Alright here is chapter 4. This wasn't the one I originally planned but I wanted a short break from torture scenes so we're gonna go through Ves's childhood for a while. Castle Volkihar is going to be busy because Ves's childhood was long before Harkon was so consumed with the prophesy that he let his castle fall to ruin. So instead he is still young enough that he is an important political figure.

Laying on the rags that Ves called her bed,she finally had time to time by herself.

There is finally a way out. She thought to herself. It is so strange, to think that I may now have a chance to leave.

It had been several days since she had started to work on gaining Liam's trust, and so far it was working. All she had to do was flash small smiles when he showed any sympathy, or mercy. Any other time she did her best to look sorrowful, and count her luck that he hadn't been there at the beginning of her torture where Ves's actions were far from that a weak, terrified vampire girl.

But it was in the hours of the morning when the melancholy set in. When Ves couldn't help but think about how she ended up here, covered in grime for most days, and hundreds of cuts and bruises. It was just all so stupid that it had happened like this. So stupid of her to ever trust Zane again, and let him close in her weakest moment.

But there is no reason to think about that, anymore than I already have.

Instead of dwelling on her mistake long, Ves had learned that the only way to keep the will to just live, was to not focus to hard on what had happened. There would be plenty of time for that when she was far away and free. Deciding to take the opportunity to actually gain some rest, Ves let herself fall into a sleep only those who had joined the ranks of the dead could understand.

Ves's Memories

Castle Volkihar's harbor was always busy. A seven year old Valette noticed as she stood beside her mother Anetta. Even with the arrival of Lord Harkkon on schedule to arrive in almost half an hour, their were still small merchant ships arriving. The carried various crates of foods into the castle, while others crates where out into carts and driven into the castle's visible village.

Valette enjoying watching the ships crewman work , as they were the only humans she ever got to interact with. They had such strange was of lifting, and gathering sweat as they worked as if it were actually difficult. Though according to her mother, humans weren't as strong as they were. That's why they were human and we were a special race set above them. Vampires. They ruled the night, had power, and were significantly wiser. That's why the humans worked for them here. It was even stranger that they would be working in the sun. A fact that Valette found funny from the safety of a shaded landing.

"Momma, are they almost here yet?" Asked Valette anxiously fingering her silver pendant she always wore. She had been waiting hours for her father to return for nearly two hours, and the waiting was getting excruciatingly difficult especially as the designated time came closer and closer.

"Valette, my sweet child," Anetta said in the soft elegant voice she always end used in public places, but the tone sounded strained enough for Valetta to recognize that her patience was waning fast. "I've have told you many times, that no matter what time he said he would be here, the sea is unpredictable at best. He may be early, he may be late."

"But father's neve-"

"Don't be foolish child, even the most prompt person can be late."

Huffing Valette stomped her foot, and returned her attention to the harbor, watching a cart begin to be unpacked this time.

"Valette, why don't you impress your father with how much you've learned when he gets back. Tell me what are we about to export in those crates?"

"Ebony ores from the Vault mine is our main export, we also sell various potions to important cities, our best buyer is...Winterhold."

"For potions, yes. Where does the ebony go?"

"To the high King?"

"Close, it is shipped to the high King, but from there is spread out to the various holds, and even sometimes to other cities in different countries..." Valette stopped listening as her mothers voice began to drone on. Aft a few minutes of the continued lesson on exports, Valette noticed a smalle movement at doors to the castle sewers. With a jolt, Valette looked up to her mother who had noticed it too. Anetta's face paled visibly, even for a vampire.

"Valette stay here." Anetta ordered not looking at Valette, but at her two constant guards. One a vampire and the other a smelly wolf boy. Valette knew it was against the rules for anyone to enter the sewers through those doors while the dock was open. Harkon was very over protective in terms of any infiltration, mother had always told Valetta that it was important the humans didn't realize what they were. that way when the War came, they wouldn't suspect a thing when vampires took their rightful roles upon society.

Valette watched as Anetta briskly walked down to the sewer doors, and quickly let herself inside with no guards. According to her father, Anetta could take care of herself. She could fight well, and one day Valette would be able to take care of herself too.

