Dragonborn Saga

Chapter 768: The White Woman

He sat across from her, looking her right in the eye and pondering what to do next. Behind him stood the silent Alina, unsure what to make of all this. Across the room was the White Woman, whose identity was still shrouded in mystery. And from the other edge of the room, trying to blend in with the walls, were Vittoria and Idgrod, each for her own reasons.

Now, for any of those people to reach a resolution, they should know what the others want and offer what they can give and what they need. A negotiation, so to speak.

From Jon’s standpoint, he was still recovering from the mental shock he received after discovering that he was going to be a father. But then again, Serana was quite the shock this time.

"What changed?"

He found himself asking that out loud, causing the faces of the women around him to distort.

He tilted his hand as he looked meaningfully towards Serana, who was somewhat unnerved by his calmness, but still kept her wits about her. His eyes then moved from her face to her swollen belly, and without a doubt, there was a child in a vampire’s belly.

"It must be a very interesting story that has led you to this room…" Jon spoke, then turned to the two women who were trying to hide from him, "… Idgrod the Younger."

The young girl, in her late teens, was shocked to find herself being the first he spoke to. She gulped and explained to him how she met Vittoria and how they wound up running into the White Woman and Serana.

It was a classic interrogation move: ask the youngest and most nervous first; they spill the beans faster than anyone.

"Then it must be fate that brought us together. I welcome you to my home," Jon said in a friendly tone, and then turned to Vittoria.

"I knew you needed some time apart, but you were in Hjaalmarch this whole time. I am sorry you got dragged into another mess because of me."

"I hope you are," Vittoria replied sharply, but as she tried to give Jon a sharper look with her eyes, she found herself looking away from the deep gaze he gave her.

"Heh! Fate has brought you back to Winterhold. I am sorry for the hardships I made you go through, but you are an important part of my family, Vittoria. Part of this city was built by your efforts alone."

His soft words had the effect of magic on her heart, but Vittoria resisted Jon as best she could and tried to avoid his honeyed words as much as possible.

"Thank you for your kind words, but there is a lot I need to think through," Vittoria said.

However, before Jon could even answer, Alina spoke:

"Take your time, Vittoria. Remember that you are always welcome, and this is your home as much as it is ours."

"Thanks, Alina."

Despite everything, Vittoria and Alina still had a good relationship. After all, she was one of the girlfriends she approved of, unlike a certain vampire.

Jon turned to Serana next, and a grin appeared on his face as he spoke:

"So… still Cute Little Fangs, aren’t we?"

"I have a request to make, Jon Dare," she said with a stiff tone, almost as if trying to appear tough in front of him.

"So, you want something?"

"I do."

"Then you know that as much as I can give…" Jon spoke and leaned forward, looking at Serana right in the eyes, "…I can also take."

Serana held her breath and almost tightened her fist on the chair’s armrest, but as if she had rehearsed this conversation so many times, she held her emotions in very quickly.

"I want… no, the baby wants blood."

"Is that so?" Jon smiled and looked at her belly again, "Never thought a vampire would knock on my door asking for blood. It is almost… laughable."

"So you won’t give life to your child?" Serana asked with a strong glare.

"I will," Jon replied nonchalantly before asking, "Is that how you made the baby? You used my seed and my blood?"

"It wasn’t easy."

"I can imagine. My wife and I have been trying to do it for some time now. Maybe we can get some pointers from you. Seed, blood, and what other thing? Find another Emperor and kill him?" ℞𝔞ƝꝋΒƐṠ

Just as he said that, Vittoria’s hand found itself picking up the crossbow lying by the wall, and by pulling its lever, it was already aimed at Serana’s head.

"I would appreciate it if you spoke the full truth, Jon. You are the one who put me in charge of the Dark Brotherhood. You are the one who accepted the Emperor’s contract to kill himself."

"Indeed. Isn’t that just the truth?" Jon replied, smiling back at Serana.

"You what? The Emperor did what?" Vittoria asked with a horrified face.

But it was the White Woman who replied.

"I have seen many emperors… all emperors, in fact… any of them would appreciate a loyal avenger like yourself, girl," she said.

Vittoria’s hands shook as she was still aiming at Serana. Her fingers were almost touching the hair trigger of this model of lever-action crossbow, but looking at how the White Woman was inciting her to take the shot, Vittoria felt a shiver running through her spine, and she removed the bolt immediately.

"You’re a problematic one." Alina looked at the White Woman, her eyes glowing red with anger.

"Oh! These are some strong glares, young lady," the White Woman replied.

"Enough!" Jon spoke and looked at the White Woman, whom he was planning to ignore, "You are in my house; respect that."

The White Woman smiled and walked slowly to the other side of the room.

"Don’t you just want to do what you do best, Jon Dare?"

"Quit playing around. You recruited Serana to do your bidding. I assume one ancient vampire such as yourself has found some opportunity using a parentless girl like her to your advantage."

"Indeed. I am now her mother."

"I won’t entertain you any longer, then. Let me leave you with a warning, though, if you ever come…"

"A warning? Even your dear uncle Sheogorath wouldn’t leave me with a warning," the woman interrupted Jon and looked at him with a winning smile.

Not many know the relationship between Jon and the Daedric Prince of Madness. Even among the Dares, it is a well-kept secret. But even if an outsider were to know, Jon wouldn’t give in so easily.

