Chapter 5

After they left Riften, Erik and Serana set off to Dragon Bridge. Serana and Erik had been walking for a couple of hours, and nothing of merit happened. They barely talked, as they made their way north. And before they knew it, the moon finally set; and the sun was starting to peak over the horizon.

But as they walked, Serana could tell something was off. Her head started throbbing, and even the dim light irritated Serana's eyes. She felt tired. Actually really tired. And weak.

"Erik."

Serana tried to get the silent man's attention, but he continued to walk; Frost at his side. All of a sudden, she started feeling light-headed and extremely woozy. Her vision began to blur, and she could feel her legs give out beneath her.

"Er-ik."

She tried her hardest to stay standing up, but it was too difficult. She felt the cold ground hit her knees, as she fell on the road. A bark boomed in her ears. Her head fell backwards, but before she hit the gravel, she felt something firm and cold behind her head.

"Hey."

She could hear Erik trying to talk to her, but it sounded so far away.

"You need blo-"

She felt like she was underwater, and all she could feel was the lightness of her body. And before she knew it, she blacked out.

Serana opened her eyes slowly. The dim light from outside, flooded her senses, making it hard to see. She couldn't tell where she was at, but by the looks of it, she was in a cave. She couldn't remember exactly how she got there, but whenever she saw Frost lying next to her, she felt reassured.

"Frost?"

Her voice was soft and broken, but whenever Frost heard his name, he perked up happily. He practically jumped on Serana, as he licked her cheek gleefully. She giggled, and patted his head down. "Where's Erik?"

Once she asked the question, Frost ran to the cave's entrance and sat down. Serana slowly pushed herself off of the ground, but stopped when she felt something soft underneath her. She was surrounded in a soft, red blanket.

"Where did this come from?" Rubbing the material in between her fingers, she could smell a familiar scent coming from the cloth. Erik…

She almost didn't want to leave the comfort of the blanket, but she needed to find Erik and ask him what happened. She unwrapped herself from the red cloth and stood up. Walking over to the opening of the cave, she noticed that she had a dried up drop of blood on the side of her hand.

"Huh? Whose blood is this?"

She didn't know where it came from, so she quickly wiped it away and exited the cave. Her eyes had to adjust to the falling sun. It must've been evening time, due to the brilliant orange in the sky. Frost walked quietly by her side, and she looked up whenever she saw his ears perk up.

There was a large lake that seemed to stretch out forever. The orange sun reflected off of the beautiful clear water. Serana inhaled the cool air, and she felt a sense of peace. Something she hasn't felt in a long time.

I wish it could always be like this..

Serana's shoulders fell, and she looked at the water wistfully. Her thoughts slowly drifted to her father.

Why are you doing this? You had a family that loved you…

You had everything..

A cold stream of water made its way down her cheek, and she quickly touched it. Pulling back her hand, she looked at the wet smudge that was on her finger in confusion.

"Is it raining?"

Serana looked at the sky. It was clear, and her confusion grew as another drop of water dripped down her face. She quickly wiped it away, and realization finally hit her, as another drop fell from her eye.

"I'm I-?" She laughed softly, as she wiped the last tear away.

What an idiot...

After a moment of silence, Serana felt Frost's nose touch her leg. She looked down, with a smile, and wiped her face clean. In a soft voice, she said, "Sorry, buddy. I don't see him."

She shook her head, as she looked around one more time to see where Erik went.

"I take it you don't know where he went? I know he didn't ditch me. He wouldn't have left you."

Frost just looked back at her, his tail wagging back and forth.

Smiling at Frost, she said, "Well, I guess all we can do is wait. C'mon, boy." She patted her leg softly, and Frost walked back into the cave with her.

She sat down on the blanket she woke up on and sighed. She once again rubbed the blanket in between her fingers. "What happened?" She tried hard to remember, but all she could muster up was the feeling of how light her body felt.

Looking down at the red cloth, she tried to piece the puzzle together. Did I pass out? Did Erik carry me here?

As she was thinking, Frost came and sat by her side. She smiled vividly, as he laid his head in her lap. She softly patted behind his ears, and he exhaled happily. "Me too, buddy. Me too."

