Hi :)

Finally got a new laptop, I lost all the work on the previous chapter when my old computer went boom :P

This is a fairly small chapter but it's a pretty damn important one too...and there are a few little teases to future things that I have planned...anyway, sorry for the long wait and I hope you like the chapter :)

Serana groaned, shuddering when the world seemed to spin underneath her. The last thing she remembered was...the battle, the arrow flying towards her love. Throwing herself in front of it and feeling the arrow shaft piercing her heart..

Was she dead? After four and a half thousand years of slumber and only a year of being awake, and she finally dies from a simple arrow?

Serana groaned again.

I better figure out where I am...the Void hopefully. If I am in Coldharbour, I am going to be torn apart.

She opened her eyes and rose her eyebrows at the sky above her. It was a myriad of colour, constantly shifting with cloud rapidly moving past as though time was sped up. She then sniffed the air and frowned when she found no scent whatsoever.

"AH! There you are! Do you know how long I have been waiting for you? DO YOU?"

Serana jumped to her feet, and hissed when she found she couldn't summon even a single wisp of flame in her hands. In fact, she found that no spell seemed to work. She narrowed her eyes at the figure that sat at an expansive table before, her, the wooden platform groaning under the weight of cheese and other assorted food that was placed upon it.

"I have been waiting for...well, take a guess!"

Serana was completely nonplussed at the sight of the figure before her. The person that sat there wore a bright outfit, one side a vibrant purple, the other a deep red lined with gold trim. But it was the person's eyes that held her full attention...a strange white with no iris within. She thought it was almost like a draugr.

"WAIT! I want to guess! Eons? No, wait...HOURS! Well, tell me what you think!"

"You have been waiting for me?" Serana asked softly.

"WROOOOOONG! I haven't been waiting at all! Actually, that's a lie, I have been waiting for you. Well, sit down! Eat! Drink!"

She did as instructed, and sat down opposite this strange being...and that was when she felt the same daedric presence that she had felt while in Solitude.

"Sheogorath, at your service! And you...well, I know who you are! Hah! We ALL know who you are! And that Shouty one! What's her name again? Morrigan? Moron?..."

"Morgan," Serana said stiffly, frowning at the mention of her lover being insulted.

"That's it! Hah! I love that one! Yelling at everything, tearing spines out of people! She hasn't skipped with any intestines however..maybe I should ask her to do that. Anyway, welcome my little bloodsucker! It is good to finally meet the one who has my Champion's full attention! That girl really needs a new hobby. Like fishing."

Serana felt a headache coming on.

Then the name struck her fully. Sheogorath, Daedric Prince of Madness.

Fuck.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, Fangs! I brought you here so you can heal! Get better while that arrow is taken out of you with a funny squelch!"

"So...I am not dead?"

"No! Of course you are! You're a vampire aren't you? Ohhhhhhh, you mean dead dead. No, you aren't, you're in between. Like a sandwich!"

Serana thought for a moment but was at a loss for words when a finely dressed man suddenly appeared in a purplish hue of magic. She took in his fine red and black suit and she felt her eyebrows raise.

I need to know where he gets his clothes made.

"Forgive the interruption, My Lord, but it appears that the time has come once again."

"ALREADY?! When was the last time it happened, Haskill? Forty years was it?"

"Forty-six," Haskill replied, his eyes meeting Serana's briefly and giving her the smallest nod.

"And we hadn't even gotten to the strawberry torte," Sheogorath said softly, his voice becoming calmer to Serana's ears. "But it was bound to happen, especially given current events and certain ties."

"Indeed, My Lord. I shall see you again when this last crisis is over with."

"Yes, yes. Thank you Haskill. Excuse me for one moment, Lady Serana..."

Serana couldn't help but gasp as Sheogorath suddenly exploded in a blaze of gold light. She hissed and covered her eyes with her hands as the light intensified...and then it suddenly stopped as quickly as it had begun. She carefully moved her hands away and she stared at the figure sitting in the chair opposite her.

The woman wore a long dress with the same pattern as Sheogorath had done, but it was the eyes that held Serana's attention more than anything else.

They were a vibrant red, much like that of...

"Hello Serana. Yes, I know it's confusing, and yes, I am a vampire. But I assure you, I can explain everything."

