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Dragonheart: Of Black Wings Unfurled	By : Lady_Kae Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Skyrim Views: 15055 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used from the game TES: Skyrim. All characters and game related material, save for original content, is property of their respective owners and no money is being made from this fiction.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
A/N: Holy crap! I got another chapter up before the new year! Woot! Back into swing again! Hope you all enjoy, and I'm setting up for another couple in this chapter XD...Then again, I'm setting up a lot in this story that may or may not be cannon to the series. The next couple of chapters are going to be fairly action heavy, and one of them I've had written for over a year, waiting for the right time to fit it in XD I can't wait! Again, I hope you all enjoy!

~Kae

Chapter 9: Home again, home again. Jiggidy jog

Isran was waiting rather impatiently for Tarrowlyn. It had been only a week and a half since he had left her and her shield brothers in Morthal, and she had told him it would be near a month before she arrived, that she had other business that she had needed to attend to. Had she already taken care of most of it? He gave the Harbinger a black look as she entered the torture room. “ As I told you, this vampire showed up while you were away.” His eyes cut back murderously to Serana. “ I can only assume it’s the one you found in Dimhollow Crypt. It…”

“ She…” Tarrowlyn interrupted with a snarl.
If looks could kill, Tarrowlyn would have been dust on the wind for the look that Isran gave her. “...says its got something really important to tell you.” Isran growled, thoroughly displeased with Tarrowlyn. He sighed after a moment when Tarrowlyn didn’t appear to back down. Vampires were not to be trusted, and yet the Harbinger was treating it as if it were still human. As if it were worthy of her trust and friendship.
The only thing human about it was its appearance.
Naivety like that would get Tarrowlyn killed.
Isran looked back over to Serana. “ So let’s hear it.” he whispered, knowing that probably nothing would change Tarrowlyn’s mind.
Serana turned her warm ruby eyes over to Tarrowlyn and she gave her a weak smile. She hadn’t fed in three days, but in hindsight, she had gone much longer without. “ You probably weren’t expecting to see me again all things considered.” she said, her voice tired. She hadn’t slept in the last week for fear that one of the Dawnguard would kill her.
Tarrowlyn instantly crossed the distance over to Serana and she grabbed the other woman by her shoulders. “ What in the gods names are you doing here?!” she whispered worriedly, her green eyes locked to the vampiress’ red ones. “ It’s like a lamb walking into a lion’s den! You could have been killed!”
Serana cut a glance over to Isran for a brief moment. “ I’d rather not be here…” she began turning her gaze back to Tarrowlyn. It was full of trepidation, and it flowed from her to Tarrowlyn in an instant. “...but I needed to talk to you. Just listen to what I have to say before you friend here loses his patience…”
Both Tarrowlyn and Isran growled at that comment. They were certainly not friends of any sort. More like uneasy allies with a newfound similar cause.
Not only that, Isran would be dead if he dared make a single untoward move towards Serana. Tarrowlyn had more of a kinship with her than she ever would with Isran.
“ It’s about me.” Serana’s head hung low. “ About the elder scroll I was buried with.” She remembered Tarrowlyn asking her about the scroll during their hike to Volkihar Castle. She couldn’t tell her then, unsure of where the woman’s allegiance would truly lie. Serana had known her father would offer her the chance to become like them, to offer to turn her into a vampire stronger than any known before hand. Once Tarrowlyn had proven that she wouldn’t simply accept power for her own gains, Serana knew that this woman would be a steadfast ally in the fight that was to come. “ It all comes back to my father.”
“ Harkon…” Tarrowlyn growled.
Serana’s lip quirked despite her somber mood. She recalled how Tarrowlyn had not given any verbal quarter when Harkon spoke to her, and how brazen she had been. It had been a very long time since she had seen anyone stand up to her father like that. “ I’m relatively sure it was obvious, but my father’s not a good person, even by vampire standards.” she explained, if only for Isran’s sake.
“ Anyone with a solid head on their shoulders could have told you that, Ser.” Tarrowlyn quipped with a smirk. She wasn’t about to sugarcoat how much of an ass she thought Harkon to be.
A slight snort caught both their attention and the women looked over to Isran. He was turned towards the wall while covering his mouth.
Serana sighed heavily as she leaned against the wall once she adjusted the scroll. “ He wasn’t always like that though. There was…” Serana’s bottom lip quivered a bit as she recalled memories of when her family used to be happy. She shook her head as if to clear the thoughts that were quickly coming to the fore and she furrowed her brow, trying to find the right words. “...a turn. He stumbled onto an obscure prophecy and lost himself inside of it.”
Tarrowlyn’s brow furrowed. As a former college student, she had always fancied herself familiar with prophecies of old. However, no such divination in relation to vampires spurred her memory, stumping the redhead quite profoundly. “ What kind of prophecy are we talking here Serana?” she asked.
