Sooooooooo, I am guessing that last chapter was rather controversial? :D There is a reason why I never tore Ulfric apart right there, one or two people have already guessed what my intention is :) For those who didn't, this fic is pretty much a war between Ulfric and Morgan...that last chapter was a 'warning shot' by Morgan xD
For those worried that they will never see Morgan going all 'blood crazy'...fear not, she IS going to go all 'Dragon-Hulk' in a future chapter...just not yet hehehehe :D
Thanks for all your reviews and alerts everyone. Btw any flames will get removed, I had to delete a couple last time and while I can accept constructive criticism, I will remove any comment that is insulting or classed as a flame :) Just throwing that out now :)
Big thanks to redchillismoke for her support and thoughts :DDDDD
And seeing as it's doubtful that I will update before the New Year, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year :D
"Is she still in there?"
Astrid nodded weakly as she held a rag to her bloody nose. Serana sighed and held her hand out, a soft golden light enveloping the assassin for a few seconds. She lowered her hand and smiled as Astrid nodded to her.
"Thank you, Sister. And yes, she is still in there. I got this for trying to move her away. She needs rest."
"She has always been a stubborn one," Serana agreed. "Give me a few minutes. I will get her out of here for a while."
"Are you sure that is wise?"
"You said it yourself, she needs rest. She will get some rest even if it means I have to knock her out."
Astrid chuckled softly.
"Good luck my dear."
Babette hissed softly and sighed heavily.
"Get some rest, Listener, you need to take some time for yourself."
"I'm fine," was Morgan's sullen response.
Babette rolled her eyes and nodded to Brelyna, who left the room with a bowl of bloody water. It had been five days since they had rescued Lilith Aurelius from the Stormcloaks, and every day while she and Brelyna had been tending to the older woman, Morgan had been at her side, trying magic and every other method of healing that she knew to wake her up.
She had admired how Morgan cared for her family, it was something that Babette could relate to in a way. She cared for her Family as well, although she knew that most of them would eventually pass on from illness, death in combat or old age, and she would be left alone. But in Morgan's case, she had compassion for others that Babette was slightly jealous of.
It didn't mean that her constant presence was irritating however. Morgan may have been a powerful vampire and a Dragonborn, but even she needed rest, just like the rest of them.
So when Serana entered the room, Babette grinned at her.
Serana smiled back and walked over, wrapping her arms round Morgan's neck gently.
"Come on, get some rest. She is in good hands and I am sure that Brelyna and Babette will let you know when she wakes."
"I need to be here for her."
Serana kissed the nape of Morgan's neck and smirked when the Dragonborn sighed.
"Come on. I need to tell you something."
Morgan looked over her shoulder and she could see that whatever Serana was thinking was weighing heavily on her. This revelation cut through her self-pity and she nodded, getting to her feet in a clumsy movement. Serana put an arm round her waist and she rolled her eyes.
"You haven't fed in days. You're weaker than a human at the moment. And you owe Astrid an apology."
"Babette…"
"Just get some sleep," Babette smiled at her gently. "I will let you know when she wakes. There is no mortal danger overshadowing her."
Morgan nodded gratefully and she allowed Serana to steer her out of the room and down the draughty corridor of the Dawnstar Sanctuary, and into her own room. Serana sat her down on the bed, locked the door and poured a bottle of blood into a goblet before handing it to her.
"Drink this. Slowly."
Morgan complied and when the blood went down her throat, she immediately felt a little stronger, the blood flowing through her dead veins. She had always found it amusing that she was technically dead and still walked and talked.
Draugr can do that too you know.
She sniggered a little and then she realised just how tired she was. She never giggled like that even thinking about extremely funny moments, such as Hadvar when he drank the frostbite venom instead of a healing potion. She generally laughed when someone else found it funny.
Serana smiled as she lay down on the bed, Morgan placing the goblet onto the end table and laying her head on Serana's bosom. Serana wrapped her arms round her and kissed the top of her head.
"What did you want to talk about?" Morgan asked softly.
Serana took a few minutes to respond. She was about to tell Morgan something that only she and her parents had known, and it was difficult for her to reveal such a deep secret.
But she needs to know, Serana. You know how similar it was for you as it was for her…and how close she came to doing the same thing you did, all those years ago.
Serana smiled when Morgan's fingers intertwined with hers and she knew she had to tell her.
"This happened a long time ago, back when I turned…please don't think any less of me when you find out what I was like."
Morgan kissed Serana's fingers and nodded, relaxing in Serana's arms as she began her tale.
"You are alright. Thank the Gods. I was so worried about you, Serana."
"I'm fine. More than fine in fact," Serana replied, walking out of the gloom and smiling at her secret lover.
