Serana's Two Admirers'

A DiD themed melodramatic Skyrim fanfic. Yup

"An thensh, I thaid to the bandish, you wansh die too?" I slurred drunkenly.

I was at the Bee and Barb in Riften, getting s#!t-faced drunk. Serana had rejected my marriage proposal. Again. This time she wouldn't even talk about it. I had tried so very hard. Everything I offered did not work. I told her I would do anything: become a vampire, let Harkon live, kill all the Dawnguard, get her mother Valerica out of the Soul Cairn, conquer the world for her, ANYTHING.
I pleaded, I begged, I screamed like an orphan, I shouted into the sky with my thu'un, I killed hundreds of bandits in sheer frustration. Nothing worked. So here I was, pouring out my woe into the best quality mead in Skyrim. My name is Kason Fields, I am a Nord with long black hair in a ronin fashion. My blue eyes are clear and sharp, though not nearly so in a drunken state. I have a rough beard that seems to go with the overall look. Hideous scars line my face, from a thousand battles. It was handsome at one time, hopefully still a little attractive. My build is normally very muscular, but I've packed on a few pounds wallowing in my self-pity. Nothing too extreme, yet it was starting to show just a tiny bit.

Right now, I was at the end of my seventh story about some bad guys I had heroically killed. Who am I kidding? I can't even win the girl of my dreams. Some hero.

"Aftersh thish, I thaid to ish elfs, whash…."

"I thought you said it was a Breton." An Orc several tables over snarled. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm sick of this guy's bullshit story."

I blinked, trying to see through my hazy vision.

"With three beers down,
The orc did frown,
And bid the elf goodbyye!
For none could know,
T'was not for show,
And someone had to diiie!" The elf at the counter sang cheerfully.

Everyone laughed, except the orc, who got up from the table and challenged me to a fist fight.
He was good, so good in fact that it was a draw. We both lay stretched out on the floor, unconscious from our brawl and alcohol intake. The sun was just rising when Keerava shooed me out of the tavern. I stumbled out into the street, going immediately to the house I owned in Riften.

Five hours later I was up and going to the Dawnguard sanctuary. It was time to see what was going on with my vampire killing friends.

***

I arrived at the sanctuary and entered through the massive doors. I glanced at the cobwebs as I passed on through, would they ever clean those up? I looked for Serana, but didn't see her. Probably sleeping, I thought. I marched confidently to the troll room, where I can usually find Florentius, Sorine, and Gunmar.

I went over to Gunmar to chat about some new smithing technique. In the way of conversation, I asked him if he had any assignments.

"Speak with Florentius, he has something for you." Gunmar informed me.

I walked up the stairs and to my right, and there he was, gods help us. Florentius Baenius.

"I once killed thirty vampires with my bare hands. Ask Arkay, he'll tell you." Florentius bragged.

Nobody believes him.

I walked up to him. "What can I help with?"

"Arkay has some grave news. Your friend, kidnapped! A vicious nightstalker rules the night."

I waited with bated breath, the last two times it had been a guy. Please let it be a damsel, I prayed. I was sick to death of rescuing men. I'm convinced to this day if Florentius would have said "he" I'd have drawn my daedric bow and put an arrow through his skull. He didn't though.

"Is she still alive? Arkay is never clear on that." Florentius finished.

Excitement flared through me. She! A damsel in distress!

Then the words appeared in my mind's eye

Rescue Serana from the vampires at Stony Creek Cave.

Serana! My darling, blood thirsty, lovely Serana. I gritted my teeth. Those vampires would pay quite dearly. I began running, on my way out I passed Isran who muttered, "I knew it would come to this day, I knew. And no believed."

I ignored him and used my knowledge of the whirlwind shout to accelerate to the front door. I came outside, the sun was setting. Serana must have been kidnapped last night. I went over the spells I knew. In my mind's eye I saw a list. I scrolled down the list to conjuration spells, picking my favorite one. I slowly curled my left hand into a fist, feeling energy gather around it. I concentrated in my mind, going over the spell's requirements. Raising my left hand, slightly shaking with the power, I released the energy. It swirled, forming into a shape. It was equus in nature, but a skeletal representation of the species. A bluish mane and tail appeared. The horse from the Soul Cairn, Arvak. He was a trusted steed and I gratefully mounted him, racing off into the late evening.

