Chapter 22: Her Mother's Keepers

"You had to mention giants," Serana murmured. She didn't know what she'd expected the Keepers to be, but this wasn't it.

The Keeper stood at the base of the spire, right where it was supposed to be, surrounded by leftovers of souls clustering around it. Presumably those souls were powering the barrier.

"Is that dragon bone armour it's wearing?" Sithia sounded about as dismayed as Serana felt.

"Looks like it. Its weapon, too." It was a massive battleaxe, made from recognisably draconic parts.

"Pity it'll all be too big for me. I could use a set of dragon armour and weapons, even if I'd have to get used to moving in heavy armour."

"Maybe we can find a blacksmith skilled enough to make you some."

"Eorlund Gray-Mane might appreciate the challenge, but working miracles in steel doesn't mean he'd be able to do it."

"Perhaps we should pay him a visit when we're done here. How are we going to kill these things? I'm not sure my spells or your blade will get through that armour."

"Dragonbane can pierce dragons when they're alive, so I don't see why not. Besides, even if it can't, there's got to be some gaps or weak points in that armour I can use. I'd say for you to go for head shots but it looks kind of incorporeal."

Serana had to agree. The 'head' looked like black smoke, if with two blue pinpricks where its eyes must be. "Worth a try." Hopefully she could take it down before Sithia got near it. If all else failed she could transform and tear it apart with her claws. But why hadn't her mother done that? Wrong side of the barrier, or was it something else? She closed her eyes and reached for her darker side. She cursed under her breath. Something was blocking it. The Ideal Masters, presumably. Molag Bal must have no power here.

At least her spells still worked here. That is, when her target wasn't incorporeal. Ice spikes passed straight through the 'head' and only seemed to irritate the Keeper.

"Perhaps what I said was a little unclear, my dear vampire. I meant head shots probably wouldn't work!" Sithia's criticism came in an urgent whisper as she drew Dragonbane.

There wasn't time to reply. The Keeper advanced on them, very long legs carrying it close all too quickly.

Sithia somehow managed to move almost as fast as she usually did. Unfortunately almost wasn't good enough. She was just a little too slow when rolling out of the way. Fortunately she did manage to dodge its axe blow. A massive dragonbone boot caught her in the chest. An actual kick might have been lethal; Sithia was lucky, it only grazed her. She almost rolled back onto her feet but doubled over, gasping for air, winded.

The Keeper brought its axe back around, blade first.

"No!"

Serana intercepted it, closing her hands around the handle. She strained against it, crushed bone from the ground flying up in clouds as the Keeper shoved her along. Serana glanced behind and managed to brace her feet against a wall. That finally gave her enough traction to slowly pull the weapon out of the Keeper's gauntlets.

It exploded into smoke before she could smash it with its own weapon, which also vanished. Sithia stood behind it, Dragonbane still raised where it had impaled the spectre. As with the black skeletons and poor Tiber, the smoke coalesced into the same black sludge, if a rather bigger pool of it.

Sithia breathed raggedly, wheezing a bit. It took her a couple of tries to sheathe Dragonbane, her hands trembling.

"Are you all right?"

Sithia nodded. "Just… need… to… catch… my… breath." While she did, she poked around at the pool of black ectoplasm. "Typical the… armour and… weapons are gone."

"They were far too big for you anyway."

"I could have… sold them!"

Serana imagined the face of any blacksmith Sithia might try to sell outsize arms and armour to. She probably sounded about as incredulous herself: "To whom? Giants?"

"Maybe, giants… have good loot."

"You'd be a menace to society if you armed and armoured a giant like that."

"And? Aren't I… already?"

"No, I do believe you protect it."

"Damn, must try harder."

Serana eyed Sithia. Did she mean try harder to protect society, or to menace it? She could never be entirely sure.

Sithia smirked. "Come on. One Keeper down, two more to go." She pointed at the two other spires visible.

"That one's closer, I think. I hope there's really only two more and not another hiding out of sight."

"You had to say that, didn't you?" Sithia groaned. "It almost guarantees there will be."

"Maybe we should head back to my mother first and see if she can point us to where your soul might've been taken."

"No, we can handle these without any backtracking."

"If you're sure." Serana was careful to let Sithia set their pace. They headed for the second spire, visible in the distance as a floating tower.

On the way there they came across an archway lit up by a purple glow, mist all around it giving it a ghostly and ominous feel. Which of course meant Sithia had to investigate. Serana sighed and followed. It turned out to be worth it, for on a plinth under the arch was a horse skull, as black as the hostile skeletons.

"I wonder if this is Ardak or whatever that soul called his horse?"

"Arvak."

"Whatever. Mine now." Sithia picked up the skull. Serana didn't object. If they could reunite this horse with his master, perhaps Sithia could ride instead of walk. It might be better for her, less tiring at best, but faster at worst.