She and Aethas had been seeing each other for months, both of them hiding their secret from their parents. None of the villagers trusted her father and mother. In fact, her whole family were hated by the villagers due to their wealth and lack of hardships. Their hatred had grown when talk of rituals in Castle Volkihar began to spread across Skyrim, and this made it even harder for the two of them to continue their tryst.
But Serana had recently taken part in the 'ritual', although she remembered nothing of it, and she had been amazed at the power she now had at her disposal. Her father and mother seemed so happy that she had taken to their Gift so easily, her mother in particular being impressed at her sudden improvement in magical arts. Her father was impressed at her 'increased beauty', although he joked that nothing could improve on perfection.
Serana smirked, feeling a wave of affection for her parents as she approached her lover, feeling his heartbeat increase as she approached. She could even sense the rush of blood going to his loins and she fought to hide a giggle at the thought.
Then his eyes widened.
"S…Serana? What happened to you, my love?"
"Amazing, isn't it? I feel so amazing Aethas. I can dual cast fireballs now, when I was struggling to cast a basic flame spell a few months back. Isn't it amazing"
"You…your eyes…"
"I know, they are very striking aren't they? I like them, it looks like fire in the dark, "Serana replied, grinning at him.
His heartbeat increased twofold when he spotted the twin elongated fangs within her mouth. Her parents had mentioned that there were a few drawbacks to this new power, but the feeling of blood would remove any worries she may have. She knew of her eyes and her fangs of course. She knew she was a vampire, but she wasn't a monster like the weak-blooded that lived in caves.
The Voice in her mind had explained everything to her in her slumber, and she always looked forward to hearing more of His wisdom. She had asked her parents about Him, and they never gave her a straight answer. Her mother in particular never answered her at all, she always deflected her inquiries with a question of her own.
"You…you're a….vampire. By the Gods, what did they do to you?"
Serana frowned. She didn't know why he was so frightened of her. couldn't he see that she wasn't one of the weak-bloods? She had needs, but she wasn't going to tear the village apart in a crazed bloodlust. She was royalty after all.
"I thought you would like me like this. Don't you see? I stopped aging now, and if I nibble on you, you can be something similar. We can be together, forever."
"You're a monster. Maybe there is a priest who can….UGH!"
Serana had moved over to him faster than his eyes could perceive and had grasped him by the throat, picking him up and dangling him over the ground, his feet swinging a few inches off the floor. She hissed angrily.
"I AM NOT A MONSTER. How can you say such a thing?"
She ignored his gasping, looking at the way his neck began to throb as the blood tried to go to his head and then went back when it couldn't pass his blocked veins.
"I thought you loved me. Maybe if you were like me, you might understand," she mused, dropping her lover to the ground and straddling his chest, her long red dress smothering him.
She grasped his flailing arms and pinned them under her knees before leaning down, keeping a hand over his mouth as she moved closer to his neck.
"Don't you want to live forever? Never get sick? Never get old? I can give it to you my love."
Aethas attempted to dislodge her and she snarled, pressing herself down on him again, her mouth inches away from his throbbing neck. She trailed her tongue across his skin and she shivered at the taste. She smiled and moved his head slightly, ignoring his muffled shouting inside her palm.
Then blinding pain as something smashed into the side of her head. Serana slid off Aethas and she hissed as she stood up, glaring at the two young men that stood there in the guard's armour, a spear held in one of their hands. She could feel their hearts beating faster, especially when they saw her eyes. She looked at Aethas, who was backing away from her, and she could feel something within her begin to rise.
Something powerful. Intoxicating.
A few seconds passed, and she blinked a few times, looking at the grey skin of her hands, the black talon at the tips of each finger. She smiled. The Voice had told her she had a hidden power that could be accessed whenever she liked. But she had to find a way to do it herself apparently.
"What's wrong with you people?" she giggled, wondering why her throat felt so dry all of a sudden.
"VAMPIRE! GUARDS!"
Then she felt a rage unlike no other smother her. The guard with the spear was first. She extended her hand and a red jet of energy blasted out of her palm and slammed into the young man. She felt his blood enter her body, ignoring the screams of the people nearby. The second guard managed to get within a few feet of her before she dropped her spell and she grabbed him by the throat, bringing him close to her before singing her fangs into his throat.
Such power in the blood. She never thought it would taste so good…but she wanted more.
Aethas was next. He had managed to run out of the alleyway between the buildings and had gotten halfway across the village square before she caught him, her wings wrapping around him and her fangs finding his sweet neck. She smiled lazily as he twitched in her embrace, his heartbeat vanishing into nothing after a few seconds….
Morgan turned her head and saw the rivulets of blood dripping from Serana's eyes. Then she realised why Serana had stopped her. She had felt that same feeling of anger running through her. Serana had gone through the same thing, and had killed a half dozen people as a result.