In this account, I thought I would share what happened during Serana's abduction. I didn't know it at the time, but this is what she told me later:

***

The night previous.

Serana crept through the woods, looking for fresh blood. She knew Kason would hate it if she drank blood from some poor farmer. So Serana opted for bandits. They were relatively easy to find and she was very powerful with magic. Normally a group of bandits didn't stand a chance against her. Serana saw an old fort up ahead. She smiled to herself. Definitely looked like the place for a hideout. When she was about two hundred yards away she noticed she wasn't alone.

Around fifteen vampires, with about thirty thralls, were coming upon her in a circle, with Serana at the center. This was a little unusual, so many thralls. Serana wasn't worried… just unnerved a little. She began to focus her magic when nine of the vampires stepped forward and cast a drain magicka spell on her. The reddish energy flowed from their fingertips, sucking away at her magic reserves.

"What!" Serana gasped. She had never seen this many vampires perform this spell together! She fell to her knees weakly.

The vampires moved in closer, focusing their combined might even more. One of them stepped out from the group, joining Serana in the middle. It appeared to have no effect on him. He was tall and freakishly thin, with a bony, chalk colored face. Long fingernails painted red gently lifted Serana's chin.

"Serana, dear child. You have turned into a beautiful young, or should I say old, woman. Do you remember me?" The vampire queried.

"You, you're supposed to be dead." Serana's eyes went wide with recognition.

"Shouldn't you know better?" He countered. "After all, vampires are known for longevity of life."

Serana knew this man, he used to be one of her father's oldest friends. Mason Quersityn, or Skeletal Mace as he was commonly called. Serana thought he had been dead for a couple thousand years. Apparently not.

Mace grabbed her hand, examining the ring on her finger. "An enchanted ring? Can't let you keep that. Thralls, bind her securely and take any enchanted items you find."

Serana tried desperately to summon a Boneman, or anything to help her, but the remaining vampires pressed in even closer, and she was powerless to help herself. They stopped the flow of magic, then removed her ring, amulet, and circlet, all of which had been heavily enchanted by Kason to protect her. Two thralls stepped in, holding thin, white rope in their hands. A vampire yanked Serana's wrists behind her back. She struggled but they forced leather mittens on her hands, rendering them useless to escape. They were sealed in place with straps. Her wrists were crossed and the thralls started to bind them.

"Ugghhh! You will NOT get away with this." Serana defiantly stated, struggling with her captors.

"You just asked for tighter bonds." Skeletal Mace grinned in an evil fashion. He raised his hands theatrically, and did a little wave. The ropes seemed to come alive, tightening snugly around Serana's wrists, ankles, and chest, cinching themselves off.

Serana was shocked, that was a new spell! She'd never seen one quite like it. Testing her bonds, she admitted that she couldn't get out of this, not with the leather mittens on her hands. Everything was too tight.

"Serana, I already have." Skeletal Mace moved smoothly forward. He pulled out a dagger and for a moment Serana thought he was going to cut her throat. Instead he cut several lengths of her black cape off.

Serana wondered what he wanted with her cape. It was a normal linen cloak. "You have some kind of cape fetish...mmmffffrrrg?!!!"

Skeletal Mace had shoved the balled up cloths in Serana's mouth. Some strands got stuck on her elongated teeth as she tried to immediately spit it out. That cape was dirty! Skeletal Mace did another theatrical motion with his hands and Serana's mouth closed. She tried to open but couldn't! What the hell kind of magic was this? A white cloth came out of Skeletal Mace's pocket and wrapped around her mouth and head, knotting itself tightly. Serana tried to shake her head but seemed to be temporarily paralyzed. The next part he did physically, taking a brown leather muffler and strapping it over her already gagged mouth, buckling it behind her head.

"Cannot have you biting my thralls, they will pay a crucial part in my plan." Skeletal Mace informed her.

"Gggrrmmmmssg!" Serana's temporary paralysis was gone. She shook her head, testing her gag. She couldn't even move her jaw. No chance of biting through the gag then.

