The prospect of the battle with Harkon had him more anxious than he would have liked. Harkon had eons of experience, and strength, and presumably had acquired his vampire status directly from Molag Bal himself.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t matter that he\u2019d given his blood to Andante, and Andante knew that; he was still more powerful and more dangerous than anyone he\u2019d ever faced before.\u00a0 For this task he needed not only all of his own strength and wiles, but those of Brynjolf and Serana as well.\u00a0 The blood-coated arrows would have to wait; in the meantime, they had sun-hallowed arrows that might, if they were fortunate, take down their foe.<\/p>\n
As they passed the Orc stronghold of Mor Khazgur and dropped down into the valley just beyond it, he reached for his new sword and pulled it around before him, taking a few practice swings out of nervous energy.\u00a0 No, I can\u2019t use this one. I\u2019ll need the Razor and\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d Brynjolf shouted behind him.<\/p>\n There were three of them, up the hill behind them and to the right, and Andante\u2019s blade flashing in the sun had shown them their prey.\u00a0 For a moment his heart froze, and his body refused to move.\u00a0 They\u2019ve found me. Haran and his hunters; they\u2019re coming to take me back to the Thalmor.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n A crossbow bolt clattered onto the stone beside him, and even as he ducked away from it he felt the relief wash over him. \u00a0Not bounty hunters hired by the Thalmor.\u00a0 Dawnguard vampire hunters; bad enough, but not Thalmor hires.\u00a0 Andante forced his body into action, sprinted for the fight; but by the time he reached it Brynjolf and Serana had all but taken care of the three Dawnguard.\u00a0 One of them was down on one knee, crying out that he yielded.\u00a0 But that never happened.\u00a0 He\u2019d long since learned not to be duped by a plea for mercy; the adversary would simply catch his breath, stand, and attack again. Andante gritted his teeth and brought his greatsword down, hard.<\/p>\n He shook his head, once they were certain that everyone was safe. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, you two,\u201d he muttered. \u201cI just thought\u2026\u00a0 Never mind. \u00a0My mind was elsewhere. I froze, and you had to do all the work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt happens,\u201d Serana told him. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf said nothing; but Andante could see his mind working, analyzing what he\u2019d seen and had been seeing.\u00a0 Brynjolf knows. He just doesn\u2019t know exactly what it is that he knows. He\u2019s seen me freeze around the Thalmor. He just doesn\u2019t know that this was related to them as well.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes. Well that may be true, but if I don\u2019t pay attention I\u2019m going to get us all killed before we get back to Volkihar.\u00a0 Don\u2019t let me do that again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no reason to expect more fights like that, lad. We\u2019ll be back to the castle in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n But Brynjolf was wrong.<\/p>\n They were just about to emerge from the Reach and scoot over the western end of Haafingar\u2019s ridge, north toward the sea, when a figure bearing the long, nubbled sword of the Forsworn ran toward him.\u00a0 This time Andante was ready.\u00a0 His skill with the greatsword was still minimal, but his anger was not.\u00a0 He blocked the man a couple of times, and took a wide swing that missed.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough!\u201d the Forsworn cried. \u201cThis ends now!\u201d\u00a0 He swiped, backhanded, with the sword and Andante danced out of the way.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, it does,\u201d he replied, raising his weapon and noticing, as he brought it down hard in a diagonal slash through the man\u2019s body, that Brynjolf and Serana were already running past him, shouting at another enemy just beyond.\u00a0 He put one foot on the dead man\u2019s body and pulled his sword clear, then ran to join them.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the part where you fall down and bleed to death!\u201d the opponent screeched.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It is,\u201d Brynjolf answered him. He took one step forward and calmly delivered a massive backhanded blow that sent the man\u2019s head, still firmly nestled in its horned helmet, tumbling drunkenly onto the ground and then rolling back down the slope to come to rest next to \u2013 but not quite attached to \u2013 the body that had once been its home.