Serana scoffed. “ Like all prophecies, pointless and vague. The part he latched onto was that vampires would no longer need to fear the sun.” she replied, her heart heavy. She swallowed hard, as she looked between the two with her. “ That’s what he’s after. To control the sun...To have vampires control the world.”
Tarrowlyn swallowed hard herself at that realization. She was about to say something when Serana stopped her, as she wasn’t done speaking herself just yet.
“ My mother and I didn’t feel like inviting a war with all of Tamriel, so we tried to stop him. That’s why I was sealed away with the scroll.” Serana finished.
Tarrowlyn nodded, finally understanding a little of what was going on at this point. What would Harkon need with an Elder Scroll though? What could he possibly gain from it? “ You took a huge risk in coming here, Ser…” she whispered low enough that the redguard in the room with them could not hear her.
Serana scowled openly at that statement. Her safety was secondary to that of the entire world. “ I’m sorry...I heard that there were vampire hunters here. I thought that they might want to know about a vampire plot to enslave the rest of world.” Her gaze narrowed harshly on Tarrowlyn’s as the other woman had the grace to look ashamed for thinking of only her friend’s safety as opposed to the rest of the known world’s. “ Was I wrong?”
Tarrowlyn shook her head. “ No, you weren’t Serana. We just have to convince the others that you’re on our side.” she whispered as she looked right at Isran. Convince the man in charge and the others would follow.
“ We should get a move on then.” Serana added as she too looked over to Isran. The redguard was staring at her with abject hatred burning brightly in his dark eyes. “ I’m nothing if not persuasive.”
Tarrowlyn turned to Isran and she scowled openly at the look he was giving Serana. He had heard everything that she had said, and still he looked as if he was going to try for a killing blow. Well, Tarrowlyn mused irately, he was going to have to get through her first and she was sure that his head would be rolling before he had a chance to take three steps.
“ We’ve heard what it has to say. So tell me, is there any other reason why I shouldn’t kill this blood sucking bitch right now?” Isran snarled hatefully.
Tarrowlyn snarled as well as she crossed the short distance between them to get nose to nose with the man. It was a bit of a challenge considering their height difference. “ She is not a bitch. And I guarantee you that if she did kill anyone, it was a group of bandits and not good, law abiding citizens. Unlike most vampires, she has a sense of right and wrong. She won’t attack the innocent, Isran! Set your damn hatred aside and see the bigger picture here dammit!” Tarrowlyn bellowed.
Isran’s nostrils flared a bit even as he bared teeth, trying to look intimidating. “ Set aside my hatred?” he echoed, his voice just shy of being raised. “ Not a chance.” His voice was barely a strained whisper as he spoke. “ It’s what keeps me strong.”
Tarrowlyn turned away as her eyes flashed golden in her exasperation with Isran’s blind malice. Tala was getting just as worked up because of Tarrowlyn’s ire. “ You don’t trust her? Fine.” she replied. She took a few calming breaths. “ If you want to trust anyone, trust me. I believe her, Isran. Serana has never given me pause to doubt her at all. She could have killed me countless times, but she didn’t. She came here, knowing it could have meant her death, to warn you about what her father was up to. To selflessly, quite possibly, sacrifice herself if it meant you were able to get a step ahead of Harkon. Does that sound like a mindless, bloodsucking bitch to you?!” Tarrowlyn felt Serana put her hand on her shoulder to calm her down, and she looked over to her. She had been full of worry ever for her ever since she had woken up on the other side of Ice Water Jetty. She wasn’t going to give Isran the chance to kill her. Serana was leaving with her,tonight, and staying with Tarrowlyn at Lakeview. “ That sounds like what a decent person would do if you ask me.” she finished softly.
While he didn’t want to admit it, Isran did in fact trust Tarrowlyn’s judgement. What really rankled him even further was that what she had said in that vampire’s defence was correct. It could have killed Tarrowlyn many times over when they had been traveling together. It had indeed walked into the viper’s pit with every intention of possibly dying even if it meant passing on its warning. It had even brought the Elder Scroll with it, effectively keep the scroll away from its maker. He shut his eyes, unable to believe what he was getting ready to say. “ You had better know what you’re doing, Harbinger.” he growled out lowly. He looked over to Serana and he exhaled slowly.
It killed him a little inside that they actually were going to need its help.
“ It can stay for now, but if it so much as lays a finger on anyone here, I’ll hold you responsible Dragonheart. Got it?” Isran said, his voice soft.
“ Crystal, Isran.” Tarrowlyn replied.
Isran looked directly over to Serana and he furrowed his brow in his distaste. “ And you. Don’t feel like a guest, you’re not. You’re an asset, a resource. In the meantime, don’t make me regret my sudden outburst of tolerance and generosity. If you do, you’re friend here is going to pay for it.”
