Spending several days with Valerica and Serana in the study made Torina start to get antsy and ready to move onto the next stage of her research into the puzzle. Whatever held a grip on the Falmer, daedric prince or otherwise, she wanted to find out and somehow correct it. She thought up and dismissed many ideas in that time, though she did hold onto the idea the Dwemer disappearance had a direct connection to this. None of it alleviated her restlessness.
The vampires read their mortal friend's impatience easily. Both of them had far more patience bred from their extended lifespans but still remembered what it was like to feel that rush and anxiety in their veins.
"I'll go with you to the Vale," Serana offered one night.
The two of them stood on the partially destroyed balcony high above the slowly restored garden below. This was a part of the castle the Dawnguard hadn't managed to reach yet so they didn't worry about being spotted. The others likely believed Torina and Serana were far from here, and Valerica didn't feel comfortable leaving the study yet. At least not until she reacclimated herself to Mundus more fully.
"You should be with your mother," Torina said. "Harkon stole centuries away from you two."
Serana scoffed. "And we will have centuries more together after this."
Torina recalled the brief conversation they'd had weeks ago. At that time it seemed possible Serana would revoke her vampiric nature, but the way she spoke said volumes against that. Torina didn't question her friend. Whatever she chose, Torina would be at her back.
The vampire kept speaking. "I have you to thank for that chance, so let me thank you."
"Are you determined to be my personal shadow, then?"
"Don't sound so excited about it," Serana teased, responding to Torina's almost petulant tone. "Or are you hoping to have time to yourself with Gelebor?"
Torina's head whipped around so fast that her mage's circlet threatened to slip from her head. Her voice was a hiss as she asked, "What in Nirn are you implying?"
Serana was unfazed, throwing an eyebrow up at Torina in a mimicry of one of the Dunmer's favorite expressions. "I am many things, Torina, but stupid is not one of them. Or blind. There's something between you and the paladin, isn't there?"
"You must have othersight because I'm not aware of anything between us," Torina said, just as irritable as before.
Taking a moment before speaking again, Serana shook her head and bumped gently into her friend's shoulder. "I assure you, whatever you think could be there, you aren't imagining it."
Torina put her face in her hands and sighed deeply. "I know nothing about the mer, and he barely knows me. I've done terrible things."
"What he does know hasn't bothered him so far, it seems," Serana said. "But give yourself some credit. You've done fantastic things, too. Tamriel, and the rest of Mundus, wouldn't be the same without you. And, I suspect given time, you both could remedy the 'not knowing each other' part of that problem. Except for your little spat before we left, I've seen the way you look at him."
A half-hearted grunt was all the answer Torina provided her. She kept her hands over her face to hide her blush. The response made Serana laugh outright.
As good-natured as Serana's attempts were, Torina didn't think what she said held much ground. Not really. Between her irritation at remaining cooped up inside a tower for days without a proper meal, this conversation, and the relapse she suffered in Winterhold, she was having a difficult time controlling her emotions.
Serana didn't know of the extent of her plight in the frozen city or just how much she had had to relive in the prison of her mind without someone to pull her out. A memory haze like that hadn't knocked Torina down since meeting Serana, thank the nine, but the idea of depending so heavily on the vampire was starting to chip at Torina's pride. She wanted to be able to be whole without someone else's help. Needing someone reminded her of the time she depended completely on Dravynea and how well that ended. Logically, she knew that not everyone in her life would treat her so poorly, though logic rarely could overcome an emotional response.
Another fear was her growing admiration of Gelebor. The knight paladin had surely suffered as much or more than even she had in this life. She gathered as much from what he'd shared with them the first time they traveled through the cave towards the Vale. His very existence as the last or only of something played heavily on her heartstrings as Dragonborn. She knew what it felt like for no one else to completely understand what it meant to be her and what she had to live through. The curiosity and interest had fermented into admiration and something deeper when she wasn't paying attention.
"I'd be happy for your company, if you plan to offer it," Torina said after a time. She didn't want to acknowledge anything more about Gelebor to Serana yet.
Serana, laughter forgotten, rested her hand over Torina's on the balcony ledge, squeezing once, then letting go. The cold air from the bay had already lowered the Dunmer's temperature and Serana's skin would only make her colder if she lingered.
"Then you shall have it."
Admittedly, part of the reason for Torina's agitation at remaining with the vampires had been their open affection towards each other. Torina's wound was still fresh at the memory of Dravynea attempting to take the place of her own mother and using that against her. Though she knew Valerica had done her own travesties towards her daughter their relationship was, for the most part, healed now. Jealousy burned hot within Torina.
With careful practice she pushed aside that jealousy and tried not to attach it too heavily to her respect for both Serana and Valerica, but it was a difficult thing. Dragons weren't known for their selflessness.
Her jealousy was assuaged, however. Valerica gave Torina just as warm a departing farewell as she did her daughter.
"Take care of each other on the way to the Vale," the elder vampire said. "I'll watch for your return, Serana."
Several more words of affection were shared between the women before Serana and Torina left. The two waited until the sun fully set beyond the horizon to make their move. Many of the Dawnguard had left the island but those who remained were less likely to spot them leaving at night. Before they left through the bolted door at the back of the room, Valerica stopped them with a pair of ornate bags hanging from her hand in offering.
"One for each of you. These talismans should aid you on your travels, wherever they may take you. Each holds a filled grand soul gem I saved from the Soul Cairn and alchemical ingredients whose properties are tailored to you."
Torina took the talisman offered to her and felt the weight of it in her palm. Its leather cord was incredibly long. She started to wrap the talisman around her waist to hang at her hip, braiding the leather through the straps on her light armor set and watching as Serana did something similar with her equipment. Torina could feel enchantments on it complementing what she already wore, strengthening them, though the magic itself felt much darker than her usual variety of conjuration, restoration, and destruction spells.
A quick look through showed many items favored by necromancers like Valerica like bone dust for conjuration fortification and several that were so small she couldn't tell what the potions were within.
"Most are poisons of my own design deadly against the living. Paralysis, suppression of magical power, the like. Amazing what you can learn when you can do nothing but study alchemical properties for hundreds of years," Valerica explained with a tinge of humor Torina was not used to hearing in the vampire's voice.
"Thank you," Torina said. "And thank you for all you've taught me these last few days."
"Think nothing of it. You've done more for me and my kind than I can repay, Torina. Mortals still fear us, as they rightly should, but the balance of the world remains without my husband's near-sighted dreams of glory interfering."
Final farewells shared, the Dragonborn and her vampiric companion slipped through the back door and waited to hear the bolt slide shut behind them. The Forgotten Vale was waiting.
Huge thank yous to those who keep steadily reviewing this. Wanted y'all to know I had to take a second job. That and mental health has been through the shitter recently. I have a couple chapters written ahead in this but if it falls off, I apologize. Comments help motivate me on this one of course - let's me know that there are readers interested in the story.