<\/p>\n Andante stood for a moment, looking back and forth between Brynjolf and the body.<\/p>\n \u201cWell then.\u00a0 Remind me never to get in the way of that sword of yours, my dear.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf simply smirked.<\/p>\n They\u2019d barely been on the road again for more than half an hour or so when the third attack came. There were two more Forsworn, this time, determined not to let them pass.\u00a0 Andante took down the first of them as Brynjolf sprinted for the second.\u00a0 He had just enough time to bash the man to his knees before Serana\u2019s ice spike finished him off.<\/p>\n They gathered and turned north, heading into the snow.<\/p>\n \u201cBy all the gods. I just want to get back to that castle,\u201d Andante complained.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd out of this sun! It\u2019s so bright out here,\u201d Serana said.<\/p>\n Andante said nothing, but smiled to himself.\u00a0 Just wait.<\/em><\/p>\n It was much more comfortable once they reached Northwatch Keep, heavily overcast and snowing lightly.\u00a0 Andante crept around the keep\u2019s perimeter, watching and listening for any sign of Thalmor; but it was clear that they had not yet had a chance to garrison the place.\u00a0 They made their way to the jetty beyond it, and rowed in silence across the gap to Volkihar Castle.<\/p>\n At the foot of the long ramp up to the castle entrance, Andante and Brynjolf stopped to look at each other. \u00a0He could feel Brynjolf\u2019s desire to ask, radiating from him, and yet knew he couldn\u2019t answer the unspoken question.<\/p>\n Yes, I\u2019m different.\u00a0 Yes, I\u2019ve remembered things.\u00a0 No, I can\u2019t tell you because if I do, all the other things will come along with it, the questions about Bravil, and the Thalmor, and all of it; and you\u2019ll become even more a target than you already are just by virtue of being with me. \u00a0I can\u2019t risk you right now.\u00a0 I can\u2019t lose you.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go get a castle,\u201d he said instead.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m right behind you,\u201d Brynjolf answered. \u201cWe\u2019ll do it together.\u201d<\/p>\n He swapped glances with Serana when they entered.\u00a0 She looked as grim and determined as he\u2019d ever seen her.\u00a0 Rather than speaking, they simply nodded.\u00a0 Andante walked quietly down into the main hall and stopped to survey the area for a moment, trying to decide how to proceed.<\/p>\n Orthjolf stood at the right side of the room, sipping from a cup, and Andante approached him. \u00a0\u00a0Orthjolf looked him over.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t keep our master waiting. Take him the Bow immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante said nothing, merely nodded and continued past him.\u00a0 One of the lower-ranking members of Harkon\u2019s court, Namasur, was feeding from a vampire cattle strapped to the table.\u00a0 He seemed not to notice the Bow, but greeted Andante warmly.<\/p>\n \u201cSit down, and enjoy yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante smiled. \u201cAnother time, perhaps. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n They continued down the dining hall, stopping when one of the castle\u2019s tame Death hounds, CuSith, stepped in front of him.\u00a0 The hound stared up at him, almost adoringly it seemed to him.\u00a0 Andante grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2019s a good dog?\u201d he said, and CuSith wagged his tail.\u00a0 He was like any other dog in the world aside from having glowing, blood-red eyes, completely exposed teeth, and slightly decomposed black skin. \u00a0\u00a0Having apparently come to some kind of understanding, CuSith turned away.<\/p>\n They crossed the room and went up the stairs toward Harkon\u2019s room.\u00a0 Garan Marethi stood, looking thoughtful, near a corridor blocked by rubble.\u00a0 He glanced at Andante as they approached, and made an expression that Andante took for a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cFind Lord Harkon,\u201d he said, his golden eyes glimmering. \u201cLet him know the time of the prophecy is at hand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed,\u201d Andante said, bowing slightly.\u00a0 \u201cDo you know where he is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe he is in the cathedral,\u201d he said, pointing across the hall and up a short flight of steps Andante had not climbed before.