Serana huffed a little indignantly at that. “ Thank you for your kindness. I’ll be sure to remember that the next time I’m feeling hungry.” she quipped. She barely saw Tarrowlyn smirk smugly at her cheek. If anything, the two were two peas in a pod with how similar they reacted to adversity. Both couldn’t help but smile as Isran snarled and stalked away as Serana turned to speak to Tarrowlyn again. “ In case if you didn’t notice the giant thing on my back, I have the Elder Scroll with me. Whatever it says, it’ll have something that we can use to stop my father.” She slid the scroll from her back and handed it to Tarrowlyn a moment.
Tarrowlyn’s hands shook even as she held it in her grasp, unable to believe that she was truly holding something thought to be only legend.
“ Of course…” Serana drawled despondently. “... neither of us can read it.”
Tarrowlyn’s brow furrowed a little. She couldn’t quite remember the name of the men who could. She had skimmed over that part of her lore learning back in her college days. Something she was regretting at this point. “ Who can then?”
Serana smiled a little as Tarrowlyn handed the scroll back to her. “ Moth priests are the only ones that I’ve heard of that can do it, but they spend years preparing themselves before they start reading though.” she answered. “ Not that it helps us any either however. They’re all half a continent away in Cyrodiil.”
Isran popped back in to the room at that exact moment, holding a rather bloody cut of meat and he all but tossed the platter to the vampire. “ Here...Not to eavesdrop, but some imperial scholar arrived in Skyrim a few days ago. I won’t say exactly what I was doing, but I did see him pass by. Maybe that’s your moth priest?” Isran offered.
Serana’s eyes went wide in excitement with the useful information. “ Do you know where he’s staying now?” she asked. She then looked down to the platter and she smiled a little softly. While Isran would claim it was self preservation at its finest that he was feeding her, it was actually a rather thoughtful gesture on his part. “ Thank you by the way.”
Isran didn’t answer her thanks. He didn’t need to. “ No, and I’m not going to waste men looking. We’re fighting a war against your kind and I intend to win it.” he said tersely. He crossed his arms, attempting to look intimidating as he leaned against the wall. “ You want to find him? Try asking anyone that would have seen a traveler. Innkeepers and carriage drivers. You’re on your own.” With that being said, Isran stalked back out of the room, this time with Tarrowlyn and Serana not too far behind him.
Serana turn towards the door that would take them outside for now. She wasn’t too keen on hearing the rest of Isran’s groups reaction when they learned just who they were allied with now.
Tarrowlyn chuckled as she looked to her right. “ So, any ideas?”
Serana laughed as she shook her head. “ You’re incorrigible, you know that? Let me eat first and then we’ll strategize.”

Tarrowlyn was scowling as she and Serana spoke of their options for information. While the carriage drivers and innkeepers were their best bet, Serana had mentioned possibly going to the college. Her reasoning was spot on, Tarrowlyn was guilty of such behavior herself in her college days, but she was trying to avoid the place like the plague.

The only downside was that Serana was pushing the point like a dog worries a bone.
“ I don’t want to go by the college Ser. My reasons are my own.” Tarrowlyn grumbled as she pretended to look through her knapsack for something.
“ Tarrowlyn, if someone there hurt you, you’ll have me there with you...You can do this.” Serana said supportively.
Tarrowlyn shook her head. “ I wasn’t raped by anyone at the college Serana.” she said softly. “ I…” Tarrowlyn paused and she shook her head, knowing that Serana wouldn’t believe her if she were to tell her the truth. Farkas was one story. He was the only one who knew, though Sigrid in Riverview might have a pretty decent idea as to what had happened to her as well. “ Never mind.”
A gentle hand on her shoulder brought her gaze upwards and Serana smiled supportively. “ You can talk to me, Tarrowlyn. About anything. You defended my existence to the man who should be my mortal enemy by all rights. Even if it seems outlandish, just remember I probably spent nearly a millenia locked away in that monolith.” she reasoned.
Tarrowlyn worried her bottom lip a little as she looked off to the side. “ I used to be a college student, but not in this time Serana. I come from the year 189 of the twelfth era. I had outlined an experiment…” she began, smiling ruefully. “...The Archmage’s rules were more about safety than anything. If you could not find the means to protect everyone involved, you were on your own. My experiment was deemed too dangerous and the archmage refused to send anyone else with me despite the fact that I did need assistance. I was cocky, headstrong...I was sure that every single calculation was flawless.” Tarrowlyn got to her feet, walking over to the side of the battlements and she rested her elbows on the ledge there. “ I was so wrong…I went to the dwemer ruin of Mzulft, using their oculary there to transform filtered starlight into raw magicka. I was hoping to use it to supercharge a mirror made of quicksilver that I would have used to look into the past with, safely combining the science of the dwemer and the magicka known to man and mer by that point.
