It took Serana a good day to travel all the way back into Haafinger, passing through Dragonbridge and turning left before Solitude to head towards the Icewater Jetty. She walked nearby Northwatch Keep, which had been regarrisoned by the Thalmor, probably following Nero's 'visit' all that time ago. She thought it best to steer clear of them, and head straight for the boat. Once there, she dismounted and patted her horse which turned to head home. She then pushed the boat out and rowed across the water towards the island.

Castle Volkihar rose up above it into the clouds, looking dark and gloomy as ever. It was a strange thing, to be so sinister looking, and yet to have once felt like home to her. Those days were long gone though.

The boat slid up into the soil, and Serana carefully stepped out onto the beach and began making her way up to the castle. Remnants of gargoyles lay scattered about on the bridge; the remains from the battle when they came to storm the castle and face her father.

The front entrance was still a massive gaping hole from where Nero had blown it open with his Thu'um. She walked through and out of the cold northern winds, her heels making a tapping noise on the cold stone beneath her with each step. It was dark. Too dark for an ordinary person but she could see. The main hall. The tables. The throne. At least what was left of them. Looking down on them, she closed her eyes, and an old memory came to her.

The human flesh on the table looked utterly revolting. These were people, she thought, silently. She couldn't voice these thoughts, her father would scold her and her mother would lecture her on how they are simply sheep, just cattle. Food for them to feast on.

Serana didn't want to disappoint her mother... and being a vampire was an honour for their worship. But...

Pictures came to her head. Of a farmer. A soldier. A child. Multiple people. And then she looked at the meat spread across the tables of Castle Volkihar. People. Prey.

She picked up a piece of meat, bared her fangs, closed her eyes, and fed.

Serana opened her eyes agai, and it was dark. The smashed and broken tables were bare, and it was cold. She took a breath, and moved on.

"Mother?!" she called out, hoping for a response and searching for movement anywhere.

Suddenly, a swarm of bats flew past her and came together a few metres behind her to form a figure.

"Well, look who's come home."

Valerica stepped out of the darkness and drew her hood down to reveal herself. Serana felt herself tense only slightly, but she forced herself to let it down.

"You've returned from your honeymoon," said Valerica, "I hope the Sun was nice."

She chuckled at her own joke and Serana glared, "it''s good to see you too Mother."

"Quite, daughter. Though it could admittedly be in better conditions. The way your 'friends' ransacked this place, and it must've been your husband who blew the door open."

"Well it was that or we knock kindly, and somehow I don't think father would've us in."

"Indeed. Still, your husband could've been a bit more... considerate. It's not that I don't love living with the snow blowing into the hall but... I don't love it. Anyway, you're here. Some good news you've come to tell me?"

Serana remembered that, "yes. The potion, your potion, it... it worked."

"Of course it did, I am a master of herbs and alchemy, dear."

Serana was slightly stunned by her reaction, or lack of reaction if anything.

"You're not happy?" she asked her mother.

"Of course I am dear, I'm very happy for you. You'll finally be starting your own family, I couldn't be happier."

You don't sound it, thought she didn't voice that thought.

"Well thank you for telling me. I suppose now you're wondering about baby names? I could tell you a few that have run in our family, on my side of course. There was my father, Virani-"

"I want to get cured."

Serana watched the gravity of her outburst weigh over her Mother, who stayed silent for a moment, dinking her words all in one.

"Excuse me?"

"I... want to get cured."

"Why? What would make you want that?"

Serana tried to think of the best way to put it, "I just... I don't want to be a vampire anymore. It's not me, not who I am. And you're the only person I know who can help me."

She realised that was probably the best way to put it, and watched it sink in as her mother was silent for a moment, before speaking up.

"Come with me, dear."

Seana followed he mothe through the now lit castle, eventually coming to an open doorway that led into the courtyard.

"You... you cleared the doorway? Cleaned out the debris?"

"Well, it's not like your father is around here to argue now is he?"

She led them into the large courtyard, where she and Nero had come to when they were first looking for her, in order to find the elder scroll. Felt like a lifetime ago. It took a moment though for Serana to register, bu she did. The colours. Her mother had been tending the garden again.

"Oh... wow."

She went down the stairs and looked around the flowers and bushes.

