After dispatching the remaining creatures in Dimhollow Crypt, the duo came to the exit, but Liri halted their progress.

Serana: I’ll be alright. It’ll be a bother and my skin will probably be irritated, but—

Liri: No buts! We. Wait. Here. I woke you up, so if anything were to happen to you, I’d feel responsible for it. So we’re NOT going to take any unnecessary risks. You understand?

Serana waited to say something, but a fierce look from Liri caused the vampire to give up and just lounged around.

After sitting there for quite a while Serana spoke up.

Liri raised an eyebrow.

Serana: *sigh* I’ve been trying not to ignore them out of respect for your privacy… but if you want me to—

Liri: No no no that’s fine… that’s fine…

Liri: We've got some time before we need to head out. What do you want to know?

Serana: Can we start with the… obvious?

Liri followed the vampire’s eyes and smirked.

Liri: Ah, my attire or lack thereof. Well it’s nothing too spectacular. I almost died because of my clothes, took them off, and never looked back.

The shock on Serana’s face made Liri burst into laughter, which only confused the vampire even more.

Liri: Hahaha… well, it’s not a lie. One day while sparing, a rogue fireball hit me and my clothes went ablaze.

Liri: I panicked for a bit, but rather than call off the fight, I took off my outfit and continued to fight in the nude. Heh, and I ended up winning too.

Serana: Weren’t you ashamed? Embarrassed? I mean, I couldn’t even imagine…

Liri shook her head and gave her a sad smile.

Serana shook her head.

Serana: It may be atypical, but there's much sense to it. Anyway, how about your family?

Suddenly a cold wind blew that chilled even Serana’s undead bones.

Serana: C-c-c-crap, I didn’t think I’d ever feel a chill like that again.

Liri frowned and shook her head.

Serana’s eyes darted to Liri who nodded.

Liri let down the gate and gave Serana a stern look.

Liri: Run!

Liri: (Shit… Did they finally find me? And who other than a Matron would even possess this much power!?)

Soon after arriving to the marshlands, Liri slowed to a stop and began to gather her magicka which earned a confused look from Serana although she mimicked her actions.

Serana: It feels like we’re trapped within another realm… Liri, what are we dealing with? Vampires? Vampire hunters? Mages?

Liri: …You asked me about my family, well…

Liri: I belong to a backwards, long forgotten Clan in the North. My clan has very very powerful mages, any of whom could be legitimate candidates for the position of Arch-Mage.

Liri: I was supposed be the Matron and leader to my Clan, seeing as I was the first daughter to the main family of this generation, and our women have an extremely high affinity for magic.

Liri felt a presence and shot out a bolt of lightning towards it, but she knew that she didn’t hit anyone.

???: Hehehehehee, I finally found you and you want to talk about our Clan? At least TRY to be more interesting.

Liri: (A woman? But there should only be three…)

Liri shot out another blast, but again only caught air.

Serana: Should I—

Liri: NO! This is between me and her! What did I tell you before? Don’t take any unnecessary risks. Besides… She's mine!

Serana hissed, but stood down allowing Liri to concentrate on her foe.

???: EEEEH! Wrong!

???: Are you serious!? Siraa!? She died a year after you left. And Astrya is so caught up in the politics of who’s to be the next Matron that she can’t be bothered with you.

Liri: Then it’s you…

Serana spun Liri around and saw the lifelessness in her eyes. She tried to shake her out of it, but to no avail.

???: Protect me? PROTECT ME!? Liri, dear Liri. I love that your sense of duty never waned, but I never needed help from you. Not then, not now, not EVER!!

Serana went to Liri who looked like she’d seen a ghost.

Serana: Get yourself together! Either we face… whoever this is or we go back to Silas and—

???: Oh right, how rude of me. Hahaha! It’s not right to shield yourself from view. ‘A cowardly tactic’ as dear Liri would say. Tee hee.

Suddenly the air around them went back to normal, and Serana instantly sensed where the assassin was. However, Liri didn’t need to sense as she couldn’t take her eyes off of her…

Liri: Innis…

Innis drew her weapon and couldn't contain her satisfaction at her sister's pained expression.

Innis: Hyahahaahaaa!!! Sister dear sister, you’re stuck in the past!