Serana silently sat there, as she pondered on the thousands of questions she had. She had so many questions. So many questions that she knew might never be answered. She smiled down at the sleeping puppy that rested on her legs.

I just wish all of this would go away...

A voice rang in her ears, and it tore right through her daydreaming.

"You're finally awake."

Serana's heart jumped in her throat, and she followed the voice that echoed against the cave walls.

"Geez, Erik. You scared the hell out of me, you jerk."

Erik glanced at Serana and said, "I take it you feel better."

When Frost heard Erik's voice, he picked his head up from Serana's lap, and he walked over to Erik's feet. Erik knelt down and handed him an apple. Pushing against his knees, Erik stood back up, as Serana said, "Umm, about that. What happened exactly?"

Erik turned to face her and asked, "You don't remember?"

Serana shook her head in reply. Erik squinted his eyes at her and said, "The hunger got to you, and you passed out. When was the last time you had blood?"

Serana thought back, and she realized that it had been since she had left the castle. "Over a month, maybe. Ever since I left my home." Erik unfolded his arms and looked down at Serana.

"It's dangerous to let your hunger go unchecked. You have to be more careful."

Serana picked up her head, and she glanced at Erik. "I usually am, but I was just-I needed to find you. Nothing else was a priority. And I guess...I let it slip my mind."

Silence befell them, and Serana couldn't help but feel a little guilty for not being more aware of her hunger.

The silence grew heavier, so she decided to say something.

"When I woke up, there was blood on my hand. Whose was it? Was it...yours?"

Erik raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "No. It was Elk blood. I fed it to you, when you were asleep."

Serana raised a quizzical eyebrow at him, "You fed me?"

"Would you have preferred dying?" Erik said, with a hint of sarcasm.

Serana was a little taken aback at the sarcasm in his voice. A smile crept on her face and she laughed.

"Fuck you, Erik. That's not funny."

She continued to giggle, and she became surprised when she saw Erik's eyes soften. He always had such a hard stare, when he looked at her.

Her laughing eventually dissipated, and silence filled the room again, but Serana couldn't help but feel like the air was a little lighter.

Erik broke the silence by saying, "While you were sleeping, I was able to get more Elk blood. It's not going to taste great, but it will help with the hunger."

He walked over to her and pulled out a small, clear bottle from his pocket. He lowered his hand to her, and she reached up to grab it. Once she tightened her grip on the glass, Erik let go and walked back to where he was standing.

"Thank you. I'll try not to pass out on you again." Serana whoosed the dark, red liquid that was in the bottle.

After a moment of silence, Serana asked quietly, "Erik? Did you-did you carry me here?"

"Would you have preferred it if I left you on the road?"

Serana grew slightly embarrassed at the fact that he had to pick her up, so she retorted back quickly. "Obviously not!"

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Then don't complain."

"I'm not complaining. I just-" Serana looked away from Erik's face and mumbled. "I haven't had anyone carry me before."

Silence fell among them, and Erik quietly stared at Serana's confused face. After a moment, she picked her head up to look at him.

"How long was I out?" Serana asked.

"Twelve hours."

Serana's eyes widened in surprise, "Twelve hours!? Did you get to rest at all during that time?"

"Does it matter?" Erik asked blankly.

"Yes, it does actually. You need rest, Erik."

Erik ignored her words, and he turned to pick up his staffs that were laying on a flat rock. Serana stood up from the ground, and she scoffed. She wanted to lay in to him for being so stubborn, but he cut her off before she could.

"We need to leave. We've already lost too much time. If the Moth Priest is actually in Dragon Bridge, we can find him by sunrise."

Serana moved closer to him, as she asked, "By sunrise? Aren't we still days away from Dragon Bridge?"

Erik turned back to her and said, "I can teleport us there." Serana had almost forgotten that he could do that. She remembers asking him about it, and she also remembers him completely shutting her down.

"Oh, right…" Her voice trailed off, as Erik went behind her to grab the blanket. When he did, the blanket disappeared in his hands.