"Mother, it's... it's beautiful."

"Do you remember when you used to come out here with me, help me with the flowers?"

Serana smiled, looking back on a fond memory for the first time since she got there.

She knelt down to examine a flower in the soil, about to bloom, "it's just like how it used to be."

"Out here, Serana, you could tell me anything. Now tell me why you want to stop being a vampire."

Serana looked up from the flower to her mother, then stood up and turned to face her directly.

"Ever since I woke up, since Nero woke me up... I've finally gained perspective on my family and my life, and it's... it's made me realise who I am."

Valerica listened silently and intently, something Serana wasn't expecting.

"And... Nero isn't a vampire. He's not..."

"Immortal?" finished Valerica.

"Yes-"

"I knew that idiot had something to do with this-"

"NO! Mother! He's not... he didn't choose this. I am."

Valerica kept on listening.

"I'm immortal, mother, and Nero's not. Which means one day, sooner or later, he'll... he'll..."

"Die?"

Serana nodded.

"But I won't," she continued, "I'll live on. Live on knowing the man I love is gone, and I'm still here."

"Serana, you are a daughter of Coldharbour, you have this blood. Why not turn him too? Why must you make the change?"

"Because I don't want to be immortal either."

Valerica went silent again, before speaking up.

"Serana, do you know why this garden is so beautiful? Because I tend to it every day, without fault, not forgetting. Its beauty lasts because I am always here for it, and that will never change. Not again. I saw what it was like after you told me Harkon was gone. Horrible. These plants, this place, it is what it is because I am always here. Its beauty survives because I do. Why would you want to give such a precious gift away?"

"Well, Mother... A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts. And I want just one beautiful life with Nero, rather than face the rest of eternity alone. He's the man I love, and I want to spend a good, mortal life with him. Will you help me?"

Valerica went silent again, swallowing her daughter's words, until finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she spoke.

"Very well, Serana. If you're sure this is what you want, I will help you."

Serana couldn't contain herself, and went to her mother, wrapping her arms around her instantly. Valerica was a bit taken aback but eventually put a hand on Serana's back, and smiled.

"Thank you," said Serana.

"Alright dear, don't get too teary eyed now, it won't be fun doing this."

Serana let go of her mother, "so you can do it? There's a way?"

"Dear, I am your mother. When I am here, there is always a way."

Author's Notes:

Sincerest apologies for the wait. One month turned into two, turned into three...

But we're here now! I also wanted to thank my readers just for joining me this far. The fact that there are still those of you out there following this story is just great. Thank you, you guys! To you!

Also, read a few comments (thank you guys!) and felt bad for not answering so here we go: Question: why does Serana not become a werewolf to get cured. Answer: This would be a possibly viable option maybe in the game, but in the story, since no one has done it before, Serana opts to go straight to her Mother because she doesn't know what would or wouldn't work and is worried that Falion could only cure her so much, and by that I mean in the game, if Serana gets cured, she still wears her hood outside and her eyes are still slighty bright, which might just be a coding and/or design mistake, but I'm taking it as it's not so effective because Serana has been a vampire lord (or lady? :/) for centuries, so she needs something a little more specific to get cured, hence why she's gone to her mother). *and breathe*

Also earlier earlier questions, Nero is not Emperor, though he has met the Emperor. Again, this follows the Legends of the Dovahkiin storyline by ss3dj, a brilliant fanfiction and the prequel to this story which, if you haven't read, I HEAVILY recommend going and checking out.

Alright! All that aside, I'll get to work on the next one fairly soon, but Uni work is a bit hectic right now and I just finished a big project week (basicaly hell). If and when things calm down I'll work more on this, but if they don't (because that's what adult life seems to be, yay grown-ups) I'll try and make time for this.

Dragon Language:

None Used

Characters:

Valerica : the mother of Serana and wife of Harkon. In the Dawnguard DLC she has the elder scroll in the Soul Cairn, and you and Serana have to go get it. She had a vibe of not trusting you whether you let Serana soul trap you or changed into a vampire. She and Serana have a complicated relationship, but slowly it's getting better.

Thank you for reading! and if there's any more questions, go ahead and drop a review, I;m definitely not *always* reading them