Ryvren woke up exhausted and late. Dressed in a brown tunic that was in the dresser, the Listener got ready for the journey ahead and walked out of the bedroom to voices echoing through the halls. He stepped out to the main chamber, finding the Dark family gathered at the table along with a Breton dressed in mage robes with neck-length, brunet hair and brown eyes.

"Listener." Killian Mallory was about to approach, but the Dunmer held up his hand.

"Don't."

He shook his head. "I wasn't going to pity you, although you do have my sympathies. I was going to say that if you need me for anything…." His voice faded with heavy eyes. "I arrived as soon as I got Nazir's letter. Do you have a plan?"

"I'm going to see the vampires to stop this. The Brotherhood will not be involved, but my kids may have to stay here until I can find a new home."

"Whatever you need, Listener," Nazir said, earning his attention. "When are you taking off?"

"Around three. I want to arrive at the castle around sunset because there's no point if everyone's asleep."

Babette smiled. "Ah, the nocturnal life of a vampire."

He looked at her. "Be careful out there. The Dawnguard are getting worse and they won't hold back–"

She looked at him. "I am always careful, Listener." She softly smiled. "But thank you."

He solemnly nodded and looked at everyone. "When I get my children back, I may have to bring them back here. I don't have a home yet, but hopefully I will soon."

Nazir stood up, looking him in the eye. "They will be welcomed and safe here, Listener. Do what you have to do."

When three in the afternoon rolled around, Ryvren was wearing his ebony mail with the twin ebony swords at his hip. Traveling through the snowy terrain of The Pale and galloped passed Marthol to run away from the memories. It was only a three hour or so journey to Solitude and he knew he had to eat something for dinner. Sighing, he decided to stop at the country's capital. Leaving Shadowmere at Katla's farm, the Listener walked through to the city's gates and into the quieting streets of the bustling city. Solitude was always one of his favorite cities because of how beautiful it was, but it was a bit too crowded for his tastes. Entering the Winking Skeever Inn, he took a seat at the bar.

"What can I get you?" the older man politely asked.

"Salmon, please, and water."

"Coming right up." He pulled out a tankard and pitcher from under the counter and poured, then left for the back.

He took a drink of the water. He still wasn't hungry, but had to eat. Even if it was a little bit.

"Ryvren?"

Ryvren looked over his shoulder as a smiling Bosmer in a green tunic sat beside him. His sandy-brown hair stood straight back with shining, crimson eyes. "Cyldris?"

The wood elf grinned. "It is you! It's been what? Three years? You look great! Well, just as terrifying as ever– Wait." He leaned forward, dropping his voice. "Are you a vampire? Your eyes seem extra glowy."

He wished he could order an ale.

"You are a vampire!" The elf quietly gasped. "How did you get inside the city?"

"I don't murder like other vampires do," he quietly admitted.

"Oh, that makes sense."

The innkeeper approached the Bosmer. "Can I get you something."

"Uh, just an ale." He turned to Ryvren as the innkeeper poured his drink. "So…what have you been doing?"

Ryvren looked ahead of himself. "Not much."

"Really?" He shrugged, picking up the ale. "I guess being a vampire is 'not much.'"

He looked at him. "What have you been doing?"

Cyldris tittered, looking at him. "Good avoidance. Ah, nothing much, really. Just being a vagabond. I think I found a home in Riverwood, but we'll see." He laughed.

"I'm sorry we fell out of contact. I left Windhelm at the time and didn't have a stable home for awhile and traveled a lot." His heart twisted. How history repeats.

Cyldris waved a hand. "Life. I get it." He beamed. "Let me get a drink! For old time's sake!"

"I don't drink anymore."

He blinked, frowning. "Oh." He lit up again. "Well, how long are you staying in town? I'll be here for a week. We can hang out all day–"

"I'm passing through until sundown." He sharply sighed, looking ahead of himself. "Cyldris, I…I just lost my wife in a house fire, so I'm not in a social-"

The elf gasped with large eyes. "Oh, Gods! I'm so sorry. Is there anything that I can do?"

"No."

"When did this happen if you don't–"

"Last night." He could feel his old friend's heavy gaze locked him. How he just wished the elf had ignored him.

"Tell me about her."

Ryvren looked at him. "What?"

"Tell me about her."

Tell him about his dead wife who hasn't even been gone for 24 hours yet? Ryvren wanted to punch him, but he knew Cyldris. Cyldris didn't even have a fiber of ill intent in his body. As smiling and giggling as he could get, he wasn't an idiot. "Muiri. Her name was Muiri."

"Beautiful name." He took a drink.

"It was," he murmured. "She was a Breton and only thirty-years-old. I met her when she was an apprentice alchemist in Markarth…."

They went from the bar to a private table in an alcove, laughing at the stories that Ryvren was telling about his late wife. It was like she might as well be home waiting for him and he should ask is old friend to come over sometime, but the memories were thousands of knives to his heart. She wasn't home nor was there a home to go to. "She always worried about me no matter how little the problem could have been," he murmured, looking away.

