221 Chapter XXV: Paranoia

A couple of silent moments pass as Serana finally notices that we were not in fact alone and that she had just barged into a room filled with some of the most personally powerful people currently alive.

All of them currently staring right at her.

"I..." She begins, her mildly panicked state battling with the need for secrecy "We need to talk." She finally settles on, her expression reverting to one of her more usual coldness.

"Anything urgent that needs dealing with?" I ask while pointing at my guards who had allowed themselves to calm somewhat due to my own lack of reaction but were still very much brandishing their weapons at my unannounced guest.

She seems to only just notice them and I swear I see her eyes dart to the floor in shame for a split second but she swiftly composes herself and half asks "I... don't believe so?"

I contain a sigh of annoyance and address my guards "Double the shift for tonight just in case, full armament as well." They all salute and swiftly start moving toward the subterranean barracks I had built for them and their comrades.

My second command naturally had them grabbing as many scrolls and potions they could reasonably carry while also activating dozens of Dwemer spheres which would then position themselves at every angle and create a massive killzone around my home.

As the doors finally closed and the sound of rapid armored footsteps became distant it was Shalazar who decided to speak up, his eager squeak not at all perturbed by the suddenness of the situation, which in and of itself was unsurprising "So, what detestable news of immense terror does the blood slurper bring before the mighty quartet?"

Serana blinks at the tiny Argonian "I am sorry bu-"

"Your apologies are accepted." He looks far too smug for saying that.

The vampire's eye makes a minuscule twitch before she speaks once more, this time a bit more firmly and openly showing her teeth to the Lizard Wizard "Who are you again?"

Shalazar chuckles maliciously "Oh, I am no one important." And I feel a subtle movement of Magicka envelop the one who dared question him.

Serana's eyes turn blank for a moment before her expression turns to one of horror. Surprisingly, both to myself and the others, she quickly regains her composed expression and mutters "Pardon my insolence."

"Excused." Shalazar cackles while waving her off and then points at me "Now, deliver your most terrible news." His voice turns exaggeratedly ominous with each passing word.

She gives me a quick look as if to ask if the rest should even be here.

Savos chuckles at the exchange and interjects "Whatever you may discuss here the three of us will no doubt learn later." His eyes take on an amused glint "Besides, I am curious as to what kind of aid you are able to offer with this... vampire crisis we find ourselves in."

Tolfdir had long since turned completely silent, his fingers twitching ever so slightly to the point that I was able to notice it only due to my special sight. He did not seem to like dealing with vampires, or maybe it was just this specific breed of vampire?

I offer a silent nod of assent and with a wave of my hand summon up a chair from the room's corner.

Serana gives me a grateful smile and takes a seat, one unnecessary deep breath later she begins her no doubt abbreviated tale "I may have... drawn some suspicion." The way her mouth twists at her own words tells me that I have just heard a massive understatement.

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(Flashback, Serana's POV)

Day after day nothing changes in the castle.

The newly turned fledglings feast like beasts, taking ever growing delight in painting themselves with blood and flesh, none of them noticing the disdainful looks their elders were giving them and only abandoning their feasting when they were challenged or ordered to move out for one task or another.

The aforementioned elders practice their hobbies or pretend to train themselves, not one of them noticing that nothing has changed by even the tiniest margin, some of them even walking through the castle in the exact same rhythm and stepping on exactly the same spots each time with haunting accuracy.

Looking at them like this was... maddening.

'Ironic' The inner part of me mocks.

The so called nobles were no better, their petty little conflict over Harkon's seat serving as no more than mere amusement to the lord of the castle as the Nord brute and petty Altmer schemer kept turning new recruits and repeating the same strategies over and over again expecting for something to change like a duo of broken mechanisms.

I would not be surprised if the fools still believed themselves to be growing in power and influence while stuck in their own little world.

'If the mere thought of interacting with them didn't make me feel dirty I'd probably mock their romantic interest in one another.'

Much like we expected, the moment my... No, the moment Harkon believed the scroll to be in his hands he had immediately started spreading rumors about it throughout Skyrim and probably Cyrodiil in an attempt to lure a Moth Priest over into his clutches, sending out dozens of the fledglings and a couple of elders to make sure they don't draw attention.

Two weeks had passed since then, and things were still moving at a snail's pace. I say that Harkon spread rumors but he had sent his agents out and none of them had yet come back to give their reports or bring any news.

'Maybe that is just what you think?'

Everyone was so used to taking their time it was outright ridiculous.

'Blind fool.'

Yet I knew better than to believe what I saw, Harkon was no idiot and he may as well be orchestrating this entire display just to make me uneasy as some sort of childish payback for talking back to him.

'He must be watching my every move.'

I step out onto the ancient balcony connected to the castle's eastern wing, just beyond the thrall dungeons, my feet producing no sound as I maneuvered between the crushed stone sculptures and shattered vases that had not been removed ever since that fateful night when this family finally broke at the seams.

'As fragile as the pottery' I barely held back a furious snarl at the mockery.

Noticing the shrouded silhouette waiting in one of the hidden nooks I speak, my voice barely above that of a whisper "Garan."

Garan Marethi appeared without a sound and inclined his head slightly, all of his movements focused on remaining unnoticed by our kin's incredible senses "My lady."