"You see Serana," Skeletal Mace said, making grandiose gestures. "I came across several old spells and a prophecy in an old Nord ruin. With this newfound knowledge I believe I can raise Harkon back from the dead. Together we can fulfil the prophecy of the Tyranny of the Sunl and vampires will rule the world!" He finished with a grand bow.

Serana just raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Her father had tried and been stopped, how would this ugly as a troll Skeletal Mace think he could do better? Besides, there was no way to raise her father from the dead, was there?

"But of course, in order to raise Harkon, we're going to need your blood. Since Valerica seems to be gone and it has to be a relation, you will do quite nicely."

"Frrrmmffgrggrrppp! Ggrrmmff! Mmmff! Mmph!" Serana screamed, trying to tell him that with her dead, the prophecy could not be fulfilled.

"What are you saying? Doesn't matter. Your sacrifice will be tomorrow at midnight. Thralls, bind her securely to my horse, I will personally keep an eye on our prize." Skeletal Mace said, with a smile that looked more akin to rigor mortis.

"Rrrmmmmfff!" Serana couldn't make any coherent speech. This idiot must have never read all of the prophecy. She didn't want to die, not like this. Kason. The dragonborn would save her. Her heart warmed at the thought of him. They had been through so much together. Serana thought about how dejected he'd been after his last plea for marriage. Probably somewhere getting drunk. Still he would come for her, Serana hoped. She realized at that moment that he was the only true friend she had that would care enough to save her. He would come, wouldn't he?

The thralls came forward, picking her up easily. She kicked and squirmed but in the end she was tied securely to the back of Skeletal Mace's steed, the biggest black horse Serana had ever seen.
As the vampires trotted off on their horses into the night, thralls following behind, Serana didn't pray, but she sure got close to it. Please come, Kason. He would come, wouldn't he?

***

I raced through the gathering night, avoiding all the crap Skyrim tends to through my way.
Bears, wolves, frostbite spiders and a troll or two, I ignored them all, pushing my equestrian skills to the max. Serana. That thought drove me on.

I reigned up to Stony Creek Cave. Dismounting off Arvak, who immediately screamed and vanished, I looked around. Good, no guards outside. Then I heard a familiar roar. I looked up.
Son of a b***h, I thought. A dragon flew overhead, challenging me to a fight. I shouted dragonrend at him just to make him land, then laughingly ran inside the cave.

Upon entering the cave I immediately crouched, going into sneak mode. I had to assess the situation. If Serana was in danger, there was no way I'd risk her getting hurt. I certainly was dressed for some stealthy kills. Black thieve's guild armor encased my chest, along with boots and pants. A black hood shrouded my face in darkness. My daedric bow was slung across my back, along with a quiver full of arrows.

Up ahead there were two thralls standing guard. Nocking an arrow, I put one through the first thrall's heart. The other one saw me and let out a yell. Not quick enough I shafted him with an arrow. Around ten to fifteen thralls and vampires came out of the woodwork. I pulled my two war axes out and began cutting a swath through the crowd.

Two vampires and three thralls converged on me at once, I shouted unrelenting force, driving them into the cave wall. I was a demon unleashed, hacking away with unrefined skill. The thing about axes, they're more offense than defense. As a result a thrall nearly took my head off with a huge iron battleaxe. Barely dodging in time, he clipped my hood. I responded by slamming my axe into his smug face. He never swung a blade again. Than a vampire stuck an elven sword through my chest from behind. I reached in my pocket and pulled out a philter of health potion. Pulling the cork off with my teeth, I drained the contents with practiced ease. While this was going on the vampire had pulled the sword out and was going to stab again when I whirled around, a smile on my face, as I swung my axe.

I examined the carnage, and found it satisfying. I continued my way through the cave.

***

Serana was tired. She hadn't eaten in twenty-four hours, and they had kept her gagged the whole time. Being a vampire meant she didn't need to drink or eat. Only blood, which they hadn't given her in order to keep her weak. Her mouth was dry as cotton and the only noise she could make were low growls or moans.

"mmmrrrrff. gggrrrrmmmmp!" She growled at Skeletal Mace.