Turning back to Serana, Erik said, "Make sure you have your things. We don't have time to come back."

Serana shook her head and said, "I'm ready."

Erik walked up to her, the distance closing between them.

"Close your eyes this time."

Serana scoffed and playfully said, "Yeah, believe me. I learned my lesson."

Erik looked at her eyes and slowly put a hand on her shoulder. The room fell silent, and Serana felt the familiar feeling of the wind starting to touch her face. She squeezed her eyes tightly, and when she did, the floor beneath her feet vanished. The wind gushed past her face harder, but just like before, it ended as soon as it started.

She slowly opened her eyes, and she saw dark smoke dissipate behind them. The setting sun was still in the same place that it had been at the cave.

"Incredible." Serana softly said to herself.

Erik raised a questioning eyebrow, and Serana pulled back awkwardly.

"Nothing! I didn't say anything.." She looked away, as Erik turned his back to her. Frost walked beside Erik's leg and sat down.

"We're here."

Serana walked beside Erik, and she was amazed at what she saw.

This is Dragon Bridge?

Serana looked at the small, but adequate town. The guards and families that walked the streets, really seemed to fill up the town. Some people carried supplies, some walked with their families. But all were busy doing something.

Chatter filled their ears, even with them being far away from the main entrance.

"Wow." Serana's eyes lit up, as she watched the streets below. Erik looked at her silently.

"This town-it's amazing! Look at all the people."

Erik watched her face light up with excitement, and he turned away from her.

"I've never seen anything like it!" She turned to Erik and said ecstatically, "C'mon! I want to go explore the town."

Before Erik could even get a word out, she was already half-way down the road.

Now who's leaving who?

"C'mon boy. Let's go, before she does something stupid." Frost puffed out a breath, before walking alongside Erik.

Erik walked into town, and everyone turned to him. His aura was magnetic. All eyes were on him, but he kept his head straight; not paying attention. He ignored the obvious glances he was getting from the townspeople. Heads turned on every person he passed on the street, and Erik heard his name in the peoples' soft whisperings.

Ignoring the hushed chatter that surrounded him, he made his way towards the heart of the small town. Looking towards the market, Erik could tell Serana was buying something from a vendor. Walking up to her, Serana turned around and smiled brightly.

"Look, Erik! Cake!" She held up a piece of chocolate cake to Erik and smiled, as she held the cake out for him to grab.

Raising an eyebrow, Erik denied her offer by putting his hand up. "I don't want it."

Serana frowned and said playfully, "Awww, c'mon. As someone who doesn't even eat human food, this is by far the best cake I've ever had." Pulling out a second slice of cake, she continued to say, "I even got one for Frost."

She bent down and lowered her hand to Frost's face. He sniffed her hand, and quickly grabbed the piece of cake. He happily munched down on the dessert, and he licked his lips as he finished.

Smirking at Erik, Serana said, "See? Even he likes it."

Erik squinted his eyes at her and said in a deep voice, "Of course he likes it. Dogs like everything."

"Is that why you only feed him apples then?"

Erik glanced at Serana's smirking face, but before Erik could say anything else; a young girl sprinted by them, knocking the remaining cake out of Serana's hand.

Serana was knocked against Erik, and her head pushed against his chest. Erik was quick to help her off of him, and she smiled awkwardly at him, as she stood back up.

"Oh, sorry." Serana said quietly. Erik turned his head away, and his eyes followed where the little girl stood.

The girl's giggling came to a halt, once she realized what had happened. Her dress twirled, as she turned back to help Serana.

"Oh, I'm sorry Miss. I didn't mean to knock your cake to the ground. I'm playing tag with my friends, and I wasn't paying attention. I'm really sorry…"

The little girl's voice was soft and genuine, and it made Serana smile widely as she knelt down to pick the cake up.

"Oh, no. It's okay. It was an accident."

The girl helped Serana pick up the fallen dessert, and they both stood back up and smiled. The girl's eyes lit up, when she saw Serana's face fully.

"Ohh, wow. You're really pretty. You look like the princess in one of my books."