The mist largely faded away, or rather coalesced into the floating top halves of more black skeletons, the lower halves wreathed in what was left of the mist. These skeletons didn't use ancient weapons, instead cold blue light flared in their hands. Frost magic, all too familiar to Serana. And dangerous to Sithia in her weakened state, if that hit her it'd make her perilously slow.

Sithia took cover behind the arch, a hail of ice shards pelting the dark stone. The skeletons seemed fixated on Sithia, which let Serana hurl Ice Spikes back at the skeletons until they collapsed into more black ooze.

Sithia cautiously poked her head out once the bombardment of ice stopped. She stepped out, still holding the horse skull. "I guess those skeletons were the culprits behind the horse theft."

"There's that soul who asked for help." Serana pointed at the pale purple glowing form amongst some standing stones. "How about you give him the skull?"

"But it's mine!"

"It's not even that shiny. Why do you want to keep it?"

"It's black and has a sort of shine to it. There's no other horse skull like it. It'll make an eye-catching ornament. Mine."

"At least show it to him. Besides, I doubt he could take it from you anyway, he's a little too incorporeal."

"Oh all right," Sithia conceded. She approached the soul and held the skull out to him. "Is this Ardak?"

"You found my Arvak! You saved him! His soul is free, I can feel it! Such a loyal beast. Here, I'll teach you how to summon him."

The soul wandered off, leaving the skull still in Sithia's hands as Serana had expected.

"Huh. I don't know how he did it, but that soul gave me the knowledge, like a spellbook but without consuming one." Sithia opened up the pack Serana still carried and shoved the skull inside.

Serana also felt taken aback by the unexpected knowledge; the soul had given her the summoning spell too. "Then let's summon this horse."

Sithia blinked. "What? Here? Now? Seems a bit cruel, wouldn't doing it back in Tamriel be kinder?"

"You can do that too, but you could do with riding instead of walking at the moment. Please don't argue the point."

"Fine. I guess you're right. Again." Purple light flickered in Sithia's hand as she beckoned. The horse appeared in a sphere of light, expanding until it covered the horse then retracting into nothing, leaving the summoned horse behind.

Arvak wasn't a flesh and blood horse, or even a corporeal ghost of one. Instead he was a skeletal one, as black as his skull, purple light flickering in the hollow sockets of his eyes and knitting his bones together. His hair looked like purple flames, but was cool to the touch. Rather like the flames inside Dimhollow come to think of it. If Sithia summoned him in Tamriel she'd terrify most witnesses. Not that it'd stop her; knowing her it'd probably encourage her.

Sithia walked around her new steed, inspecting him. She shook her head. "I'd be better off walking than riding this thing without padding."

"Then we saddle him." Serana swung the pack down to rummage in it.

"I know I have a lot of junk in there but I have no recollection of shoving in a saddle."

"This should do." Serana fished out a bedroll and folded it before placing it over Arvak's back. She also retrieved some rope to rig up some stirrups and reins.

"Great, my bedroll will smell of horse now." Sithia sniffed and coughed. "Not that I can smell him at all. I can just smell this stinking plane of Oblivion, and now my bedroll will reek of it too. Thanks a lot."

"We'll get you a new one."

"Not before I need to use it," Sithia growled.

"We'll air it out."

Sithia grumbled under her breath, the specifics inaudible even to a vampire. She accepted Serana's boost up onto Arvak.

They made good time to the second spire with Sithia on her new and presumably unkillable horse… or at least if Arvak died again he could surely just be summoned again. Serana wondered if they should have had Sithia dismount again before they got too close but it turned out to be a moot point: there was no sign of the Keeper under the floating spire. That meant it had to be up there… hopefully. Serana looked up at the floating rubble circling below it. Even that was far out of their reach. How were they supposed to get up there?

"I don't suppose you can throw me that far, can you?" Sithia asked.

"No. And even if I could - which I can't - it would be too risky to have you up there alone. I have no idea what to do now. How'd the Keeper get up there in the first place? It has to be up there. Where else can it be?"

Lightning flashed down from the spire to the ground. They both covered their eyes and turned away until the blinding light and deafening echoes faded away. It had struck nearby, onto a strange sort of plinth at the foot of three pillars. Sithia dismounted and stepped closer. Serana wasn't at all sure that was a good idea. What if the lightning struck again? Rumour had it lightning didn't strike the same place twice. Yet that rumour was clearly false, Serana had witnessed it striking the same standing stones in here several times over. She doubted she could outrun lightning, but she followed Sithia anyway. If it struck again she'd just have to try to get Sithia out of the way.

Set into the plinth was a strange glowing purple circle. Serana watched aghast as Sithia hopped onto it. She vanished in a swirl of black smoke horribly reminiscent of the black skeletons' sticky end.

"Serana?" Sithia's voice came faintly from the spire above. "That circle is some kind of portal. Come through it. Nice view from up here! Or what passes for it around here."

"Stupid Dragonborn," Serana growled. She stepped onto the circle and let the portal take her. It felt like being coated in oil. Ugh.

She glared at Sithia as soon as she emerged and her vision cleared of the oily black smoke. Sithia didn't look greasy and brushing at her own clothing revealed the oily feeling portal had left no residue on herself either.