"It didn't end there," Serana sniffed, wiping the blood away from her face with a finger.
"What do you mean?" Morgan asked, turning over so that she lay on top of Serana's hips, her elbows keeping her propped up so that her face was close to hers.
Serana looked up at her.
"I killed the entire village Morgan," she whispered. "Every single one of them, dead by my hands. Men, women….children. I didn't stop until I couldn't feel any life signs anywhere. When I got back to the castle, covered in blood…"
Serana snorted bitterly.
"Well, my mother was furious. She screamed at me for hours, telling me that I had endangered the whole castle. She refused to talk to me for a month afterwards. My father on the other hand…he found it funny. He said that 'I had acted in self defence'. I didn't tell either of them about Aethas of course."
Morgan moved closer and kissed Serana on the lips and wrapped her arms round Serana.
"I'm sorry for what you went through," Morgan said quietly.
"What..?"
"It must have been difficult for you. You had no idea what to expect. Your parents never told you what might happen if the blood controlled you. I know what you mean after what you said to me in Windhelm. You said 'control the blood'," Morgan continued. "I know what you mean now. When I saw my mother lying there….I…"
Serana embraced the Dragonborn and kissed the top of her forehead. She had had these thoughts for four thousand five hundred years while she slept, and the memories were still fresh for her. If there was one thing she never wanted Morgan to experience in her 'extended' life, it was to suffer the knowledge that she had killed dozens of innocents in a crazed blood rage. Of course, she did remember the ritual itself shortly afterwards.
Molag Bal himself had entered her dreams that night and he had been most amused at her antics. He eventually told her what he had done to her, and Serana spent days afterwards ignoring both her parents. As time passed, her parents became bitter towards each other and when her father had discovered the Prophecy…
That was the end of everything I held dear.
"The blood took control," Serana finished for her. "A feeling of anger like no other. But in your case, you have your dragon soul backing it up."
"What do you mean?"
"Morgan, if you had started your rage there, it wouldn't have stopped after everyone was dead. You would have kept going…onto Winterhold maybe. Then Dawnstar…"
"All of Skyrim," Morgan shivered, hugging Serana tighter. It had been a long time she felt such fear. "A dragon craves to dominate everything…everyone."
"You aren't Alduin," Serana said severely, tilting Morgan's head up so they met each other's eyes.
Morgan stared into the older eyes of her lover. The blazing orange eyes of Serana always captivated her every time she looked into those blazing orbs.
There is always something comforting about those eyes of hers.
"You never want to destroy everything around you. Even Durnehviir and Odahviing have the desire to dominate others. It was only because you defeated them in combat that they follow you. They see you as their new ruler, so to speak. Yet you don't want to take the throne yourself. You don't want to enslave the mortal races once more like many of the dovah do."
Serana pressed her lips against Morgan's softly, a warm feeling of content stirring inside her.
"It is your compassion for others that saves you from that fate. Never lose it. Ever."
Morgan nodded and said nothing.
Serana sighed and pulled Morgan down so that her head rested on her collarbone. She kept her arms wrapped around her and closed her eyes. She knew she would see Aethas' face once more but now she felt stronger because of their talk.
I can learn from her. I slept for too long and have had those thoughts cooped up for too long. It's time I started living in this Era and left the First Era behind.
Serana smiled as Morgan began to snore softly.
And maybe I can stop her snoring at some point.
"I'm so sorry Astrid," Morgan said quietly, placing her hand on the Nord's hand.
Astrid smiled and placed her hand on Morgan's cold one.
"You weren't yourself. It's fine."
Morgan shook her head.
"I broke a Tenet…I'm scared."
"It is not the first time a Brother or Sister struck another," Lucien LaChance said as he walked across the room, his hands clasped behind his back. "The Unholy Matron understands your pain, Listener. But it is not to happen again."
"It won't," Morgan replied. "Thank you Lucien."
Lucien nodded and he looked over at the corridor that led to the main hallway. And he smiled.
"Welcome back my dear."
Morgan looked over and she blinked.
Lilith Aurelius was walking slowly towards her, Gabriella and Brelyna propping up the injured woman gently. Babette trailed behind them, a sour expression on her face.
"I said she wasn't strong enough to walk, but she didn't listen," she groused.
Morgan beamed at her mother, who smiled at her as she sat down next to her. She placed her hands on her mothers and blinked away a tear of blood.
"The Aurelius line are full of stubborn people," Lilith smiled back, wincing slightly as a bolt of pain shot through her spine.
"As I said, you shouldn't be walking," Babette repeated. "But no-one ever listens to those with age and wisdom," she added, sitting down on the chair and pouring health elixir into a bottle.
"Get used to it," Lilith replied with a smile at the small unchild before meeting Morgan's gaze once more.