\u00a0 \u201cJust across the way.\u201d<\/p>\n They passed the stairs to Harkon\u2019s chambers, continuing straight across the castle, and climbed the first half-flight of steps.\u00a0 He paused, and turned to Brynjolf once more.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s time, Bryn. We\u2019re going to take this castle.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you ready for this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course I am. I wouldn\u2019t be here with you otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll right then.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante pushed open the door and stepped into the cathedral.<\/p>\n He was surprised. He hadn\u2019t remembered that this place was in such a decrepit condition.\u00a0 It must once have been a sumptuous space, with gargoyles perched along the balconies, the tatters of once-lovely runners along the floor, and very high windows letting in a few shafts of filtered light.\u00a0 But gorgeous as it might once have been, the cathedral was now in disarray, full of rubble.\u00a0 Dust motes danced in the rays of light, and cobwebs festooned every corner.<\/p>\n The apse held its raised sanctuary, as expected.\u00a0 The altar there, however, was something the likes of which Andante had seen only once before: an altar to Molag Bal.\u00a0 The slanting rays of light fell on the altar, illuminating the flowing blood that filled it and giving that end of the Cathedral an ominous ruddy glow.<\/p>\n And before them, hovering just off the floor, was Harkon, in his Vampire Lord form.<\/p>\n Vitus swallowed.\u00a0 He knew that he was, himself, strong and that this being had given him that strength; but even so Harkon was intimidating.\u00a0 Serana stepped forward and approached Harkon; he spoke, and his voice filled the space.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you have returned. Is your\u2026 pet\u2026 keeping you entertained?\u201d<\/p>\n Vitus ground his teeth. Pet? I\u2019m nobody\u2019s pet, Harkon.<\/em><\/p>\n Serana put both hands on her hips and looked at him with an expression more of exasperation than of any other emotion.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know why we\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course I do,\u201d Harkon replied.\u00a0 \u201cYou disappoint me, Serana. You\u2019ve taken everything I provided for you and thrown it all away for this\u2026 pathetic half-breed vampire.\u201d<\/p>\n Pathetic? Half-breed?\u00a0 You self-important bastard.<\/em><\/p>\n He swapped a glance with Serana, seeing that she was just as disgusted as he was.\u00a0 Behind him he heard Brynjolf make an impatient sound and knew that his anger was rising as well.<\/p>\n \u201cProvided<\/em> for me? Are you insane? You\u2019ve destroyed our family, you\u2019ve killed other vampires, all over some prophecy that we barely even understand!\u201d\u00a0 Her voice dropped, and she pulled out her dagger.\u00a0 \u201cNo more. I\u2019m done with you. You will not touch him!\u201d<\/p>\n Harkon shook his head. \u201cSo, I see that this dragon has fangs. Your voice drips with the venom of your mother\u2019s influence. How alike you\u2019ve become.\u201d<\/p>\n Vitus smirked. Ha. Is that what you think, Harkon? Valerica merely reinforced the influence I was already attempting to exert on Serana.\u00a0 She\u2019s very\u2026 malleable.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Serana said. \u201cBecause unlike her, I\u2019m not afraid of you. Not anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n She sounds as she did facing Vyrthur, Vitus thought. Formidable. I don\u2019t doubt that she doesn\u2019t fear Harkon, and I don\u2019t doubt that she will be a force to reckon with in taking him on.\u00a0 Harkon is in trouble, and he doesn\u2019t even realize it.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you,\u201d Harkon said, turning to face Vitus. \u201cI have you to thank for turning my daughter against me.\u00a0 I knew it was only a matter of time before your ambition outgrew your loyalty.\u201d<\/p>\n He couldn\u2019t help himself; he laughed aloud.<\/p>\n \u201cLoyalty?\u00a0 Truly?\u00a0 Did you really imagine that I was ever loyal to you?\u00a0 Surely you\u2019re not that much of a fool, Harkon.\u00a0 Even your two closest advisors are not loyal<\/em> to you; what would make you think I would be?\u00a0 You never even intended to let me live.\u00a0 That much was obvious from the beginning, when you sent me to Redwater Den.