Very Touching, But we still have a Job to do!
It felt like the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Skylar woke the next morning and the first thing she saw was Serana's gently smile she could not help but to smile back. They decided that it would be a smart idea to take the elderscroll back to Dawnguard for safe keeping. They did not want to risk it falling into enemy hands. On their way back to the Dawnguard castle they were ambushed by bandits who thought they could get easy coin off them. But Skylar seemed to have lightning fast reflexes today. She changed into her wolf form faster than anyone could blink and before they knew what hit them a wolf with brown fur began to attack. She did not change into her complete werewolf form, instead she settled for her simple wolf form. No one would suspect her of being a werewolf like this. In fact after the attack she stayed in that form. Her horse had been struck down so now she padded through the snow on all four paws alongside Serana's horse. Every now and then she would run on ahead to catch a falling leaf. Serana laughed to herself as she watched her friend run around in the snow. It was like Skylar was a puppy.
They arrived at the Dawnguard castle before sunset. As they walked through the gates eyes almost instantly turned to them. Serana visually flinched as she made her way by a group of Dawnguard soldiers. They seemed to watch Serana and whisper to each other. Skylar noticed this and caught one word that came out of one of their mouths. Monster. Skylar looked up at Serana who refused to lower her hood. Skylar turned her furry would head towards the group and gave them a low growl before she followed Serana deeper into the castle. They made their way up a staircase and was met by Isran who had his arms crossed over his chest in is signature pose. It was accompanied by his expressionless face.
"We found the second elderscroll." Serana said as she pulled the scroll over her shoulder and handed it over to Isran who looked at her confused. Skylar tilted her head to the side as she sat on the floor. Was he surprised that Serana was actually handing him the scroll for safe keeping. Serana looked down at the scroll and back up at him as she waited for him to take it. "Don't worry, it's not going to explode." She reassured him with a chuckle. Isran nodded and hesitantly took the scroll from her and slung it over his own shoulder.
He then turned his attention to Skylar who was sitting beside Serana's feet. "Have you become comfortable with your wolf form now?" He said in his hard voice. Skylar again tilted her head to the side but this time her tongue hung out with a wolfish grin. Isran huffed in humor before he turned on his heel and walked away from the vampire and the wolf. Serana looked down at Skylar with her brow arched.
"He sure seems to have a unique personality." She said with a small smile. Skylar gave a gentle bark before she padded away and into her room. Serana followed her until she stood just outside the room, she caught on to what Skylar was trying to do. She was going to turn back to human and didn't want to be where people could see her... Without clothes. "I will wait out here for you." She said as she leaned against the wall. Skylar nodded and pushed the door close.
It was cold. I rushed to dress myself as soon as I was back to being human. "Cold cold cold." I whimpered to myself as I threw some light Dawnguard armor. When I had that on I bounced from foot to foot as I grabbed a pair of boots and fell backwards onto the bed. I sighed in relief when the icy stone floor was no longer against the bottoms of my bare feet. It was amazing how my wolf from was much warmer than my human form, even with clothing on my wolf form was still much warmer than human. I closed my eyes and laid on the bed for a second before I sat up. I was really growing attached to my blood sucking friend who was waiting for me just outside my room... And after last night... I shook my head as I stood. She was the first person I told about my dragon friend. How I truly felt about ending his life. It was expected of me to kill a dragon, not become best friends with a dragon. The truth was that Paarthurnax was my first true friend, and i killed him. I scratched the back of my neck and swallowed away the tightness in my throat.
"Well, how are you feeling." My eyes went wide and I jumped backwards, falling back onto the bed in the process. I looked up to find Dash standing over me with his arms crossed over his chest. I quickly looked over to the door and then back to him before I stood again. He was taller than me... Not surprising...
"I feel fine..." I said but I stopped before I said anything else as realization came crashing down on top of me. I looked him in the eye as I rested my hands on my hips. My face went serious as I looked at him. He raised his eyebrow as he looked at me.