He ignored her turning his attention to the dusty tome in his hand. He had spent the last hour going over the preparations making sure everything was perfect. "Do not worry Serana," He suddenly turned to her, "It will be quick and painless. Mostly."

In spite of how worn out she was, Serana glared red orbs of fury at her captor. "ggrrrmm."

"I will just slit your throat with this ebony blade and let it flow into this bronze cup I specifically enchanted for this occasion. With that blood mixed with a giant's toe, hagraven feathers, daedra heart, and vampire dust, I will be able to summon Harkon from the Soul Cairn." Skeletal Mace paused for dramatic affect. "But, I don't want him alive. No, all I need is to harvest his knowledge of the Tyranny of the Sun. Poor Harkon. Raised from the dead only to die again. How poetic."

"mmmpphh." Serana could not believe how stupid Skeletal Mace was. She wasn't sure how he survived for so long. It wasn't like she would have told him anything, but still.

"Oh you are not going to die, Serana. Oh no you are far too valuable to me." Skeletal Mace said, his voice rising and falling with emotion.

Serana looked incredulously at him. Did he really think she would love him after capturing her, binding and gagging her, then slitting her throat? Serana moaned in amazement.

"You understand, Serana, I asked Harkon for your hand in marriage long ago. Of course he refused to allow it." Skeletal Mace's voice cracked a little.

"mmmmppphhhh!" Serana shook her head in anger.

"I suppose you're wondering how I will keep you alive. I am a master level at restoration magic. I can take enough blood yet still keep you alive with my magic. As far as loving me, that will come in time. I may have to keep you bound and muzzled for a decade or two. Do not fret. I can spoon feed you blood, forcing it down your throat if necessary."

"MMRRRRRFFFFMMMPPPP!" Serana felt her adrenaline pump as she screamed. She would rather die than live with this freak. She put all her strength into breaking her bonds and gag. It held fast.

"And so it will begin. But I must say," Skeletal Mace smiled a sadistic smile as he picked up the knife.

"Mmmmppphhhh!" Serana wrestled with her bonds.

"Sshhh, Serana, ssshhh." Skeletal said calmly, putting a finger to her gag. "The night is still young."

"Not another move!" A voice, worn but with strength said. There was also a heavy dose of rage mixed in.

Serana and her captor turned to look….

***

I stood framed in the opening that led to a larger chamber, frozen by what I saw. A tall, bone white, ghoulish looking man loomed over Serana, holding a knife in his hand. Serana, is bound hand and foot. What looked to be a hefty gag prevented her from exclaiming joyfully about my arrival. I have my daedric bow drawn, with an arrow knocked in it. I'm aiming it right at his heart. No chance of me missing.

"Ah, you must be Serana's friend, I am known as Skeletal Mace, nice to meet you." The vampire smiled, teeth gleaming. He held the knife to Serana's throat.

"Mmmmpppphhh." Serana looked meaningfully at me.

"Let. Her. Go." I said through gritted teeth.

"Let her go? She is my only bargaining chip, you fool. You seem to have made your way through all my guards, for which you will pay dearly."

I glanced at Serana, she nodded at me.

Suddenly, I adjusted my aim just as Serana threw herself to the side, out of Skeletal Mace's reach. The movement of adjusting my bow distracts Skeletal Mace for a split second, but that's all I need. An arrow traveling at 180 feet per second slammed into the evil vampire's throat. He clutched at his mortal wound. Blood gurgled around his throat as he gasped for air. Skeletal Mace fell and rolled into the pool of water bordering a ledge leading deeper into the cave.

I ran over to Serana, as I did, I heard several familiar snarls. I glanced over my shoulder.

Falmer.

Dozens of Falmer are streaming over the ledge that overlooked the pool. Somehow they must have been disturbed in the deeper recesses of the cave.

"Mmmmmmppppphhhhhhh!" Serana yelled.

Not hesitating, I scooped Serana up in my arms, streamlining for the cave entrance, the falmer weren't far behind.

"Hold on dearest." I kicked myself mentally. How could she hold on when she was tied up?

"Frrmmff!" Serana said.

