. Within an awkward but brief moment, he swayed away from Serana's personal space after giving her a good whiff of what she is beneath the skin of her immortal flesh.

"Dovakiin, you bring a bo kopraan un qalos? Walking corpse in our presence?" The dragon spat out in discontent.

"You have a problem with that?" Ethan said as he rubbed the back of the Dragons horns above his head.

"No, Ethan… so long as hahdrim ek golt…" The Dragon took an extra moment for the vampire to hear the exact wording of his ancient language. "Mind her place." The Dragon finished in the common tongue Serana would know.

"Also assuming this… dragon… keeps his nose to himself… I will gladly… Mind my place!" Serana responded to the majestic red colored dragon.

"Don't worry, my partner, Odahviing, will cooperate the sooner you climb on so we'll take you home." Ethan confirmed before he held out his hand for Serana to clasp.

"He won't hurt me?" Serana asked in case things were not too well spoken.

"Just climb." Odahviing finally said.

Serana took Ethan's hand and climbed her right leg over Odahviing's neck, behind Ethan.

"Alright Serana, hold on tight. Odahviing, take us to Castle Volkihar."

"Forward. Amativ!" Odahviing shouted as he unfurled his wings and sprouted off the snowy dirt cliff towards the north western regions of Skryim.

The perspective of the world from a dragon was a complete stranger to Serana as a newborn baby is to the brave new world from a parents embrace of this realm. She wrapped onto Ethan's waist as tight as she could and kept her eyes shut as hard as her eyelids could let her as humanly possible. Even with her Vampirism enhancements, birthright or not. The entire experience was something she couldn't comprehend. Slowly but surely she slowly crept open her eyes to see what the entire country of Skyrim was like from the eyes of a dragon. One thing is for sure, the entire view alone destroyed her admiration for horses. From the way of a dragon, the world seemed troubleless, and peaceful. That was until the bitter view of her home was slowly in view.

Odahviing flew as far as he could to the peninsula of the castle, but the actual island was a place where even he feared to travel. So despite the unexpectancy he flew to the edge of the Northwatch Keep. For as long as Odahviing was in air, Serana took what time she had in the air as precious as she had with being around Ethan's person.

Odahviing eventually landed on the frozen beaches of the Thalmor's prison. Amazingly the High Elf guards paid no mind to the random encounter in their northern region of control.

"Whats wrong?" Ethan asked in slight disappointment,

"I'm afraid this is as far as I can go. Daar golt does ni welcome pah. This place does not welcome all."

Serana looked at Odahviing in confusion, "Why would a dragon be afraid of this place?"

Ethan ignored Serana's question and climbed down from the dragon's neck.

"If you knew what's happened this past year alone you wouldn't even think to ask that question." Odahviing said as Ethan looked around the beach for a way to cross the water.

"Umm... Seems this is the part where we usually get in the boat. You with me?" Serana stated as she climbed herself off Odahviing's neck.

Ethan looked over at the eerie cold waters between the cold and frosty beach, and the dreadfully gothic castle in the distance.

"That's your home?" That simple sentence were the only set of words he could muster before turning back to Serana.

"That's it. Home sweet… Castle." Serana answered in a slight hint of bitter regret.

"Why didn't you tell us it was so huge?" Ethan responded with Odahviing still looking over at the castle.

"I didn't want you to think I was one of those... you know, the women who just sit in their castle all day? I don't know. Coming from a place like this, well... it's not really me. I hope you can believe that."

Serana walked past Ethan and took a spot in the small rowboat.

Ethan pushed the small creaking rowboat into the water with his boot. The choppy waves made the boat wobble from side to side. Serana did her best to restrain herself to keep still, but when Ethan hoisted himself aboard, the waters began to swerve the boat much harder. Ethan took the helm and their trip to the castle resumed.

Halfway through the choppy waters, Serana and Ethan remained silent. As Serana looked towards the growing castle she figured if there's any chance of a conversation, perhaps now would be the best and only chance to talk.

"Ethan… that dragon you called… How did you both meet?"

"I met him three months ago." He didn't explain any further. Serana wanted to ask more, but she could feel that cold change in Ethan's voice that he wasn't going to talk any further on the subject.

The silence boiled up Serana's anxiety further, and the castle coming into view was no help at all. She was nervous to the idea of seeing her father again, after all this time. She closed her eyes and let her mind run loose in constant circles, "What will he say to me? Will he still see me as his daughter?" Those thoughts alone made Serana quiver in her bones.

Suddenly to Serana's surprise a warm embrace cloaked her from above. She opened her eyes to see a warm fur blanket around her back.

"Thank you." Serana snuggled deeper into the blankets' warmth.

"I know you're not cold, but I know what anxiety does to the body." Ethan said as he resumed rowing.

