Serana

The ride was silent for a time. Torbin had changed back into the black armor of the Dawnguard and again carried the strange sword I'd seen him with in the crypt. He'd told me it's name was Dawnbreaker, and the story of how he came by it was as fascinating as any I'd heard. As we neared the mountains south of Riften, Torbin began to ask about my family, as I assumed he eventually would.

I struggled with how much to tell him, I wasn't quite sure on how much he even wanted to know.

"So," Torbin eventually began "Were you always a vampire?"

"That's..." I searched for the right explanation "A long story."

"We've got a long ride," Torbin told me "I would like to hear it."

I considered what I would say carefully, I actually considered just saying nothing at all. I still wasn't sure what to make of him even though he did seem to care about me, which put him at the top of my most trusted list for the moment.

"I guess we have to go way back, to the very beginning," I said finally "Do you know where vampirism came from?"

"I've only heard rumors or read vague references in books," He admitted "A Deadric lord would be my guess."

"Exactly, the first vampire came from Molag Bal, not a willing subject," I explained "For those willing to subjugate themselves, he will bestow the gift, but we must prove powerful in our own right."

"So what about you?" He asked "How did you actually become one then?"

"The ceremony was...degrading," I shuddered "Let's not revisit that,"

"I know what happens," He nodded "You don't need to go into that."

"We all took part in it." I continued "Not really wholesome family activity, but I guess it's something you do when you give yourselves to a Daedric lord."

"And your family?" He asked "How has it affected them?"

"Well you've met my father, not exactly the most stable person," I said "Eventually he drove my mother crazy with him, it all ended up with me being locked in that crypt, until you came along."

"Are you alright?" He asked me

I must've had a look on my face that gave it away. No, I was absolutely not alright, my world was falling down around me and it seemed Skyrim was in about five different types of danger, the only person in the entire world I could trust was somebody I hadn't even known for a few days, but a girl in Skyrim has to stay strong.

"I'm fine," I lied "I think I just need some time to adjust."

"Skyrim has changed a lot since you went into that crypt," He laughed dryly "Take all the time you need."

We rode in silence for a while longer before I decided to ask about his family as well. His entire demeanor changed in a split second and suddenly he seemed tense, and his eyes stared far away as he spoke, as if he were reliving old, forgotten memories rather than seeing the road in front of his horse.

"I was a typical Nord boy," He shrugged after a long silence "My father fought in the war against the Dominion, afterwards he bought himself a small farm and a plot of land to settle down on."

"A farmer turned thief turned warrior?" I chuckled "How'd you manage that?"

"Didn't exactly have much of a choice," He said solemnly "There's no farm there anymore and my family is…..gone."

"Gone?" I asked "What happened?"

"Thalmor." Was all he said

I had gotten the sense by now Torbin held a very deep disdain for the Thalmor, and now I was beginning to see why. Already I had heard plenty of tales of their atrocities across Tamriel. I remembered the scene I had witnessed on the road to Torbin's camp. Two bodies wearing Thalmor armor hanging from a tree on the roadside, with a sign bearing a simple message: Go home.

It seemed Torbin's hate for the Dominion was very widely sympathized with. I elected to press him no further on the matter.

"We're getting close," Torbin said, dismounting at the foot of a cave "It's just through here."

I dismounted with him as he began to lead Midnight into the cave by her reins, she huffed in protest but with a simple tug she resigned and followed him. The cave was surprisingly well lit, torches sat on the walls every ten feet or so, and as we neared the end of the cave I could see two men standing by the opening seemingly in the middle of a conversation.

"Let me do the talking," Torbin reminded me "Best to keep your head down for now, I'll answer directly to Isran."

I obliged him as we approached the two men, who stopped talking and turned to face us, laying hands on their swords as they did so.

"Who goes there?" One of them challenged "State your business?"

"I trust that sword will serve you better than your Pa's axe," Torbin chuckled to the man "But I still wouldn't bet on you against me."

"Torbin," The man sighed in relief "By the gods, I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"Things have taken a bit of a turn regarding our vampire problem," He said as he handed over Midnight's reins "I need to speak to Isran. Be a good lad and make sure she doesn't eat the berries will you? They gave her the runs."

The man nodded and I handed over my reins as well. They took the saddles off the horses and let them free to roam the area around the cave, drinking from the stream and trotting around the field. We began the wall up the hill towards the massive castle looming over the canyon below. I began to feel nervous, wondering if coming to the Dawnguard was a good idea.

For just a split second, I wondered if Torbin would simply hand me over to them, but the thought vanished just as quickly as it came. If he'd wanted the scroll he could've ordered his men to execute me as an Imperial spy as they thought I had been.

Something told me he was far too proud to stab someone in the back and that if he'd wanted to kill me he would've done it directly to my face.

"Torbin?" I heard a man calling from the steps as we neared the large doors "Back so soon? Who's this you've-"

He stopped dead and I realized that I hadn't been keeping my head down. He was looking directly at my eyes as he casually laid a hand on his sword, his demeanor immediately tensing up as his feet squared on the ground, bracing himself for a fight.

"Brought with you." He finished coldly

"Celann," Torbin said as he stepped in front of me "Stand down, she's friendly."