Innis: Well this really sucks… Since I’ll have to kick your ass!!!

Meanwhile back in Solitude… Not knowing that training Rosalie would be so exhausting, Silas found himself resting in the courtyard in the middle of his night shift…

Soldier: Sleeping on the job again Silas? Well I’ll just let the Captain deal with you!

Resting was indeed what Silas was doing. Ever since his encounter with Rosalie he felt out of it, and was constantly being reminded of his mortality…

But as of now, the scheming vampire only slept and dreamt of the women of in his life…

Parts were pleasant.

Silas: Zzzz… Atta girl… Rosa…lie… Zzz… You’re getting… stronger… by the day… Zzzz… Soon… you’ll be… strong than…

Others were sad.

And others were…

???: Silas?

The voice sang his name, an old tune that filled him with longing.

Silas: Lisaly!

Silas ran through the town, running past all manor things that he knew couldn’t have existed in the same time as her, but he knew it was he voice. And he had to reach her again!

The voice called out again, this time leading him to the Temple of the Divines, and without delay Silas continued at his frenzied pace…

Bursting through the doors, Silas slowed to a calm walk as he realized that this was it. He’d finally be able to see her again, see the love of his life…

His heart told him to run, but his body would only allow him to slowly encroach upon her and with each step he could feel pieces of him being restored.

Silas: Lisaly… Darling… I’m here. I’m right here.

He stuck his hand out to reach her, but there was a wall, a barrier, preventing him from reaching her.

And so Silas called out to her again and again and again… until he collapsed to his knees unable to muster the strength to utter another word...

Silas: (I’m this close! I’m THIS CLOSE!! Divines! Please don’t forsake me… not here, not now…)

As if she had heard his plea, the woman turned around and faced him with a gentle smile on her face.

Lisaly: Silas, my love, the air I breathe and the ground I walk upon.

Silas remember this, the bit they’d do to annoy their friends, although in truth they meant them wholly.

Lisaly: Mold me, break me, my life is yours now and forever.

Silas was about to say return the phrase when he felt something grip him and a whisper in his ear.

???: That’s right, break her. End her life once again, you mangy coward!

Silas turned toward the voice, and when he saw what or rather who it belonged to he almost lost it.

Tinira: Kill me? Ha! Always a tad over-dramatic, aren’t you Silas? No worries though, ‘M’lord.’ What’s done is done. We can’t change the past no more than we can stop the sun from rising.

Silas: I’ll never harm her! Never again! Stay away from us Tinira! Or I swear on all of the Divines and Daedra that this time will be different!! That I'll—

Tinira smirked and began to walk away.

As Tinira walked off, Silas tried to make sense of her words.

When Silas turned around, he understood the weight of her words. Seeing this scene again… Part of him actually thought he could handle seeing this again…

But the reality wasn’t even a tenth as strong as he believed he was…

And so… Without hesitation he…

???: Silas!! Hey! Wake up already! You were murmuring in you sleep and sweating... And I mean a lot.

Silas opened his eyes, sat up, and smiled at the woman who had awakened him.

Silas: (Thank goodness it was just a dream…) Ah, the young Rose who’s beauty has yet to fully blossom…

Rosalie: Are you okay? I think you may have me confused with someone else. Rather, are you sure that you're fully awake?

Silas stood up and smiled at her.

Silas: No Rose, I’m talking to you. Take some advice from an old bastard that’s lived so very… very long.

Silas: It’s nice to stick to your convictions, to believe that your actions are right… However, is it worth the cost of true love?

Rosalie: What!? I… Did you read my mind?

Silas suddenly hugged her and felt the younger vampire tense up.

Silas: Because a love like yours will tear you… tear both you and Bishop apart if it comes to an unforeseen end. If it comes to that, remain strong Rosalie. And don't end up like me...

Rosalie pushed him away and pulled out her dagger.

Rosalie: Try that again and I’ll seriously hurt you! Besides, why should I take relationship advice from an old lonely geezer like you.

Silas felt the full force of the sting behind her words and didn’t even bother disguising it.

Silas: Come on. We might as begin your training now. Don’t lag behind.

And the he began to walk off briskly.

Rosalie: I don’t know what happened, but that is NOT the same Silas that I know of… I wonder if it has anything to do with that stressful dream he was having… I wonder...