He shifted his seat and spoke:

"When I built this tower, I enchanted almost every piece of wood and stone with many glyphs of power. From the outside, it is indestructible; from the inside, it is bigger than its outside. Under it lie many spells and Magicka focus points, and in the center of it all, a mind that almost achieved Apotheosis called the Augur."

"Impressive!" she said tauntingly.

"Indeed. It’s a nice place to live in, a safe stash as well."

"And I assume a terrible prison, too?"

"Oh, you have no idea, lady."

"Many Daedra have tried their way with me. The first to trap me did so for so many years I had to engrave my name on my flesh to not forget it, but even if he was first, he was also last. Are you sure you will succeed?"

"I don’t need to hear your sob story, Lamae Bal."

The name Jon uttered sent ripples through the room. All three human ladies fully realized who that woman was.

"WHAT?!" Idgrod the Younger had a jump-scare at that name.

"Divines!" Vittoria was shocked senseless by the name as well.

"Well, I’ll be damned." Even the future-seeing Alina didn’t see that one coming.

Lamae Bal, if not the ex-girlfriend of the one and only Molag Bal, is known as Lamae Beolfag. She was the first-ever Daughter of Coldharbour, the first-ever vampire.

Originally a Nedic priestess devoted to Arkay, she was assaulted by Molag Bal, who left her for dead after marking her with his blood. She died, but during her funeral rites, she rose as the first pure-blooded vampire, becoming the inaugural "Daughter of Coldharbour." Feeling betrayed by Arkay, Lamae embraced her vampiric nature and sought vengeance against both Arkay and Molag Bal. She established the Cult of Lamae Bal with herself as the Blood Matron, transforming her bloodline through dark sorcery to create the Blood Scions—vampires nearly as powerful as those directly turned by Molag Bal. Unlike other vampires who grow stronger through starvation, her Scions gain strength by feeding, reflecting her philosophy that vampires should embrace their predatory nature.

That is the woman Serana got in league with, the one with whom she replaced her clan Volkihar.

"You’ve been busy, Serana," Jon said.

"She was," Lamae replied for Serana and then stood behind her, "It is no easy labor becoming one of my scions, let alone someone I proudly call a daughter."

"Look at them thousand-year-old hags playing house," Alina lashed out at the two.

"Alina," Jon turned to his wife and held her hand, trying to appease her.

"I’ll get straight with you, Jon Dare. This child of mine has a debt that you must pay," Lamae spoke to Jon.

"A debt, you say?" Jon smiled.

"Of blood and power," she said.

"And here I was thinking of love," he replied with a chuckle.

"You can give that?" Lamae asked with a shocked face.

"Oh! I can," Jon said and turned to Vittoria, "I guess you are still angry at me. Maybe disappointed."

"I… I am," Vittoria replied.

"Do you doubt that I love you?" Jon asked.

"… I do not," she said.

"I am sorry I did what I did, but things had to go down that way. The Emperor understood that, and he planned for it; he wanted the best for everyone," Jon spoke kindly to Vittoria.

As she nodded, Alina walked to her side to comfort her.

"As for you, Serana, do you doubt that our feelings were unreal?"

"I don’t, Jon, but you were greedy and dishonest," she replied without hesitation.

"As for greed, it is a sin I always bear," Jon said and continued, "It is you who was not honest. I wanted things to follow some sort of order between you and me, but you wanted more, not from me but for yourself, and I understand that. I respect that."

"But…"

"But you should have come to me first. Instead, you invited a stranger into my home and gave her leverage over me," Jon said.

"The leverage is for me," Serana insisted.

"Is it?" Jon asked and almost laughed before turning to Lamae, "Is it?"

"What matters is my daughter’s needs," Lamae said.

"Oh, cut the crap! She is bearing my child; no one in Tamriel would dare look her in the eye and risk me descending upon their necks. Serana will get all she wants and more. It is you who worries me. I am in your debt for saving the city and for pushing back Alduin on your own; I am not sure what you want as repayment."

"I think I already told you," Lamae said.

"Oh, that cute offer?" Jon asked with raised brows.

"What cute offer?" Alina bolted behind Jon in a second.

"She wants to adopt me as well," Jon said.

"Well… I’ll be damned. I can already see Hilda and Nurina chopping that bitch to bits."

"Hehehe!" Jon also laughed.

"Oh, how mean! It was but an offer," Lamae said with a cool smile.

"Then what is it you desire?" Jon asked.

Lamae stayed silent for a while, then when she spoke, no voice came out.

Even Serana frowned and looked up at her, but Lamae was already done talking.

As for Jon, it was as if he heard something that shook him to his very core. He stood up and walked to the window before staring blankly at the city beneath him and pondering for a time.

"I am sorry I burdened you with this knowledge, young one, but you will soon come to understand I meant well."

As Lamae said, Jon turned to her with a frown that he couldn’t put away and let out a heavy sigh.

She told him something that disturbed him indeed, but she also gave him an offer that he couldn’t refuse at the time. It wasn’t something he would worry about until the next Kalpa, but that’s the situation he found himself facing.

Mortals perish, and by the coming Kalpa, the flow of Fate wouldn’t even guarantee them being born. However, Ada crossed from Kalpa to Kalpa untouched by Fate, always emerging with each new dream.

Lamae offered not just a mere relationship of adoption or friendship, but an alliance that lasts for the next Kalpa if Jon were to be an Ada. A type of drama he was far from ready for.

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