"Greetings! M'aiq knows many things. What is your interest? You seek knowledge. M'aiq has much. Some of it verified by actual facts!" – Quote, M'aiq the Liar

"I haven't seen much of the new Skyrim" Serana pondered. Tai was quick to reply.

"Well let's stop for food in Rifton. The Dawnguard cook like assassins… Save you survive to endure the taste"

They both laughed.

Dusk was settling when they reached the gate. The scandal of a guard was there again, Tai just stared. The guard didn't even try his usual charge as Tai tilted his head; instead he simply opened the gate. Serana thanked him earning a curse under the guard's breath. Serana replied, earning a flush from Tai's cheeks. How Serana knew such language Tai did not want to know.

Tai guided Serana quickly through corrupt Rifton. The stone and wooden buildings looming two floors high seemed to make Serana uneasy. Her beautiful eyes darted between the people, especially the strange leather clad people staring her down.

"Who are they?" Serana whispered her hand to her dagger. Tai gripped her wrist and pulled it away from the hilt.

"Thieves Guild" Tai mumbled quietly, Serana rolled her eyes to a hooded woman glaring at her.

Serana didn't mumble another word but her glowing eyes Tai worried were drawing the Thieves Guild attention. As they entered the large corner building, the Inn; The Bee and Barb, Serana's eyes dulled slightly. Tai was worried; he had never seen her eyes dull so much. Still he couldn't say anything in the middle of town about her been a vampire.

"Are you alright? You're eyes seem dimmer than usual love" Tai mumbled, Serana glared at him with her eyes still dull.

"Why are you so shocked? I'm bound to you. Besides there is no sunlight to make me appear that shiny woman you wanted" Serana's venomous voice drew no attention to Tai's amusement. He was proud of her, for an old woman Serana still had her stealth. Then again she wasn't a very old woman in looks, maybe 23 at oldest.

Tai lead Serana to a table, in the corner of The Bee and Barb as a man walked over. Serana gasped.

"By the gods what is that thing?"

The man was not a man, but an Argonian. His snout was long, covered in the snakelike scales. Dark green like an emerald. Down his throat went from the green to a sandy eventually into a ruby colour, lighter green down his concealed chest. His eyes were reptilian, bright yellow and wide set. His brow was not typical like the more man Nords, but instead short spikes leading up into his green feathered hair.

"I beg one's pardon" the Argonian's voice was somewhat raspy. Tai stepped in with his silver tongue.

"I Pray your pardon sir. My love has had a little to drink. Might we order some food?"

"One is poor to have that one as a wife. I assume Venison would be your choice" The Argonian seemed to stumble over your, his mouth less built for it as he gave a toothy grin. Tai returned the gesture.

"Yes that would be wonderful" Tai replied, his voice trailing in question.

"Talen-Jei. I will go speak to Keerava" he was respectful, despite Serana's rudeness. His kindly way was earning Tai's appreciating smile.

Talen-Jei turned around and begun to walk off, Serana's eyes pinned on his long spikey tail waving from side to side slightly as he walked. Tai chuckled.

"Next dogs will be talking" Serana mumbled. Tai laughed loudly.

"Cats do"

"You must be joking"

"Read this then" Tai grinned before handing Serana a book. She blinked as she read it slowly, almost stumbling as she mumbled the words.

"The reptile folk of Black Marsh. Argonians are highly resistant to disease and have the ability to breath underwater. They are often considered master thieves and assassins although the Shadow Scales are a dead order. They also" Serana glared at Tai. Her eyes stared at the added on writing Tai had obviously scribbled in.

"Have a fondness for breading with goats! Very funny Tai!" Serana was livered. Tai simply nodded.

"So it was Molag Bal who made you a vampire?" His words seemed to drive Serana mental.

"Yes. I would rather not talk about it. The ceremony was rather… degrading" her voice was calm yet he felt the anger in her. It stung his heart as he whispered.

"Was it really that bad?" His words drove Serana over the edge.

"Talen, a room!" She yelled. The poor Argonian was quick to lead her up the stairs and through a door.

The room had a double bed, worn and old. The whole room in fact looked abandoned, cobwebs stained the walls and corners as did the heavy dust. Serana however didn't notice in her rage.

"Close the door" she growled when Talen had left. Tai nervously obeyed.