“ The device malfunctioned, rather spectacularly I might add, and it exploded, leaving me with these scars here. Raw magicka flowed right over me, and when I woke, I was near the foot of the Jerralls, and being transported on a wagon with war criminals. Do you remember that war of succession I was telling you of?” A quiet nod answered Tarrowlyn and she looked skyward for a moment. It was peaceful up here, away from all the hullabaloo downstairs. It held none of the tranquil serenity that Lakeview or Morthal had however. “ I was supposed to have been executed alongside Ulfric Stormcloak and his high ranking officers. That very day was when the whole mess with the dragons started.” she finished quietly. A sudden guilt surged through her. What if Tarrowlyn was the reason that the dragons were making such a resurgence, now along with the vampires as well? What if she was to blame for everything that was going wrong with this time altogether?
Serana took a moment to absorb what it was Tarrowlyn was saying. It was highly likely that Serana hadn’t been freed in the time Tarrowlyn had come from, that Harkon had never gotten his hands on the scroll. That didn’t mean that she wouldn’t have been released however. Their destinies had been interwoven the moment Tarrowlyn had been born. “ I believe you, Tarrowlyn. Akatosh obviously has made plans for you. And if I know you as well as I think I do by now, then you will succeed in meeting the destiny he has in store for you. We’ll stick to the carriages and inns for now. We’ll only go to the college if we truly don’t have another alternative.” Serana said supportively. She tucked a loose lock of crimson behind Tarrowlyn’s ear, smiling softly. The gesture was quite sisterly and the smile on Serana’s face broadened. She never had any siblings, but Serana knew that Tarrowlyn was the closest to a sister that she would ever have. They were two sides of the same coin, a werewolf and a vampire, and they had found kinship with one another. Their banter was mostly light and playful at times. Serana had already seen Tarrowlyn rip into more than one man who had had the misfortune of igniting her temper.
She wasn’t all that keen to add herself to that list.
Tarrowlyn turned her head enough to look at Serana. “ Thank you Serana...I needed that…” she said graciously. The smile on her face, while small, was full of genuine sincerity. Noise from down below caught both their attention and Tarrowlyn scowled a bit as Isran’s words echoed in her mind. “However, don’t think for one second I’m allowing you to stay here with a bunch of vampire hunters. You’re coming home with me.”
Serana laughed a little at that proclamation. “ That works out. I’ve been wanting to get out and explore a bit anyways.”

Tarrowlyn and Serana set out that night. Their first stop was Riften and Tarrowlyn went to the inn to speak to Kerava while Serana questioned the carriage driver. Neither were able to glean anything useful. They hoofed it towards Falkreath after that, and both used the cover of darkness to use other means to travel faster.

Serana held on tight to the red fur that currently covered Tarrowlyn, a broad smile on her face. She had not been expecting this to be as fun as it was, riding on the back of a werewolf! Tarrowlyn’s tongue was dangling out of her mouth, flopping wildly in the wind at the speed she was currently moving through the wood at. She was coming up on the path near Ivarstead and she skidded to a stop, looking towards the town.
Serana leaned over a little. “ What is it?” she whispered.
“ I’m deciding on whether I need to go ahead and complete an errand that’s in this village or continue with what we’re doing.” Tarrowlyn answered, her brow tight and a soft whine escaped from her throat. She wanted to get back home to her family…
Serana gave Tarrowlyn a soft scratch behind her ear as she smiled. The were’s leg thumped softly in reaction to the scratch, forcing the vampire to stifle a giggle. At least Serana had always been a dog person. “ It can wait a little longer. We only have another two hours or so until sunrise Tarrowlyn. Neither of us know how long you’re transformation’s going to hold on the same note.”
Tarrowlyn’s hackles raised in a wolfish grin as she started running with renewed vigor towards Falkreath hold and Lakeview Manor. “ Home again, home again. Jiggidy jog.” she panted.

Farkas’ nose twitched a little as he slept, though two familiar scents were bringing him to wakefulness. One was decidedly Tarrowlyn, and if he didn’t know any better, she had transformed into her wolf form not that long ago. The other, and it roused Farkas to full alert, was the smell of a vampire in their home with them.

Farkas didn’t even bother with a shirt as he grabbed Wuuthrad, the giant axe that had belonged to Ysgramor himself, from its display on the bedroom wall and he jumped from the middle of the stairs to the floor. In an instant, he had the vampire pinned against the greenhouse doors, the blade of the axe just barely biting into her flesh.
“ FARKAS! NO! STAND DOWN!” Tarrowlyn cried in dismay. “ Her name is Serana, Farkas. She’s with me!”
Farkas’ eyes were swirling between blue and golden as he locked gazes with the vampiress in his grasp. “ No tricks? She’s really a traveling companion?” he growled out in question.