Serana's eyes softened and she smiled brightly at the girl's compliment.

"Aww, thank you. You're pretty too." Serana paused, as an idea entered her head.

"Hey, you said you're playing with your friends, right?" The girl nodded her head with excitement. "Could I join your game?"

The little girl's face became plastered with a huge smile, as she said, "Oh, could you!"

Serana turned to Erik and smiled, as the young girl grabbed onto her hand. Erik didn't say anything, as the little girl started to pull her away.

"-nessa! Vanessa!" The young child stopped, when she heard a voice shouting. She sighed, and dropped her head in defeat.

"What's wrong?" Serana asked.

"It's my mom. I've been trying to run away from her all day."

The woman came into Serana's view, as she continued to shout out her daughter's name. A moment later, the woman spotted the young girl, and she walked in a straight line to get to her. She seemed a little agitated, as she got closer to Serana and Erik.

"Vanessa! I have been looking everywhere for you. Don't run away, when I'm talking to you!

The woman went to grab her, but stopped when she saw Serana's hand in her daughter's.

"Excuse me, but-" The woman's eyes grew wide, when she looked at Serana. Her eyes held terror in them, and she roughly pulled her child away from Serana.

The girl tried to wiggle out of her mom's grasp, but she couldn't. So the little girl harshly said, "Mom, what are you doing? She's my friend! She was going to play with me and my friends."

The mom roughly grabbed her daughter's shoulder and said angrily, "How dare you, you disgusting animal. Telling my daughter that you're her friend, just so you can feed on her like the filthy vampire you are."

Serana tried to raise her hand to diffuse the situation, "No, you don't under-" The woman cut her off and screamed.

"There's a vampire! There's a vampire in the market!"

Serana slowly turned, as the woman's yelling started to attract the attention of everyone around them.

Panicked chatter rang throughout the small town, and the townspeople quickly gathered around the market.

Erik slowly stood in front of Serana, and he tried to use his body to shield her from the townspeople.

"A vampire?"

"Where's that bloodsucker? I'll kill them!"

"How did a vampire get in here?"

"Fuck vampires!"

The townspeople started getting more violent, as they tried to push through to get to her. The peoples' voices got louder and louder, and Serana tried to find an exit to slip through, but she couldn't find one.

Serana had to latch onto Erik's arm, because she was being pushed against a merchant stand, and it was about to tip over. She felt Erik's muscles tense up, and out of nowhere, a loud voice rang into the crowd.

"Stop." Erik loudly said.

Even though his voice wasn't loud in volume, it was loud in tone and bass. Serana felt the ground slightly shake, as his voice boomed in the air. The authority in his tone made the once loud and violent crowd, silent as a field mouse.

What was that? Did I imagine that?

When the commotion stopped completely, Serana peaked her head over Erik's shoulder. She saw the crowd looking at Erik in amazement, and if not, a little bit of terror too.

After a moment of silence, Serana heard a man's voice come from the crowd.

"Everyone! Get out of the way! Move!"

Serana saw a man cut through the crowd, and when he emerged, Serana noticed that he was wearing what appeared to look like guard armor.

The man made it into the small clearing between the crowd and Erik and Serana.

"What the hell is going on?" The man asked loudly.

"There's a vampire behind the guy in the black robes! He's trying to protect her!" Someone shouted from within the crowd.

The guard looked up at Erik, and his eyes widened in surprise as he smiled widely.

"Ahh, if it isn't the famous 'Dragonborn'. It's good to see you again, Erik."

Once the word 'Dragonborn' left the man's mouth, the crowd had an uproar once more.

Dragonborn? What's that?

The guard had to calm down the townspeople again, and once he did, he turned to Erik.

"Erik, what's going on? I trust that this 'vampire' is with you?"

Erik nodded his head and said, "She's with me."

Serana slowly walked out from behind Erik, and she stood besides him, as the crowd glared at her.

"Okay, then." The guard nodded his head knowingly to Erik and turned to face the crowd.

"There's no threat! Everyone go home! And if anyone, and I mean anyone, lays a hand on that woman, you will be answering to me! You all got that?"