Serana turned, her hands clenching on the end of the bed as she glared at Tai. He swallowed. This was something he had never seen in the soft kindly Serana. This was pure fury. This was pure blindness. Pure blind rage.

"Undo my leather" She commanded. Tai blinked in absolute shock as he came up behind her, his hands shaking.

"Are you sure?" he whispered hoarsely.

"Do it" she hissed.

Nervously Tai placed his trembling hands on the leather strings behind her back and tugged. He was shocked with how easily the strings came apart, the leather falling around Serana's slender ankles.

"Remove my pants and boots" She ordered.

Tai swallowed. This was his lucky night it seemed. He pulled her leather away softly.

Serana lifted her left foot first, bending back from the knee as Tai gripped it. He tugged mercilessly at the boot until Serana cleared her throat. Tai then realised she had laces. A hot flush flowed through him as he pulled the laces apart and gently pulled the boot free, revealing Serana's fine skinned, soft, perfectly shaped feet. What shocked Tai was how adept she seemed with her feet, using her toes to undo her second boots laces before Tai could even object. As she placed her foot down her toes spread slightly, weight in the balls as Tai pulled the second boot free. Her feet didn't even stink like a normal human's would. Tai actually found the lack of scent, pleasing.

Serana refused to let her hands leave the bed frame as Tai stared, the bed was bowing under her pressure. Tai was kneeling as he slowly slid his hands around her waist; he felt Serana flinch as his hands ran along her lower belly to the belt holding her pants up. Slowly he let his fingers undo the compass shaped buckle, much like the one that held her cloak up. His cheek was resting in the small of Serana's back as he held his breath hearing every little clench of her muscles. It nerved him out having that kind of hearing, yet, at the same time it aroused him knowing how much he could get from Serana should he hear her heartbeat. It was then he remembered her heart didn't beat. He heard and felt Serana release her breath, slowly, softly. Was she enjoying this?

Tai slowly pulled her pants down, hesitantly as her backside slowly came into his view. Tai almost gasped but continued to let the pants fall, once around her ankles Serana kicked them aside. She then allowed her shirt to fall; she was standing completely naked before Tai, who couldn't stop staring. Shadows hid her mostly as dusk had fallen.

"I can't see. Why are we doing this?" Tai was utterly confused.

"You'll find out" Serana was dismissive.

"Is this your way of telling me I'm attractive?" Tai joked.

Serana seemed beyond insane as she spoke again.

"Close your eyes" she said and Tai obeyed without question. Serana somehow picked this up as she continued in her normal quiet voice. Her shyness had yet to return.

"Run your hands along my body starting at the ankles, and do not miss a square inch of skin except my most personal areas" she lightly growled. Tai gasped as his hands reached out and touched her ankles.

Faintly he felt the scarring from chains, not ordinary restraints but burning hot chains of binding. He motioned his hands slowly following the slender muscles of her calves, feeling every scar and blemish on her form. Serana had toned legs, beautiful, As if chiselled from the rarest diamantom stone. Tai paused for a few moments every now and again, not sure of his continuance while allowing Serana to know exactly where he was as his hands caressed her soft skin. He was enthralled in his task, taking deep slow breaths as he continued up the outside of her legs.

"On the inside" Serana was panting very slightly yet she was clearly pained to order this through her gritted teeth. This was obviously not an everyday occurrence for her, but a lucky set of circumstance for Tai however. Tai felt as if his hands had control of his mind and he let his hands wrap around her knees, her perfectly shaped knees.

Tai imagined the pain and suffering as he felt the scars down her inner legs, claw marks as well as tearing from something scale like. Still she had the muscle, and yet she was not defined nor as large as a warrior would be, but still fundamentally strong, perfection in a woman. As he came closer to her she gripped his wrist almost snapping it with the fury of her grasp.

"Personal" she hissed into the void between them softly, releasing his hand.

He moved his hands just above the gentle folds of her buttocks and rested their.

"Think of trying anything and I'll cut those hands off" Serana was whispering low as Tai's hands touched the small of her back.

He gasped openly as he felt the scarring. Tearing and burning alike. Serana seemed ashamed as he felt her confidence wain. Tai begun putting a scenario together in his head as his hands rubbed back to her sides then over her soft hips.