"What do you have for me?" I successfully manage to keep the growing anxiousness from my voice.

'Not from the eyes though.'

Garan spent a moment appraising me before dutifully reporting "The rumors have already reached their intended destination." His words cause a mix of dread and fury to ripple through my veins "They will arrive soon and it will only be a matter of time before they are captured and brought before Lord Harkon."

'So he truly was dancing around me, and like a pitiful child I have let him.'

"My lady?" Garan asks with as much worry as he can muster.

'I knew I shouldn't allow myself to relax! Pitiful little girl still wishing for something that she will never have.'

"I am fine Garan." I lie with practiced ease.

His eyes carry doubt but he doesn't deign it his place to question me "As you say, I wish you a pleasant evening." He offers a deep bow and disappears as silently as he had appeared.

It is time to move, sitting around here will do nothing to stop him.

'Oh how fine it would be if we could just slash his throat and be done with it'

I forcefully suppress my inner thoughts as I walk back through the castle, most of the residents only giving me passing glances before returning to their false monotony. Stepping into my room I quickly notice that some of it had been disturbed.

'Uninvited visitors come to their doom.'

Sensing the vitae of whoever found themselves foolish enough to infiltrate the safety of my chambers I soon realize that it was a mere fledgling, a recently turned member of the clan doing something in my dressing room.

Without a second thought I smash the door open and before the Nord who both looked like and likely was a young woman can finish her cheerful greeting of "My lad-" My claws had already rent her to pieces and spread her blood all over my possessions.

She did not even have the time to twitch as I sent her to Coldharbour.

Blinking myself back into focus I notice the small additions to the room that the now very dead girl no doubt added. A selection of mortal foods that were surprisingly close to my preferences, a bundle of now bloody clothes and another bundle of adventure and romance books that I was known to appreciate.

Almost as if she had come here bearing gifts.

'Almost as if she was sent here to spy on me.'

Maybe she just wanted to find someone to spend time with in this dreary place.

'Maybe she just wanted to lower my guard before delivering me under the sacrificial blade'

All thoughts cease as one fact makes itself completely known to me:

I need to get out of here.

'I need to get out of here.'

The walls feel more and more confining and suffocating as I pass through the castle, the passing gazes of the residents no longer looking disinterested but almost hungry as I rush toward the balcony I was on mere minutes earlier.

My breathing had grown needlessly ragged as I stepped under the open sky and summoned my wings, launching myself away from the cursed place and moving toward Winterhold as fast as I was able, deep crimson blood still dripping off my clothes.

(Harkon's POV)

I lounge atop my throne as the worm calling itself Orthjolf approaches me, its pitiful little face a poor play at looking panicked "My lord!" It bows deeply "Your daughter, she has left the castle!"

"Oh?" I pretend to be surprised "She must have wanted to go out for a stroll." I declare in a lazy drawl.

The worm looks like it has swallowed a basket of lemons as it forces itself to look relieved "I... see... Apologies for disturbing you my lord." It bows deeply and scampers back into its filthy hole.

Now then, my dear daughter... What will your childish flailing reveal?

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(Reyvin's POV)

As Serana finishes her tale, a lot of the parts no doubt left out judging by her very disturbed eyes, I cannot help but deadpan at her "Please forgive me for what I am about to ask, but how old are you exactly?"

Savos and Shalazar share an amused chuckle while Tolfdir still remains pointedly silent.

Serana responds with an unamused glare before deciding to explain herself "The castle... it brought back memories I did not wish to revisit."

"And that made you act the fool?" I ask, a bit too harshly but not unjustifiably so "Could you not have made a proper plan of escape instead of literally showing your dead cunt of a father exactly who you were working with?" My voice grows colder with each word.

"I... I needed to be somewhere safe." She mutters "That place... it made me... uneasy."

"Just say you were growing paranoid, no need to sugarcoat it." I snap at her and sigh while palming my face "But no matter, Harkon was going to get information on us no matter what. This just expediates the conflict even if not in our favor." I pause for a moment before inclining my head "Apologies for my outburst."

She smiles thinly and returns the gesture.

"Should I prepare the wards?" Shalazar asks with surprising amounts of glee.

I was not completely sure which wards he was talking about specifically but his expression told me they would not be pleasant for whoever got involved. I merely shook my head "No need, I sincerely doubt they are stupid enough to assault the college or anywhere near it. This only means that Harkon will be more aware, nothing else."

"Optimistic." Savos half mocks "How unusual."

"Quite" I roll my eyes and turn back to Serana, a bit of viciousness rising within me at her apparent stupidity... or lack of control over her mental instability, whichever "Seeing as you were so shaken by your visit home, why not join me on my upcoming enthusiastic little walk toward Markarth?"

"That seems..." She trails off before settling on "Sudden?"

"Oh, it may be so." I nod reassuringly, hiding my true intentions with literal divine providence "I am going to be doing some investigating and I doubt you wish to remain in a cramped space after your experience."

"So long as we do not have to face another army I do not mind." She seems to have finally calmed down a touch and a part of her is even eager to visit the ancient city.

"Oh, I assure you." My smile is all teeth "You will no doubt enjoy the trip."

Shalazar bursting into cartoonishly evil laughter did not help her confidence in me.

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Onwards to the city of stone! 

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