"Mother…"
"I'm fine my dear," Lilith said gently, running a hand across Morgan's cheek affectionately. "Thanks to all you."
Babette passed the potion over to Lilith and smiled, her fangs peeking out.
"This should stop the back pains, but please try and keep the moving around to a minimum for a few days. There may still be internal bleeding and if the elixir is to work…"
"I need to be still," Lilith finished with a dry smile. "Thank you."
Lilith smiled sadly at the Dark Brotherhood members.
"I'm sorry about your losses. Veezara was an excellent companion. He fought bravely."
"He speaks highly of you my lady," Lucien said after a few seconds of quiet. "He thanks you for your companionship and wonders if you ever thought of being a Breton version of a Shadowscale."
Lilith laughed, a bright laugh that made Morgan smile even more.
"Nice of him to think so, but I am not at the same ability as my daughter here."
Morgan blushed.
Serana smiled as she walked into the room, sitting down next to Lilith.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Serana."
"A pleasure. I can see why she likes you," Lilith said with a mischievous grin.
"Mother…"Morgan groaned.
I need to kill a Stormcloak soon, Morgan thought.
The room exploded with good natured laughter. Serana grinned at the older Aurelius, who smiled back at her.
Such a lovely woman. I can learn more from the two of them.
"Beautiful. Simply beautiful."
Morgan had to agree. The night sky over them was clear, the stars were bright and the twin moons of Secunda and Masser were easily visible. She and Serana lay on their backs, with Lilith sitting between the two of them. It had been a week since Lilith had walked back into Morgan's life, and the sight had galvanised Morgan into wanting to do something.
Serana found it endearing that Morgan was so eager to act. She always laughed when she spotted her sharpening her blades on the grindstone, or tanning leather on the racks, her face scrunched up in concentration.
"Indeed, the skies of Keizaal are impressive this night," Odahviing agreed, his wings tucked against his massive red body comfortably.
Morgan had smiled when she had called her closest dovah ally to her. Her mother had grasped her arm tightly as Odahviing had landed, before dipping his head to her. She had giggled when the red dragon had spoken to her politely before meeting her mothers' gaze and bowing his head to her as well.
Such a charmer.
"It must be wonderful to fly in that sky," Lilith breathed out slowly.
"When you are fully rested, it would be my honour to show you," Odahviing replied.
Morgan grinned at her mother.
"It's amazing, trust me," she said.
Lilith held her daughter's hand and then clasped Serana's.
The two vampires exchanged a contented smile before all three lay back on the thick fur rug beneath them, watching the stars.
"What happens next?"
Lilith smiled at her daughter's question.
"We start work. Or more specifically, you start working. Babette keeps saying I cannot join in, so its up to you for now."
"I'm sure the Night Mother will have some tasks for you soon enough," Serana added.
"I feel something is going to happen. Something big," Morgan muttered.
"As do I, Dovahkiin," Odahviing agreed.
"Then we need to be ready for when it happens," Lilith said. "And if it involves that bastard being skewered or better yet, being bitten in half by Odahviing here, then all the better."
"I will not eat him," Odahviing mumbled. "He stinks of a coward."
The four of them laughed, ready for the trials ahead of them….
"Ulfric Stormcloak, you have signed your death sentence."
Ulfric Stormcloak opened his eyes and sat up, rubbing his face roughly.
The same damned dream, every single night.
Ever since the Dragonborn had threatened him, he had had recurring dreams of her sinking her fangs into his throat, or her blade slicing his head off, and in one very vivid dream, becoming one of her blood slaves….that had been the most terrifying one by far.
He reached over and grasped the half full goblet of wine and drained the contents, feeling the alcohol rushing through him after a few seconds. He threw the goblet away and stared at the twin moons outside, a sour expression on his face.
"I need to act soon," he muttered.
Whiterun is too well defended right now to stage another siege…and the infernal dragon attacks have left my forces scattered for the time being. But maybe I can end this war in one quick strike….maybe it is time I went and captured Elisif. The Dragonborn is fond of her after all.
Ulfric snorted.
And maybe I could ask the Thalmor to start worshipping Talos while I am at it.
Ulfric nodded to himself, a small smile forming on his face.
Start harassing the Imperial lines and supply convoys. Starve the remnants of the army. When their bellies are empty and they are too weak to fight, I make my move. In the meantime, consolidate and prepare for the battles to come. And when Elisif is restrained…call the Moot. I have the support of Riften, Dawnstar, Winterhold, Windhelm and Falkreath. More than enough to win the vote.
Ulfric looked at the moons once more.
Then I kick the Dragonborn and her allies out of this country…alive or dead.
Ulfric smiled and lay back down, his nightmare temporarily forgotten.
Talos, guide me.