For the rest of the trip, Serana buried herself in Ethan's blanket trying to keep her mind focused on anything besides her father. The best thoughts she could conjure up was the long trip astride Ethan's dragon. She kept her breathing steady and repeated the list of ingredients to an extended invisibility potion in her head in order to divert her thoughts away from her father.

For a second, Serana forgot what was happening around her until a sudden jolt from below sent her heart into her throat. Serana opened her eyes to see herself back in reality and her fathers castle is directly in front of her. All that's left is to cross the bridge.

"C'mon." Ethan stated as he exited the boat, "Oh and i'll need my blanket back."

"Oh… Yeah sure." Serana stuttered while making her way out of the boat. Taking in her surroundings, not much around the castle has changed: cold, barren and desolate. Further up is the stone bridge with gargoyles guarding the premise. Ethan proceeded onward despite Serana's moment of looking around, but she quickly caught up to him beside him.

"Hey, so… Before we go in there…" Serana stopped Ethan in his tracks halfway across the bridge.

"What is it?" Ethan said as Serana caught up to him.

"I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. But after we get in there, I'm going to go my own way for a while." Serana said lightly.

Ethan could see the content in her eyes, but her uncertainty gives him this feeling of a wild card hidden from both him and her. The reveal is decided by her alone.

"I think… I know your friends would probably want to kill everything in here. I'm hoping you can show more control than that. Once we're inside, just keep quiet for a bit. Let me take the lead." Serana said as she walked past Ethan.

Ethan took a step back away from Serana. She's mostly struggling inside a battle of her own mind of what to do for the future, but one thing is for certain is that she knows where to go with what's directly in front of her. She needs to face her past here and now.

"Serana! Is that you?" Says the watchman at the front gate.

Serana remained silent and looked down at the man in a disappointing glare of authority.

"Open the gate now! Lady Serana's returned." The man shouted as the iron barred wall raised upward.

Serana was the first to move forward and open the front gates. Ethan slowly followed suit as the watchman looked at him in disgust.

"How dare you trespass here!" says another vampire in a ponytail. As he approached the two closer, Ethan saw that this vampire had the attributes of an Altmer High Elf of the Summer set isles. Still the idea of a vampire elf didn't surprise him that much. Vampirism is not a possible feat to just humans, but any race of this world.

"Stand down! He's with me!" Serana spoke to the vampire in a more authoritative tone.

"Serana? Is that truly you? I cannot believe my eyes!" The vampire turned his way forward towards the main lobby of the castle, "My lord! Everyone! Serana has returned!"

"I guess I'm expected." Serana commented as she and Ethan followed behind the other vampire.

"I can't believe it." Says the vampire down below at the head of the table, "My long lost daughter returns at last. I trust you have my Elder Scroll?"

"After all these years, that's the first thing you ask me? Yes, I have the scroll." Serana said as she was walking down the stairs.

Ethan on the other hand remained above the stairs, keeping a good distance away from the feasting vampires. Even from his vantage point he could still smell the horrid rank of human flesh being devoured from those wretched monstrosities.

"Of course I'm delighted to see you, my daughter. Must I really say the words aloud. Ah if only your traitor mother were here. I would let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a spike."

"Poetic." Ethan whispered under his breath while watching this strange reunion on the sidelines.

"Now tell me, who is this stranger you have brought into this hall?" The vampire looked up at Ethan.

"This is my savior, the one who freed me." Serana turned towards Ethan, as well as her father's interest.

"Please, young man. Come down from there, and let us be introduced properly." Serana's father insisted.

Ethan was hesitant at first, but there's only one way to push towards the end of this visit. Making his way down the stairs, Ethan could hear the other vampires talk under their breaths. Calling him prey, a lesser being, and worst of all… a waste of time.

Ethan made his way beside Serana, with her father looking dead center at Ethan. He walked a few steps closer towards Ethan, and opened his nostrils to get a good smell of him.

"Do you like reading?" The man asked Ethan.

"... Yes." Ethan responded in confusion with a raised eyebrow.

"Well I was hoping you'd say that. From what I can tell, you have a good sense on what to call poetry."

"Oh you heard that?" Ethan asked with no surprise.

"We all did." Serana responded.

The entire hall of vampires muttered in positive response. Immediately after everyone made their responses, Serana's father raised his hand to silence the room.

"Regardless… For my daughter's safe return. You have my gratitude. Tell me, what is your name?"

"My name is Ethan Winter. What is yours, sir?"

"Honest, and well mannered. I'm beginning to like you already. I am Harkon, lord of this court. By now, my daughter would have told you what we are."

"Yes, you're vampires, and yet…" Ethan took another look around at his location before finishing his statement. "You're the first group of vampires I've met to own an entire castle. You vampires definitely aren't among the run of the mill."