Serana wagged a finger at her. "Let me go first next time, you're weakened in here, remember?"

"It's not like I can forget, I still feel like shit."

"Then act like it! Please. Just a little more caution."

"All right. You can go first up those stairs if you absolutely insist. But I'll be right behind you. Even feeling like this I'm not useless."

"I never said you were. I didn't insist you wait back in Tamriel, did I?"

Sithia subsided, her glare taken down a notch. "…No."

A distant hollow whinny came from below. It seemed Arvak didn't like being left behind.

Serana peered over the edge and saw him far below, circling the spire's shadow. "Let's hurry up and get back to the horse."

Serana led the way up the stairs winding up the spire, a narrow path forming a platform on each level, the spire itself shaped like an enormous pillar.

They found the Keeper at the top of the spire, just above a group of souls with purple light streaming upwards from them. They must be the ones her mother had mentioned that were powering the barrier.

The Keeper raised a massive dragonbone bow studded with dragon teeth, nocking a proportionately enormous arrow.

"FUS RO DAH!"

The arrow loosed but lost velocity against Sithia's Shout, clattering harmlessly at their feet. The Keeper plummeted off the spire. They rushed to the edge to see it fall to its doom, dissolving into the black sludge when it hit the ground far below.

Serana noticed Sithia eyeing the drop speculatively.

"Don't even think about it," she snapped, dragging her Dragonborn back from the edge and towards a glowing purple circle just like the one on the ground below. Hopefully it was a portal that would take them back to the ground safely, without Sithia using that damned Shout…

It was. It deposited them right beside the portal on the ground.

"Hm. Maybe we should go back up there. I don't know about you but I can't see the third spire from here."

Serana didn't let go of Sithia. "No more strange portals. I think we should head for higher ground, like my mother's prison. She might know where it is. She might also have some idea where the Ideal Masters are keeping your soul gem."

The towers above the building imprisoning her mother were at least quite the landmark and easy to see from where they were. She helped Sithia mount Arvak again and they headed straight for the prison, skirting another building with a second overgrown soul gem floating above it.

They found Valerica waiting beside the barrier. It looked fainter but was still strong enough to keep a determined vampire inside.

"Only a single spire remains. Be careful, I'm almost certain the final Keeper will be prepared for your assault." Valerica looked sternly at Sithia. "Keep my daughter safe."

"Yeah, about that… Can you help me get the rest of my soul back?"

"So my daughter applied some of the lessons I taught her about necromancy, did she?" Valerica sounded amused. She ignored Serana's glare. "Don't worry, I think I can help you. You simply need to retrieve the gem that was no doubt offered to the Ideal Masters for you to pass through the portal while still mortal. The moment you touch the gem, your soul essence will be restored."

"Any idea where it can be?"

"There's an offering altar not terribly far from here. In fact it should be on the way to the last spire. I'm willing to bet that the gem you're looking for is there." Valerica pointed to the building in question in the distance. "You can't miss it. It looks even more like a prison than this. Just be careful, the immense gem there will siphon your life forces when you get too close to it. Which you'll have to if you want that soul gem back. Be quick."

They cut across the wasteland again, towards a spire Sithia probably couldn't see yet. Serana could make out the light at the top of it, and the rubble floating below it.

The building did look rather like a prison, complete with bars across what might have been entrances.

Serana put an arm in front of Sithia, barring her path. "Wait here. I'll get it."

"We'll only know it's the right gem if it disappears when I touch it though."

"Nothing stopping me from bringing it to you."

"Only that draining overgrown soul gem!"

"I can be much faster than you. You'll barely know I've gone before I'm back." Serana set the pack down so she could be more agile.

"Serana—"

She ignored any further objection, jumping up onto the spiky archway to get onto the roof of the building. She had to jump up again to get to the same level as the altar. As soon as she did she got within range of the immense gem. A blinding light streamed from her to the gem, almost as bad as sunlight. Serana swayed on her feet. Her head pounded. Her eyes struggled to focus, her vision blurred and darkening.

She had to force herself to get closer still. The offering altar was right under the giant gem. Every step was a massive effort, her legs shaking. It felt like she hadn't fed in ages. Forget sunlight, this was more like being back in the Temple of the Divines. But rather than feeling as if she didn't belong it felt as if she were being drained of everything that made her herself. She felt weak.

Finally she reached the altar which was shaped much like an ornate coffin. She shuddered at the thought. With what felt like a great effort she shoved it open, hands shaking. Her ragged breaths caught on seeing the shadowy body-sized hole gaping in front of her. She was going to fall in. She just knew it. And then the lid would slide shut and she'd be stuck in there while the giant gem drained her drier than any vampire could and she'd be trapped in there forever and—

"Serana? Is everything all right? Do I need to get up there?"