\u201d<\/p>\n Harkon shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cA small price to pay for the betterment of our kind.\u201d<\/p>\n He thought of Babette, turned away from the doors of Volkihar Castle for being a half-breed, and his temper began to rise.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are deluding yourself. Furthermore, you are an insult to our kind.\u00a0 I know vampires who are twice the measure of you in spite of being a third your size.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh come now,\u201d Harkon spat, sounding exasperated.\u00a0 \u201cSpare me your notions of kinship. You\u2019ve simply used Serana in an attempt to take away what should rightfully be mine.\u201d<\/p>\n Ah, there it is.<\/em> Vitus smiled, his fangs protruding.\u00a0 Got me there, don\u2019t you, old man.\u00a0 Well, I didn\u2019t really think I was fooling you.\u00a0 We have always understood each other very well, haven\u2019t we?<\/em><\/p>\n He chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cThe Bow belongs to me, now.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a moment of silence; and when Harkon spoke again he sounded truly surprised.<\/p>\n \u201cFinally! A trace of honesty in our little conversation.\u00a0 How does it feel to hold the fate of the vampire in your grasp? Exhilarating, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know it is.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a momentary silence, while Vitus and Harkon stood staring at each other.\u00a0 Vitus thought that perhaps, just for a second or two, he saw a grudging admiration in Harkon\u2019s eyes; but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, quite.\u00a0 I\u2019m growing weary of speaking with you and my traitorous daughter.\u00a0 I\u2019ll give you a single chance to turn over the bow to me.\u00a0 There will not be a second.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHa!\u201d came a single laugh from Brynjolf, standing in the shadows behind Vitus.\u00a0 Vitus turned to grin at him, then looked back at Harkon.<\/p>\n \u201cAs he said.\u00a0 It\u2019s a highly amusing notion, Harkon, but a notion is all it is. Of course I won\u2019t give you the bow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood! Let\u2019s end this!\u201d he shouted.<\/p>\n Harkon slipped backward toward the altar, waving his hand and conjuring a gargoyle between himself and Serana.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll rend the flesh from your bones!\u201d he shouted, turning to fire a life-draining spell at Vitus.<\/p>\n The blast of power struck him head-on and had him gasping, rolling for the nearest cover he could find behind one of the cathedral\u2019s intact columns.\u00a0 He healed himself as fast as he could.<\/p>\n Damn it. I wasn\u2019t expecting to be hurt before I even got started.<\/em><\/p>\n He heard Brynjolf grunt in pain and whipped his head around to look.\u00a0 Brynjolf and Serana were both in a struggle with the gargoyle, and Harkon was approaching them from behind, raising his right hand to ready another draining blast.<\/p>\n \u201cNo you don\u2019t!\u201d Vitus cried, sprinting into the battle.\u00a0 He made for the struggle against the gargoyle but purposefully swerved at the last moment, attacking Harkon with everything he had.<\/p>\n As he howled his rage, striking as hard as he could, a part of him argued, silently, that he should transform.\u00a0 That all three of them should transform.\u00a0 Then it would be over in mere moments.\u00a0 But the larger part of him said no, we need to take him down as we are, show him that we are better than he is.\u00a0 Brynjolf and I may be half-breed vampires but together we are stronger than even the Lord of Volkihar Castle; and with Harkon\u2019s daughter we are unstoppable.<\/p>\n The strikes he made with his axe and Mehrune\u2019s Razor were deadly.\u00a0 Vitus jumped back in shock as Harkon suddenly disintegrated into a collection of bats that flew to the apse and collected at the altar.\u00a0 A bubble of energy, glowing red, surrounded Harkon as he reconstituted himself and regained health.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Bow!\u201d he cried, even knowing that Brynjolf and Serana couldn\u2019t hear him.\u00a0 He fitted a sun-hallowed arrow to Auriel\u2019s Bow, took aim at the bubble and released even as Serana approached her father.\u00a0 As Gelebor had told them, the effect was painful, brilliant; an explosion of light as bright as the sun.\u00a0 Harkon\u2019s healing bubble disintegrated; he disappeared into the shadows of the cathedral and summoned four skeletons.