Cyldris sadly smirked. "She loved you."

"Yeah," he snorted in amusement. "She did." He looked at him, frowning. "I should've invited you to the wedding. You saved my life and we were friends."

He held up a hand. "Please. I understand." He gently smiled. "No hard feelings, really. Life isn't kind to anyone and when it is, we cherish it." He held up his half-empty tankard. "To Muiri. May she rest easy and I am sorry your time together was only a short two years, but at least they happened instead not at all."

"To Muiri," Ryvren murmured. He stared as his friend took the drink in puzzlement. One thing that used to blow his mind was how positive Cyldris could be. Something horrible could be happening and he would always try to find the good out of it and if there wasn't anything good, he'd just sit in silence. "She wanted to meet you," he confessed.

Cyldris blinked. "She…did?"

"I told her how you saved my life. She wanted to meet you and thank you, but I lost contact with you."

Cyldris smiled, looking up at the ceiling. "You're welcome!"

Ryvren chortled, then slowly frowned. "I'm not a good man, Cyldris. I'm a vampire and outside of that, I've taken many innocent lives. I've always wondered if you would have known how I turned out to be, would you have regretted saving my life? Would you have wished that you left me there to die or put me down yourself?"

Cyldris looked him in the eyes. "Are those outcomes that you would have done? I'm not an executioner, Ryvren. I saw a man washed on a shore and on the brink of freezing to death. You had minutes left. You're lucky you didn't loose any fingers to frostbite."

His gaze dropped. "I still have dreams about that day."

"I'm not surprised."

"Sometimes it's about the storm and the ship sinking and I'm drowning. Others, I feel like I'm freezing and shivering. It feels like my blood is freezing in veins and I'm dying. They are both rare now, but they still happen." He sighed. "Now, my wife's death and the house fire is added to the list." He rested his arms on the table, bowing his head. "Sithis, I need a drink."

"Don't." Cyldris warned. "Well," he sighed, "we've been here for awhile and it should almost be sundown. I know you wanted to head out then, but I'm always down for a chat." He hopefully smiled.

"Maybe another time," he heavily replied, looking at him. "Thank you for helping me celebrate her life. I wouldn't have thought it that way…." His voice faded.

Cyldris smiled as he stood up. "Of course. I'll be back in Riverwood the next week, though, if you need anything and don't hesitate to ask. Send me a letter if need be."

All Ryvren could do was nod. He wouldn't have time to socialize at that point. He needed to find a home for him and the kids. He wanted to mention the kids to Cyldris, but that would open a whole new conversation. Instead, he just bid the elf a farewell. It was better to keep it simple that his wife died in a tragic house fire. Open and closed case and spare the horrific details of the Dawnguard murdering her and stealing his children. Seven years ago, Cyldris saved his life and they were friend for four years until Ryvren joined the Dark Brotherhood. There were times where Cyldris was annoying like Cicero and the only reason he spared the Keeper's life was because he reminded him too much of Cyldris Thorn.

The vampire and his horse pressed on their journey at sunset through the snowy mountains to Haafingar's icy shoreline to a small boat that was tethered to a broken dock.The darkening sky was starting to bring back his energy. He dismounted Shadowmere, climbed into the boat, untied it, and rowed it across to where the foggy shadow of Castle Volkihar sat in on a lone island. Arriving at the castle's shore, Ryvren pulled the boat onto the land and walked over the bridge. He slammed the doors open and stormed straight into the hall. "Serana!" He boomed, earning all of the vampires' glowing gaze as he walked down the steps. "Where is Serana?"

"Here." The young woman stepped out of a back hall, looking at him with unamused confusion.

Ryvren briskly approached her, grabbing her arm on the way, and led her to her room and closed the door.

Serana furrowed her brows, holding her arm up with him still holding it. "Ry–"

"The Dawnguard killed Muiri." He released her.

Her breath hitched.

He looked her in the eyes. "Last night. They killed her along with my housecarl and burned the house down. They have my children, Serana. We need to go to Fort Dawnguard and slaughter them and get my children back!"

His friend held up her hands. "Okay. Wait. We need to plan this. We can't just storm–"

He stepped forward without breaking eye contact. "We have Auriel's Bow. We've been waiting for the opportunity to strike for the couple of months. If there is a time, now is it. We framed them for murder, took out spies– now, we strike."

She crossed her arms and bowed her head with a sigh. "You're right." She looked back at him. "We don't have time to waste right now, but we need to prepare and plan and if we are all going to travel together or separately."

He nodded. "Understood."

Her arms fell her sides with a heavy heart in her glowing eyes. "Ryvren. Words cannot express how sorry I am, but I promise, we will get your children back." Her sympathy turned to concern. "I know this is hard time, but you need to take of yourself. You can't go into battle half-exhausted. You are dressed in armor, knowing there isn't going to be a fight tonight."