Serana could breathe again. Sithia. She would come to get her if all else failed but she mustn't go anywhere near that draining gem. It'd finish her weakened Dragonborn off. Serana forced tired eyes to focus and picked up the glint of something shiny in the shadows. Make that many glints. Black soul gems. At least a dozen. She snatched them up and filled her pockets with them. One of them had better be Sithia's soul gem. She took a moment longer to push the lid back on the coffin. It felt stupid to bother, but she hated the way it looked when open. Like it was waiting just for her to fall in and—

'Not a coffin, stupid, just a glorified box!'

She turned away from the altar and hurried as fast as her shaky legs could take her back to the edge. Sithia had moved and was trying to find a way in, presumably having given up on Serana's route because she couldn't jump as high with her shorter legs and arms. That and she probably lacked the strength at the moment to climb.

"I got it." Serana dropped back down, away from the overgrown vampiric gem looming above her. Even that was a great effort. It was as if the draining gem was aware of her and didn't want to let her go. She landed badly and collapsed into a bruised heap on the crushed bone.

"Serana!" Sithia was by her side before she could get up, running hands along her limbs, checking for any broken bones.

"I'm fine, just bruised," Serana muttered, mortified. She retrieved some bottled blood and took a sip to heal herself and recover from the horrible draining effect. Sithia was far too close. It was all she could do to resist the urge to grab her and bite down for a quick snack. "Ahh, that's better." She emptied her pockets. "Here. Touch all of them. One of them has to be yours. I hope."

"Thanks." Sithia reached out. The right gem shattered into shards at her touch, the glow within them vanishing into Sithia. That done, she stashed the other soul gems in the enchanted pack. They presumably belonged to necromancers who'd tried to finalise deals with the Ideal Masters by entering the Soul Cairn, only to have to pay the toll the same way Sithia had and been weakened too much to survive.

"Mmm, much better. I feel a match for this dragon now."

"And the last Keeper," Serana said.

"That too."

Said Keeper was right where it was supposed to be, at the base of the glowing spire. It lifted its enormous dragonbone mace at their approach, each deadly point a dragon tooth, alongside a matching shield made from more dragon bones.

"Big and slow. This'll be easy," Sithia muttered.

"Just like the first one that almost killed you?"

"I don't feel like shit now."

"Still, don't underestimate—"

The Keeper lunged at them, swinging its mace and trying to slam its shield into each of them. They dodged either side of it. That opened it up to coordinated attacks, Serana's spells peppering it from one side while Sithia hacked away with Dragonbane from the other, chips of dragon bone soon flying as the enchanted sword weakened the toughest bone known.

The Keeper collapsed into more black ectoplasm, unable to withstand them. It had still been too close for comfort; at least for Serana, all too aware of every time its mace had almost connected with Sithia's head.

"Void take it." Sithia took off and inspected her cowl. The mace had caught it on one of the closest swipes. "Going to have to mend this before we leave the castle."

Presuming they could return, but Serana wasn't about to voice that nagging doubt for fear that it'd make it come true.

Serana pointed towards her mother's prison. "The barrier should be gone now. Let's head back."

The barrier was indeed finally down.

Serana realised too late the implications; that her mother would be able to smell them. There was nothing by sight to give away what they'd been getting up to before coming into the Soul Cairn, but by scent? Nothing could hide it.

Valerica sniffed as soon as they were close enough. Her eyes flicked between them knowingly.

'Oh no… She knows.'

It could only have been more mortifying if her mother's gaze had gone between certain areas where the mingled scents must be strongest. Serana's fingers, their lips, Sithia's neck and between their legs. Fortunately Valerica hadn't forgotten her manners and kept her eyes above their necks.

Serana still wanted the ground to swallow her. It wasn't that she was ashamed of her involvement with Sithia of course, more that she never wanted her mother to know in quite so much intimate detail what they'd done.

At least it seemed to distract her mother from how tasty Sithia must smell, but then her mother's control had always been better than hers.

Or maybe not, as her mother's next words demonstrated her awareness of just that: "I can see why you keep this mortal around, Serana. I have never smelled a more tempting morsel."

Serana automatically bristled and hissed, stepping in front of Sithia, fangs out. "Mine!" she snarled.

Valerica raised an eyebrow.

Sithia sidestepped Serana and swatted her shoulder. "I'm my own, thank you very much. And I'm not feeding anyone while I'm in this place."

"Sorry. I didn't… it's a vampire thing. Instinctive. You know you're far more than a meal to me."

"I know. Just try to resist that instinct in future. As for you," Sithia snapped, turning to Valerica. "I'm Dragonborn, and the only vampire that gets to feed from me is your daughter."

"I see. That explains why your scent is so different. It also means we may stand a chance against Durnehviir. It is very impressive that you managed to destroy all three Keepers."

"I didn't do it single handedly." Sithia pointedly looked at Serana, before turning back to Valerica, impatient as ever. "Can you take us to the Scroll now?"

"Yes. Please, follow me. Keep watch for Durnehviir. With the prison's barrier down, he's almost certain to investigate."