I leapt over rocks and small streams, panting heavily. An arrow whizzed past my shoulder. I didn't look back, knowing that if a falmer hit me with a poisonous arrow tip it would slow me down and it'd be over just like that.

Serana rubbed her head against my armored shoulder. At first I thought she was just happy to see me and was trying to let me know. Then I realized she was just trying to loosen her gag.

"Honey, I promise once we get out of here I'll take that gag of. For now you'll just have to wait." I gasped, breathing hard.

"Mmmmrrrrffffmmmm!" Serana frowned.

I wasn't sure if it was from my statement about the gag, or me calling her "honey".

We made it to the front entrance. Using the whirlwind shout, we fairly flew out of the cave mouth and into open, fresh air.

Serana and I both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whew."

"Mfff."

I ripped off her restraints and gag. Without words, we embraced, with her resting her head on my shoulder. Maybe she was starting to see me as more than a good friend.

***

Epilogue

A long, bony hand thrust up from the pool, followed by a face that would have scared the dragon Alduin. Skeletal Mace slowly pulled himself out of the pool, purplish energy emitting from his left hand as he healed piercing at his throat. He frowned, that dragonborn was tougher than he expected. Skeletal Mace would rectify that problem. Indeed he would. Glancing up he saw falmer everywhere. A cruel smile played on his lips. They would follow orders quite well.






***

Epilogue 2

Serana and I are sitting on a small couch at my home in Heljarchen Hall. 

She is on my lap, and I am fondly playing with her hair, running it through my fingers.

It had just sort of happened, her falling exhaustively onto me once we arrived home.

For once, Serana isn't pushing me out. She has been surprisingly open since the abduction.

We are both in the same dirt caked, blood encrusted, cut up clothes from earlier.

Serana in her vampiric attire, me in my thieves guild armor.

My armor has been completely compromised, it will need to be reworked. Time for an upgrade anyway. I take a sip of Black-Briar mead, one of several dozen bottles I have stolen from Maven.

I'll have to ease off on it after this, I just needed a buzz after the strenuous activities.

"My darling vampire," I say gently, softly caressing her neck. She tenses slightly, have I gone too far? 

I can't see her face since the stupid couch I built is too small, but I feel her relax under my touch.

Whew.

"Kason," Serana says, turning to me with those lovely red eyes that I find alluring, yet somewhat sad.

I never got to find out what she was going to say, because I hear a thunderous crash in the basement.

"Damn skeevers." I mutter.

I hear another sound, the splintering of wood, and instantly know something is wrong. 

Skeevers never break through wood. Not the wood in my house.

Serana senses it too and we both get to our feet.

I walk quick strides over to the basement. Just as I enter the kitchen I am knocked to the ground by a squat, a*s ugly, pale creature. 

It is straddling me, holding a dagger, ready to plunge it into my neck.

Falmer.

"S**t!" I yell and throw up a forearm to block the falmer's killing plunge.

It presses down with all its strength, but I'm stronger, and fueled by adrenaline, redirect it straight into its heart.

I sit up, only to see dozens of falmer around me, more pour through the broken basement door.

They all rush at once, as they do, time seems to slow.

I see the falmer, snarling mouths, saliva dripping down their chins. Their eyes are an emerald green, and they seem to be moving as one.

I open my mouth, and use the "unrelenting force" shout, which throws them back and blows s**t everywhere.

Various baskets, barrels, pots, chairs, and other things I didn't even know I had are mixed in with the falmer who are splayed across the floor. I get to my feet, but still more have poured through, these ones are wielding clubs.

Serana is beside me now, focusing her magicka.

I know she's still weary from her exhausting ordeal, and I feel faint myself.

"Kason, your leg!" Serana exclaims.

I look down. There's an arrow shaft in my leg. 

Poison.

Hell.

The falmer overwhelm us, four have jumped on me and are viciously beating on me with their clubs.

Weak from the poison, I collapse.

As I drift into unconsciousness, I can hear Serana scream and weakly try to sit up.

Six or seven falmer are dragging her into the basement, they are binding her hands and one of the little b******s has a hand clamped over her mouth.

Then a club crashes down on my head and I fall back.

My last thought is about Serana, then,

Blackness.