Serana was grateful when everything started to go black, although she did hear the woman sigh and talk to Haskill in an amused tone.

"That went better than expected Haskill."

"Indeed, My Lady. Although whether she can comprehend what is going on remains to be seen..."

Morgan twirled the twig between her fingers, thinking hard. She had been riding Shadowmere hard for a few hours, and while the horse never needed feeding or rest, she liked to treat her as though she did. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled slightly at the massive black horse that stared back at her with it's soul-less red eyes.

"It's a courtesy thing," Morgan said with a grin.

Shadowmere snorted as though she were saying 'stop talking rubbish' and Morgan grinned wider.

I love this horse.

She lay back on the rock, and looked at the stars above, the wind gently blowing her hair. It was peaceful here in the Reach, despite the risk of dragons, bears and of course, the insane Forsworn that roamed these parts. Morgan was careful not to look at the city walls of Markarth in the west, she didn't wish to relive any memories of that shithole this night.

Morgan sighed and threw the twig away, at ease with the quiet. She knew somehow that Serana would return.

Admit it, you are scared senseless for her.

She nodded as if someone had spoken those words to her and she felt her eyes close, as though her body was saying to her that while Shadowmere needed no rest, she did.

Fine. An hour, no more. I want to see why the Forsworn aren't around here. Or the Blades for that matter...

That night in Bruma, running out of the Great Hall, feeling the tears in your eyes when your friend rejected your attention for that of a mere boy you hadn't heard of. Climbing that tall church spire and smiling at the sight of the hundred or so people below, all of them spewing lies about wanting you to come down and rejoin their stupid party.

And then staring as black smoke suddenly wrapping around you, holding you close as though it were our own mother. And then suddenly being on the ground as the smoke vanished and having your mother running out of the group and hugging you tightly...

Morgan shifted in her slumber, and Shadowmere snorted again and moved close, as though she knew that her master was dreaming.

The roar of dozens of dragons flying around you, while Paarthurnax simply stared at you in sorrow. That niggling feeling you had as you knew that while you had saved Skyrim and possibly all of Nirn from being devoured by the World Eater, you had also upset one of your own kin.

The way you approached the ancient golden dragon and lay your hand upon his snout, whispering an almost silent apology and completely ignoring the river of blood coursing down your leg or the burns that covered half your face, the final attack that Alduin had done before you pierced his throat with your blade, snarling in satisfaction as he exploded...

"I am sorry," Morgan said softly. "If there had been another way..."

And then darkness as you finally allowed yourself to fall unconscious, hearing Lydia yell your name as she charged towards you and throwing her shield to the floor...

Morgan moaned now, and Shadowmere nuzzled her snout into Morgan's side, hoping to wake her.

The way you cleaved your way through all those men as though they were weeds and you were a storm. Their armour torn open and their innards being ripped out as they begged for mercy. The amusement as some even bowed to you when you approached, hoping they would gain some sympathy even after what they had done.

The smell of blood in the air as you chased down that one man you once called a friend, grabbing the other one beside him instead so that his fear increased tenfold. Pitiful mortals, all of them, not worthy of a dovah like yourself.

The chuckle you let loose after you threw that bastard's heart into the fire, giving Babette a smirk as you passed and running your hand along Scar's back as they walked past you. The sense of satisfaction that you had partially crippled Ulfric's military strength somewhat, knowing that the loss of one of his closest commanders in the field would affect the Stormcloak army...

Morgan growled now, her fangs enlargening and her fingernails becoming talons. But the presence of Shadowmere calming her blood a little, not allowing her to change any further.

Standing in the middle of a battlefield, Serana standing beside you, her arm wrapped around your waist tightly. The soldiers of the Empire all cheering as the remainder of the Stormcloaks surrendered or fled into the ice floes around Windhelm. The nod that Rikke gives as she passes, a look of exhaustion on her face.

The dragons that still circled the sky above, Odahviing among them and bellowing your name into the sky, fire and ice burning through the clouds.

The sense of completeness as Serana pulls you into her embrace and the kiss she gives you in front of thousands lighting every sense you possess. The deafening roar of approval from the soldiers, as well as the laughter that follows when you give them a rude hand gesture in mid-kiss.

Morgan sighed, and her fangs and claws retracted.

