Kindred Judgment part 5

She had sat there for almost a day straight, motionless. She had refused help, refused food or water, even a kind word, for nothing anyone would say had any effect. She only stared at the bed where he lay, her vision blurred by tears. She had not taken her eyes off him, since yesterday, and although everyone said that there was nothing left to do, she wouldn't hear it. She felt powerless, broken, shattered even, and more alone than she had ever felt. Being shut away by her own mother, the indifference from her father, the fifteen-hundred years of being sealed away… it was all nothing compared to what she felt.

Serana's clothes were torn and her hair had fallen over her face. Since they had come back from Volkihar Castle she had not cared one bit for how she looked. Her hair was still as black as always, but now it was also dirty, and her clothes were still damaged and many parts of it were covered with dried-up blood and dust.

Someone knocked silently on the door.

"Serana?" the voice asked gently. "Are you-"

"Please…. Just leave me…"

Her voice was soft, and the bitter grief was clearly heard.

"You… you have been there for almost a full day, Serana. You have to-"

"I don't have to do anything." she answered, and her voice was still stripped of any will or strength. "My life is over now…. Everything is gone… I am alone, so please… leave me."

The person behind the door did not move immediately, but after Serana heard a deep sigh, the person left.

For a quick moment Serana took her eyes off the bed, and looked at the door. She had locked it the moment she was alone, and hadn't opened it since. She glanced around the room and saw that she was surrounded by nothing. A large two-person bed stood against the wall opposite the door, and on either side there was a small cupboard. Two large wardrobes stood next to her, and the pale morning light shone through the windows on the bed. She sat on a simple, yet soft wooden chair next to a round table on the left side of the bed, and she faced the door. She hated how the room looked. Everything was in perfect place, and the chair felt soft and was cushioned with soft wool. She felt anger boil in her as she saw how the room stood in sharp contrast with her mood. She felt the urge to throw the table to the wall and rip the wardrobes off the wall, but she lacked the strength to do so. All life that was still in her had faded… had died with him.

She stood up and walked to the bed. Her hands were shaking and she almost fell after the first step. Every part of her body was weak and robbed of any strength she had. She couldn't even cry, for she felt too tired as she walked around the bed. She almost couldn't look at him as she sat on the soft matrass, next to his chest. He lay there motionless, lifeless.

She tried to open her mouth to say something, but it took her all of her remaining strength to do so. Her jaws felt painful as she opened her mouth and her cheeks felt stiff.

"… I... I don't know-" she started, but she stopped when she looked at his face. The always fierce eyes were shut, and his short, black hair was now longer than it had been before. She pulled her arm up and lay her hand on his chest. It was still as massive as before, but she felt nothing. A slight part of her had hoped for the feeling of his heartbeat, but after what she had seen…. She knew it was only a false hope…. Hoping for hope.

She then fell on top of him, and pressed her face on his chest. Her tears came crawling down her pale cheeks and dripped on his skin. Her head scratched his chin and her fingers rubbed uncontrollably over his shoulders.

"I… I don't know what to do…"

Her entire mouth felt stiff and painful as she pushed the words out her throat, and more tears fell down her cheeks. "I don't know anymore… there is nothing felt for me… anywhere."

Her lips rubbed over his skin, and she felt nothing anymore as even her own senses had abandoned her. "You promised me, Tarrion… you promised me. you would not abandon me…. Tarrion, I beg you…" and her voice started to whisper, as she no longer had the strength to say the words clearly. "come back to me…. come back."

She then felt a slight tremor going through his body, and she heard a slight thump, but she ignored it for she knew that her senses had to lie. Another thump, and another, and she started to doubt everything more and more, but then she felt something else. A slight warmth came from him.

Then, suddenly and without warning she felt a hand rub over her back, gently caressing her and his chest went up and down in a deep breath.

"… as you wish.."