Sighing Valette turned to her vampire guard, "Ser Kildred, what time is is."

"A quater past ten your lady ship." Kildred replied promptly. Sighing Valette moved away from the rail she had been leaning on, and started to walk back towards the castles courtyard only say "I hungry."

With her guards following her close behind Valette walked through the courtyard admiring the night shade coiling around the marble stars leading into the castles main dining area. Stopping at the doors to the public hall, Valette glanced down at her dress. It was always important for her to wear her finest cloths when greeting her father after he had returned from a journey, or when she would be seen by public. "Appearance of perfection, no matter who may see is the most important thing." As Aneta always taught her.

Today Valette wore her finest blue silk dress. The bodice had gold embroidered flowers that resembled nightshade. Carefully lifting her dress, she checked her red slippers for any dirt. Finding none, Valette straightened he gold circlet, and nodded to Kildred to open the door.

The public dining hall had only a few humans in it eating their breakfast at long tables that took up most of the room. There was a smaller one i. The front with five chairs set up for Valette's family. Sitting at the main family seats was Valerica.

Sitting straight and proud with her hair braided into to buns, she stared at Valette as she made her way to the kitchen doors on the side of the dining hall. Valerica never seemed happy to Valette, especially when Valette and her mother were around. When Valette had asked her father about it, Harkon had replied it was tension from a fight long ago.

Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling Valette got from Valerica's malicious stare, Valette entered the kitchen to be greeted by Rarfal Thrallmaster. Her guards stood outside the entrance, ready to wait until after her meal.

"Ah, my lady Valette! You are late for your breakfast." He said with a broad smile revealing all of his teeth. "My Lady, your father would eat me if I didnt make sure you were properly nourished." And with that Rarfal took Valette by the hand and led her through the small maze of kitchen stations, ignoring the various greetings and bows Valette received as they moved along. Reaching a a small enclosed space between two shelves of various disgusting human foods sat the only bare room in the kitchen. Rarfal reached behind the one on the far right, and with a click the walls panel lifted up revealing a dark and unlit hallway.

Smiling down at Valette, Rarfal handed Valette a candle, after hurriedly lighting it, and patted her head saying, "Don't worry about feeding on your own. The Lady Serana is already back there having her breakfast."

Breakfast this late was a funny to Valette, normally she would be asleep, but whenever humans were staying in the castle the Volkihar they did their best to keep up appearances. Though learning to bear any type of sunlight was pain, Valette was trained well enough to bear the pain, and act human.

The corridor to the Thrall dungeon,was long with various twists and turns. The passage led to each of the royal families rooms in order for quick service. In a way they were a very eerie Servants halls. Only vampires that were directly related into the Volkihar's clan bloodline could enter into them. Which meant lesser vampire of the guard weren't allowed in. The walls were coated with a black slim that was very thick, Valette had long ago learned to never touch it. Once she had gotton it all over her mother Anetta had been livid about it, yelling how Seranna would have never done such a thing, and later it became about how angry Harkon would be if he saw her so dirty. Valerica had been there smiling the whole time.

After a short time walking Valette arrived at the Thrall dungeon, the kitchen had the quickest passage into it making it convent to transport new cattle though that entrance. The doors handle was about a head taller than Valette who had to jump up to open it on her own.

In side was huge square room filled with cages lined up beside and often on top of each other, each one filled with about 10 people in each. Harkon enjoyed the taste of many of the different blood types, and this was his vast sea of it.

Though the Valette's joy she was not alone. Inside sitting on one of the cattle's lap was Serana sucking one dry. Quickly shutting the door Valette hurried over to the one vampire she separately wanted to be friends with. They were sisters after all.

With a giggle Valette started to incessantly poke Serana's shoulder until she stopped her meal with a snark and harshly grabbed her had. "Stop it Valette, just say hi next time."

"But you never hear me, you just keep walking away." Valette said to Serana as she stood up towering over the small girl.

"Oh just take a hi-. No I've got to be nice." Serana muttered glaring down at the smiling Valette. Valette didn't notice the glare and skipped by a few cages smelling around to see if anyone's scent would catch her notice. When she saw a large man sitting towards the back of one, with all the other cattle in the cage distancing themselves away. When the bulky man noticed Valette he spat at her. "Vampire scum."