Everyone in the crowd groaned and grunted as they turned to leave one-by-one. Vanessa's mother stood there dumbfounded, as the crowd slowly but surely followed the guard's order.

"How can he just do that?! Just because he's the 'Dragonborn', doesn't mean he can endanger us by bringing a vampire here!"

The guard grew agitated by the woman's words and shouted. "Hey, show some respect!"

He gripped onto the woman's arm and said through gritted teeth, "Let me teach you some manners, since you seemed to have forgotten yours."

The guard turned back to Erik and said in a friendly tone, "I'd love it if you stayed, Erik. Just for the night at least. I can't even remember the last time I saw you."

Erik raised an eyebrow and said, "I'll think about it, Johann."

"Well, please do. I'll buy you a pint up at Four Shields."

He turned his attention back to the wiggling woman in his arms, and he started to walk away; pulling her behind him.

"Hey! You can't do this. I'm-!"

"Yeah, yeah. Keep talking, lady."

The young girl slowly followed her mom, with her head down. She stopped dead in her tracks, and after a moment of silence, she picked up her head and quietly said to Serana, "I'm sorry that everyone was being mean to you. Even if you are a vampire, I still think you're a princess."

Serana smiled softly, and the girl dropped her head once more and followed her mom and the guard. Serana felt extremely guilty for causing the once happy girl to look so sad and down.

Serana sighed and turned her eyes towards Erik. With everyone gone, it was extraordinarily quiet. The cool wind brushed against Serana's cheek, and both her and Erik stayed silent.

After awhile she asked, "That guard. He seemed very familiar with you. Do you know him well?"

Erik didn't say anything for a while, but eventually spoke. "I knew him, when we were younger. I haven't seen him in years."

Erik stopped talking, so Serana decided to ask him another personal question. "He called you, 'Dragonborn.' What does that mean?"

Without warning, Erik snapped his fingers at Frost and he began to walk back towards the way they came in.

"I don't know."

Serana ran to catch up to him and she firmly said, "Don't play coy with me, Erik. What does that mean?"

"It's not important." Erik didn't say another word, as he walked towards the main entrance.

Serana ran up beside him and asked in a confused voice, "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm leaving."

"What? Why?"

Erik turned to face her and he said, "This is a dead end. While I was looking for you earlier, I checked to see if there was an Imperial carriage stopped here. There wasn't. If the Moth Priest isn't here, there's no point in staying."

He turned to walk away, but Serana ran in front of him and put her hand up to stop him.

"So I don't get a say in this? Who died and made you, 'King of the Decisions'?"

Erik glared at Serana, and Serana did the same back to him. The tension was overwhelming, so Serana spoke up.

"The Moth Priest is here. I know it. We can't just leave. We haven't even had the chance to actually look for him."

Erik stayed silent, as Serana added, "And besides, don't you want to see your friend? It seemed like he really wanted to talk to you."

"He's gone a long time without seeing me. He can go longer."

Serana scoffed at his words, "It seemed like you guys were really close. That's rude of you to leave without speaking to him, don't you think?"

Erik stayed quiet, as Serana looked at his contemplative face.

"Well, I'm staying. If I must, I'll find the Moth Priest on my own."

She paused and reflected on the little girl she met earlier. Her face softened, as she remembered the girl's kind words.

"And I don't one-hundred percent understand it, but….I like this town and I like the people that live here."

Erik squinted his eyes at her and said in a low voice, "What do you mean? They were trying to kill you a second ago."

Serana's voice softened as she spoke. "I'm a vampire…" She paused, but continued to say slowly, "So...even if I wished it differently, I can't be upset if people see me as a monster, because that's what I am, right? A monster?"

A heavy silence fell between them, and the only noise they could hear was the sound of the wind passing by. Seconds passed by, and Serana knew Erik wouldn't respond to what she said.

Serana eventually broke the thick tension. "Stay. Just for the night. If we don't find him by noon tomorrow, we can leave. You have my word."

Erik quietly pondered, as he looked at Serana. He turned around, and started walking back into town, Frost right behind him.