She raised herself above him and looked at him. His face was still the same, but his eyes were open and the deep, fierce eyes now looked at her. Her eyes were now wide open and she saw how he breathed again, but still she couldn't believe it. Her mouth was slightly open in astonishment as she saw a slight smile appear on his face, and his hand grabbed her waist. For a few moments she looked at him, and he looked at her, and when only after he blinked a few times, she felt herself beginning to smile. She touched his face, she felt the warmth that now came from him, she sensed his heartbeat and the blood that flowed anew through his body. She saw and felt how his hand took hers and he kissed it.

"You are a sight for sore eyes." he said.

And she fell on him again, but now she had regained her strength. There was nothing else that existed for her now… only him and her. She pressed her lips against his and she felt him kiss her back, and she felt a deep warmth enter her body. She grabbed hold of him, and she did not let go.

"Serana… your crushing me…" he said, but she ignored him. She felt new tears flowing over her face, but now they were tears of joy. Once again she kissed him and pressed her face on his. She had grabbed his head, running her hands through his hair, and she felt his hands on her waist, pressing her body against him and she smiled again.

Tarrion felt himself smile and despite that his body was aching all over, he did not care. He only felt how Serana was in his arms again and how her hair stroke past his face. He grabbed her tightly and pressed his face against her neck. The feeling of her in his arms again was better than ever, for now he knew that he had almost lost her forever. A few tears now also crawled down his face, but he smiled.

After a few moments of only embracing each other, Serana helped him sit up straight. Tarrion felt how his entire body was still aching all over. He saw that several parts of his body were covered in white bandages. He felt how his entire chest felt like it had been ripped open, and his back felt like it was burning. Both his legs were numb, and his arms and hands were tingling. As he looked around he recognized the room he was in, and he saw that he was in his house of Proudspire Manor in Solitude. The room was just as he remembered it, wide, spacious with light coming down from the windows. But he cared nothing for it all, and could only stare at Serana, into her beautifully glowing eyes, surrounded by her perfectly pale face and her dark hair. She had a look of disbelief and happiness in her eyes.

"… How?" she asked. "You were…"

Tarrion could only smile at her. He was not sure if he could explain what happened, because he was not sure if he knew what exactly happened. For the moment he only felt relief and he felt like he could kiss her all day.

"I…" he sighed. "…I'm not sure... I think-"

But someone knocked on the door. As soon as Tarrion heard the voice, he smiled.

"Serana…. I'm sorry but, I-"

But Serana jumped off the bed and unlocked the door before she opened it. Jordis stood in the door opening with a confused look on her face, because Serana now stood in front of her with a wide smile on her face. Without a word Serana let Jordis in and her expression changed to pure shock when she saw Tarrion sit up straight on the bed.

She looked at him with both her eyes and mouth wide open and she froze. Her eyes seemed to tremble and her gaze went from Tarrion to Serana and back.

"Wha… but.. this cannot… how…"

She looked at Serana. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." she said and Tarrion saw her face change slightly.

"What did you do?" Jordis asked again. "This is not possible…." and she looked at Tarrion again, but he calmed her.

"Don't worry, Jordis…. She did nothing."

"But… how… when…" and she sighed again. "How is this even possible?"

They heard another few sets of footsteps, and not two seconds later Aela entered the room, followed by the twins, Farkas and Vilkas. All of them now looked at Tarrion with their eyes and mouths open, and Tarrion couldn't help himself to smile. He saw how now four of his closest friends looked at him like they had seen a ghost, and only Serana was smiling.

"What did you do?" Aela asked Serana immediately and Serana answered the same thing.

"Nothing… why do you…"

"Calm, Aela." Tarrion said. "I can-"

"No, no no." Aela said and she looked fiercely at Tarrion. "This cannot happen, so don't tell me to be calm here. You were dead. You cannot be alive…. So how is this even possible?"

Tarrion sighed again. He pushed himself further up to sit a bit more comfortable. "I will explain all, you have my word. But… I feel that my throat is dry and sore, and… I'd like a bit to drink first."