Valerica led them through the massively tall doors into a large courtyard with four more of the towers topped with glowing light soaring upwards. That made six in total, together with the two behind them, each on a corner of the wall surrounding the courtyard.

"The Elder Scroll is just a bit further."

They'd reached maybe a third of the way across the courtyard when a rush of air and a roar overhead made them all look up.

"It's Durnehviir, he's here! Defend yourselves!" Her mother, stating the obvious as always…

Serana stared up at the dragon. Something was very wrong with him. His horns, eyes and scales weren't even visible beneath dripping decay. He brought with him the reek of fresh rot, sickly sweet and more sickening than that of the dry decay of the Soul Cairn as a whole.

"Ugh. What happened to him?" Sithia muttered. "It'll be a pleasure to put him out of his misery."

Durnehviir shouted, the words distorted by the distance and whatever rotting substance coated him. It didn't prevent the Shout from working, as it was clearly behind the summoning of a dozen black skeletons pushing their way out of the ground. Serana held her breath. His Shouting only made the stench worse.

The putrescent dragon landed. Sithia gagged and almost doubled over, retching, with how close she had to get to the gooey dragon to kill him. But kill him she did, although not as quickly as she usually managed. The stench made it harder, poor Dragonborn.

Serana and Valerica kept the skeletons busy and away from Sithia while she handled Durnehviir. They all faded away into black slime when Sithia killed him, tied to the wielder of the Thu'um that summoned them.

Sithia pulled Dragonbane out of the dead dragon with a wet squelch, and looked around for something to clean it off with. She had to settle on a rag from her pack and discarded it afterwards. That done, she stared at the dragon's body. She gingerly approached it, an arm attempting to shield herself from the smell. She paced in front of it, then stopped, arms held wide.

"Well?! Where's my soul? Come on, burn away and give it to me!"

Purple flames leapt up and the body faded away. No blackened skeleton remained. No light streamed into Sithia.

"HEY! WHERE'S MY SOUL?!" Sithia sounded angrier than Serana had ever heard her. Clearly being cheated of a dragon soul was even worse than everything the Thalmor had ever done, at least in the heat of the moment.

Valerica approached Sithia, eyeing her warily. "Forgive my astonishment, but I never thought I'd witness the death of that dragon."

"He's not dead. I'd have to have taken his soul. Something kept it from me." Sithia's words were bitten out as she struggled to keep a lid on her rage.

"Hmm." Valerica tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I can only assume it is because the Ideal Masters have claimed his soul. It's possible that your killing blow has merely displaced Durnehviir's physical form while he reconstitutes himself."

"How long will that take?"

Valerica shrugged. "Minutes? Hours? Years? I can't even begin to guess. I suggest we don't wait around to find out. Now, let's get you the Elder Scroll and you can be on your way."

Sithia watched Valerica continue across the field of battle, a thunderous scowl still on her face.

Serana laid a hand over hers, giving a tentative squeeze. "Come on, she's leading us to the Scroll."

Valerica awaited them across the courtyard, in an alcove between two staircases. "Now, let me get the Scroll's case opened."

The case was long and finely decorated. Serana reached into it, took the Scroll and put it in the pack with the other one. While Sithia might manage to carry two Scrolls, they'd slow her down. And once they found the third? Definitely best for Serana to continue being the pack mule.

Valerica turned away, arms folded. "Now that you have retrieved the Scroll, you should be on your way."

"You're staying here?" Sithia asked, perhaps catching the dismay on Serana's face. Reunited with her mother, yet separated again so soon? That hurt.

"I have no choice. As I told you before, I'm a Daughter of Coldharbour. If I return to Tamriel, that would double Harkon's chances of bringing the Tyranny of the Sun to fruition. And even if I could, it would only hinder your efforts. Harkon would sense my return to Tamriel. The last thing you need right now is a trail for him to follow." Valerica shook her head. "The only way I'd even consider returning to Tamriel was if Harkon were not only to fail, but to be destroyed."

No love lost between her parents any more, that was clear. He wanted Valerica's head on a spike, she wanted his utter destruction. And there was nothing Serana could do about that except likely take part in her father's death. She had to wonder what would happen should they succeed. A broken life bond usually resulted in two deaths, like with that poor adviser… except Valerica probably wouldn't suffer. Not anymore. Not with the loathing. She'd be glad if Harkon died even with the bond broken.

"You hate him that much?" Sithia sounded a little taken aback at Valerica's vehemence.

Valerica slowly turned around, eyes blazing. "You must understand that he's no longer the man I married all that time ago. He's obsessed, insane. Everyone around him fears him as they would a rabid dog. For all of this to end, he must die."

"We'll return for you when we can. That is… Can I return once I leave the Soul Cairn, without being soul trapped?"

"As you've been travelling in the Soul Cairn, your body has become attuned to it. Let's just say a tiny part of you rubbed off on it, and in its place, a bit of the Soul Cairn filled the void. You should find no difficulty using the portal any longer."

"…And that's not creepy at all," Sithia muttered. "This is really the safest place for you? You yourself said Durnehviir will probably be back."