"Powerful words, Ethan, I never thought i'd say this to a sheep among the lion's den, but I'm impressed." Harkon said, and suddenly the entire room went cold and silent.

"For centuries, we lived here, far from the cares of the world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole away that which mattered most."

Ethan could practically see the conniving snake inside the words behind this vampire's teeth after those last words. He wasn't referring to his daughter, He was referring to the Elder Scroll she carried.

"So what's gonna happen now?" Ethan spoke, disregarding Harkon's last words.

Harkon then pointed straight at Ethan with a smile, "Straight to the point! Excellent… Ethan Winter, you have done us a great service, and now you must be rewarded. There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to the Elder Scroll and my daughter. I offer you my blood. Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again."

"And if I refuse?" Ethan asked with only a slight sense of fear in his face.

"Then you will be prey, like all mortals." Harkon plainly stated with no hint of hesitation.

All the vampires were about to stand up from their chairs and begin to feast, but Harkon made them stay in their place, "But since you've brought back something special to our family, I will let you walk, but the next time we meet, you will be prey. Although if luck serves well in my favor, you might turn in the process, and then you will be begging to become a vampire under my name."

"As much as I appreciate your offer, Harkon. I would rather not become a vampire… Willingly." Ethan said calmly.

"Willingly? Perhaps you still need convincing? Behold the power!" Harkon then morphed into a black and smokey cocoon, and shortly after he became a tall and demonic bat like humanoid. "This is the power that I offer! Now, has your decision changed?"

"I'm afraid not Harkon." Ethan restated one last time.

"Very well, then you are hereby banished." Harkon prepared to ready a teleportation spell in his hand, but Ethan suddenly halted Harkon's action.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Ethan calmly said.

"It's too late to change your mind, young man." Harkon responded.

"No… Before you send me out, I'd like to offer you a parting gift." Ethan removed his gloves and shortly after a light blue aura began to morph brightly. The bright aura faded into a darkening orb in only a matter of seconds.

"A teleportation spell?" Harkon thought to himself.

Ethan reached inside the small portal with his right hand, "Hold on I got it right here."

Pulling out his gift for the Volkihar vampire clan, the entire room was completely dumbstruck in awe. Even Harkon looked amazed for a moment. Ethan bent down on one knee, his head down and his gift in both hands.

"The Mace of Molag Bal?" Harkon made his way to retrieve the weapon of his daedric deity, "This is truly a kingly gift, young man. Very well then, I shall send you away now." Harkon resumed his spell to banish Ethan and in a blink of an eye, he was gone in a blaze of dark and eerie flames.

With Ethan finally away from the vampires presence, Serana gave his father a curious look. "Father… Did you really banish him? Or did you…"

Harkon wasn't paying attention as he was admiring his new weapon. The carvings of the weapons surface were in equal majesty to the power it releases in the Vampire Lords iron grip.

"Father?" Serana repeated.

"He's fine. Well… Originally I had no intentions of letting him walk. I was gonna send him to where our death hounds eat." Those last words sent chills to Serana, but it seems like everyone else had a modest laugh from their Vampire lord's remark.

"Don't worry, Serana… He's just outside at the beach. I'm sure by now he's prepping the boat." Harkon said, still looking at his Mace in astonishment.

With that in mind, Serana raced upstairs at the nearest front window to see if that's true. Her father was telling the truth, Ethan is already shoving off from the beach. Serana released a long breath she didn't realize she was holding back. Her mind began to slow from all the constant ideas of where her father sent her.

"Now that I think about it…" Harkon said as he took his eyes away from the mace, and back to his seat, "There's something about him that's really interesting. Am I the only one who smelled something off about his blood?" harkon said as he resumed his meal.

"I smelled it too." The nearest vampire thrall said.

"Could he have been a Werewolf?" A young blooded vampire asked.

"No… Werewolf blood doesn't have that type of aroma." Serana corrected.

"I think for now we'll let him go." Harkon suggested, "For now we must celebrate! My daughter at long last has returned the Elder Scroll."

All the vampires cheered in agreement. All but Serana. As she feared, her father has not changed one bit.

Ethan finally arrived at the beach of North Watch Keep, and to his surprise a friend of his has been waiting all this time.

"What are you still doing here Odahviing?" Ethan asked while exiting the boat.

"I was curious, and if I may be honest, I was betting you'd return here a vampire."

"Well I'm still human." Ethan said as he climbed over his friend's neck.

"So where to next?" Odahviing asked.

"I could use a drink… Take me to Solitude and you're free to leave." Ethan said.

"Excellent!" Odahviing shouted as he flew away from the view of the accursed castle with Ethan.