Facing down a powerful being, his face hidden by a horrific mask, his armour scorched and torn from countless attacks from yourself and that of your love, who was leaning against you for support. The way he chuckled as he raised his sword once more for another attack, his voice mocking yet sincere in some fashion.

"You fight well, Dragonborn. There may be a challenge for me yet!"

Morgan snarled now, and Shadowmere whinnied as she found herself unable to come closer to that of her sleeping mistress, due to a red globe of magical energy that surrounded Morgan as she slept.

Meeting a strange tall woman, her flaming red hair surrounding a scarred face and yellow eyes that see through you as though recognizing you in some way. The odd glances of the mages nearby as they stare at the two of you, waiting to see what would happen.

"As pretty as this vampire is, Quaranir, I have other business to tend to," the red haired woman said quietly.

"As attractive as this werewolf is, old friend, I have people to kill and irritating academic questions to answer to...being around for over four hundred years means I do have rather a lot of boring shit to tell people."

The soft chuckle from the woman standing before you makes you grin back at her, as though in silent challenge and understanding.

You know you aren't meeting by chance, but when has your life ever been so simple?

But you need to wake now, for you have answers to find...WAKE!

Morgan roared as she woke up, and she shivered at the sight before her. Every tree, every blade of grass within a hundred yards was dead and shrivelled, as though they had been drained dry of their life-force. The sight of several dead rabbits, foxes and even a bear that had been hunting at least one of these creatures shocked Morgan also.

They look as though all their blood was taken, nothing left but skin, fur and bone.

Then she glanced over to see Shadowmere trot over to her, giving her a look that Morgan could easily translate.

What in the name of Sithis did you do?

Morgan frowned but she found that she couldn't give an answer, and simply shook her head.

"I have no fucking idea. Come on girl, let's go and see what answers I can find."

Serana held the goblet of blood in her hands tightly and shook her head.

"Wait, so you mean to tell me that you are both the Champion of Cyrodiil, the Hero of Kvatch...wherever that place is, AND Sheogorath?" she asked, her voice rising an octave at the end.

The woman chuckled.

"That sums it up yes...and please, my name is Lucinda. To make it easy for you, I share the post with the Prince, he uses me as a host most of the time because it gives him leave to pursue other goals."

"But, does that mean you are stuck this way?" Serana enquired.

Lucinda smiled.

"Not quite. You see, not only is Morgan my Champion, but we are also blood related. Lucinda Aurelius, at your service."

Serana spat the blood out of her mouth and coughed, ignoring the amused chuckle from across the table.

"I have a major headache coming on."

Lucinda smiled again.

"That's because your mother is pulling you back from the brink. I should imagine you will be back on Nirn very soon. But before you leave, I wish to give you something and to ask a favour."

Lucinda nodded to Haskill, who walked around the table and handed two small broaches to Serana, who nodded in thanks and studied them carefully. Two dragons entwined around the other, one red, the other black.

"I think Morgan will like one as well, one of them is yours. I made them after being in the Shivering Isles for a few years. I had hoped that I would one day wear them with my love, but it was not to be."

"Who..."

"Which brings me onto my request. Serana, the next time you meet with Morgan, tell her that I am proud of her and her mother, and that one day, we will all be reunited in the Void."

Serana stared at Lucinda, who laughed loudly.

"Our family and our secrets. Oh, and tell Lucien that the next time I see him, I will want a sparring match like we used to...he can choose the place. Now, I believe that it is time we depart. I wish you luck, Serana."

Serana looked around and noted that the area was becoming whiter with every passing second.

"Wait! I have so many questions! How do I get back?"

Lucinda smiled again, and Serana was struck at how similar she resembled Morgan, the main difference being her red eyes and longer black hair.

"Take care of her for me, that girl is almost as bad as I was."

The last thing Serana heard before all sight fled as Haskill's dry snort of amusement.

"I highly doubt that, My Lady."

Valerica jumped slightly and dropped the bottle of void salt essence as her daughter suddenly sat upright and coughed loudly.

"Serana?"

Serana coughed again and blinked a few times before meeting Valerica's gaze.

"Mother? Mother!"

Valerica would always marvel at her daughter's pure speed, but not at how fast she moved to embrace her tightly, something she hadn't done in an extremely long time. She held her daughter a little tighter as Serana started to sob into her shoulder.

"I am here, my daughter," Valerica said softly. "I am here."