"I appreciate your concern for me, but Serana is all that I care about. You must keep her safe at all costs."

Serana was touched by her mother's concern, but honestly! She could take care of herself.

Valerica nodded stiffly at Sithia. "Farewell. Remember that Harkon isn't to be trusted. No matter what he promises, he'll deceive you in order to get what he wants. And promise me you'll keep my daughter safe. She's the only thing of value I have left."

"I'm not stupid. I'm not about to give Harkon anything, let alone Serana. We keep each other safe," Sithia stated flatly.

Valerica raised a sceptical brow. "As you say. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like a private word with my daughter."

With a reluctant glance at Serana, Sithia walked off, back the way they'd come. Hopefully she'd wait outside these ruins and not do anything stupid like go back to the portal alone. But then she wouldn't want Serana to go back alone. Of course she'd wait.

Serana dragged her eyes off Sithia and turned to her mother. "Well? What is it?"

Valerica waited until Sithia was probably out of earshot before speaking. "This stranger—"

Serana almost hissed at her mother, only just managing a civil tone. "Her name is Sithia."

"Sithia, then. It alarms me how attached you are to her when you said yourself that you've only known her for a short time. Bad enough that she's mortal, but even worse that she's a vampire hunter. You're too close to her. Worse, you fancy yourself in love with her."

"She's my friend. My only friend. Of course I care about her, more than anything, but I'm not—"

"Serana, I am no fool. I can smell your scents blending in a way that cannot be platonic. I've also seen the way she looks at you, and worse, seen the way you look at her. If it is not love yet, it is perilously close to it."

Valerica stepped closer and took Serana's hands. "She is a vampire hunter. She will never accept the gift of immortality, not even if you beg her to. I'm trying to protect you, Serana. You'll get your heart broken one way or another if you remain on this path with her."

Serana pulled her hands back and turned away, her voice heavy as she admitted the truth. "It's already too late for that, Mother. I think it was too late the moment she freed me." She sighed. "We've had this talk before, when it was just mere friendship with mortals. I suppose I should be grateful you don't call my mortal friends 'pets' like Father did."

"Unlike him, I understand that they are friends, not pets. But my concern is far greater. Like them, she will die. I do not wish for you to be hurt."

Serana turned back, but only to frown at Valerica. "Mother, I've heard this all before. It doesn't change anything. Even as a vampire she might die. I've never met anyone else who lives such a dangerous life."

"That only makes it worse. Should she become a vampire, she at least has the potential to be immortal as we are, but it would rely on a different lifestyle. However, the problem still stands: I do not believe a vampire hunter would become the creature she hunts. That she lives dangerously… Serana, you are setting yourself up for heartbreak."

"This is nothing you haven't tried to convince me of before! It didn't work then, it won't now."

"Indeed. Why bring it up, you want to know? Because she means more to you. Too much. It was bad enough with the mortals who you felt mere friendship for."

"I know you're trying to protect me, Mother, but it's far too late. I'm done talking about this with you. There's nothing you can do."

Valerica sighed. "Remember that I am always here for you, even if I cannot be there for you in Tamriel." She shook her head. "I should have forbade it. Consorting with mortals. If I had any idea you would feel anything more than friendship…"

"If you had, it still wouldn't have changed anything. Once I was freed from that prison of a tomb… Well, I wasn't much inclined to do anything you said. All it would have done is make me even more miserable before you locked me away and threw away the key."

"Serana, you know I was trying to keep you safe!"

"We've already talked about that, too. My point is that I was lonely enough even before you pushed me away. If not for those mortals and those who became my fledglings, you would have been my only friend. And now I don't know what you are. I don't know if any of my fledglings survive. What I do know is that Sithia is everything to me."

"Serana, you cannot fancy yourself in love with a mortal. With as long as we have lived, it will be no time at all to you before she dies."

Serana flinched away from the thought of that. "She's not just a mortal. She's my Dragonborn, and my saviour. Of course I love her. And she won't die. Not if I have anything to do with it."

"Presuming you end the threat your father poses, you would have to turn her. She will never agree to that, not willingly, vampire hunter that she is."

"She's only a part time vampire hunter. And even if she was… I still think she would for me."

Valerica raised an eyebrow. "Then why have you not turned her?"

Serana crossed her arms and looked away. "She has anger management issues. That's why she opted for a partial soul trap instead of vampirism to pay the Ideal Masters' toll."

"Excuses. She will never agree to be turned, and forcing the gift on a fledgling… It does not end well. She will hate you for it."

"…She'd do it for me."

"You're even more of a naive fool than I thought. Serana… I could turn her for you. She would resent me for it, not—"

"You will not touch her," Serana snapped. "You just want her blood, you've wanted it ever since you smelled her. You can't have her. She's mine!"

"I'll admit that she's testing my self control, but how dare you! I only want the best for you! As I always—"

"You would never have put me through that ritual if that were true."

"You can't mean that! You would turn your back on His blessing for the sake of that mortal?"