He felt more claw marks, much placed where he would hold a woman during a more intermit relation. These marks however were forceful, as if used to force Serana to stay down her ass slightly raised. Tai felt a tear hit his eye as he finally begun to grasp the situation. His hands continued up her stomach slightly to her ribs. Tai came close to her breast and was denied again. Serana gripped his hands and guided them to the small of her back once more. Tai ran his hands in one smooth line up to the base of her neck, more scars, as if an animal had done this to her.

Tai knew whoever had done this was an Animal, how could anyone harm such an amazing woman?

"Now up my sides" Serana seemed to sob as Tai obeyed, willing his hands to be the gentlest thing Serana would ever feel. For one brief moment he felt Serana relax as he was allowed to run his palms up her ribs, fingers breezing across her belly once more. However when he approached her breast she tilted her hands, preventing Tai going any further.

"Personal" she growled this time. Tai hadn't even been registering.

Tai placed his hands gently over hers for a minute before bringing his hands to her shoulder blades Serana froze. Tai sighed sadly before continuing until his hands were on her shoulders. Scars again. Bite marks.

Tai gently circled his fingers, gently massaging a suddenly tense Serana. She turned to face him her eyes tear filled, strangely expressionless. Haunted.

"Understand?" She asked softly, Tai nodded as she turned to face him.

Tai was openly crying as was Serana. He knew why she had done this; it had been to let him imagine every little move of the night. His own experience relating to her various wounds that he had never even seen before. She had allowed him something very personal so he could not just know, but understand her pain.

"I'm sorry" he whispered taking her hands once again in his dramatically larger ones.

Serana seemed to sob more as she caught Tai's eye. Something strange shone in them as Serana's slightly ragged breathing calmed. It seemed she had enjoyed this. For one moment she let her guard down, something Tai couldn't help but find beautiful. Then the steel returned.

"I told you not to try anything" she hissed suddenly raising her shirt in fists to cover herself.

Tai felt desperate to look but somehow tore his eyes away from her as Serana dressed herself. It was then Tai registered that he had basically explored Serana's entire body. Without been a sleaze, just been himself he had achieved more in an hour than he had in weeks. Tai begun to think, was his truth the way to Serana's heart. Either way, he planned to respect this woman. She had earned that much… And so much more.

Things were tense between the two as they travelled back to Fort Dawnguard. Neither saying a word the entire trip.

Tai however felt strongly different around Serana, more protective, less interested in sleeping with her and more interested in just been there for her. Tai hated how easily she had weaselled into his head and heart but at the same time grateful. Maybe she could change him for the better. Tai believed she already was. He was learning from her.

Serana could break Tai's neck she was still that furious. She had instead undressed and let Tai man handle her. What was wrong with her? Tai would never respect her. Never care for her. Never love her. Not the way she wanted. Still she trusted this women's man of a Nord. Despite all his lines, all his one night stands something was different about him. He was open about his flaws, but not about his strengths. He was such a kind man despite it all, his touch the night prior had let her know that. Serana smiled for one brief moment before realising she was grinning like a foolish little child. Still Tai was handsome, but he was a man. She had to harden to him. She already knew she wouldn't manage as he opened the huge doors for her and gestured her through.

"After you Serana" he broke his silence.

"Thank you Tai" she broke hers. She believed she had won but her tone had been too soft. Tai secretly laughed as he stared at her behind longingly.

"Please stand back and be silent. I must concentrate" Dexion mumbled, somehow Tai, Serana and Isran all understood him and nodded.

Dexion's hands were shaking as they closed around the golden scroll bound with the finest leather. The perfectly aged parchment was stunning as Dexion slowly unbound the scroll, rolling it down with a slow hunger. Burning, blazing to read this scroll of infinite wisdom. Dexion went white as snow as his eyes widened, changing somehow within themselves.

His voice was not his own as he spoke, it was his own pitch and words yet their meaning was not even known by the vessel of the scrolls vision.

"I see a vision before me, an image of a great bow. I know this weapon! It is Auriel's Bow! Now a voice whispers, saying "Among the night's children, a dread lord will rise". In an age of strife, when dragons return to the realm of men, darkness will mingle with light and the night and day will be as one. The voice fades and the words begin to shimmer and distort. But wait, there is more here. The secret of the bow's power is written elsewhere. I think there is more to the prophecy, recorded in other scrolls. Yes, I see them now... One contains the ancient secrets of the dragons, and the other speaks of the potency of ancient blood. My vision darkens, and I see no more. To know the complete prophecy, we must have the other two scrolls."