"Tomorrow. Noon."

Serana's mouth grew into a long smile, as she made her way to Erik's side. And like always, he stayed quiet as they made their way to the tavern.

Walking into the Four Shields Tavern, Erik and Serana immediately caught the attention of the few patrons that were sitting at the bar's counter.

Some continued to stare, while others looked away shyly.

A browned-haired woman walked around the bar, a large smile on her face.

"Erik, it's good to see you. Please, come in."

She motioned her hand for them to walk in and she said, "I hope you're staying. I already have your room ready."

Erik nodded and turned to Serana. "I'm going to get Frost settled."

He left, without saying another word, and Serana stood there awkwardly; as the patrons eyed her.

The woman smiled at her and said, "My name's Faida, and I'm the tavern's owner. Please, sit down and have a drink with me."

The owner turned around and made her way back to the bar. Serana slowly followed and sat down. The men at the bar left, and went to sit on the chairs that were surrounded by the fireplace.

The woman angrily eyed the men, as she pulled out a glass from behind the counter. Serana lowered her head, when the woman smiled at her.

"Don't mind them, sweetie. Some people just have no manners and no respect." The woman made her voice loud enough for the men to hear. The men shifted awkwardly in their seats.

Turning back to Serana, the woman asked, "So, what's your poison?"

Serana shrugged her shoulders and said sheepishly, "I don't really drink, so anything is fine."

"Ahh, a lightweight." The woman pauses and thinks for a second, before pulling out an orange glass bottle.

She pulled the cork, and poured a good amount of it into Serana's glass.

"Black-Briar Mead. Perfect for a starter."

The woman poured herself a glass too, and when she finished, she looked back up at Serana.

"Cheers."

She clinked her glass against Serana's and she gulped her glass down. Serana followed, and when she was done, she put her cup down on the counter.

The woman smiled, as did Serana.

"How was it? Not so bad, huh?"

Serana shook her head and said, "Yeah, it was pretty good actually."

The woman playfully smacked Serana's shoulder and said, "Atta, girl. You're a natural."

They laughed and Faida took another drink from the bottle. Serana slowly rubbed her thumb around her glass's rim in an attempt to ignore the eyes she felt on her back.

"Um, I have a question."

Faida raised an eyebrow and she looked at Serana. Serana sighed and softly said, "I'm sure you heard what happened in the market."

"I did, but why does that matter?"

Serana looked at the woman and said, "Well, then you know what I am. Why are you being nice to me?"

Faida sighed lightly, as she sipped from her cup. After a moment of silence, she began to speak.

"I had this friend." She paused for a moment, before continuing. "She was-she was the greatest person I'd ever met."

Faida's hand waved in the air, as she earnestly said, "Her smile just lit up the room, ya know? I mean, everywhere you went, you wanted to be with her. She was so vibrant and alive."

Faida sat back on her stool and said in a quieter more somber tone, "She was beautiful, but most importantly-she had a kind soul, and that's what attracted me to her."

Serana watched as Faida's face twisted with a longing.

"She was a vampire."

Serana's eyes widened a little as Faida continued to say a little louder, "But you know what? I didn't care. I didn't care that she was a vampire, because she was my best friend. She never hurt anyone, not a single soul. "

Serana heard Faida's voice crack as she said, "But that didn't matter..."

The woman sorrowfully drank from her glass and said, "One night, she went hunting for animal blood. She would usually be back in a couple of minutes, but this time, she never came back to the tavern."

She rested her hand on the bar and continued to say, "I became worried, so I went to go look for her, in her normal hunting spot...but when I got there-" She paused, as a tear fell down her cheek.

"When I got there, hunters had found her. They had pinned her to the ground with arrows, and they were beating her; laughing as blood gushed from her mouth."

Serana lowered her head and closed her eyes, as Faida continued her story.

"She refused to fight back, because she didn't believe in harming humans. She hated the violence and pain fighting brought to people, so she just sat there. Never moving a muscle..."

Serana could hear the agony in her voice, as Faida continued to speak. "The hunters cheered as they beat her. And I cried and screamed for them to stop...but they-they just kept going."

