Vampire princess 2/2

"Ahh~ It's so good to breath again." Serana stretched as the trio left the cave.

Tell me about your home. I don't think i've heard of anything in the area you described." Lucius said.

"It's on an island near Solitude. Hopefully we can find a boat to take us there. It's my family home. Not the most welcoming place, but depending on whose around, I'll be safe there." Serana replied, turning to face him.

"Someone you don't want to see?" He asked, looking up from his map.

"My father and I don't really get along. Ugh, saying it out loud makes it sound so... common. 'Little girl who doesn't get along with her father.'... Read that story a hundred times." Serana mocked herself.

"Huh? Welcome to the club of shitty fathers." Lucius joked, putting away his map. "One who hated his son for being a failure, and another one who was a fanatic." He smiled, nudging a stone faced Ciri.

"Why wouldn't you be safe there?" Ciri asked, blanking Lucius's attempt of humour.

"Let's just say that my mother and father had a bit of a falling out. I'm not in any danger or anything like that. It'll just be more unpleasant to run into my father." Serana said.

"Let's get going then, it should be near a fortress called North watch keep." Lucius announced and began walking down the snowy path.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked about the giant scroll on my ba-" Serana started as she followed Lucius.

"It's another Elder Scroll, we're familiar." Ciri cut her off.

"Mhm, i'd rather stay clear of them. As i'm sure you'd want as well." Lucius hummed, looking at the distant swamps of Morthal.

"How long were you asleep in there anyway? A lot of vampire were looking for you." Ciri asked, probing for information.

"Good question. Hard to say. I... I can't really tell. I feel like it was a long time. Who is Skyrim's High King?" Serana asked with a little apprehension.

"Funny... That's actually a matter of debate right now. There's a civil war ongoing." Lucius replied.

"Oh, wonderful. A war of succession. Good to know the world didn't get boring while I was gone. Who are the contenders?" Came Serana's sarcastic quip.

"The Empire supports Ellisif, but there are many in Skyrim loyal to Ulfric's rebellion." Ciri explained

"Empire? What... what empire?" Serana looked shocked.

"The... Empire. From Cyrodiil." Ciri drawled.

"You must be over 2000 years old... Do you know any lost magic?! The arts of mysticism?! Levitation?!" Lucius lit up at the opportunity.

A loud smack echoed in the canyon heading down to Morthal, as Ciri's gloved hand smacked the excited elf up the head.

"Just because she's a vampire doesn't mean she's not a lady, Lucius!" Ciri scolded.

"Ow! Woman, you didn't have to smack me!" A melodious laugh reached the bickering duo's ears as the vampiress giggled.

"It's fine" She waved off. "I suppose I would know some magics lost to time. Blood magic? Necromancy?" She smiled.

"I know some basics of blood arts... I learnt blood seals from an Akaviri temple but that's about it. I think i'm fine in the necromancy department though..." Lucius hummed.

"Well, that's something even I don't know. But, i've have been gone longer than I thought. Definitely longer than we planned. Please, can we hurry? I need to get home so I can figure out what's happened." Serana pleaded.

"Ciri?" Lucius raised a questioning brow.

"Fine, but I can only take us so far." She said holding out both her hands.

"What are you talking about?" Serana said.

"Just take her hand... You'll see." Lucius smiled.

.

.

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The trio descended down a rocky mountain of ice and snow. The small gusts of wind blowing Lucius's hair behind him like a flailing flag, something the emerald eyed woman found amusing as he continued to swat it out of his face.

"Why don't you just tie it up, idiot?" Ciri laughed at him.

"Because then it'll get dry and split apart." He grumbled.

"You sound more like a princess than I ever did." She joked.

Lucius snorted but gave no reply to the girl, instead turning to their new companion who got increasingly pale as they got closer to the distant Northwatch keep.

"Are you alright?" Lucius asked. "You're getting... paler."

"Huh, no i'm fine." She dismissed.

"Do you need blood? If so you should've asked when we passed that bandit camp." Ciri voiced.

"No I don't require blood to sustain myself, you don't need to worry about that." Serana informed them, noticing Lucius stiffen at the implication.

"You mea-

"Yes, I'm a pureblooded vampire." She cut off.

"O-oh..." Lucius stammered, understanding the implications of being a pureblood. "So, your nervous then?" He tried directing the conversation.

"Yes, my father is a bit... obsessive, but i'll be fine." She smiled in thanks to Lucius.

"I know what that's like." Ciri muttered, jumping down a rock to the beach.

"Well, if you need help you can come to us in Riverwood. Right, Ciri?" Lucius offered as he landed with a soft clank of his armoured boots.

"Yeah, why not?" She gave strained smile.

'Am I missing something here?' He eyed Ciri's smile.

"Thank you. That small boat over there can take us to the island." Serana said to them.

"Huuh~Guess i'm rowing then." Lucius sighed in resignation, taking a seat at the oars.

"Damn right you are, dragonboy~." Ciri teased, getting comfortable.

"This is your home?" Ciri asked as the bobbing boat neared the island.

"This is it. Home sweet... castle." Serana drawled.

"Why didn't you tell us it was so huge?" Lucius asked, docking the boat.

"I didn't want you to think I was one of those... you know, the women who just sit in their castle all day? I don't know. Coming from a place like this, well... it's not really me. I hope you can believe that." Serana shyly ducked her head.

They began to walk up to the giant castle. Huge towers of stone encased the great stone keep, ice clung to the rotting peaks and weird undead hawks circled above them. An unseen cloud of dark hovered over the gridded gates, guarded by an old man.

"Hey, so... before we go in there..." Serana started.

"Are you okay?" Lucius asked.

"I think so. And thanks for asking. I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. But after we get in there, I'm going to go my own way for a while. I think... I just need to be alone. For a while. There's a lot of old feelings trapped in this place, ones I don't think either of you would be ready for. So let me take the lead." She declared to Lucius and Ciri, as the guard hurriedly opened the gates once he saw Serana's eyes.

"Fine by me... You might have to watch this ones mouth though." Ciri said, motioning to Lucius.

"Hey, i'm not that bad... Am I?" He carefully asked seeing Ciri's amused stare.

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Writer's block is real, and I really want to start The Witcher and Middle Earth arcs.

Have a good one,

Your "patently evil" Author ;)