“ Let her down Farkas. I’ll explain everything shortly, alright? Please darling, don’t hurt her.” Tarrowlyn pleaded. She finally managed to turn his gaze to her and she smoothed her chilled hand over his stubbled cheek. “ She’s my friend, Farkas... I wouldn’t have brought her here if I thought she was a danger to any of us.”
Farkas slowly lowered the axe away from Serana’s throat, his gaze slowly turning back to the woman he had pinned to the door. “ She’s like Marri then?” he asked slowly.
“ Not exactly. She doesn’t want to be cured, but the two of us met back when I had to run that favor for the Dawnguard last month. I met her in Dimhollow...Her father’s the reason that the vampire’s are making such a resurgence.” Tarrowlyn explained, her tone gentle. “ She wants to help me, and the Dawnguard in a sense, by keeping what he seeks from him.”
“ Is she telling me the truth, or do you have her bewitched in someway?” Farkas asked Serana directly.
“ It’s the truth, I swear it!” Serana wheezed. Farkad had partially transformed his hand and the inch long claws were digging harshly into her throat. “ If I had bitten her to make her a thrall, she wouldn’t be a werewolf any longer! She just transformed an hour ago to get us here faster!” It was a huge strain to speak, Farkas’ grip was so tight. Tarrowlyn was doing all she could to force him to release her. She looked into Farkas’ fury filled sapphire gaze. There was something familiar about those eyes, something that made her heart race a little. It couldn’t have been him...Serana was sure he wasn’t this tall.
What was that man’s name again? The one she had met outside of Whiterun?
Farkas slowly and reluctantly let Serana down and she collapsed to the floor in shock. His conscience was already trying to admonish him, but he refused to feel guilty. The children’s safety came first and foremost. Tarrowlyn would have attacked much in the same way he had, just with more style. “ My children had better not be harmed while you’re here.” he growled out menacingly.
“ They won’t be, I swear.” she whispered, rubbing at her throat. Why did he look familiar and not at the same time? She was almost certain they had met! She would remember eyes that blue anywhere! What did he say his name was again? Tarrowlyn had called him Farkas, but Serana distinctly remembered it beginning with a ‘v’.
Varkas? Gods no...Valkar? Virkas? Serana’s eyes went wide in remembrance. “ I thought your name was Vilkas…”
Wuuthrad thunked rather heavily against the stone floor in the man’s utter surprise at hearing this vampire say his twin’s given name. Slowly Farkas turned back to look at Serana and he got level with her on the floor.
" How do you know my brother’s name?” he asked carefully. Vilkas had already met her and hadn’t killed her? Why hadn’t he said anything to Farkas about her? Dammit! Now he did feel bad for reacting as harshly as he had to her!
“ Brother?” Serana mouthed and she looked up at Tarrowlyn for answers.
Tarrowlyn’s hands rested on Farkas’ shoulders a moment with a gentle squeeze. “ Don’t beat yourself up, darling.” she murmured. “ Farkas and Vilkas are twin brothers Serana. I’m at a loss as to how you met Vilkas already. He joined us in Morthal and he’s been at Jorrvaskr since.”
Farkas’ head shot up. “ Wait a second! The woman that saved his ass from the saber cat! That was you!” he said. Vilkas had told both he and Valdimar about this gorgeous woman with reddish brown eyes while the three of them had scoped the property that Windstad Manor would be built on. Well, considering that Serana’s eyes were nearly rust colored at the moment, it was safe to assume it was she that Vilkas was enamored with.
How many women in Skyrim could honestly have red-brown eyes?
Serana smiled almost fondly at the memory. “ He was hauling a deer over his shoulders as he went back to town...I had asked for him directions to the Rift, and he was worried about me catching a chill in the storm. I didn’t realize he was talking about you when he mentioned his brother’s fiance Tarrowlyn. My goodness...Such a small world we live in…” Serana chuckled.
Farkas couldn’t help but smirk. “ Maybe we should head back to Whiterun soon.” he whispered suggestively to Tarrowlyn.
“ Tomorrow night, but first I need to go see Valga Vinicia at Dead Man’s Drink. Serana and I are looking for someone...I’ll explain in the morning. Time is not on our side right at the moment.” Tarrowlyn replied, removing her rucksack from her shoulders. “ In the meantime Farkas, can you please check the cellar for any spare furniture? We’re going to set Serana up down there until we can hollow out a space livable enough in the mountainside for her.”
Farkas nodded as he plucked Wuuthrad up from the stone floor and he stretched a bit as he headed back upstairs. “ Let me grab a shirt and my boots and I’ll head on down. You get into town to see what information you can glean. See you in a few hours?”
Tarrowlyn nodded in answer as she smiled. “ Can I trust the both of you to behave?” she inquired mirthfully.