Ryvren took a breath, glaring at her. "I slept at five in the morning to noon. I just had a little piece of salmon for dinner. I am trying to hold my sanity!" He didn't realize he shouted until Seran stared at him, unfazed. "I feel nothing, but guilt, worry, anger– rage! I should have been there! I saw the fire in the distance! I had just missed them by moments! When I got the inferno that was my home, I thought my family was in there, burning alive if not dead already, then Lucia called. I was about to run to her, but a Dawnguard snatched her on horseback. I tried to go after her, but the fog was too thick and I lost them. I failed to save my own daughter! People from Morthal saw the flames and came to help. When everything was extinguished, I searched the rubble." His throat tightened. "I found Muiri." Tears silently rolled down his cheeks. "I don't see her beautiful face anymore. No. I see a charred, bloody remains of a human. When we couldn't find Aventus' body, the next thing I remember was being on my way back to the Sanctuary because my son and daughter were both breathing and the Dawnguard have them both. I searched the two Nordic ruins for him. I know they have him." He swallowed down a knot. "I watched them take my little girl. I feel weak and powerless and if I don't get my children back– if I fail them again…." His voice faded, already feeling the skooma and alcohol in his blood and blade against his throat.

Serana placed her hands on his shoulders, making him look her in the eyes. "You won't. Listen to me, Ryvren, you won't lose them. We will fight to get them back and I will be there every step of the way. Do you understand? I know you feel weak right now, but you have to be strong for yourself and for them. I know Muiri would want that for you. Muiri loved you, Ryvren. She would never blame you." She sadly smiled. "I remember when she was worried about you and I, but when I told her that we were only friends and I told her I'd make sure you'd come back alive to her and the kids, she thanked me. I felt how much she loved you, Ryvren, and I know for a damn fact, she would never blame you."

"I know," he sighed. "I ran into an old friend of mine in Solitude. He was the one who saved me several years ago. He…told me to celebrate her life and to remember her before…." He shook his head. "It's so much easier said than done." Did Cyldris ever lose anyone like that? Or did he just forever celebrate their life and never mourned? He took a breath. "That doesn't matter now," he growled. "What matters is getting my children back! The Dawnguard wanted me? Well, they will get me and I will spill their blood!"

Serana firmly nodded. "They won't get the vampire, but the father and husband who would walk through the Void itself for revenge. Now," she straighten up and crossed her arms, "get out of that armor and take a bath if you'd wish. We've got a lot of planning ahead and I'll tell the others what's going on."

"Very well."

"Good." She walked to the door. "Your kids are lucky to have a father like you, Ryvren. You'd burn the world down if it meant to protect them."

"I'd burn the world down if it meant to protect my family, but at this point," he looked over his shoulder, "I'd slay the gods if it meant to protect my children."

Serana slipped out of the room, gently closing the door behind.

He walked to a wardrobe and opened it to his own red and black vampiric clothing that were neatly hanging. He slipped out of the armor and gently held a scorched, silver ring tied on a chord necklace. He remembered when Feran Sadri told him to turn his wife because it was the best for their marriage instead of the chance of her running away out of fright. The idea of turning Muiri into his kind made him sick. He knew she wasn't going to leave him otherwise she would have done so already. He wasn't going to just turn Muiri without her consent. It didn't feel right. Instead, he told her what he was ordered to do. She was scared and he admitted to her that it scared him, too, but to his surprise, she said she wanted it. She wanted to spend the rest of eternity together even if it meant a living an undead life and in darkness. She admitted that she feared the thought of her husband living a life without her when her time would come or what would happen if she grew old and he did not. That night, they made love and he was going to turn her, but he lost the nerve. He told her that he eventually would, but not that night. Being ten years younger than him, he was in no rush to prevent her from aging, so he told her the turning would be soon, but not that that night. That was a month ago and he lied to Feran than his wife was one of them. If she was a vampire, the Dawnguard would have felt it would have been a justified death. Ryvren released the ring and slipped into the more comfortable clothing, then stashed the armor into the designated chest.

Serana was always generous to share her wardrobe and chest with him if needed. Through their journey together to stop Serana's father from completing the prophecy that ended with Serana's potential death, Serana wouldn't have been able to do it without him. Now, if he didn't have her, he'd turn the Court into an army and they'd storm the fort tonight. He would have their massacre public to show anyone to not get their way and that vampires were going to rule this land just as Harkon wanted. He knew he couldn't become such a monster like her father was. He couldn't do that to Serana nor his children. He was going to hurt the Dawnguard and only the Dawnguard.

Why did they kill a human? Muiri's body was found amongst the rubble and it was unclear if she was dead before or after the fire, but Valdimar was found dead outside of the manor, meaning, they would have had to stormed inside the manor. Unless they burned it from the outside, uncaring of who or or how many were inside. Lucia made it outside and assuming Aventus did, too, but why didn't Muiri? He was going to make Isran talk because he needed to know what happened to his wife. He needed to know if she suffered.