"Scum? But we're so much more powerful." Valette said, looking into his eyes. "This is your place."

"Valette, that's not true at all." Serana said walking up behind her, with astonishment in her voice.

"Valette, who told you such a horrible lie, these people are poor captives." She continued earning a snort from the angry cattle, who muttered "hypocrite."

"But Serana, father said that our rightful place was as rulers, humans area too weak."

"Father says a lot of things, Valette that's an awful thing to say." Serana continued, and for the first time in Valette's life sounding like she actually cared about what Valette thought. Though Serana's words did not influence Valette in what she thought, Valette knew her father was never wrong; and she also knew that she like the way Serana was treating her with an emotion besides indifference.

Shrugging off Serana's compliants, Valette pointed to the man. " I like him, Serana can you help me?"

Scoffing Serana slapped Valette across the face.

"I won't condone such an atrocity." She said to a now very confused Valette.

"But didn't you just do the same thing." Valette said the figure if Serana who was quickly walking out of the cattle room. "Wait sister! I need help!" Valette said desperately, but it worked to no avail. Serana only continued walking and just as she reached the door, it slammed open knocking Serana to the ground.

"You worthless girl!" Valerica said entering the dungeon. "You can't even sense someone outside of a door! Its no matter now Your late for your lessons and Harkon will be here soon enough." She was about to continue her rant when she saw Valette. "And speaking of worthless, her is Harkon's prized daughter. This is why you were heading to the kitchen."

"Mistress Valerica." Valette said respectfully bowing.

"So respectful." Valerica scoffed, pulling Serana up who was rubbing her nose. "Come Serana it's time to make you useful."

Valette watched Nehemiah leave hopelessly feeling weak, She had always been terrified of Valerica. She just had this way of holding herself that made Valette feel as if her life was in danger.

"The high and powerful eh? She didn't seem to think so." The large Nord man said. He had moved to the front of the cage, and for the first time Valette got a good look at him. He had a large curly red beach and green eyes. Smiling she reached in the cage and touched his chest where his heart was ignoring his flinch. "Laugh at this." Valette said as she forced her nails to grow into claws and ripped out his heart.

Waking up with a start Ves jolted up in her bed of rags.

Huh, my first kill. In twisted way she found it funny that her body count had started then, a little part of her wondered if she had finally surpassed her fathers death count. Sighing Ves prepared herself for another day of torture, and hopefully she would get to see Liam.

When She tied up in Isran's room before any other torture, Ves knew something was terribly wrong. Today Liam was present during the torture, he had once told her it was so they could prepare him for future jobs. Though he never did anything, so Ves couldn't see the real use in it. The only other person was Zane, looking as beautifully handsome as he always did. The little morbid part of Ves told her. Sighing she watch Zane as he was bent over working at a small table with tubes. Ves could feel the panic starting to creep up in her.

After the a few minutes dragged by Zane turned around with some sort of metal tubes in one hand and a knife. He walked over to Ves with no emotion on his face, and carefully cut into her wrist. He only made a small hole and slipped the tube into the hole and blood stream. The feeling of a tube being shoved into her arm was tremendous, and as her blood started flowing into the tube she panicked, but showed no emotion on her face. Thousands of years of court life had given her an amazing gamlers face. But when Zane put the other end of the tube into his mouth, Ves panicked. He could get untold secrets from drinking her blood directly. Or was that possible.

So she did the only thing she could think to do, stare at Liam with tears falling from her eyes and she started screaming.

To the power of Ves's seduction skills and luck, Liam's immediate reaction of ripping the tube from Zane's mouth would have even made Valerica proud of her skill at deception. Liam slammed Zane to the ground pulled out his sword and slammed the pommel onto Zane's head.

Not even wasting time, Liam hurried over to Ves and worked on untying her restraints. "Always knew he was a crazy bastard, drinking strait up vampire blood crazy."

Says the man freeing said vampire. Ves though laughing at the turn of events.