"No. I'd never give this up. I don't regret earning my power, only… Only how I came by it. I'd never have met her without it. What I am, what I did… It doesn't bother her."

"Because of the feelings between you, I take it. How can you be sure she feels the same? She only lusts after you."

"You're wrong." Sithia definitely cared. That much was obvious from what Serana tasted when she fed even if it wasn't from Sithia's actions… Which it was, following her into this horrible place.

"Serana, you know nothing of love. I tell you, she may want to bed you, but that doesn't mean she wants a life with you."

"It's not just lust."

"Unless there's something you're not telling me, I cannot believe it. I see only base lust in her eyes when she looks at you. Even if you turn her, she will break your heart. She is one of the dov, deep down inside. They cannot love. Their hearts are cold and cruel. Anger, lust, greed… a dragon can feel nothing else. The will to power cripples anything else."

"You're wrong. She cares—"

"Caring is not love. It is the most she can give you. If she were capable of love, you would be able to taste it by now."

"No. No, that's not true."

"I am sorry, Serana. She cannot be trusted with your heart."

"You're wrong. She's loved before."

"Even if that's true, what if a Dragonborn can only love once?"

That threw Serana. She staggered back, as if from a blow. What if she never tasted love for her from Sithia? She swallowed hard, and shook her head. "I don't care. It's my risk to take!"

"And your heart to break. Lie to me if you must, but you cannot lie to yourself. You do care, you care so much that it hurts. I can smell your tears, the potency of that ancient blood, even if you will not shed them."

"I love her. Of course it hurts to think that she can't love me back! But it doesn't change anything. I would do anything for her. The pain of unrequited love is a price I'm willing to pay."

"Oh, Serana… I am sorry. This is not what I want for you. You deserve better."

"She wants me. She cares about me. I can live with that."

"And what happens when she finds someone else she wants? A dragon is not to be trusted."

"She would never betray me!"

"Well, I tried. You have too much of your father in you. Blind, stubborn, foolish. That will be your downfall."

"It won't be. But marriage isn't an option, that much is true."

Valerica sighed. "You deserve to be happy. My marriage to your father did not end with the gift Molag Bal bestowed. Mara did not revoke it. You could marry this mortal," she ground out reluctantly. "If she really cares."

Serana laughed hollowly. "You've clearly never been near one of the Aedra's shrines since you became a vampire. It's worse than sunlight. Believe me, you and Father did not have Mara's blessing long before his obsession and your own drove you apart."

"I cannot believe that I am encouraging this, but you do not need marriage to be together."

"I'm a bloodsucking fiend. She deserves better."

"You're not still guilty about that? Serana, you cannot be held responsible for your actions before you learned control. I still cannot fathom how you feel any remorse. They were only cattle; no other vampire would even think of it."

"Yes, yes, I've heard it all before. Mostly from Father, but even you think me weak."

"It is a weakness for a vampire. But your compassion and kindness are endearing. Even if Harkon never thought so. My daughter," Valerica said, her tone softening. "We should never have indoctrinated you into following Molag Bal. Yet I could not have borne it, for you to remain mortal while I ascended to be a Daughter of Coldharbour."

Serana raised an eyebrow. "With what we went through during that ritual, I don't think we can honestly call it ascending, Mother."

Valerica lifted a hand to cup Serana's cheek. "Sithia was right to question if you were willing. You were not, certainly not during the ritual. Damn your father and his quest for immortality! He only had to kill a thousand innocents and witness our - his - Lord take us, not be violated by Him himself." She withdrew her hand, caressing Serana in the process. "I never told you, but I am sorry we put you through that."

"It was worth it. I'd have died long before Sithia was even born otherwise." Serana frowned. "Wait, Father did what?"

"Ah. I forgot you did not know. We became worthy of Molag Bal's gift in different ways. You and I, we had our skills in magic. Your father… he used his power as all but king to sacrifice his subjects, establishing his dominance over their very lives and means of their deaths."

Serana shivered, feeling the icy dread of dawning truth. "That means the bodies we practiced necromancy on, the dead you trained me to raise…"

"I'm sorry, Serana, but as you've guessed, they were not bandits and criminals."

"At least he didn't sink as low as killing children," Serana's voice sounded strange to her own ears, choked with distress.

Valerica winced.

"No! I thought… I thought he was twisted into being evil by the prophecy. Was he ever a good man? How could you stay with him? Follow him into such evil? Support him, even."

"I loved him then. You will find you will do anything for love, at least until that love dies. That's another problem. As a vampire, your passions, your love, it all fades in the end."

"You're wrong. You wouldn't care about me if that was true. I wouldn't care about people who should just be food for me. I… I've got to go. Sithia's been kept waiting long enough. Goodbye, Mother. We'll come back for you once Father has been stopped."

Valerica tentatively reached out and cupped Serana's cheek again. "Stay safe. Please be careful. Remember you can only truly trust yourself."