Farkas chuckled as he leaned down and in to give her a kiss. “ Yes love. I’ll behave. If you trust her that explicitly, then I will as well. Breakfast will be ready by the time you get back. You’re going to eat and rest before both of you even think of leaving again.” he said, not brooking for any opposition from his wife to be. “ You should come down with me Serana. Daybreak is almost here.”
Serana nodded and she looked over to Tarrowlyn with a small smile. “ Be safe. I’ll see you soon. Any warnings I need about the kids?”
Tarrowlyn shook her head. “ Nothing that I can think of to be honest. You’ll be fine. I should be back soon. Let Farkas know I’m probably going to hunt down some game while I’m out and about please?” She grabbed her quiver and bow again, adjusting the positions of both until they were comfortable.
“ I heard you easily enough Tarrowlyn!” came the reply from upstairs.
Both women laughed at that and Serana sighed. “ Thank you...For everything Tarrowlyn. I’m blessed to have your friendship.” she said softly.
Tarrowlyn returned the smile and she used two fingers to motion upstairs. “ You’re more than welcome Serana. I have plenty of dresses if you would like your clothing washed. By Stendarr, you’re still in the same things I found you in.” she replied with a small laugh. “ I’ll be back before midday and I’ll tend to everything that we’ll need to do before we leave for Whiterun. And please, no matter how much she begs, don’t teach Lucia any magick.”
Serana chortled. “ She’s been harassing you about it still?” the vampiress asked, smiling brightly. She followed Tarrowlyn towards the stairs as Farkas stepped out of their bedroom, tying off a black jerkin that tugged tightly at his shoulders. Serana hadn’t realized the height and strength difference between the two brothers until she saw it for herself.
“ Don’t be too long or you’ll be burning up. I’ll be waiting in the antechamber off of the main hall near the armory in the back.” Farkas said in passing.
“ I’ll be down as soon as I change Farkas.” Serana replied.
Tarrowlyn closed the door behind them as Serana took a seat on the bed. “ I have just the thing for you, believe it or not. I haven’t worn it all that much, as I look too sallow while wearing it, but this should look amazing on you.” Tarrowlyn chattered as she pulled a burgundy red dress from the armoire. “ Take whichever pair of boots strikes your fancy. I’m fairly sure we’re the same size. There’s a small table near the bookshelf that has a brush and the like. Feel free to freshen up while you’re here.”
Serana watched with a small smile as Tarrowlyn bustled herself right out of the room, and she turned towards the dress on the bed. It was simple, nothing at all like the silks and fancy embroidered gowns that she had grown up with as a princess. In its own unique way, it was rather lovely, and Serana peeled her filthy clothing away. There was a wash basin near where Tarrowlyn had told her about the brush and she cleaned up as best as she could using it.
Now that she really thought on it, Serana would kill to have a nice hot bath again. She hadn’t had one in over a millenia.
Serana went through the ablutions of getting presentable, and she dried herself using the terry cloth that Tarrowlyn had nearby. While it wasn’t much, at least her face no longer had any grime or muck on it. She eased into the dress and tied it off in the back. It was wonderfully comfortable to wear, and Serana peaked down at her bare toes with a silly grin. It had been years since she had been able to go anywhere barefoot…
With a small shrug, Serana crossed back over to the wardrobe and she looked between the six or seven pairs of leather boots that Tarrowlyn had. She was right that they were about the same size, and Serana plucked up a pair of nice, dark knee high boots. She loved this particular style.
She exited the bedroom and Serana found Farkas easily enough. He was talking to two other adults that had made a quick appearance.
“ Four weeks?” said a blond man as he stroked his chin pensively. “ I think we can manage that, Farkas. Figure what, ten feet high by eighteen wide? Add another room or two in there? One for an office area, and the other her bedroom?”
“ I was thinking the same...Oh, there you are. Sinding, Rayya...This is Serana, a friend of Tarrowlyn’s who’s helping her out. Tarrowlyn’s probably trying to keep her as far from the Dawnguard as possible.” Farkas said with a small smile. He could see why his brother might be as attracted to her as he was, though Farkas doubted Vilkas knew that Serana was a nightwalker.
Well, it’d be funnier than anything to actually get the drop on him for once, Farkas mused as he began going over Tarrowlyn’s current plan of action now that there was a new resident at Lakeview Manor.

Vilkas was looking over the requests that had just come in with Aela when Farkas came bursting into Tarrowlyn’s quarters. “ I wasn’t expecting to see you back so soon.” Vilkas said disinterestedly. He was honestly trying to figure out if this was a job for the circle to handle or not.

“ Tarrowlyn had to see the Dawnguard sooner than she would have liked.” Farkas quipped as he looked over Vilkas’ shoulder. “ Another request?”