"What? What did I do?" He asked me as he raised his hands in his defence.
"How long have you been in here?" I said in a low voice so that no one outside of my room could hear me speak.
"Uhhh.." Dash looked past my face and over my shoulder as he refused to look at me. I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Well?" I pressed. He gave his head a shake and wore a goofy smile.
"I came in after your were dressed... Well at the part where you were hopping around like a crazy person." He said with a laugh. Somehow I didn't believe him and tried to hit him. Again I was surprised when my hand went right through his body. I held the hand I just tried to hit him with in my other as I sighed.
"I am never going to get used to that..." I said quietly.
He laughed. "Hey!" I said pointing at his face.
"Don't you think you are off the hook buddy!" I said as I walked through him.
"I swear! I didn't see anything." He laughed.
"Yeah yeah..." I said quietly as I opened the door.
I peek my head out and found Serana still leaning against the wall as she waited for me. "Hey." I smiled at her. She smiled at me too. I quickly noticed that her hood was down. "It's nice to see that beautiful face of yours is not hiding under your hood." I said gently. Serana looked at me with her mouth half open. My eyes went wide as I realized what I said. I could hear Dash howl in laughter behind me.
"Someone's got a bad case of it!" He yelled in my ear. I flinched slightly as the loudness of his voice.
"I mean... Would you like to come in...?" I said as I stepped aside to allow her room to pass. Serana shook her head and chuckled at me as she walked in. She gently touched my shoulder as she walked past me. It was then I realized I was wearing a goofy smile on my face. I shook my head and followed her into my room. I saw Dash sitting in a chair beside my bed that Serana sat on with the biggest smile on his face. Was he enjoying my torment? Serana smiled gently at me.
I chuckled nervously as I made my way over to my bed and sat down beside her. "Any idea where the last scroll would be?" I said after I cleared my throat. Serana leaned back on my bed and looked up with her eyes closed as if she were deep in thought.
"My mother hid it." She said quietly as she opened her eyes and looked at me. "She would hide it some place where my father would not find her... Perhaps she has it with her?" I nodded and looked over to Dash for any suggestions. He caught on very quickly and shrugged.
"The moon?" He said as he sat up from the chair.
"I don't think she would hide it some place far away." I said to him. My eyes went wide when I realized I was talking to Dash in front of Serana, though she must have thought that I was speaking to her.
"You're right, she would hide it some place that he would least expect, but not far away, some place she could get to fast... And maybe one she knew I would be able to find one day." She said as she rubbed her forehead in frustration.
I leaned forward as I watched Dash pace the floor in thought. I rested my chin on my hands.
"Perhaps... Someplace he knows?" Dash suggested as he took a seat.
I nodded. "Someplace close by." I said as I squinted as I tried to visualize a hiding spot.
"What about in his Castle itself?" Dash shrugged. I nodded as I sat up straight.
"The castle." I agreed. I turned to look at Serana who looked at me with her brow arched. "The castle." I repeated. "It's right under his nose, he would never suspect your mother to hide in the castle would he?" I said with a shrug. I flinched slightly as Serana jumped to her feet.
"You're right!" She said as she looked down at me. "That is exactly what she would do, she would hide in plain sight!" She said with a smile. "The castle courtyard." She said. She looked like she just realized something. "She would go to the courtyard." She nodded as she sat back down beside me.
"My mother spent quite a bit of her time in the garden there, tending to her plants, father never liked that place much... He never set foot there... But I spent so much time there with my mother." She said with a smile. "I used to help her with the flowers... Before things changed." Serana said as she looked down at her hands.
"The prophecy?" I asked.
Serana nodded. "One day I went down to the garden to help her like I always did... She just shooed me away..." She said quietly. I bit my lower lip as I watched her. "After that... I spent my time alone." She said as if memories were flashing before her eyes.