"You can't seriously look me in the eye and tell me this thing is friendly." Celann said, glaring at me

"We are dealing with things far beyond our control," Torbin replied, staring down the much larger man "I need to speak to Isran."

His eyes flicked back and forth between the two of us, eyeing the Elder scroll on my back. Before he could say anything, the doors behind him opened.

A large man with dark skin and cold eyes stormed out, gripping a warhammer tight in his right hand. Torbin pushed me fully behind him and drew Dawnbreaker from his waist, holding it loosely at his side. At the same time, Celann drew his sword as well and stepped to the man's side.

I didn't need an introduction. The cold, hateful stare was enough to tell me that this man was Isran.

"What is this?" Isran demanded, pointing at me with his hammer "What is It doing here? Is It your prisoner?"

"No, she is not my prisoner," Torbin told him "Her name is Serana, this is the vampire I told you of."

"She hasn't turned you," Isran glowered, staring down at Torbin "Yet you're not bringing me her head. You had better have a good reason for this or I-"

"You'll what?" Torbin snapped back, his tone suddenly turning back to the same voice I'd heard at his camp "Do not presume to threaten me, Isran. You will back those threats with steel or you will choke on them, I am not so easily intimidated as this ragged band of farmboys you call recruits."

Isran seemed taken aback by Torbin's outburst but he did not let it show. Torbin hadn't moved a muscle or even flinched. Isran towered over him, dwarfing even the Imperial he had fought at Shor's Stone, yet he stood his ground and stared back into his eyes.

"What is It doing here?" Isran growled

"The situation with the vampires in the north has taken a very dark turn," Torbin replied, still unmoving "Serana sought me out for help. We need to talk, now."

"Bring It upstairs," Isran snapped "I don't want It scaring my recruits."

At this, he wheeled around and marched inside, clearly furious. Celann sheathed his sword and Torbin did the same. I realized that everyone was staring now, many of the recruits in the yard had stopped training to watch the exchange.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Celann told Torbin before turning to the recruits "Back to it, you sorry band of whelps!"

Torbin motioned for me to follow him as he began walking into the fort. The doors shut ominously behind us, and I wondered if I would even live to see them open again. Torbin would fight to protect me, that much I was certain of, but I doubted the both of us could fight our way out of this if it came down to it.

We followed Isran up a set of spiral steps into a room, I assumed to be his quarters perhaps, at the top. Once we were all inside he slammed the door and rounded on us, throwing his hammer onto the desk next to him, his face still flushed with anger.

"Understand that I respect you and see you as a great warrior, worthy of the title Dragonborn," Isran said through gritted teeth "But there had better be a good explanation for this."

"Serana?" Torbin said calmly, turning to me "Care to explain?"

I took the Elder Scroll off my bag and stepped forward to face Isran, whose face had not softened as I had not expected it to.

"My father, Lord Harkon, discovered a prophecy," I began "Called the Tyranny of the Sun, it tells of a time when vampires could control the sun, when we would never have to fear it."

"How could that be possible?" Isran demanded

"I'm not sure," I admitted "It has something to do with this Elder Scroll, but we can't read it without a Moth Priest."

"You come all this way with nothing but vague hints?" Isran demanded "You expect me to believe you are not privy to your father's plan?"

"Nobody is," I hissed, my anger rising as well "Most of the vampires of the Volkihar clan serve him blindly."

"This prophecy," Isran continued "How do we stop it?"

"We need a Moth Priest to read the scroll," I explained, trying to reel in my rage "Once we've done that, perhaps we can get a few steps ahead of him."

"So find one," Isran said "If it'll help us stop these vampires go and find the damn Moth Priest."

"Where exactly do we find a Moth Priest?" I asked

"We'll have to ask around," Torbin spoke up "Maybe someone's seen one."

Isran turned to face Torbin, his eyes still flickering back to me on occasion as if looking for fuel to keep his anger stoked. He seemed to be unable to decide if he wanted to swing his hammer at myself or at Torbin.

"Alright, I've heard what It has to say," He spat "Now, give me a good reason not to kill this thing."

"Because if your hand even twitches towards that hammer I'll take your head from your shoulders," Torbin replied, his tone level "She's important, I'm not sure how but she fits into all of this. She can help us."

Isran paused, thinking. I held my breath, waiting for him to reach for his hammer anyway. We needed all the allies we could get but if Torbin hadn't been here with me I most certainly wouldn't have found any inside these walls. If Isran had his way I would've been rode down before I'd even climbed the steps of the castle.

"Fine," He finally snapped, still glaring at me "But if It hurts anybody it's on your head, now go and find a Moth Priest."

With those words, he yanked open the door and stormed out, snatching his hammer off the desk as he did so. I let out a sigh of relief, realizing that Torbin and I would live through the day. Torbin leaned against the desk and crossed his arms. I found myself wondering if he was as relieved as I was or is he was brooding over his disappointment that there would be no fight.

It was hard to tell, he only seemed to be capable of a few facial expressions.

"He's nice," I remarked "So where do we start?"

"We'll head for the College of Winterhold," He said "The librarian there, Urag, is bound to know if any Moth Priests have been through."

"I don't much care for snow," I sighed "But I suppose there's no choice."