<\/p>\n The skeletons themselves weren\u2019t much of a problem, even in numbers.\u00a0 They had fought similar numbers in the Soul Cairn. But Vitus had no idea where Harkon had gone.\u00a0 He ran forward toward the altar to help Brynjolf with one of the skeletons, his anger mounting.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are you, Harkon? It\u2019s time to die!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll drain the life from you!\u201d he heard, behind and above him.<\/p>\n Vitus started laughing and ran in the direction of Harkon\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n You think too highly of yourself, don\u2019t you?\u00a0 Couldn\u2019t keep quiet, could you?\u00a0 You\u2019re going to wish you hadn\u2019t done that!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThere you are, Father!\u201d Serana shouted, firing lightning bolts at Harkon. \u201cTime for you to suffer!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll make you pay for this, daughter!\u201d Harkon screamed, drawing his arm back to release a drain spell; \u00a0but Serana had revived one of Harkon\u2019s own defeated skeletons and she, the skeleton, and Vitus all reached Harkon at the same moment. Brynjolf dashed toward them from the other end of the room, screaming \u201cI will kill you!\u201d<\/p>\n Vitus took the full brunt of the life-draining blast just as he struck Harkon with the Razor, doing immense damage.\u00a0 He doubled over in agony, gasping for air, and began tossing healing spells on himself as quickly as he could; but he had done his job.\u00a0 Harkon turned himself to bats once again and flew to the altar, trying to regenerate.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t get comfortable, Harkon!\u201d he shouted, lining up another sun-hallowed arrow and letting it fly.\u00a0 Again it exploded, disrupting Harkon\u2019s attempt to heal himself; and Vitus shot another at him for good measure, hoping to strike him outside the bubble but missing.\u00a0 Harkon had flown, again, to a darkened corner of one of the upper balconies.<\/p>\n Vitus snarled, wanting to attack once more; but his health was dwindling and he was in dire need of healing.\u00a0 He ran to a balcony, grimacing as he heard the distinctive sounds of gargoyles behind him, and of Brynjolf\u2019s taunts and bashing, and of Serana\u2019s ice spikes.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t have time to regain his full health.\u00a0 Instead, he leapt down from the balcony and hurtled into the battle, just beneath the altar to Molag Bal.\u00a0 One gargoyle fell; he whirled at the sound of Brynjolf\u2019s grunts to slice at the second, and it also fell.\u00a0 He turned toward the third and began slashing, but then realized it was no gargoyle; it was Harkon, and he was bleeding from a dozen wounds as both Vitus and Brynjolf attacked.<\/p>\n Harkon cried out in pain, and once more flew as a cloud of bats to just above the altar.\u00a0 Once more, Vitus breached Harkon\u2019s protective bubble with Auriel\u2019s Bow, hoping beyond hope that this would be the end; but Harkon escaped to the far end of the room once again.<\/p>\n There were gargoyles and skeletons both, this time. As Vitus whirled from one to the next he heard Serana crying out.\u00a0 He turned and saw Brynjolf gasping for air as one of the skeletons, a heavily armored beast, raised its arm to attack; and without knowing how or from whence he summoned the energy he put his entire being into the axe at the end of his arm.<\/p>\n \u201cYou shan\u2019t have him!\u201d<\/p>\n The skeleton collapsed in a heap.<\/p>\n \u201cSoon Auriel\u2019s Bow will be mine!\u201d Harkon crowed from the safety of a dark corner.\u00a0 Vitus ran in the direction of the voice, casting a healing spell on himself, confused because he couldn\u2019t find his foe.<\/p>\n It might well be, if we can\u2019t corner him soon.\u00a0 We\u2019re all running dry.<\/em><\/p>\n And then, by some macabre and unexpected accident, that very thing happened.\u00a0 Serana had revived one of the downed gargoyles. She, it, and Brynjolf somehow caught Harkon between a wall and one of the great columns that lined the cathedral, and all of them were unleashing everything they had left at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou dare defy your father?\u201d he cried, just as Vitus waded into the battle.<\/p>\n Vitus only had a moment to land blows, and they were heavy ones.\u00a0 Harkon flew as bats to the altar once more, and once more Vitus pulled Auriel\u2019s Bow to the front and fired just as Serana landed a solid strike with an ice spike.