Chapter 36 – Reunion

"I use to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee"
- Quote. Guard

"Tai?" Serana gasped, her eyes clouding with unshed tears.

The orange eyes in the darkness seemed to glow brighter as they moved up and down, half closed. Tai had nodded, but Serana was lost in his eyes. She was heartbroken. They were no longer their beautiful blue; instead they reflected the monster within. She winced; they burned with an unspeakable hunger and deadly prowess. Tai suited the vampire; the dark around his eyes only intensified the glow. Serana couldn't quite see him.

"Rana" he whispered gently, his voice somehow cold and disconnected. Serana was shocked when he whispered again, his voice suddenly filled with his usual warmth.

Serana inhaled sharply as she wrapped her arms around his head, her fingers lacing in his hair as she pulled him to her chest. She felt his tears running cold down her chest, down her bra and belly as Tai began to sob uncontrollably. Serana inhaled, the scent of his messy hair filling her nose as she held tighter. Her tears flowed freely, her cheek pressed into his head. She couldn't let go. She did not want the world or time to continue, she wanted to be in this moment forever.

Tai couldn't help his tears, as soon as his forehead pressed into Serana's marble shoulder he broke. He shook as Serana hugged him to her, holding with strength enough to break an ordinary man's skull. Tai had never been able to accept how abnormal Serana and he were, until this moment. He shook as Serana continued to hold him, breathing deeply. Tai trembled, kissing the first patch of skin his lips could find in the frenzy.

"I thought I lost you" Serana whispered before pulling back, her eyes once more locked with Tai's.

"It's going to take more than a Deadric Prince with scaled genitals to keep me down" he whispered back, his hand rising to Serana's cheek. He was shocked how warm she was to the touch; she was almost burning him with the energy she was projecting. Tai could barely contain his own energies as he laughed happily through tears.

Serana wiped a tear away with her thumb, her face a painting of mixed emotions Tai couldn't even begin to read.

"I said I never wanted to do this again" she whispered. Tai smirked, bending his knees so Serana fell over him. He groaned as he landed on his back, Serana flattening him. He wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her head to his chest.

"I'm sorry" Tai whispered, his chest rumbling against Serana's ear. She felt almost sad that she could no longer hear his heartbeat. They truly were dead. She couldn't understand how she had never felt more alive though. She finally surrendered.

"I lied"

The Soul Cairn was as morbid and depressing as Tai remembered. His eyes took in the sights with the same regard as the first. He was bothered Serana's mother had never met him as anything but a vampire, but somehow he expected that had been his path from his first meeting with Serana. He couldn't expect her to come to his world, without him tasting hers. The compromise was bringing her mother home, after nearly a thousand years she would be free. The thought knotted Tai's gut with a nervous excitement.

Serana looked to him with a smile, Tai saw confidence waning despite her posture. With a smile he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Don't worry princess, I won't let the dragon sweep you off your feet" he chuckled. Serana smiled, her memory returning of their banter.

How far they had come, from Tai being a pubescent pervert that no one liked, a man who looked at women like pieces of meat into the man he had become. Serana couldn't help smile at the memories, her journey had been like Tai's and yet as two separate lives it seemed that fate had woven them into one, if only he had been during her time. Maybe Serana would have rejected the gift, the pain would never have been.

"This time, the knight has swept the princess off her feet" Serana came back after a moment; Tai sensed what she was thinking and smiled, taking her hand. His fingers brushed against the ring he had made, matching his own knot design that was to symbol a civil Vampire. It was his wedding ring to Serana, made in beautiful white gold with ebony highlights. They had not had a wedding, rather a ceremony in Candle Flame. Explaining it to Serana had been easy; Gelebor had been selected as the priest and champion of Auriel. His pride was in teaching a lone Falmer about their people. The Snow Elves lived on.

Vampires had changed. Many knew of Tai and Serana stopping Harkon, very few disagreed. Tai had swept the world. Every vampire knew of him and Serana, the rules they had placed. Ruling from the castle, they had brought civility to savage vampires and to those whom wished for a better life. The Dawnguard became an enforcement of Tai and Serana's law, which Muiri and Malketh debated upon. A human view and a love struck vampire who had experienced all. The world was a better place.

Brand had returned to the mages college, creating a select group of mages to educate the people of the towns in magic. While fearful of the mages Arada proved that mages were just as scared to admit to their gifts, thus putting others in danger. The intake increased, in some holds laws were created allowing mages to practice with Jarl approval.

Z and Farkas had been secretive about their unborn child, Z realising how targeted any child could become as hers. Aela and Vale had aided in this, covering for their shadowy assassin mother to be. The Companions continued aiding Skyrim, cheaper for the hard times of war. Skyrim was in uproar when Vale and Aela had been wed, under the Greybeards. None dare voice this, but it was the worst kept secret. The wives had in fact made public displays common, especially among those whom complained.

"Now we have to deal with the ice queen" Tai joked. They both laughed lightly, walking down the stairs.

"She will be fine" Serana reassured. Tai gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"About the goats?" he asked so innocently Serana began to laugh again.

"I think I will teach the kids directions" Tai added through their laughter.

"Have a go at the woman whose mother you are about to face. Smart Tai" Serana silenced her laughter.

They both noticed the depressed souls glaring at them with unspoken jealousy.

"Tag! You're it!" Tai yelled playfully, then bolted down the stairs into the dusty ground. Serana laughed, watching him frolic in the most depressing place in existence. As she watched him, an abomination playing without a care she fell deep into thought again.

It was the first time Serana could think clearly about everything, wondering how much of this nightmare had been Molag Bal's influence and how much had been her Father's ego. She saw the signs, through her long life all the suffering and death that had been caused to shape her into a better vampire. She smiled, she realised with amusement she had filled Molag Bal's greatest wish. She had become a great vampire, viewed as a Queen among all civil vampires across the world. She had also created a vampire so great he had stood up to Molag Bal, and kicked him in the daddy bags.

She was shocked Tai's foot had remained in one piece.

She laughed lightly as Tai stopped and turned to face her.

"Come on" He called like an exited kid. He paused, remembering the last time this had happened. Serana sighed.

"Coming"

For the first time she felt free, the weight had fallen from her shoulders somewhat and now her burden was shared. She had righted wrongs she had not created and yet felt responsible for. She was protecting her own kind and the innocents, again the child flashed in her mind. She smiled sadly; she felt the guilt but no regret. She owned her mistake; she understood. Thanks to Tai she was free.

She had accepted.

AN: Ok. So there we have it. The final chapter. I confess I love annoying people with writing and could go on forever, but every story must run its course. So everyone reading commenting, lurking or just clicking on this for the hell of it… Thank you.

I'm a huge Skyrim fan and I love seeing peoples work, so many different stories from a single game. If you're a writer on Skyrim or Mass Effect send me a message and I'll read and give honest feedback.

If you hate this story, by all means tell me.

I could write notes all day about how much fun this was and how much work I did/didn't put into what where and how but I'm sure everyone has better things to do.

Thank you guys, I hope I see you on anything else I post in the future.

Am I up myself to assume anyone cares?

Aww well. It's been a blast.

May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows your dead.