Serana sighed heavily. It was only because she might never see her mother again that she covered Valerica's hand with her own and leaned into the touch. No matter how angry she was with her she still couldn't hate her mother. That done, she gently pulled Valerica's hand away and stepped back.

"Goodbye Mother."

Serana shouldered the enchanted pack and followed Sithia outside the ruins her mother had kept the Scroll in. She broke into a sprint at the sight that greeted her, sparks gathering in her palms as she called on her magic.

Sithia sat at the top of the stairs, and perched opposite her was the dragon they'd fought, Durnehviir.

She skidded to a sudden stop as Sithia got to her feet and stood in her way, hands held up. "It's okay, he's a friend. We were just talking."

Serana dropped her head into her hands. "This is what happens when I'm not with you. If you're not trying to get yourself killed, you're making friends with undead dragons who tried to kill you."

Sithia blinked at her. "That happens if you're with me too. Granted, Paarthurnax wasn't undead, and didn't try to kill me, but… Anyway, Durnehviir knows he'd be vanquished again if he tried anything."

"Geh, Qahnaarin." So he was calling Sithia his vanquisher as a title. And had presumably told her what it meant, as it probably hadn't been in Sithia's limited vocabulary.

Durnehviir cast a disinterested glance over Serana before his great oozing head turned back to Sithia. "Call me in Tamriel when you have need, and release me from this prison for a few precious moments."

"See you soon." Sithia waved as he spread his wings and flew off, taking the stench of rotting dragon away with him. He'd smelled even worse up close, the sickly sweet rot intensifying with every exhalation from him.

Serana shook her head and gave Sithia a sidelong look. "You do realise you're supposed to slay dragons, not keep them as pets?"

"You sound like the Blades. 'You're the ultimate dragon slayer, kill them all!' But Void take it, there's exceptions. You're not suggesting I kill Paarthurnax, are you?"

"No! He's different. All right, I think you can and should make an exception for him, but… he's not tried to kill you. Durnehviir has."

"Durnehviir can't be killed. You did notice that I can't absorb his soul? This way he'll do my bidding, and he needs me alive to have his brief escapes from the Soul Cairn anyway."

"And once you let him loose?"

"A dovah keeps his word. He will be forced to return here after a while, and until he does, he will only kill to protect me, or at my command."

"If you say so. How are you going to get him out of here anyway?"

"I Shout his name in Tamriel and he'll come. How that works I have no idea, but he seems sure it will."

"Right. I know Shouts are powerful, but that strong? Shame you couldn't just Shout us in and out of here."

"Yeah, that would've been handy if I could've skipped the whole partial soul trap. Have you definitely still got the Scrolls in there? We'll need them before we can come back for your mother, and two trips here is more than enough already."

Serana patted the pack. "I'm sure. I'm glad we found the Scroll, but I… I wish she could come with us. Come on, let's go home. The sooner we get the Scroll home, the sooner we deal with my father."

They retraced their steps to the portal with only a token harassment from a few more black skeletons. If Serana wasn't much mistaken the Ideal Masters wanted them gone from the Soul Cairn. Certainly the portal was still open, waiting for them to return to Tamriel.

Before dismissing Arvak, Serana took the bedroll and ropes off him. Those would be useful if they summoned him again, and there was no way of knowing if they'd reappear with him. That done she headed up the stairs to the portal, Sithia ahead of her at her insistence.

Finally they emerged back in her mother's lab. Now that was a relief. Judging by a ray of sunlight through the thin window it was day outside, although whether it was the same day they'd come to the castle on was impossible to guess. They couldn't exactly ask any of the locals.

They decided to wait until the next day to leave. Sithia was exhausted and needed more than just the night to rest.

Serana got the bedroll out of her pack and carried it over to the other door to her mother's lab, the one they hadn't gone through yet. It must lead outside judging by the draught coming under it. It did. Serana winced at the sunlight but did her best to ignore it as she endeavoured to shake out the stench of the Soul Cairn from Sithia's bedroll.

She came back inside and shut the door after her. Sithia was sitting on the stairs facing her, head in her hands, tears streaming steadily from her eyes.

Serana arranged the bedroll on the floor, tucked into the alcove with the bookshelves, out of the draught from the door. She walked over to Sithia and gently pulled her to her feet and into her arms, stroking her back.

"Weakness," Sithia muttered, her voice ragged. "Sorry."

"It's not weakness to grieve. You lost your husband in there. Again. I'm sorry."

Sithia nodded against her shoulder. It soon felt quite wet from the tears, but Serana didn't mind.

"I'm here. It's all right. Give yourself time to feel it. It's safe enough here."

Sithia cried herself to sleep in Serana's arms. She tucked Sithia into her bedroll once she was snoring softly. She fetched a clean rag to gently clean Sithia's face, then embraced her from behind, hoping the ambient temperature in here was warm enough to offer that comfort without making her shiver. Fortunately it seemed to be, at least for now.

They'd have to move in the morning. There was another Elder Scroll to find.

AN: Many thanks to Gaunty for betaing.