Serana almost flew out of the room and came back before anyone could blink with a mug filled with clear water. She came sitting next to Tarrion and looked at him with her eyes staring at him and a smile on her face. After Tarrion had emptied the mug he sighed again, still with everybody staring at him. Most of them were confused, but Aela looked like she did not trust him, and Serana had a look in her eyes that could only be described as love and admiration.

"Ahh… where to begin?" he started and he sighed.

"Well… what happened to you?" Aela asked. "Do you remember what happened?"

Tarrion nodded. "I remember fighting Harkon, and he threw me against a rock and fired a red orb of light at me. I felt my life being sucked out of me and he walked toward me." Tarrion remembered again, and he saw how Harkon walked to him, smiling in victory. "But then, a golden arrow pierced his chest, and he turned around. But then everything became black before me, and the last I saw was you."

He looked at Serana and he saw a smile on her face. The other stood around his bed and all looked at him as he talked.

Tarrion explained how he woke up in Sovngarde. How he refused to stay there and how he eventually asked Tsun to send him back. In everything, he did not include Katria. At first he did not even realize it, but after a while he knowingly did not. He thought that the meeting he had with her was something that not everyone should hear of.

"Wait… Tsun?" Farkas asked. "The god of Trials?"

Tarrion nodded. "Yes. He guards the way to Shor's Hall of Valor. He stands watch as the gatekeeper and guardian of Shor's Hall, and much is known to him. When I went to Sovngarde to kill Alduin, Tsun was the one that sent me back to Nirn. I had hoped that he would be able to send me back again. But he was not able to." and Tarrion sighed. "He said that he could not send back the dead, and that I could not return."

Tarrion remembered how he became angry with him. How he told Tsun that he never asked for anything in return for saving the world. How he never wanted a reward for killing Alduin, and how he had saved the souls of all the mortals.

He sighed again. "I remember Tsun standing there. He was not angry, but he looked at me like I did not understand. But then, a deep rumble came down from the mountains behind me. Tsun looked up and it was as if he answered someone. He nodded and told me to go back to the place where I woke up, and that I would meet someone there. So I went back."

"Who did you meet?" Jordis asked.

Tarrion did not answer directly, but first thought about it. He still was not entirely sure of who that man was, but he only thought he knew.

"I am not sure." he said. "I… I think it was Shor himself."

"You what?" Aela asked, and she looked at him almost in fear. The others looked shocked and their mouths fell open, and even Serana was astonished by this news.

"S-Shor?" Vilkas asked. "Thé Shor? The god of heroes? The god that is responsible for the creation of the world?... The one that represents Sovngarde?… the god that-"

"Yes, Vilkas." Tarrion interrupted him. "That one."

"Oh.. a-alright." Vilkas stammered. "Just making sure."

"What did he look like?" Jordis asked.

"Well…. He was tall. Much taller than anyone on Nirn. He had a long white beard and long white hair… and yet, he did not seem old. He looked… timeless?" Tarrion was not sure how to describe what he saw, but he thought it wouldn't make a difference. "He was wearing a helmet like a wolfs-head, and he had a long cloak of wolf-pelts. A large sword hung from his belt and he had a staff in his hand. His voice…. His voice was raw power… I…. I know the power of my own Voice, but I felt small and nothing compared to him." Tarrion sighed again, and he remembered the feeling he had when he stood there on the fields of Sovngarde. "I felt a deep cold surrounding me, and yet I felt warm inside. At first he looked at me like I was an ignorant child… someone who still does not understand the reality of what has happened."

Tarrion stopped for a moment. He was not sure if he could tell them everything, and he decided that he would tell them some of it. He explained how he and Shor talked, and how Shor became angry with Tarrion, but when he started to beg and plead, Shor calmed down.