Serana lifted her head and softly asked, "What happened to her?"

Faida looked at Serana with mournful eyes and said, "I tried to save her. I tried to run to her side, but the hunters-they shot me."

Faida pulled on the collar of her shirt, and right below her collarbone, there was a fairly large scar.

"They called me a 'vampire sympathizer.' And the hunters said, because of my intervention, they had to show me the 'error of my ways.'"

She sighed regretfully, as she said, "One of them pulled out a sword, and as he stood above her; she locked eyes with me."

Her voice cracked again as she said, "I can't explain it...but the way she stared at me-it was like she was telling me that everything was going to be okay."

Tears fell down Faida's puffy, red eyes as she continued to speak. "She knew-she knew she was going to die, but even in her last moment of life, she still had that beautiful smile."

Serana watched silently as Faida wiped the tears from her eyes, her fist clenched tightly against her chest. A mournful silence fell heavily on the room, and Serana watched Faida's eyebrows knit together in heartbreak.

The woman's words cut through the stillness of the room as she said, "So to answer your question, I'm being nice to you, because you're just like her. You're just like Faith. A vampire with a human heart."

Serana and Faida locked eyes, and they both softly smiled at each other.

"That's kind of you to say, but how do you know?"

Faida filled up their glasses, as she said, "People come in and out of this bar. Over the years, I've seen all kinds of people. Orcs. Elves. Men. I've seen werewolves and vampires. Warriors and sorcerers."

"It doesn't matter who or what they are. I can always tell the type of person someone is. You can always see it in their eyes."

She paused and looked deeply at Serana. "And when I look at you, I don't see a 'dangerous, bloodlusting vampire.' I see a kind person, who's been cursed with something they can't control."

Faida put the bottle down on the counter and smiled.

"You may have the eyes of a vampire, but that doesn't mean you have the heart of one. Your soul is pure, and that's what makes a person a human."

Serana smiled brightly at Faida, as she said, "Thank you. You're too kind."

"Don't mention it." Faida said with a tender smile.

Serana watched as Faida opened up another bottle of mead. Her thoughts drifted to Faida's story, and how sincere she had been with her.

"Um about Faith….I'm sorry I made you relive that. I didn't know."

Faida smiled warmly and said, "No, don't be. I'm the one who brought it up-" She paused and added, "And besides, telling the story-it helps me remember the person Faith was. I never want to forget her, and I hope she never forgets me."

Serana picked up her glass and raised it in the air.

"For Faith."

Faida smiled widely, as she nodded her head, raising her arm above her head. "For Faith."

The two women downed their drinks, and as they did, Serana noticed Erik walking outside with his friend, Johann.

She watched him leave the tavern, and Faida followed her glance.

"You know what? What happened with Faith wasn't all bad. That's actually how I met Erik."

Serana quickly looked back and asked, "What?"

Faida touched her scar on her neck and said, "After the hunters-" She cut her sentence short, and cleared her throat. "After Faith was killed, Erik came out of nowhere and fought the hunters off. I've never seen someone fight like the way he did. He was incredible."

Serana listened attentively at what Faida was saying.

"I eventually passed out, due to the blood loss, but when I came too; I was back here at the tavern. My wound was healed and bandaged, and Erik watched over me, until he knew I was safe."

Serana softly smiled and said, "I didn't know he did that…" Her voice trailed off and Faida looked at her sympathetically. After a moment of silence, Faida spoke again.

"It must be lonely."

Serana picked her head up and asked, "Oh, traveling? It's not that bad. I mean-" Faida shook her head and cut Serana off.

"No, I mean being around Erik."

Serana froze, as she locked eyes with Faida.

Faida sensed Serana's confusion, so she said, "I owe Erik my life, but-" Faida paused as she tried to find the words to say. "He's a puzzle I can't seem to figure out. Those eyes. I've never met anyone like him. He's a complete mystery."

Serana lowered her head down, and looked at the mead in her glass. Turning around slowly, she looked at the door Erik left out of, only a minute ago.

Complete mystery…?

"Soooo, are you gonna say how much you missed me or what?"