\u00a0 Harkon cried out.<\/p>\n This time, he struck Harkon before he was able to enclose himself in a protective bubble.\u00a0 This time, he sent a second arrow home, and it too exploded in brilliant light.<\/p>\n Harkon began to burn.<\/p>\n \u201cDie, Harkon! Burn!\u201d Vitus screamed, running toward the quickly-disintegrating form enveloped in ruby-red magical flames.<\/p>\n \u201cYour own father,\u201d Harkon cried out.\u00a0 Then he collapsed onto the floor before the altar, only a few pieces of the skin of his wings protruding from a pile of shimmering, red ash.\u00a0 Vitus stood over it and watched as the flames died and even those pieces of what had been the ancient vampire disintegrated and fell into the pile.<\/p>\n There was a long moment of silence.<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d Serana said quietly, coming forward to stand at the foot of the apse, \u201cnow that\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n Vitus raised his eyes from the ash pile and looked at her, then past her, behind her, where Brynjolf stood quietly watching.\u00a0 He smiled, a widening smile, and had to fight to keep from shouting We did it, Brynjolf. We did it. It\u2019s ours.<\/em><\/p>\n He looked around the cathedral in awe.\u00a0 The scorched remnants of defeated gargoyles and skeletons mixed with debris and rubble; there were trails of frost from Serana\u2019s deadly spells draped across most of the stairways and some of the columns.\u00a0 Near the doors, he saw Garan Marethi enter quietly and kneel to examine one of the ash piles.\u00a0 He took a deep breath and approached Serana.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It\u2019s done. At long last.\u00a0 Now what will you do?\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugged.<\/p>\n A part of him \u2013 a part that hadn\u2019t always existed \u2013 looked at her face and recognized the pain of loss.\u00a0 She must be hurting.\u00a0 He was despicable but this was her father.<\/em><\/p>\n Even as he thought that, though, the larger part of him wanted to rejoice, wanted to celebrate, wanted to make certain that everyone else in the castle understood that he, Vitus Perdeti, was now the Lord of Volkihar Castle.\u00a0 And he wanted to make certain of one thing more.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure,\u201d Serana said quietly. \u201cI\u2019ll probably stay here, for as long as they\u2019ll let me. I think we can rebuild here; make my family\u2019s legacy something more respectable.\u201d\u00a0 She met his gaze for the first time since her father had fallen, and a small, almost shy smile took her mouth.\u00a0 \u201cOf course, if you\u2019ve got any more adventures planned\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Oh I do, Serana.\u00a0 I most definitely have adventures planned. With Brynjolf. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think they\u2019ll involve you,\u201d he said flatly, watching the sharp sting of rejection take her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cSuit yourself,\u201d she said, frowning.<\/p>\n \u201cLad. Show a little respect,\u201d Brynjolf muttered. \u201cThe lass just lost her father.\u201d<\/p>\n Vitus glanced at Brynjolf and nodded, then turned back to Serana. \u00a0I can\u2019t help it, Brynjolf. I\u2019ve wanted to be rid of her ever since we met her.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI can guarantee you that you may stay here as long as you wish, Serana.\u00a0 This castle belongs to me now, and I grant you the right to live here as long as you wish to. On one condition.\u201d<\/p>\n Serana looked confused for a moment.\u00a0 Then her eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t mean\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Vitus approached her, smiling, and pulled a cluster of elven arrows from his pack.<\/p>\n \u201cYes I do.\u00a0 That\u2019s exactly what I mean.\u201d\u00a0 She started backing away from him, stopping when she bumped into Brynjolf.\u00a0 Brynjolf grabbed her arms to steady her, then looked back up at Vitus in confusion.<\/p>\n And there she was, trapped, between the two of them.<\/p>\n \u201cI have never believed that either you or your mother needed to die, Serana. The amount of your blood that it would take to coat these arrows would be miniscule.\u00a0 Do this for me, and we will see whether your father\u2019s prophecy was correct or not.\u00a0 Do this for me, and I will go to the Soul Cairn and bring your mother home to Volkihar.\u00a0 We will rebuild the castle.\u00a0 It will be beautiful.