Vilkas nodded. “ It’s unlike anything we’ve gotten in the past however. Is Tarrowlyn here with you or is she off in the field still?” Vilkas inquired. Something didn’t feel right about this…
“ Find and decimate a vampire nest near South Dragon Bridge? Who do they think we are?” Farkas grumbled. “ She’s at the in making an inquiry of Hulda at the moment. The two of us have a third companion joining us tonight. I’ll be heading for Windstad either tonight or tomorrow by the way.”
Movement from behind him drew Farkas’ attention and he turned to look over at Aela. “ What if it’s a lure for Tarrowlyn? The Dawnguard has made no attempt to hide the fact that they’re uneasy allies of the Companions.” Aela said sagely as she too leaned over the Harbinger’s desk. Her brow was creased tightly in her worry. “ This is not a job for a single companion. If the Harbinger decides to take this on herself, one of us need to be with her.”
Farkas and Vilkas both nodded in agreement.
“ Why does anyone need to be with me?” Tarrowlyn asked as she entered the room with someone else.
The other person’s face was shrouded enough for none of them to see her face; Vilkas couldn’t help but take notice that she was one hundred percent female with a bosom like that. That’s when the smell of her reached their noses. Vilkas remembered this scent all too well when he, Farkas, and Tarrowlyn had cleared the vampire lair in the marshes of Hjaalmarch. Both Vilkas and Aela reacted at the offputting scent the stranger brought with her, moving to draw their weapons with astounding speed.
“ Both of you stand down!” Tarrowlyn boomed authoritatively. When both of them lowered their weapons, Tarrowlyn couldn’t hide the mischievous smile that she sent her brother in law’s way. “ It’s bad form to draw your weapon on the woman that saved your life, brother.” she cooed as Serana removed the hood blocking her features.
Vilkas’ very breath froze at seeing her again. While he had been wrong about the color of her hair the last time he had seen her; the lighting had been less than favorable after all, he wanted very much to run his fingers through the shining chestnut strands that flickered invitingly in the candlelight. Van was making his presence known again as well, his interest piqued by the unique smelling female in the room. She didn’t smell like rotting death like the others, but like the way a room full of old books smelled when he entered a record’s room of some sort. He had always loved that particular smell. She smelled like experience, knowledge. Not of blood, sorrow, and murder. “ A vampire?” he inquired.
Serana nodded. “ I can only figure the rain threw your smell off when we first met.” she admitted softly.
Vilkas swallowed hard as he gripped the desk before him. Again, the thought that this woman was beyond breathtaking flitted across his already scattered mind. Vilkas had never thought he’d see her again, but there she was, standing before him like a blessing from both Mara and Dibella.
He wasn’t sure he’d let her out of his sights again after this.
Aela’s hand slowly left her bow as she reached around for it. The twins and her Harbinger were completely at ease in her presence. Was there nothing to fear from her? “ To answer your question Harbinger…” Aela began as she moved over to the request they had gotten. “...This is why we were speaking of not allowing you to go alone.”
Tarrowlyn read over the short missive and her brow furrowed in displeasure. “ It’s a trap for me…” she commented lowly, a slight growl to her voice. “ This all but coincides with the information I got from Hulda a few moments ago.” She held the missive over the candlelight, and she allowed it to be consumed by the flame. “ I had no intentions of going alone. Serana was going to accompany me for this little venture before we found out that the guild’s being targeted now.” There was no doubt in her mind that the Companions were being targeted once more, though not by werewolf hunters.
By creatures like them in a sense. Creatures that normal humans didn’t want to try to understand out of fear and rumor.
Vilkas’ eyes narrowed as he looked to his brother. More than likely Hestla had told whoever she answered to about how the Companions ran things. It was good that he had trusted his gut on this attempted ruse. “ I’m coming along, if only to help keep up appearances. Ria and Athis are now full members of the Circle as you asked, though they still don’t know about any of us carrying the beastblood.”
Farkas’ brow quirked. “ I’m coming along as well, but only as far as Morthal. I left something with Valdimar that I need to pick up.” he explained, though it was a white lie at best. Vilkas knew why.
It was still a surprise for Tarrowlyn after all.
“ Get back to Lakeview the minute you’re done. Rayya and Sinding are there with little to no protection and they have a baby on the way.” Tarrowlyn ordered, though she kept mum about their two kids as well. Guilt, raw and untamed, ripped through her heart at how they had kept the knowledge from Vilkas all this time. No matter what, once this Moth priest was saved, Tarrowlyn was going to bring Vilkas along personally to Lakeview so that he could meet his niece and nephew. “ Aela, go get Ria and Athis. We need to have ourselves a little war meeting in the Underforge. I’ll go by Dragon’s Reach in the morning to speak to Irileth and the Jarl about preparing the city.”