"No."

Johann scoffed and said, "C'mon Erik. Give me something. I haven't seen you in years."

Silence filled the night air, and Johann sighed.

"Well, it seems like the years haven't changed you at least."

Johann leaned against the tavern's railing, and he looked out into the night sky; sighing against the wind.

"You're a captain. Congratulations." Erik said, after a moment of silence.

Johann slightly smiled at Erik's compliment, as he jokingly said, "Well, look at where I'm posted. I wouldn't take that congratulations too far."

Johann laughed, and Erik broke into a slight smile.

"Ahh, I'm just shitting you. I like it here. This place-this place has grown on me. The people. The peace. It's...nice." Johann inhaled the fresh air, and sighed happily as he continued to say, "It's better than being stuffed up in that fort all day."

Johann turned to Erik and asked, "How's Isran? I miss that old asshole."

"Well, he's Isran."

Johann chuckled and said, "I guess you're right."

Johann paused and smiled softly at the thought of Isran. "Well, as long as he's still breathing, I can rest easy tonight."

A pleasant silence fell between them, and both watched as the stars, in the night sky, twinkled.

"I gotta say. She's beautiful, man."

Erik glanced at Johann, as he said, "What does that mean?"

Johann playfully put his hands up and said, "Nothing, man. It's just an observation."

Shaking his head, Johann said, "But I gotta know, how did you get tied up with a vampire? Is that why you're here?"

"It's complicated."

Johann scoffed as he said, "When is it not, man?"

Johann looked up at Erik and asked curiously, "Does she know?"

Erik squinted his eyes at his friend and asked, "Know what?"

"Don't play coy, Erik. Does she know what you are?"

Erik knitted his eyebrows together and glared at Johann.

"No, and she doesn't need to. After our mission is done, we'll be parting ways."

Johann investigated Erik's face and said, "You can't keep that from her-"

Erik butted in and said firmly, "Johann."

Raising his hands up in defense, Johann sarcastically said, "Okay, man. Have it your way. But don't say I didn't warn you, when the shit hits the fan. Relationships don't last on lies."

"We don't have any relationship."

Johann sighed and looked back up at the sky, as silence came between them again. Johann leaned on the railing again, as he spoke.

"You know what? On nights like this...it takes me back to when we were kids. Fighting and playing. Breaking Isran and your dad's shit, and watching them get absolutely pissed."

He paused to chuckle, but after a moment of silence, he continued to say in a softer more reminiscent tone, "I miss it, Erik. I miss Isran and the Fort. I miss our friends. I miss...you."

The wind blew past Johann and Erik's face, and with it, it brought a longing emotion to Johann. Erik looked at Johann with slight concern.

"If you miss it, you should come back. Isran can use your help."

Johann stayed silent, as he entered into a deep thought.

Erik sensed his hesitation, so he said, "If you're worried about the backlash, I'll personally talk to General Tullius to get you released from your post. He owes me a few favors."

Johann looked at Erik, as Erik spoke again, "Do what you want. No one is stopping you."

Johann sighed and tugged on his hair.

"Fuck, man. I can't. At least for now. I owe an obligation to these people. It would feel like I was abandoning them, if I left now."

Erik nodded understandingly, and he stuck out his hand to shake Johann's. "I wouldn't want anyone else to watch over this town."

Johann smirked at Erik's comment, as he put his hand in Erik's.

"Well, what can I say? I learned from the best."

Without warning, Johann pulled himself into Erik's body, and Erik's eyes slightly widened as he felt the foreign contact. Johann hugged Erik tightly, as he said, "It was really good seeing you, Erik. I'm glad you showed up."

Erik pulled back and looked down at Johann.

"You remember the spell, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I remember the damn spell. I'll probably catch myself on fire, though."

Erik turned his back to Johann and said, "If you're in real danger, you'll figure it out."

Before Erik walked back into the tavern, he said, "It was...nice seeing you. Goodnight, Johann."

Erik didn't wait for a response, and he quickly walked back inside, leaving Johann alone on the tavern's porch.

Goodnight, Erik...