"I'm not sure, but I felt a warm breeze flowing over the plains, and I felt my anger fade away, and so did Shor. We both calmed, but I do not understand why. I asked, no… begged him to send me back. Eventually he smiled on me and decided to give me what I wanted. He told me that I could go back, the only gift and reward that he would ever give me. Then a white mist enveloped me and I was sent back. The next thing I remember… was you."

He smiled as Serana and she smiled back. He knew that if the others were not here they would grab hold of each other again, but now they held back.

"But what about you?" he asked them. "What happened after the battle. Is everyone alright?"

Aela started explaining, and the twins added a few things when she would forget something. Tarrion learned that after Harkon died the battle was over. Only a handful of Vampires were remaining and they surrendered, hoping for mercy. But Isran had decided that nobody would survive, and all Vampires were killed, even while they had already surrendered. Tarrion felt a muscle pull in his face when he heard of the merciless act, but he was not surprised. He had not expected Isran to show mercy to Vampires, and he was not sure if he would have. Aela told him of how Durnehviir had suddenly disappeared and how they, after making rafts, managed to come back to shore.

Vilkas then explained how Fort Dawnguard was also attacked, but by only a small force of Vampires, and they were outnumbered. They were defeated easily and there were no casualties there. Aela did say that both Agmaer and Celann were killed in Volkihar Caslte, and Uthgerd and Mjoll were both wounded. Iona was bitten, but she was cured before she was turned. The wounded were immediately transported to Solitude where several healers, herbalists and mages were there to help them. Tarrion learned how Colette and Danica had nursed him.

"So they know of… you know?"

But Jordis shook her head. "Danica doesn't. She had to help others, and it fell back to Colette. She does know that you died."

Tarrion sighed and looked at them all. He trusted every single one of them, but he felt not entirely at ease.

"Who else knows?" he asked and Aela summed up.

"We do… Colette and Lydia. We hadn't spread the news just yet… mostly because we didn't want it to be true. But after a while people started asking questions…"

"After a while?" Tarrion asked. "For how long was I… dead?"

"Four days." Vilkas said.

'Four days?' Tarrion thought to himself. "And you all stayed here? All of you?"

He suddenly felt overwhelmed by the loyalty and love from all of them. He knew that they were all his friends, but the fact that they stayed for four days after his death almost brought tears to his eyes.

"You are the Harbinger, so…" Farkas grumbled with a smile and Tarrion chuckled.

"But, wait… you said that Lydia also knew of my death." Tarrion mentioned. "Where is she now?"

"In the temple of the Divines." Aela said. "She has been praying to Mara and all the gods for days now."

Aela chuckled. "I must admit… I first thought her to be naïve… praying and all. But it seems she proved me the fool. I'll go and get her. I'm sure she will kill us if we don't tell her immediately."

Aela left together with Vilkas, while Farkas and Jordis stayed, but after a few minutes Jordis noticed the awkward silence. She saw Serana looking at Tarrion, but Tarrion looked at Jordis. The gazes he gave her told her all she needed to know and she nodded. And so she pulled Farkas away and left downstairs.

As soon as the door closed Serana jumped back on the bed and grabbed hold of Tarrion. Tarrion's entire body was still aching, but she did not hold back. She grabbed every part of him she could get her hands on, and Tarrion did not mind. He also felt the relief of feeling her again, of having her back in his arms.

After a few minutes she leaned back and smiled at him, and he stroke her hair from her eyes. He could not express what he felt in words.

"I cannot say how glad I am to see you again." he said and he smiled at her. "You look terrible."

Serana gave him a playful slap on his head.

"I know… I just… I couldn't bring myself to do anything." and Tarrion saw the echo of the battle in her eyes and her smile faded a bit. "You fell unconscious, and…. I was so worried about you…. They tried everything they could, but… they said that they weren't sure if you would make it. Your wounds were huge, and you lost a lot of blood. You were bitten several times, so they also thought you would get infected… they fought that, and…"

But Tarrion hugged her again. Serana had begun to talk faster and erratically, and Tarrion heard in her voice the pain of watching it all. He saw that she had been beside him while he lay dying and she was there when he died in the end. He began to understand how it must have been for her, and he thought that she suffered more than him.