"You must have been a very lonely child." I said quietly. Serana nodded in agreement. "I was... I didn't really know anyone my own age, and my parents never let me leave the island... In fact they never let me leave the island at all, only to go into town for things, but it was a very rare treat." She said shaking her head. I nodded.
I looked around. I looked at Dash who was watching Serana as if he was waiting for her to continue her story. I wanted to shoo him out of the room, but that would make me look crazy so instead I chose to ignore him for a few minutes. I looked back at Serana.
"Do you still feel that way now?" I asked her. She looked at me with a brow raised.
"Like what?" She asked tilting her head slightly.
"Do you still feel lonely?" I asked waiting for an answer. Serana thought for a second.
"No..." She said quietly. "I mean, now that I am traveling Skyrim with you... I don't feel Lonely anymore." She said with a smile. "I mean that is why I wanted to come with you so badly, I wanted to have a friend." She said with a smile. My heart jumped in my chest as I smiled back at her. Her smile faded as she sat up straight, she played with her fingernails. "Do you get lonely sometimes?" She asked. I tilted my own head to the side as I watched her.
"Yes." I answered with a nod. I remembered how lonely it was traveling Skyrim alone, even when i was with the bandits, despite all the other werewolves I found myself extremely alone, with no one to lean on in the world... especially after being torn away from everything I knew and loved.
I looked away as I remembered my home. I bit my lower lip as she leaned a little closer to me. "Do you have people that miss you?" She asked. I slowly looked up and looked around in search of an answer. I squinted slightly as I thought.
"I don't know..." I whispered. Serana looked at me confused.
"You... Don't know?" She asked with a brow furrowed. I quickly looked down at my hands when I realized how bad that sounded.
"I mean, I think so, I don't know." I rambled truly not knowing. "I was ripped away from my family a long time ago, I don't know if they remember me... Or if they are even still alive." I said quietly. My breathing stopped for a second as Serana's cold hand gently took mine.
"The bandits took you... right?" I nodded soundlessly.
"After that, I never saw them again. So your answer is a maybe." I said with a chuckle.
I looked at Serana to find a worried look on her face. "Have you ever thought of looking for them?" She asked. I nodded.
"All the time." I said without thinking. Serana seemed to catch on quick, I didn't have to say it.
"Did you ever go looking for them?" I shook my head. "Why haven't you?" She asked quietly as she squeezed my hand gently. I thought for a second as I tried to find the right words. I cleared my throat.
"Fear." Serana watched me.
"Fear of what?" She asked.
"Of what I would find, or wouldn't find. Would they be happy to see me if I did come back, or would they not want me." My words made Serana flinch.
"Not want you?" She asked me as she shook her head. I swallowed before I spoke.
"I am a very different person than what they remember." I explained. I looked at Serana as I spoke. "I have killed many of my own kind when the bandits had me just to keep myself alive... I don't know what they would think of me." I said looking away. It was quiet for a moment.
"I think you should try." Serana said as she squeezed my hand again. "I mean you will never know unless you do." She continued. "And besides... I don't think they would ever turn you away, you are too loveable." She said with a smile on her face. I smiled back. "When this is all over... I will look for them with you... If you want." She finished. I gave a smile and nodded.
Serana pulled away and looked at her hands again. "Do you like having me here?" She asked. "I mean traveling with you? I know that you are used to traveling alone." She said quietly. I smiled gently at her.
"I love having you here." I said with a smile. I watched a huge smile spread across Serana's lips before she cleared her throat.
"Well." She said as she stood. "That was all very touching.. But I think we have one last scroll to find." She said as she offered me her hand. I took it and began to follow her out of my room. I looked over to Dash to find him watching us with a huge grin on his face.
"That was so beautiful..." He said. "I think I'm gonna cry." He said dramatically. I shook my head and left the room. I didn't let him see the smile that didn't seem to want to leave my face at the moment.