When he had her restraints off, Liam lifted Ves into his arms and sat her up strait on the table. Turning around he gestured for hope on. "Come on let's get you out of here."

Smiling Ves wrapped her arms around his shoulders and legs around his torso, feeling quite awkward as she was still very very naked. Liam pulled her closer to his back, and got a good grip on her legs before moving towards the exit of Isran's room.

"Liam, how are we getting out?" Ves asked feeling excitement starting to build up with thoughts of freedom.

"Haven't thought that far ahead yet, but im sure wherever our current guards are patrolling where decide for us. Most people here are asleep anyway." Liam said.

They didn't meet anyone as they walked through the halls of fort Dawnguard, and as Ves started to regain her senses after the blood loss she noticed something strange. He wasn't under her influence. In fact it was quite the opposite. Liam was in complete control of himself. What was he doing then?

Ves was pulled out of her thoughts when Liam let her slide off his back, he grabbed her waist and pulled her close as he slowly edged them over to a corner.

" Good there's no guard here yet, they must be switching watch." Liam said flashing Ves a winning smile as he lifted her back onto his back.

As it turned out he wasn't lying as Ves half expected him to be. She tightly gripped both of her hands together nervously as Liam silently jogged to the end of the corridor, at the end was a door that led out onto Fort Dawnsgaurd's highest balcony. It was fairly small and has only one guard at the end facing the opposite direction. Liam sat Ves down by the door, giving her that strange smile again before he crouched down and made his way over to the most unobservant guard in the history of the world.

Ves was confused, as she watched Liam slit the mans throat. Why was he helping her and betraying his order? She was a vampire. Evil, and he wasn't under spell. He seductions scent wasn't even on him. Whatever his angle was, Ves didn't want to trade one prison for another. If only she wasn't in such a weak state!

When Liam came back after murdering the guard, he picked Ves up and brought her over to him.

"Go on feed, it will the rest of our escape possible." Liam said granting her a permission she hadn't realized she was waiting for. Straddling the dead body Ves allowed for herself to let the bloodlust take control.

Feeding on a dead person was always a strange experience. They tasted stale no matter how fresh the body, and the memories were always came in blurs and with large gaps as a result of the brains loss of function. It was Ves's least favorite way to feed. But the need of it was too great to be picky. This wouldn't fully nourish her, Ves was too starved for that, but should would at least be able to walk.

When she finished her feeding she looked up to find Liam staring at a certain lower region. But she only smile. "Well I think I can walk now."

"Thats great..." Liam said starring at her chest as she stood up. His bashfulness was still there. Moving over to Ves he stipped the guards armor off and carefully removed his undershirt and handed it to Ves.

"You'll be a good bit less distracting now, but we'll need to find you cloths." Zane said looking over at the horizon where the sun was starting to shine through. Ves knew she would die if the sun touched when she was this weak, but she refused to let panic over come her. They had an hour to find shelter still.

The shirt was very large on Ves going down her small frame to her knees. Now that she was supposedly less distracting Liam took her hand and led her over to the balconies rail. Underneath it was a very large crystal clear lake with no visible rocks. Ves realized what Liam had planned before he took and deep breath to dive. She was already calm about it as he explained it was safe and part of Dawnguard training. And when Liam lept off the ledge she was face with a choice. To find her own escape and not risk beings prisoner, but Liam was acting like that was his plan. Why would he have left her up here anyway?

So for the first time since she changed her name to Ves, she allowed herself to act as Valette would have once upon a time. She took a leap of faith and crashed into the freezing pool of water into the open arms of Liam who only smiled that she had done it.

And so she finally gets to leave and the story can actually progress!

some notes:

if the way I write the relationships is confusing let me know, I hate just coming out telling you what their relationships are, I've always preferred letting the reading have their own take on the characters, and how they see each other and what not. (Yay a run on). So if I need to make things more obvious let me know,because to me it is but I'm the author so I don't count.

As for how I wrote her as a child, I've always had difficulty with writing children, because growing up I always was surprisingly mature, and had a big vocabulary from constantly reading. But I will never write a story with a four year genius like some people do on this site, often with even younger toddlers. But if Ves comes across as far too mature in parts of this let me know!