Serana watched, positively held in awe, as Tarrowlyn discussed the new safety measures that the Companions were going to take. They had too many new recruits who were still wet behind the ears. Torvar was to teach them anything he knew about wielding heavy armors if they preferred it. Athis and Ria were in charge of a training regimin, one that would be fleshed out by all the older members of the Companions. Once Vilkas returned to Jorrvaskr, he was to take over those responsibilities, at least when it came to a two handed blade. Aela was in charge of making sure that no vampires or thralls infiltrated their ranks as Gemaine had done for the Silver hand. Farkas, in the time he was spending at Lakeview, was to smith sturdier armor for everyone, and Aela had promised to get all the measurements for him as soon as she could.

It was no wonder that Tarrowlyn had been chosen by her predecessor. She held an air of authority that the others were willing to follow. Serana had heard it said that the Harbinger was only supposed to be an advisor of sorts, that there hadn’t been any true leaders since Ysgramor himself.
How wrong they were. Yes, Tarrowlyn was asking for input from the other members of her circle, but they all trusted her judgement explicitly.
Tarrowlyn pointed to a sheet of paper, one that looked like it was a map of the city, and she spoke to Aela, Ria, and Athis specifically. They were the ones spending the most time in Whiterun after all. “ I want a new team each night patrolling the city with the guard. Ria, you’re sensitive to magicka as it stands, you’ll know when they're near. I want anyone who has a sensitivity to magicka paired with one who has stronger senses, such as smell, sight, or hearing. Aela, we have a few khajiit in our mix as well, correct?” Tarrowlyn asked. She hadn’t even realized that her entire posture and tone of voice had changed when she began speaking to everyone.
“ Yes Harbinger. Ki’Larra, and Raztungo.” Aela replied.
Tarrowlyn folded her fingers together a moment. “ Make sure those two are paired with one of the younger whelps each time. With their ability to see and hear better in the dark than we can, they’re absolutely invaluable at the moment. What are their strong suits?”
“ Ki’Larra is exceptionally skilled at duel wielding, Harbinger. She gives me a run for my money, and that isn’t an easy feat.” Athis said as he took a swig from his bottle of ale. “ Raztungo on the other hand...Well…”
Vilkas chuckled, sending excited chills down Serana’s spine at the sound. Now that she had had a chance to look at both of them carefully, Serana could see every difference between the twins. Farkas was taller and stockier than his brother, easily, though Vilkas was truly no slouch himself. Farkas was by far the biggest in the room however. He completely dwarfed Tarrowlyn in height, which was rather amusing in the rare affectionate gesture they would share every now and again. Vilkas wasn’t much shorter than his brother; the top of his head cleared Farkas’s eyes after all, but he had a more lithe, wiry frame as opposed to all the muscle Farkas had. That wasn’t to say that Vilkas wasn’t strong in his own right either. The blade he carried was almost the same weight he was.
The biggest difference between the two was their eyes. Farkas had steely blue orbs while Vilkas’ reminded Serana of an ice wraith, ready and waiting for the attack. They were an icy blue that gave off a chilling feel, unless you knew the man. Then that ice would melt and the warmth he allowed through was enough to make a woman’s heart run wild.
How would if feel for them to be turned on her, those gorgeous eyes nothing short of a blazing inferno? To see them locked to hers as they...
“ Raztungo, in the brief time I’ve had with him here, doesn’t use a weapon. He specializes in hand to hand, Harbinger.” Vilkas commented wryly, breaking Serana's train of thought.
Tarrowlyn shook her head, her brow pinched tight in her uneasiness at that reply. “ I don’t want any Companion fighting in such close quarters with a vampire. I don’t care if they’re not human, it doesn’t mean that they can’t turn. Aela, see if you can convince him to take up the bow at least.”
“ Yes Harbinger.” came the steadfast reply.
Serana smiled as she watched them. They had known each other a long time, had fought beside one another more times than they could probably remember. They were a family, something that Serana had sorely missed. Her eyes fell on Vilkas again, half hearing him as he explained something technical about the route that Tarrowlyn had come up with. There was something about him that made her stomach do flips…
As if he knew those garnet colored orbs were on him, Vilkas met Serana’s gaze on the other side of the Underforge. A small grin crossed his face as he looked away a moment, only to glance up once more, finding her blushing at being caught. He kept his own cheeks from coloring in absolute bashfulness, feeling like a tweener all over again with how easily she made his blood thicken and his pulse race. This wasn’t like him to be this out of sorts over a woman.
Mara’s big billowy bloomers! Not even Tarrowlyn had incited this kind of reaction from him and he had thought himself in love with her for a time! Vilkas needed to either get to the bottom of why this vampire had him all out of sorts, or he needed to keep his distance completely from Serana at all costs! Even if that meant that he wouldn’t lay eyes on her ever again.
While it sounded good in his mind, Vilkas knew that it wasn’t going to be the case with this particular woman.
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Dragonheart: Of Black Wings Unfurled