He felt her calm herself in his embrace and she rubbed him over his back.

"So, yes…" she concluded. "My clothes are dirty and torn…. I guess I can throw them away…"

"Is that an invitation?" Tarrion asked teasingly and he grinned at her.

She looked at him for a few moments, realizing what he meant, but then she smiled seductively. She leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"Why don't you help me and find out?"

Downstairs they heard a door slam, and they both knew who was coming. They heard the quick steps of someone coming up the stairs and Serana stepped off the bed, and for a moment Tarrion saw a slightly disappointed look in her eyes. But before he could say anything, the door almost flew open and almost broke against the wall. Lydia stood in the doorway and had an expression of pure shock on her face as she looked at her thane. For a few seconds she stood there with her mouth open and her long, brown hair had fallen over her face, and Tarrion chuckled.

"Are you going to stand there, or are-"

But he was interrupted as Lydia stormed in and almost dived on him in an embrace. Tarrion flew back on the bed with Lydia lying on him, and he heard her sob.

"My thane… My thane, you're back… thank the gods you're back."

Tarrion tried to calm her, but it seemed only to tighten her grip around her thane. She refused to let go of him and only when Serana finally intervened, did she pull back.

"Come, Lydia." Serana said. "You're about to make me jealous."

Lydia looked up and for two seconds she stared fiercely at her.

"I know him longer than you, so I have every right to do this." but then she fell around Serana as well and to Tarrion's surprise, the two young women embraced each other. He saw how Lydia started to cry and tears were visible in Serana's eyes as well. Tarrion sat there with two crying women standing next to his bed, and he was confused. He thought the two of them didn't really get along, but after they let go of each other, they explained how that was in the past.

"You were right, my thane-"

"Tarrion!"

"Eh… Tarrion…. But.. yes, you were right. When you asked me to trust you, and try and give Serana a chance, you were right. She has indeed proven herself, and has shown that she cares for you… and us all."

"I see…" Tarrion said, still confused but smiling. "Well, good that you two are now friends."

"We all are now."

He sighed again and looked around. The room was still the same as it always was, and he saw that the sun was starting to climb down. He smelled the soft and nice smell of fresh flowers and he heard a soft tune coming from one of the windows. It seemed the Bards College was busy and he thought he heard the gentle voice of Pantea Atia. He saw how both Serana and Lydia looked at him, smiling and he let out another deep sight, and this one was in relief. He had never felt as good as he felt now.

Not even the glory of Sovngarde, would be able to best this.

=End of Chapter=

=End of Arc=

=Authors's Notes=

And that was the final Chapter of the Dawnguard Questline. *Deep sigh* Now we have at least that. I do hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Tarrion is alive and well, the threat of the Vampires is gone, his relationship with Serana is going better than ever, Serana and the others seem to be friends…. What more can you possibly wish for?

I do have to tell you that I will take a planned break. The Dawnguard Questline complete is a milestone that I wanted to make for a while now. The problem is now that I am out of stuff to write for this fanfiction. I have ideas,… plenty of them… but I have to work those ideas out a bit more. I don't have enough to make a full arc out of those ideas just yet. So, with that in mind, I will take a break from this fanfiction.

That does not mean that I won't be doing anything, as I have another fanfiction elsewhere, called 'Fate of the Fateless', a fanfiction for the videogame 'Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning'. You should check it if you want.

But for now, I will bid you goodbye.

New Characters:

Pantea Atia: Master vocalist of the Bards College in Solitude.

Danica: Danica Purespring, healer and priestess of Kynaereth in Whiterun. Gives you the quest to restore the Gildergreen tree.

PS: I'm Dutch (from the Netherlands) so if there are any mistakes in spelling/grammar please let me know. (this will be the last time I write this line. You should know it by now :)