\u00a0 It will be our home, all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n He took another step toward her, and smiled, baring his fangs.<\/p>\n \u201cBut if you do not do this for me willingly I will be more than happy to take your blood in whatever way is required.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked past her shoulder and saw Brynjolf staring at him, in shock, or perhaps horror.<\/p>\n Whatever Brynjolf or Serana might have been intending to say went by the wayside as Garan Marethi approached.<\/p>\n \u201cMy congratulations on defeating Harkon,\u201d he said in his dry tones.\u00a0 \u201cClearly, you are the superior vampire. \u201c<\/p>\n Vitus nodded. \u00a0And had we transformed he would never have had a chance.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLord Harkon defeated. I never imagined I\u2019d see the day.\u201d He turned to Serana.\u00a0 \u201cMy lady, you have my deepest sympathies. I\u2019m sure this was not easy for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Serana was glaring daggers at Vitus even as she answered Marethi.\u00a0 \u201cHe was out of control, Garan.\u00a0 It had to be done.\u201d \u00a0Her voice was flat, sour.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not happy about this. He \u2026 he was still my father.\u00a0 But I suppose my father really died a long time ago.\u00a0 This was just the end of something else.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, my dear,\u201d Marethi said.\u00a0 \u201cAll will be well now.\u201d<\/p>\n Serana didn\u2019t look as though she believed that, or appreciated being patronized.\u00a0 She held out her hand for the arrows, frowning.<\/p>\n \u201cMight as well get this over with.\u201d<\/p>\n Vitus approached Brynjolf and stood gazing at him while Serana was occupied.\u00a0 Brynjolf\u2019s expression was unreadable.\u00a0 He held his mouth in a tight, closed line, and his eyes scanned Vitus\u2019 face as though he didn\u2019t know who he was looking at.\u00a0 He said nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cHere,\u201d he heard behind him.\u00a0 Serana handed the arrows back to him.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, my dear,\u201d he said absently.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t \u2018my dear\u2019 me, Andante. You sound like my father.\u201d\u00a0 She turned and walked back toward the doors to the cathedral.<\/p>\n Vitus smirked at her retreating form, and walked toward Garan Marethi, who was beckoning to him.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t I?\u201d he murmured to nobody in particular.\u00a0 \u201cWe are so very alike, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled at Marethi.\u00a0 \u201cIs there something on your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow that the castle is yours,\u201d Garan said carefully, \u201cI was wondering.\u00a0 Would you be interested in having the passage to the courtyard restored?\u00a0 Harkon clearly never cared much for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Vitus smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYes. See to it at once.\u00a0 In fact, Garan, we are going to restore this entire castle.\u201d\u00a0 He looked around, pointing at the rubble. \u201cAll of this is going away.\u00a0 As are the cobwebs.\u00a0 There\u2019s no need for this magnificent court of mine to be in such wretched condition.\u201d\u00a0 He laughed.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry, we will all contribute to the job.\u00a0 I enjoy beating on obstacles as much as the next person.\u00a0 Thank you, Garan.\u00a0 Now I believe that it\u2019s time for you to introduce the court to its new Lord, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Garan Marethi inclined his head in an echo of the gesture Andante had used during his entire existence.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be my pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n They left the cathedral and walked back to the great dining hall.\u00a0 Vitus Perdeti walked slowly to the place of honor at the head of the room and took his place in the throne that had once belonged to Lord Harkon.<\/p>\n They hadn\u2019t been on the road back to Volkihar Castle very long when the first attack came. It was a beautiful day in the Reach, crisp and blindingly bright, the kind of day that had every branch and blade of grass standing in sharp relief; but Andante\u2019s gut was in knots. \u00a0To begin with, he … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3-2-10-1.png\")
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